Tag Archives: snow

Late February Garden With Snow

February Snow Feb 20, 2020 5:18pm

February’s weather is reliably unpredictable and often messy. This past week is typical. There were a few bright sunny mornings but the sun was inconstant. What might have seemed reasonably warm temperatures were made bone-chilling by shifts to dull gray skies that released a see-saw of downpours and drizzle, culminating in a sloppy, wet snow yesterday (Thursday). The snow began falling mid-afternoon and I ventured outside just before dark.

Spirea branches, already in bloom, were covered in icy snow and dipping downward. Tucked deep underneath the shrub, groups of hellebores found some protection.

Hellebores beneath Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea)

Narcissus have been blooming several weeks.

Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ (Tete-a-Tete Daffodil)

The advanced growth of foliage on this patch of iris surprised me.

February Snow -Iris

Despite the curious common name of summer snowflakes, Leucojum aestivum began blooming this week in time for the snow. It is normal for these to appear this time of year. These came from my sisters’ garden about 5 years ago.

February Snow -Leucojum aestivum (summer snowflake)

Snowfall ended by midnight. The sun shone brightly this morning revealing icy snow high in tree tops and a rich blue sky.

Around 8:30 a.m. a cold breeze stirred the chimes in the meditation circle, making the garden sing against the otherwise quiet hour. Birds were sheltered inside the large drooping spirea whose weighted branches touched the earth, forming a protective avian hideaway. They perched also in nearby trees, all waiting for me to finish taking pictures so they could resume visits to the freshly stocked feeder.

Meditation Circle Feb 21, 2020 8:30am

Much of the snow had disappeared by late afternoon and it is expected to be 61°F. Sunday.

A few days earlier, at eventide on Tuesday, I had braved the rain-saturated ground to walk the garden. Here are a few images from before the snow. This Iberis is such a delight.

Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)

Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)

Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ (Tete-a-Tete Daffodil)

Leucojum aestivum (summer snowflake)

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

50 Replies

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share an arrangement using materials collected from our gardens.

Wednesday brought a second winter snow to Chapel Hill and this time there was no messing around with a couple of inches. The garden was graced with spectacular 9.5 inches of snow. By Sunday the snow was nearly gone and the day was a pleasant 67°F.

Snowy Beauty – On Thursday the sun returned.

The starting point for today’s vase was a piece from a large, broken branch of crape myrtle, a 3-inch circumference victim of the heavy snow. The crape myrtle wood is red and smooth and after the stark white snow it seemed especially appealing.

Crape Myrtles suffered damage from heavy snow.

I decided to sacrifice a stem from a salmon-colored phalaenopsis to set off the polished red bark. Unfortunately the portion of the crape myrtle branch that prompted this choice, the part that was interesting and colorful, was also much too thick and heavy for me to use.

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

I ended up with a couple of branch tips that serve valiantly but lack the innate beauty of the red bark.

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

Still I like the richness of the flowers against the gray stems. And outdoors in the garden, tucked deep within cold-touched gardenia shrubs, I found several sets of lush green leaves to fill out the design.

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

Materials

Flowers
Phalaenopsis (moth orchid)
Foliage
Lagerstroemia (crape myrtle) branch
Gardenia jasminoides
Vase
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Triangle Black Wave (6.5 W x 6.5 L x 2H)

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower designs across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.

Wordless Wednesday—Carolina Snow Day

26 Replies

Carolina Snow Day

Meditation Circle

Six Years In A Blink And Waiting

32 Replies

Snowy View Of Meditation Circle

Promising myself to work toward renovating the garden, I launched pbmGarden with an initial post on January 7, 2011.

Undoubtedly, making a public commitment in an online journal helped me stick to a few of those early improvement goals. The labyrinth and meditation circle is one achievement from that period.

Snowy View Of Meditation Circle

In the intervening six years plants, plans and even enthusiasm for gardening have cycled through high points and low.

An unexpected benefit stemming from penning that first garden entry has been receiving the support of gardeners from many corners of the world. Entering the wonderful community of garden bloggers has been a joy. I thank you readers for your kind comments, helpful advice and generous spirit, all of which have led to genuine and cherished friendships.

Snowy View Of Meditation Circle

Today the garden is decorated with a winter coat of white, just a couple of inches of fine powdery snow, though six to eight inches had been predicted. The smaller amount is cover for a treacherous icy layer beneath.

