Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Road Into Winter

There is a 60% possibility that on Friday morning I will wake up to a world transformed. The current conditions of a barren twiggy brown could turn to black and white.



That is why the road into winter must be planted with conifers. The requirement for the color green is encoded in the DNA of a gardener. I will be needing green in my garden to be to take me through the winter.



The wild cultivated garden looks mostly like this. Much of the structure comes from memory. Pockets of conifers and expanding drifts of evergreen rhododendrons can not begin to fill a garden well over an acre in size. The resident gardeners preference for floral displays, dominant habitat of shade and fleeing the scene of the garden in winter has resulted in sparse winter interest or structure. They're not here. They don't care.



My garden will have to be different. It will need to proudly claim its gardeness throughout the year. Conifers, structured paths, stone work, sculpture, evergreen screens and walls, whatever it takes to draw me outside into the garden all year long will be done.



One day I might even be able to afford some funky and fun specimen conifers for focal points.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't it be fun to play millionaire just long enough to get the garden exactly how we want it? I suppose the slow process is good for building character. I'm a nut for green! Conifers are so valuable this time of year. I like your tableau photo. Happy Thanksgiving.

Siria said...

Your garden will be beautiful! It will be fun watching you plan and plant and transform your mountain top.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving Christopher! We are all thankful your cabin is so much closer to completion! Then the garden awaits!

bev

Les said...

When I see catalogs full of those funky conifers in their fantastic forms and colors, I am momentarily envious. Then I quickly recall the climate they enjoy and resolve myself to admire them in other people's garden - like yours one day.

sweetbay said...

It will be interesting to watch your garden develop! We have so many Loblolly Pines here in the coastal plain/ piedmont -- Wax Myrtles and American Hollies too -- that I haven't felt the need to plant more evergreens.

Lola said...

Evergreens are the way to go for color in the winter. I really like the hollies with their red berries.
I use to take a clothes hanger {metal} & make a wreath of wild holly with the berries on it. Sometimes I'd like to do that now. Cedar smells good in the home also.
Hope you find what you want & it will be interesting to watch you as you form all into your lovely garden.
Hope your Thanksgiving has been wonderful for you.

Anonymous said...

If you ever want cuttings of the evergreens here, you are welcome to help yourself. Sometimes too, the big box stores, for us Home Depot in Cleveland has fantastic large specimens for not much moolah. Sometimes they mark everything down to make way for Christmas trees too.

Frances