Color in the winter?

Well, it seems that winter has finally decided to settle in on us here in the Greater Cincinnati area.

I know many of you have been dealing with this for some time, but here we had been enjoying an extremely mild winter, until now. Temperatures are expected to be near zero for the low this weekend and most of next week. With beautiful clear blue skies and a light blanket of snow on the ground, there are still plants in the gardens that draw you in from a distance. Some of these plants are holding on to winter color while others are at their best this time of year with color and texture. The majority of the pitcher plants in the bog are still holding onto their brilliant red and white colors, while the yellow and pink varieties have gone to sleep during this cold spell.

Also in the bog the many types of ornamental grasses are displaying good foliage color. Along the bogs edge the HarryÂ’s Walking Stick stands out with its twisted corkscrew like branches.

The intense red bark of the Sango Kaku Japanese Maple can be seen from all the way across the lake, as well as the soft blue needles of the Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar.

The Rain Forest garden boasts color from the Variegated Bamboo, Mahonia, and Nandina Firepower.

The parking lot is also showing some great color with the bright red berries of Winterberry Holly.

The waterfalls continue to run throughout the winter and are creating some beautiful ice formations along the edges. The bright green frozen algae stands out from a distance and the color reminds me of new growth in the spring.

As you can see we are trying to incorporate plants and features in our garden designs that give you something beautiful to see no matter what time of year you visit.

The new parking lot addition has been excavated and the storm drains have been installed. The entire area has been covered with its gravel base, and the asphalt will be laid down in March when the blacktop companies open back up for business. Outdoor construction doesnÂ’t stop with the bitter cold temperatures. Kim and his crew have been busy on the construction of the planter box wall that runs 400Â’ in length, and will separate the new parking lot from the main entrance road. The 4Â’ high planter box will be planted sometime in March.

The grounds crew continues to work outside constructing a large formal courtyard at the back of the main waterfalls. The paver stone courtyard is 40Â’ x 40Â’ and will have a small fountain in the center, and surrounded by seating walls. In the background you can see two of the four picnic pavilions under construction. As soon as the concrete floors are poured we will begin building the retaining walls that wrap around them.

Thanks again for joining us. We appreciate all of your prayers and support for the museum.