Leonard Moorehead the Urban Gardener: Before and After

Urban gardeners follow an eternal cycle. No people are more alert to the solstices. We measure our year according to sun, earth and moon. We have paid our homage to the shortest day and now embark onto new efforts in the garden cycle. Our careful mulching, pruning and careful harvests are now dormant, poised, the future is upon us. What a wonderful time in the garden and particularly urban gardeners. 

Janus is the tutelary god

Janus is the tutelary god of beginnings and transition, generally characterized as having a face towards the past and another towards to the future. From these general features, Janus is particular to doorways, gates, entrances, and pathways. All are major garden features. Urban gardeners are all too familiar with built up and congested spaces. Our navigation through the complexities of city life gathers new meaning with an eye towards green and growth. 

Winter is under rated

Winter is under rated by those unfamiliar with gardens. Rather, this is an active dynamic time. The winter garden has much to offer for those who look. The backbones of planting areas are revealed. Carefully observe the orientation of your plots. Note the play of sun and shade. Shadows are now at their fullest. Sunlight areas now are destined to long growing days. Plant your feet on the ground, face the sun and relax. Breath deep, imagine a string pulling upwards and downwards through the axis of head, spine and feet. Be still. Rely upon breath. Inhale, exhale. From far beneath our feet and upwards beyond you are bright, a light, strong and harmonious. Brisk wind, cold air? Enjoy! Be alive, live in this moment. 

Life prevails

Life prevails in seeds and bulbs. Leafless trees, like you, have sent roots into the earth, a trunk upholding leaf and bloom bearing branches rise up. All around the urban garden the new and promising is fundamental. Frost, cold, and its companions, snow and freezing rain are coming. Urban gardeners are not passive. We can’t resist are patrol through the plots, we see promise at every turn, the aspect of growth may call out right away.

A good idea

It’s a good idea to have sharp pruning shears in your garden coat. Last year’s grapevines, kiwis, raspberries, roses and fruit trees are in sharp relief. Good gloves, sturdy jacket and pants, your favorite shoes will keep you warm as you comb through dense tangles of vines, canes, and crossed branches. Prune. Cut out anything that has finished life. I snip most overgrowth into small pieces to fall onto the permanent mulch. Roses are easy to get into just now, prune back to five and three branched main stems. Confused? Relax, soon you’ll discern the differences between green lively stems and those who have passed on. Be confident, pruning imitates nature. Plants readily respond with extra new growth as the sun becomes ever stronger.

Grapevines are rampant

Grapevines are rampant. Vigorous annual growth can appear overwhelming. Don’t be discouraged, especially if you’ve inherited a grape arbor from another. Grapes have very long lifetimes, often far beyond those who have planted them. Pull the longest vines into spans, then cut. I weave wreaths as I prune the grapevines. Each is a totem of future life enclosed within a circle. Follow this technique and you’ll never leave the garden plot with half-finished efforts. Grapes are tough and hardy. Relieved of the past, they leap into the future. Prune while it’s cool and other garden tasks are on hold. Step back once in a while and keep an eye on shape and form. Pruning can be taken to all forms of imagination. Topiary is the special pruning into shapes, follow your pleasure. A general rule of thumb is to prune more severely at the top and less, a wider range, towards the ground. All is indexed to sunshine, the idea is allow as much unimpeded sunshine as possible over the greatest amount of plant. Work with the natural shape and growth, many plants are developed with shape already in mind, such as dwarf fruit trees, bush roses and vines.

Remove leaves

Remove leaves from turf. Nothing demonstrates the power of mulching than leaves covering turf. Leaves are a valuable asset to the garden when incorporated into the soil. Layered on turf however, leaves quickly shades out turf. Grass just can’t abide being covered. Indeed, turf grows any day the temperatures reach above 45 degrees. Hidden under leaves defeats turf, neglected leaves will present bare spots next spring, each full of dormant crabgrass seeds eager to sprout and compete with slower growing turf. Save yourself much weeding or temptation to employ herbicides next spring and rake away leaves.

