I went to the garden last week to take photos of the beehives. Wouldn't you know it, it was the one day I decided not to wear boots so I suffered cold wet feet for these photos!
The pond beside the beehives had quite a bit of ice covering the water and all was still and quiet by the hives. I only saw one other person in the whole garden.
The sumac look like velvet flames against the snow.
Apparently the overwintering Anna's Hummingbirds love witch hazel blossoms. I must say it made me very happy to see this early harbinger of Spring. For those who wish to attract and feed these hummers, you can grow plants that bloom in winter such as Fuchsias (which kind, I wonder?) , Abutilons (flowering maples) Schizostylis coccinea (crimson flag), Hybrid Mahonia 'Charity' and 'Winter Sun' , as well as Sarcococca and Darwin barberry, the Oregon grape Mahonia x media 'Arthur Menzies', hellebores, sasanqua camellias and strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo).Apparently it is one of the stockier hummers, although I never thought of using the word "stocky" to describe a hummingbird!
The entry to the garden is usually a good key for plants of interest to look for on your walk.
This Japanese cedar looks like coral.
Apparently some varieties of witch hazel are quite fragrant.
The hazel catkins are blooming--still too early to be of use to the bees.
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