December 21 marked the first day of winter in 2012, and roaring, whistling, winter winds blew in a cold January. Winter paints our landscape views using all the colors of gray between black and white. After the holidays, winter blues can set a somber mood, as what goes up must come down. To liven up your winter, use colored plants to brighten your path, window box, and flower pots.
Ornamental cabbage and kale are on sale at the garden centers. Pull off the withered leaves and plant into the soil so that the crown of leaves is flush with the soil surface (roots will grow along the buried stem). Rosemary is a hearty evergreen for colorful accents and a delightful addition to roasted potatoes. Pansies, Viola and Johnny Jump Ups love the cold and will thrive even through a winter snow. These plants are edible and can be used to add beauty to a cake or to top off a tossed salad or pancake breakfast. Fertilize, keep soil moist and pinch off faded blooms to encourage new ones.
Pick picturesque blooms, pinch off stems as close as possible to the petals and dry press between wax paper and the pages of an old phone book or large catalogue. Place flowers face down on a tee shirt or card stock, cover with a paper towel and hammer all over the surface to force the pigments of the flower onto the new surface. Allow to dry and brush from the paper. Enhance with colored pencil, watercolor or ink. Blooms can be placed on the copy machine and printed on card stock or regular paper as a stationary header. Find joy in this first season of the year!
