The Monday Garden, Eco-gardening at its best
December 4, 2005, Issue 188
Each season, as it comes around amazes and delights the senses anew in some way. In early December, we have not only the purity and hush of the first snow fall but are also blessed with the newly-revealed tree twigs.
PICTURE: Silver gray, furry buds of an ornamental pear of Bedford Street, Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005. Note the short, stubby twigs.
PICTURE: Crab apple at the Homer Lee Wise Memorial Grove on Bedford Street, Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005. All fruit trees in the rose family have the short stubby fruiting twigs called “spurs”.
PICTURE: Norway Maple, Third Street. Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005. Note the fat terminal buds that always come in pairs since the twigs are opposite each other (rather than alternate). Note also the thin stems left from the past season’s flowers and seeds that often hang on until next spring.
PICTURE: Our native flowering dogwood, cornus florida, has winter buds that look like up-turned buttons. Strawberry Hill, Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005
PICTURE: The ash tree has slender, opposite twigs. Cove Island, Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005
PICTURE: This hophornbeam not only has its catkins ready for next spring but, also, if you look to the left, its holiday lights. Downtown Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005
PICTURE: The honey locust hides its buds inside the twigs, giving it a craggy, “witches broom” appearance in winter. Hoyt Street Alley, Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005
PICTURE: An American sycamore along the Mill River at Scalzi Park, Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005, holds its seed pods well into winter.
PICTURE: Some of us aren’t enjoying the first snow of winter as much as others. This feral cat in an alley has a brush heap for a winter home. Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005
PICTURE: On the other hand, some of us think that the view is just fine. Hawk (probably a red-tailed hawk) out shopping for lunch, in Norway maple, near the police station on Bedford Street, Stamford CT Winter 2004-2005.
Photo credits: Sue Sweeney
© Sue Sweeney 2005
Comments (1)
As Cliff Clavin the "Merry Mailman" would say, "Err, it's a little known fact that the word TWIG is related to the German word for 'two': eins, zwei, drei... likely because of the forking of the twig."
Posted by Brû | December 5, 2005 11:14 AM
Posted on December 5, 2005 11:14