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The winter chill continues here, with more frozen mornings. Frost brings an icy elegance to the remains of last year’s plant growth. Amongst the most attractive of these frosted plants are the seed heads of Stipa gigantea (golden oats). They become especially lovely when they are coated with a filigree of tiny crystals and backlit by the low morning sun.
The mix of frost and winter sun has brought out the golden tones of the seed heads and made them stand out against their dark background. It’s as if they’ve taken on new life for a short while. On mild days these same seed heads would look drab and dead and would go unnoticed in the garden. A dusting of frost is all it takes to bring subtle details to our attention in winter.
It won’t be long before life is starting again all around the garden. Old leaves and seed heads will be stripped away to make room for spring growth. (I don’t remove these in autumn because they provide shelter for overwintering insects.) For the moment, though, the frost creates its own magic upon the most ordinary of things.
(If you’d like to see how Stipa seed heads look with melting frost, see this post from last year.)
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
Ann, the top photo is breathtakingly gorgeous! thank you.
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Thank you Liz! It is very cold here at the moment, so I’m glad I was able to put the frost to use! 🙂
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Great observation, Ann…exquisite pictures!
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Thank you Indira! The frost created lots of interesting detail to observe and I was delighted to have that opportunity. 🙂
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we hope you don’t have to pay a gigantic stipend to photograph the Stipa gigantea.
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LOL – no gigantic stipends here – for it or me!
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You put that frost to very good use, indeed. Both photos are lovely. They almost make me wish we had weather of the sort that could produce that kind of effect, but when that kind of weather shows up, I start longing for warmth. Unfortunately, this kind of photo demands “that” sort of weather.
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Thank you! I’m glad that there is a way for me to make use of the frost because the cold weather is getting to me & hubby at the moment. We’re both longing for warmth and for spring, not surprisingly!
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Beautiful photos Ann. My grasses have been cut down now, the rain and wind finished off what had been quite pretty seedheads.
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Thanks Jude! These are almost gone now too – the frost tends to finish things off as it melts. Can’t wait for spring!
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I like the elegance of the frosted seed heads and your writing, Ann. Nature inspires us to capture her beauty in image and word.
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Thank you for the kind comment Tanja! Nature is a wonderful inspiration and deserves our attention. 🙂
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My pleasure, Ann. Let’s keep paying attention and we will, no doubt, keep getting inspired.
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Sounds like a very good idea to me!
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I’m envious of your frost, Ann. We’ve had very little so far during this disappointing winter. I first read your title as “Heart of Gold” which in a way is appropriate as well. 😀
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We’ve had more frost than we usually do, Steve. Last night was really cold but I’m glad to see that the temperature is starting to come up a bit over the next few days. (I’m getting a bit worried about losing plants to it.)
‘Heart of Gold’ would have worked well! 🙂
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This definitely caught my attention..so beautiful.
I found your site and let’s follow each other.
Thanks Anita
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I’m glad that you liked my wintry oats – they do look at their best with some frost on them. (Following your blog now – lovely pictures!)
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Thanks Ann
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😊😊
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They certainly add brightness and sparkle.
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Brightness and sparkle is something we could do with more of at this rather dreary time of year! 🙂
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