The winter container garden

Today it was a whooping 19 degrees, which is actually an improvement over some of our recent temperatures.

Most of us are dreaming, and remembering warmer days...... that is for the one's of us who don't much care for winter with it's snow and all.

Most gardens have been cut back, covered with snow and ice, and have been put to rest 

waiting the arrival of spring. Snow shovels have replaced rakes and trowels. Bags of soil have been replaced with bags of rock salt and a casual stroll through the garden has become a mad dash for the garage or the house. This is most peoples idea of winter.

Red's, purple's, pink's, and various shades of green, all colors of the garden have been replaced with grey.

If frigid was a color what would it be. 

The winter garden does not have to be bleak and colorless. This is a garden to be enjoyed from the inside, out of winter's harshness. This garden does allows green again, and can be beautiful.
With the addition of lights the winter garden can make the long nights of winter a little brighter, and a little warmer.

Evergreens, as their name suggest are evergreen, and find comfort in the winter garden

They come in an array of colors and textures, some with the added bonus of berries.

most importantly they come with strength, strength to handle what ever winter has up her sleeves

Along with using evergreens in my winter container gardens I like to use branches of red twig dogwood, yellow twig dogwood  and others. 

The last couple of years preserved Eucalyptus has become a favorite material, because of it's durability and colors.

Fake fruit is also a favorite. I like the Williamsburg look they give..... if that is in fact a look.

Pusy willow branches have a double purpose in the winter container garden. These reddish brown branches add height, and grace to an arrangement. These branches also are some of the first to flower in the spring when their Catskills shed and the velvet like buds come forth. Two for one, it's a win win thing 

The containers above feature another new material for me, Oregania, or a variegated boxwood. I think I'll be using it a lot more in the future.

Magnolia leaves are another favorite, dark glossy green on one side, velvety brown on the other. I special order these.

White pine

the tips remind me of a familiar pets tail bristly and soft all at the same time

The winter garden, with it's blanket of snow can bring much pleasure, it's a garden for the eyes 

Enjoy the season, this we like.

Wishing you a happy new year!

January 2nd, still wishing you all a happy new year. 

A look at  the garden holiday decorations here at  home. 

may your new year be healthy,

wealthy, and may we all be wiser

Christmas at home

Here's a look at some of the Christmas decorations at our house

 I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday

Missed opportunities.

Winter has arrived here in Michigan, though the calendar still say's it's fall' when the tempature dipps below freezing, and there is about 6" of snow on the ground, it's winter.

I'm knee deep in the middle of doing my winter pots and holiday decorating

Not all of my clients celebrate Christmas, but they have containers that  they don't want to be left cold and empty

The solution is Winter pots.

A garden for the cold season, and we get about five months of it.

Using materials that are winter hardy, cut evergreens, preserved Eucalyptus and yes even fake fruit

work perfectly. These pots laugh at frigid temps

These containers will welcome guest through the winter month's, and will remain looking good until the weather breaks in spring

A empty container is a missed opportunity do some winter pots. This we like!

Tis the season

The decorating season has arrived, time to decorate the garden for the holidays and for winter. Though it does not feel like winter here in Michigan at all, Oh I'm not complaining, we have enjoyed warmer than usual temperatures for this time of the year.

 It does make decorating less of a chore

Because I am a Gardner, my decorating style reflects this. Pots and containers usually reserved for plantings are now filled with cut evergreens, preserved Eucalyptus, fake holly branches and lights.

The choice to use red and silver in these  seasonal displays was not based on the traditional colors of the season, but more for the way they are read from the street

Decorating for the season is in my opinion just another form of gardening

Instead of a blanket of snow this garden has a blanket of leaves.

Technically it is still autumn,

Where there once were flowers there are now cut evergreens and branches 

Like the planting season you are still working with plant materials, and lots of greens.

Decorate your garden, enjoy the season  This we like !!