For many people, winter is a bleak time of year. The chilly weather, barren trees, and short days often get the best of us. During this season, it can become increasingly difficult to find inspiration in day-to-day life. For this reason, it is even more important to actively stay connected with the earth. It’s during winter that nature reveals the bones of her landscape; offering up a beautiful foundation upon which to find insight, imagination and inspiration.

When I started growing cut flowers no perennial plant in my garden was safe from my shears. I took cuttings from all of my flowering perennials to see which had good vase life. My Geum stems lasted 5-7 days in fresh water with no preservative. They were a great addition to my spring bouquets, adding bounce, movement and whimsy. For the longest lasting cut flowers, pick when the blooms are half open. Geum will bloom from May through July, and if you cut or deadhead, they will reward you with a second flush of blooms in early fall.

They are both dainty flowering plants, more commonly blue, but they are also available in pink and white shades. For many, it conjures up nostalgic childhood memories and images of cottage gardens. While these two plants look very similar, they have different growing conditions and different uses. I grow them both, one in the cutting garden, the other in the landscape.

Weddings can be stressful and overwhelming. There are lots of choices to make and several elements to organize; opinions can clash, and at times it can be difficult to compromise. But it’s important to remember the significance of this momentous event. You and your fiancé have made a conscious choice to unite in love and life, and your wedding should be a celebration of that choice.

How do we do it? How do we strengthen our gratitude muscle? There are some evidence-based practices, such as journal writing, that can help cultivate a grateful mindset, but the best way is to start is by setting the intention — making a choice — to be open to and notice opportunities that you can be thankful for. In this way, the practice of gratitude can be integrated into everyday life and become a disposition rather than a response.

You may know all about the great spring-blooming bulbs you can plant in the fall, but did you know that there are annuals you can grow from seed that will survive over-winter? You can put them in the ground in September and they'll bloom in the spring.

When I started Sweet Earth Co, creating opportunities for other’s to learn was a foundational pillar of the company from day one. Mentoring and partnering with clients and the community to understand and practice the basic tenets of sustainable gardening and design is of mission importance to me and my team.

Workshops are taught by Xenia, Sweet Earth’s owner and lead designer, and class size is kept small so that Xenia can give participants lots of one-on-one instruction and so that everyone has enough time to socialize. For those of you who joined us last year, we look forward to having you join us again — 2019 workshops cover new topics, new materials and new centerpieces.

Most of us have no idea where the flowers in our vases come from. In fact, the US imports almost 80 percent of flowers sold. The vast majority comes from Colombia, driven by the suspension of US import duties on Colombian flowers in 1991. According to Smithsonian, in an effort to solve one problem—the import of cocaine— the US government created a new one—the demise of our flower industry.

In designing with vegetables you are mixing edibles with ornamentals and combining function and beauty. Consider the bright splashes of color squash blossoms, hyacinth beans or rainbow chard can add to the garden. Or the texture and dramatic accent added with the feathery foliage of asparagus, the silvery, deep-lobed leaves of an artichoke plant or the large, puckered leaves of Toscano kale. The feathery stalks or perennial seed heads can provide winter interest in the garden, as well as food and habitat for birds and pollinators.

Using the product of composting, the compost itself, is also important and valuable. Compost is worth its weight in gold. In fact it is often referred to as black gold. Adding compost to our soil improves the texture, structure, aeration, moisture level, drainage and utility of the soil. Compost balances the pH of soil and improves the electrical conductivity which helps plants access nutrients in the soil. The result is a better quality plant. One that thrives and is better equipped to ward off pests and disease, and, with respect to edible crops, one that has higher nutrient levels and tastes better. Use of compost also reduces and/ or eliminates the need to purchase and use chemical fertilizers. Topdressing lawns with compost improves the look of the lawn over time without using a chemical fertilizer.

There is too much stress in the world already, as well as too many things. Yes, it can be fun buying and wrapping gifts, and just as exciting and delightful to open them. But the novelty of material gifts fades quickly, sometimes within hours. When we give the gift of an experience and we create memories — it has priceless value that can last a lifetime.