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Welcome Yule & the Winter Garden!
Gathering backyard botanicals for holiday decorations can connect us to age old traditions. Celebrations born of the season, and a long look back into the garden and forest floor. As we walk in our gardens at this time of year, the bones of the landscape are evident. We can see where to prune, and where we could improve on plantings in the year ahead.
Once December arrives, I bundle up, and head out with clippers and the intention to find greens to fill my urns, window boxes, and planters with the beauty of the season. Some days, I enjoy solitary time in nature. Other days, I find great pleasure in turning a walk with friends or family into an opportunity to collect botanicals. In the process, we engage in conversation about the environment and plants we share in common. As we walk in the crisp air, we collect treasures (nests, shells, seed pods, cones, herbs and fruit) to make wreaths into a celebration of place.
Since ancient times, the wreath has symbolized the wheel of life. When we make wreaths with loved ones, we bring nature indoors during the cold season, and create a token of our time together that brings a smile each time we enter that door.
After the holidays (Twelfth Night or January 6th in early tradition), I move my wreaths to trees along the edge of the woods. The fruits, seeds and berries turn wreaths into neighborhood bird feeders and places for nesting by spring. Similarly, I move my tree out into my yard, lights and all. The tree helps to illuminate the long winter nights. Over the holidays, I take time with kids to make peanut butter and bird seed pine cone ornaments that we can hang to bring the tree to life outside our windows.
Perhaps this is the year you could take a walk in nature with family and friends. Make your own wreaths from the special things you gather, and renew this ancient holiday tradition designed to engage us in the spirit of the season.
Here's one of my 'Wheel of Life' holiday wreaths
