It's been about a month since we experienced the two weeks of frost and freezing temperatures in the 20's that took its toll on my zone 9 yard. When it comes to brown dead stuff in the yard... I have no patience. I know
they say to wait until middle or late February to cut back plants... but that doesn't work for me. The first part of the yard to get cleaned up is what I see directly out my windows.
So, I thinned some plants out...clipped some dead stuff off...stuffed as much as I could into the composter.
As, I walk around my yard, I notice that the Fashion azaleas are back in bloom...their first round of flowers having been burned by the frost. And, the grass is greening up again...hurray! Things are already looking up.
Frozen plants are already sprouting from the base of the plants.
I learned a couple of important lessons...or should I say, remembered from previous freezes that I had long since forgotten.
#1 - Trees make a BIG difference. My bromeliads and other tender plants fared much better under the canopy of the trees where frost was unable to reach them.
#2 - Create a good structure of basic, cold-hardy green plants - good bones, if you will. That way when the less hardy plants succumb to freezing temperatures, the garden will still look good. This is especially true in the front yard.
#3 - Plant pockets of tropical plants. I'll plant my favorite tropicals as little pockets of color in areas throughout the basic green plants. That way I can add color and interest to my landscape without leaving it vulnerable to a devastating freeze. It's kinda like having your cake and eating it, too! :-)
Once again the garden is humming along with the expectancy of spring.
