I don't find winter to be horrible (with the exception of driving in the snow). Actually, I feel winter can be a very beautiful season, even in our own gardens/yards. The trick is to plan for winter interest - native deciduous bushes with colorful berries, rugosa roses with craggy thorny bark, evergreens, dried flower heads, the list goes on. So many people plan for the "high season" and forget about the rest of the year - big mistake in my book if you live in a cold winter area. I love to go to the Metro Park and do my walking in the winter when it's quiet, all I have to do is look around and see (and hear) the beauty of nature everywhere. I walk 3-4 times a week in the winter in my own neighborhood, and I find it can be lovely out there, even in a regular ol' subdivision, especially in the late evening when the moonlight reflects back off the fresh fallen snow. The snow is flying this morning, and still the birds that are left are chirping away...

I do love to pore over gardening catalogs in January, especially seed catalogs. Nothing like soaking in a hot tub when the snow is flying and the wind is howling with a good seed catalog. Come March, I'll pot up my annual geraniums that I've stored, buy some elephant ear bulbs to pot up, and make out my seed schedule and start planting, it's the beginning of the season for me in terms of that.

We live in a very urban area and have a small yard. Even with the few grasses & coneflowers that have been left up it can be very dreary & grey in Chicago.

However, every day the birds come for a visit to eat the seed we've put out for them as well as picking the seed off the coneflowers we've left up. One day we had the rare treat of seeing a hawk on the fence. So the kids and I have the birds to look forward to when we get up in the morning during these long cold months ahead. In spite of heavy snow this morning, they were busy, along with a resident squirrel, eating away.

I feel the same as mxk3 - I absolutely detest driving in snow and ice, but other than that, I don't mind winter so much. I was out shoveling the other day after getting about a foot of snow, and the sun came out, just about sunset. It was glorious. Blue, blue sky, the setting sun hitting the trees and remaining oak leaves, giving everything a gold tint, the fresh snow on everything. It was truly beautiful.

Even yesterday, with the 45MPH winds (or whatever they were) and the "feels-like" temps of 6 degrees, was a beautiful sunny winter day. (Although I'm not quite so tolerant of the cold at 4AM when I bring the kids to hockey!)

I find winter a time to slow down a bit. Spring, summer, fall, I'm busy in the garden, and work 4 jobs. In the winter, I'm down to about one job, although hockey season keeps me very busy. I get to relax more, try to catch up on some things, and take it a bit more easy.

And then, there's wintersowing. A wonderful way to pass the winter. And a great way to start off the spring.

:)
Dee

This is my first year of wintersowing, and I'm even more excited than I was with spring sowing---gardening CAN be a year-round joy!

I love reading Gardening books in the winter and poring over the web researching new plants to try. I read and re-read back issues of Fine Gardening and Horticulture magazines. I go out and take measurements of beds and draw up new designs and plants. It's fun to draw beds up in new color themes even if they never get planted. I do alot of design work for friends in the winter too.

I am truly fortunate because there is rarely a week I cannot work outside at least a day or two. I prune, cut back, and shape shrubs and grasses. We have a plague of cold weather weeds that need constant vigilance, too. The pansies need periodic dead-heading. This winter, I have set myself the task of digging all the wood ferns and iris pseudocorus out of a bed that they have nearly taken over. (Warning! Warning! Danger! Danger!) I would never do it in the spring,(which is how I got into this mess) but in the winter, the vigorous exercise keeps me warm, and helps work off all the calories I'll be eating in these next two weeks!:)

And then, there are those precious plants that are at their best during this season: evergreens, berried shrubs like hollies and nandinas, my beloved camellias, hellebores, and of course, bulbs. I would never say I love winter, but it's not so bad, really.

Winter gives me time to pore over catalogs and pick out seeds for the coming spring. I also research new plants on the web. This winter, starting in Jan. I'm also taking the Master Gardening Core courses so that will keep me busy too. I'll do some winter sowing too. I also spend some time outside every day when I walk the dogs. Some days the walks are short, like when it's -10 or -20 with wind chills dipping to -35 or lower. By March I'll be starting seeds and tending seedlings, taking cuttings of plants I've overwintered etc. I grow African Violets and amaryllis too and have those blooms to enjoy. Over-all I enjoy the winter, though it does get rather long up here in zone 4 and I do get sick of the sub-zero temps and icy roads. By March I'll be getting pretty antsy and wanting to hurry spring along. I'll probably be on here whining to all of you by then, but for now I'll enjoy the season.

I too love the winter since it gives me down time to be able to get things in order in the garden, edge beds, make plans, trim shrubs, winter sow seeds for spring germination, read books, and a multitude of things that I never seem to have time to do when the weather warms. Living in an area where it can get hotter than hades and humid as a damp sponge in the summer, I really prefer any season to the dead of the summer where you walk outside and look like you have just gotten out of the shower in just a few minutes.

We were fortunate to build our house, so it's passive solar. It was 19 degrees on the shady side of the house the other day, but 58 on the porch. It can often be over 70 degrees on a sunny winter morning.

