Ecstatic Evergreen

Cactus

 

 

In bleak midwinter, evergreen plants come into their own this month and I had a great time visiting a nearby garden to get their full beauty.

 

New year is a perfect to catch these stars at a nearby Botanic Garden and look out for the succulent plants.

 

Here are some of my highlights that put a glimmer of sparkle to the month

 

 

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Euphorbia, or spurge, suits every situation from desert to bog.  Look out for them in both formal courtyards and wild woodlands.

 

Spurges are a great plant for difficult areas of dry shade, particularly under trees. As they are evergreen they also give handy groundcover. Left unchecked it can take over, romping through areas of a small garden.

 

 

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The Winter months let me focus on the evergreens that often are missed when the Summer flowers blossom and as my visit has shown they are worthy of attention.

 

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A popular Winter plant, due to its hardy nature.  The succulent plant lives in gravel with spiky shapes that are built to survive.  I found Euphorbia is part of a large collection at England’s oldest Physic Garden, in Oxford.  Some of Britain’s Physic Gardens are often connected to Churches where the clergy would manage the upkeep of the precious plants.

 

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Many Botanic Gardens began as Physic Gardens and their plant collections often have a medical story to tell.  The plots of plants are often laid out according to the 17th Century ailment they would ease.

 

Seeds brought back from European visits by Aristocrats on the Grand Tour helped bring back new species we still enjoy today.

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The intricate designs of the evergreen plants and the different tones of greens I can spot today makes me feel optimistic for the return of fragrant flowers that Spring will bring along.

 

Happy last days of January!

Find other posts that shine the light on being optimistic here
blue sky
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22 thoughts on “Ecstatic Evergreen”

  2. The evergreen is such a lovely kind of plant. Green is a colour always easy on the eyes, and quite a vivid colour too. So I’m not surprise that it uplifts some of us in the darker months. Great diversity of shots, and interesting to know plants were laid out in a certain way back in the day – strong beliefs there 🙂

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    • I love this valuable insight. Thank you for sharing this beautiful comment and for more food for thought to enjoy. Yes, I hadn’t thought of the gardens as representing people’s deeper beliefs. Awesome! I loved your recent post detailing how animals symbolise how we connect to a country. Looking forward to reading more.

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    • Yes I agree completely, a visit to Botanic Gardens is always a good experience. Longwood Gardens sound beautiful. I am guessing the Gardens in Australia look spectacular with the favourable climate there.

      Your recent post on photography tips is superb, it is full of inspiration. Thank you for sharing some great ideas. I look forward to trying them out and also enjoying more on your blog throughout 2016.

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  5. Spurge is a funny name for such a pretty plant. It must be very hardy. I’m going to look for it locally, it must be around here somewhere. Thanks, Lita, for sharing so much knowledge and the beautiful pictures!

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    • Totally agree! I bet there is an intriguing story about how spurges got their name tucked away somewhere. Thank you for the insightful post on the reality of inner city travel. I helps me wear my back pack with pride on busy commutes. Hope February is looking beautiful in the Big Apple.

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