The Dead of Winter

What does that mean? The dead of winter! Does it mean the middle of winter? The deepest part of the winter season? Or does it refer to everything that was green is now dead.

As you can see in this picture, the pods that held the Rose of Sharon flowers on this bush are dried out and dead. All the leaves are gone. And as you can see in the background just about everything is dead and leafless.
This is the big beautiful maple in our front yard. Totally leafless. The cold has set in. I am dreaming of spring and beautiful greenery again.