Spring is my favourite time in my garden in the Blue Mountains, not far from Sydney. But at this time of year, when it’s winter Down Under, I really appreciate the beauty of a winter garden.
My Winter Garden
We have a cold (for Australia!) winter with regular heavy frosts. This allows us to enjoy wintering flowering plants that hotter parts of the country can’t.
the water in the bird bath freezes in the frost
Leaves have fallen from deciduous trees, revealing the sculptural beauty of bare branches.
the beauty of apple trees in winter
The evergreen plants still have their leaves giving varying tones of lush green. But there’s colour, too.
Sasanqua Camellias
The stars of my winter garden are sasanqua camellias, large shrubs planted over twenty years ago by the previous owner. They’re covered in a mass of exquisite pink blooms from April onwards.
Sasanqua Camellias
The other stars are the hellebores (winter roses) that I planted under two large claret ash trees. The deciduous trees allow winter sun and then shade in summer—ideal for hellebores. Twenty years ago we planted trays of seedlings, my vision was to have a carpet of beautiful pink and white flowers. The reality is just what I dreamed of—my favourite part of the garden.
Hellebores (winter roses)
Jonquils, both yellow and white, start blooming in June and add bursts of bright colour to the winter garden. They also contribute a beautiful scent.
Jonquils
More scent comes from the winter flowering daphne, its tiny pink flowers contribute a rich heady scent that wafts across the garden and into the house.
Daphne
Viburnums flower through the cooler months—there’s always some to fill a vase. Hebes, too, add a splash of colour.
Viburnums 
Hebes
This year, the daffodils came early. And even among this winter splendour, tulips and hyacinths and other spring flowering bulbs are starting to make their presence felt as their leaves push up from the soil.
Daffodils
What’s your favourite season in your garden? I’d love to read your thoughts!
Photos by Kandy Shepherd
Kandy Shepherd is a best-selling, award-winning author of contemporary romance. Her heartfelt, passionate stories are set in exciting locations around the world and are published in multiple languages. Kandy believes in love-at-first-sight and real-life romance—she and her husband of many years decided to spend their lives together after three days! She loves it when readers tell her that her books make them laugh and make them cry. Kandy lives near Sydney, Australia with her husband and numerous four-legged friends.
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I love the colored leaves in the birdbath.
ReplyDeleteI do too, Ruby. The colour contrast is quite something. Then they got frozen in there in the frost!
DeleteSo pretty!
ReplyDeleteThank you, the garden gives me a lot of pleasure.
DeleteWhat beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteI love spring, and especially the Camellia, I think it is a magnificent plant.
All the best, Irma
Thank you Irma, I'm looking forward to spring here Down Under. I love the camellias too.
DeleteYour winter garden is beautiful. Late spring, early summer is my favourite time for the garden here.
ReplyDeleteThank you, joyful. I love late spring and early summer too, the flowering bulbs, the blossom and the warmer days!
DeleteYour garden is quite lovely. Your vision for it has been fulfilled spectacularly. I love my garden in all seasons. There are many evergreens of varying shades, so it always looks alive and vital.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am rather pleased with how the garden looks these days, after years of work and laying paths (by hubby over several winters). I try to plant so we have flowers all year round, with a base of the evergreens both you and I love!
DeleteLovely winter flowers and the book looks good
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope you enjoy the book if you get a chance to read it!
DeleteA beautiful garden I know that area as my SIL lives in Sydney and we have spent some time in the Blue mountains. We have had over 3 months of heatwave (mostly over 40C) and my garden this year is sadly dead. The first year I have had to buy vegetables, with water restrictions I have had to give up, hopefully next year will be better! Thanks for your visit. Diane
ReplyDeleteHow lovely that you're been to my part of the world. So sad about your garden in the intense heat, it must be heartbreaking. My friends in the US and Europe are all saying the same. Let's hope for rain for your poor, parched garden and heat relief for you!
DeleteI'm enjoying seeing any winter at the moment. (Very hot here today.) You've got a lovely winter garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Liz. I hope your weather cools down soon. It sure has been a hot summer in the US and Europe!
DeleteYour garden is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary, it gives me a lot of pleasure!
DeleteIt's a really beautiful garden!
ReplyDeleteBjxxx,
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Thank you, Teresa! We love it.
ReplyDeleteIt's just lovely, Kandy!
ReplyDeleteThank you Liz, lots of work but worth it!
DeleteThank you Liz, lots of work but worth it!
ReplyDeleteYour winter garden is gorgeous! I love camellias! I'd love to have delphine and hellebores growing in my garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rachel. I really love camellias too, I'm so lucky to have so many of them in bloom in my garden!
DeleteSuch beautiful flowers!
ReplyDelete