So far, to me, this winter has not seemed as winter-ish as winter usually is. Of course, I’m knocking wood as I say that. Although I love the way a good layer of snow blankets the landscape (and insulates our plants), I’m grateful to not have to shovel or trudge over and through giant banks of it when I walk my dog. It’s been cold, certainly, but not as relentlessly as it was last year, and I’m grateful for that too. And though I am liable to take it for granted, every visitor that comes through the greenhouse remarks on how full of color and delicious spring-like scents it is, and reminds me to count my lucky stars for that too. Because this is definitely the place to be if you are ever feeling underwhelmed by whatever kind of winter we’re having.

To give you a little incentive to make a visit, and because yesterday was Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day over at May Dreams Gardens, here’s a little sampling of un-January-ish color. Click on the first picture (or any of them) and use the arrows to scroll through the gallery. (The photo above is of Camellia japonica ‘Chandleri Elegans Variegated’, blooming like never before.)

Don’t just take my word for it: check out this article by Linda Borg in the Providence Journal. The greenhouse door is unlocked Monday through Friday, whenever Gail, Betsy, and I are here. Please come!