A Garden in Winter

 

You might think I've lost the plot with the contrast between the post title and the first photo. Orchids do not bloom here in January, in spite of having the mildest climate in Canada. But they do flourish indoors at Butchart Gardens, where I took myself for a treat one recent afternoon. 

In the weeks after Christmas, one of the restaurant spaces at the Gardens is converted into a "Spring Prelude", complete with emerging bulbs - daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips galore, along with more exotic blooms and even a koi pond. Walking into the space I was greeted with a warm humid blast of scented air that even I perceived, with my diminished sense of smell. 

..."gardening begins in January with the dream."

Josephine Nuese

I thought this idea very attractive - the broken sphere on a pedestal with a pitcher plant and ferns inside. New ideas for my own garden often come when I wander in other gardens, and January is indeed a time for dreaming about gardens.

Once outdoors again, I wandered through all the paths admiring the bones of the garden unhindered by the lush blooms to come. I took note of how the roses are pruned and each plant heaped with rich compost. A gardener tied the long long stems of climbing roses to the arches that will be covered in blooms in a few months. 

Then to the Japanese Garden, one of my favourite spaces. It never used to be so, but I have come to love the constant flow of water throughout the space, the lush mosses, and the sense of tranquility here. The red bridges (there are two or three of them) are striking against all the green. 

In a few more weeks, rhododendrons and azaleas will flower here, adding more colour to this lovely space, but for now, I am content to step along the stones in the quiet colours of January, dreaming of garden days to come.