(Chelsea Update would like to thank Jennifer Fairfield, owner of The Garden Mill, for the information in this column. Part 2 will publish on Sunday.)
What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time, we were up to our ears in snow – OK, maybe only our knees, but it sure seemed like our ears, didn’t it?
This past December saw the least snowfall we have had in 125 years. I have to admit that I like snow. I know a lot of people who don’t, but I really do. It’s part of what I love about living in Michigan. But, that’s not to say that I am in any way interested in having another January like we had last year, though. We got over 30 inches of snow in January 2014, on top of all the snow we had already gotten in December, because that didn’t ever really melt.
I would be happy with just a few inches – say 6 or 8 at most. Just enough to have a little fun in.
Garden Planning
Now is a great time to take the time to make some plans for your garden and yard for the upcoming season.
Below are some things to consider:
Vegetable garden – I’ve already received a few seed catalogs, which have me thinking about what I’m going to be growing this spring and summer. My New Year’s resolution this year is to try at least one new thing in my garden this year. I haven’t decided what yet, but the catalogs have given me some ideas. Perhaps one of the new “patio” baby eggplants that are perfect for container growing, or one of the many new squash varieties that are coming out this year.
I am also thinking about what plants didn’t do so well in my garden last year, and deciding whether I want to try them again this year or swap them out for something else.
Another thing to think about is whether there was anything I grew that much of went to waste because I grew too much, or that I really wish I had grown more of because we just didn’t get enough. All of these will go into my plan for the garden this year. By planning now, you can make a list of the seeds you want to make sure to get as soon as they are available – before they are all sold out.
Flower Beds
As you look outside at your garden beds, are there things that you know need a pick-me-up – that maybe didn’t do so well last year? Again, making a plan now for what you want to do with your flower beds will give you a head start on spring.
One of the biggest problems with not planning is falling victim to what a friend of mine calls “plant lust” – when you end up buying something just because it’s pretty, and then get home and don’t know where you are going to put it. I am very familiar with that problem, believe me.
Another thing to think about for your flower beds is how they look right now. Does your garden have any winter interest, or is it all about spring and summer? Start thinking now about what you might add in the spring and summer to enhance how the beds look in the winter.
Having something beautiful to look at in the winter can really help get you through until you can be out there. Things to consider are evergreen shrubs as well as plants with winter color, such as red osier dogwood, or cranberry cotoneaster. Be sure to consider height, since there is a good possibility that low-growing plants might be covered with snow in the winter.
Statuary and structures can also add interest to your garden year-round. Arbors and arches give height that can stand out against the snow in winter and provide support for climbing vines in the summer. Statuary (like my cute little garden pig!) can add a little whimsy.
