Winter Feast for the Eyes - A Longwood Christmas

An easy escape from the winter doldrums for those living in southeastern Pennsylvania is 

Longwood Gardens Christmas Display 

(through January 9, 2011).  

Glorious displays of color, light and water fill a 4.5 acre complex of conservatory buildings.  A stroll through the grounds offers Christmas lights and fountain displays accompanied by music and lights.

Sit back and enjoy a few glimpses of A Longwood Christmas.

Even an orchid wreath!

For more photos from A Longwood Christmas click here.

Joy to the World

Joy to the world!
The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing!

 

Wishing you a blessed 
celebration of
Christ's birth!

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

 Christmas decorating at our house is

decidedly homespun.

No competition for the best dressed home here.

We pull out the same old 

boxes of decorations again each year.

Many show signs of age and 

some aren't fit to be hung anymore.

I should throw them out...

but I probably won't.

Just seeing them takes me on a 

precious stroll down memory lane.

 First come a few

made by me way back when

Then ornaments made by special friends

Projects made with the kids

when they were young.

Slovak folk crafts

Gifts from friends

My son's first gift purchased on his own for me

 

And my favorite nativity scenes

to focus the attention on the

One the celebration is all about.

Decorating the Christmas tree

was a big deal when I was a kid.

A joyful ritual

accompanied by our

favorite Christmas music.

My dad in the thick of it, 

and in his glory.

A depression child, he was determined to

make Christmas magical for his children.

He did it well and

the memories are sweet.

Precious memories of family, fun

and the love that filled our home.

I'm blessed to now share 

Christmas traditions with my own children.

I'm hoping that our family will also

create memories filled with

riches that money can't buy.

Christmas Accents

When December rolls around,
wouldn't it be great to
step outside your door to find
Christmas decorations?
Consider incorporating
these beauties into your garden
and your holiday arrangements.

The bold berries of Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) are 

an asset to holiday decorating.

 

Red twig dogwood's (Cornus alba) 

pretty red stems make a

great accent against holiday greens.

Ivy (Hedera helix) is a
versatile and easy decorating element.
While not as long lasting as evergreen branches,
ivy adds an elegant touch
wound into a wreath,
draped along the center of a table or on a mantle.

Boxwood (Buxus) is a classic broadleaf evergreen and is
ideal for Christmas decorating.While beautiful, it's a slow grower, so young plants and dwarf varieties won't have much foliage to spare.


Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) and Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
have similar evergreen foliage.

There are many well known needled evergreens.
Leyland cypress (x Cypressocyparis leylandii)
has gentle fern like foliage.
They are a stately tree which can reach an ultimate height of 60-70 feet or more.

Don't forget holly (Ilex meserveae and Ilex opaca),
but be sure to plant one male plant
so the females produce berries.

The glossy rosy leaves of Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)
add an original touch to
this evergreen arrangement at Hershey Gardens.


Take a look around your garden for
plants to include in your
Christmas decorating!


Check out Foliage Follow Up at Digging for more fun with foliage.

Be Kind to Your Feathered Friends

 Birdhouses are a great addition to the garden.

Cavity nesting birds will thank you!  

With this simple element, you can 

help support the populations of native bird species, since 

development has disturbed natural nesting places.

And birds aren't the only ones who'll benefit. 

You'll not only enjoy watching birds nest and produce young,

but boost your garden style at the same time. 

A unique birdhouse can add personality and

function as a focal point. 

The multitude of styles means

a birdhouse can be found to fit any garden.

From organic like this gourd birdhouse....

to classic lines....

or a bit of whimsy.

Gardening-for-Wildlife.com suggests that 

fall or early winter is the best time to 

add a new birdhouse since cavity nesters may 

begin house hunting by mid-winter.

For more information on the benefits and criteria for birdhouses, check out the following articles by the Alabama Wildbird Conservation Association:
A Birdhouse in Every Garden
Birdhouses and the Birds That Use Them

Be kind to yourself 

and to our feathered friends.

Add a special birdhouse 

to your garden.

Fall Fruit

 Foliage isn't the only fall color option - 

berries are another highlight.

I spotted these fruit bearers in my area,

which can broaden and lengthen fall interest in your garden.

Beautyberry (Callicarpa), with

jewel-like berry clusters

is a unique ornament in the fall garden.

The bright berries of Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) 

follow crimson fall foliage.

Chokeberry foliage

 

Chokeberry berries

Tiny Cotoneaster berries (left front)
echo burgundy flowers of
Autumn Joy Sedum.

   Firethorn (Pyracantha) has a wild and wooly form...

but can be tamed into a uniform shape by pruning.

 Its name hints at the thorns that make maintenance a challenge.

Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina), has showy fruit to complement its fall foliage color.

Be aware that Heavenly Bamboo is considered invasive in southeastern US - 

see Invasive Plant Atlas.

In early fall, winterberry's fruit (Ilex verticilata) 

peeks meekly from between the leaves,

...but grabs our attention once the leaves are gone.

Winterberry

Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) is typically a dioecious plant.

Female plants produce blue-grey fruit if a male plant is present for pollination.

'Myriman' is a male pollinator, while 'Morton' (Silver Sprite) is a female fruiting clone.

Hollies (Ilex) also require a male pollinator for females to bear fruit.

Hollies (Ilex) also require a male pollinator for female plants to bear fruit. 

Yellow crabapple berries dazzle in the sun.

Malus 'Hozam' Holiday Gold, is a variety that bears yellow fruit.

Many crabapples bear red fruit.

A weeping crabapple (perhaps Malus x scheideckeri 'Red Jade') 

is dripping with red "gems".

\

Winter King Hawthorn (Crataegus viridis 'Winter King')

has great winter presence with vivid red berries.

Bright Winter King Hawthorn berries

So much color just waiting to be appreciated!

For more color ideas, see 

Fall Foliage Shrubs and Trees.

For even more amazing fall colors, 

see The Fall Color Project.