(Revised 25 Jan 2011)
The thought of a long cold winter may be discouraging to gardeners in the north. However, seasonal change of colours, appearances and atmosphere can be wonderful attributes for making a garden. We have them; why not make the best of them? Perhaps, these can be the envies of some tropical gardeners. The change of colours, patterns, appearances, and atmosphere, in the garden, as the growing season advances, can provide a pleasure that combines anticipation, surprise, and excitement. (O.K. I left out the bad parts: disappointment and frustration from cold damage, droughts and other bad stuff.)

In our zone, the gardening season can range from March to November, but in a bad year – minus a couple of months or more. Ideally, our garden should be part of our habitat (with the house), and would entice us to hang out or stroll in the garden from spring to fall (perhaps even winter).

You can see our garden for each month of our garden season in separate pages by navigating via the menu list shown on the sidebar to the right.

2010 spring arrived so early that our garden season opened near the second week of March.

(More on March Garden)

The spring colours of some acers are as attractive as most spring flowers (to us), and is something that we eagerly look forward to every spring. Typically, the show starts in April and peaks in May.

(More on April garden)

When May arrived, a dazzling array of flowering trees and perennials (even some conifers) would be at their best.

(More on May Garden)

In our area, June would be such a perfect time to hang around outside; the temperature and humidity would make you feel like this is an ideal planet. (Did I forget to mention that sometimes mother nature skips spring here and goes directly to summer?)

(More on June Garden)

July is a colourful month here; especially so this year because of the unusual early arrival of spring.

(More on July Garden)

August flashed by, and I only managed to take a few shots.

(More on August Garden)

We tried to make sure that our garden season did not end in September. So far we were making moderate progress (I think).

(More on September Garden)

Signs of winter is approaching can be seen everywhere by October. We were determined to see October depart with a splendour that only northern garden can afford.

(More on October Garden)

Winter usually arrives some time in November here, but we were often allowed a week or two for a final display of fall colour before the icy white curtain drop.

(More on November Garden)

How about winter? We don’t think it is completely hopeless, even though we do not have much to show for yet.

(More on Winter Garden)

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- Bertrand Russell

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