Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up January: The Inner Beauty of Winter!

Welcome!

Happy New Year and welcome to my January zone 7b Long Island garden! After the snowiest December in years with two snowfalls, one of seven inches on the 14th, followed by another four inches a week later, the start of January came in chilly with another coating of snow earlier in the month. Now the temperatures have risen into the upper 40's, making it feel downright balmy outside, so I have been spending time in the garden, gently anticipating spring. Join me for a tour as we appreciate the inner of beauty of winter.

Garden Gal!

As we start the tour of the garden, here is the infamous "Garden Gal" statue, which I have had for as long as I can remember, as she carries her basket of dormant Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia). This hardy, creeping groundcover has been doing rather well contained in a planter, as long as the winters are not too harsh.

Nellie Steven's Holly

As we wander towards the backyard, this Nellie Steven's Holly is a regular stop on our monthly tour, but one cannot walk pass it by without admiring its bright red berries, which are prominent this time of year.

Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'

Here is the winter bark of Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'. This late summer blooming tree has an exfoliating bark in which the color is more prominent when the tree is actively growing, but it does add a nice touch to the landscape in the wintertime. The bark shows interesting patterns which can be seen while close up.

Mugo Pine

One of the many garden interests of winter that catch the eye are the seed cones of pine. Here is a close up view of Mugo Pine with its dark brown, egg-shaped clusters of seeds. Each cone is only 1.5 to 2 inches in size.

Happy Visitors!

I feed the visiting birds regularly during the cold winter months when food sources are more scarce, and they eagerly await my arrival with their daily meals. As I approach the feeder they sit in the nearby tree, and the second I replenish their food they are all over it and happy as can be. I am convinced that they are thanking me as I am greeted with an abundance of chirping!

Rhododendron Buds!

Here in the back pool surround, the buds of Rhododendron are starting to show as the tree prepares for its blooms in spring...

Weeping Norway Spruce

while Weeping Norway Spruce gracefully borders the pool patio.

Spruce Seeds Up Close

The seeds of spruce are another example of the inner beauty of winter. Here they are up close.

Evergreen Mix

Here along the northern pool border is a combination of  Leucothoe 'Axillaris', Upright 'Sky Pencil' Holly, Golden Variegated Sedge, and Dwarf Spreading Yew 'Repandens' (far right), all which are evergreen throughout the year.

Leucothoe 'Axillaris'

One thing I enjoy about broadleaved evergreens is their ability to change to an array of colors, depending on the temperatures and seasons. Here the foliage of Leucothoe 'Axillaris' turns a bronzy color in the colder temperatures of winter. As the plant slows in producing chlorophyll, it produces pigments called anthocyanins, which protect its leaves from the intense winter sun when chlorophyll is lacking, a phenomenon known as photoprotection.

Winter Interest

Here is another view of the Leucothoe with a closer look at the contrasting foliage of Dwarf Spreading Yew. One of my favorite things to do while designing is combining different textures.

Driveway Border

Along the driveway border is Weeping Norway Spruce and Dwarf Norway Spruce with Spirea alongside them in winter mode...

Driveway Border-Golden Skyland's Oriental Spruce

and Golden Skyland's Oriental Spruce as it towers towards the sky. 

Golden Skyland's Oriental Spruce Up Close!

I admire its beautiful foliage every moment of the year and even more so in wintertime. Purplish seed cones form in the upper branches in springtime, which I always look forward to.

All-Season Patio Planter

Along the gate entrance is an all-season planter consisting of Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Blue Juniper and Variegated Golden Boxwood...

A reminder of Snow

and along the front walkway is a last shimmer of snow.

Winter Blooms!-Hellebore 'Shooting Star'

As winter continues, Hellebore buds form, which will very soon open into beautiful blooms, reminding us that there can be beauty and blooms all throughout winter.

Indoor Collection

As the hours of daylight slowly increase and while awaiting the winter to pass, the indoor garden continues to thrive with colorful foliage, accompanied by the blooms of African Violet and Thanksgiving Cactus.

Indoor Collection

For a moment each morning, I just gaze out the window and dream.

Thanks for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my January garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and enjoy seeing what you have growing in your garden. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday, Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden.

Other Places to Find Me 🌼

You can visit my Author Page 👈to learn about and purchase my books, each one focusing on different aspects of gardening, including landscape ideas, design principles, gardening by month for all-season interest, gardening tips and maintenance, shade gardening, gardening inspiration and more. And also be sure to check out my newest publication, The Houseplant Guide, to guide you on your houseplant journey! If you have read any of my books and have found them to be useful, reviews are very much appreciated!

Also, check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free to subscribe or you can pledge a donation to show support for my work and receive monthly updates right into your inbox!

Find me on Instagram at Northeastern Gardening and Facebook at A Guide to Northeastern Gardening Blog & Author Page.

Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2026. All rights reserved. 

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up February 2020: Winter Blooms & Views!

February Garden

Welcome to another Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-Up for the month of February. With one of the mildest winters on record here in the northeast, Hellebores are in full bloom and perennials are starting to show their presence. According to the words of Dali Lama, "Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." This quote is so true, as one of the first things I do each morning is gaze upon my garden, which brings me great joy. As winter winds down with promises of a not too distant spring, come along and see what my Long Island garden has to offer!

Hellebore 'Shooting Star'

The first stop is to view the glorious blooms of Hellebore 'Shooting Star'. This is one of the best garden investments I have made over the years, so that I could see blooms in winter, and this perennial gets the job done. When not flowering, the foliage stays evergreen on the northern side of the property, which is another plus.

Evergreens and Hellebores!

Here is a wider view the the Hellebores in front of a border of evergreens and flowering shrubs. There are three Hellebore plants in this location, supplying plenty of buds and blooms from January to March!

Welcoming Committee

Along to the western side of the property, my frequent visitors will probably recall the story of how my husband surprised me with this irresistible garden statue last winter. I love seeing it right outside the back door each morning and its amazing how something so simple can make one smile!

Welcomed Guests

During the winter months, bird visitors are always welcomed in the garden, and these House Sparrows love the Weeping Pussy Willow tree by the back patio. It is a favorite nesting place, especially in spring.

Winter Berries on Nellie Stevens Holly

As we move along to the back garden, Nellie Stevens Holly berries are nice and plump for  the winter months and Dwarf Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica 'Globosa Nana') shows its golden-bronzed winter foliage.

Cryptomeria japonica 'Globosa Nana' 

In the foreground, this garden kitty has a special meaning. It was a gift from my mom many years ago and it brings back fond memories of her each time I pass it by. 

Garden Gal

This statue of Garden Gal has also been around for many years as she continues to delight visitors with her basket of Mondo Grass. Wanting to give a different perspective, this is the view from the northeastern side of the property. Euonymus 'Emerald Gaiety' is in the foreground and the large piece of moss rock was added last summer to add a little dimension to the garden.

Blue Globe Spruce

Being a huge fan of evergreens of different shapes and colors, one of my favorite additions is this Globe Blue Spruce, which displays its brilliant blue-green foliage all year round and grows to a compact 2-3 feet in height and width. Here is a close up view of its interesting needles.

Weeping Japanese Maple

Wintertime doesn't mean there can't be interest. This eight foot tall Weeping Japanese Maple displays its twisted trunk during the colder months when its foliage is absent.

Signs of Spring to Come!

In the southern exposure garden there are some early signs of spring as Sedum 'Brilliant' rosettes start to make their presence known...

Hyacinth Buds in February!

and the Hyancinths are emerging! As I had mentioned at the beginning of this post, this has been one of the mildest winters on record...with the exception of yesterday and today with temperatures not getting above freezing. Nonetheless, the spring bulbs are confused and quickly rising up out of the soil for their spring debut. But wait...it's way too early!

Front Walkway

Once in a while the skies darken as a brief passing shower changes the lighting along the front walkway. The beauty of a virtual tour is that I get to share this with you, even though it happened a couple of days ago. 

Winter View

Along the front, Skylands Golden Oriental Spruce and Coral Bark Maple 'Sangu Kaku' continue to display their evergreen foliage and coral-red bark, which the colder temperatures make more prominent...and indoors the mature Jade plant produces a rare treat!

Indoor Blooms on Jade Plant!

This Jade plant is approximately thirty years old and produces white star-like blooms during the winter months when conditions are right. The secret: This plant is in a southwestern window in full sun. The lower nighttime temperatures in the room during winter combined with increasing hours of daylight in February triggers the blooms. The plant itself is 3.5 feet tall by 2.3 feet wide. I have propagated many plants from cuttings over the years. Propagation is simple...cut off a section of stem approximately 3-4 inches in length and allow it to cure for one to two days. Moisten the cut end and dip into rooting medium, place into a light soil mix and water. The new plant will root in approximately two to three weeks. I water my plants every two weeks, allowing the soil to dry out in between.

February Garden

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoyed your tour of my February garden! Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Dishing It & Digging It on Sunday with Angie the Freckled Rose, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Homestead Blog Hop  and Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays.

   

      Looking for some winter reading?-Visit my Author Page

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations 

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

As Always...Happy Gardening! 😊

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2020. All rights reserved.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up March 2019: Signs of Spring!

March 2018 Garden

Welcome to my March garden. With the vernal equinox just five days away, the garden is finally starting to show signs of spring! This has certainly been one of the most unusual winters the northeast has experienced in a long time, with higher than normal temperatures throughout most of the season, followed by periodical blasts of temperatures in the single digits. Our first significant snowfall just occurred eleven days ago on March 4th with approximately 3-4 inches of snow, which you can see lingering in some areas of the garden. For the remainder of the month, the temperatures are supposed to be above normal.

