Hands down, the most beautiful photographs of a winter garden are found at The Gardener's Eden. Clearly, Michela is a more experienced garden designer and author than I, having done freelance writing and photography for the mighty Martha Stewert. Michela's grasses, particularly, have amazing sculptural structure.The picture at right, yoinked from The Gardener's Eden site, shows winter scene to die for: the three cardinal evergreen colors (green, deep red, and pale green/yellow) are perfectly balanced by the simple and strong gray of the concrete. Even her use of concrete is flawless, with natural, organic forms (steps) contrasted by geometric (bowl).
I am filled with envy.
Winter is a gray and dreary time for gardeners, and a season when productivity slows substantially - if not altogether -for food crops. If you live in an area with mild winter temperatures (zone 7 or warmer), then winter production may still continue by careful plant selection and the use of floating row covers. Here in North Texas, we continue to grow chard, garlic, onion, sorrel, burnet, rosemary and sage all year 'round.
left: chard, a winter survivor great for stew and soups...
For gardeners in more northern environments, winter is a good time to focus on the 'architecture' of the garden: evergreens, sculpture and other accessory elements, as well as gardening for the birds and wildlife. (Link here for more information on gardening for the birds .)
right: monochrome magic: simple concrete sculpture in our winter garden at Forgotten Works. The concrete was literally a road side find, shaped with a jackhammer...Sculptural elements in the landscape can also add interest, especially in the deep of winter when everything may be shades of white, gray and brown. Some pieces combine function with beauty, while others exist only for ornament. When investing in art for your garden, go with a piece you love. Look for durable materials such as steel, concrete, or porcelain. Glass is durable, but can be subject to breaking during temperature extremes; be sure glass vessels are overturned so they don't hold ice and crack.
Don't let winter ruin your garden fun: if all else fails and it is just to cold, winter is the perfect time for scanning favorite garden catalogs and seed suppliers sites! Sstay by the fire and dream:)
