#ice covered pine cone

[malfoys-demigod]

“Wear a jacket, it’s cold outside”

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ Logan Howlett x Reader

Summary: Just a quick fluff drabble where the reader’s out admiring the morning snow, but also at the same time not wanting to admit she’s cold and of need of a jacket

A/N: Hi all!! It has been a while since I wrote. Life has been so hectic for me, but ever since I watched Deadpool and Wolverine recently, the love I have for X-men came back and I really loved seeing tons of Wolverine fics pop up!

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:· ·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:· ·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

There was always something magical about the first morning snow at the X Mansion that made Y/N feel like the happiest girl in the world.

There was that feeling of serenity and calm that comes from snowy environments which she loved feeling every winter. It would prompt nostalgic memories: childhood fun, holidays spent yearning for a white Christmas - it just made her happy.

So when the first snow arrived early in the morning, Y/N got up as fast as she could, slipping on her favorite winter boots as she made a dash out to the entrance of the X Mansion, only wearing her long-sleeved pajama top and jogging pants.

There it was.

A fresh blanket of snow, covering the whole landscape of the area, as more snow fell down gracefully from the sky. Y/N was enjoying the sound of silence - watching the snow flutter down like magical confetti, which felt so healing to her.

She watched as the trees were heavy with snow on its tips, smelling damp pine cones from a distance. She never felt so happy.

That was until she took a few steps outward from the driveway with her last step causing her to take a small slip into a soft blanket of snow. She was now laying on wet snow, laughing her ass off from being so reckless out of nowhere all alone. The gleaming snow around her was what made her choose to stay grounded on the floor, expanding her arms and legs as they made snow angel movements.

It was only a matter of time for Y/N to start experiencing the frost bitten feeling around her body, numbing her as she continued staying out in the snow without proper protecting from being frozen. Yet.. she didn’t exactly have plans on going back in to wear protective gear just yet.

Meanwhile back inside the X Mansion, Logan had just woken up from a surprisingly good sleep. He didn’t have any nightmares to fight off this time. He actually woke up peacefully.

He got up, wore his regular leather jacket, fixed himself up quickly, and took a look at his window, seeing white, as he discovered the first snow of the season.

What he then noticed after was Y/N, lying down on the carpet of snow, with a smile on her face. Logan swore he almost felt a smile on himself growing too fast for his liking. He always kept his relationship with Y/N to a friendly-teasing kind of thing going on, but deep down, he always wanted to see if he could have more than that with his colleague.

His face definitely returned to his typical serious form, as he took a closer look at Y/N… with tingling cold finger tips, shivering slightly. He wondered why she wasn’t returning yet inside to warm up, and a level of concern grew in him, picturing her as a poor, frost bitten kitten, who needed help.

He turned around and made his way outside at full speed.

The heavy crunches of the snow under Logan’s feet as he stomped towards her caused Y/N to sit up and turn around.

Logan huffed at the sight of his kitten, looking bitterly cold now as her arms were crossed tightly. “Kid, what the hell are you doing?”

She smiled childishly with pink spots on her cheeks, which Logan discretely found lovable. “Um, enjoying the first snow?”

Logan had a displeased look on his face, definitely due to her reply. “No shit, but ever thought of doing it with extra layers on? You’re gonna freeze yourself to death, bub. You don’t want the kids to wake up on the first day of snow and see their teacher frozen over, do ya?”

Y/N was too amused with the silly, impossible idea of turning into an iced sculpture to even notice the worried look Logan had on his face. “Oh come on, Lo,” she brushed it off, “I’m fine. A little cold won’t hurt me.”

Logan was about to protest until Y/N brought out a small sneeze. She pointed at him her best straight-face, wanting to speak up first after her ‘A little cold won’t hurt me’ statement.

“Shut up, Logan,” she commanded, “That was nothing. I’m fine.”

The secretly smitten man, rolled his eyes, not buying a single thing she said. “Alright, here we go” he said, pulling her up for her to stand on her feet as she whined, “Hey!”

“Wear a jacket, it’s cold outside.” He pleaded after she complained with her frowns.

“But I really just wanted to stay a few minutes longer then I’ll go back in,” she admitted, giving her best ‘Puss-in-Boots adorable eyes’ that made Logan want to fold so damn easily. But he shook his head, removing his favorite leather jacket, that he would never just give to anyone. Her few minutes were definitely not few minutes and he knew that.

“Take it and wear it,” he surrendered.

Y/N lightly gasped, knowing very well that Logan and his leather jacket were famously inseparable. She was too flustered to say anything at the moment, so she took the jacket from him, mumbled a thank you, and started wearing it.

Logan had definitely taken a liking to what he was seeing. She looked so good in his jacket and he was captivated by how adorable she looked, with the jacket looking slightly oversized on her.

Y/N felt her heartbeat move faster when she taken a notice at Logan’s fitted black shirt, outlining the muscles that attracted her since the first day they met. She looked away, looking down at her shoes, hoping her cheeks weren’t pinker than they were earlier.

“You wanna join me for those last few minutes?” She asked teasingly with a small smile on her face. How could he say no to her?

He ‘nonchalantly’ huffed a ‘kay and sat down with her on the ground. She shifted a little closer to him, her head leaning on his shoulder. While her eyes were focused on the snow in front of her falling from a distance, his eyes were on her, wanting to make sure he saw her reaction to when the shoulder she was leaning on moved up, as Logan started wrapping his arm on her, getting them closer than how they were just a second ago.

