One month gone, eleven still to be enjoyed this year. While some gardeners are experiencing the alarming effects of the polar vortex, others are enjoying the earliest signs of the coming spring. My garden is a mixed bag this month. The upper level of the landscape is bleak. Most of the trees haven't leafed out yet, and their branches look stark and ungainly. The garden beds, however, are full of daffodils, azaleas, and camellias in bloom, so I'm keeping my eyes trained on this lower level.
This month's thumbnail photo is from the zodiac. I have a birthday in February and I have several Aquarius bushes because friends have assumed (correctly) that this rose bush is the perfect birthday gift for me.