A winter garden

As we slide down through January, my thoughts turn to summer, even skipping over spring. It’s gardening I’m preoccupied with. Don’t we all enjoy those weekend trips to the nursery to pick up boxes of plants for our gardens? And, if we are working in the garden, it means warm weather and long days.

I seem to be inspired on cold winter days to write an annual column about my beloved geraniums. This year there are three on my windowsill. Each morning I shift them around, carefully examining the foliage to decide when they might require watering and plant food. They blossom at different times, of course, so there is always a colorful bloom of pink or red peeking out from the green foliage. From my research I can only conclude that there are many species of geraniums, although it seems the original plant probably came from South Africa. The name is derived from the Greek word geranos, meaning "crane" because the seed heads have the same shape as the bill of a crane.

This year I have two amaryllis, both red. Tall and handsome. How I love watching them grow. First a bulb and then the stalk that lengthens day by day. One must have patience as it can take weeks for an amaryllis to bloom. If you would like to have one in your window you can find them at Beans & Greens in Gilford. They have paper whites, winter ferns and amaryllises still in bulbs or ones that are blooming.

If you have never tried paper white bulbs, I encourage you to try. They are part of the genus narcissus which includes daffodils. These plants are native to the Mediterranean region from Greece to Portugal. You can place a few bulbs, perhaps five or six, in a bowl lined with rocks and then cover with water. When the bouquet blooms it is fragrant and beautiful.

If you want to learn about plants from a family that has been in the business for years, the Towle family can help. Their Black Forest Nursery, located in Boscawen, is a nursery and garden located on almost four acres. They have shrubs, trees, annuals, perennials, and fruits. Since my knowledge of plants is limited to very basic information about well-known plants like geraniums, I think you might want to visit Black Forest and ask for Nancy Towle or Suzanne LeClair.

Nancy recommends coleus, as well as geraniums, as plants that you can plant outdoors in the summer and bring in during the fall and winter months. “It’s critical though to bring the plants in before the first frost,” Nancy warns. She describes coleus as “awesome.” At Black Forest, they can also help you understand how to use LED grow lights so you can begin to cultivate plants for your garden and grow vegetables throughout the year.

This weekend I had an opportunity to visit the new Irish Arts Center in New York. The work of an artist named Katie Holten is on exhibit. She has created what she calls an Irish Tree Alphabet which explores “language ecosystems and the importance of our words and the stories that we tell.” She has a tree drawing for each letter of the alphabet. The power of language and the power of nature, combined. We love our poetry and our gardens.

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Elizabeth Howard’s career intersects journalism, marketing, and communications. Ned O’Gorman: A Glance Back, a book she edited, was published in May 2016. She is the author of A Day with Bonefish Joe, a children’s book, published by David R. Godine. She lives in New York City and has a home in Laconia. You can send her a note at Elizabeth@laconiadailysun.com.