Logan smirked to himself, seeing how red-faced Y/N was now, still focusing her attention on the snow, as she was avoiding eye contact with Logan, who was now hoping they spend more than a few minutes cozying up together before heading back in.

Maybe after that, he could treat her to hot chocolate, because of course, it was cold and he without a doubt thinks it’s the only nice thing to do afterwards…! *wink*

@snackthatsmilesbackchlldren @iluvloganhowlett (shoutout to you and your amazing fic so far! love seeing your works!)

[onlyhereforthestories]

Markets, Memories and Mistletoe (Ashley Sanchez x Reader)

Day 3! I'm in Prague woooo Christmas markets here I come, so it's only fitting this is the fic out today! Enjoy!

The festive lights of the Christmas market sparkled above as Ashley guided you through the bustling stalls, her eyes alight with excitement. She’d insisted you bundle up for the cold evening and surprised you with a trip to this holiday wonderland after training. Even with the chilly air and your glove covered fingers, she held your hand tightly, swinging it between you as you wandered into the heart of the market. There was something about being surrounded by the scents of roasted chestnuts, cinnamon, and pine that was utterly enchanting. The air was crisp, carrying the whispers of laughter from families bundled in scarves and mittens, their breath visible in the frosty glow of the lights. It was a symphony of winter's delights, a scene that painted the quiet joy of the season on every passerby's face.

“I hope you’re hungry,” she grinned, nudging you toward the food stands. Ashley’s excitement was contagious, and she led you straight to a vendor selling caramelized nuts. She bought a small paper cone of them, handing you the warm treat and leaning in to steal a few for herself.

“Good, right?” she asked, her mouth full as she looked at you with sparkling eyes.

“Delicious,” you agreed, popping a few into your mouth. She watched your reaction with a grin, looking a little too pleased with herself.

The two of you drifted from one stall to another, Ashley pointing out everything from handmade ornaments to cozy scarves, stopping at almost every stand to admire the unique holiday trinkets. At one booth, a display of delicate, glass-blown ornaments caught her eye, and she insisted on getting one shaped like a tiny soccer ball to remember your night together. “It’s going on our tree,” she declared proudly, tucking it carefully into her bag.

As you strolled around the busy market, you came upon an outdoor ice-skating rink set up in the middle of the festivities. People of all ages glided across, bundled up and laughing as holiday music played in the background. Ashley looked at you with a raised brow, her hand tightening around yours. “What do you say? Up for a few spins?”

You both rented skates and made your way onto the rink. Ashley, naturally competitive, started off with a flourish, attempting to show off her skating skills by gliding backward with ease. But just a few seconds later, she lost her balance and wobbled, her arms flailing as she tried to stay upright.

“Need a little help?” you teased, reaching out to steady her.

“Who, me?” she grinned, pretending to regain her composure. “I’ve totally got this.” But her footing was far from steady, and as you held onto her hands, she finally admitted, “Okay, maybe just a little help.”

You spent the next few minutes holding hands as you made slow laps around the rink. Every time one of you wobbled, the other was there to stabilise and offer support, both of you laughing so hard that even the chilly air couldn’t keep you from the warm feeling it created. After a while, Ashley seemed to forget all about showing off and just focused on keeping up with you, her smile never fading.

When you finally made your way off the ice, cheeks flushed and out of breath, you both collapsed onto a nearby bench, catching your breath while you shared a cup of hot cocoa piled high with whipped cream. She handed you the cup to take the first sip, watching you with that soft, adoring look she always got when she thought you weren’t paying attention.

“Thanks for coming with me,” she said quietly, bumping your shoulder. “I don’t know… Christmas markets always seemed more fun with someone else.”

“Same,” you replied, bumping her back, feeling a warmth in your chest that had nothing to do with the hot cocoa. “This is perfect, Ash.”

After a few more sips of cocoa, she led you back into the heart of the market, where you spotted a sprig of mistletoe hanging from one of the vendor stalls. Without missing a beat, Ashley glanced up at it, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she leaned closer to you.

“So… there’s some mistletoe right here,” she said, as if it were the most natural observation in the world.

“Oh, really? Didn’t notice,” you teased, feigning obliviousness.

She let out a playful groan, her hands on your shoulders as she guided you directly beneath the mistletoe. “Come on! It’s tradition!” She was laughing but blushing, her nose red from the cold and her cheeks from the teasing. Then, her voice softened, her hand brushing a lock of hair back from your face. “And besides, I want to kiss you.”

Without waiting for a response, she closed the space between you, her lips soft and warm against yours, making the bustling market fade into the background. It was a sweet, lingering kiss that left you both smiling like lovesick teens, right there under the holiday lights. Ashley pulled back slightly, her fingers still brushing against your cheek. Her eyes sparkled with more than just the reflection of the lights, they held a kind of quiet contentment that made your heart flutter. The sounds of the market seemed distant now, as if they were nothing more than background music to your own little world.

"See? That wasn’t so bad," she said, her voice teasing but soft.

You smiled, still feeling the warmth of her lips against yours. "You were right. Plus, I wanted to kiss you too."

Ashley grinned mischievously and nudged you with her shoulder. “Yeah, you’re welcome.”

