Trees in Winter

Many people think of deciduous trees (those that drop leaves or needles during autumn and winter months) as cold, barren, and uninteresting. I disagree. In fact, I rather enjoy studying their framework against the landscape. I thought it would be nice to share with you some of the trees on my property during their dormant period. These photos were taken yesterday. What a gorgeous day it was!

This is a small grove of Bald Cypress trees.

Here is a grouping of weeping willows:

You can see how they glow, in January, in the landscape:

This is an American beech. Beech trees love to retain their leaves even during the coldest months. As they mature, their leaves will drop more.

A weeping copper beech -- kind of eerie:

My allee of linden trees. These are thin-skinned trees, and their trunks have been wrapped to protect them from frost and sunburn.

This is a weeping cherry. You can really see why it's called "weeping":

This row of trees was here on the property when I bought it. They are rather ancient apple trees that we have been reviving after many years of neglect. They look great, don't they?

 

Comments

[Joy Holloway]

Your trees are just beautiful I love weeping trees I planted my weeping cherry trees 4 years ago here at my home in Iowa and they are looking really good not as good as the ones I had when I lived in the south of mississippi but still they are pretty cute

[Kathy]

Martha,
Thanks for showing yesterday's photographs of your deciduous trees. I agree with you. I like to see such trees in the winter. Their structure against the horizon is interesting to me. I was happy to learn about the dawn redwood. Seeing your trees reminded me of planting trees with my father when I was younger: a redbud, a tulip tree, a blue spruce, an ash, and a linden tree closer to our house and different kinds of fir trees farther away.
Kathy

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Hi Martha,
As you I enjoy looking at the strutures of trees after they have shed their leaves. The other day I was looking at a few trees & saw two nicely construted birds nests. Before I read the caption over the weeping beech tree I had the same impression. This past year I had a Chinese Flowering Cherry Tree planted through the program offered by the city of NY. It wonderful to see the transformation from the bud setting stage , to leafing out, to the color change & dropping of the leaves in the fall. Since there aren't many trees here in Brooklyn, we use to take our kids every fall up to Vermont to see the fall foliage. In the winter when the trees are covered in a dusting of snow or encased in a thin layer of ice glistening in the sunlight their exceptionally beautiful!
Best,
Pauline Mucciaccio

[Kathy]

Your Chinese Flowering Cherry and the trees in Vermont you took your family to see sound just as beautiful as those Martha has shown us, Pauline!
Kathy

[Trish]

I wish we had just a few of the trees you have! We lost 2 palm trees and an orange tree in recent hurricanes and we had to have a mahogany tree cut down due to it's proximity to the pool. We now have only a ponytail palm and two small palms in pots on the patio. Pathetic! You have inspired me to plant more trees and I'll try not to worry about hurricane damage! Trish

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Hi Kathy,
Glad you enjoyed reminiscing with me about my tree observations..sounds like you enjoy the beauty of trees also!
Pauline

[Nancy Holwerda]

Thank you for your photos of your
decidous trees. You are right as
to the beauty of the trees without
their leaves, especially when the
ground is covered with snow. We
have a thirty-two old Metasequioa
behind our home in Michigan. When
we purchased it was tagged as a miniature Sequoia so we planted close to the house for shade. We soon found out it was not a miniature since it grew quite a
bit higher than expected. It is now approximately 55-60 feet and
an absolutely magnificent looking
tree. Probably has the 25 foot spread already. All the needles
turn a beautiful copper color in the fall and it has been producing the pine cones...which are tiny for several years. When you see this majestic tree rising above the roof of our home-which is dark brown with a brown roof it is a "Good Thing". I have seen the miniature ones and they are just as beautiful only on a much smaller scale. We are very pleased with our special tree. Our son always thought it grew so well since he would put the water from his aquarium on it at first.
We have seen these trees only at three other locations, so when you hear about one it is very exciting. Thank you for keeping the days interesting with all the information you share. NH

[Michele Andrade]

What wonderful pictures of winter trees! I especially love the landscape picture where the trees glow. I like wintry trees with snow on them. Makes them sparkle and is so beautiful. I take photographs of those and sometimes make a scrapbook layout of those photos.

