| "Mid-winter is typically a slow time in the garden. The work seems to taper off in direct proportion to the dropping temperatures that slow plant growth. Since it's a matter of personal choice whether or not you continue working actively in the garden through the winter months, you might want to take advantage of any glorious breaks in the weather to get a job done now that will lighten your work load when busy spring returns. " " On the coldest, dreariest days of winter, any kind of light, natural or otherwise, is a psychological lift. Even if you can only force yourself to step out on the back porch and look around the garden from a weather safe vantage point, a little light generates warmth and reminds you that your garden is merely dormant, not dead. In winter a frozen pond, a gazing ball or a favorite garden ornament can lift the spirit with glimpses of reflective light. " " If you like to be outside and work in the winter garden, January is a great month to prune most deciduous trees and shrubs. If you are thinking of adding any fruit, flowering or shade trees to the garden, this is the time of year to plant them. Most nurseries and full service garden centers will bring in a selection of these trees during the last weeks of winter. If you keep a plant list and know what you want, this is the best time to get the pick of the crop. " " Because many of your choices will be dormant, they transplant with a minimum amount of set-back. These are usually sold bare root with a light wrapping of protective material to keep the roots healthy. If you are selecting fruit trees, be sure to confirm with the nursery staff that the varieties you have chosen are recommended for your area. You want plant varieties that produce the best quality fruit in our climate and are known to be disease resistant. " " I always have a few shrubs and trees in the garden that all but refuse to drop their leaves. Others, such as the weeping Japanese maple and the dwarf weeping willow (Salix caprea 'Kilmarnock'), have such a tangle of intricate branching that fallen leaves catch in all the different angles, collecting in matted pockets through the branches. This is when you need to take matters into your own hands. " " Shake loose any clusters of leaves stuck in the branches. What leaves don't fall on their own may need to be plucked off by hand. Since I often advocate buying certain plants for their winter silhouette, such as the 'Kilmarnock' willow, 'Shasta' viburnum and the elegantly sculptural, Stewartia pseudocamellia, it makes sense to remove any debris that
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