Before either of you could say anything else, a group of children ran by, their laughter contagious. They were bundled up in bright scarves and mittens, their energy spilling over into the crisp evening air. Ashley’s gaze followed them for a moment, a thoughtful look crossing her face.

“I used to come here every year when I was little,” she said softly, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “My parents would bring me, and we’d go ice skating and drink hot cocoa like we just did. It was always my favourite part of Christmas. It always feels like time slows down a little, like everything is a little bit brighter. I think that’s the magic of it all, you know, making those memories that last a lifetime. That you can look back on years later and be filled with that warmth that only happy memories can provide. Its why I wanted to do this, I wanted those memories to look back on with you too.”

You squeezed her hand, the simple gesture speaking volumes. “I get it. I feel the same way when I’m with you. Making memories wasn’t something I really had growing up but, I’m so glad I get to make them with you now. Thank you for always showing the light in life.”

Ashley’s eyes met yours, and for a moment, everything around you seemed to fade away. The market, the cold, the holiday hustle, they were all just a quite murmur now. It was just you two, here making this, as perfect as can be, memory.

Her smile softened, and she leaned her head against your shoulder. “I’m really happy you’re here with me, you know? This feels like one of those memories I’m going to hold on to forever.”

Your heart swelled, the words tumbling out before you could stop them. “I’m glad I’m here too, Ash. This is one of my favourite nights.”

There was a brief silence, comfortable and filled with the warmth only shared moments like this could create. Then, with a playful nudge, Ashley straightened up, her eyes twinkling once more.

“Alright, enough of the sappy shit," she said, grinning. "We still have a whole market to explore. And I haven’t even shown you the best part.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Best part?”

“Oh, yeah.” She pointed toward a stall in the distance, where twinkling fairy lights framed a giant gingerbread house. "You haven’t had the gingerbread cookies yet. Trust me, they’re legendary. You’ll be dreaming about them for weeks.”

Laughing, you followed her toward the stall, both of you slipping into the festive crowd. The cold wind still whipped at your face, but it felt far less biting now, with Ashley’s presence keeping you warm and the evenings possibilities stretched out before you.

As you approached the gingerbread stand, Ashley reached out, her hand brushing against yours once more. "Let’s make this night unforgettable,” she said, and her grin was the only invitation you needed.

[kentosovertime]

(n.) beauty that is more than skin deep

➳ sex shop owner!megumi x afab!barista reader - 4.3k

➳ a/n: 'gumi baby cone 'ere lemme give you a kith :* drooling over the absolute brain rot of megumi covered in tattoos

➳ cw: explicit content, explicit language, unprotected sex, fingering, light choking, sex toys and their usage, bondage, ropes, blindfolds, use of pet names (daddy, baby girl, sweetheart, angel), pining

✨Masterlist | Tag List | Ask Box | AO3 | Ko-Fi✨

The door to the sex toy shop looms in front of you, daring you to enter. 

Take a deep breath. You chastise yourself as you stare at the door’s handle in apprehension. You’re an adult and this is nothing to be ashamed of. At this point you’ll draw more attention to yourself if you just stand here like an idiot. 

Maybe some of your apprehension comes from the fact the cafe that you work at is almost directly across the street from this place. What if a co-worker saw you go in and started asking questions?

That puts your ass in drive and urges you to grasp the door and scoot inside. You cringe inwardly at the loud jingling of the bells that the door hits as you step inside the cool space. 

Your eyes scan the large room, finding it devoid of any current inhabitants. Even the checkout counter is empty. It's perfect for your escape to the back of the displays to try and find what you saw online while you were figuring out what you thought would work for you.

If anything, looking at online listings was easier than this. You stare at the wall, filled with dozens of options of things you hadn’t seen before let alone considered. 

How many types of dildos were the- You catch one out of the corner of your eye that’s obscenely large and you shudder. How the fuck? 

Certainly it wouldn’t take this much effort to free yourself from the terrible run of men that you’ve slept with. You just wanted to get yourself off since none of them could manage it. 

Out of habit, you peek around the display that you were standing at, looking towards the desk for a worker. You realize your mistake when you see who’s standing behind the counter as you duck back behind the display and debate making your escape. 

The counter was next to the door. There was no way he wouldn’t see you leaving if you made a run for it. No way in hell would you be asking one of the coffee shop regulars where they kept the specific dildo you were looking for. 

Megumi? You ponder over the name that you’ve written on his cup the dozens of times that you’ve made his iced quad americano with caramel, no milk. 

It wasn’t that he was a creep… you just didn’t want to look him in the eye tomorrow when he came through the line thinking of you holding anything in this store. He wouldn’t even give any indication that he remembered you.  He looks just as standoffish here as he does in the warm lighting of the coffee shop. 

The newer hires were too terrified of him to make his order, afraid of what reaction would come out of someone like that if they got it wrong. Little did they know how good it felt for him to mutter how perfect the drink was before leaving a $20 bill in your tip jar. 

You weren’t scared of some tattooed and pierced man with a coffee, but surrounded by all… this? Your appreciation of him didn’t extend this far, no matter how attractive or how good of a tipper he was. 

Trapped in your nervous thoughts, you barely note the passing of time, looking back to the counter to see him no longer there, pulling a sigh of relief from your lungs. 