Warm cup of coffee

Has a warm cup of coffee lured you into warm homes? Just in time to peer into the future. An old tradition still has legs. The mail includes the first of a once mighty river of seed catalogs. Perhaps you are paperless and search online. Whatever your choice, Janus presides over this journey. Savor pictures, descriptions and new varieties. Consider growing something new. This year I tried goji berries with great success. Remember the best and worst of the old. Format in your winter observation of sun and shade. Factor in trees full of leaves. Read carefully for planting suggestions and best practices. This is fun stuff indeed and best done before new bank statements urge moderation. 

Forms of diversity

Urban gardens are the earliest form of diversity. Borrow from neighbors, many with origins different from one another. I learned of kohl rabi from Czech neighbors and figs from Italians. Good diets are rich in vegetables, long ago I abandoned segregation of the various dictums of gardens to form a delightful merger of purposes. No longer a separate place for flowers and another for fruit. Combine the two, let the imagination rule. All gardens reflect the tastes, the aspirations and signature of the gardener. Be true to yourself and shine. Put your name on the garden plot. 

Green in all seasons

Consider growing a plant green in all seasons. Bamboo, a controversial plant, adds mightily to the winter garden. Just now, the bamboo thicket offers shelter to a horde of sparrows. Other birds enliven the resilient grove. Green leaves shed snow and assure gardeners. Yes, winter is upon us. Yet there is much more to come and like the bamboo, we’ll bend when we have too, reach further when we can, over shelter to all and sundry. We a nod to the past, we face the future with optimism. 

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25 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit - 2016

Buy an Ugly Christmas Sweater

You are bound to be invited to an ugly Christmas sweater party at some point during the holiday season. 

So be prepared for it and go buy yourself the ugliest Christmas sweater that you can find and wear it to the party. 

Maybe you will win.

Dress Up Your Pet, Send it Around

Reindeer ears and a Santa outfits are always good, but this holiday season, step your game up.

Become a Facebook legend.

A Festivus for the Rest of Us

You must watch the Festivus episode of Seinfeld, it is one of the most famous episodes of the entire series. 

Laughter is the best medicine, after all. 

When you finish the episode, be sure to celebrate Festivus on December 23.

Happy Festivus! 

 

PHOTO: Matt Keef/Flickr

Get Those Decorations up

Get those decorations up early this year and go all out, go to the extreme with the decorating. 

Why not be the talk of the neighborhood?

Add to the holiday cheer.  

 

PHOTO: Romeo Banias/Flickr

Sing Christmas Carols in Neighborhood

Get a group of friends or family members and go caroling in the neighborhood.

Or if that is not your thing, have a sing-along at someone's house, like a karaoke party. 

Or just sing along to the radio in the car. Fine. 

 

PHOTO: cindybrown33/Flickr

See a Christmas Carol at Trinity Rep

A Christmas Carol is arguably the most famous Christmas play there is and Trinity Rep puts on a great performance year in and year out. 

Get into the holiday spirit by seeing this classic play. 

Don't make us send the three ghosts to your home. 

Try a New Holiday Cocktail

Branch out your holiday cocktails -- eggnog is fine, but have you tried a Blue Xmas Margarita or a Chocolate Martini?

For some cool new holiday cocktail ideas, click here.

 

PHOTO: Corner Perk Cafe/Flickr

Go to a Holiday Service

Don't wait until Christmas, get in the spirit of things ahead of the holidays.

The sights, the sounds, the music -- if it doesn't make you think about the true meaning of things, try again the following weekend!

 

PHOTO: Brook Ward/Flickr

You Must Watch Home Alone

While it may not be your traditional Christmas movie, it certainly brings home the holiday spirit.

Home Alone is an all-time classic that simply must be watched. 

Enjoy!

