There's a lot to be said for the "winter interest" trend.
Why should one season of the year be something to simply endure?
Why not have a few things around that contrast with white, that look sort of, well--interesting poking up out of the snow? Anything to cool that spring fever a notch, right?
[As a side note: I think it's great that the term used is "winter interest," not something like "winter beauty." I mean, let's not get our expectations too high here. It is still winter, after all.]
That being said, I think maybe some guidelines are in order.
1. All such items must be visible from the windows. Because really, who wants to go tromping out around the side of the house, or up to the north forty to get your dose of interesting for the day?
2. Anything is fair game, including hardscaping, random bits and piles of stuff in the yard, dead plants, evergreens, etc. As long as it does not cross the line into winter ugly, it's a contender. Remember, it's just interest we're going for here. No pressure.
3. When all is said and done, completely ignoring the snowy landscape out the window and cuddling up with a good book is also acceptable (which happens to be my preferred coping method whenever possible.)
Interest--like beauty--is in the eye of the beholder.
However, even with our lowered expectations, some things are just plain ugly.
Let's take a look outside and see if we can find any examples.
Porch icicle: yeah, okay, I'll give it a pass as interesting
Not that it will be around for long, as I'm sure little hands will break it off as soon as they notice it.
Huge pile of snow blown off the driveway: ugly
(Athough, it must be said, a clear driveway on a snowy day is a thing of beauty.)
Tips of the laurel bushes poking up out of the drift: interesting
More in a "Wow, look how tall the snow pile is--it covers up the laurel bushes--interesting..." sort of way, than a "Wow, that's actually kind of pretty," sort of way.
In all fairness, the green laurel bushes were pretty with snow on them before the snow pile happened.
Dead phlox stalks out front: ugly
So far, coneflowers win the prize for most interesting dead plant.
These others....not so much.
Limp, ragged, brown foliage does nothing for me, even when poking up out of the snow.
(Yes, I will keep that in mind next fall.)
Terraced flowerbeds: interesting
I do like how the blocks hold the snow in a definite pattern.
Enormous snow pile taller than the mailbox: also interesting, I suppose (see snow pile comment, above)
Snowy back flowerbed
Feathery dead-looking shrubs against a blue backdrop, with white in the foreground.
Yeah, I'm seeing some winter interest there--even a few steps toward winter beauty.
However, I have to open my back door to see it.
Half a point toward interesting.
[The snow making it all the way up to the house is unusual.]
[Everything planted in the bone-dry desert strip right there--rejoice!]
Snowy slope: sure, it's interesting to see what's tall enough to stick out of the snow.
It has some beauty in its own way, too, I suppose.
The apple tree, especially.
Snowy shade bed: ditto comment from above.
Dead lupines sticking up out of the snow: ugly
Snowy garden terraces: interesting
Snowy blocks on pallets: ugly, although my kids may argue with that assessment, since that is where I collect snow for snow ice cream (no tracks in it! :).
Yep, all in the eye of the beholder.
The remains of the Christmas tree, covered in snow:
interesting on many different levels
I guess my biggest issue with "winter interest" is that it doesn't hold my interest for long. In the other seasons, things are always changing. Every time I go out I can look for new flowers opening, or if the newest transplant survived, or if the tomatoes are ripe yet.
Winter is pretty much the same.
It's white and snowy, or it's brown and dead, but either way, not much changes.
I can tell with one glance out the window--yup, still winter.
For real winter interest I need life and movement.
The bunny that hopped under our deck the other day kept us all glued to the window.
(Yes, we may have a touch of cabin fever!)
So instead of that shrub with very interesting corky bark, maybe I need to invest in a heated birdbath.
Or start a bunny-feeding program.
Actually, not that.
Come vegetable garden time, that could get ugly fast.
And we're trying to avoid ugly here.
p.s. We almost made it out of January without any snow to speak of.
The past 2 weeks have more than made up for it, as we are going on 2 feet now.
[sigh] What chapter was I on again?