Fantastic now you’ll just- “Do you need help with anything, miss?” A low graveling voice hums behind you, making you jump out of your skin and whip around, almost nailing him in the face. 

“Fucking christ! You can’t just sneak up on people like that!” You squeak in horror, clutching the strap of your bag to your chest as you take a step back to give him some space, ignoring the fact that the display you were hiding behind has a wide variety of bondage equipment that was currently in the same field of vision as Megumi. 

“I called out to you a couple times.” He leans against said bondage display with crossed arms and a slight smirk, toying with his tongue piercing. “I hardly call that sneaking up on someone.” 

“You couldn’t approach me from where I could see you?” You argue, your eyes catching his playful smirk as your cheeks flush pink. “Not when you were so intensely focused on the spreader bars and gags, (y/n).” Scratch that. Your cheeks were a deep shade of crimson red. “I have to say… that's a shock. Did you want stainless steel or aluminum?” “I wasn’t- No!  I was just stuck in thought-” You sputter, trying to choke out an answer. “Wait, why is that…? Assuming preferences is so rude-” “Hey, now.” He throws his hands up in surrender. “You learn an awful lot about reading people and their tastes when you own a sex shop. I apologize. Again, can I help you find anything, (y/n)?” “Um… a… toy?” You struggle to get out an answer, wondering what alternate reality you stepped into where you were being asked to explain what sort of toy you were looking to use on yourself. He only stares at you expectantly, his smirk growing as you get more and more flustered, needing to fill the silence. “I was looking for something to use on myself.” “You know we have an online site if you don’t want to be here?” He chuckles and cocks his head, waiting for your reply. “I didn’t think I’d run into anyone that I knew while shopping for dildos, sorry.” You hiss. “Besides, it's hard to picture how big things are from a picture online and your site said there were testers that you could touch before buying...” 

You especially didn’t expect him. You had always assumed that he worked for the popular tattoo parlor around the corner with how he looked. 

“Well…” He hums and a conspiratorial sparkle glimmers in his eyes. “I’ve already seen you here so you may as well let me help you out with what you’re looking for.” 

You sigh in defeat because he has a point. You’re already embarrassed, you may as well get this over with and then never come back in here. 

“I’m looking for a dildo… just a normal one?” You force out, looking up into his gaze for a reaction, but he only looks pleased you listened to him. 

“It would help if you explained why you need it, If you’re comfortable.” He looks you over, loving how you seem to squirm in place. “You could also tell me your preference on what helps you finish so I can narrow down your options. 

“Its for self use… and I don’t know…” You think it over, frowning at how none of your hook ups were able to get you to finish by just fucking you. “I guess I’d like something that vibrates. I don’t… finish from sex.” 

God, you sound so pathetic, he’s probably embarrassed just speaking to you. 

“That’s completely normal. Only about 25% of women can finish from penetration alone. Follow me.” He leads you across the store and away from the traditional dildos you thought you needed. “I’d suggest either a rose or a rabbit vibrator.” 

You cock your head in question, not knowing what those were. Your skin flushes with heat as he gently grabs your wrist and tilts your hand so your palm is open to the ceiling before he presses a small hand sized item into your grasp that he takes from the shelf. You jump slightly when you realize it’s vibrating, sending shivers down your spine.. “T-that’s really strong.” Your throat swallows around a lump as you blink up at him. 

“Oh that’s the lowest setting.” His gaze seems to darken as he explains further, turning it up three notches. “This is the rose… this is the strongest setting and after this you’d have 7 other patterned vibrations to choose from. You use this one on your clit and you can grind on it too. You probably need to have your partner stimulate you too if you’d like to finish.” 

You find you need to press your thighs together as you picture yourself using it, but your previous fantasies of using a toy on yourself morphs. Now Megumi is sitting on the bed with you, coaching you through using it, bringing you to orgasm over and over. “You… suggested another one too?” Fuck you’re throbbing with need, you can feel yourself growing wetter with each passing second. 

“Mhm. A rabbit.” He picks up another example toy, this one is much heavier than the first and part of it is shaped like the dildos you were looking at, only with an extra appendage is attached. “This one will give you penetration and this part rests on your clit… it is good for using it yourself or your partner would have a good angle to use it on you.”

He watches your reaction carefully, as he’s sure it's not possible that you could get any redder. You blink at it, looking over the buttons at the base curiously, jolting a little when the tip of the toy rotates suddenly and ratchets up as you press the up button. 

“I don’t have a partner.” You mutter, clearly frustrated by the idea of the hypothetical partners he invented not being able to please you. He watches as you press the second pair of buttons, frowning when you don’t feel something immediately. “What does this one do?” 

“Keep turning it up…” He hums, watching hungrily as you immediately obey his commands, watching with barely concealed lust as the extra appendage starts vibrating harder. Your head cocks to the side and you graze a finger across the little rabbit ears that would press against your clit, gasping at how strong it is, pulling a dark chuckle from his mouth. “Like it, sweetheart?”

You look up at him through your eyelashes with a sheepish look on your face, nodding when you realize you can’t trust your own voice. 

“Aw come on, angel.” He grins, breaking you down slowly to trust him. He thinks he’s lost track of the amount of times you’ve pressed your thighs together to alleviate the pressure. “You can talk to me about it. You’re already playing with it in front of me.”

