Happy New Year and Happy Snow! Whether you enjoy the snow walking outside or from your window, the images of snow and native plants can be breathtaking. Our native cedars, pines and hemlocks create a winter wonderland and native shrubs become nature's sculpture. Many native shrubs sport reddish stems, peeling bark or bright berries that pop against the winter background. The native shrubs around my house allow me to hone my bird watching skills each winter. Cardinals and jays are abundant in the witch hazel off my deck, robins and an occasional bluebird in the viburnum and a host of visitors to the dogwood, chokeberry and winterberry in the side yard.
On a winter drive a field of native grass peeking out of the snow is breathtaking. All of our native grasses look gorgeous throughout winter especially the reddish hues of little bluestem and the broomsedges and the golden stalks of switchgrass. Perennial native plants such as bee balm, black eyed susan, and anise hyssop retain their distinctive dark seedheads which can provide birds seed throughout the winter. Native plants, unlike many imported plants, stay erect during the winter, give us beauty in every season and provide cover and food for wildlife.
My friend Peggy, a wise gardener, told me to think about what you see from your house when you design your garden. So look out your windows this month, think about where you'd like to see more birds and more beauty next winter and start planning to add your native shrubs, grasses and perennials next spring!
This is a monthly blog of Birds Nest Natives plant nursery in Shepherdstown, WV with information on native plants throughout the year as well as notifications of upcoming plant sales.
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