January Treasures

I walked around the course yesterday collecting flowers, leaves and berries of interest. I was surprised how beautiful they were when I laid them out on paper. As dreary as it is out there today - beauty abounds.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Quilchena is hosting the annual St. Patrick's Day golf tournament on Saturday this year. Wear your nicest green shirt. I dressed up the front entrance in orange, green and white in celebration of all things Irish. I'm kind of a Robbie Burns girl myself but hopefully I succeeded in bringing the luck of the Irish to Quilchena.

Fortunately for us, a Leprechaun paid a visit and left his valuables behind. He was probably spooked by someone opening the door. A pile of gold nuggets sits on an old log with suspiciously small green footprints leading from it. Pots of grass and two planters flank the front entrance overflowing with varieties of heather and green foliaged plants. A lucky horseshoe is there to bring good fortune to all the members of Quilchena and a lucky rainbow. I hope you all enjoy it.

I did a little research on this holiday and I learned that it's more then just green beer. It's abundant with mythology, religion and a very respected man named Saint Patrick.

Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain in the 4th century. His family was wealthy and his father was a religious man. The history of Saint Patrick is allegedly a first person account detailed in the Declaration (his spiritual bibliography). He states that he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and brought to Ireland where her spent six years as a shepherd before fleeing back to his hometown. The claim is that he found God within those six years and later returned to Ireland to convert pagen Irish to Christianity. He spent many years introducing religion to residents of Northern Ireland, converting thousands, before his death on March 17th. Legend has it that he would use the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagen Irish, which has become the symbol of this important Irish holiday. Since at least the 1640's people have been wearing shamrocks and emerald to demonstrate Irish pride.

Irish nationalist have been celebrating the death of there most prized patron Saint since at least the 9th and 10th centuries. In Ireland, the holiday is more religious in nature. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide though, but mostly in countries that Irish immigrants have settled. Celebrations are annually held in Canada, U.S.A., Argentina, U.K., Malaysia, Japan, Russian, South Korea, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and most surprisingly the International Space Center. St. Patrick's Day is only a statutory holiday in Ireland, Newfoundland, Labrador, and Montserrat (the emerald island of the Caribbean) though. Traditional celebrations include parades, festivals, folk music and dancing. Historically, Lent restrictions on food and drink were lifted on St. Patrick's Day. This allowance would often to lead excessive eating and drinking.

Contemporary traditions celebrate all things Irish. Traditional foods (corned beef, braised cabbage, meat pies, and lots and lots of beer), the colour emerald green, mystical rainbows, pots of gold and mythical creatures like leprechauns.

The Leprechaun is an Irish fairy. Irish folklore states that a Leprechaun resembles a very small, old man (no taller then a small child). He wears a crooked hat, a leather apron and is cloaked in green. These creatures are solitary, unfriendly and partake in mischief. A captor can find a Leprechaun by the sound of shoeamakers hammer. Here is a little Irish blessing about a Leprechaun.

Near a misty stream in Ireland in the hollow of a tree
Live mystical, magical leprechauns
who are clever as can be 
With their pointed ears, and turned up toes and little coats of green
The leprechauns busily make their shoes and try hard not to be seen. 
Only those who really believe have seen these little elves 
And if we are all believers
We can surely see for ourselves.

Turning Winter Blahs into Christmas Cheer

Coral Bells in different shades

When the weather starts to change from the blue sky's of September to different shades of grey you know that Winter is approaching quickly.  It's a fine time to toss tired Summer annuals and refresh existing planters with textural Winter greens. I've been perking up planters around the clubhouse...one pot at a time.  Plus, upcycling a few of the Summer's hanging baskets near the kiosk.  Fresh seasonal perennials were planted into the center of the Summer baskets while sprigs of cedar boughs were pierced into the moss liners for quick Winter hanging baskets.  The planters leading through the parking lot have been planted with Spring bulbs and will be left bare until then.

Heavenly Bamboo

Generally, people don't associate Winter with gardening, but there are certainly ways to introduce seasonal plant material to your containers and replenish your hanging baskets. This will bring a little cheer to entrance ways and spruce up focal areas. Winter gardening displays are very elegant and reserved, much like the season itself.  The main focus is on foliage through colour and texture. The additions of seasonal  flowers, berries and treasures from the yard will complete your Winter displays. Browse your local nursery and  you will find that there are plenty of evergreen shrubs, ornamental grasses, ferns and hardy perennials to chose from.

The Coral bell (Heuchera) is an excellent addition to any Winter container.  Vibrant marmalade, citrusCarex oshimensis 'Evergold' or the Carex comans in bronze form. Tasteful rounded evergreen shrubs like Skimmia japonica or Sarcococca can be the backbone to most Wintertime planters.  Their glossy green foliage, modest blooms and berries will be sure to appeal during those grey months. Or how about a Leucothoe or Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) shrub for red variegated foliage?

Skimmia

Burgundy shades will complement any glossy green counterpart. Sedge grasses create excellent texture and movement to a container. My personal favourites are the the green and gold variegated.

Leucothoe

Carex 'Evergold'

Of course, Winter blooming heather and Winter pansies create a beautiful pop of colour in any container.  From my experience though, pansies don't fully show up to the party with bright big blooms until the Spring bulbs start to burst from the ground, so I tend to opt for more immediate impact.  There are so many interesting cultivars of heathers (Eric carnea) at nurseries these days with bolder coloured blooms and foliage in shades of reds, silvers, and citrus.  Take advantage of the most interesting varieties to maximize your Winter interest.  Christmas rose (Helleborus) is a staple in most Winter planters, also one of the priciest.  Christmas Rose cultivar varieties are exponentially expanding every year, with a huge range of colours and bloom styles. The Christmas Rose has become quite the collectors item among plant lovers. I understand the hype because these beauties are absolutely spectacular when planted among Pasque flower (Pulsatilla), daffodil bulbs and ferns in early Spring. Plant one in a Winter planter for floral interest.

Christmas Rose

Winter blooming heather

Put on some rubber boots and wander through a local park or in your yard to gather and collect--just like the shrewd squirrel.  Collect pine cones, nuts and fallen twigs.  Character branches aged with lichen will add a lot of visual interest to your basket. Clip evergreen branches and brightly coloured cuttings from dogwood shrubs and any branch rich with berries.  These clippings can be strategically added to any container for filler and interest.  Moss is such a beautiful addition to a Winter basket as well.  Create your own birds nest and fill it with found treasures.
 

Here are some of my favourite plants for Winter interest;

Berries; Skimmia, Cotoneaster, Sarcococca, Beauty berry (Callicarpa)
Foliage Interest; Carex grasses, Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), Leucothoe, Euonymus, Coral bells (Heuchera), Dwarf Conifers, privet, ferns, Rhododendron, Ajuga, Ivy, Pachysandra
Floral Interest; Heather (Erica carnea), Christmas Rose (Helleborus), pansies,