By Carol Cichorski, on January 22nd, 2013 Here we go again. I’m recommending another blogger to you and it’s not even ‘Favorites on the Fifth’, my regular day for doing so. I must admit I haven’t followed Kiss My Aster‘s author Amanda Thomsen, but I am intrigued by anyone who can get a gardening book published in today’s heading-to-paperless society. Amanda will be speaking at the Southtown Dahlia Club’s meeting on January 27th, and I’m very excited to be going. Mike and I usually attend the meetings for the Central States Dahlia Society, especially since he is now President. We’re going to accept Southtown’s gracious invitation to attend their meeting, and you are welcome as well.
Here is what Southtown Dahlia Club has to say about the meeting:
January Guest Speaker: “Kiss My Aster” Blogger, Amanda Thomsen
Nationally renowned garden blogger Amanda Thomsen will entertain us with a light hearted talk about designing an outdoor space that is exactly what you want.
Amanda is currently booked for a national speaking tour that includes the renowned Boston Garden Show in March 2013. Amanda’s much anticipated book “Kiss My Aster: A Graphic Guide to Creating a Fantastic Yard Totally Tailored to You” was just released in January 2013.
Amanda will give us a preview of her tour speech and will accept questions from the audience as to how we can adapt Dahlias into our landscape. Please plan on joining us for this humorous talk about outdoor landscape choices and ask your gardening friends to share in the laughs.
Additionally, Southtown Dahlia Club member, Corny Morgan, will give a PowerPoint demonstration showing New Dahlia Introductions from the 2012 season. 2012 introductions are eligible for a special award at our 2013 Show. Choosing show quality dahlia varieties will be a priority at this meeting.
Southtown Dahlia Club meetings are held the 4th Sunday of the month unless exceptions are noted. Meetings are held at the Crestwood Civic Center 14025 S. Kostner, Crestwood, IL 60445 from 1 pm until 3:30 pm.
By Carol Cichorski, on January 15th, 2013  Winter blooms – not around here.
Winter color – that we have.
I was a bit surprised to find so much color in my yard, as I didn’t really notice the range until I looked at the pictures. Could it be that you too have more color in your garden than you realize?
Granted, the brighter colors are surrounded by more brown than green, and the phrase ‘quantities are limited’ certainly does apply. Still, I have to admit that my quest for those non-existent blooms ended on a positive note. I’m sure you’ll have to agree that the bittersweet pictured to the right is attractive. I think this plant knows it has to do something outstanding in the winter for me to put up with it in the summer. It grows so fast that I sometimes think I need a machete, which is totally contrary to my low-maintenance mantra.
For a totally different color, we have the beautyberry branch, complete with purple berries. There aren’t nearly as many berries as there were in the autumn, but they get credit for being there at all. I wish this bush was in a more visible location.
The cotoneaster takes us in another direction again, with many clusters of red berries. This one is right by the front door, where we can appreciate the show.
Even the berm has color contrast. The pachysandra in the foreground is quite a different shade of green than the ivy, with both of those groundcovers being a different green than the mugo pine. Add the tall grass glowing in the sun, and this view out our bedroom window is nice to wake up to.
I do have to keep in mind that though my winter garden doesn’t begin to compete with the blooms of summer, it has its own beauty. I just have to look a little harder.
Do you want to know what else is blooming in the January garden? To see what other bloggers have blooming on the 15th of every month, visit May Dreams Gardens – Bloom Day for our Garden Bloggers’ Bloom day entries.
By Carol Cichorski, on January 10th, 2013 I want free tickets to the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, don’t you? Check out their Facebook page to see that you can win tickets by sending in pictures of their advertising.
 A CTA Bus Tail sent in by LaManda Joy of The Peterson Garden Project. I’m going to be watching out here in the ‘burbs and when I work downtown in a few weeks. Its kind of like an adult version of counting license plates from different states. It passes the time and is so much more fun than thinking ‘Are we there yet?’.
The Chicago Flower & Garden Show runs from March 9th to 17th at Navy Pier. I’ll be speaking on the 12th about ‘Creativity in the Garden’. Make a note that you can get $2.00 off tickets by purchasing online. I’m not going to do that though, because I’m going to win the free tickets. Feel encouraged to give me some competition.
