Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Gardening in Pennsylvania ~ January 2013

One little groups of snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii) popped up on the Shade Path just for Bloom Day.
One little groups of snowdrops (Galanthus elwesii) popped up on the Shade Path garden just for Bloom Day.
Not much is visibly happening in our Pennsylvania garden this month, except for the normal winter pattern of freeze, snow and thaw. Over the weekend, our temperature actually warmed up to 64 F/18 C! That removed our foot of snow cover from Christmas time. It also enabled this small group of Galanthus elwesii to emerge with a few glistening (if sparing) flowers for January.

Our native dogwood tree, Cornus florida, with its berries in the low, winter sunlight.
Our native dogwood tree, Cornus florida, with its berries in the low, winter sunlight.
Anything evergreen, no matter how common, is welcome at this time of year. Here is hardy ivy clinging to our green stairs.
Anything evergreen, no matter how common, is welcome at this time of year. Here is hardy ivy clinging to our green stairs.
As our temperatures are expected to drop back down to 13 F/ -10 C this week, I have been preparing a few of my newly planted plants with a blanket of evergreen boughs to help them weather the chill more comfortably. (For tips, read last years post on mulching with your Christmas tree.)

Happy January to you!
Thanks to Carol at May Dreams for hosting Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.

17 comments:

  1. Snowdrops already? I have green but no white yet. The temps also rose here and the remnants of the Christmas tree are, like yours, blanketing the south facing gardens.

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    1. They really came out overnight, as can happen when the temperature is quite a bit warmer than usual. I'm sure we are not through the coldest weather yet, but it is nice to see a little of spring :)
      ~Julie

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  2. I love snowdrops, but can't say I'm ready to see them just yet! We've lost much of our snow up here near Scranton, too, but we're supposed to get 2 to 4 inches tonight, and colder temps. I think we hit 50 on Sunday. I have bulb shoots popping up, but nothing blooming. I actually collected some snow from a shady spot where it hadn't melted yet, and dumped it on the areas where I had planted new perennials last fall. I also use my Christmas tree as mulch!

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    1. That is dedication! I may bring in my tulip pots to the garage (detached) this week just to make sure the extreme cold does not get them in the next couple of weeks. We shall persevere!! Winter - bah.
      ~Julie

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  3. Ja jeszcze poczekam na przebiśniegi w moim ogródku. Kocham te kwiatki i dziękuję za ich zdjęcie. Pozdrawiam.
    I still wait for the snowdrops in my garden. I love these flowers and thank you for the picture. Yours.

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  4. Anything that blooms in January deserves a prize; snow drops are so delicate looking but actually so tough, I think they are very beautiful. Christina

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  5. We have quite a number of snowdrops up already but snow is forcast for Friday. Hellebores will all flop when the lower temperatures arrive and also some of the large snowdrops, plants can cope though, I have learnt this over the years, so don't worry about them any more! Its so lovely to see anything flowering at this time of year.

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  6. Bright and blooming, a great GBBD, or any winter's day for that matter.

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  7. You have already snowdrops? Lovely. Here in The Netherlands we have snow at the moment and the weatherforcast for tonight is -6 degr.C., My winterflowering shrubs don't like the cold, but will survive, just a shame of the flowers.

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  8. We also have a patch of snowdrops coming up in a sunny spot. In other parts of the garden they are not up yet.

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  9. I haven't seen the Snowdrops here in Wisconsin yet, either. I know the Hellebores are in a state of suspended animation because they were ready to bloom in December (but I piled the leaf mulch back on before the snow flew). Your Ivy photo is exquisite!

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  10. Optimistically I start feeling the spring coming once we crest the new year. Your snowdrops do help spur that feeling on! What a strange warm trend we are having. I spent yesterday turning over a new bed- something I have never been able to do in Vermont in January! Thanks for your lovely pictures.

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  11. Oh my goodness! Snow drops! How beautiful. We had a single day of warm weather here in Michigan this weekend too. I raked the backyard and enjoyed every moment of being in the garden in January. Your snow drops just make me smile. Wonderful photographs!!

    Susan

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  12. I absolutely LOVE the snowdrops!!! So pretty!:) Your photos are truly beautiful Julie!:)

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  13. Snowdrops already! You are so lucky. Everything is brown here.

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  14. I planted more snowdrops in the fall. I can't wait for April. Maybe March

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  15. Julie our 4 feet melted with our 60s over the weekend too an left puddles and one snowdrop...it was such a lovely surprise to see yours too. We are headed for a deep freeze as well.

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