Watch Holiday Classics on TV

Tis the time of year when some of the best movies are back on television, holiday movies.

Be sure to check our local listings for movies such as Miracle on 34th Street, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph and other timeless classics.

Then grab a big bowl of popcorn or any other favorite snack and enjoy.

Dress up as Santa

Grab an authentic looking Santa costume and dress up as jolly old Saint Nick for an entire day.

During that day, visit friends and relatives with young kids or even a local mall to find out what is on everyone's Christmas list.

 

PHOTO: Kelly Sue DeConnick/Flickr

Take a Day Off to Relieve the Stress

Don't wait until the weekend when the lines -- and traffic -- are long and tiring. 

Take a personal day during the week if you can. Get some shopping and wrapping done. 

And then relax. 

PHOTo: Matilda Diamant/Flickr

Design Your Own Gifts, Don't Buy Them

Don't go to the crowded stores and buy gifts that are available any time of year, design your own gifts for friends and family members.

Maybe a cool photo collage or tickets for a service among other things.
Think of the stress you will save.

Find New Cookie Recipes

Cookies are big part of the holidays, whether you are leaving them for Santa or eating them yourself.

While it's perfectly fine to use your favorite cookie recipes, be sure to try some new recipes as well.

Need some ideas? Check out the links below

100 Best Holiday Cookie Recipes

Christmas Cookie Recipes

 

 

PHOTO: Troy Tolley/Flickr

Go Ice Skating at the Newport Skating Center

The Newport Skating Center is open for another season and what's better than skating and seeing Newport at the time? 

If that is not enough, go old fashioned and skate on a frozen pond.

Host a Gift Wrapping Competition With Friends 

One of the most painful parts of the holidays is wrapping gifts, especially if there are a lot of them. 

Invite some friends over and have a gift wrapping competition. Be sure to make some cookies and beverages while you are at it. 

 

PHOTO: intellichick/Flickr
 

Visit Borrelli's Christmas Tree Farm

The Christmas season can't begin without a Christmas tree and Borrelli's has just the trees for you. 

Start your Christmas tree shopping now and get into the holiday spirit. 

 

PHOTO: Flickr

Call Long Lost Friends or Family Members

On the phone -- not a Facebook post, not a text. Let them hear your voice. Find a way to reconnect on a personal basis.

Find out how they're doing.  Make plans to catch up in person. But whatever you do, remember, texting doesn't count!

Give Money to Salvation Army

Throw some money in the Salvation Army kettle. Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. The person who stands outside ringing the bell is often there for long hours.

Even if it's just some change, smile at them and wish them a happy holiday.  

 

PHOTO: j_lai/ Flickr
 

Shop Local at AC Jewelers

Stay away from those big national chains and go to the local stores like AC Jewelers and get what you need for the holidays. 

Shop local this holiday season. 

Secretly Pay it Forward

Standing in line at a local coffee shop waiting to order can be a long wait at times.

Make the day of the person behind you by paying for their coffee. It will put a huge smile on their face, and on your face as well.

But shhh don't tell them. 

Give to Those in Need 

From giving trees at churches to Big Brothers Big Sisters as well as many other great organizations, there are plenty of families in the community that could use your help to put a present or two under the tree for a child who might not otherwise get one.

See 50 Ways to Give This Holiday Season Here

Spend Time With an Elderly Relative

The actual day when the family is around can be hectic. Before then, go have a cup of tea, bring some cookies, and find out what holiday traditions they enjoyed. 

Give the gift of time.

New Holiday Recipes

Try new holiday recipes for the meal.Traditional turkey, ham, stuffing, and sides are good, but why not try something fun?

Click here for some cool holiday recipes.

Or for an even more extensive list of ideas, click here.

Start Thinking About Your New Year's Resolutions

Don't wait until December 31 to promise you'll drink less and work out more.

Take stock of your life, figure out what's important to you, and what you want to accomplish in the New Year and start jotting stuff down.