In my January garden

By 2 pm the sun, still shining brilliantly, casts long, long shadows across the drowsy garden. Winter is mild and tends to wet rather than white. By mid-January there are signs of burgeoning life. A tiny lilac bud swells.

Hydrangea petals, once sky blue, are now sere, faded, and skeletal. 

A rusting garden ornament stands amid hollow, brown stems. Irrepressible weeds still show a bit of green below. 

Life bursts from the floribunda rosebush. 

One rose, of the Heinz 57 variety, glows in the sunshine, a solitary bloom among the rose hips and leafless stems.

I look for my patch of snowdrops, but alas, they have not yet appeared. I wonder what could have happened to them. 

 Although the garden is slowly awakening, another month or two will pass before much happens. And in that time we might (I hope) see snow. But for this next week, rain is in the forecast, so I'm glad I enjoyed the sunshine today.

What's happening in your garden?

Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Judith.