Garden for the North Window

Years ago we were walking through a big box store and noticed a shelf full of plants living inside, under fluorescent lights. We assumed the plants were artificial. Curious, we picked one up for a closer inspection and discovered it was a living plant. We were surprised at how healthy it looked. We decided to buy one of the plants and put it in our windowless bathroom where it survived very well and provided a nice touch of greenery. As someone who loves a bit of greenery in every room, learning that plants could survive in windowless spaces has helped us outfit all corners of our home with plants.

North-facing windows are often considered inhospitable to plants, but even without direct sunlight, an indoor garden can thrive with the right light. With good window lighting, not only can greenery flourish, but some flowers can bloom! Watching life take root in an unexpected corner is a true delight, and discovering the perfect plants for such a spot can be an enjoyable challenge.

Here is a list of plants for you to choose from to get you started in making a cheery corner in your North window:

1. African violets (Choose from pink, blue, lavender, or white blooms.)

2. Kangaroo Vine

3. String of Hearts

4. Feather Ivy

5. Philodendron (common)

6. Caladium

7. Glacier Ivy

8. Windowleaf Philodendron

9. Piggyback plant

Pick out a few of your favorite plants, and enjoy a lovely garden in your North window. Happy gardening! xo

Bloomsbury Farm Winter Wreath

It’s Friday afternoon, and time for our family to head over the hill to Bloomsbury Farm. Fresh organic produce, stunning landscape, and a rotating selection of local beverage and food vendors make this place one of our favorite destinations just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. We arrive and are immediately greeted by my delightful friend and owner, Lauren. We chat about her farm and upcoming events, and then head into the farm shop to load our basket with goodies: winter squash, spinach, radish, beets, kale, collard greens, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, jars of salsa, a shot of wheatgrass, and homemade bread. A beautiful bounty of fresh goods. Next we check out the seasonal table of handmade goodies, and on this particular visit, we grab a simple wreath made from dried flowers.

The design of this wreath is very organic and lovely. I asked Lauren if we could try our hand at making a few ourselves. It’s the perfect nature craft for winter and the materials are simple. Let’s have a go!

To make your wreath:

1. Gather your materials: wire ring (we used a ring that was 11 inches in diameter, but any size would work), jute twine, and a collection of dried flowers.

2. Wrap the jute twine around the wire ring, ensuring that none of the metal is visible.

3. Across the diameter of the wrapped ring, wrap the twine across the center, creating strands of jute. (We wrapped ours back and forth 12 times.)

4. Place the individual stems of dried nature through the center band, weaving the nature in and out of the twine so it is snug and secure.

5. Add a little loop of twine at the top to hang the wreath.

The Bloomsbury Farm winter wreath is a creative way to spend an afternoon on a lovely, winter day. Gather your materials and a few friends to make them this season, and gift them to neighbors to spread some seasonal cheer. Happy winter! xo

Dried Floral Baubles

On a December afternoon before Christmas, our grandmotherly neighbor, Miss Norma, invited us into her home to make nature-inspired, dried floral bauble ornaments. It is always a treat to spend time with someone who is curious, continually learning something new, and eager to share in their creativity! We enjoyed sipping hot cocoa, listening to Christmas music, and adding bits of nature to simple holiday designs. We brought them home, hung a few on our tree, and used several as Christmas gift decorations. It is the most fun when a packaged gift is equally thrilling on the outside as on the inside!

Try making your own beautiful, dried floral baubles this Christmas season. The key to making these small ornaments is to use the tiniest dried plant materials: flax seed heads, mountain daisies, rosehips, and berries—to name a few. You can also add some shiny coordinating beads to create a pleasing, contrasting color scheme.

A few tips for crafting your dried floral baubles:

1. Create festive shapes. Buy ready-made plywood shapes at your local crafting store or be bold and make your own.

2. Apply the glue to the wood ornament and use tweezers to add your dried nature and beads.

3. Be creative. Use whatever bits of nature inspire you and have fun creating your festive, one-of-a-kind ornaments. 

Invite your own family, friends, or grandmotherly neighbor over to spend a cozy December afternoon crafting these simple dried floral baubles. And don’t forget the music and treats! Happy Christmas! xo