Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
I have over 20 clients at Ann’s Place for my next class on making vanilla extract. Like maple syrup, once you try the real thing you cannot go back. To make vanilla extract you need two things: alcohol and vanilla beans. The alcohol part is easy and I always choose vodka for a couple of […]
The boxes of ornaments we use for our Christmas tree pales in comparison to what Juana has stored for her nativity or el Nacimento. Countless numbers of carefully wrapped and delicate heirlooms are pulled from the attic and put aside to be revealed after the Christmas tree is decorated. And while the Christmas tree can […]
Conifers are perhaps the most thought of Christmas greenery for many cultures. There is, however, a rich history of holiday greens celebrating the Winter Solstice going back to pre-Christian times. Four of the oldest, three of which I have pictures of, are holly, ivy, mistletoe and laurel. All of these plants share being evergreen and […]
Perhaps more than other holidays, Christmas has many flowers specifically timed to have their best display on and around the 25th of the month. Most are tropical perennials and among my favorites are: Amaryllis: These showy bulbs with large, colorful tubular flowers are a core part of every late year display. I keep them year […]
Tonight’s Winter Moon is escaping the grasp of neighboring maple (Acer) and oak (Quercus) trees as it rises above a conifer lit for the holidays. It’s the last evening prior to the solstice and the night is crisp and cold as it should be in New England. The air freezes the inside of my nose […]
Coming back to stack more logs, I count about 140 rings on the red oak (Quercia rubra) that was taken down recently. I suspect the true age of the tree is closer to 150 years given where on the trunk I started the count. Some years the rings are broad, indicating lots of rain and […]
My last horticultural therapy class at Ann’s Place to create seasonal decorations was packed with clients. As can happen sometimes, they were a bit surprised when they opened their bags to find a variety of objects that were far from obvious in their use. “Let me show you what we will be making today,” I […]
Decorating the Christmas tree, our latest and largest harvest, is more a marathon in our house than a sprint. Spruces (Picea) tend to have a lot more open spaces than do firs (Abies) within their branches making room for a great number of decorations to hang from the tree. The first order of business is […]
In preparing for the holidays, there is a tendency to go all out in decorations and floral excess. But sometimes a simple and single flower can be just as effective. This picture of a paperwhite (Narcissus papyraceus) rests on my wall and was taken over 30 years ago in our first house. The afternoon light […]
On an unusually sunny and warm afternoon in the mid-50s F, Juana and I make our way down to New Haven harbor to kill some time. The mostly rocky shoreline has few people and action except for an elderly man feeding the birds with great bursts of bread crumbs. It is low tide, and a […]