Before the Deluge

It's hard to remember, but before the rains set in, the sun made a brief December appearance. It coaxed me outside with my camera to capture the garden in this, the darkest month. Not even winter staples like sarcococca, hellebores and witch hazel are blooming yet, and that freezing November blast withered the buds on the Camellia sasanqua. It's time to rely on a garden's hardscape and furnishings for structure, color, and views from the windows - this is especially true in a garden as small as mine, without much room for evergreens....

Adirondacks hold the promise and memory of relaxing summer days. These two are made from recycled plastic, so stay bright, clean and unfaded through the worst winter weather.

Glass and ceramic spheres and a translucent moon almost make up for the lack of leaves on a Japanese maple....well, at least they bring some color, interest and shape to the pot during the winter months.

I love this birdhouse (from DIG Nursery on Vashon Island) hanging from the now-bare branches of the centerpiece tree in my garden, Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'. I try to forget my neighbor's comment that it looks like an avocado!

While the vivid orange of this bistro table might look a little....obvious.... in summertime, in winter the color is a fine distraction from the sad looking 'Annabelle' hydrangeas behind it...right outside the French doors, that heart-warming orange serves as cheerful foreground to the winter garden...

Comments

[sue n.]

That bright light's a tonic. Refreshing!

[Deirdre]

I hunger for color in our gray winters; any color, from any source. My bright barked trees and shrubs provide some, but inanimate objects can provide it anywhere, under any conditions. I like your bright furniture promising that summer will return, and I need more glass spheres.

[Chris]

Ummm, I would say that bright, yellow birdhouse looks more like an egg than a avacado!! :)

[Chris]

Oooops, I mean an avocado not a avacado! :)

[Residential lighting control systems]

Mindblowing furniture,like this birdhouse its so sweet...http://www.hometechnologyplanningguide.com/ Very cool warming orange...