But for staying out until 3am at a rocking great affair at my brother’s New Years Eve in 2000, I am not a New Year’s Eve party aficianado. The weather can be both challenging and boorish; the after midnight drivers even more so. Some years I would head home at 11:30, and listen to the festivities on the radio in the driveway. But in 2005, nature put on an unforgettable New Years party.
We had hung big gold stars and red modern sputnik ornaments in the lindens on the drive in November-it was a good look. I think ornaments look much better on deciduous trees than evergreens-they can swing free and be easily seen. Rob has a way of casually dressing the trees with lights that at first glance looks like his blood pressure is too low-but a second good look says otherwise. So far, so good. Branches, red and gold-what could be better?
Better was on the way; December 29 we got snow. Not a snow storm-a blanket of snow. It fell softly and steadily all day, and all night, and on into the 30th. Snow souffle-everywhere. All that white fluff changed the landscape completely. I had placed hickory fence poles in each corner of the front pots and wedged a giant grapevine sphere in between them-all in an effort to figure out what to do with some 25 lengths of hickory wood and bark strips Rob had brought over from Belgium. Do you see those curving strips? Truth be known, they were nothing much until the snow came. The snow was beginning to make something substantial of something gestural.
The thicket of linden branches overhead caught a lot of this snow-it stuck and kept on sticking to every branch, top to bottom. Never have I seen branches so dressed up. The hot garland lights shed the snow, and kept on glowing. What was to come had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the weather. Timing is everything-is it not?
The snow kept coming, amiable and relentless. Slogging through it during those two days was a workout, but late that New Year’s Eve stands out in my mind as the most breathtaking collaboration of electricity, frozen water and landscape that has been my privilege to witness. Happy New Year to you, best regards, Nature.
A nine inch frosting of snow on this concrete table and matching chairs brings their design to the fore in a way a sunny July day would never do. All that white snow ramps up and multiplies the effect of those diminuitive lights-never mind that garland lights eliminate all that useless cord and concentrate the light. Fine, some good holiday lighting technology – the entire shop was in a very special state of reflective illumination beyond my efforts.
The boxwood eventually succumbed, and splayed out from the weight of the snow. I know not to fuss with frozen evergreen branches, but I was wringing my hands seeing this. The older I get, the better I am in not intervening in situations beyond my control. The bugs, the rabbits, the fungus-they get the run of my place. The snow-I have no plans to intervene, only some plans to watch.
Shovelling ten times in three days made it possible to get to the front door. But should this picture not convince you that a landscape, and all that goes with it, would not delight your eye every month of the year, call me. If you cannot believe this is my most exciting New Years ever, you just don’t know me that well yet.
Should you live in a part of the world that has clear skies this New Year’s Eve-lucky you. This picture of the shop at New Year’s in 2006 has the blue moon look-but not the blue moon. This holiday blue moon-so rare. I am sure I will be waking up regularly all night, though my forecast calls for clouds all night long. Hope-that’s the big idea behind the new year, yes? Happy blue moon.
Were I to ask you which of three wallpaper patterns appealed to you the most, or which person you have most patterned your life after, you would have no problem understanding and answering the questions. A written definition of pattern is not this easy. A paisley is a shape that is readily recognizable; a series of paisley shapes, that repeat in a certain order, that the eye can recognize, forms a pattern. My steel grate plant table tops, dusted with snow, bring the pattern of the extruded metal into focus. 
Many patterns exist in nature; early winter may be the best time to study them. The oval shaped dried flower heads of these hydrangeas make a visual pattern that repeats. They remind me of the old boxwoods at Dunbarton oaks that are pruned to resemble clouds. Cloud pruning is a gardening term gardeners recognize; the particular shaping and direction taken by an individual gardener makes a pattern. A distinctive pattern. 
Milo has a ball decorated with raised dots in an all over pattern. An all over pattern reads the same regularly, no matter what direction your view should take. There is no left or right, no up or down. The pattern of this light snow is very subtle; every diaphanous flake randomly covers the gravel in the drive. Nonetheless, the individual flakes make a pattern-a pattern I did not really pay attention to, until I saw the imprint of the ball dots-so regular and clear. The relationship of what came from the sky, with the pattern evidenced by that manufactured ball of his-on my mind today. 
This wreath is comprised of small flower shapes constructed from wood shavings, twig stubs, and dried bay leaves. The pattern, to my eye, is all about the circle, repeating. A wreath is an ornament; the arrangement of organized shapes makes for a pattern. When I see pattern, I am at my most focused.
