I thought it might be nice to share photos seasonally, which might be blooms, new buds, weather, etc. I was pleasantly surprised to find my "Jacob" hellebore starting to bloom mid-December. This was newly planted last winter so I didn't know when to expect blooms. My other hellebore (NOID) doesn't usually start until January. Also in bloom is my winter jasmine, and these two are near one another (unintentionally) so it creates a little bright spot in the current dreariness. Share what's happening in your gardens this winter.

I took advantage of the mild weather today and cleaned out a bed (weeded, pruned, mulched). While doing so, I found another early bloomer - vinca major - not in full force, but a bloom here and there in sheltered areas close to the barn. I trimmed that back pretty hard, and have transplanted a bunch to my driveway shrub border, hoping it will just kind of take over and even grow up into the shrubs. Most of the shrubs are mature and currently have buttercups and bunch grasses at their feet, not a particularly good look.

Snow! My computer is broken, don't have a cell phone, so hoping someone will post some white photos

Is an old photo OK? Cold-hardy bamboo, Fargesia rufa

Qingchuan Arrow Bamboo (Fargesia rufa)





... shake - shake - shake ...

I wish it would grow here but a zone 6 would never survive even in my warmer garden. Great picks.

By the way, Merry Christmas Rick. First person I have said that to today.

Merry Christmas and happy New Year, Mary Stella!

I've been offline through the holidays.

I am quasi offline - malfunctioning new computer that is headed back to Dell to hopefully fix or replace. Gettin by with an older Nook that holds a charge for only about 10 minutes. No way to upload photos. Keep pics coming!

I went on a garden walk about yesterday and found tons of little buds and hopeful new growth starting to pop up. Also had a flock of blackbirds in a cottonwood, very noisy!

A decent day for pictures and a walk about in the yard. Amazing what is out there when you look.
The witch hazel in full glory






A new Hellebore, bought as a plug a few years ago and its first flower.



'Midnight Ruffles'


Petasites pyrenaicus , the fragrance is wonderful!

A few things blooming around the yard.

Nice! Thanks for the photos!

I have some crocuses, hyacinths and grape hyacinths up, but they are barely taller than the weeds.

And the darn crocuses were open for a total of 40 minutes this year. The blooms pop up, but then they WILL NOT open until they get enough sun. Well, that was 40 minutes more than they were open last year, the year before that, and the year before THAT!

I was fortunate to have my son, his girlfriend, and my granddaughter come by to help me edge out my herb garden last weekend. It was *so* helpful - that task would have taken me days rather than an afternoon. I've now spent this week weeding the beds and have mostly got them all mulched. Here's some before/after photos:

Oh Deb, I am so envious. It looks great in its skeletal form and will be gorgeous when it is grown out. Everything is still frozen solid here even though (or maybe especially because) the snow is almost gone but we are having mid to low teens at night. Winter just doesn't want to let go. Spring claims the day with 40 and 50's then winter moves back in and bites our you know what at night.