December 21st, the shortest day of the year. I'm not a physicist, but if Einstein had studied gardening, he would have discovered his theory of relativity faster because time expands or contracts as we dig in the dirt. The relativity of garden time was reinforced for me by a recent article by Harriet Gross entitled “How Pottering Around in the Garden Creates a Time Warp.” My theory is a little more detailed: I have experienced time slowing down and speeding up And standing still while gardening.
Spring is a hectic sprint between downpours and a transition between normal work and personal obligations. In June I hold my breath and oversee my green kingdom, but with dingy clothes and a trowel instead of an ermine cloak and scepter. July is a sprint to have fun, tackle espaliering and harvesting while hosting patio dates. The August season fluctuates nervously as I think about fall planting or doing nothing but eating vegetables slooooowwww Time until the hustle and bustle of autumn. September and October are the right days to plant and plant as many seeds, plants and bulbs as possible while trying to escape our changeable weather.
Join us for an afternoon of inspiration and community as we honor six incredible women who are moving Milwaukee forward in the spirit of our longtime publisher Betty Quadracci.
You may be surprised to know that until recently I was afraid of houseplants. I drowned my first orchid when I was 13. Every now and then, when someone gave me an orchid, I asked: What do you have against this plant? That changed a few years ago when my buddy Shawn gave me a cute succulent in an even cuter pot. Succulents prefer my neglect of watering, so we match. I expanded my indoor potting empire by visiting Urban Sense on Vliet Street. I currently have an orchid in the living room that my other friend Katie gave me – let's see if I can bring it back to life when it loses all of its delicate white tiger tooth flowers.
My biggest takeaway is that just like gardening outside, nature knows how to take care of itself.
My cute pots remind me that this is the time of year to think about gardening gifts for family, friends or yourself. I want to mention again the green clippers I purchased at GoodLand Home and Goods on Downer Avenue. To wake up your sad gardener, check out the Wild Ones online bookstore for some great reading suggestions. Here you will find my current favorites Light eater by Zoë Snaker and How can I help? by Doug Tallamy.
Joe Gardener mentions 17 books (plus a few extras) in his podcast episode #440. What stands out for me is that of Sarah F. Jayne nature's action leader, This expands the different steps we can all take to make our landscapes more people- and life-friendly, and Plant Sapiens: Unmasking Plant Intelligence by Paco Calvo with Natalie Lawrence. If your local bookstore doesn't have these in stock, have them order them for you. Just as we feed our local soil, we also feed our local businesses.
How about supporting the groups that are committed to the well-being of the earth and its inhabitants? Consider purchasing memberships or donating in your gardening friend's name to a number of environmental groups committed to conservation, such as the Wild Ones, the Aldo Leopold Foundation in Baraboo, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and the National Wildlife Federation, which sponsors a wildlife habitat certification program. This year I donated to the National Park Federation and the American Bird Conservancy to protect our lands and endangered species.
When I was 20, I signed up for my university's exchange program in France. Since I only had about 36 days of classes (by my estimate), I learned to read train schedules and find cheap hostels to immerse myself in the world of art history (the gardening part came much later).
On the winter solstice that year, I found myself in front of a huge astronomical clock in the Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg. A lightbulb went on: Instead of getting upset about winter, I was going to do it celebrate instead, the shortest day of the year. Those few extra seconds of sunlight starting December 22nd are invisible as the winter sky is covered in cotton clouds, but I take comfort in knowing they are there.
Under the watchful eye of Persephone, we all celebrate the solstice, December 21stst2025. Host an outdoor party with hot mulled wine, roast marshmallows over a roaring fire, and burn some diseased plants that won't fit in the compost. Then go back inside and count the green beans while dreaming about the coming year.
It's been a good gardening year, despite the weather whiplash, and I look forward to sharing even more green joy with you in 2026!
A few gardening resources
More places to give gifts
Training
- Joe Gardener is a prolific provider of information. Check out his website, podcasts and videos on all things gardening.
- Read the Old Farmer's Almanac – now the almanac because, um, we're not that old, are we? – for gardening tips, a free guide to starting a garden, as well as weather forecasts, moon phases, sunrise and sunset times, a veritable buffet of things that interest gardeners.
- The University of Wisconsin Horticulture, Division of Extension offers online gardening programs to help you get through the winter
- Want to help your neighbors source inexpensive local seeds for their own garden? Host a winter seeding party! Check out Homegrown National Park's story about Liz Myers-Chamberlin, who helped sow the seeds of native perennials with her neighbors, and download the free party guide for your own winter wonderland from seeds.
Native Nurseries in Wisconsin
Information about sustainable gardening
- National Wildlife Federation: How to Create and Certify Wildlife Gardens
- Wild Milwaukee: Download the Wild Ones Milwaukee-specific landscape design by landscape architect Danielle Bell of Native Roots, Milwaukee. This template describes all the ecosystems that can exist in a garden and provides you with a plant list to start your native plant journey
- The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District, in collaboration with Fresh Coast Guardians, provides resources and references for anyone who wants to help protect our waterways, create a more vibrant landscape, and sustain the bees, beetles, and other creatures that have co-evolved in our region. Download your natural landscape plan here
- For information about conservation and protection of species and their habitats, see the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan. I've taken the names of some rare native species from this list!