This is our first year with our weeping rebud
Cercis canadensis 'Vanilla Twist'

What do gardeners do on a rainy day?  How about a jigsaw puzzle!  Tom and I do a couple of 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles during the winter.  We enjoy working on them together; however, we usually have a couple of helpers (Maple and Kiwi) who stand await for any pieces which fall on the floor ... and they usually do, so we never have a puzzle which is 100% complete.  

I realize that moles are not friends to gardeners, but this little guy was just as cute as could be!  Somehow, he made his way to our patio.  Tom found him and alerted me.   Unbeknownst to Tom, I took the little fellow to our upper garden and let him go ... I know, I know!

 

Another combination I like:  
Acorus gramineus 'Minimus Aureus' with 
Ipheion uniforum

This early spring combination is along out driveway in our front yard.  It is Crocus flavus 'Golden Yellow' and Vinca minor 'Ralph Shugert.'  This is a variegated vinca minor with a thin white edging on the leaves, but after many years in this location, it is beginning to revert.
I intend to just let it go and as long as it continues to bloom, I'll be happy.

 

I had the most thrilling surprise in our backyard yesterday morning ... a pair (male and female) of Baltimore Orioles!!  The bright flaming-orange male couldn't be missed!  The female was fascinated  by digging in a pot of yarrow on our patio ... maybe looking for insects?  In hopes of keeping them around, that afternoon I went to the grocery store to buy a jar of grape jelly to put in our jelly feeder.  Hope it works!

Our birds know that spring is in the air because already we have a pair of Brown-Headed Nuthatches (aka Nate and Nan) nesting in a bluebird box in our backyard.  And Bert and Bonnie (our bluebirds) have begun building in another nesting box in the backyard.  

Our birds definitely keep us entertained!

Ah, glorious winter!  MapleWalk has a number winter blooming plants to enjoy.  

Isn't this a little cutie?  I paid big bucks for ONE BULB 'Primrose Warburg' Galanthus, but I think it was worth it!  I love yellow in the winter garden.

'Picotee Pearl' Helleborus x hybridus

'Lauren Tudor' Camellia japonica
This beauty is a gift from Steve Bott (from York, SC, retired physician, and big camellia lover who grafts camellias) This bloom is the size of my hand!  GORGEOUS!!!
 

'Apricot Blush' Helleborus x hybridus

'Winter Sun' Mahonia japonica

'Jelena' Hamamelis x intermedia

Be still my heart!  Hard to select a favorite winter plant in the garden, but witch hazels rate right up there in my book!

'Diane' Hamamelis x intermedia

Captured all in one photo, three of my winter favorites:  witchhazel, daphne, and lenten roses.

 

 Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern) have separate fertile fronds that ripen in the fall to a pretty chocolate or cinnamon brown and persist through the winter to provide winter interest.  With snow on the ground, they definitely make a statement!

Hamamelis vernalis 'Quasimodo' is a dwarf cultivar.  It is compact and grows 3-4 feet high, and is a perfect choice for the small garden.   

No, witchhazel 'Quasimodo' does NOT grow Wheaten Terriers!

The lenten roses are beginning to bloom, and I am busy removing the old foliage in order for the blooms to stand out and really shine.  This has typically been a job I do in February, but everything seems to be early this year.  It is certainly not required to do this, but I've been doing it for several years now, and really prefer to clean up the hellebores and the nearby areas.  

Just finished the hellebore pruning along the steps going up to the upper garden.  This is just the beginning as there are several more areas to complete.

                                                                                         

The much needed recent rain has greened up our moss garden in the front yard.

I like the contrast of the moss and the dwarf mondo.

The moss is sneaking into the dwarf mondo, but that is fine with me!  Can't have too much moss!