"A GARDEN IN WINTER IS THE ABSOLUTE TEST OF THE TRUE GARDENER"

"A garden in winter is the absolute test of the true gardener. Fair weather gardeners are to gardens what interior decorators are to buildings-they only know half the story"

My goodness, is that really true? Was Rosemary Verey just talking about garden designers or was she talking about every gardener; the likes of you and me; those of us who can't keep our fingers out of the dirt. We know we haven't quite got it right yet and we keep striving to create something that satisfies us and makes us proud but I believe we think of ourselves as true gardeners. Maybe we haven't yet passed the test.

The winter garden is certainly the most difficult part of the garden year. When plants have gone dormant, and all but disappeared below the soil, what is there to give interest. Evergreens are so important to tide us through the winter months. In Texas we are fortunate to have many such plants, yaupon hollies, live oaks and rosemary bushes to name a few. Then there are the agaves, yuccas and sotols. But even these are still the winter icing on the cake, as flowers are the summer icing. We still need the hardscape around which to plant, the pathways, walls, patios, arbors.

I know I looked out on my winter garden this morning and knew there is much more I could do to improve its appearance at this time of the year. Maybe Rosemary Verey is right. Summer is this easy bit.

"Gardens that look and feel good in winter do not happen by chance; they are the culmination of designs first sketched on paper then considered and perfected."

Now there in lies my problem!