Inside, our garden room has windows overlooking the waterfall and butterfly/bird garden, so I get lots of light in here (with the fireplace) and can still connect with the outdoors.. evergreens, hearing the waterfall, watching the birds, etc.

I realize that I'm in the south, so we aren't going to have the days upon days of snow and cold. Every few days, we do get sunshine and blue skies.

I wrote about the passive solar aspect (the Chicago Sun-Times also published my article, so it may look familiar to a few of you).

Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: Let the Winter Sun Shine on Me

Winter has its own natural beauty, and I've found that there is always something interesting to observe in nature, whatever time of the year. Here's what I do during the winter to satisfy the desire to be connected to nature and gardening -

- Winter-sowing. Fantastic way to start plants from seed, and has extended gardening into a 4 season activity.

- Seeds! Researching and ordering seeds, seed collecting and cleaning (although most of collecting is done in fall), organizing the seed drawer, and seed trading.

- Bird watching - I feed the birds, make a home-made suet mixture year round, take photos of birds, and participate in bird counts - 2 local Christmas counts, the Great Backyard Bird count, and Project FeederWatch.

- Walk in the woods - I have always loved walking in the winter. It is quiet, beautiful, and there are no bugs! Not too many people around either.

- Winter photography - the beauty of snow, ice, tree silhouettes, shadows, etc. is endless in the winter.

- Surfing the garden websites and plant databases. Never tire of this.

- Reading - plant and gardening books, seed catalogs, magazines, etc.

Boy, it's a wonder I have time to do anything else! ;)

Just read your response Terrene and think I'll just copy and paste all of it.

I will however make an addition. Composting. So far I've been able to keep my composts going warm/hot and as long as that continues, I will keep composting during this cold season. Composting in the summer takes too much time away from the actual caring of the gardens, hence the reason I do it now.

During the winter I work on decorating or renovating the inside of the house. It gives me a creative outlet when I canÂt garden. I enjoy looking at my garden from inside on a sunny day: but feel no urge to actually go out there when itÂs been bitterly cold like it has been recently. BrrrrrÂIÂll wait on that.

(though itÂs supposed to be a balmy 44 degrees tomorrow, hÂmmm, maybe IÂll plant those last 100 daffodilsÂ

Â.or not.)

I find that as long as it's above 20 degrees or so, it's pretty nice being outside as long as I dress for the weather. (Aren't longjohns wonderful?!) I like winter in that it allows me to see the overall shape and layout of garden areas without all the foliage that obscures overall shapes in the warmer months. I can see how different areas relate to each other and enjoy the winter silhouettes of trees, colorful branches against the snow, and early morning frost catching the light as it outlines branches or the bare trellises. I use snowshoes and cross-country skis to get out into the woods where I often see animals and birds that I don't see in warm weather when it's more difficult to move really quietly or when the leaves make it harder to see distances. I've watched a fox hunting, seen several types of owls and raptors, flushed grouse & snowshoe hares, and enjoyed the otters scrambling in and out of the holes in the pond ice. Even when I don't see the animals themselves they leave clear evidence against the backdrop of white: the tiny footprints and tail drag of a mouse or the larger footprints of squirrels, rabbits, fox and coyotes; scattered feathers where someone caught dinner; woodchips sprinkled across the snow below where the piliated woodpeckers were looking for insects in the trunk of a dead tree; or the slides down to the creek where the otters playing. For me the chance to get into areas of the woods that are normally too buggy or boggy to hike in warmer weather is a treat as is the silence in the winter woods. As much as I love my garden, I can't imagine living in an area without the clear, crisp beauty of a nice winter day.

Wow, nhbabs, that was downright poetic! You must live in a lovely, rural area. Sounds beautiful.

I also love to see the things that one wouldn't normally get to see/enjoy in other seasons. I don't have quite the array of wonderful things to see in my area as you do, but still, there are lots - branches against the sky and/or snow, snow on the stone walls, the light hitting things differently than at other times of year, even the way houses look different in the winter landscape.

I really believe, as you say, that the key is to dress for the weather. In the last year or so I've become the typical old lady, lol, the one who doesn't care how she looks as long as she's warm, and it makes a ton of difference. If I'm able to drag one of my teens on a walk with me, I, being warmly dressed, am able to enjoy the walk, stop along the way, and appreciate the beauty of winter. My kids, dressed in their sweatshirt hoodies and nothing else, are too busy shivering and wanting to walk fast to keep warm to enjoy their surroundings - plus they probably want to get back inside before someone sees them with their funny-dressed mother, lol!

:)
Dee

I agree, beautifully said NHbabs! Now your zone may be a little too cold for me, heck my zone is a little too cold for me, but I appreciate the beauty of winter and you describe it perfectly.

My previous house abutted wetlands, and it was a joy to go out and walk around on the swamp when it froze solid in the winter. Lots of interesting things to see out there (including a beaver lodge).

I might like the winter more if I didn't manage property - dealing with the snow is an ongoing headache, even with this house I had to get up and shovel part of the roof/skylights three times the weekend before last. Ugh.

The plant catalogs have started arriving -- that always helps!

