On this first day of March, we are greeted with several inches of snow. Hooray! Snow is (generally) our good friend in the landscape. Snow is our foe in just a couple of cases: Too much heavy snow that accumulates on branches can lead to mass destruction of the plant. Think the Northeast October storm of 2011. Animals like mice and voles seem to find a layer of snow a secret highway to shrubs and tree trunks that offer a buffet of bark to munch on.
A good blanket of snow acts like a 600-fill-power down comforter. Any smart landscape would snuggle up with that! The snow acts as an excellent insulator to prevent the grown from freezing – at least any more, which protects tender roots. A snow cover helps to conserve soil moisture, which is especially important over a long winter. An added bonus is of course the aesthetic value. A landscape becomes alive under a blanket of snow with textures enhanced, shapes exaggerated, and colors eminent.
These are some photos that I took around Austin Farm this morning:
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| Blue Atlas Cedar is trying a little yoga under the snow |
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