December is but a fleeting month, due in large part to the Holidays.  It’s as if the laws of space and time are temporarily suspended, and the days speed by with awesome velocity, and before you know it, we have entered a new year.

With that knowledge and experience in hand, try as you must to savor each day and moment.  Take some time to quiet your spirit and mind.  Seek out nature, take a stroll, look for beauty and interest in the Winter landscape.

As we deck our halls with festive gaiety, consider adding some holiday flair to your planters, pots, vases or baskets.  Natural materials can be easily gathered, sometimes from your own back yard or kitchen, and creativity is key.

 

Dogwood, Winterberry, Pine, Spruce, Holly, Boxwood, pinecones, cinnamon sticks, seed heads or pods are all great materials that can be arranged in mere moments for a stunning display.  Any vessel will do – be it an empty pot from summer, a galvanized bucket, or even an old hanging basket or vase. For added punch, add dried flowers left over from summer or fall – like Hydrangeas, or sliced and dried oranges or apples.  Consider illuminating your arrangement with small, white lights, so your work and creativity can be enjoyed in the evening as well and long after the Holidays have passed.

As always, if you haven’t the materials or inclination, let Sweeney’s create a decorative and festive container for you, so you can marvel at its beauty while savoring some well-deserved downtime.  Call or email Sweeney’s today while supplies last!


Pigsqueak Winter Glow

Clump forming perennial, generally used as a groundcover, produces small, magenta flowers in April surrounded by large rosettes of leathery, glossy, green leaves that mature to a reddish-bronze in Fall and Winter.  Prefers shade to partial sun and moist, well-drained soil.  Grows 12-18″ tall and 18-24″ wide.  Deer and rabbit resistant.  Salt and drought tolerant.  When leaves are rubbed together, they produce a squeaky sound.

“We have only this moment,
sparkling like a star in our hand…
and melting like a snowflake.
Let us use it before it is too late.”

-Marie Edith Beynon

Warm wishes,

Kim Sweeney