The white for Christmas arrived a bit late this year!

We had a green Christmas this year, but last night our "White" appeared a few days late!

So, Denny had to remove snow today before of packing to leave tomorrow morning for AZ!

I just had to nab a picture of my lilac tree this morning.    Actually it is just as beautiful a sight as it is when covered with lilacs! 

A gardeners night before Christmas...

 
T'was the night before Christmas and under the snow,
Perennials now dormant were waiting to grow.
The roses were mulched, the soil piled high,
To protect the graft union so the plants wouldn't die.
The strawberries were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of fertilizer (organic or not) danced in their heads.
The orchard was clean, the fruit trees at rest,
No diseases were living much less any pest.
The evergreen branches, all coated with ice,
Provide shelter for birds that they would entice.
Shrubs were all sprayed with repellents this year,
To protect them from feeding by mice and by deer.
Inside the house are poinsettias galore,
While wreaths, boughs of holly adorn the front door.
While enjoying my garden this quiet, cold night,
What my eyes then spied whas a gardener's delight!
A jolly old man in suit red and white,
Pulled up in a sleigh and began to alight.
He laughed as he said, " I'm a gardener myself,"
And began to leave gifts packed by his elf.
Practical gifts like tools and a mower,
Along with some labels, pots, and a sower.
To protect our hands were hand cream and gloves,
For my spouse a sun hat in a color she loves.
A hoe will be useful for pulling up weeds,
New flats and soil media for sowing spring seeds.
Next came a trellis for the clematis vine,
Stakes for new trees, and to hold them some twine.
For the patio a planter and large flower pot,
Both were in colors bold, bright, and red hot.
To help all our veggies grow sweet and grow strong,
There were large bags of compost to help them along.
Our cats will be happy with their new catnip mouse,
Our birds will enjoy their heated bath and bird house.
For fun was a rain gauge and new garden book,
A train for the garden, homemade jam for the cook.
As jolly St. Nick finished he winked and stood tall,
And I heard him exclaim "Merry Christmas," and Happy Gardening to all.

Viola blooms in Dec. in MN!

Betty O., a garden friend, had a surprise Dec. 15th when she looked down while walking towards her kitchen door and saw these bright smiling faces peeking up at her! 

Violas from the Penny Series



Betty lives in rural SE MN and this is not in a very protected area!  Hrmmmm.....I think I need to remember the name of this hardly little variety!

Happy Holiday Season!

Red poppies for Christmas!

From my husband!

At last, a Karen LeQuia original to hang on my office wall!

I can gaze as long as I want at red poppies 12 months a year!  I don't grow them, but covet them! 

http://karenlequia.com/
 

I have wanted one Karen's paintings for so long and her poppies have long been my favorite subject.  It's like having a favorite gardening friend, who is also a talented artist, in my office with me now!  I'm not sure which I will enjoy the most hanging around here, Karen with her beautiful smile and vibrant personality or her poppies! 

Tiny Christmas butterfly wings.

The blossoms of the Cyclamen twist and turn like tiny butterfly wings.    The silvery, marbled coloring of the foliage accents the beautiful flower colors of lavender, rose, maroon, red, or white. My favorite indoor holiday/winter plant lately has become the festive miniature red Cyclamen!  It is only 4 1/2" tall and tucks into tiny spaces so easily!  It just needs to be free of drafts, get lots of indirect light and frequent watering to be happy!  It blooms usually for two months so brings lots of smiles to my face!   I find this adorable miniature at Bachman's & Gerten's in the cities for only $2.98 each, so indulge in several for myself and sharing with friends!   The abundant buds pop up from beneath the foliage and turn from white to pink before   bursting into a cheerful red!    I fell in love with full size Cyclamens in AZ where they grow easily outdoors in the winter months.  I often indulge in a few hanging baskets of them when we are there and have them blooming for three months!  I have a hard time picking which colors to buy, they are all so beautiful!   I found the pottery pot at Bachman's, which fits it perfectly and I found another miniature plant for them in the spring to enjoy.  I'll share that with you in the spring!

Ideas abundent today...

I spent today with gardening friends at Bachman's Garden Center & Idea House in Mpls.

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch dining in their greenhouse surrounded by holiday plants, decorations and good friends!

If you haven't been to Bachman's Idea House  check out this website:
http://www.bachmans.com/Ideas-House/store-locator.html?cnb=IdeasHouse

We'll be back in the spring for another visit for lunch surrounded by spring flowers in bloom and check out the Idea House for more new decorating ideas! 

 

I heard giggling during the night...

It must have been the fairies playing in the snow! 

When I stopped by my desk to turn on the computer, I found my indoor fairy garden covered in a light layer of snow!  WOW!  A snow storm in the house during the night!

Tis the season...

to decorate outdoors for the winter holiday season!

A couple of car loads of garden friends attended a seminar in Nov. for ideas on decorating our homes inside and out.  Ideas we brought home and used.  One of the suggestions was to use a sizeable item as the focus in a porch pot beyond the usual berries and ribbons.  Here is one idea used by garden friend, Barb V.

Doesn't that snowman put a smile on your face instantly!

Christmas Fairy Garden

I'm not the only Fairy Gardener in town!  I just love what Rita created for her holiday decorations to include the fairies that hang out at her house!  Lots of sparkle, good cheer and no upkeep! 

Indoor Fairy Garden?

Yep, I decided to see if I could keep my fairies happy during the winter, when they move into shelter from the MN cold!  Happy fairies keep them out of troublesome mischief!  This one is my first entirely artificial fairy garden complete with plants, which has been fun and carefree for my desk!  I've changed some seasonal elements such pumpkins & spooks at Halloween and a darling turkey during Nov. For Dec. I decided to do without the snow as it could prove a mess to clean up but I love the wreath, snowman and tree ornaments!  I think I can hear the fairies playing in it at night!