The Winter Garden I wonder what percentage of Canadians have a snow winter?  I guess it is over 95%.  The Winter Garden as portrayed in garden landscape books doesn't look like this.  There are hellebores, cyclamen, the pretty stems of yellow and red dogwood, and various winter-blooming plants.  Heather blooms in abundance in February on the west coast.  Not here - the ground is hard and unforgiving.  There is a  simplicity in the winter landscape.  Trees become the major feature with their trunks and branches.  Our snow-filled winter means a significant contrast between the winter and summer garden.  You can see it with the last photo.