Bare Bones and Frozen Fingers

360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
by 360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
When I was growing up, my Mother, after hearing someone complement a lady, would say 'she has good bones'. Winter time is a great time for looking at the 'bare bones' of your garden. It is easy to enjoy the spring and summer garden with the full of color and bounty of green leaves. But what is there for you in the winter when the 'scape is nude of its covering of leaves and flowers?
What is your favorite thing to look at in your winter landscape?
I love winter gardens!. Less clutter, bare bones, stark and beautiful.
Think Texture and contrasts. This is when your garden art shines as well!
Plants with Winter color. It isn't all about blooms! Berries, bark and leaves all have value in the winter'scape. Top of my list is of course the Coral Bark Maple. Hollies with berries (Red or Yellow). Red, Yellow or Orange twig dogwoods. Exfoliating trees, white bark trees, Curvy trees such as a Henry Lauders' Walking Stick. Evergreen plants with colored leaves also add good 'backbone' to your garden. And yes, blooms are not bad either with the Lenten rose sand the Camellias!
Moss Rocks and boulders. Rocks are can be a place to draw the eye for a 'rest'. They don't have to be huge be a big hit in your landscape. Remember to bury some of the boulder into your landscape so that it does not look like you just threw a rock down. Play around with it, different angles, don't be afraid to experiment! Boulders are pretty resilient on the transplant (ok that one was pretty lame and lands me in the plant geek category)
Garden Art and interesting structures. Arbors, Pergolas, interesting pots all add an ambiance to the garden year round. Let your whimsical side loose with fun recycled and up-cycled objects d'art!There are plenty of awesome projects that are on my clip board and others here that will make your garden fun!
This is when you see more clearly the lines and curves (or lack of), the balance and flow of your garden structure. Take a look around at your garden, does it look lopsided? Has edge between the lawn and the landscape bed gotten a bit confused and hairy looking? Great time to tackle that! Grab the water-hose and pin it down with some sod staples and reestablish your bedlines. If you have any dormant plants you might want to make sure you know where they are before you do this). Clean those messy lines up while you have plenty of time. Good hard work in cold weather makes you warmer!
So folks get out there and dig it, ya dig? If you have any questions please contact me anytime!
Yuletide Camellia in bloom now, Zone 7b southeast USA
Mature Camellia
beautiful boulder, and a BEAR and year round interest
Boulders, pottery, table and pavers all will give your winter garden life
beautiful and bright colored conifer
not to everyone's tasted , but toparies often add a extra 'coolness' factor to the garden
Contorted Filbert has possibly the most awesome structure, this is a semi- bonsi specimen, most are planted as a focal point in a small garden area
Holly with red berry
Coral Bark Maple
whimsical!
My pet rock!
Variegated Pieris in full bud mid-Feb in zone 7b southeast USA
Yellow twig dogwood in all its winter glory. Beautiful when planted in mass or with the Red Twig as a compliment
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  • Sondra A Sondra A on Jan 14, 2013
    Thanks for letting me know that, Doug. Saves some aggravation and time. I will visit my local nursery and see what I can come up with. My youngest son and I have been eating blueberries like there is no tomorrow, so having some in the backyard would be quite welcome (even though it wouldn't provide berries year round).
  • Great post and pictures. I am partial to your pet rock.
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