Winter light barberry

Barberry fruit

I moved this chartreuse-leaved barberry last spring and it sulked for most of the spring and summer. I hope it recovers enough to be covered in fruit next year at this time.

Morning light on Miscanthus

Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus'

Back-lit by the morning sun, Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus' shows off her amazing self. Staying sturdy and upright even in the 40+ mph wind storms we've had, this great grass really is a top notch plant. Easily the most elegant and top performing grass in my Front Yard.

Through a leaf lightly

A fallen Carpinus japonica leaf

I love the frosty mornings when the entire garden is silvery and even the most mundane of objects--fallen leaves--become scrims for the low-slung, nearly-winter sun.

Window into winter

Frosty windows in the Secret Garden

Although framed to look like windows, this Trompe l'Oeil is actually a mirror. It's used to extend the view from the meander looking into the Secret Garden. I came upon this scene as I wandered through the garden as the sun was just starting to faintly fall in the Secret Garden.

First light on the Melianthus

Morning light on Melianthus

Probably one of my favorite plants, Melianthus major is a stalwart in the Piet section of the Front Yard. Indigenous to South Africa, aka, "Peanut Butter plant" because the bruised leaves smell like peanut butter. To care for this plant, I let it stand until the first hard frost. Then I cut it to the ground and cover the crown with the cuttings and add other twigs and leaves to form a 1 foot mound of mulch.

Flaming red flowering maple

Abutilon blooming well into December

I first came upon an Abutilon at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show about 8 years ago. It was in a display garden and I spent 10 minutes trying to match up the blooms with the maple-like leaves. Abutilons were not as popular then as they seem to be now. But talk about a great plant. Happy in bright dappled light, Abutilons in my Front Yard bloom from late June until the first real hard frost.

A frosty mornin' for the urn

Frost on urn in the Secret Garden

Sun and cold and frost. What a great combo! With temperatures falling into the upper teens, and ample moisture left over from weeks of rain, the garden has turned into a silvery paradise. Centered in the Secret Garden, the metal urn usually plays host to a delightful Agave Americana marginata. But in the rainy winter months, the urn is empty while the Agave takes up residence in the greenhouse.