Here in the North, winter can be a real eye-opener for us landscapers. What we take for granted in other seasons (flowers, deciduous leaves) is long gone. While we will inevitably miss those things, let's not overlook the fact that this is a learning opportunity, too.

They say that, when the tide goes out, you learn who's been swimming without a bathing suit. I've always thought that a pretty silly saying. It assumes either a very rapid change in tides or very slow swimmers (physically and/or mentally slow)! But silly or not, I couldn't help but think of this saying in the context of learning something from the winter landscape.

The "tide" is "out" this time of year in the sense that the ephemeral color found in the landscape in spring, summer and fall has been stripped away. With all the camouflage removed, we get to see what's really there -- the more permanent features, if you will. And the value of certain plants rises in our estimation, as a result.

Which plants? Well, the ones I had in mind in particular when I began writing today are those with colorful foliage that lasts through the winter. Not just greenery (e.g., my mugo pine), but those with more interesting colors. For example, plants with golden foliage, such as many of the falsecypresses, and plants with silver leaves, such as rose campion (picture).

This year, in my part of New England, we did not receive a lot of snowfall, which made it possible for some shorter plants to shine throughout the winter (plants that would normally be buried beneath snow and therefore invisible). My Angelina stonecrop falls into this category. With so little snow, I've been able to enjoy its golden leaves mostly all of the winter this year.

Read more: Foliage Plants

Bestow Your Wisdom on Us: How Do You Beat the Winter Blues?

_{Photo ©2007 David Beaulieu (licensed to About, Inc.)}

There will be even more attention than usual paid today, Valentine's Day, to one particular flower beloved by millions: the rose. Roses receive Super Bowl-level attention during this special day, when love is in the air. Red roses, especially, are as synonymous with Valentine's Day as is Cupid. All this focus on roses will give gardeners plenty of excuse to contemplate adding a new rose to the landscape this year.

The pictures of roses in this photo gallery provide examples of some of the types of roses now available, by color. Many are All-America Rose Selections. If one of these colors doesn't "grab you," then you may well be color blind!

Movie trivia question (answer provided below): In what movie does the hero send the heroine an e-card in which a dozen rose blooms morph into 12 Pete Rose heads?

View pictures: Types of Roses

Put in your 2 cents: What Are Your Favorite Plants?

Bestow Your Wisdom on Us: How Do You Beat the Winter Blues?

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Answer to trivia question: Fever Pitch

_{Photo ©2009 David Beaulieu (licensed to About, Inc.)}

For many of us, Cupid doesn't fly in on a conveniently early date to remind us to buy our roses for Valentine's Day. In fact, the chubby cherub is more likely to sneak in at the last moment and shoot us in the back with one of those mischievous arrows. Not only that, but for all his alleged acumen in the art of love, Cupid will be of no use to you in selecting the right roses for the occasion. For that, you'll have to conduct a little research into rose color meanings.

Discover how to send the right message to recipients of your floral gift by following a time-honored formula that spells out the meanings of roses based on their color. Armed with this knowledge, you'll be able to put even ol' Cupid to shame in the matter of the art of love (well, on Valentine's Day, at least).

The formula derives from the Victorian era, as Catherine Herbert Howell explains in Flora Mirabilis. If you know the formula, a rose becomes more than just a thoughtful gift: it becomes a carefully crafted message.

And beware of sending the wrong message with Valentine roses: the recipient may know more about the meanings of flowers than you ever imagined. That friend of the opposite sex whom you wish merely to cheer up on February 14th may take a red rose the wrong way!

Read article: Meanings of Rose Colors

Not to stir up trouble, but...: Do you have landscaping issues with your spouse?

Most people who garden deal with more than just the plant kingdom in their landscapes. The animal kingdom, too makes its presence felt in the garden. Sometimes, that's a good thing (actually indispensable, in some cases); other times, not so much.

Consider the fact that we rely on bees for pollination. And while casual gardeners may take bees for granted, they sometimes go out of their way to attract wild birds to the yard, in hopes of catching glimpses of a colorful favorite. For example, many a shrub or tree has been planted with the idea of attracting this or that bird with its berries.

Of course, it's not all fun and games when the two kingdoms collide. We go to great trouble to keep pests out of the landscape, minimize the havoc they wreak, or address infestations after the fact. But the same critter can be viewed as a blessing or curse, depending on whom you ask and when. Bird watching enthusiasts may love to gaze at birds grazing at the feeder, but a gardener with a prized apple tree may take a dim view of birds swooping in and putting holes in the ripening apples! We may love them, but we cannot always exempt birds from our pest-control agenda.

Similarly, having pets in the yard can be a double-edge sword. On the minus side, large dogs can quickly make a muddy mess of a lawn. On the positive side, I get a kick out of watching a cat respond to contact with Nepeta. But when you hear Nepeta, do not think only of "catnip." There are many different kinds of catmint used for ornamental purposes in landscaping. Six Hills Giant Catmint is one of them; another is the ever-so-cute Little Titch. Click the links below to learn more about these superior edging plants.

Read article: Six Hills Giant Catmint

Read article: Little Titch Catmint

Put in your 2 cents: Do You Avoid Plastic Edging Like the Plague?

Bestow Your Wisdom on Us: How Do You Beat the Winter Blues?

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