Yes, I know we’ve been blogging about how wonderful gardens are in winter (and they are!) but I couldn’t help but get excited at the green shoots above and their promise of springtime. Amazing, isn’t it?

So what are we doing at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in mid-January? Well, construction on the Rose Garden is really coming along. What a delight that will be later this year. Evidently the noise of bulldozers and jackhammers is not bothering our resident Great Blue Heron a bit. I walked by him today—within several feet of him actually. Now, I grew up on the water where Great Blue Herons are a common sight, but I don’t think I’ve ever been as close to one as I was today. I don’t know who was more startled! He probably wasn’t expecting a visitor on such a cold January day.

So here are a few tasks going on in the Garden these days:

MULCHING: Mulching for newly planted plants is essential. This is especially important if temperatures drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit – that’s when frozen soils and freeze and thaw cycles damage newly grown roots. Mulch to a depth of four inches and remove when spring temperatures moderate.

PRUNING: Light pruning and shaping benefits many plants at this time of year. Examine the natural or desired shape and snip with sharp pruning shears. EXCEPTION: Do not prune spring-blooming plants such as forsythia, quince and azalea now. Pruning these spring-blooming plants will remove their flower buds. Be sure to wait until after they bloom to prune.

What’s going on in your garden these days?

Beth Monroe is public relations director at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

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