February Blooms... and persistent color

The snowdrops began to peek out from the ground the first week of the month. Their blooms still persist. They have always cheered me on gloomy winter days, but this year an additional delight is that they are popping up in unexpected places, where the yard was re-dug last summer (and no one thought to plant them there).

The new lenten rose plants, put in the ground in mid-November, have already begun to bloom. Last year's plant did well in cold weather also, but it looked lonesome and it's blooms were a pale yellow. This year, I added new colors.

The crocus began to appear last week. Not all of them have bloomed yet—and some, in other parts of the yard, are still just green shoots at this point. 

But there is other, persistent color. The Nandina bush's leaves and berries have provided small dabs of red in a corner of the yard.

 And rock cress and sedums have provided color on the deck.