“Y-Yes…” You avert your eyes when his gaze becomes too much. “I can see that this one would be good for a… partner…” 

“Mhm.” He grabs one of each from the stock for you to buy, knowing you want them both. He places the testers back on the shelf before tugging you back towards the section you had been hiding in, pointing at the items hanging from the hooks, including self adhesive bondage tape, ropes, and gags. “And if you’d like, these can be good for play with a partner if you end up finding one that can fuck you right. It makes everything feel so much better.”

He expects you to squeak in embarrassment at this point, or maybe try to tell him you’re good and ready to check out with your two items, but you surprise him with your curiosity again, touching the bundles of ropes closest to you. 

“It’s softer than I thought…” You murmur softly. “I wouldn’t even know where to find someone who could handle doing this. All the guys I’ve been with are strictly… What do you call it? Vanilla?” 

You sigh, dropping the rope back on the hook with a look of disappointment on your face. You’d never meet someone who was decent at sex let alone experienced enough not to hurt you with all of this. 

“What here interests you the most?” He pries, wanting to know what he could do to please you and make you forget all the disappointment other men had put you through. 

“Um… the ropes and the blindfolds?” You supply shyly, slowly getting more comfortable with communicating with him. Something about him makes you feel safe giving your fantasies to him. “But I’d want to eventually be able to try all of it. I’m not one to knock something until I try it at least once.” 

“And you think that people don’t exist that can help you try these things?” Is it just you or is he getting closer to you?

“I’m sure they exist but it's the trial and error of sleeping with men until a woman is comfortable voicing what they want. I barely was able to walk in here…” 

“But listen to you now.” Oh he is absolutely getting closer to you. “Talking to me like you’ve known me long enough for me to be able to have this knowledge about you. What’s a guy to think when you’re so open with him?”

“... that I’m trusting you for your recommendations?” You guess with a harsh swallow. 

“I could also provide a… demonstration.” His hand reaches out and tucks a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “Given I now know everything I need to make you sing for me.” 

His voice is low with promise and heat lights up your insides and you lean into his touch as an invitation for him to take more. 

“What’s to say you won’t be like all the others?” You whimper with pure need, if this disappoints you, you don’t know where you’d go from here. 

“Oh, angel.” He coos with a light condescension to his tone. “It's my job to know how to make pretty girls like you feel good.”

“Y-Yes…” He blinks at you in surprise and you press on. “To your demonstration, that is.” 

“Well then…” He smirks and grabs a bundle of rope and the blindfold you were eyeing. “I won’t ask twice. These are all on the house.” 

A protest rises to your lips that you’re happy to pay for them, but he cuts you off with a harsh tug as his warm hand closes around your wrist again. He leads through the store to a door that opens to a staircase to the second floor. You pant with the exertion of keeping up with his pace when he seems to take two stairs at a time. 

You take in the tidy studio apartment, breathing in the masculine scent that clings to the space as he tosses the boxes with your new toys on the bed with the rope and blindfold. 

“You don’t like something, you just say so, ok? I’ll stop immediately.” He murmurs with gentle sincerity, as he steps back into your space. You can see how his muscles are bunched with the need to pounce on you, but he’s taking the time to make you feel safe. It makes the throbbing in your core intensify. 

His gaze takes in your cloudy expression, his cock screaming to be freed from the tight confines of his black jeans as he drags a hand up the column of your neck, relishing how you swallow audibly and shudder when his grip tightens. Dark, hungry eyes meet yours as his eyes bore into you, waiting for the moment of sweet surrender that will allow him to snap his control. 

“Ok, ‘Gumi.” Fuck you can already feel your legs turning to jelly and he hasn’t even started. 

“Fuck, angel.” He groans loudly as he easily lifts you and carries you to the edge of the bed, tossing you down like you weigh nothing. “My name sounds perfect coming out of those fuckable lips of yours.” 

You feel his control snap like the fragile thing it is. He doesn’t want one more moment to pass without you cursing and whimpering when he makes you feel more than all those shitty men you’ve let touch you while he’s been admiring you shyly from a distance whenever he goes for his coffee. 

He has you bare in seconds, your shirt and jeans thrown across the apartment before he growls in appreciation at seeing so much skin. 

“So fucking beautiful…” You whine out in frustration, not having his attention where you really need it yet. Your entire body squirms in impatience as you watch him grasp the rope and give you an appraising look. “Hands above your head, angel… There you go, so obedient and eager.” 

“M’gumi-” Your bra clad chest pants, arching toward him as he runs the rope in loops around your wrists, tying it in a neat knot, pausing just enough for your eyes to seek him out. “Wh-what are you? Ah!” The blankets drag across your skin as he takes the ends of the rope and hauls you up the body closer to the headboard. He loops the rope around the slats in the furniture, leaving you pinned and unable to stop whatever he decides to do. 

“Much better…” He mumbles and leaves you alone on the bed, going to stand at the end of the mattress to take in your prone form splayed out for him like a feast. 

“Aren’t you going to u-undress?” You struggle with the bindings, testing the strength of the knot with a low moan. Your body jolts when you hear the tearing of cardboard, your eyes flying to where he’s opening up the rabbit, testing the battery before the bed dips under the weight of his knee. 

