Stroll Through the Garden

It has been a mild start to this new year here at Greenbow. I have strolled about the garden daily almost as if it was still fall.   Our temps have been running 10 or more degrees above the average. 

I have been watching for any early flowers this year.  I don't think that most of the plants are fooled by this warmer weather.

I did find a few things popping up like the Snowdrops Nivalis peeking out of the duff with the Golden Alexander Zizia Aurea.

Ivory Prince Hellebore has buds on it too. According to my records this is an early date for them to be budding. 

Other Hellebores are putting on some growth! Now this is odd for January. Usually they are hunkered down awaiting more clement weather. I realized that Ivory Prince has been in this garden in this spot for many years, since 1997, and it has barely grown. I am beginning to wonder what in the world is the matter with this situation??? I did some reading and it did say it was a slow grower. I would say that this is ridiculous. Oh well, it is reliable and evergreen most years. I was thinking I would move it then I also read it doesn't like to be disturbed. Have any of you found this to be true?

Walking around the back of the garden I didn't find much but this Hairy Wood Mint is making a great winter show. I only planted one of these year before last wondering if it was a normal mint and would go rampant. No, it is clumper not a runner. 

If you look closely you can see where it gets its common name  'Hairy'. The stems and even the leaves are quite hairy.  The only draw back to this plant is that it looks horrible after it blooms. I cut it to the ground thinking it would be no loss if it died but it must have appreciated the chomp. It will be dealt with this way in the future too. I will see how it develops.

Walking through some of the other paths you can see there is a lot of brown and gray. The grass in the paths hasn't given up this winter at all. While it isn't summer green it isn't winter gray.

At the West end of the patio there is still a bit of green. The brown of the Witch Hazel leaves still clinging even gives a bit of color.

Around front is one of my very favorite plants in the garden , a weeping spruce. It doesn't get much blog love because of where it is situated. It has become a magnificent tree to my eyes. 

This year I am thinking that it is the most prolific year for cones on this tree. There is clump after clump all over the tree. I wonder if it is because of the drought we have had the past few years.  

Rain shouldn't be a problem this month if the predictions come true this week. 3-4" of rain is expected. Oh, have I mentioned the wind? In December half of the days had winds of 20MPH with even higher gusts. January has begun with about the same amounts of wind. 

On that note I will leave you here with a shot of the Holly Berries in front of the house. They are well guarded by the Mockingbird that claims this area. This is the most color in the garden other than gray and a bit of green. Here is to a more colorful spring.