Seasonal Reminders Are Often Startling
Mary Claire Rowe
A loud winter blast hit us this last week, and with the busy holiday season upon us, one would think that the last thing on anyone's mind is gardening. Sometimes, however, nature forces those thoughts upon us.
The sound that woke me out of a cozy winter's sleep was the persistent scratching on the closet door by the cat, trapped therein; only it wasn't. It was the branches of a large Cleyera japonica whipping the northwest wall. The wind must have really been blowing hard to disturb the giant shrub, which guards against winter's assaults.
This now 30 foot beauty was in place when we bought our home more than 30 years ago, and it grew into its own in those first years. It stands tall and evergreen against the house, bringing the green of the earth up to the eaves of the roof. Each summer it blooms with small, white, highly fragrant flowers, which the bees adore. These are followed by large, red berries, which darken to black, as they age.
The sound that woke me out of a cozy winter's sleep was the persistent scratching on the closet door by the cat, trapped therein; only it wasn't. It was the branches of a large Cleyera japonica whipping the northwest wall. The wind must have really been blowing hard to disturb the giant shrub, which guards against winter's assaults.
This now 30 foot beauty was in place when we bought our home more than 30 years ago, and it grew into its own in those first years. It stands tall and evergreen against the house, bringing the green of the earth up to the eaves of the roof. Each summer it blooms with small, white, highly fragrant flowers, which the bees adore. These are followed by large, red berries, which darken to black, as they age.
Euphorbia Pulcherrima Poinsettia
This member of the tea family (Theaceae), which includes camellias and tea plants, originally came from China, Korea, and Japan. In the Shinto religion of Japan, this tree is called "sakaki" and, like all of nature, is considered to be sacred. The branches and twigs are an intregal part of their religious ceremonies. It is a part of their mythology, Shinto literature, theater, and their religious verse. The "sakaki" represents permanence and constancy; it guards the garden and keeps it safe.
Permanence and constancy are what we hope for in our relationships with friends and loved ones, especially in this season of joy and love. Lisa Horlander, a young woman who knits with our knitting group, was joyfully surprised by her husband, Corporal Benjamin Horlander, when he came home from Iraq a few days earlier than he was expected. His homecoming was on the evening news, and those of us who saw it found ourselves tearful with happiness for their happiness. All their baby Asher could say was "Da, Da, Da, Da!" and his face was wreathed in smiles and laughter. It is the permanence and constancy of his relationship with his nurturing parents and grandparents that can help give him a good life. We all hope for that continued safe life for them all. I think I will plant one of nature's guardians, a Cleyera, in their honor.
FEATURED PLANT: Euphorbia pulcherrima Poinsettia or "Winter Rose.''
To paraphrase the Pillsbury doughboy's saying, "Nothing says loving, like something from the oven,'' or as I am fond of saying, "Nothing says holiday season like a beautiful poinsettia."
Our home decor isn't complete, until we have a "Winter Rose "or two to brighten a room. I have tried to keep them from year to year, like we do the amaryllis bulbs, but poinsettias are just not easily brought back to bloom.
They will grow outside here all spring, summer, and fall, but are not winter hardy, and without a complex control of hours of light they will not re-bloom. So, just enjoy all the work the growers put forth bringing them into bloom, and then, recycle the healthy plants in your compost pile.
Happy Holidays.
Permanence and constancy are what we hope for in our relationships with friends and loved ones, especially in this season of joy and love. Lisa Horlander, a young woman who knits with our knitting group, was joyfully surprised by her husband, Corporal Benjamin Horlander, when he came home from Iraq a few days earlier than he was expected. His homecoming was on the evening news, and those of us who saw it found ourselves tearful with happiness for their happiness. All their baby Asher could say was "Da, Da, Da, Da!" and his face was wreathed in smiles and laughter. It is the permanence and constancy of his relationship with his nurturing parents and grandparents that can help give him a good life. We all hope for that continued safe life for them all. I think I will plant one of nature's guardians, a Cleyera, in their honor.
FEATURED PLANT: Euphorbia pulcherrima Poinsettia or "Winter Rose.''
To paraphrase the Pillsbury doughboy's saying, "Nothing says loving, like something from the oven,'' or as I am fond of saying, "Nothing says holiday season like a beautiful poinsettia."
Our home decor isn't complete, until we have a "Winter Rose "or two to brighten a room. I have tried to keep them from year to year, like we do the amaryllis bulbs, but poinsettias are just not easily brought back to bloom.
They will grow outside here all spring, summer, and fall, but are not winter hardy, and without a complex control of hours of light they will not re-bloom. So, just enjoy all the work the growers put forth bringing them into bloom, and then, recycle the healthy plants in your compost pile.
Happy Holidays.
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