ratatoskm15:

A Hellebore flower with ther bracts about to open

From Wikipedia;

Several legends surround the hellebore; in witchcraft it is believed to have ties to summoning demons. Helleborus niger is commonly called the Christmas rose, due to an old legend that it sprouted in the snow from the tears of a young girl who had no gift to give the Christ child in Bethlehem.

In Greek mythology, Melampus of Pylos used hellebore to save the daughters of the king of Argos from a madness, induced by Dionysus, that caused them to run naked through the city, crying, weeping, and screaming.

During the Siege of Kirrha in 585 BC, hellebore was reportedly used by the Greek besiegers to poison the city’s water supply. The defenders were subsequently so weakened by diarrhea that they were unable to defend the city from assault.

mothernaturenetwork:

Why much of North America skipped winter
The jet stream has kept cold air bottled up farther north than usual, resulting in milder temperatures in many parts of the continent.

nybg:

A Colorful Stroll Through the Winter

For the professional horticulturist, plant mutations are treasures. The New York Times recently caught up with Richard Jaynes of the Broken Arrow nursery in Connecticut, where he grows over 65% of the plants he sells, many of them oddities he himself has propagated from findings in the wild. And after 65 years, he’s been able to collect and breed some fascinating specimens.

Have a look; even if Mr. Jaynes’ rarities are a bit difficult to find, his suggestions for winter beauties are spot on. —MN

harvestheart:

Tree Grove and Shadows - Aerial Photography by Klaus Leidorf

pietoudolf:

untitled by rypat on Flickr.

buoninverno:

Field of Survivors (by Mike+Tiffy)

whohereismybestfriend:

My photo :)

flowergirlnyc:

just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t find color in the garden!  visit the benenson ornamental conifers at the new york botanical garden this winter for a serene, green environment.  you can see a beautiful array of 400 gorgeous and exotic conifer species including blue atlas cedars and hedgehog-shaped pines, spread across 15 acres.  visit the new york botanical garden website for more info…

hallwood:

#winter #sunset #frozen (Taken with instagram)