I miss hugs.

I miss hugs. I never realized until COVID but I am a hugger. When I see friends I inevitably hug them; it can be pretty humorous when my large 5’10” body pretty much engulfs one of my more petite friends. When I see neighbors I typically hug them. Co-workers and those I know in the business also get hugs. Family goes without saying. When I hug someone, it means I like them and am really glad to see them. Now that I can’t hug it’s hard to convey the same feeling. Lord knows I can’t even give them a huge smile because I have a mask covering my mouth. I try to crinkle my eyes a lot so they know my smile is extra-large but they probably think I am squinting! I miss going out to dinner, to the movies, to gardening events but not as much as I miss hugs.

One of the original family therapists Virginia Satir once said, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.” 

There are so many health benefits to hugging and touch in general (just Google it and you will see what I mean). Hugging and touch can decrease anxiety among other things. During a hug, which should be held for 20 seconds for maximum benefit, we release oxytocin, a hormone that relaxes us and lessens anxiety. It’s often called the “cuddle hormone,” and when it’s released during these longer hugs it can effectively lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Seems ironic that during an incredibly stressful year we are unable to turn to something that can actually help. Maybe that’s why alcohol and drug use are up.

I am grateful for my son who, like me, is a hugger. If you have those in your bubble that you can hug I encourage you to do so. It really is good medicine.

Let me introduce myself.

 

I realize I have been in business for 17 years now and while many of you know me and have been with me since the beginning (thank you!) there are so many who don’t know my story. As I gain more and more followers I thought I’d stop and reiterate who I am and what The Captured Garden is. 

In my life BC (before children) I was in marketing. More accurately I was an advertising copywriter. I loved the fast-paced creative environment. Days were long but laughter was abundant. Then came kids. (BTW two of the most wonderful humans you could ever meet). I realized early on that I wanted to stay home and be with them and my husband agreed. I had grown up in a family of gardeners and as we bought our first home, and the children became more independent, I found myself gardening more. I especially loved container gardening which I found a perfect fit for my busy lifestyle. Neighbors began to notice my windowboxes and ask for help with theirs and a seed began to grow. After talking it over with my husband we decided I should start a small business. 

People often ask where I came up with the name The Captured Garden and I answer, “Prayer.” And it’s true; I am a praying woman and I have a strong faith. I knew if this venture was from God He would have to be the CEO.  Lots of ideas for names crammed my brain but driving over the Tobin Bridge “The Captured Garden” came to me and it stuck. Over time my unusual container gardens prompted clients to ask me about garden design. I became a Master Gardener, MCH and MCLP to learn as much as I could.

Fast forward a few years and I have been blessed with opportunities to speak at Flower Shows, Garden Clubs and Symposiums. Now I am finding a whole new audience through Zoom presentations. I find that I LOVE sharing my passion, whether live or virtually. Today The Captured Garden is a business with three distinct segments: container gardening, garden design and garden presentations.

On a personal note, my first love will always be the Lord. A close second is my family. If you ask my children what my mantra is, they will tell you “Faith and family”. When making decisions these are the two criteria: it must be pleasing to God and good for the family. I also love animals, Masterpiece Theatre (especially Downton Abby and Poldark), long walks in the reservation behind our home and a nice glass of red wine. I love hugs, but you already know that if you have been reading this newsletter. I prefer the warm weather over the cold weather and my favorite month is May. Favorite color is green. I am a beekeeper which has really impacted how I garden and inspired my presentation “Beauty and the Bees”. Finally, if I could have a superpower it would be super speed because then I might actually accomplish everything on my to-do list!

Ultimately, I am sure I am like many of you. Just a simple gardener who is happiest when her hands are in the dirt.

 

A look back. A look ahead.

During the somewhat quieter winter months I look back and take stock of the previous year. I spend a lot of time going over photos and looking at combinations. I evaluate what worked and what didn’t. I make a list of what plants I will use again and which ones I will send packing. This winter was another challenging one as Thanksgiving was late and time for decorating was compressed. Thanks to a great team all was done before the dreaded hard freeze.

This time of year I am not planting, rather planning. As I look forward to spring I gather info from previous seasons and make notes of what we will do. Client’s suggestions, color schemes and even dates of special events are made note of and become part of the overall design plan. Of course, as with all planning, flexibility is key. If I build a whole design around a certain plant and it is unavailable or not healthy, we need to quickly switch to Plan B. I love these spring projects from our portfolio and hope they inspire you in your planning.

Winter containers

Spring containers

Fall is the Berries.

Many people associate fall with beautiful foliage. Here in New England we are certainly blessed with leaves that run the gamut from yellow to peach to orange to red to burgundy to…well, you get the idea. A road trip to “leaf peep” reveals one breathtaking vista after another.  But I wonder, in our quest to find the most quintessential fall scene if we are overlooking something that might be right under our noses.

Berries.

Autumn is a wonderful time to appreciate berries as shrubs shed their leaves and allow the fruits of their labors to take center stage. Some of my favorites for great berries are the Viburnums. In fact, I believe no garden should be without a Viburnum. If you would like to learn more (and figure out which one is best for your garden) I highly recommend Michael Dirr’s book, Viburnums.

I currently have three viburnums in my garden. I love orange and Viburnum dilatatum ‘Tandoori Orange’ from Proven Winners is a showstopper with its bright orange berries. Viburnum dilatatum ‘Cardinal Candy’, also from Proven Winners, has the more typical red berries associated with the plant. I think my favorite is Viburnum dilatatum ‘Michael Dodge’ with creamy peachy/yellow berries; I had seen it years ago at an arboretum and finally found one which is now very much at home in my garden. 

Callicarpa, or Beautyberry, is another gorgeous fall shrub. Purple berries line the stems and are irresistible to birds. And speaking of birds, I once asked Joann Vieira, the Director of Horticulture at The Trustees of Reservations, what she would recommend as the best plant to attract birds and she said ilex verticillata, or winterberry holly; I have been working on a bird garden on my property and after talking with Joann I went right out and purchased several.

 

Container Gardens to Fall For.

Fall container gardens are some of the most fun (and challenging!) to create. Plant material must be able to handle temperature extremes since one day can be a balmy 70 degrees and the next can be in the high 30’s. So, what’s the trick for creating fall containers, like ours, that look good from September until the end of November? One word: foliage.

Creating a long-lasting fall container garden is not hard if you focus on foliage. There are many great, and colorful, options that you can incorporate into your fall designs. Cabbages, kales, Swiss chards (especially the Bright Lights series), heuchera, and euphorbia are all wonderful options. Cool season herbs and veggies like sage or lettuce are great fillers. Perennials like amsonia and bergenia can be planted in summer containers and allowed to transition into fall. As the weather cools the ferny foliage of the amsonia will turn buttery yellow and the leathery leaves of the bergenia will begin to tinge pink. 

Fall is such a beautiful time of year, why not keep the beauty going with your container gardens?