Wearing my garden center manager hat, I recently attended a program at Cantigny Park about new plants for the upcoming season and to get a sneak peak at a few for 2017. After the program was over, I took a walk through the garden. The sky was gray, but the temperature was hospitable. Walk along with me.
The wide brick path beckons you to begin a horticultural adventure.
Dried flowers of hydrangeas are just what winter-weary eyes need.
Evergreens frame a path and guide the way.
A weeping crabapple, the centerpiece of a butterfly garden last summer, stands alone in winter.
Pachysandra weaves a carpet of green.
Without the distraction of foliage, the beautiful framework of trees is revealed.
Conifers and boulders are the perfect partnership in a winter garden.
A stone wall flows through the garden.
The gazebo encourages you to cross the bridge.
Wild turkeys hang out under a bird feeder hoping for a snack.
Visit a public garden in the winter. Consider what makes the garden beautiful when it is void of annuals and perennials. Notice the bones – the deciduous trees and shrubs, the evergreens, and the hardscape. There is a wealth of ideas that can be put to use in your own landscape. Garden with me!
Though I frequent Cantigny a lot during the summer months, never been there in the winter. Nice photos and a great reminder of the beauty of a winter landscape.
Thanks Betty. I don’t take advantage of public gardens as often as I should. I was very fortunate to be there for a work event on a warm winter day!