Sunday, December 27, 2015

The Garden at Christmas


I never thought I'd be writing a post about my garden at Christmas but who would have ever anticipated this bizarre weather we've had? 


It's 60 degrees with a misty rain right now, and the clouds are sitting on the mountain peaks all around giving everything a very ethereal look. 

I'm glad to have the day off to putter around my little house taking care of some chores before heading back to work tomorrow. 

It was a lovely holiday!

And tomorrow is back to reality. And winter shall truly arrive. 

Our little reprieve is over. 

This warmer weather meant I could spend a little time in my garden this weekend, which was terrific - what a bonus! I have to say, even though we just got finished with Christmas and yet to have our first real snowfall I've already got spring fever. 

That's not good. There's a long winter ahead of us. 

Looking at the garden from a distance there's not much to see. But when you are a true gardener you notice the smallest little buds - everything is more significant. 


Like the new growth on the roses by the veggie garden - I feel terrible that these tender baby shoots are going to be frozen in another 24 hours. 


The Parsley is still going strong - I should probably harvest this today.  Last chance for fresh herbs right out of the garden this season, I believe!


Another week of this weather and I would have been able to harvest fresh Chives as well. 


I'm still concerned about what is going to happen with my Garlic. The shoots are so big now, this green growth is surely going to be killed within a few days....what will happen to the bulbs below?


The Strawberry plants continue to send out new growth. Since I have them in pots I will stash them away for the winter in the garden cottage and hope for the best. 


The Violas continue to amaze me - they have bloomed continuously since April - 8 months of straight bloom. That's unheard of up here on the mountain top!


I'm not complaining, that's for sure. It's been nice to have something bright and colorful to look at since we have no snow sparkling on the branches. 


Even the Dandelions are blooming in the grass - and I have to say they look pretty cheerful, like a little spot of sunshine in the December garden!


I doubt we'll see any more flowers for the season - the snow is due to start tomorrow, along with a half inch of ice. 

I'm glad I had this last weekend to play in the dirt. 

It smelled like Spring. 







30 comments:

  1. Don't you think all flower should be crossed with violas or pansies...because they are so hardy...or those blinking dandelions. LOL.. Yes, it will start being winter for sure this week. Although we are to get more rain tomorrow too. I am ready to see some sun sooon.....please. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

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    1. That would be amazing, Susie!! Dandelions just seem to pop up and bloom overnight like a little weedy miracle!

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  2. After Christmas is over, I'm always ready for Spring--no matter what the weather has been like. I probably shouldn't live in Nebraska then. Ha! It is a whopping 12 degrees outside (1 degree with the wind chill), so I am envying your 60 degrees.

    Thanks for sharing your December garden. Bundle up and enjoy the snow...hopefully winter won't last long. :-)

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    1. Wow, 12 degrees there...whew, that's frigid! We are down in the 20's today - a far cry from 60, I'll tell you!

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  3. Oh my...everything is confused and thinks it is Spring ;-) Here too...when I put cedar branches in my urns for Christmas decorating, my 'dead' mums were starting to bloom! I hope everything survives that I recently planted in the ground, you know...right before Winter! By the way, I've been meaning to tell you...you take BEAUTIFUL pictures. Enjoy your week of snow.

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    1. My dead mums are coming back, too - I put a bunch of them into the garden cottage to see if they will survive until spring - fingers crossed! Lori, thank you so much for your super sweet compliment!! I am still learning about photography but I love it - isn't it great to be able to document the beauty we see around us in our daily lives?

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  4. Do you know that your writing is getting even better as time goes by? You are a good writer, and as you have been blogging about your life, you will never probably lack for ideas to write about. That was a very smart move, for those that "paint themselves into a corner" run out of steam. I love to hear about your garden. And I think everything has done so well because it knows someone who loves it now lives there, and it is putting on a show for you!
    Brenda

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    1. Brenda you are such a wonderful friend to me and I can't thank you enough for all your encouragement! I love to write about my garden because I'm so passionate about it. One of the most difficult parts of moving from my marital home was leaving the garden I had loved and nurtured. I look so forward to spring in my new garden - since I am settled in the home now I can really spend some time outside this spring!