“Not when you look like such a good slut all bared to me.” He snaps the band of your panties against your skin just to watch those cute little nipples pebble in your bra before he rips them off your body. He watches the slickness from your center drip from you as he kneels between your legs so you can’t shut them easily. “And this about making you cum, baby. Now tell me…” Your tongue darts out to lick your lips as you watch him spread lube across the toy’s length, eyes catching on how his hands flex around it. What you wouldn’t do to have those fingers in-

“Oh g-god-” Heat floods your system when those fingers leave the toy and press into your entrance, reaching deeper than your own have been able to. 

“... How many men haven’t made you cum?” Shame and embarrassment pool in your stomach with the growing heat as his fingers seek out the spongy spot inside of you. “Come on, you can tell me. I won’t judge.” “T-three-” The feeling in your stomach winds tighter and tighter, building past what you’ve been able to pull from yourself. At this rate you’d be making a mess of his fingers within seconds. 

“You let three men touch what’s mine?” He tsks, shifting to grind his palm into your clit in time with the thrusting of fingers, snapping the winding feeling in your gut with a shock squeak. Your teeth sink into your bottom lip, muffling your moans as you shudder and shake helplessly. “We’ll start with three then.” 

“Three w-what? Megumi?” In the next blink his fingers are replaced with the length of the vibrator and your walls clench around it, sucking it deeper as he turns the rotation first. He watches in rapt fascination as your arms fight against the ropes to grip onto something, even as your hips shamelessly grind further onto the toy, bottoming yourself out. 

“Three orgasms, angel.” He palms his erection through the fabric of the pants, allowing himself a moan as he works the length of the toy in and out of your cunt, replacing it with his cock in his mind. “Fuck… didn’t even need the lube. You’re already fucking dripping.” 

Your breath pitches up, bordering on hyperventilating, your hips moving on their own accord to meet each thrust. He waits until your eyes are glazed and you look to him with needy desperation before he maxes out the vibration of the piece resting against your bundle of nerves. 

“Fuck-” You sob and try to escape the sensation, your legs kicking wildly to manage the stimulation. That commanding growl returns as his hand leaves rubbing his cock to dig his grip into your hip, pinning you to the bed as he doubles down with his speed, making obscene squelching pour from you as your cunts sucks it in deeper. “F-feels weird please you need to s-slow down-” 

“Let it go.” He commands without room for argument, wanting to see what your pussy does when it's overstimulated and desperate for the real thing. “Give me that mess, baby. Daddy wants it.”

The image of you soaking his wrist as you shriek out your high and writhe under him easily tops anything he’s done and he has to dig his teeth into his cheeks to hold back from coming prematurely in his pants. 

“Good fucking girl.” He comfortingly rubs the skin of your thigh, soaking up how you twitch and jolt at the littlest touch. He takes pity on you and gently pulls the toy from your center, leaning forward to kiss along your jaw. “You’re on birth control?”

He’ll get a condom, but he really doesn’t want to. 

“M’ on p-pills.” You hiccup, slurring your words heavily from the orgasmic fog in your head. “Want y-you inside…” 

The image of him filling your core with his cum has you shaking, wanting to feel a sticky trail leaking out of your abused center. He deserves it. You whine low, when he pulls away but it's quickly replaced by a loud moan when his skin becomes visible. 

Every inch of his strong muscle is perfect and when his boxers drop and he bops free, your mouth goes dry with anticipation. When he crawls back above you he’s holding something dark in his hand and your vision goes pitch black.

“Just a blindfold. You’re doing amazing for me angel.” He coaches you through as he acclimates you to his touch again. 

He wraps his arms around your thighs, tugging you down to take any slack out of the rope before he teasingly taps the angry, red tip of his cock against your clit, his length twitching as he slides himself through your folds. 

When he enters you he does so slowly, but it's not for your benefit. He can feel himself tighten at how warm, wet, and snug your walls are around him, ready to blow his load into you already. 

But he promised you at least one more orgasm and he wasn’t about to talk a good game without following through for you. 

“Megumi-” You whine in desperation, feeling the way your walls are pulling him against your cervix. “P-Please move. Fuck I need you to- fuck!” 

He rears back and thrust back into you before you can feel his actions. 

“Is that what you wanted, angel?” He coos down at you, gripping around your hips as he sets a brutal pace. “Finally get a good cock and you turn into my limp little fleshlight?” 

You suck down harsh breaths, your eyes watering beneath the fabric wrapped around your face. He tilts your hips just right, filling the room with the wet smacking of your skin against his. Each grunt and low moan that slips out of his normally calm composure builds your high and you thrash against the bindings, craving the bite of your nails in his skin as you cum. 

“Fuck you’re gripping me so tight-” He can feel your cunt squeezing him, urging him to give in and empty into your swollen little cunt. But he slows just enough to have you crying out in frustration, refusing to let you fall over the edge until he’s sure he’s ruined other men for you. “Awww… what is it baby? Need more?” 

“Please.” You croak, your voice a crackling, raspy mess from screaming. “Jus’ wanna cum, ‘Gumi.”

He almost pities you, but you’re just so pretty and drawn tight, your body fraught with tension, he has to play with you a little more.

“Say you’re mine, baby girl. Say you’re daddy’s and he’ll let you cum.” He teasingly gropes your tits, lightly twisting your nipple, just enough to add to your frustration.

You don’t even put up a fight or hesitate before you’re babbling that he owns you, that you’re his and only his. A sob of relief shakes its way from your chest as he reaches between you to stroke at your clit. 

