Winter Gardening
Does any one know what the Winter Garden area of Orlando is like?
We are really interested in the StoneyBrook Golf Club Subdivision. Is this a family oriented city? Crime? Schools? All info will be helpful since we know nothing about the area. My husband will work at the Airport And I am a Nurse so very flexible on where I can work. Also if there are any other suggestions for great places to live work and play thats great for the family Let me know.
What area would one liken to the Manhatten of Orlando? For instance Atlanta to the Buckhead area? Hope you understand the analogy.
Stoneybrook West in Winter Garden is a great option if you’re looking to live in Southwest Orlando. There are actually a lot of subdivisions in this area, but Stoneybrook offers a golf course, playground and lake access that others do not. The only thing to know is that a giant shopping district is being built very near Stoneybrook which will probably increase the amount of traffic in the area. Right now, the 429 toll road is generally traffic-free, but that may change when the shopping opens up.
The other subdivisions I’d look at are Independence, Summerport and all of the Windermere area. If you can find a place to buy in Windermere proper, the schools are great and you have good access to downtown on the 408 and an easy drive to the theme parks, too.
Winter Gardening
Designing Your Winter Garden
Garden Design is all about individual taste. One person’s dream garden can be another gardener’s nightmare! But one thing on which everyone agrees is that a garden should be interesting all the year round. If your outdoor space is as dreary as the weather during the winter months here are a few ideas to brighten it up.
Shapes
Bare branches of ‘ordinary’ trees can look quite extraordinary, especially if dusted with snow. Leaves, stems and seedpods, which are hardly noticed when a plant is in full flower, become the centre of attention when outlined with a sparkle of frost. When planning to introduce new plants don’t forget to find out what different species will look like in winter.
When luxuriant summer foliage has died down, the underlying shapes of the garden can be seen more easily. Stand back and try to pick out the main shapes of both hard and soft landscaping. Taking photographs or making a simple sketch can help.
If beds, borders, lawns, hedges etc. are mostly square or rectangular consider the difference introducing a few curves might make. Likewise, a tall angular shape could give an interesting visual lift to a planting scheme of predominantly soft, rounded shapes.
Colours
Unless you live in a very mild area – or have exceptionally green fingers – you won’t be able to produce floral displays as vibrant and varied as those of summer. A window box or tub near your door planted with winter-flowering pansies is the easiest way to provide a bright welcome to visitors.
Most plants that flower in the coldest months tend to have small, paler flowers but that doesn’t make them any less attractive. Light colours show up well against dark backgrounds and seem to reflect even the weakest winter sun.
Snowdrops are an obvious choice, although choosing from the hundred or so available varieties can be confusing! The common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) is one of the earliest to flower in January, while others are more likely to appear in February or March. Winter-flowering heathers, hardy cyclamens (Cyclamen coum) and hellebores can also be relied on to flower early.
In spite of its name, the Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) rarely blooms at Christmas but it is well worth waiting for its large, white flowers to appear from January to March.
But flowers are not the only sources of colour. Red, orange and yellow berries brighten up dull days – at least until the birds have feasted on them.
Tree bark also comes in a wide range of colours. Most people can recognise a silver birch (Betula pendula) by its white trunk, but it also has many attractive cousins such as the hardy river birch (Betula nigra) which has peeling, cinnamon-coloured bark. Many acers reveal colourful and patterned barks once they’ve shed their beautiful autumn leaves.
If you haven’t enough room for trees, perhaps you could find space for some dogwood. There are many varieties, all with colourful stems ranging from yellow to deep red and almost black.
Scents
What’s better than flowers in midwinter? Scented flowers! Many early-flowering shrubs bloom from December and smell wonderful! If you plant your favourites near your door or alongside your most-used paths you can enjoy them every time you go outside. Some of the most popular are Wintersweet, Mahonia, Viburnum, Winter jasmine, Witch hazel and Winter honeysuckle, all of which have several varieties.
Wildlife
Winter is the time when many people become more aware of the wildlife in their gardens. It’s easier to see birds in the branches of bare trees, and tracks left in snow give clues to unseen night visitors. A harsh winter often makes normally shy creatures venture closer to houses in search of food so this is the best time to encourage them.
A well-stocked bird table or hanging feeders placed within easy view of your windows can attract a surprising number of species. As well as entertaining you with their antics, birds will reward you for your generosity by searching the rest of your garden for overwintering insects and soil pests.
Why not help them further by putting up some nest boxes in readiness for spring? It won’t be long!
About the Author
David Smith is the ‘D’ in D&G Garden World, a company that has been in the gardening and fencing business for over 20 years and offers a comprehensive range of landscape gardening, fencing and turfing services throughout Essex and east London. Buy anything from one roll of turf to all the materials necessary to complete a DIY garden makeover, or take advantage of the expert landscaping, turfing and fencing services provided by D&G. For more information visit http://www.dggardenworld.co.uk
gardening plants that can be houseplants during winter?
I have colues and impaitients but i was going to buy some new plants for outside during summer but ones that will be okay inside as houseplants for the winter
any plants that are just fit for the job?
Both will survive inside during winter. Both root easily (and will grow happily) in water (use clear container.)
A few other annuals that overwinter inside:
Geranium
Begonia
Hoya
Hibiscus
Dichondra
Edible Gardening : How to Plant a Winter Vegetable Garden