A few weeks ago, James came home with several large cardboard boxes and a secretive smile on his face. He was most likely already envisioning the delight potential of the surprise he had purchased and would soon share.

He went right to work outside, somewhere in the vicinity of our back patio and pathway. He came inside well after dark, so it wasn’t until shafts of morning sunlight filtered through our almost-leafless trees that I viewed with amazement the gift: a carpet of soft, emerald green moss under the Japanese Black Pine along the ‘nobedan’ stone path just outside our back door. Awed and speechless, I snapped photo after photo of the radiant, sunlit beauty of that glorious gift!

I wonder at the power of green in a landscape. This one color, in all of its iterations, elicits hope in the springtime, refreshes in the heat of summer, provides a balanced backdrop for autumn’s stunning leaf display, and radiates life on even the grayest, dreariest winter days.

On this winter day, I am grateful for moss, for green, for the thoughtfulness of my gardener-husband who anticipates the delight of those for whom he gardens . . . !

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& gleeful recipient of green garden gifts!)

Adding Color To Your Garden--Even In Winter! 319345498 870160197460304 3853915632328564473 N