Why I Love December in the Pacific Northwest Garden While many people think of December as the dormant season, in the Pacific Northwest the garden never truly sleeps. Our mild maritime winters, steady rains, and occasional frosty mornings create a landscape that feels alive in a quiet, quietly enchanting way. December may not bring summer’s explosion of color, but it brings something I appreciate just as much—subtle beauty, serene pace, and the chance to see the garden in a new light. A Landscape Sculpted by Rain and Light In the PNW, December is painted in soft grays, greens, and silvers. The low sun—when it breaks through—casts long shadows that highlight the structure of evergreen shrubs, moss-covered trunks, and the delicate outlines of bare branches. Rain beads on hellebore leaves like scattered pearls. Ferns unfold deeper shades of green, thriving in the cool dampness. There’s something incredibly calming about stepping outside during a December drizzle, hearing the soft patter on leaves, and watching the garden glisten. The weather invites me to slow down and see beauty in texture rather than color. Evergreens at Their Best December is when the PNW’s signature evergreens take center stage. Douglas firs, cedars, hemlocks, and spruces offer a backdrop of lushness that most regions can only dream of this time of year. Even smaller garden staples—like boxwood, sarcococca, and pieris—hold steady and vibrant through the darkest days. The constancy of green brings comfort and contrast. It frames the silhouettes of bare deciduous trees and turns every patch of moss into a luminous carpet. Winter Flowers That Surprise and Delight One of the secret joys of Pacific Northwest gardening is that even in December, you can find flowers. Witch hazel begins to unfurl its ribbon-like blooms. Winter jasmine spills cheerful yellow stars over walls and fences. Early hellebores start their quietly elegant display, bowed slightly as if in reverence to the season. And then there’s the heavenly scent of winter-blooming shrubs like sweet box (sarcococca), whose tiny, fragrant flowers turn an ordinary walk down the garden path into a moment of gentle wonder. Wildlife That Finds Refuge Bird activity in December is one of my favorite parts of gardening this time of year. The Pacific wren’s quick movements among brambles, the splash of a varied thrush on the lawn, or the brave visits of hummingbirds to winter-blooming salvia bring vibrancy to the garden even on the darkest days. Leaving seed heads standing, preserving leaf litter in corners, and allowing native shrubs to bear their berries makes the garden a sanctuary for creatures riding out the winter. In return, they animate the landscape with movement and song. Time to Reflect and Regenerate December in the PNW garden is a chance to step back and evaluate. With growth slowed, I can see the “bones” of the garden clearly: pathways, structural plants, and the flow from bed to bed. It’s a perfect month to sketch new ideas, think about layering more winter interest, or plan for the flush of spring bulbs that will begin pushing through sooner than most expect. I also take comfort in small, intentional tasks—spreading mulch to protect roots from cold snaps, checking drainage after heavy rains, or pruning dormant fruit trees. These slow, steady jobs feel grounding when the world is busy. A Month of Quiet Magic What I love most about December in the Pacific Northwest garden is its sense of quiet magic. The landscape may not be bursting with color, but it is full of life, subtle transitions, and soft beauty. It’s a month that invites reflection, mindfulness, and appreciation for the resilience of the natural world. In a region where green never truly fades, December reminds me why I garden here: for the winter fragrance, the rain-washed textures, the evergreen silhouettes, and the promise that—even in the heart of winter—spring is already stirring beneath the surface.