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  5. It is really crazy times. We've also had unusually warm weather and two days of rain that I wish was snow!

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    1. The weird warm weather is over for us for the time being, Jen - the snow is due to hit any minute now!!

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  6. I've seen some crazy things in my garden this winter, too! Even the rhododendron buds opened! Not sure what that means for spring. Every day that we don't have snow is a good one, to me!

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    1. I didn't check my Rhodie buds, Amy - now you're scaring me! I'm going to have to take a peek....fingers crossed they will still manage to put on a glorious show in Spring!

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  7. If we're confused about the weather, just imagine how the flowers feel! It's so bizarre, and temperature records are being broken almost everywhere. It will be interesting to see how this affects the spring blooms. Can't believe you still have parsley!

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    1. And the animals, Doreen! I wonder if the bears are ever going to hibernate this winter? I am still putting my feeders in the garage every single evening...and it would be really nice if I didn't have to!!

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  8. Hard to believe plants in the garden are blooming this time of year, isn't it? Makes me wonder what's going to happen come spring.

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    1. Maybe it will be the most amazing Spring ever, Melanie!! We can only hope, right?

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  9. I am in awe of your garden! Now that is a Christmas miracle!! Haha! ;)

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    1. Now, Kim, the true Christmas miracle would be if that money tree I planted in the garden would actually grow and bloom!! :)

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  10. I can't believe how confusing this weather is lately!
    XO Ellen from Ask Away
    www.askawayblog.com

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    1. The snow is on it's way, Ellen - I think we are only going to get about 3 inches but a half inch of ice on top of that will make the morning commute a treacherous one!

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  11. It is one day closer to spring! The poor plants don't know what to do any more with the crazy weather patterns around the country.
    Winter has finally come in the midwest, it is cold, rainy, icy and a little snow on the ground just from overnight. We have had roses blossoming up until now! It was nice enjoying the lateness of the flowers this year.
    Have a great week...Happy New Year!

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    1. That's a great way to look at it, Marigene - one day closer to spring and a tiny bit more daylight every day, right?

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  12. We've had dandelions around here and there for a few weeks now but I am amazed at your hardy violas!
    Our reprieve is over here as well...hard to get used to chilly weather again after Christmas feeling more like Easter! :)

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    1. I guess the furnace is back on, huh, Deb? I just lit my woodstove again...first time in a while. The house is chilly this evening and I'll be happy when the fire gets going! Nothing like a cozy fire on a stormy winter's night!

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  13. Those plants are so pretty and I'm with you, what is going to happen below the ground when winter arrives and spoils all of the beauty above ground? The weather has been torturous for us the past few days but I'm ready for some cold weather and winter to settle in for a bit...before Spring arrives! So glad you had a wonderful holiday! Hugs!!

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    1. I was thinking of you and all our other friends in the midst of the awful storms - praying you and your new home are safe and well. xo

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  14. The weather was nice while it lasted. It is very cold and windy here today. What fun to see all the blooms you still had in your garden. My daffodils are trying to come up. I'm sure all these plants are very confused. Hubs covered our garlic with straw, so hopefully we will have a good crop next year. We planted clover for the chickens and they have been munching (more like swallowing whole) the tasty bits. I agree with Miss Brenda...you are a very good writer. And I still say you are a well-balanced person! ha! I wish I had your energy.

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    1. Aww, Donna, thank you so much! What a wonderful compliment - you are so sweet! Funny, I don't always feel like I have a bunch of energy - I see all the projects other folks take on out there in blogland and there's no way I'd have the time or energy to do all that! Of course I work full time so that cuts in on the time I could spend playing around my house...perhaps I need to start playing the lottery? :)

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  15. I love the pictures of your garden! Spring fever is certainly a problem I have been having lately also, but for a different reason - I just got my seed catalogs! Here's to a normal winter (at least from now on) for all of us!

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    1. We're heading into a deep freeze now so I think the garden is done for a while now....I wonder how the garlic will do!

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