Since I can’t top last year’s December Bloom Day (Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is hosted the 15th of every month by Carol at May Dreams Gardens) when the Autumn flowering cherry bloomed in the snow, I’d like to propose a bloom related challenge for the gray days of December instead.

Gail and I are starting to nail down ideas and themes for next year’s Display Garden design and I have suggested that in one of the beds at least, we try to work especially with colors that neither of us likes.  Bloom color is just one of the design elements that we gardeners work with every year and I, for one, am growing tired of certain self imposed limitations and restrictions.  I don’t want the color of a flower on an otherwise worthy plant to hold me back!  And I want to like it.

We all have a particular relationship to color – some of us enjoy hues that are loud and hot while for others bright reds and oranges would bring on a migraine.  Some like baby-cheek pink while others hate it with a passion and are in love with maroon.  I have a dysfunctional relationship with purple and a resentment of yellow.  And for me when they’re together, those complementary colors, rather than complimenting each other (like blue and orange do), hurl insults.  My challenge is to be able to use purple and maybe just a touch of yellow without wincing.  And I have started to look for hints and insights.  For instance, thinking about this has caused me to question what it is about lavender plants (besides the scent, obviously) that makes me love them despite their typical bloom color.  Is it the gray foliage?  Could I learn to love purple if it occurred in a combination with gray plants?  And would I like yellow if, like a close-up of a Hakonechloa leaf, it was placed with pinkish and greenish?

This is a challenge that Gail and I might be willing to take on because at least in theory we’re making these gardens for visitors’ enjoyment rather than our own.  That gives us a certain freedom – in a way we don’t have to like what we do as long as it works really well for somebody else.   I know it’s different at home.  At home we have even tighter budgets and we will probably always gravitate towards plants that don’t argue with us.  But even at home I get a little tired of the same-old, same-old and maybe I’ll promise to shake it up there this coming year too.  At the very least it’s a fun mental exercise and I can see from looking back at pictures that there are occasions when my least favorite colors don’t make me want to look away.  What colors do you avoid like the plague?  Do you think there’s anything you could do – any combination of ugly and pretty colors that could induce love rather than eye pain?  Are you up for the challenge?

I thought the tide was high during the Nor’easter of spring 2007 – and it was – but this morning’s moon tide storm sure did flood Blithewold.  I took these pictures about an hour after high tide so we’ll all just have to imagine what it must have looked like earlier.  If only I had been a little speedier leaving the comfort of home this morning…  If you’re at all familiar with Blithewold, then you are accustomed to the Narragansett Bay quietly lapping up a certain part of the view.  When the Bay shifts its shores, it’s easy, especially looking through snapshots, to become a bit disoriented.  So I’ve included a couple/three pictures of what “normal” looks like down near the water.  Click on pictures for a larger look and hover over for captions.

Unlike my great-grandfather who would worry and go out to check on his gardens during any kind of weather, I’m always a little thrilled to forgetfulness by a good storm.  But I can sober right up when faced with the aftermath.  The grounds, aside from the flooding, didn’t seem to fare too badly – no major limbs or trees down that I saw.  But we’ll likely have our work cut out for us in the Rock Garden – maybe especially in this spot. (In the top right photo, this section of the garden is beyond the winterberry…)

Over the years we’ve learned the hard way what-not-to-plant there and we’ll have to wait and see if we’ll be adding to that list.

How did your garden survive the last storm?  Did you worry during or did you enjoy the ride?

How many of us want to keep it simple for the holidays?  Especially now.  I, for one have been shamed out of wanting to shop by the atrocious behavior of fellow consumers.  And aren’t we all feeling a little pinched money wise this year?  I’d love to keep Christmas simple and for me that means giving gifts to my family and friends that are meaningful rather than frivolous and I have just a couple of recommendations to share if anyone else out there is so inclined.

How about giving a loved one the gift of membership to your favorite non-profit organization like … say, Blithewold?!  It’s the kind of gift that not only benefits the recipient (for a list of membership perks click here) but also helps your favorite organization stay afloat in rough waters.  Don’t forget that if you click through the membership link in the side bar (or here) you, as a blog reader, are entitled to a 20% discount.  Such a deal!  And what about giving the gift of an outing?  I know a lot of families that make an annual pilgrimage to Christmas at Blithewold – why not bring a friend too?  Or you could plan ahead for a walk in the spring…

I’ve heard a lot of people lately talking about shopping locally and that’s a terrific idea for boosting your town’s economy – plus your gifts are more likely to be thoughtful and unique.  BUT if you can only find that most perfect thing for Auntie on Amazon, please enter their site via ours (or your other favorite non-profit).  By clicking on the link in the sidebar (you can peruse my garden book recommendations but you’re by no means limited to purchasing those) and following through with a purchase of any kind, Blithewold receives a small percentage of the sale.  It’s a really easy way to make a donation and shop “locally”!  (If you’re like me and you forget and always click your browser’s Amazon bookmark instead, make a new bookmark for the blog and title it “Amazon”.  Easy-peasy.)

Gifts of time and creativity are also extra special.  You could give the gift of a hand in the garden come spring – or you could do as I like to do and make terrariums for everyone!  It turns out that terrariums can be the kind of gift you can give again next year if the plants have petrified…  The parentals who gave these terrariums back to me asked for new ones – that certainly solves the dilemma of what to make for them this year!  For anyone who has a terrarium that’s limping along in need of a little TLC, I’m planning to write a terrarium rehab post in the near future.

Are you keeping it simple this year?  Do you have any other gift ideas to share?