Single Digits

Very cold today, 6 degrees when I got up. But it is sunny and not as breezy as yesterday. A fine winter morning.

Snow cover has disappeared, so the plants are exposed in this cold weather.

I am surprised at how brown the bayberry (Myrica) gets in winter -- evergreen in that it holds all its leaves, yes, but not at all green.

I am glad it recovered from being lopped in two in the October snow storm in 2011. It has regained all of its top growth again and is the same height as before, although I can see that the lower half is denser and the regrown upper half is more open and upright.

In summer it is once again a big green wall separating the garden from the weeds in the meadow. I'm not really crazy about its dark brown look in winter, though.

The inkberry hollies truly are evergreen, staying a rich green color all winter. But I noticed when the temps get into the single digits like today, they darken up quite a bit, turning a black-green.

I can't believe how the rosemary is soldiering on through these temperatures. Single digits, and it doesn't look bad at all. And of course the hollies on the berm, and their big spruce companions, are evergreen and looking good even in this cold.