Cheery in the Chill

There is a brisk wind today which added a chill to the air. This made my search for a garden photo a little less inviting. Hence, I did not venture far. Our rock garden paths, just outside the front door, have been pleasantly colonized with several Helleborus foetidus which are budding profusely. Most of them are of the “Wester Flisk strain” which sport lovely maroon stems and a touch of lipstick on the flower rims. This is the first bud to open, heralding the new year’s start. These plants are easy to grow here in the Pacific NW and provide, in the dead of winter, a whisper of spring coming around the bend. Though they will self-seed in gravel and walls, they are not a pest and provide just enough new plants to share with friends.
 
My New Year’s resolution is to start my daily photos once again on BlipPhoto. This means my Facebook friends will share in my garden as well.