Marja-Leena Rathje
Home ::: winter garden

winter garden


This beauty is from my indoor collection of plants, a zygocactus I think.

Taking advantage of a spot of sunshine this afternoon, I wandered about outside in my garden, clipping red berried branches, fragrant cedar and shiny green ivy tendrils into a large wicker basket. These I then tucked into the winter wreath on the front door and into several large pots nearby as protection for the winter pansies that I'd planted earlier this fall. The last of the cedar branches went into the wooden reindeer's basket back, topped with pine cones. He now stands and greets everyone just inside the front door with his red nose and shiny red ribbon.

Simple and satisfying.

Marja-Leena | 04/12/2008 | 5 comments
themes: Being an Artist, Home


5 comments

Surely Harper's on the run, having triggered the use of that curious word "prorogue".

Barrett, how I wish he were! Most of us had never heard of the word until this week. Canadian politics is usually boring but this past week has been wild. Now we sit on our hands until January 26th and 27th....

I'm so happy I came to visit . . . as I was wondering what bits you plucked from the garden. I need some shiny green ivy; wish we were close enough to share cuttings!

The zygocactus is so vivid: like tongues of fire.

Bee, thanks for the visit. All my zygos have been blooming for a while, sadly they will be done by Christmas. I wish I could give you some ivy as I have lots that I'm forever pulling out. It is considered very invasive here.

You asked about my wreath. For years I made my own using a grapevine frame into which I'd tuck in greens, berry branches, maybe cones and a ribbon. Quite simple, not as fancy as yours. A couple of years ago I fell in love with an artificial wreath of small red apples and berries upon a circle of real twigs. I add fresh cedar greens to it and use my own red velvet ribbon to hang it up.

Mine bloomed for Halloween! Oh well!!