Today’s GPOD is brought to us, once again, by Istvan Dudas of the UK:
“Many of us neglect thinking about the winter interest of the garden because in our perception the garden in winter is dead. This is as far from the truth as it could possibly be. In winter the garden is merely sleeping but can bring about feeling of peace and beauty, like a sleeping child. Winters may be long and cold, but your garden can be transformed in a place of naturally beauty with visually arresting textures, colors, fragrance, and flowers.”
Here are links to Istvan’s earlier GPODs:
Ethereal Beauty Across the Pond, Part 1
Ethereal Beauty Across the Pond, Part 2
Early Autumn English Garden
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Comments
Istvan, It was fascinating to see some of the same scenes in your earlier submission now in the winter. Beautiful in both cases. It makes me think about waiting longer before cleaning out the garden.
Good morning, Istvan. Your photos are a great start to the week. Cottage gardens with big borders are gorgeous year round, and yours is an excellent example. With the garden “resting” for 3 months, I agree with the importance of landscaping with that in mind. I love, as do the wildlife, the seedheads of many perennials and ornamental grasses left standing through the winter. I also have incorporated many dwarf conifers into my borders to carry me through. You have done awesome work with this garden. Very inspirational.
Oh, my. Wonderful pics! Couple of very light frosts here where I live zone 8b USA but nothing like yours.
You are a treasure, Istvan, in both your photography skills and your gardening talents. Without a doubt, there is a soothing beauty to the resting garden when it has enough visible elements like seed heads and buff colored grasses. Your stretches of frost kissed perennial border are lovely.
Istvan, you have given us another exciting look at the gardens you've created, and the timing couldn't get better - we have snow flurries in the forecast for southwest Missouri! I've been watching the finches work on the aster seed heads, the cardinals are all over the native verbascum spires, and the robins are feasting on the beauty berries. Today will be another day of garden cleanup, but you have reinforced for me the beauty of leaving the seed heads standing, like a standing ovation after a symphony!
I agree! I was going to rip out the 'dead' Sunzilla sunflowers but the jays & finches are still enjoying them and all the other seedheads I kept in the garden. I think I will avoid deadheading from now on - after all, Nature doesn't, why should I?
I adore your last sentence, Cheryl...the image it evoked was delightful.
(I don't know what came over me!)
Really beautiful shots of a stunning garden. Nice to see it in all seasons.
Now it's a sculpture garden - wonderful.
Istvan, thanks for another great post. Having spent many years gardening where winter colors are white and brown with an occasional green conifer thrown in, we learned the importance of leaving the deadheading til spring. You’ve captured beautifully how interesting the winter garden can be and the best part is being able to just enjoy it without the daily maintenance.
As always, Istvan, the garden you tend and the photos you share with us are inspiring. It is fun to see some of the same areas at different times of the year. Your beds have a special beauty in full flower and resting. Thanks to you and other gardeners, I am in no hurry to cleanup frost charred plants. Yesterday morning, I accidently flushed out 1/2 dozen Cardinals that were staying warm under a couple of spreading Lantana plants that I was seriously considering removing. Leaving our resting perennials alone provides not only architectural interest and food, but cover for our feathered and small furry friends.
Such peace and tranquility in a winter garden, and your love of gardening certainly shows thru. Thank you for another peak into your gardening world.
Just another good reason not to cut down all those grasses and perennials in the fall! They look so wonderful covered in hoarfrost.
The tiered seed heads of Phlomis are lovely; almost everything looks beautiful when frosted. Some native bees hibernate inside the hollow stems of plants left standing, so that's another reason not to tidy up too soon.
Your winter garden is impressive Istvan. You truly have a four season garden. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful, truly. Whilst my own garden is not nearly comparable to Istvan’s, I too leave all the seed heads until Spring. There seem to be more birds every year and I love the whole Frosted look of the wildness.
We only tidy the perennials in spring, too, as it makes identification of what is going to grow soon after.
Cheryl I love the symphony reference, very pretty. Whatever came over you, we appreciate it!
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