This is the time of year when winter has long outstayed its welcome, but no traces of spring are anywhere to be found. My garden is covered in a sheet of filthy ice and seems likely to stay that way for the conceivable future. The few spots not buried in snow or slush reveal only grim frozen mud. In such circumstances it is difficult to remain cheerful or find any beauty whatsoever in the winter, so instead of writing an actual meaningful post about real things, I have found a bunch of crazy pictures of fantasy winter gardens which do not (and probably could never) exist.
South Side of the Sky
(James McCarthy)
Although admittedly these paintings portray gardens wholly in the grip of winter, the picture gardens are clearly make-believe (a reassuring contrast with the actual all-too real winter just outside). These images are also pretty (which is also in contrast with the actual world).
Winter Garden (Bill Franklin, 2005)
Wait, is this a photograph?
Let your mind wonder through the whimsical topiary, frozen palaces, and strange icicle bridges of these paintings and be of good cheer. March is nearly here and spring will probably come again, even if that seems utterly impossible at present. In the meantime, I am going to get under the covers and read a book about heroes slaying frost giants and breaking the power of evil ice wizards.
Winter Spirits (James McCarthy, 2015, Oil on Canvas)
ferrebeekeeper 
11 comments
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February 23, 2015 at 5:31 AM
agnesashe
Yes, it’s that time of year when it’s hard to believe we ever looked out on a warm sunny garden full of flowers – hopefully your unglamorous winter weather is coming to an end. My garden pond was still frozen over this morning, but at least the days are lengthening, aren’t we lucky to live in a time with electricity!
February 24, 2015 at 11:53 PM
Wayne
We’re so lucky to have electricity. February is coming to an end (according to the calendar) but I get the sense that it is going to be a wild March as well! The flowers are a long way off (assuming they are even there sleeping under all that snow).
February 25, 2015 at 4:33 AM
agnesashe
We can but live in hope – as is our way.
February 25, 2015 at 10:30 PM
Wayne
Hope is at the bottom of the icy Pandora’s box which is this winter…
February 24, 2015 at 11:06 PM
sjschen
“Wait, is this a photograph?”
Yes, and a rather amazing work of IR photography at that!
February 24, 2015 at 11:55 PM
Wayne
It is indeed amazing, but I didn’t realize it was infrared until you told me, sjschen. What a crazy wonderland the world becomes when seen from a different wavelength…
February 25, 2015 at 10:49 PM
sjschen
Take a look at these these portraits shot in IR/Vis/UV: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevincollins123/sets/72157625435100703/
Things certainly look different when seen through different “eyes”!
February 26, 2015 at 4:43 PM
Wayne
Oh my goodness! Those are beautiful…and alien. It’s too bad we don’t also have some x-ray photographs and infrared ones along with them so we can really start to see the world as it is (although I am glad we don’t–for the models’ sake). Are you a full spectrum photographer?
February 28, 2015 at 7:24 AM
sjschen
No, but I did play with IR imaging in a past life 🙂
February 25, 2015 at 12:41 PM
Beatrix
It’s a balmy, breezy 75F in my little Himalayan valley!
Nyah nyah nyah!
I have all sorts of spring flowers in my garden already. Although we did have a brutal hailstorm for about an hour last week that knocked every blossom off my plum trees. No plums this year AGAIN.
February 25, 2015 at 10:36 PM
Wayne
So far I have resisted the allure of your dispatches from Shangri-La, but the combination of tropical balminess and plum orchards is making me wonder if Nepal needs any painter/toymakers…