With infrequent snowfall in northwestern Virginia I am obliged to document the garden’s blooms under the thin blanket of snow that covers the garden on this chilly afternoon.

Unsurprisingly, flowers of the white ‘Autumn Rocket’ camellia (Camellia sasanqua ‘Autumn Rocket’, above) planted close beside the sunroom have survived recent dips of temperature into the low twenties (Fahrenheit) with minor damage. Further from the warmth of the house, pink and white flowered camellias are damaged though not severely browned. I’m curious to see if the protection of the house holds for nighttime temperatures forecast to fall into the upper teens in the next few days. I suspect it will not.

Flowers of ‘Winter Sun’ mahonias (Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’, now Berberis x hortensis, below) are nearing their peak this first week of December, and as expected, the blooms are not injured in the cold. Flowers might be damaged if temperatures fall below ten degrees, but the blooms persist longer in colder temperatures (but not extreme) than in periods of mild winter weather.

Today’s snowfall has slightly exceeded the inch that was forecast, so the brushing of snow from arching branches was not necessary. With a heavier, clinging snow I will give a gentle nudge to dislodge the weight so that arching branches spring back to their natural form.

Columnar and multi-branched shrubs are most susceptible to snow damage. The backside of a leaf rake is very effective in dislodging snow without damaging the shrub. Today’s concern as I slip slided through the garden, was not falling on my backside.