It's been very mild the last few days here. My DH is out mowing the meadow again! Never had to mow this time of year before. Probably a sign that we're going to get extremely cold weather in January.

I also like the downtime that winter provides. Not needing to water or weed, check all the beds to see who is doing what today, so you don't miss something. The change of seasons is one of the big plus features of living in MI. There is a DIFFERENCE in each of the seasons, which makes you appreciate them better.

Spring and Summer are always high speed to get all done that needs doing THEN. Fertilizing the fields, cleaning brush off the fences, waiting for the fields to dry to let the horses out on them. Starting the horse work, training and conditioning, and having longer days, all add up to a lot of work each day. Usually I have the spring garden to just enjoy, already having cleaned things fairly well in Fall. Summer starts garden work.

Winter chores take longer in the cold and snow. Nice to just enjoy the scenery walking by, funny views of snow, frost, pretty birds. I have some winter interest shrubs and plantings, working to get more bushes and trees that show well in snow. I do enjoy other folks grasses. I have feeders out, so I can enjoy watching birds thru the French doors. The Hawks fly the fields, too tight in my backyard. Hope they catch MANY rabbits and varmints! Owls will come and talk at night if we get really cold weather. Maybe they will get the night rabbits that clean up under the feeders. They ate too many bushes last winter when the dog was inside.

Some indoor plants, Hibiscus, several Geraniums that bloom often and allow the cat to chew on them. Amaryllis that spread out blooming, provide flowers for the table. Lets me feel dirt and plants, not much work.

I also enjoy doing house things between outside jobs. Got a large amount of art framed, learning how to do matting. Some sewing projects and painting of objects to use in the house and garden. Young dog to get MORE training done with to civilize her. So ENTHUSIATIC! We are signed up for a puppy training class in March. I don't feel like I MUST be outside doing things all day, like in summer. This makes all the Crafts stuff more fun. Baking is fun too, house doesn't get hot like in summer.

Sure enjoyed the heat blast today, outside in T-Shirts doing chores in the barn. Fog raising in clouds off the snow piles during the rain was really pretty.

I love all the seasons, they each offer so much to enjoy.

Happy New Year! Just 78 days till spring, at least by the calendar or for some of you in reality too.

We've had snow, on snow, on snow, on snow, this is something that hasn't happened for a long, long time around here. Most years we hae a green Christmas. We usually have so much rain especially in the next two months it's a wonder we haven't grown webbed feet. My hope that this blanket of snow will protect my new Echinaceas and other perennials somewhat, time will tell.
If we are actually having a winter this year do you think it possible we might have a decent spring and summer for a change? Tomorrow is the day I start getting excited, the holiday season is over and it's countdown until spring and then.... it's out playing in the dirt again :o).

Have a safe and Happy New Year everyone.
Annette

Wintersowing, propagation indoors. I love seeing roots develop on cuttings taken in late fall. So in a way, my garden keeps growing. I'm also starting some seeds for hardy perennials in the hoop house. It gets really warm inside on cold days like today, and the new seedlings are protected from the frost while the warm ground radiates enough heat back at night to keep them alive. They aren't growing much, but I don't want a lot of tender growth right now. Another 2 months, I'll want to see some real growth happening.

Hardwood cuttings and evergreen cuttings are rooting in the basement. I use rope lighting for bottom heat and shop lights to keep the tops alive without a lot of growth.

I also use the winter to clean up areas of the yard that can't be done during the summer. Still need to clear out some more privet that's growing wild in the side yard. I was thinking about taking it out completely, but that entails a lot of work, so I think I'll just cut it down to the ground and let it regrow. It's tall and spindly right now. A shrub shape would be better.

And I work on the house indoors when it's too cold.

EM, I want to ask you about your light. I have been researching indoor lighting, everything from t5 fluorescent to metal halide. what type of light do you use, and where did you purchase it from? I need to find a way to get thru winters without bottoming out like I usually do. The lack of light and outdoor activity has a profoundly negative effect on me.
Thank you,
Starina in very dark NY

Starina,

I have a 400 W Metal Halide. I LOVE IT! I'm overwintering some of my favorite plants under it as we speak.

I do enjoy the beautiful winter berry trees around here. I see orange and red ones all over the place. They grow here like weeds on the roadside. I know they are some kind of deciduous holly plant. We have both orange and red in our yard. They are fantastic. Other than this and the ornamental kale and pansies, this season is a bummer for me. Thank God for grow lights!

I believe that my feelings about winter have already been stated above:) I like the snow and appreciate the downtime. We live in a mountainous area and the winters can be so beautiful.

However it can also seem quite endless. January and February are the hardest months of the year as we frequently have a fair bit of snow and I can't really even walk around the yard outside and see what's happening out there. It does provide a great opportunity for planning though which tends to make my husband nuts! All winter he is subjected to my list of projects and changes I would like to make to the yard. I can see the dread in his eyes:)

It all works out come spring though which normally arrives just before I go crazy from being indoors more than I would like. Here in California with our drought we have to appreciate and covet all the winter rain and snow that we can get with the minimum of whining.

Kate