Winter botanics

Ever wonder what goes on in a botanical garden during the winter, when it's officially closed to visitors and may be actually physically shut off because of the danger from falling branches after a storm? Well, it's this kind of thing that goes on - at least it does in Benmore Gardens. Every time we visit (at our own risk, as they reminded us at the end of the season) we see new evidence of felling - here, a big tree in the Chilean mountain garden has reached its end. We also see the protection that takes care of the more fragile plants - you can see two of the tiny cloches that have been placed over small ferns, to the right of the felled trunk. These are beautiful little constructions of bamboo and plastic, and they're dotted all over the hillside.

There are signs of life, however - I took another photo of a bush that seems to be coming into flower ...