Dead flowers and cold rain

Violas continue to provide color into winter. They love cold weather. Photos by Doug Oster Trib Total Media

A soft, cold rain fell on the garden which is my favorite time to work out there. It’s quiet, beautiful and no watering is needed after planting. There’s something about flowers and foliage covered in droplets of fall rain that is wonderful.

The mild start to winter has provided time to finish getting things in the ground. As I carried bags of compost, flats of plants and small shrubs into their respective homes.

At every step was a different plant, which like me was enjoying the rain.

This pineapple sage plant has finally succumbed to a hard freeze, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful.

With rain gear on, half the day was spent planting bulbs, bought at half price. I’ve fallen in love with my new bulb auger, a seven inch Power Planter. I’d never used a short one like this, but it’s the perfect tool when planting bulbs on your knees. This thing makes planting bulbs fun.

Flowering kale is another plant which loves cold weather and provides color through winter.

As long as the ground isn’t frozen there’s time to get in shrubs and trees too. I planted a Japanese maple found on sale and I’ve still got my eyes on a couple shade loving heptacodium shrubs at half price. As the sun set, I walked around the garden looking for just the right spot for them.

When I’m searching for trees or shrubs for the  landscape I want more than one season of interest. The heptacodium is pretty nondescript during most of the season, but then puts on pretty white flowers in the late summer. These fade to pinkish red and the plant is a star in the winter too, with its exfoliating bark.

Get those bulbs in the ground, along with anything else you can find. You’ll be so glad you did next spring. For now, enjoy what’s left, especially on rainy days.

Burning bush is a one trick pony. I inherited a few when we moved here. The fall color can’t be beat though.