The January Garden

Winter has been fairly kind to us this year. We experienced just a whiff of snow and a lot of rain, actually January has been the wettest month in a few years. Right now I can't go outside, it's just too soggy and even the field grass squishes when walked upon - but last weekend was a warm-ish, dry-ish two days, enough to work outdoors, totally engaged in the garden. As I type this it's raining, but I know it won't last forever and I anticipate more outside time and, truth be told, I'm feeling a little cooped up.

Clematis cirrhosa 'Wisley Cream', a poor, abused clem that I bought in 2014 and put in the wrong place at the old garden. Even though it was just a sickly stick in the ground, I did not give up. It came with us to this garden where in the last two years has told me it's finally happy. An evergreen climber that blooms from November  - February, it definitely helps against the winter blues.

On January 14 we had a dusting of snow that lasted long enough for me to photograph the garden. It promptly melted after I was finished. Just how I like it. 

I thought the patterns from snow fallen on this Panicum 'Northwind' were interesting.

Looking south.

My garden shed in the background. 

Carex comans 'Frosted Curls' lives up to its name on this day.

We simply had to follow the footprints to find our furry boy.

AFTER THE SNOW

The snow melted, the sun came out and I ran outside with camera in hand (finally!) taking a long, slow tour of the January garden. Trachelospermum jasminoides 'Variegata' - evergreen variegated jasmine, used as a small-scale ground-cover in a shady area. It often has pink highlights when stressed adding a bit more color.

We had some lovely sun-breaks. Here the sun catches rain droplets on Olearia lineata 'Dartonii' and a coralbark maple in the background.

Ceanothus 'Blue Jeans' with a Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Wissel's Saguaro' in the background. This is why I value evergreen shrubs so much - for winter interest.

Saxafraga x geum 'Denata', a low-growing evergreen small scale ground-cover for the shade garden.

A bit of mist in the air is quite noticeable. 

Agave bracteosa 'Calamar' is a user-friendly agave with soft tips, so it's close to the edge of the garden where it can be appreciated.

Euphorbia rigida

New growth on a honeysuckle, probably 'Late Dutch'. I'm not too surprised to see this as it is one of the earliest deciduous plants to grow new leaves.

Daphne bholua, about two years old in my garden, puts on the fragrance like nothing else.

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena', about three years in the garden, is still quite petite. This is its best flower show to date.

Sarcococca ruscifolia with a pollinator visiting - unsure what it is, I didn't even notice while taking the photo. Thank goodness for fragrant shrubs in January, they lift my spirit so much, it's quite remarkable what a pretty scent can do.

The longer I live here the more I appreciate heathers and heaths for their low-maintenance and year-round good looks. Pictured is Erica x darlyensis 'Kramer's Rote'.

Erica carnea 'Rosalie'. I have several others, perhaps I'll do a post dedicated to heaths and heathers sometime.

This manzanita just gets prettier and prettier. Arctostaphylos pumila (gray selection) I bought at Little Prince of Oregon nursery a few years ago as a 4" pot. There are two of these that flank one of the Himalayan mounds near the southern edge of the property. It should reach about 5' x 6' at maturity, so more of a spreader than an upright form. This is proving to be one of my favorite manzanitas in my garden.

Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki', tea olive, is great for its variegated leaves. A slow grower, but worth it. There are several mature specimens at Joy Creek Nursery gardens and a few of them are blooming wonderfully this winter, but it is said they can be shy to bloom. The fragrance is amazing, but I really grow this form for its color.

Lonicera nitida 'Lemon Beauty' is near the Osmanthus pictured above in a sort of golden-themed shrub garden. 

On the deciduous side of shrubs, this one surprised me with new growth already. It usually is pretty early but this is exceptional. Spiraea thunbergii 'Ogon'.

Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire' is settling in and showing its stuff after four years in the ground. It was planted as a 4" pot in 2016 and I remember it was quite expensive. The wait is worth it.

Phlomis russeliana, always dependable for punctuation in the garden no matter what time of year.

Allium stars. These were all cut down shortly after this photograph was taken, but I enjoyed them for several months.

A general view of the heart of the garden in late January.

Detail of some sempervivums under a fir tree. Don't worry, I'll get those pine needles out of there. Someday. When it's dry again.

After my big photo-tour of the garden, I was able to do a bit of clean up. It felt sooo good to be out there cutting back soggy limbs and making things pretty again. It didn't last long, however, as the rains have returned with seemingly no end in sight. I'll take what valuable garden time I can get between showers, and anticipate really getting going in the new hoophouse soon. I have some onions started from seed so far, so that's something! I also cleaned it up and am determining the general layout of the place.

In winter the garden obviously slows down, which is a good thing for it forces me to slow down, too. But there comes a tipping point when I have to be outside but can't - and it's frustrating. For many of you, I know you understand. But let us all hold on to the fact that the days are growing in daylight length and we will soon be out busier than can be pulling weeds and planting new treasures.

There you have it, the January garden around these parts. That's a wrap for this week at Chickadee Gardens. As always, thank you for reading and commenting, we love hearing from you!