Don’t let the winter weather keep you from decking the porches, patios, decks, planters, window boxes and hanging baskets. Tis’ the season to let those creative juices flow and what better way to express your winter gardener than to keep those urns and birdbaths out in the garden and overflowing with wintry delights. The neighbors and visitors will wonder where your inner Martha has been hiding all this time when they feast their eyes upon your mastery of twigs and boughs. The value of succession gardening is a lesson well learned, after all why should the southern states and tropical islands have all the fun year round?

Kansas weather; in like a lion and out like a lamb, although some years our weather is roaring with the greatest of vibrato all year long…raining like a deluge, winds strong enough to transport Dorothy, blistering heat that begs for refuge, and freezing cold that is like the Energizer bunny, it just keeps going and going. You just never know when your nestled in the vortex of this mass of land what system will be rolling our way, but the challenges in the winter for potted plants are basically chilly winds and prolonged spells of cold, both of which dry out our flora friends.

Don’t let these unknowing conditions deter you, roll with the seasons and hold up that green thumb like lady liberty with her torch, shining brightly for garden enthusiasts everywhere. Karen Pendleton, owner of Pendleton Country Market, has this suggestion for keeping the winter months green, “The easiest (and probably the most common) thing I’ve always done is just stick fresh boughs of evergreens into the pots or window boxes. I utilize the bottom branches of the Christmas tree that we’ve cut off, cedar from the pasture, and holly from my bushes in front of the house. Using lots of textures is key. To make the boxes look more festive I usually add shiny Christmas tree ornaments.”

Local florist, John McCaffrey agrees, “A person can use almost anything evergreen they can scavenge from their garden, simply prune it and place it in a pot and it should last all winter. Branches and twigs are also good. Yews, Junipers, boxwood, Magnolia, redtwig dogwood, birch, winterberry holly, crabapple and aronia are a few examples that a lot of people should be able to find in their backyards.”

So, while you thought you were being lazy by not lugging in those heavy pots and birdbaths indoors, it was actually serendipity that kept that chore at bay. Now those containers are sitting right where you left them waiting for some inspiration. It is best to use containers of a nonporous material in the winter, like woods, metal, stone or glazed pottery. Terra Cotta pots might crack with the expanding and contracting of moisture and the possibility of freezing wetness as well, so it is best to store those containers for the spring. Use either sand, gravel or the existing soil to anchor the loose stems like boughs and cut branches. You might spray loose boughs of evergreens with antidesiccant to help seal in their moisture. It is also advisable to keep your pots and boxes protected from the elements, like under a porch, or an awning and isolated from strong winter breezes.

I created a couple of potted winter arrangements using dwarf conifers like false cypress, dwarf Alberta Spruce and some creeping sedums potted in soil and then I stuck some twigs of dogwood and winterberry in for a splash of height and color. I later plan on transplanting the conifer’s and sedum into the grounds of my garden to enjoy for years to come. Here are some ideas on flora that work well in our area for spectacular pots and boxes.

Boughs:

• White Pine
• Australian Pine
• Spruce
• Balsam
• Cedar
• Gold-tipped cedar
• Juniper
• Holly
• Boxwood

Branches:

• Red Dogwood
• Yellow Dogwood
• Curly Willow
• Small tree branches painted red, white or silver

Berried Branches:

• Juniper – frosty blue berries that cluster
• Gold-tipped cedar – Tiny yellow berries
• Winterberry – bright red berries on dark branches
• Beautyberry – Violet berry clusters
• Pepperberry – small pink, green and red berry clusters

Other Details:

• Seed Pods – Milkweed, Lotus
• Pine Cones – varying sizes maybe even spray some with glitter
• Ornaments – shiny, bright balls of various colors and sizes
• Feathers – Pheasant, ostrich or peacock
• Bows
• String fresh cranberries

Karen Pendleton has another great thought on what to do with holiday wreaths, she says, “We feed lots of wildlife, after our holiday wreaths have dried out, I hang them in the trees after tying on sunflower heads, suet cakes, bunches of millet and pine cones rolled in peanut butter and bird seed. It is a great activity for kids, and could also be set on top of pots during the winter.”

If you feel as if the outdoors is brimming with creative ideas, try bringing traditional outdoor items, like birdbaths and urns indoors. A small birdbath could be filled with seasonal fruits, frilly artichokes and colorful pomegranates. Or pour in some water and have floating candles and flowers heads. You might incorporate your outdoor urn indoors by placing it next to the fireplace to store kindling or make an indoor arrangement, possibly even plant amaryllis, paperwhites and cyclamen right into the urn’s basin. There are so many alternatives in creating a winter wonderland whether it is indoors by the glow of the fire or outdoors enveloped by a blanket of snow, garden pots, urns, boxes, birdbaths and the like are an inspirational canvas all year through.