Early winter is the perfect time to think about pattern. The snow, the cold, and the low light, the absence of leaves and flowers that blur the patterns, presents me with a landscape graphically black and white. Now is the best time to see patterns. RobB just forwarded me a post from A Way to Garden (awaytogarden.com)-a doodle by Andre. His idea-to send a card to his garden. Thank you for all you have done for me, beloved garden. That post, and his card has been on my mind all day. My garden gives me so much; this quiet time gives me plenty of time to think about this. Though some years ago I was certain my gardening ended with the first killing frost-now I know different. These first early snows come with lively lessons, debate, original source material; I know to pay attention. Who knew there was so much to see, and think about in late December? I am looking, and listening. December-I welcome it. No kidding.
Lynn’s very unusual and striking Christmas tree is a foam form covered in preserved chartreuse leaves. This form is the most important visual element; there are only a few ornaments. The “garland” is actually aluminum wire that floats around the tree like the rings around Saturn. Only every so often is the wire is secured to the tree. The column vase with a ball top-a purchase at Smith and Hawkins many years ago. I filled the bottom of the vase with white sand-this provides a secure base for the tree. Red tinsel garland, and red and green bead garland fill the ball portion of the vase. 
This mantle is dressed in a beautifully made artificial pine garland. Finished in Jeffrey pine cones, it has great textural interest. Now what?
It’s the small bits that bring it to life. Small plain glass balls-shiny and matte-add depth, interest, and density to any trimming project. Clusters of tiny red ornaments look like berries on a tree. Clusters of larger red ornaments hung on the interior of a tree get the tree full of color, just as it is full of light; one’s prized ornaments can be front and center on the tips of the tree branches. 
Fireplace mantles were invented so we could put stuff on them, right? I do have clients with contemporary homes that do away with the frivolity of a mantle, but I like them for what I can do with them. More than most architectural features, a fireplace is a visual representation of the idea of home-a place around which to gather, be warm, and be safe. A mantle can be home to a revolving collection of objects during the year; their height makes them perfect for displaying those small personal things that benefit from a placement at eye level. But a mantle is never more in its glory than it is at the holidays. Traditionally, gardeners drag all sorts of materials in from outdoors, and custom construct a holiday coat that dresses up that shelf over the fireplace. This mantle began with a natural garland, to which Jeffrey pine cones, nests, cardinals, holly and berry picks were added. Very warm and cozy.
I like a garland centerpiece. In this case, a small wreath constructed of individual pine cone bits identifies the center. The feathered red birds, a symbol of the wildlife so precious in a garden, are nesting here and there. A natural garland may dry quickly indoors, but the smell of fresh greens in season is a little bit of heaven at home.
Armoires, cabinets and the like can be dressed up with garland as well. This antique china cabinet has a gorgeous spiky hat of faux pine and giant cones. A stately and quiet nod to the season. 
Formal fireplaces adapt to dressing just fine. White berry garlands, clear creamy snowflakes and ornately carved ornaments are appropriate to the limestone, silver, and formal furnishings in the room. 
If I use ornament on a mantle, I like to hang some over the edge. This can be a construction problem, if the mantle is shallow, and the garland heavy. In this case, I loaned my client lead pot feet, which I wired to the garland. These keeps everything securely on top, even though the display spills over the front edge. Some garland I attach to a bamboo pole that runs the entire length of the mantle. Once the heaviest element is stabilized, I can add on.
This garland is woven with large old fashioned white lights, and red LED berry clusters. The garland is wired to a heavy iron candelabra. As this fireplace is in the family room, and host to gathering involving grandkids, all the ornament is plastic. Kids so like to touch things-and why shouldn’t they? 
A holiday mantle can be glamorous. The relationship of the large pearly ornaments and birch tubes is an interesting one. I cannot imagine how the bark is removed intact from a birch log, but here they are. The light weight makes them perfect for hanging over the edge of the mantle. White at the holidays is beautiful.
A pair of tall cone shaped topiaries are finished in off-white double faced satin. This ribbon is a sumptuous material that shines softly. This treatment over a cone form is so fast and easy, it can be changed out for other seasons. 
There is ornament designed specifically for mantles; they are usually narrow and quite heavy. Close to Christmas, the children’s stockings will be hung from them. An artificial pine garland is augmented with fresh noble fir; if artificial greens are the order of the day, adding some natural greens greatly improve the overall appearance. 
Glass ornaments in wine red and chocolate complete the look. The faux white pine has pleasingly overscaled needles that give this mantle a very festive look. I like bringing the feeling of the outdoors inside.