Winter season doesn’t mean you have to turn your back to your flower garden until spring comes. There is a good number of plants that bloom beautifully even in the coldest of weather. Let’s dig into their world and see which ones you will fancy.
21.07.2023 - 22:53 / awaytogarden.com
H AVING TROUBLE WAITING, BUDDHA-LIKE, FOR SPRING? Me, too. Busy hands are happy hands, my grandmother said, so I’m assigning myself tasks to make the dreaded month of February feel more productive, not actual horticultural chores yet because of the lingering snow, but things like these:Hoard cardboard: I’ve stopped putting my corrugated boxes from packaging and other plain cardboard out for recycling. I’ll stockpile all that arrives from now onward, breaking down the boxes and stashing the resulting panels as future weed-smothering, under-mulch control. Learn how it works.
Order asparagus: There are some weak stretches in my long row of asparagus, spots where for some reason the old plants just aren’t performing any longer. Time to order more, and maybe plan for another row. Asparagus is an investment crop that pays back for years to come; get started planning your patch now.
Go on the offensive: I saw mole, mouse or vole trails in the snow this week, the first in awhile, so I’m tripling up on mousetraps baited with peanut butter in all sheds, by the house foundation, in the basement, and anywhere in the yard that I see their runs. I read recently that it’s best to leave them baited but not set for a few days, to get the creatures’ confidence. Here’s my own how-to.One more thing, a “don’t:” If your place is out from under snow or ice, you have my envy…but also my warning: Don’t start stomping around on lawns or beds if the ground is sodden and squishy. Frozen is fine, but not where your feet leave their mark. The damage you’ll do will exceed the value of whatever real chores you manage to accomplish. Busy yourself with these other faux chores while you (and I) wait. Be patient, like the Buddha.
Winter season doesn’t mean you have to turn your back to your flower garden until spring comes. There is a good number of plants that bloom beautifully even in the coldest of weather. Let’s dig into their world and see which ones you will fancy.
One of the most beautiful and delicious fruits, kiwis are favorites of both children and adults alike. However, like camu camu, these bright green fruits might be most adored by the wellness community, as they're incredibly nutritious. One potential health benefit of kiwi that's been causing some buzz recently? Eating one before bed might help you sleep better—and as it turns out, that might be true.
While a family of five (a couple and three daughters) had made some renovations throughout the years to their 1949 mid-century, post-war house in Seattle since they moved in in 2013, there was one room that still desperately needed a facelift: their galley-style kitchen. “It was hardly big enough for two people to move about, let alone a family of five!” says Meghan Price of Maple & Plum, who oversaw the project. “There were areas of wasted space, major lack of storage, and it felt dark and uninviting. The back door and laundry were situated just off the galley kitchen, with tight, limited access to the backyard.”
Ah, garden dreams. We all have them. You drive by someone’s front yard and gasp at how original, yet welcoming it is. Or you go to a friend’s garden party and get positively green with envy over their, well, greenery and the overall flow of the space. To achieve such greatness, you decide you need to hire a landscape designer. And then you realize you have no idea what to do next.
Greenery is all very well but I like to see swathes of colourful flowers. I try to envisage how mixed planting will shape up in terms of colour but generally my minds eye falls short when it comes to the imagination department. The best tip is to keep it simple with only a very limited number of varieties chosen because they are due to flower around the same time.
Winter can start in December and continue through March (we even worry about snow in May up north) but do not let that put you off flowering plants.
What can gardeners do in winter? The answer lies in the soil! but to old gardeners it is still ‘Beyond our Ken’. I often spent too long polishing my good intentions this includes planning to send my mower for servicing and sharpening’ a shame I do not plan to polish up my other important gardening implements.
Eryngium giganteum better known now as ‘Miss Willmott’s ghost’ is my reminder to get ready for colder weather and Christmas. I have disconnected my hose pipes, lagged outside taps and cleaned up at least one water feature. For some reason one job I procrastinate over is protecting my pots, containers and ornaments from hard frosts. I know it is time to insulate or put them on to legs to provide some protection. At least they are already grouped together, sheltered from high wind and some of the worst weather.
Get sowing for some winter greens and veg like Beetroot, Spring Cabbages, Lettuces, Spring Onions, Chicory, Fennel and Rocket.
My mother very successfully grew Geraniums (pelargoniums) as indoor pot plants for many years. For the majority of gardeners the zonal geraniums are an outdoor feature of brightly coloured flowers that are often treated as annuals.
The year 2020 is set to be memorable for far too many reasons. At the moment I will only stick to comments about plant and garden viruses but note we ‘caught a cold’ on the wet winter.
Shopping for home accessories isn't an overnight process, but if you're looking to begin the journey of filling your space with beautiful accents, you'll want to keep these pro tips top of mind.