One thing that cheered me up was the sight of Peggy Clarke in all her finery. Yes, Virginia there is a tree that blooms in January ! I love this Prunus mume ( Japanese Apricot ) so much I bought two of them.
Another winter favorite is the Hellebores ( Lenten Rose ) which I have lining my driveway. Their cheerful bobbing heads in colors of rose, burgundy and white are a delightful sight.
Another January favorite is the Edgeworthia, aka, paper bush that is both beautiful and fragrant.
During the last five years I've been working on my garden it has been a real challenge to grow plants that deer, rabbits, drought, floods and clay soil don't affect. Each January I go over my planting plan which includes something blooming /or green each month of the year. I've had no luck with rhododendrons which I love but I've resorted to planting the hardy PJM ( named for the hybridizer Peter J. Mezzitt ) which I had in my Chicago garden. So far it appears to have survived the heat of the summer and I'm looking forward to seeing it bloom in April.
Another January favorite is the Edgeworthia, aka, paper bush that is both beautiful and fragrant.
During the last five years I've been working on my garden it has been a real challenge to grow plants that deer, rabbits, drought, floods and clay soil don't affect. Each January I go over my planting plan which includes something blooming /or green each month of the year. I've had no luck with rhododendrons which I love but I've resorted to planting the hardy PJM ( named for the hybridizer Peter J. Mezzitt ) which I had in my Chicago garden. So far it appears to have survived the heat of the summer and I'm looking forward to seeing it bloom in April.
If my PJM, pictured above, continues to do well I may add Mrs. Olga Mezzitt ( PJ's wife ) to the garden. She's another keeper that brightened my Chicago garden for many years. I'm also searching for a source of the very hardy Korean azalea 'poukhanese ' that grows wild in the mountains there.
My plan this year is to add Viburnum 'carlessii ' ( Korean Spice ) , Daphne 'carol mackie ' and the above mentioned rhododendrons. And in the empty spots that need something evergreen I will fill in with low-growing fragrant gardenias and Indian hawthorne.
This is my eighth year here and I find that the mild winters are very agreeable, especially when it is punctuated with Spring-like days of sunshine. And the sight of daffodils blooming whispers that Spring will soon be here.
My plan this year is to add Viburnum 'carlessii ' ( Korean Spice ) , Daphne 'carol mackie ' and the above mentioned rhododendrons. And in the empty spots that need something evergreen I will fill in with low-growing fragrant gardenias and Indian hawthorne.
This is my eighth year here and I find that the mild winters are very agreeable, especially when it is punctuated with Spring-like days of sunshine. And the sight of daffodils blooming whispers that Spring will soon be here.
