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My garden is full of the leftovers of summer and autumn. Clumps of curled and dried-out leaves, seed heads (many now empty of their cargo of seeds) and, here and there, the tattered remnants of flowers, all create an untidy patchwork. But that untidiness is a protection to the life lurking within: insects are hibernating in it and, below, the soil and the creatures that inhabit it are protected from the effect of heavy winter rains.
Everything is going through the long wait for spring. I won’t tidy up the dead growth until all the little lives it shelters are active again. By then there will be new leaves beginning to push up through the soil and the first spring bulbs will be in flower.
Meanwhile the frost makes patterns on the remains of last year’s plants. Old leaves are finely edged in white and the ghosts of past flowers appear to be encrusted with tiny white seed beads. (Above: a tiny skeletonised flower of a hydrangea has become encased in a coating of icy frost. Below: tiny bead-like frost crystals decorate what’s left of a clump of aster daisies.) The seemingly insignificant oddments of the garden year are enough for the frost to create its ephemeral magic. ❄
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
Beautiful images Ann. I’ve not been able to get out into the garden this winter, and your post makes me feel less concerned about this; thanks for the reminder that things are better left as protection to creatures and soil until spring arrives!
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It’s been either too cold (with the ground frozen) or too wet here recently, so I haven’t been able to get anything done for a little while. But I have seen the first leaves of daffodils starting to come through, so it feels as if spring isn’t far away. 🙂
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Happy frosted views to you. I can’t decide what the illuminated figure in the upper right of the first photograph reminds me more of: a giant four-leaf clover or the blades of a windmill.
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Hehe! It’s a lot closer to a four-leaf clover in size, very small really.
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The frosted remains are very photogenic!
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Frost is a great beautifier…it’s rained since and the garden does not look as good!
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The golden flower in the first photo is beautiful. It reminded me of a small carved ivory folding fan I had as a child. I don’t know where it came from originally; it was passed down to me from a family member. What I remember is that age had yellowed it a bit, to almost the shade of yellow you show here: although much lighter. I’m sure it was ivory rather than one of those early plastics, because I wasn’t allowed to play with it, but the memory’s as sweet as your photo!
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It’s makes me smile to know that my photo brought back a sweet childhood memory! 🙂 The flower here is a tiny hydrangea flower that is gradually turning into a skeleton. Just like leaf skeletons, they’re incredibly delicate. I’ve been looking out for a few to keep for photographing indoors.
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I’m enjoying these pictures of frosty seed beads very much, it’s great to find beautiful sights in the garden this cold and leafless time of year.
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I’m glad you’re enjoying them Robert. Frost is generous to photographers! 🙂
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Spring bulbs are popping up all over my garden and in the many pots. I got out today to clear up some of the damage from last week’s horrendous storm. But I have left the grasses.
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It’s encouraging to see the first signs of the approach of spring. I noticed some hellebore buds a couple of days ago, which raises my spirits hugely. I hope that the damage from the storm wasn’t too bad!
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