With the recent cold snap we can safely say winter is here!  So love it or hate it we thought we would give you the Workbox take on this ‘hard’ season.  This is the first of our seasonal articles which covers items of interest and things which should simply make you smile!

So let us begin with December, January and February – brrrrr the chilly months.  So having wrapped up well let’s have a look at what we might expect in the coming months….

December

Let’s start by making sure you are looking for the beauty of Christmas roses, snowdrops and winter jasmine flowering in the gardens – a real ray of light on the short days.

For those with a birthday in December, the Sagittarians amongst us the flower generally associated with this month is the Narcissus .  A flower which has come to mean respect, modesty and faithfulness.  And you’ll be interested to know that your birthstone is Turquoise which represents prosperity, success, happiness and good fortune.  Not a bad month to be born!

And for those hardy gardeners amongst you, there is no rest for the wicked – preparation and planning being the buzz words.  Top of the list is tidying up, clearing leaves from the lawn and washing down the greenhouse all in readiness for spring.  Cuttings can be taken from shrubs in order to fill the garden with extra plants for free and it’s also a good time to prepare the soil for new hedges or shrubs you may want to plant in the forth coming seasons.  Digging the ground over and adding compost or manure is a must do as it will provide an excellent start for any new purchases.  It’s also the time to be taking care of any delicate or tender plants by covering them to protect them from any severe frosts or snow.

 

Notable dates and events in December:   

December 21^st Winter Solstice – the shortest day, after this day we are on our way to summer!

December 25^th Christmas Day – Turkey dinner, fun and frolics

December 26^th Boxing Day – Turkey left over’s and brisk walks to burn of f yesterdays dinner

December 31^st New Years Eve – Party time!

And after all the excesses of the last week of December, we roll into the New Year and January – with vigour hopefully.

January

January’s often the coldest month of the year, so after you’ve re-cycled your Christmas tree take a brisk walk and be on the lookout for Hellebores, Winter Camellia and Pansies flowering in your gardens and in the wild.  Don’t forget about our little feathered friends.  Birds need fresh clean water and food to help them survive any real cold spells,

Our flower of the month is the Carnation (but you won’t see many of these in the gardens and growing houses of the UK).  Any carnations seen at this time will have been imported and be available from your local florist.  The Carnation has come to mean love, fascination, and distinction.  And even the colours of the carnation have a meaning, so choose your birthday flowers carefully

Red – My Heart Aches For You.

Pink - I’ll Never Forget You.

Yellow – You Have Disappointed Me.

If you don’t fancy giving flowers why not give the birthstone of the month – Garnet.  Garnet is a red coloured stone which is supposed to represent awareness, commitment, regeneration, insight and removing negativity.  And for the ever keen gardeners, have a break and take the time to sit in the warm and look through those seed and bulb catalogues and plan what you want to grow this year..

Notable dates and events in January:

January 1^st New Years Day  – time for making all those New Years Resolutions!

January 1^st Hogmanay –Scotland

January 6^rd Twelfth Night    (The Holly Man at Shakespeare’s Globe, London)

January 15^th Straw Bear festival (Cambridgeshire)  

January 25^th Burn’s Night – A feast to celebrate the life and poetry of the Scottish Robert Burns.

January 25^th St. Dwynwen’s Day – Welsh female patron saint of lovers

 

February

As we enter February the thoughts of Spring are ever more hopeful.  It’s still a little cold outside so don’t get too hasty planting out in the garden just yet.  The colour is gradually falling back into the garden with blooming Narcissus, Tulips and Snowdrops.  And of course who can forget the most romantic occasion in the calendar – Valentine’s Day.  So no prizes for guessing the flower of the month, yes you got it, it’s the Red Rose.  The traditional flower to send to your loved one.  However you may wish to break tradition and opt for an alternative bloom this year, in which case take a look at our article on ‘Flowers and their meanings’ to give you a few ideas.

February’s birth flower is the Violet, meaning faithfulness, humility, and chastity.  And did you know the violet is part of the Pansy Family.  You may however be spoilt for choice as there are between 400 – 500 different varieties.  I haven’t counted them all but have been given this information by good authority!

And just so you know the meanings of the colour you are sending, they are:

Violet – I’ll Always Be True

White / Cream - Let’s Take a Chance

Amethyst is the birthstone for February a beautiful purple coloured stone which represents stability, peace, balance, courage, inner strength, sincerity and calm disposition. Wow that’s impressive I wish my Birthday was in February!

Notable dates and events in February:

February 14^th Valentines Day

February 14^th Chinese New Year-2010 – This year is the year of The Tiger.

February 16^th Shrove Tuesday – Yummy yummy, pancake day!

February 17^th Ash Wednesday – The first day of Lent.

Written on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at 4:45 pm in the category Well fancy that!.
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