The sob quickly turns into screams that you can’t hold back, realizing that the sensation at your core was caused by the low buzzing of the rose purring against you, catapulting you into your high. 

His eyes drink your trembling, vulnerable form greedily before his eyes roll as his head drops back with a satisfied groan, pumping his cum into as he paints your walls white, shuddering along with you. 

The light in the room hits you suddenly as he lazily tugs your blindfold off and unloops your hands, his touch gentle again as he rubs the angry red marks left behind. 

“I’m right here angel.” He assures, gathering you to his arms and rubbing your back with light caresses. He gently shushes you as you try to push yourself up and speak. “Rest, love. We’ll have time a little later.”

Cuddled to his chest and boneless with satisfaction, your eyes droop and you fall asleep with a satisfied smile.

tag list: @sugarbooger513 @sugarmapoops @roughwithfluff @severelytalentless @yelzoldyck @silversslut @aazaard @dreamyyholland @wobblewobble822 @vantastic210 @rafzaha @tirzamisu @chososhoney @littlemochi @bebechinas99 @firdaoz @saoney @meromelo @pelicanpizza @sukunassoulmate @damncakie @katgalle @honeyyjems [[ if your blog name is crossed out i couldn't tag you]]

[likeadevils]

2009 Lover Diaries Transcripts

Mar 17, 2009

Hi. It’s me, the girl who always forgets to write in her journal. Oh yea. Her. I just got back from Australia. It was there for 2 weeks and it was amazing. Gorgeous there. So… what else has happened since I wrote… I was on the cover of Rolling Stone. My tour has sold out every venue including Madison Square Garden (in 1 minute) and Staples Center (in 2). I somehow feel like it’s my destiny to roll my eyes at happy couples and resent Valentine’s Day. I also feel like I’m the girl before “the one.” I’m not he “the one.” I’m the girl you think is the one for you, and when it doesn’t work out with me, you meet the next girl and realize she IS the one. The one you’re gonna stay with. I might get married. But I think it’s ultimately my fate to light candles and pine away and roll my eyes at happy couples and resent Valentine’s Day. Taylor

Jul 11, 2009

I just got back from a trip to Canada that was absolutely refreshing and good for the soul. I never really knew what a good thing having no cell or internet could be. But it was a great thing. I did things a little differently up there, and I actually liked it. I started reading self-help books. It’s really uplifting knowing that you can change your life today, tomorrow … just by doing a few things you never thought of. Or doing things differently than you’ve done them before. New things I adopted from a self help book: Get up early. Keep your cool. Don’t tee off on people you love. Laugh more. You can control your moods. Create a love account and make deposits, in other words, show people that you love them. Another new hobby of mine is ….. antique stores. And not just neat, organized antique stores. I really like the ones where there’s so much crap to dig through, you can find absolute treasures for nothing. I went to 2 antique stores in Saskatchewan, and one today in Winnipeg. I bought all these old glass mason jars. I’m gonna use them for candle holders. I bought old scales and watch faces and chairs and old trunks and a bird cage and 2 lamps. This weekend, I gave everyone in the band raises. That was before the first show we played. Calgary. Then, before the show we played tonight, I called the whole crew in for a meeting, and bonused everybody. 72 people. Taylor [name tag "Taylor Swift - Fearless 2009 Tour. Taylor. Singer"} My tour name tag.

Jul 12, 2009

Today was a wonderful day. And not because of some massive career accomplishment or award show. It wasn’t about world domination or another number 1 song. Today was just … wonderful. Today was simple. And perfect. Because today was just me and my mom, driving around, looking at antiques in little antique shops, talking about what chandelier should go in the foyer and if this cabinet would look right in the guest room. We stopped for ice cream cones. It started raining hard while we were shopping, so we had to run back to the car, getting soaking and screaming. We met up with Dad and Austin for dinner at Kabuto. But the best part of the day was just driving around with my mom. Correction: riding around with my mom with a bunch on antiques clanking together in the trunk. I just keep thinking, when I’m 90 years old, reliving the good old days, I doubt I’ll look back on the number one parties as fondly and as frequently as I’ll look back on today. Wearing red lipstick for no reason, mom in her black t-shirt and wet hair, driving around talking about which chandelier should go in the foyer. Taylor

Sep 18, 2009

Ahh… the things that can change in a week… Let’s just say, if you had told me that Kanye West would have been the number one focus of my week, the media, and my part in the VMA’s, I would’ve looked at you cross-eyed. If you had told me that I would win the ward I was nominated for, I wouldn’t have believed you. And if you had told me that one of the biggest stars in music was going to jump up onstage and announce that he thought I shouldn’t have won on live television, I would’ve said “That stuff doesn’t really happen in real life.” Well… apparently… it does.

(2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 & 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 & 2017)

[rhythm-catsandwine]

Fan

Notes: Or the one where you can't tell if it's the heat or beer getting to them. Oh and IPA jokes. Dink the pinecone and keep going.

It was hot and the air from the fan felt like satans fart. Inside temps that would make a global warming denier question everything drained them of any little energy, they had left. The gig was over and the cooler full of ice had lost half its beer in 60 seconds flat.  Danny had a beer bottle in one hand and another held against the back of his neck. Rivers of condensation and sweat ran down his back. The blue sleeveless shirt with a Jayhawk on it clung like a second skin. “Get the one in the corner. It’s from a brewery in KC.” He watched Adam sort through cubes of frozen water. “It’s better than the horse piss they call beer.” He tilted his head to the owners of the place. “There’s nothing else to drink. I checked.”