[Margie]

Thanks so much for the picture tour of some gorgeous trees. A seminar regard growing Bonsai trees will immediately open one's eyes to core tree beauty.
To see a tree without it's leaves is to immediately fall in love with it.

[Kathy]

Yes, Pauline!

Kathy

[Joan Fluor Mason, OH]

Hi Martha,

Thanks again for the beautiful and interesting blog about the trees on your property.

I live about 25 miles north of Cincinnati, OH and there are many birch trees in the area, I think the tree without the leaves are beautiful. The white trunk and limbs stand out amongst the other trees.

Love your blog, the first thing I do in the morning is get a cup of coffee and see what you have on the blog for that day. You are an inspiration to all of us.

[Kathy]

Martha,
A wonderful show! I made the tomato soup and goat cheese spread on toasted bread for lunch today. It was delicious.
I will try to grow some begonia cuttings next spring. I haven't tried it before. Thanks for all the ideas.
Kathy

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, I love all subjects that you post on your blog. I especially love the ones about all varieties of trees and anything to do with wood. I had no idea there were other varieties of weeping trees. The information about the dawn redwood was absolutely facinating. In the wintertime, I love the deciduous trees that block my view of Puget Sound because it opens up my wonderful view. I would never ask others to cut them down because they block my view. I've learned to live with what I have. Thanks for sharing. Jan

[Andrew Ritchie]

Wow! You've had hardly any snow! Just a few hundred miles north, in Canada, we're burried in it.

I love it when the bare branches of deciduous trees are lined with a trace of snow.

The bare branches of oak trees, I find, are especially ornate and fabulous against a clear or cloudy sky.

I love your allee of lindens!

-Andrew

[Debbie]

Martha

I absolutely love your blog. Thank you for doing it! It is such fun to see a little part of your day.

Debbie

[Gail Colwell]

how do I leave a comment for body&soul

[bpfster]

I have a weeping cherry tree in my front yard and I think it looks lovely all year round. The hubby and I wore driving around the other day and looking at all the trees with the frost and ice on their branches. They are really beautiful and interesting.

[Ryan Field]

Very beautiful photos of the trees. I like to watch the barren trees on my property to plan what's next for spring and summer. It's as though I'm starting from a clean slate.

[Ashley]

Martha,
You have some beautiful trees on your property. It is amazing how trees change with the seasons and through the years. My husband and I would love to line our driveway with beautiful trees when we build a house. We are just not sure what type of tree to use and how big of trees to start with. At first we thought Weeping Willow.. but I do not want the trees to grow over the driveway. Any thoughts?

[Robin Holtson]

Hi, Martha:
I love how the wind has sculpted those "ancient apple trees". Nature is the best artist of all.
Your view on the world is "a good thing".

[Linda Gail]

Thanks for the beautiful pictures of the trees. They help brighten an otherwise dreary winter day. I really like the "eerie" weeping birch. It looks like the cranky old man at the end of the street in everyones dreams.

[junebug]

It is so cool that you have a blog!

[~Nancy~]

Hi Martha,
I was so happy to find your blog. I love your show and never miss it and now I can read your words and look at your photos as well. The trees are one of my favorites. I love the way their bones show in the winter.
Just wanted to say hello and thanks for the loveliness you share.

[Linda]

Hi Martha, The gentleman Chhiring in your blog, is Sherpa his last name and also his occupation? Your property is breathtaking even in the winter. Sincerely Linda

[Sally Revell]

Dear Martha, I had an apple tree which was suppose to be a Granny Smith, but in 2006 the first year it bore it had green apples touched with pink about the size of a soft ball. When the apples were peeled and cooked they turned to apple sauce. No further treatment was required. They did not hold their shape. Last April 17th we had a hard freeze here in Missouri after all the fruit trees were in bloom. It killed 15 apple trees for me, and this was one of them. I want another tree like that. I canned 20 qts of apple sauce and so easy.
I have called nurseries and no one can tell me the type. Can you?
Thanks=Sally