{Picture of the Cherry tree at Heath last spring}
There is something about being sequestered within the winter season; seeing endless grey skies, the occasional sprinkling of white snow and navigating formidable black ice, which begins to take its toll. With the wind seriously whipping up extremely cold weather, my thoughts are focusing on the warmer days ahead.
I have already noticed the first glimpses of spring with the arrival of blue jays, cardinals and humming-birds fluttering around the property setting up their roost. Hyacinth and daffodil shoots are darting through the ground and buds are sprouting on various trees. Each weekend I carve a bit of time to leisurely peruse seed and plant catalogs. My focus has been on the color scheme of the spring garden and how the shades of each flower will unfold over the various seasons.
{Southeast side of Heath Garden in fog}
Since pastels are usually acquainted with early spring, I am really trying to enjoy their softer palette, but my eye is moving towards richer more vibrant colors, such as radiant reds, outlandish oranges and fabulous fuchsias. Each time I open a fashion magazine color is splashed everywhere and orange is a predominate color seen on clothes and within the touches of makeup. It is a tone I am eager to experiment with throughout the garden. I have ordered a myriad of dahlias from Swan Island and cannot wait to see this rich vibrant shade with its beautiful mixture of reddish oranges and rusty golds within the flowering blooms.
While most gardens are still dormant this is great time to let your imagination become an incredibly creative tool when drafting your spring garden!!
{Rosemary that survived the winter season in pots on deck}
Stylish Heath 