Garden in January

[mamculuna]

Finally decided to take advantage of the last warm day (cold front coming) to start clearing out the deadwood (sticks, leaves, blossoms, etc.) from the garden. I cut the lantana back and realized it's gotten as big as a small house, and the sweet clematis vine has almost solidified. Last summer I wasn't here, and the drought and overgrowth had almost killed everything except such hardy weeds as these. Sadly, the last two weeks of warmth have fooled some plants--forsythia's buds are beginning to swell. The camellias though are looking good, except one that has that awful mildewy stuff. I'm not up to using poison in my yard just for a few more flowers, so hope it doesn't spread. Will look into organic remedies.

Next task is getting out the blackberry and grapevines, the honeysuckle and oak sapling-ettes. By the time I get that done, I should be able to divide the iris and Mexican petunias, moving some to the front yard, and plant some oak-leave and regular hydrangeas. I'm not sure they'll survive, since I always winding up going to Chicago during the hottest part of the summer, but I'll give them a try.

My ultimate yard may well be just lantana, spiderwort, forsythia, azalea, camellia, Mexican petunia, sweet autumn clematis, and Turk's turban. I also have some extremely hardy swamp sunflowers that grow 8 feet tall, and some nice purple asters that bloom very late. And the Confederate rose may be coming back after all--looked dead last fall, but some of the branches still have green inside. And, oh, yes, dear althea.

So much like the rest of my life. Ignore things, don't nurture them, let trivia crowd out the important things...and then in the darkest days, a warm time when I find there's lots still living to cherish, and under all that's dead the possibility of things growing to blossom.

Comments

[gleefulfreak.livejournal.com]

mmmmm... sounds wonderful. Up here, January gardens only exist inside.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Well, the reason for all that dead stuff was the last cold spell, a week of nightly temps in the low 20's and teens. And last year we lost power for four days in an ice storm, so warm winter days here are not guaranteed. But loved so much when we get them.

The most reliably good part of winter down here is that sunset is moving closer to 6 PM by mid-January. The early dark would be the hardest for me, up there. But my New Hampshire ex-brother-in-law keeps reminding me of how cold and dark build character.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_skye_/]

Like you I appreciate things more when I miss them first.

[maeve-rigan.livejournal.com]

Forsythia! One of my favorite things, and one thing I hope will turn up in my new yard. If it doesn't, I'm putting some in.

Definitely have a camellia, and a gardenia bush, a couple of dogwoods, and a lot of lilies...some roses, and some other things I don't know what they are yet. Must get some books.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Good news on forsythia! Very hardy, easy to grow. Just likes sun. And occasionally a mistimed cold snap may kill a season's flowers, but the plant chugs right along. YOu can root it easily by putting a brick on a branch, so you can start with a little and soon have more.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

<>...and then in the darkest days, a warm time when I find there's lots still living to cherish, and under all that's dead the possibility of things growing to blossom.


So beautifully said. Thanks.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[ann1962]

I love almost-spring. When it just is around the corner, ready to pop. Late last fall, in November really, a tulip bulb popped out of the ground, the soil already frozen so I knew replanting it would be useless. I brought it into the house and put it in a bulb vase, I only have the one, and kept it watered. The next morning I noticed a worm swimming (?) around in the water. I gently dumped him outside and he proceeded to dig down. I was thrilled about that. So over the course of the next weeks, the bulb sprouted and is now about 8 inches high, almost ready to bloom. The top outer leaf is starting to open and I can see the bulging inner leaves also growing. I will keep you updated as to its blooms.

Your post reminded me of my tulip almost ready, just almost ready to bloom!!

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Oh,tulips! Really a northern treat. We have to dig up the bulbs and keep them in the fridge if we want flowers. Glad the worm went home, and hope the petals are glorious.

[wombatina.livejournal.com]

i miss the profusion of forsythia back east.

and i notice a new hunk is gracing your icon. no more spike, so you go to sayeed (sp).

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Just a fool for love, what can I say.