By Carol Cichorski, on January 5th, 2013 Mike’s snowman pancake is pretty impressive. Now that’s my idea of creativity. Creativity that you can copy for breakfast tomorrow.
Ah, but the creativity that it takes to make a real snowflake; that is creativity on a whole different level. That’s creativity God-style, with a twist. I can just picture him thinking up the fluffy white stuff, then saying “but wait, each snowflake will be different. Millions and billions and gazillions of snowflakes, yes, I think each one will be different.”
Zone 5 gardeners, we finally have one on all of our warm weather friends. We can get up close and personal with snowflakes. Russian photographer Andrew Osokin did, with his macro lens. So for today’s Favorites on the 5th, I will send you (virtually of course) to appreciate the beauty of a snowflake without the bothersome weather factor.
My thanks to Regine for this great blog idea.
By Carol Cichorski, on December 29th, 2012  Here’s an easy idea for your yard in winter – display the sled. In our case, that meant Mike had to climb up into the deep dark recesses of the far corner of that attic, drag it down, and carry it to the yard. That’s ok. He had a few Christmas cookies to wear off, so it was good exercise. On second thought, it was only easy for me. I watched.
I got the idea from a house in Marengo a few weeks ago on their Holiday Housewalk. That sled had been taken to a whole different level when decorated with skates and greenery. Lynn and I go to the Holiday Housewalk every year. We are bound to come home with a treasure from the crafters. My calendar is already marked for next year’s walk on December 7th and 8th.
 Mike tried finding a pair of skates for our sled at Goodwill without success…yet. For now, our sled remains in clear sight on the back porch, reminding us of the way sleds were when we were kids.
And how about today’s kids? It seems to me that though things change, they still remain the same. Allie is safer in this plastic sled when John and Heather took her for a Christmas tree a few years ago, but the sheer joy of sledding remains.
By Carol Cichorski, on December 20th, 2012  I’m thinking it is time to start my Christmas shopping. After all, today is December 20th. I did take care of the important people – the grandkids. They were easy. Allie is 3 and loves crafts, just like Grandma. So I went on Pinterest and searched for preschool crafts. I printed out some pictures and used them as my shopping list. We did a sneak preview yesterday when she and I made star shaped ornaments for each member of her family.
 That Mike guy isn’t so easy. We’ve been around a while, married a while, and the good news is, we are past the stage of needing or wanting a lot. If you too have a gardener to shop for, and have noticed that Christmas is coming soon, here is an option for you – order dahlia tubers. They won’t ship now anyway, so it won’t look like you waited till the last minute. I’ll even give you a few suggestions of Mike’s favorites. After all, a recommendation from the President of Central States Dahlia Society will make it look like you really did your homework.
Mike’s first suggestion is always Kelvin Floodlight. Kelvin is a great performer, with dinner plate size blooms.
 The Santa Claus dahlia (pictured from Brecks) is huge and on Mike’s list, and is oh so appropriate for Christmas.
Consider printing the pictures and taping them to a piece of ½” rebar that is 5’ long. These are big flowers – they need a serious stake anyway, and the visual effect of the wrapped stakes will keep people guessing. The rebar you are seeing in the Woodland’s Wildthing picture below came from a big box home improvement store. Mike went the extra mile and painted it green. You could even do that. Let’s consider Woodland’s Wildthing to be a suggestion from me – Christmas Carol.
My other suggestion … Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!
By Carol Cichorski, on December 15th, 2012 My gosh, yesterday was December 14th and I was outside taking pictures without a jacket and it was painless. Painless until I saw this. Disclaimer: A very graphic and disturbing photograph follows. Please do not share this with overly sensitive gardeners. I take no responsibility for their nightmares at a time when sugarplums should be dancing in their heads.
I warned you. Are you sure you want to see this?
Last chance.
No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Make it no be true (as Maria would say in West Side Story). Continue reading Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – Planting Bulbs In December
By Carol Cichorski, on December 5th, 2012 Today we celebrate creativity. At least I do. In particular, I celebrate that I’ll be speaking about ‘Creativity in the Garden’ at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show on March 12th. The topic has intrigued me for a long time, and now it will be time for me to do something about it. Something creative. I’ve already got a folder on my computer named ‘Creativity in God’s Garden’. It’s been there for years, sort of a dumping ground for thoughts on creativity.
