Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - January

There are many a garden blogger living in climates where blooms are possible out in the garden all year round. However, here in the Chicago area although we are bloomless the garden need not be totally bleak.
After our winter walk through check out Carol's
May Dreams Garden
for a look at the many January gardens in blogger land.

Of first interest to a habitat garden is overwintering wildlife. Amid the bark, seed heads,leaves and stems life has slowed to its barest minimum, waiting for longer daylight hours and warmer temperatures when full activity may return.

Hiding beneath a blanket of its own making strawberry plants seem never to go completely dormant.

Look how green the hobbit garden looks. It was protected by a covering of snow during most of Decembers cold. Now that the snow has melted I will be covering the hobbit roof with branches cut from what was our Christmas tree. It is a small area and the protection is to guard against drying winds and fluctuating temperatures. While all the plants have made it through several winters, they look better quicker in spring with a little intervention now .
Shrubs bring so much texture and color to a winter garden. Some with fine branching or evergreen leaves,

some bringing contrast to fences and fallen leaves, some hanging onto dried flowers or seeds. All providing perches for birds to search for hidden insects,berries and fallen seed.

This heuchera is showing new growth spurred by a few days of warmer temperatures. I have seen this in many warm spells with melting snow and sunshine. Over the next week the cold will return with a vengeance so rest awhile longer dear garden.

Hope to met up with you somewhere else along the tour.