The Month of February – From Snow to Spring Blooming Flowers
Hellebore Exposed, Melting Snow
As I write my post today I was happy to see the sunshine and more particularly the snow melting in some parts of the garden. It is still difficult to imagine that just in a few weeks I will be seeing buds on my witch hazel (hamamelis) and spring bulbs beginning to shoot in the garden.
One of my biggest mistakes each year is cleaning up the beds too early. A sudden cold snap could do irreparable damage. If there is a mild day it is a good time to do a little pruning and assess the winter damage. First on the list will be the rose bushes. Inevitably there is always a certain amount of die back that needs to be cut out. I look out for any cross branching and prune accordingly. Next on the list will be the lilacs and forsythia. I always emphasize that you have to be careful what you prune as you can easily take out branches that are due to bloom this season. I clear out the suckers at the base and again any cross branches. The main aim is to keep the centre of the bush fairly clear to allow light in which encourages more growth.
Later in the season I will start to cut down the remaining stalks on the perennials. Every other year we put fresh mulch on the garden which helps protect the plants and retain water. This is also a good time of the year to start sorting out the seeds you plan to sow. I collected a certain amount from the garden flowers last year but I am always on the lookout for new varieties both with the flower and vegetable seeds.
For me, February is a month of celebration beginning first with our wedding anniversary (42 years -yikes!), my birthday and Valentine’s day. 
Usually we are away at this time of year but having been on our warm trip in January we are staying closer to home this month. I always like to compare different gardening years and the photos below were taken on Salt Spring Island on one of my husband’s MG runs two years ago. I remember the masses of daffodils and blossom.