“Sure it’s good if you like drinking pine cones covered in citrus juice.” Maynard smirked. 

“I think it’s called an IPA.” Adam took his first drink of alcohol in months. 

“If it is true and you are what you eat. Don’t come crying to me when you turn into a pinecone.” Maynard opened a bottle of Chardonnay he got from seemingly nowhere. 

“Least you don’t have curls,” Justin complained. 

“Curly Q can’t stand the heat?” Danny tossed one beer in the bin and then grabbed another. ‘Or is that the Brit in ya?”

The metal propeller out of water sputtered and slowed to a halt. “Bloody fan stopped.”

“Then maybe we’ll all die and then haunt this place until the end of the universe. “ Adam was already halfway through the hazy golden liquid in a bottle. “What would it be like to be a ghost?”

“Floaty?” Maynard drank from the bottle like it was fancy grape juice. 

“That’s being drunk.”

“Some theories say ghosts don't know they are dead. Or if they are intelligent then they go between worlds through a portal.” Danny explained.

“The portal here would be satans ass.” 

“Satan my ass.”

“Wot?”

“Danny gets delusional when he drinks too much.”

“Maynard gets easy.”

“You get easy.” Danny countered. 

“You both start acting like cats in heat.” Adam had a quarter of beer left.

“How much did you have to drink or does Chewbaccas wilt in heat?” Danny opened yet another beer.

“Where’d Justin go?” Maynard looked around. 

“Aliens!”

“Apparently the little green men got them both.”

"Spontaneous combustion?"

[tameblog]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[ramestoryworld]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[alexha2210]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[angusstory]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[tumibaba]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[romaleen]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[monaleen101]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[iamownerofme]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[shelyold]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[iammeandmy]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

[januishstory]

Hi GPODers! We couldn’t avoid it forever. No matter how hard we hold onto fall, winter comes rolling along and for many of us that also means snowfall. Today’s photos come from Tingshu Hu and her husband Philip Zhao in Dunstable, Massachusetts. We’ve seen different aspects of their space during the peak seasons (Tingshu’s Front Garden in Late Summer, Summer in Tingshu’s Back Garden, Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts, A Space Created with Chinese Design Elements and English Garden Aesthetics, etc.), but today we’re getting a look at the interest Tingshu has managed to create even when the gardens are coated in a layer of snow. Four season interests, especially winter views, are essential for a home garden in New England, since we have 4+ months of winter, covered in snow and ice. The contrasts of colors and shapes against the white snowy background are still attracting us to go outside and explore the garden in winter. Snow came late this year. We received the first snow on December 5, 2024. Philip took some pictures while it was snowing. The centerpiece of the back garden is the Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus × ‘Prairifire’, Zones 4–8). Several pictures were taken going around the crabapple tree. There are numerous red berries on the crabapple tree, attracting many birds in winter. On the right side is a dwarf Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’, Zones 2–8), lightly frosted in white snow. You can also see a pergola and garden fences through the tree branches. Looking from below the red crabapple berries, there are blue spruce, yew, azalea, bare branches of a dogwood, and an arbor. Further beyond, there are several pine trees. Looking from below an apple tree, with a bare branch hanging overhead, the crabapple tree, the blue spruce and a false cypress stand on the left. A magnolia tree, a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 6–9) and a few azaleas stand above a stone retaining wall. There is a yew at the bottom of the photo. Looking west with the crabapple on the right, a false cypress stands between a white fence, and a tall purple fence of the vegetable garden. A grape pergola stands at the left side. View of the center of the back garden across a frozen fishpond. On the right side are the leaves of a clumping bamboo and a red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–7). Curb appeals at the front garden: combination of pergola, fences and evergreens (rhododendron, false cypress and arborvitae), and an eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis and cvs., Zones 4–9) on the left. Outside the fence are a young Japanese maple, a gold cone juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’, Zones 5–7) and a dried maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 5–9). Our dog Luke is enjoying the sun after the snow. In front of Luke is a lotus in a mini pond, with dried flower heads and stems. On the left side is a clumping bamboo. The colors of Chinese mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, Zones 5–9) are visible from the glass of the green house. The fishpond under the pergola is frozen. All koi fish have been moved to a pond inside the sunroom under the solar panels. Chinese mums looking at the snow-covered front yard. Deep in the winter we may receive heavier snow. Then the garden will have very different looks. Back garden in January 2023, after a heavy snow. Luke went for a walk (Deedee was nearby but not in this picture). Front garden after a heavy snow in a previous winter. The eastern redbud is standing tall and proud, dressed with fluffy snow on its branches. Thank you for another incredible tour of your gardens, Tingshu! Winter interest is acquired with lots of foresight, and it’s clear that you’ve planned and prepared for snow-covered beauty to great success. Have you experienced the first snow fall of the season yet? Or is your garden already covered in a thick layer of ice and snow? Though the more subtle and subdued scenes of winter don’t necessarily have the same vibrant energy as peak season blooms, there is still plenty of interest and plants to admire and appreciate. Consider sharing your winter garden with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit your photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link