Winter arrangements in frost resistant containers and window
boxes help to create welcoming entry gardens when the landscape
seems bleak and empty containers seem forlorn. The arrangements
composed of needle and broadleaf evergreens, colorful twigs,
berried branches, and dried pods can also cheer up views from
a kitchen window or views onto a deck or patio.
Think about your theme. Do you want a holiday neutral winter
arrangement? Silvery blue juniper with its blue berries, blue
spruce, blue leafed holly, maroon winter leaf PJM Rhododendron,
and maroon colored red twig dogwood would be wonderful together.
An alternative might be blue colored foliage and yellow twig
dogwood with a bit of yellow colored foliage.
Or do you want an arrangement that celebrates the Christmas
colors of red and green? Use red winterberry, balsam, yew, white
pine, holly with red berries, and rose hips. Perhaps you might
add a red bow to this one, and remove the bow in January.
A naturalist theme could be expressed in an arrangement of
mixed needle and broadleaf evergreens, various seedpods, and
berries. A high fashion theme might use gold as the predominate
color for evergreens with gold, green and gold foliage, (try
juniper and 'Emerald 'n Gold euonymus), yellow twig dogwood,
and a bit of contrasting green pine.
Enjoy the gathering process. Begin by collecting loppers and
hand shears, a bucket or basket. Walk around your yard taking
1-3 ft long branches from evergreens, both needled and broad
leaf, colorful twigs, and berried twigs, perennial seedpods.
A variety works really well. Snip and prune at the same time.
Take small branches that won't be noticed or need to be pruned.
Needled evergreens might include white pine, juniper, spruce
(Colorado or Norway), hemlock, yew, and fir. Broadleaf evergreens
like rhododendron (large and small leafed), leucothoe, Wintercreeper
euonymus, andromeda, laurel, and holly are great. Collect stems
of red twig dogwood, yellow twig dogwood, winterberry (our native
deciduous holly), and rosehips (beware the thorns!). Stems with
seedpods from Siberian iris, coneflowers, ferns, rose of Sharon,
sedum, even frost colored hydrangea flowers can add another
dimension to your arrangement.
You can collect these items at different times. If you walk,
look for stems with seedpods and colored twigs in wild areas
or in your garden. (Cut to the base of the stems to promote
new colored twigs for next year). In a day or two, collect evergreen
branches and hold them in a water-filled bucket. If you're short
of materials, often your neighbors will be glad to share if
you ask them and explain you're taking small branches that won't
be missed! Trade with a gardening friend. Or go to your garden
center to buy greens, seed pods, colored twigs.
If your soil is frozen when you begin, pour boiling water directly
from your teakettle into the soil until you can push your branches
in. It’s important to push the branches in 3-6 inches in
depth (taller branches should go in 6"). It's also important
to remember scale. In window boxes, branches from eight to 10
to 12 inches long are appropriate. In a larger container, you
can use several 3 ft long rhododendron branches for example.
(But anchor it well so it doesn't take off in the first winter
gale!) Remember if arrangements are too top heavy, they'll blow
over.
Cut your branches so that some are taller, some shorter. Let
some overlap the container edge. Use each kind of plant at least
3 times. Place one piece in back, and one on each side. Use
twigs, leucothoe, and feathery white pine as elements that extend
beyond most of the plant material. Have fun and use your imagination.
Enjoy your winter arrangements until late March when they can
be replaced with spring pansies and pussy willow. While it's
fresh in your mind, note the evergreens, berried, and colored
twigs plants that you would like to grow in your landscape for
next winter's arrangements.
Copyright Maria von Brincken 2003
Action Items for Busy Gardeners
It’s Just the Right Time to Start
“Paperwhite” Narcissus for the New Year!
Find the bulbs at local garden centers. About seven bulbs to
a nine inch container makes a nice show. You’ll need a
small bag of marble chips so buy them at the same time. If you
have a bowl, you’re all set. If not, the garden center
may offer some. Check your home goods store for ceramic or brass
as well. The rest is even easier. Simply, place the bulbs in
the container pointed side up (ok if they’re sprouting
now), add the chips to stabilize them, add water to top of the
chips, and place in bright indirect light. Water every few days
and more often when they start to bloom. In about 6 weeks you’ll
have lovely white fragrant blossoms. Throw out once they’ve
finished blooming. And start another batch for February bloom.
You need to buy them now and store in bag in your refrigerator
til then. (Mark them so they don’t end up in the soup!)
About Maria
I am available for garden consultation, design, and installation.
Please refer to my website for additional information: www.mariavonbrincken.com
Please feel free to e-mail me with any comments that you may
have. I would appreciate you sending this letter to others that
you think may be interested in this information.
They can subscribe directly to the newsletter by sending an
e-mail to maria@mariavonbrincken.com In the body of the subject
line and message write: subscribe garden notes.
If this newsletter does not suit you, I will gladly delete
your address from my mailing list, simple send an e-mail to:
maria@mariavonbrincken.com In the body of the subject line and
message, write: unsubscribe garden notes.
Enjoy a garden moment in your life today.
Copyright 2003 Maria von Brincken
www.mariavonbrincken.com
