Baby it’s cold outside... so instead bring the outdoors in this season! Here is my seasonal garden advice, tips on holiday decorating, advice on selecting a Christmas tree or other greens and a few gift ideas.
The obvious place to start is the Christmas tree. To choose a fresh cut tree, look for one with a healthy color and good fragrance. Run the tip of a branch between your thumb and forefinger, if no needles fall, you are in good shape. When you get the tree home, cut about 6” off the base of the trunk to allow it to ‘drink’ and get it into the stand where it can be watered. Don’t let it dry out! Some people swear by concoctions to keep the tree fresh longer such as watering it with “Sprite” or adding a cut flower food to the water.
A live trees should be kept indoors no longer than a week. Don’t let the root ball dry out when it is inside and water well when it goes out again. Before making the big climate change to the indoor or back outside, allow the tree a few days to adjust in a cool garage. Ideally you should plan ahead and have a planting hole dug for the tree before the ground freezes. Don’t forget other live tree options such as small holly trees and Dwarf Alberta Spruce to be used indoors or out.
Other ways to display your greens include wreaths, swags and garlands. We know to use traditional material such as evergreen boughs, holly, juniper berries and boxwood, but look around in your garden for other options such as magnolia leaves, ivy, red-twig dogwoods, winterberry and rose hips. These can be tucked into store bought wreaths or fashioned into your own swags. Even dried flowers, grasses and hydrangea blooms make seasonal additions to holiday arrangements.
If you are looking to give something different consider Poinsettia, Cyclamen, Orchids, fragrant Gardenia and Rosemary trees. Amaryllis is another traditional choice, but for the “Do-It-Yourself-Gardener” consider giving the bulb in a nice pot, perhaps with a pair of garden gloves and tied up with a holiday ribbon. There are also live arrangements done with ivy or small junipers. Already planted in a basket and garnished with a bow, they are a ready to go gift. Remember the ‘rules’ with any houseplant; keep the room at a consistent temperature, give them plenty of sunlight and water properly. I have found this particularly difficult to do with rosemary and gardenia so consider saving these for the advanced gardeners on your list!
What better way to bring the outdoors in for your favorite gardener than with a garden gift? This time of year a journal can inspire thoughts of the season to come and give a place to jot ideas when going through seed catalogs in early winter. A garden ornament, such as a statue, sundial or trellis can bring interest to a drab winter garden. Tuck a garden tool and gloves into a pair of clogs or give a gift of Burt’s Bees lotions and soaps that any garden weary hands would love.
Finally take time during the holiday season to not just bring the outdoors in, but to bring yourself outdoors! Most of all…Have a Happy Holiday.
-Sharon and Barry
The obvious place to start is the Christmas tree. To choose a fresh cut tree, look for one with a healthy color and good fragrance. Run the tip of a branch between your thumb and forefinger, if no needles fall, you are in good shape. When you get the tree home, cut about 6” off the base of the trunk to allow it to ‘drink’ and get it into the stand where it can be watered. Don’t let it dry out! Some people swear by concoctions to keep the tree fresh longer such as watering it with “Sprite” or adding a cut flower food to the water.
A live trees should be kept indoors no longer than a week. Don’t let the root ball dry out when it is inside and water well when it goes out again. Before making the big climate change to the indoor or back outside, allow the tree a few days to adjust in a cool garage. Ideally you should plan ahead and have a planting hole dug for the tree before the ground freezes. Don’t forget other live tree options such as small holly trees and Dwarf Alberta Spruce to be used indoors or out.
Other ways to display your greens include wreaths, swags and garlands. We know to use traditional material such as evergreen boughs, holly, juniper berries and boxwood, but look around in your garden for other options such as magnolia leaves, ivy, red-twig dogwoods, winterberry and rose hips. These can be tucked into store bought wreaths or fashioned into your own swags. Even dried flowers, grasses and hydrangea blooms make seasonal additions to holiday arrangements.
If you are looking to give something different consider Poinsettia, Cyclamen, Orchids, fragrant Gardenia and Rosemary trees. Amaryllis is another traditional choice, but for the “Do-It-Yourself-Gardener” consider giving the bulb in a nice pot, perhaps with a pair of garden gloves and tied up with a holiday ribbon. There are also live arrangements done with ivy or small junipers. Already planted in a basket and garnished with a bow, they are a ready to go gift. Remember the ‘rules’ with any houseplant; keep the room at a consistent temperature, give them plenty of sunlight and water properly. I have found this particularly difficult to do with rosemary and gardenia so consider saving these for the advanced gardeners on your list!
What better way to bring the outdoors in for your favorite gardener than with a garden gift? This time of year a journal can inspire thoughts of the season to come and give a place to jot ideas when going through seed catalogs in early winter. A garden ornament, such as a statue, sundial or trellis can bring interest to a drab winter garden. Tuck a garden tool and gloves into a pair of clogs or give a gift of Burt’s Bees lotions and soaps that any garden weary hands would love.
Finally take time during the holiday season to not just bring the outdoors in, but to bring yourself outdoors! Most of all…Have a Happy Holiday.
-Sharon and Barry
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