We had a hard freeze while we were traveling for the holidays. The weather station at the airport registered 22F on January 2. Collards, mustards, kales, even winter weeds like chickweed I found blistered upon our return. Normally, these plants can survive low temperatures, but they had not acclimated because for weeks we were in the 60’s or 70’s each day. Even Christmas eve was 80F.
But, this week feels like winter. There’s a persistent chill in the morning air that hasn’t been there that I feel now. The growing season has ended, though some late season perennials were waiting forever for their closing call. And, in their absence, I see so much I didn’t see before.
Verdant basal growth becomes apparent through the remaining tattered brown stalks and duff as I walk through the garden. Many perennial species have foliage that hugs the ground during winter that then shoots forth an inflorescence. They are not dormant. No, they are bidding their time, accumulating what little sunlight they can muster for when the days warm and they can rise from the ground.
There’s the web-like foliage of Viola pedata gearing up for flowering. I even saw a lone bloom on one the other day. I’m surprised how large the foliage of Delphinium carolinianum already is. It seems to have thrived with the warmth, but winter did nip the new growth a bit. Even Callirhoe alcaeoides has emerged from dormancy and is readying its green palms for the coming spring.
One plant that I’ve become quite fond of for its winter basal foliage is Antennaria parlinii. At first I was curious if Parlin’s pussytoes would knit together to cover the ground well since my transplants seemed patchy. But, now in its third year, the silver foliage has grown into a circular patch that is three feet wide. The foliage is robust and has a thick feel as many polyploid plants do. It has six sets of chromosomes, likely from outcrossing with other species over the eons. As the plant creeps out slowly via stolons that begin to emerge at this time of the year, I find it helpful to throw some fine mulch down on the edges and brush it in between the foliage to further discourage weeds ahead of the advancing front. It seems to thrive as it grows and spreads out through the light organic matter.
The winter foliage of Antennaria parlinii grows around a lone, tattered Carex glaucodea in the top left. It may not look much to some, but with the dearth of plants in winter, I welcome the green groundcover. If you look closely you see threads of Nothoscordum bivalve emerging and even an early Trillium!
I can’t let you get away without seeing the sweet, dainty flowers of Antennaria parlinii. These will rise in a few months with the arrival of spring.
With all this winter basal foliage, I can see spring even though it is officially two months away. The flower show of Claytonia virginica is crescendoing, and the last of my Narcissus to emerge are pushing up foliage. I hear the American Robins sing again in the mornings, their sweet song. It won’t be long now.