It started snowing and blowing yesterday, and this morning I awoke to the sight of fresh snow. It has a magic to transform the garden from blah to ahh.
My favorite plant in the snow is the Pagoda Dogwood, Cornus alternifolia.
The snow highlights its beautiful branch structure. Underneath it stand the seedheads of the native Bugbane, Actaea racemosa.
The leaves of Clematis 'Betty Corning' are still green underneath the snow.
Poor "Betty" wasn't ready for the gardening season to end. It can be as abrupt a shock for plants as for gardeners. Just yesterday I noticed that the Mum was still blooming. I'm assuming it's done, as the plant isn't even visible underneath the snow.
The new sculpture is living up to expectations.
I commissioned this to provide winter interest and to camoflage the chainlink fence in the winter.
Although they're as common as dirt in Chicagoland, Arborvitaes (Thuja occidentalis) shine with a white frosting.
They provide a backdrop to the flowering plants all season and wait patiently for their time in the spotlight.
I'm still trying to incorporate more plants for winter interest. This 'Black Jack' Sedum stands up well in the snow.
Unfortunately, the prairie plants of the front garden don't fare as well.
At least the Box hedge backing them up looks good all winter.
It's too bad I can't work up the same enthusiasm for the second, third or sixth snowfall as for the first. I probably would, if I didn't have to shovel it off the driveway.
This post is part of the Garden Bloggers' First Snowfall Project. To find other gardens nestled beneath their first snows, check out Nancy Bond of Soliloquy's First Snowfall Project.
*This is not the first snowfall, but it is the first measurable, shovelable one.