A Silent Snow

To start the tour, in a more sheltered portion of the property sits one of my favorite statues of a young girl and her kitty, an addition to the garden which I will always treasure. In the March garden she is surrounded by the lingering snow.

Hellebore Lenten Rose 'Merlin'

I am finally seeing some Hellebore blooms. The buds failed to open throughout January and February, and a few finally started to open now in March. We never got the snow to insulate the plants and with the periods of severe cold, the buds stayed tightly closed.

Hellebore Lenten Rose 'Shooting Star'

Once the temperatures rebounded, I trimmed off some of the severely winter burned foliage, which helped to spark the blooms. There is such a delicate balance that exists with nature.

Hyacinths Emerging!

The Hyacinths started coming up before the March snow and appear to be well on their way...

Sedum Foliage

and Sedum 'Brilliant' is showing some of its perfectly rounded mounds of rosette foliage.

Birds Preparing for Nests

As spring approaches, the birds have been exceptionally active in the trees on the property, especially near the Weeping Pussy Willow, where they tend to congregate and perch on the upper branches. Nesting season is on  the way!

Pussy Willow Catkins!

One of my favorite first signs of spring are the catkins on the Weeping Pussy Willow, that grow larger by the day, until they explode into little bundles of golden pollen. 

Morning Teatime

Here is the latest addition to the garden. My dear husband saw this while he was out shopping near the end of February, and the moment he saw it, he knew that it had to have a place in our garden. He said it reminded him of the two of us sharing a morning cup of tea/coffee. After 36 years of being married to a gardener, my husband finally gets it!

Oriental Skyland's Spruce and Coral Bark Maple March

Let's venture around to the front gardens. Here is Golden Oriental Skyland's Spruce and Coral Bark Maple 'Sangu Kaku'. Even though we didn't experience the snow that triggers the redness of the bark of the Maple, the cold temperatures did the trick. I always admire how the bark of the tree seems to "glow" alongside the Oriental Spruce. 

Daylilies Emerging!

The Daylilies are emerging! The Daylilies are emerging! This is a sure sign of spring on the way!

Back Perimeter Garden March

The nice part about going through a milder than usual winter is that the evergreens are not showing any signs of bronzing, and I am not out in the garden removing broken branches like we had last year. I am hoping that we don't experience any late season snowstorms like we did at the beginning of last April.

Nellie Stevens Holly Berries

Even the berries on the Nellie Stevens Holly are looking exceptionally plump and bright this year during the month of March.

"Turkey Tail" Bracket Fungi

While walking around the winter garden, I ran into this unusual formation that is growing near an old decaying tree stump in the back corner. It is not something I planted, yet very intriguing. It is known as Turkey Tail Bracket Fungi, named after its structure. I think I'll leave it right where it is!

Structure in the March Garden

The 'Star Magnolia' in the back bed is forming buds for spring. At this time of year I also like to focus on the structure of the tree and the evergreen foliage that surrounds it.

Back Shade Garden

Here is a closer look with a little whimsy thrown in. The Leucothoe axillaris behind the statue wintered very well this year and I just gave the garden statue a new coat of paint, even though it is only in the 40's outside. Do you think someone is just a little anxious for spring?

Garden Gal

Last, but not least in the outdoor garden, is garden gal with her basket of black Mondo grass. Winter comes and goes, and this perennial perseveres. 

Christmas Cacti Round Two!

Moving to the inside blooms, I couldn't resist sharing this Christmas Cactus going through its second bloom. It usually blooms once, but this year I am getting a bonus display for March! Even the Amaryllis which has already bloomed, is getting new leaves coming up out if it. There's nothing but foliage right now, but I am wondering it it will have a second bloom as well. If it happens, I will certainly share!

Phalaehopsis Orchid

Have you ever bought an orchid from a super market? I just did. They were too beautiful and healthy to pass up. Wish me luck!

Phalaehopsis Orchid

Here is a closer view of the beautiful blooms. From what I've read, this particular variety is supposed to be easier to maintain and will bloom longer than other species.

March Garden~Thanks for Visiting

I hope you enjoyed your stroll through my March garden. Please feel free to stay a while and catch up on some past posts and perhaps visit my author page (link below). There's also a tab at the top of the page, called My Gardens, which will take you on an adventure with yearly highlights of each month in the garden. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Dishing It & Digging It on Sunday with Angie the Freckled Rose, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Homestead Blog Hop on Wednesdays.

Visit my Author Page/Purchase My Books

~As Always...Happy Gardening! ~

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2019. All rights reserved.