by Derek Fell
When we think of gardens we generally think of colorful flowers riotously blooming in beds and borders and along the waysides of Bucks County during spring, summer and fall. Yet I always believe the measure of a great garden is how looks in winter when the leaves have been stripped from the deciduous trees, flowering annuals have gone to seed, and hardy perennials have disappeared into dormancy. During winter one can more ready appreciate the ‘bones’ of a garden. Also, during winter there are many more atmospheric effects that can enhance the beauty of a garden. Providing we have structures and woody plants like trees and shrubs to collect a patina of snow or frost, an otherwise bleak landscape can look beautiful.
In my own garden, Cedaridge Farm, the kind of structures that are accentuated by snow includes several styles of bridge, arbors, gates, fences and benches. These are either surrounded In my own garden, Cedaridge Farm, the kind of structures that are accentuated by snow includes several styles of bridge, arbors, gates, fences and benches. These are either surrounded by shrubs that produce stark silhouettes from myriad interweaving branches, or they are overhung with the expressive lines of distinctive trees, like graceful weeping willow branches;
To read more about winter gardening go to page 90 of our Winter 2012/13 Issue of Bucks County Magazine.