flowers and vines in Lavaux - february 2016

this is not a quiet period in the vineyard

yes, the vines are dormant, but the 'vignerons' use this sleepy period to prune the vines for the coming growth season
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tedious work under cold conditions

guyot training system

what about those plants flowering too early this year?

​can this damage the plants?
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will they flower again later in spring?

no, the plants do not get damaged by early flowering, and no, they will not flower again later in spring
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​however they will flower again next year!

aubrieta deltoidea

flowering false rockcress is what you expect to see in march, or april

but not in early february...
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growing directly out of crevices in the retaining walls that create the terraces of Lavaux

helleborus foetidus (stinking hellebore)

native hellebore!

no, the flowers are not smelling nasty, despite its name
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it's the leaves when you crush them

geranium molle

weeds already blooming in our vineyard

​spotted some bees feeding on it...

corylus avellana (common hazel)

pollen are already affecting people as early flowering trees like hazel are abundant

hydrangea arborescens 'annabelle' in winter

plants that give winter interest with their bronze flower heads
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leave them during winter and only prune them early spring

hydrangea arborescens 'annabelle'

this hydrangea type flowers on new wood
 
this means you cannot do much wrong when pruning it
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however we recommend to leave about 1/3 of the old stems for support of the new stems (as flower heads can get heavy in summer)

winter protection for garden plants:
- mulch plant beds in the fall; dead leaves also work 
- larger shrubs that can suffer from strong frost can be covered with fabric, all the way to the roots
- gently shake snow from conifers and evergreen shrubs

potted plants:
- bring porous containers inside to prevent cracking in frost
- bring those plants inside that are not winter hard
- winter hardy plants can stay in their pots as long as the planter is large enough; take into account that soil gets much colder in a container!
- in case of lack of rain or snow in winter, water the plants!
- if needed, wrap sensitive plants or plants exposed to cold and drying winds

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snow covered Lavaux