Time to clean up the slime that is left after the snow....January is a great time to clean up the garden if you didn't have time last fall. It's not unusual to have a sunny streak in January and I always take that opportunity to get some fresh air and check in with my garden. If you have lots of slimy looking plants, cut them back to the ground and add a little mulch and hope that the root is still alive and well and just waiting for warmer soil to poke it's head out.
If you dabble in marginally hardy plants for our zone--like I do--we may have lots of spots in our garden to try new plants this year. Those 20 degree temperatures are pretty unusual for us and will probably wreak havoc with our zone 8 plants. I am going to be hopeful and leave mine in the ground until spring to see if any life emerges.
I like to keep my grasses up as long as I can into the winter to enjoy the grass heads, but our recent wind storm really wreaked havoc with the beauty of those -- so I cut those back to the ground last week. Cut your grasses as far down to the ground as you can -- think of the prairie grasses that used to get burned to the ground annually. If you cut your grass higher you will get a lot of dead straw at the base of your plant next season.
As discouraging as it may be to go out into your garden and assess the damage -- it is also a time to notice those first signs of life that we always look forward to at this time of year. My Hellebores have chubby happy buds swelling and are close to popping up to greet the day. Take note of the tips of your crocus - and any other early blooming bulbs- that are marching forth. Look close at the Camellia and Hamamelis prepping for their big show. Lastly, take a few deep whiffs of the next Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn' that you walk by. This has been blooming since December, weathered the storm, and is trooping on! Spend a few moments marveling at the small bit of beauty that is right in front of you.
