Do you feel down in the winter? I know I do. Though, for me, it has more to do with all the holidays than anything else. As someone sort of on the autistic spectrum, I become discombobulated and depressed when my weekly schedule changes.
Contrary to popular belief, from a gardening perspective, there are actually a lot of things happening outside. So even if we aren't feeling all that joyful or energetic, there are lots of things to see and do outside.
Here in Ga, many of our bulbs are producing foliage. Plants like Muscari (Grape Hyacinths), Lycoris (Spider Lilies), Ipheion, and many daffodils are already springing out of the ground.
This presents a great opportunity for us to move and divide these ephemerals. Because of the cool temps and regular rainfall, winter is my preferred time to divide most hardy perennials. Because our soils rarely freeze, these mild winter days are great for dividing most things.
You can also cut back tender perennials like Angel's Trumpets and hardy hibiscus on mild winter days. Just be sure you don't cut back plants that bloom on old wood or plants, like rosemary and other woody salvias, that don't respond well to severe pruning. I once killed a rosemary by cutting it back too far!
Another outside activity we can do in wintertime is taking dormant cuttings. Plants like figs, native azaleas, and camellias can actually root throughout the cool season. One surefire albeit slow method is air layering. (For step-by-step directions on air layering, check out this link: https://www.americancamellias.com/education-and-camellia-care/propagation/air-layering
You can also stick cuttings directly into the ground. Oldtimers rooted many shrubs by taking a cutting and sticking it in the ground covered by a glass jar. Wait a few months then check to see if any new foliage is emerging. Even though many won't make it, the few that do will be highly cherished new additions!
You can also attempt growing seeds outside. I've seen gardeners grow a whole host of species outside in milk jugs. Growing plants from seed can seem daunting with all the fussy dormancy requirements, but by allowing nature to do all the work, it can be easy. Again, just have patience. A friend in Newnan does this for coneflowers, asters, and all kinds of native (temperate) perennials.
Now, let's get to the real business of winter. Winter is naturally a season of introspection and longing. We'd rather not be outside getting our hands cold or working in the mud, so we gather inside, often together in coffee shops. This provides a perfect opportunity for not only acquiring a respiratory illness but also deep thought!
When I'm sitting alone in coffee shops, I enjoy writing and getting in touch with my inner world. This can involve thinking about and making lists of plants I'd like to propagate or purchase.
I desperately need to make an effort to rein in my spending! I can't resist planning and purchasing new plants every year. Yet by making lists, we can, hopefully, prioritize and edit down our favorites to just a precious few that we can't live without.
Oftentimes, just thinking about buying something or making lists is as satisfying as actually clicking the purchase icon. In other words, dreaming of doing something is usually more enjoyable than actually doing it.
I'm sure you've felt this way about planning a vacation. Think about how exciting it is to do all the research and planning! I often feel let down by the actual trip.
As we age and become less physically able, I think it is also important to consider the future of our gardens and, particularly, any treasured plants we might possess. Have we made an effort to propagate any of them? Have we shared them with other, hopefully, younger gardeners? Don't stress if you've not done any of this; far be it for me to chastise someone for not thinking about their mortality. It's just something to consider...
Downtime, especially in this season of slowing down and contemplation, allows us the time and focus to foster our imaginations. One of the most unique traits we have as humans is our ability to think and imagine possibilities- though this can also be a curse. We can create all sorts of art, and gardening is a form of living art. We can imagine combining plants in all sorts of unexpected combinations, creating multi-sensory paintings of texture, color, and fragrance.
So I urge you to make room in your life to think and imagine all sorts of things. Even if you never get around to doing any of it, the process of creating and fantasizing in our minds is such a wonderful part of our existence.
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