Winter garden

This was how the Beauty berry looked yesterday morning. And then, it was gone in the fine mist of rain. The snow, I mean not the shrub. I noticed this morning that there are fat green buds on the forsythia. Now that doesn't necessarily mean spring will come soon but it does raise the spirits. Just dreaming of the bright yellow flowers can raise the level of the cloud layer by inches.

A tour of the garden at this time of year is quite interesting. All looks brown and quite dead - from a distance. But, up close, the sword ferns are showing tight, pale green fiddle heads. In a sea of dark brow magnolia leaves are sturdy bright green sprouts of oriental poppies. Under the lilac, is a Lenten Rose (hellebore) bursting to show off its flowers. This will be it's first year to bloom since being purchased at a local garage sale two years ago.

The day is cold for a tour and I didn't want to linger. I could see , though, how much work will need to be done. Funny, how, I can see it now when nothing really is urgent. But when all that growth begins in the spring, I don't want to change anything.