Something I've Neglected

From afar the garden doesn't look too bad and fairly typical of a garden in December. Dead branches, bare bushes, and fading perennials are all common this time of year. But there is something in these garden areas that I'm disappointed in and it's my fault...weeds! The winter weeds are creeping into every garden all because of my lack of attention. My excuse is that my mind has been on other areas - greenhouse construction - but really I've had a few moments I could have done something. My other excuse is the weather - it's cold - well really today was very cold but I've had other opportunities to get a little done in the garden.  It doesn't take much to keep my garden in check but it takes a whole lot more when I let it go too far. The gardens are all fairly close to the house except for the gardens by the greenhouse but those haven't been established yet.

Here you can see a small island garden with a viburnum, two ponytail grasses, a statuesque standing stone and the birdbath garden is behind it all. The stone pathway is disappearing below the top level of the grass - I still haven't accomplished my final mowing. Maybe I'll mow in January...

The pathway leads over to our patio on the other side of the deck and passes by the birdbath garden. Again, from a distance it's not so bad. Grasses are creeping into the edges of the beds that are lined with stone.

But when we look close we can see it all. One of the most annoying weeds of winter - chickweed! It's not the only weed in this picture but it's there - front and center. It's easy to pull and remove from the garden but if you let it go over the winter without removing it it will take over. It's appeared in every garden just taunting me to get out there and remove it! One of these days...

..but for now it's too cold...and I have a greenhouse to finish!

Have you put off any garden chores because of the cold?