Winter
| Winter is here! The cold weather and shorter days means that many of us are spending more time inside. However, there is still much gardening to be done, even in the winter! We can do a lot of different things to make our gardens beautiful at any time of the year. Some of the plants and trees in the winter garden are bare, but there are a few hardy exceptions. These are the plants that make a wintry landscape brighter with evergreen foliage and sometimes even flowers at the coldest time of the year. Plants such as these are the focal point of the winter garden. They are also the focal point of this season's garden plan.  Pine cone on branch Evergreens are an excellent choice for color and greenery in the winter garden. Evergreens such as Conifers, Rhododendrons, certain types of Camellias, Oregon Grape and English Holly are all great winter plants that keep their greenery year round. They also provide much needed cover and food to wildlife year round, especially in the winter.  Camellia These plants are not only beautiful, but they also benefit a very special visitor to Pacific Northwest gardens, the Anna's Hummingbird. They provide dense cover and even winter blooming flowers for nectar. In Scope for the month of December is the Anna's Hummingbird, the Northwest's year round hummingbird. Join me as I take a closer look at how God created this amazing species to survive the winter in our area. |  Silhouette of birds in winter Winter time also brings many of our other winter and year round birds to the forefront. In Scope each month, a new bird will be featured. You'll meet a lot of the feathered friends that visit our gardens. In the coming winter months you will learn about the Dark-eyed Junco and the Black-capped Chickadee, two of our most common and friendly winter bird species. You will also learn how to make your garden an inviting place for these beautiful birds to live. The winter Kids Page is full of fun facts about winter birds in addition to fun activities, coloring pages and a memory verse. The kids page is designed specifically with young nature lovers in mind. There are many things to enjoy about this wonderful season. When I think of winter, it makes me think of how God created this season to be a time of rest for the land and the plants before a new growing season. I also think about one of my favorite things about winter ~ snow! Its a wonderful treat when we get snow here in the Pacific Northwest. The Bible talks about how God arranges and plans our weather and how the world and all the universe obeys His commands. One of my favorite examples of this is in Job 37. For He says to the snow, Fall on the earth; likewise He speaks to the showers and to the downpour of His mighty rains. By the breath of God ice is given, and the breadth of the waters is frozen over. ~ Job 37: 6 &10 Amplified
Frost and icicles on leaves I hope you enjoy winter with us at Wasell Gardens. Thank you for visiting. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! By, Jessi Wasell |
