leafette's Blog

isn't necessarily gold.  When the sun is shining it is snow that sparkles and glows.  But we're getting a present from the frozen north.  Lots of snow and storms.  I do think winter interest in my garden will be confined to things that are over 5 feet tall.  Lumps and bumps soon give way to long drifts.  But I am noticing golds.  Some of the taller grasses and the willows .  At least that's the view to the west.  And the view stretches off to the horizon. I hope the willow shelterbelt keeps coming.  We put about six young shoots that had actually rooted in water into pots and buried them in the garden and put bales around them.  The rabbits like to strip the bark.   So these will be replacements for the ones we've lost.  You gotta give those old prairie pioneers some credit.  Establishing these shelter belts is harder than it looks.  We planted some green ash 30 years ago and they struggle out there.  Even the lilac row isn't very tall.  But where we need to cut that wind we haven't any trees to speak of so that is where we are trying to get these willows established.

Perhaps I'll have my coffee break by the north sliding doors.  The bush protects that side and it is poplars, lots of native dogwood .   Gold should give way to red.  But that bright white is what ties everything together and I sure don't tire of all that glittering.  Of course my enjoyment is mostly from looking at it and not necessarily walking in it!  Activity is for the green months.  Relaxation is for the white ones!   So it is glittering diamonds, a few rubies or garnets and some strings of pearls for this season and I'll leave the others for their seasons.