delicious pink frost

I love ‘Pink Frost’ hellebore (Helleborus x ballardiae ‘Pink Frost’).  Part of the Hellebore Gold Collection, this plant produces tons and tons of winter blooms, held upright.  The foliage is slightly blue-green and robust.  Just at a client’s today where I planted these beauties in Fall 2010 and they are putting on such a show this year.  They clearly love their shaded position and the sandy loam soil with organic compost dressing that they grow in.  What a joy to have these happy faces greet you at the front entrance. So gorgeous and full of spring promise, I think I’ll switch my header to one of the shots…

With Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' harmonizing in the background

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winter blooms

I took a stroll around the garden today to capture what is blooming or otherwise eye catching.  The winter garden is a subtle beauty, and every plant that gives back this season earns its place ten-fold.  Its not hard to reserve spots for these winter gems.

The coppery glow of Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ is a welcome sight in January.  Although not pictured, ‘Diane’ is paired with Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’, and the hazel’s rich color echoes the twiggy dogwood’s deep orange-red twigs.

Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’ greets us at the door every February.  The hellebore is potted with Anemanthele lessoniana, the stems harmonizing with highlights in the grass blades.

Tsuga canadensis ‘Moonfrost’ takes on a blush glow in winter.

Mahonia x media ‘Charity’ gives the hummingbirds something to savor.

Helleborus argutifolius just about to bloom.  I love this plant paired with Carex flagellifera, the copper complementing the blue foliage while the bold leaves contrast the fine grass blades.  Both appreciate a sunny and dry position, so they live well together.

Helleborus x sternii ‘Blackthorn Strain’ blooming strong since January.

Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’ paired with Polystichum polyblepharum and Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’ provides an evergreen view from the kitchen window.

Helleborus argutifolius ‘Silver Lace’ harmonizes with the pot behind

And just about to burst forth is my absolute favorite winter bloomer – Corylopsis.   Both C. pauciflora and C. spicata grace our garden, and I am overjoyed when they bloom each year.  A riot of soft yellow blossoms bloom on bare branches and fall like confetti on the black mondo grass below. Make space for one of these in your garden – you will not be disappointed.

Finally – the promise of what is to come.  So many small shoots are already poking through the soil and leaf litter reminding me that come March, I have much to do.   It won’t be long before the garden is transformed once again.

Ready to unfurl like little duck feet – a leaf bud on an Itoh peony (Kopper Kettle).

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bliss in sunset March 2012

Thanks, Sunset Magazine for including a Bliss garden shot in the March 2012 issue (NW region).  On newstands now…

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weather report

Meteorologists choose Seattle not for its bonny climate, but rather for the variety and interest the weather brings.  That said, they also can forget that the meteorologically naive really just want to be given some hope in our weather reports and not, for instance,:

“Seattle averages three sunny days and six partly sunny days in a typical February.  We are only a little more than halfway through this February, and we’ve already had two sunny days and seven partly sunny days”

Let me translate:  “forget about anymore sun for the next two weeks.”

Or a post from last July 18th where a certain rain loving forecaster was cheerfully measuring summer thus far…in minutes.

“The mission: Find out how many minutes it’s been at 80 degrees or warmer this year– what I would call a true warm summer day in  Seattle.  The answer: 78 minutes. Or, breaking it down: 12 minutes on July 2, and 66 minutes on July 6.”

Thanks…I feel much better.

However you feel – complaining about weather in Seattle is uncouth.  Add to that having habitated California during any part of your life and talking about the sunshine there: social suicide.  If you are going to live here, you have to learn to tough it out and keep your complaining clandestine and in hushed voices with fellow transplants from sunnier climes.  The good news is there are a lot of transplants to kvetch with.  Having spent my childhood and the past decade here, I have some local cred, but I was forever ruined by spending ten years in the land of endless summer – Los Angeles.  Its also the land of endless sprawl, traffic and people and I don’t miss that although I do miss my parents and I miss the sunshine.  I don’t care about heat, I just like the gossamer sparkle sunshine brings and how it transforms color and my mood.  The last two years were tough where spring behaved like a sullen teenager, really more of an extended and slightly warmer winter that reluctantly converted to summer sometime in July, only to be swept away again in October.

So I do take those weather reports personally. Which is why I also frequent UW meteorologist Cliff Mass’ site because I find it more optimistic. Case in point – Cliff’s Valentine’s Day post which peruses long range forecasts that predict a warmer than normal spring (albeit long range forecasts are not are always reliable). Cliff’s closing sentence:

“My gut feeling from these forecasts and the persistence of the West Coast ridge pattern, is that this will be a far better spring than during the last two years”

Thanks for that Valentine, Cliff. Let’s hope we have one of those redeeming springs where everything comes alive at once, and you thank your lucky stars you are present to witness it.

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flower and garden show

Right now, the NW Flower and Garden Show is going on at the Seattle Convention Center – www.gardenshow.com.  A great excuse to go into the city and jump-start your spring gardening juices.  As always, the seminars are not to be missed.  I picked Wednesday this year so that I could see Stephen Orr (Tomorrow’s Garden), Rosalind Creasy, the fairy godmother of edible landscaping and a very enthusiastic Jamie Durie who entertained the crowd while AV issues were worked out.   I picked up Rosalind’s revised edible bible – Edible Landscaping - which I already have my nose in.  Seminars continue Friday-Sunday with a roster of speakers that reads like “Who’s Who” of the gardening scene.   Don’t miss it!

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