December
We still consider December a gardening month. To be honest, I consider all months gardening months but if it's dry enough in December look for me in the garden. I prefer it to the hubbub of holiday activities. Breathing crisp air, hanging with the birdies, putzing and dreaming up new projects and sometimes moving compost, gravel, woodchips or any combination of these is pretty much my idea of happiness in December. I'm best suited being an analog creature making my fingernails dirty even now in the midst of the holiday season. Berberis jamesiana 's berries are vibrantly colored and the foliage is beginning to turn orange. It's a rich combination that lasts quite a while. The birds hang out in this very large shrub a lot this time of the year, I think they do so for its protection though I have spotted some birds eating berries.
