Frosted still-life in the garden

Cet article en français.

Hélène and Louise:

We talked about it in previous articles: When fall comes, for ecological and esthetical reasons, we don't cut our plants close to the ground as it happens in a traditionnal garden maintenance plan. It's actually a good thing not to cut if you have a varied, healthy garden, where diseases and pests aren't a problem. 

Personnally, I prefer a garden that keeps an interesting form from fall to spring. Following a good snow, it feels like our outside space as been tucked in a fluffy, soundless comforter. That "padded silence" is sublime on its own merit.

But after an icestorm, the winter garden can transform into a magical fairyland, which may console us from a climactic event that we, quebecers, have learned to dread because of its devastating consequences. 

The sun rays on the frosted landscape is breathtaking, however. No way we can cut a bouquet out of it for the home, but I would if I just could.

So if you decide against that severe fall garden cleanup next year, you may, like us find that your garden has a lot of artistic value to offer you during the dark months of winter.

Spiraea (bottom picture) and the fruits and branches of a Rose (picture just above this text) are prisonners of ice.

The branch of a young cherry tree swathed in a short lived, precious cristal.

A dwarf cedar and a raspberry branch loaded under the weight of ice.

For the grand finale, a couple of clichés of christmas lights encased in a transparent coating :

They can make the ice simply enchanting. These pictures have been taken this year and last year in both gardens just after the icestorms we had.