Mary Claire Rowe

The drab, grey-beige, gloomy weather drags us down. We grasp at straws and hope for bright, sun-lit days. Gardening pleasures seem very far away indeed. We've had a warmer weather respite, but cold air is coming again, of that we can be certain.

Happiness climbs when the sun shines, but then plummets with the returning winter blast. Some people love the monotone of this season - grass, beige; trees, grey and black; even most evergreens take on a pall. For others, it is hard to keep up the enthusiasm and look on the brighter side, when no brighter side is self-evident.

That is why I seem to crave red - anything red. In the garden, the red berries are abundant and truly lovely. There are intermittent bright red-orange leaves in the Loropetalum, but those are just not enough. In the flower section of the grocery, I hunt for red.

I need it for my psyche. Perhaps soon I will pick-up bright red roses or tulips, transported here from some exotic location, to help me through this time of year.

For now, I am enjoying my gorgeous red and white speckled poinsettias. Some are through for the season, while others are still bravely carrying on.

So, I will plan for more red in my landscape, while I do my gardening re-evaluation this winter. A nice cup of red-zinger tea, and fresh stack of paper, pictures of the garden at its best, and a good gardening Web site, or reference book - this is what it takes to make plans for a new and perfect garden for the spring.

Perhaps I will spread a red tablecloth to work on. There is more than one way to see red.

"What's Blooming In Our Garden'' is a regular feature of the Tyler Morning Telegraph Garden Page. It is written by Mary Claire Rowe, a Master Gardener with the Texas Cooperative Extension, and focuses on flowers and plant life around East Texas. To share your comments on gardening, write her in care of the Morning Telegraph.

SPOTTING THE POINSETTIA: This red and white speckled poinsettia can liven up even the darkest areas of your landscape.
((Photo Courtesy/Mary Claire Rowe))