Week 2 > You are reading Week 3 - January 15th, 2024 > Week 4

Arctic Chill

The mid-January freeze arrived exactly when expected, accounting for the forward shift in the seasons.

If you watch the natural cycles closely, you'll discover they have remarkably predictable patterns.

Some of those happen with such precision you can set your clock by them: the surprising summer weather in mid-November, the sudden spike in temperature at the end of March, heavy rain and thunder the third week of July, guaranteed snow before the last frost, and of course, the extreme chill of mid-January.

These consistent weather patterns are a boon for the observant gardener. Take, for instance, the warm weeks in the middle of spring and fall, which are perfect for garden cleaning.

The same wise gardener will also work with nature, not against it, and wait to plant until winter had finished its last tantrum.

Speaking of reliable weather patterns, now that the January freeze has arrived, we can anticipate winter sticking around for the next three months.

I know Punxsutawney Phil tries to deceive us and sometimes sees his shadow on February 2. Trust nothing that groundhog is telling you. Until the end of March, it's winter.

By the Fire

The comforting warmth of the fireplace on a frigid January day sparked the idea for next year's color theme.

Cottage gardens, known for their mishmash of colors and textures, can only offer subtle annual changes, but the color shifts are noticeable enough to give the borders a fresh look.

You can never go wrong planting a beautiful and rare orange rose, like Crown Princess Margareta, Disneyland, or Julia Child, so I'll add one.

In addition to daffodils and crocuses, there should be some Siberian wallflowers and butterfly weed to add vibrance to the spring garden.

Continuous blooming during the summer will be guaranteed with a blend of orange marigolds, papaya zinnias, lemon yellow cosmos, hot poker plants, orange lilies, and red dahlias.

To complete the picture for fall, blanket flowers, heleniums, calendulas, lantanas, and mums.

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