A long Winter's Nap....

A dear friend 'across the pond' posted pictures of her lovely garden on her blog today; that truly inspired me to go outside and take some snapshots of my sleepy garden.  The inside of my house is in a tizzy right now as some 'leak' has occurred which has caused a flurry of activity in my kitchen and it's not good activitity!!

So, stepping outside and looking at my garden and getting another perspective was wonderful!

I also challenge any of you out there to do the same and we can all compare our gardens in different parts of the world and see how they blossom as the days progress and get longer.  I'm already noticing a bit of a difference in longer days......are you?

I will start with this dreadful looking spot; it just has some simple rocks as boundaries....but in the months ahead, you won't see the rocks at all, for the GIANT leaves of the rhubarb that grows here will cause a jungle effect of green and red. My rather prolific rhubarb is wonderful in pie.  I grow strawberries, too and the combination is almost sinful in a deliciously warm crust with a scoop of vanilla bean icecream.

The Rhubarb Garden Plot

Next, we have the pond.  Today, I took a sledge hammer and broke away the remaining ice on the pond.  I broke it free and put the heavy slices around my roses- it's so dry here all winter.  Even the snow is typically like powder, so the plants have to be watered from time to time in the winter.  There are goldfish and koi in the pond and we drop a heater in there to keep the pond from completely turning to ice.  Popsicle fish are not delicious.  Sub-freezing temps are expected here this weekend, so removing this layer will allow for new ice to form rather the beginning of a new glacier in our backyard.  I also gave the fish a bit of food; I only feed them 2-3 times in the winter- they sort of hibernate in the cold, icy water.

Remnants of snow and ice around the pond

My English Garden entryway....bestooned with a Christmas light display that I hadn't taken down yet.....I must do that tomorrow!!

This area w/ the picket fence is full of peonies, lavendar, and other lovely things.....I'll speak more about this section in coming months.  The front border is always filled with some new annuals for color and newness.  I also have about 8 or 9 bird feeders in the yard.....I should be declared a haven by the autobon society!

This is a gorgeous rose....I know, I know.....you're saying, "No way."  You'll see!

Shrubs that last throughout the year are pruned and rounded in the warmer months

My large lavendar- has almost white flowers and smells heavenly

this area is filled with sage, iris, and other delectables....many are short-lived but are crazy beautiful when they bloom.  I have a german iris that has gold tips...it's a Siberian that sticks around for about a week and that's it...but so worth it!

Looking from inside the yard to the garden gateway....yikes, it looks troubling to me in the winter.....but I do know what lies beneath.  Here, to the left of the pot, are gorgeous poppies....so big, the size of my hand

And here are 4 rose bushes....a crimson, orange, pink w/white, and deep cranberry....they provide cut flowers for me all summer long to make gorgeous bouquets to keep by my kitchen window