Give me the suns of November days,
The speeding hours and the hast'ning shades;
Find me a wood, where the slanting rays
Engold the leaves in the maple glades.
~John Stuart Thomson, "In November," Estabelle and Other Verse, 1897 * The garden in November may seem bland to you, but I'm excited to watch mine. I planted it starting in May, and I'm still working on it (aka bulbs that are waiting for a thaw later this week - fingers crossed). Like other gardeners, I'm NOT cuttinh back the garden until spring. By leaving most of the herbaceous perennials and grasses alone, the garden is not only pretty in winter, it offers food for the birds, and homes for over-wintering beneficial insects. With the cold weather here, this is a time of turning inward to our homes, as well as turning inward to ourselves. I used to find Christmas very stressful, but as I grow older, I look forward to a quiet season of Advent which begins this Sunday, December 3. It's one of reflection for me and helps me stay focused on what Christmas really is about. I hope you'll adopt your own practice of marking the days and finding one small moment for yourself each day. I hope you'll also reflect on the coming of Baby Jesus and what that means to you. I'm also decorating my home differently for the holidays. Thanks to tips from the Nester, I am decorating my home first for winter, then I will add in Christmas touches. I encourage you to listen in to her podcast below to see how she does it, even if you already have the tree up. There's a lot going on in the shoppe this Saturday. I hope you'll stop by. We have a new local artisan - Beth Goeppinger - here. You may know Beth from her days at Bong Recreational Center. Come see what she is up to now. Also, Friday is December first, and so begins our 12 Days of Christmas and Bella Bonus Bucks. More details below! Below I'm also sharing a few things that are inspiring me this month in the garden. Hope they will inspire you, too! See you soon, |
|
Amaryllis: The Art & Soul of Winter |
|
Give a living gift! Our Amaryllis supply is dwindling, but as of this writing, we still have the four varieties shown above: ‘Merry Christmas’, ‘Snow White’, ‘Exotic Star’, and ‘Santiago’. |
|
Stop in this Saturday, December 2 for some sips and snacks while you shop. All ornaments are Buy One, Get One 50% off, and Beth Goeppinger, owner of Violet Road Designs, will be here from 10 am - 2 pm. Below are some pics of what she will be bringing. |
|
Beth Goeppinger grew up in Minnesota. She has always been fascinated with nature and art but focused primarily on her career as a state park naturalist. Now in her retirement, she is exploring her artistic side through a variety of mediums-acrylics, resin, needle felting, Great Lakes rocks and cinnamon. She currently lives in Lake Geneva. |
|
There still is room in our Aspen Wreath class this Saturday, Dec. 2 at 9 am. Here is one that Becky Redell made this past Sunday. Isn't it lovely?It's made of cedar, velvet ribbon, and rustic bells on an 18" grapevine wreath. |
|
Bella Bonus Bucks are Back! As you shop for others in December, you can earn a gift for yourself! Our 12 Days of Christmas begins Friday, December 1 and continues through Sunday, December 17. Come shop those twelve days that we are open and here's the sweet gift for you: Earn back $1 for every $10 you spend to use in January! We call them our Bella Bonus Bucks and they will be good through the whole month of January. |
|
Here is some garden inspiration for you: |
|
This year I'm loving orange slices in wreaths. . . |
|
. . . multiple amaryllis in a pot - especially white ones . . . |
|
. . . and watching my newly planted garden this winter. Here are tips from the master designer himself, Piet Oudolf, on how to design your garden for winter. |
|
Create an Advent Prayer Garden Use your favorite houseplants in a low wide bowl, then add four medium size stones. Write ‘Joy’, ‘Hope’, ‘Love’, and ‘Peace’ on them. Maybe add a candle, too, The idea is to take a few quiet moments every day in December to focus on one of the four words, the coming of the Christ child, and hold someone in your heart with prayer. |
|
If you use the traditional purple and pink tapers for your advent wreath, we have those in the shoppe. If you want to try something different this December, this creator will inspire you! |
|
What does Christmas decor have to do with the garden? More than you might think. Myquillen Smith teaches us to decorate our homes for winter first, using the five senses, and what we see in nature. Listen in! |
|
During the holiday season, we are offering wreath parties. Book your private party - at your place or ours. In addition to the Fresh Farmhouse Wreath, you can also select succulent terrariums, aerium sand art, framed moss art and more. We are booking girls' getaways, bachelorette parties, team building for businesses and more. Learn more by clicking the button below. |
|
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with a friend. Until next time, you can find me on Instagram @bellabotanicaboutique or if you are a fellow plant geek, follow along as I post plant pics @beautyseekr. |
|
|
