It may be the dead of winter, but the garden is wide awake

Go on — take a stroll in your garden, for the metamorphosis you see will surely lift your spirits.

I have been a rather neglectful gardener lately. What with all the rain and holiday activities, I haven’t taken much time to check out my garden.

From a distance, it looks like the garden is in a deep sleep and nothing of any significance is going on. But with closer inspection, you’ll see that it is anything but snoozing. I took a short tour this week and, much to my surprise, I found lots of activity. Here are some of my discoveries.

The bulbs are emerging. Signs of life are coming out of the ground in the form of daffodils, crocus and Scillas, to name just a few. Granted it will be four to six weeks before they actually bloom, but it is thrilling to see them breaking the surface of the cold wet ground.

If you still have bulbs sitting on the back porch, that you intended to plant last fall (as I do), then get out and plunge them into the ground. They should still bloom this year, although they will be a little late and on the short side.

Hellebores are pushing up buds. My oriental hellebores are starting to send up flowers, which is always a sign that spring is not far off. It’s also a reminder that I need to remove the rest of the leaf litter that is smothering their crowns before they get any taller — and I accidentally break them off.

Once those flower stalks get a little taller, I always remove all of last year’s growth. It helps to minimize foliar diseases and shows off the flowers better. This is true for both “Lenten” and “Christmas” hellebores.

Viburnum “Dawn” is in full bloom. This shrub is wide awake and blooming its little head off as I write. In fact, “Dawn” starts blooming in November and continues well into February with its fragrant clusters of pink flowers. Every gardener should have one of these tucked somewhere into their garden, where it can be enjoyed all winter long.

Witch hazel is starting to bloom. This plant is blooming back in our cold frames right now, but it may be a few more weeks before we see it blooming in gardens. The spidery blooms come in yellow, orange or red and are all mildly fragrant — I think the yellow forms show off the best against the gray skies of winter. Witch hazel needs some space, as it will grow up to 15 feet tall and almost as wide, so put it in the back of the bed.

Buds are swelling on many shrubs. If you are consistent on visiting your garden, you will learn to recognize the subtle changes that take place this time of year. Once the sap starts rising, the stems and buds of shrubs seem to be plumper; more alive.

My winter daphne is pushing out its winter flowers and the winter hazel (not to be confused with witch hazel) is also starting to show signs of life. Both of these will be in full bloom by late January, especially if the weather continues to stay mild.

Now that we are past the shortest days of the year, our gardens are going to continue to wake up. The metamorphosis is a huge pick-me-up this time of year.

Go on — take a stroll in your garden, for it will surely lift your spirits.

Steve Smith is the owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached at info@sunnysidenursery.net.

Healthy air & houseplants

Attend a free class on how houseplants lead to healthier air in the home at 10 a.m. Jan. 12 at Sunnyside Nursery, 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., Marysville. For more information or to sign up, visit www.sunnysidenursery.net.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

What’s Up columnist Andrea Brown with a selection of black and white glossy promotional photos on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Free celeb photos! Dig into The Herald’s Hollywood time capsule

John Wayne, Travolta, Golden Girls and hundreds more B&W glossies are up for grabs at August pop-up.

Rodney Ho / Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Tribune News Service
The Barenaked Ladies play Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville on Friday.
Coming events in Snohomish County

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Edmonds announces summer concert lineup

The Edmonds Arts Commission is hosting 20 shows from July 8 to Aug. 24, featuring a range of music styles from across the Puget Sound region.

Big Bend Photo Provided By Ford Media
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend Increases Off-Road Capability

Mountain Loop Highway Was No Match For Bronco

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Mustang Convertible Photo Provided By Ford Media Center
Ford’s 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Revives The Past

Iconic Sports Car Re-Introduced To Wow Masses

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

The 2025 Nissan Murano midsize SUV has two rows of seats and a five-passenger capacity. (Photo provided by Nissan)
2025 Nissan Murano is a whole new machine

A total redesign introduces the fourth generation of this elegant midsize SUV.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Sarah and Cole Rinehardt, owners of In The Shadow Brewing, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In The Shadow Brewing: From backyard brews to downtown cheers

Everything seems to have fallen into place at the new taproom location in downtown Arlington

Bar manager Faith Britton pours a beer for a customer at the Madison Avenue Pub in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burgers, brews and blues: Madison Avenue Pub has it all

Enjoy half-price burgers on Tuesday, prime rib specials and live music at the Everett mainstay.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.