For those of us living in this area, temperatures are extreme, as this forecast illustrates:

SAT SNOW AND SLEET 27°F/ 8°F
SUN MOSTLY CLEAR 27°F/ 1°F
MON PARTLY CLOUDY 31°F/ 16°F

The exact numbers keep changing but frigid cold promises to make traveling the little winding curving roads leading out of my neighborhood dangerous to nearly impossible for the next few days. In the fifteen years of living here, snow plows have come through only once.

Normally I would not mind waiting it out but this has proved a particularly frustrating and disruptive weather event, affecting a planned all-weekend activity and threatening an important appointment for early Monday. Deep sigh. Deep sigh. Deep sigh.

Lessons learned from walking this meditation path are more valuable than ever today.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Snowy Meditation Path

Wordless Wednesday—Garden Outlined In Snow

33 Replies

Brief Snow Flurries Today

We had light snow and sleet late Monday afternoon. Much melted today but then we had another brief flurry around 5pm this evening. Minutes later the sun is shining. Record cold temperatures with low tonight of 12°F. On Thursday, a high of 16°F and low of 1°F (–17C).

Brief Snow Flurries Today

Yesterday morning the garden outlines were highlighted.

Garden Outlines, Yesterday Morning

The birds have been fun to watch.

Birds At Breakfast Yesterday

Today’s flurries over, the sun prevails a half-hour later.

After The Snow, Blue Sky

Leaves of Grass and Daffodils

24 Replies

The snow ended two days ago and yesterday was blue-sky sunny and 60 degrees F. The snow is melting on the roads and sidewalks, but hangs on in the grass and gardens. This morning it has been raining and the day is colder, 41°F.

For weeks, daffodils have been emerging in many spots around the garden and last week I saw one in the neighborhood in full bloom. Now after this snow the daffodil leaves appear to be boldly rising.

Emerging Daffodils

Snowy View On Rainy Morning

To frozen clods ever the spring’s invisible law returns,
With grass and flowers and summer fruits and corn.

from: Continuities. BOOK XXXIV. SANDS AT SEVENTY. Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman. Project Gutenberg-tm

Winter Storm

16 Replies

The snow storm is right on schedule and these sparrows and juncos are feeding frantically just below my window. Cardinals and towhees are dominating the other feeder but they all keep trying. A bluebird eyes the situation from the chimes in the meditation circle.

Snow is a big event here. It started falling about 12:45pm and quickly began covering the mulched areas of the garden.

After snowing for 15 minutes (12:58pm)

A half-hour later the grass is mostly covered.

Snow at 1:27pm

The meditation circle filled in quickly. See the little bird near the center?

Snow at 1:54pm

2:35 pm. Still snowing. 23°F/-5°C. After two hours of snow the labyrinth is disappearing.

Snow at 2:35 pm

Snow at 2:36 pm

Neighbors have reported the roads are quickly becoming impassable, but with our errands done we will just enjoy the beauty of the snowfall and cross our fingers the power remains on.

A Fresh Look At The Garden

16 Replies

We were on the outer edge of a large snowstorm that swept through many southern states yesterday. Arriving later than expected, the storm brought merely an inch of dry, powdery snow to my central North Carolina garden—just enough to delight the neighborhood children and this gardener as well.

Northern Border (facing west)

This morning I have enjoyed observing the garden in its winter white garb. In particular I have been watching patterns created by the stones and plants in the Meditation Circle, noticing as sunshine touches the snowy paths and fresh shapes emerge.

Snow Garden

Sun On Snowy Garden

The birds have been busy at the feeders and and on the ground scratching through the snow, but are reluctant to be photographed. They tuck themselves into favorite hiding places to easily outwait the camera. The Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood) is one spot where they are still somewhat visible.

Eastern Towhee in Dogwood

Northern Cardinal in Dogwood

The snow brought a freshness and renewed spirit to the garden.

Snowy Meditation Garden

Meditation Circle In Snow

Meditation Circle

pbmGarden

Sense of place, purpose, rejuvenation and joy

Tag Archives: snow

Late February Garden With Snow

In A Vase On Monday – Color In Winter

Wordless Wednesday—Carolina Snow Day

Six Years In A Blink And Waiting

Wordless Wednesday—Garden Outlined In Snow

Leaves of Grass and Daffodils

Winter Storm

A Fresh Look At The Garden

February Dusting