Multiple branches of two late winter flowering magnolias, ‘Royal Star’ and ‘Merrill’, arch to contact soil, rooting as a result. Several from each of the magnolias have been dug and potted on a mild December afternoon to share at a point when substantial enough roots have developed. Though the precise timing escapes me, in the…

While autumn flowering mahonias (Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’, below) are fading in this mild early winter, the late winter blooming leatherleaf mahonias (Mahonia bealei, below) are approaching their peak. In mild years, leatherleafs have flowered in late January, but never this early. The more blooms in the winter garden, the merrier. On occasion there…

With forest along the southern border shielding the winter sun, the garden is slow to thaw. Snow and ice often remain days after the neighborhood has melted. I have just come inside after slip sliding around the icy garden. Fallen tree limbs were tossed onto piles, fortunately none doing damage to surrounding plantings. How a…

A lot of information, and too little self discipline can be a dangerous combination. I speak here, not of matters of grave importance, but of a barely controlled passion for adding new plantings to the garden, no matter that good sense should dictate delaying purchases until spring. As daylight dwindles to just minutes following my…

A succession of nights in the low and mid twenties (Fahrenheit) in mid December has encouraged the reluctant Korean Sweetheart tree (Euscaphis japonica) into near dormancy. Finally. The remaining leaves, showing no coloring, look quite sad, and I’ll be relieved when all have fallen, though I expect no harm will come of it. Today, the…

Until hellebores began flowering the last week of November, I had not considered this late autumn as too much out of the ordinary. Yes, the month was unusually mild, but not far outside the norm, it seemed. But, plants often tell a story beyond my perceptions, and it’s clear that this period heading into winter…

As always, there is good reason to be anxious for spring, though winter has just begun. While camellias, mahonias, and witch hazels will somewhat satisfy the need for blooms, I am particularly impatient for spring’s growth to see what becomes of this year’s additions. As I write, before the idea vanishes beneath other inspirations, I…

The autumn flowering mahonias (Mahonia x media)) are past their peak, a considerable change from a year ago when flowering continued into late January. I expect blooms will remain into this new year, but likely not for long. ‘Charity’ mahonia (Mahonia x media ‘Charity’, above) shows no sign that it will flower this year. Several…

A day after admiring the autumn foliage coloring of the ‘Okushimo’ Japanese maple, a downpour stripped every leaf. Other maples, redbuds, and dogwoods have been bare for weeks, all but the Korean Sweetheart tree (Euscaphis japonica, below). It’s fully leafed and green, which is a more than a bit unusual this first week of December….

Deer have nibbled burgundy leaves of several Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia, below). Others are untouched and leaves will remain for weeks, often into the new year. With few leaves that haven’t fallen to carpet the garden, there is little harm in delaying the winter repellent spray, though deer recently sampled a newly planted dwarf Japanese…