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| Cornus alternifolia in full bloom in the woodland garden in May |
It's the middle of January, the mercury is hovering in the low teens Fahrenheit, and the garden is sleeping beneath a blanket of snow. What's a gardener to do? In addition to reading about gardens and gardening, it's a good time to start thinking about next year's garden. The best way to do that is to review last year's garden. I've immersed myself in all the images I took of Squirrelhaven during 2010, trying to make sense of it all. What needs replacing, what can be tweaked, what didn't work? Clearly, more study is needed.
I've also joined the American Clematis Society (ACS). Every year, it sends its members a Clematis blooming chart, to record when each cultivar blooms. The ACS hopes this data will provide accurate blooming times for each cultivar in each part of the United States. As a new member, I received only the new blooming chart for 2011, to fill in as each of my Clematis blooms. I could just wait and go along with the program, but that would be no fun, so I made a copy of the chart, altered the date, and am now filling it in for last year, with the help of my trusty garden journal.
And if you're a fan like me, there's always football. Go Bears!
What are you doing to get through the winter?
12 comments:
You know, I have one of those very same garden journals. Which has been sadly neglected since last fall. I think I will forgive my self and begin again, but not back track. See? Look what you did! You inspired me.
sowed some herbs and lettuce indoors to see what will grow under the new grow light...
That dogwood in bloom is divine. Lime green heaven in May. How many clematis do you own? I know there is always room for one more since they grow up.
I hear you...I think a lot of us are poring over photos from the growing season to keep ourselves going!
Mostly I read garden books but this year I will try again with seeds. I do keep a journal too, it can be helpful at times.
Well, the football season is over for us Colts fans, so it is down to reading gardening books and forcing bulbs, and picking out seeds to buy.
Forcing bulbs, seed shopping, reading and planning have helped keep me occupied.
Well, now that football season is over--or at least for Bears fans--I won't be spending Sunday afternoons in front of the TV:(
I've been spending lots of time poring through books and catalogs getting ideas for a new flowerbed this spring. The only problem is I think my plant wish list is enough for three flowerbeds!
Patsy, I'm glad to get you back on the journaling wagon. There are so many unforeseeable benefits.
Donna - grow lights sound great. Wish I had some.
Layanee - right now I have 16 different Clematis, but, as you say, there's room for more.
Scott - my husband even enjoyed looking at some of my shots from summer, at all the green.
Patty - I stink at indoor seeds, so I hope you have better luck than I've had.
Carol - forced bulbs are so great for winter-weary eyes, but they don't take a whole lot of effort once they're planted.
ROR - all good, I hope your planning is going well.
Rose - making the final choices is difficult, but delightful.
I love your woodland garden! Needed some inspiration for all my shade space w/ no plants - this definitely is it.
Like Scott, I'm wallowing in photos of gardens past, also cutting forsythia and kerria japonica for forcing. Seeds have been ordered, but that area in the basement for starting needs a really good clean :)
You're putting me to shame, MMD! I've not even opened a page of my garden journal. And one of my goals is to update, update!
But I must admit that, as I've been going through the photos from this past season, I have stumbled across Many that have never seen the light of day! (What fun!) :-)
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