I woke up this morning wishing for a big vase full of cut Viburnum bodnantense. Lucky for me, it is ever so happily growing in my garden.  I go outside in pajamas, slippers and with coffee and visit my shrub.

To force or not to force-that is the question. Should I wait the month for them to open naturally or take them in?

Felcos in hand I decided to walk around the garden. Checking in on my dear woody bloomers and making sure that there was not something else I should be snipping for arrangements.

AND then it hits! It feels too much like spring and I start fussing around in some sort of gardening autopilot. My January border is brimming with potential.

The quinces ‘cameo’ and ‘jet trail’ are budded up and ready for the forcing challenge but then there is Corylopsis glabrescens ‘longwood chimes’, which could look so nice cascading out of apothecary jars. Wait! Big branches of Magnolia stelatta and Cornus mas that I could place in large cylinder vases or display in tin fluted urns. And fragrance? What about Lonicera fragrantissima and the many witch hazels?

Since it was 40 degrees, I was able to slow down and take it all in. My coffee was starting to get cold. Slippers and fingers muddy from removing leaves from the base of a stewartia where scilia soon will be emerging. Last year on this very day I could have been shoveling 13” of snow and skating on the frozen vernal pool. I would happily be in winter hibernation where seed and plant catalogs with their tantalizing descriptions and glossy close ups would be enough for me.  Happy that my plants were all tucked in under the snow and were somewhat out of sight. Is this how global warming will affect us gardeners? An early onset of spring fever?

With too many choices to sort out with out a full cup of coffee in system, I decided to snip a few pieces here and there and start an experiment that I will share over the next few weeks: 6 great woody shrubs /ornamental trees that are great in the garden and lovely when utilized in arrangements. Stay tuned!  - Roanne

images from roanne robbins, rogerstone gardens, away to garden, the examiner, sweetbay 103, forest farm, and fantastic plants.  (links to come)

Do you know that this past few weeks has witnessed some particularly spectacular Aurora Borealis Displays in the far north? It is apparently due to a solar storm that has been showering our atmosphere recently. The Aurora Borealis is only visible in the north and likewise ‘borealis’ in plant nomenclature refers to northern plants – or plant from Northern areas. Given the high latitudes, it can generally be assumed that ‘borealis’ plants are pretty hardy. Care to see a few borealis plant? Visit my B is for Borealis board on Pinterest.

Image above of Jovibarba ‘Borealis’ is from Simply Succulents.  And the video below is a fascinating look at the dancing light of the most recent Aurora Borealis over Birtavarre, Norway.

I am off this weekend to the New York Gift show.  It is my first time attending, so I hope to find some exciting treasures to share with you.  If you are interested to follow along, Susan Cohan (my Leaf Magazine Co-Editor) will be sharing her finds all day on Saturday and I will be sharing mine all day on Sunday.  It will (hopefully) be a rapid-fire design inspiration event that will go down on the Leaflets tumblr blog and Leaf’s facebook page (take your pick for where you want to keep up with us)

Until then,  here are some other weekend things to ponder:

• I just discovered that someone I respect tremendously has written the book that I have long wished existed….not sure how I missed it, but here it is now.
• Is all this warm winter weather tricking you into thinking that summer is soon?  It is for me, and I am daydreaming about sleeping porches.
• Need Valentine Inspiration?  check out my column this week on Apartment Therapy.
• I have always been fascinated with these….can they really carry water?
• I LOVE the style of the these plant profiles for ‘Weeds’….er I mean ‘Spontaeous Urban Plants’….or as my mom would say – ‘Volunteers’.
• Who lives way up north? These are fantastic, but I want more!! Please Share!

image from pinterest

I am increasingly becoming a seed growing convert.  No, I am not rigging up crazy light contraptions in my home (in the absence of the dreamy greenhouse) but I am more frequently participating in a direct to the ground sort of experiment to get some great plants for less money than I would pay if I were to purchase grown-up potted plants.   My success rate is pretty splotchy, but when I only waste about $2.50 for a pack of seeds, I feel alot better than when I kill something that cost me twice as much.

California Poppy ‘Rosa Romantica’, Ageratum ‘Red Sea’, Cosmos ‘Rose Bonbon’,  Poppy ‘Falling in Love’ all from Select Seeds.

Enter Select Seeds.…which after a peruse this morning has me all inspired for Valentines Day.  I am scheming on some sort of seed based gifts for all my sweeties.   (I will share when the idea becomes fully formed)  but in the mean time…..checkout this fantastic collection of Rare and Heirloom seeds that I think would be so perfect for V-day.

Amaranth ‘Love-Lies-Bleeding’, Love-in-a-Puff, Primrose ‘Viennese Waltz’, and Kiss-Me-Over-the-Garden-Gate

It comes down to all the charming names for me and potential for Valentine cutesy-ness. Take (for example) Love-in-a-Puff (Cardiospermum halicacabum)!  What a fantastic name!  I simply must give this to someone.

But…it’s totally new to me, have you grown this?

Sweet William ‘Newport Pink’, Chinese Forget-Me-Not ‘Chill Out’, Love-in-a-Mist ‘Hispanica Mix’, Sweet William ‘Claret’

And these pretty Dianthus; Would you agree, seeds are really the only acceptable way to give carnations on valentines day??

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think this is a picture of a lavender garden.  I came across this image when putting together my last post about the Landschaftpark in Duisburg-Nord (which is where this was taken). Though I am not 100% sure that is what this is, as I study it, I think I see a huge variety of lavender plants, that have  different growth habits, textures, and color  and the result, when planted in strict rows, totally satisfies my stripe fetish.     (utterly appealing, don’t you agree?)

And if in fact, this isn’t all lavender, I am not sure that is at all relevant to me….because I have already been inspired to plant and grow  lavender (and other plants too) in this way.

image from josyannevanderdonk

I am charmed by the idea of dressing up container plantings — both inside and out — with little villages. These houses from Ontwerpduo in the Netherlands are safe to withstand the occasional water dousing (even though they resemble paper!).   It has me wondering what kind of architectural adventures I can create for all the things that live in my containers.

(images from ontwerpduo.)