I’ve also got pictures and I’ll be looking for more (hint hint). Pictures that show creativity in all sizes. Like these kitty-approved table baskets we put together for my wedding many years ago.
And this really big hippo in the Butler’s garden in Indianapolis.
What else will I do for inspiration on the topic of creativity? Why, what I always do, of course – look around the blogosphere for help. I started today and found Allan Becker, Garden Guru. He has recommended two books on creativity that just made my Christmas list. Maybe they should be on yours too.
 From Art to Landscape 
What does Allan have to say about the books? You’ll just have to go to his site to find out. Because that is what I do the fifth of every month; I send you off to read another blogger.
By Carol Cichorski, on December 1st, 2012  Magnificent-Mile-Chicago, from USATravelWithUs.com  Max and Snookems have been gallivanting. They’ve been taking it easy since their appearance at the Chicagoland Flower and Garden Show last spring. It was time to get out for a Christmas shopping trip on Michigan Avenue. Neither of them drive. Of course not, they’re mannequins. So they reserved a Hummer limousine complete with driver, which gave them plenty of room to spread out for only $125 an hour.
Driving would have been much kinder to their credit card, as evening parking at the lot at Grand and State would have been $9 for 3 hours. Yes, they would have had to spend $10 at Nordstrom’s or one of the North Bridge shops to qualify, but that would have been easy for Snookems. She was so surprised to find that sox were $5.00 a pair at Nordstrom’s. She bought some for the maid.
 Jason Wu gown as pictured on the Neiman Marcus website Afterwards, they visited Neiman Marcus. Snookems is ready for New Year’s Eve. The colors of this Jason Wu Long-Sleeve Embroidered Lace Gown compliment her pale skin beautifully. The price of $8590.00 did not deter her.
Neiman Marcus’ Broadway Beckons package for $30,000 appealed as well. It included a walk-on role in Annie on Broadway, dinner with a producer, six show tickets, and all equity-related costs. She and Max had a serious discussion about this one, finally agreeing that a walk-on role could be a problem; her legs are a bit stiff these days. Her heart would have been broken, if she had one.
The $895.00 a night executive suite at the Drake was oh so Max and Snookems, and the Cape Cod Room was a lovely dining experience. Certainly, the hot entree and soup bar at Foodease in Water Tower Place would have been more reasonable. Fast, friendly, and healthy with a total bill of about $25.00 for two.
Had it been a Friday night from 6 – 7 PM, they could have enjoyed Caroling at Cloud Gate (The Bean). But then again, maybe not, as it was free.
Businesses in The Magnificent Mile district were spreading holiday cheer with holiday offers, but that was against their principles as well. Full-priced simply must be better.
Or not.
By Carol Cichorski, on November 26th, 2012  It’s all Chris Wagner’s fault. I went to Berthold’s Garden Center yesterday for a free demonstration of winter outdoor arrangements. I came home inspired. Till now, I’d been happy to enjoy every minute of autumn. I’d put off thinking about Christmas and the requisite decorating. You might argue that Christmas decorating is not requisite. I disagree. Once my brain gets wrapped around the opportunity to be creative, it’s relentless. Ergo, requisite.
So here we are 24.5 hours since I got home from Berthold’s and I need to wash my hands in mayonnaise. Yes, mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is the only ingredient you need to wash pine tar off of your hands. My hands are currently a tell-tale sign that I’ve been dealing with pine tar, in my case, pine tar from a fresh 25’ garland. I’ll be back in a minute when I’m done cleaning me up.
There, that’s better. The mayonnaise cleaned the pine tar, and then soap and water cleaned the mayonnaise. All is well in my world.
Step 1
I started by assembling my materials. Berthold’s Christmas tree seller may have garland, but he wasn’t fully set up yet, so we had to make a separate trip this morning to Costco. The pine cones came from my yard. Later, I scavenged a bit more and came up with bittersweet branches and hydrangeas. The ribbon doesn’t count. In the long run, I didn’t trust it for outside use.
Step 2
I used the sturdy electrical wire to tie the garland to the top of the garden gate, and I used the less visible floral wire for other places. Opt for the wire cutters over the garden shears. I quickly learned I had to.
Step 3
I wired the pine cones and bittersweet branches to the garland. I did the same with the hydrangeas. I don’t know how well the hydrangeas will survive our Chicago winter. That’s ok. I’ll consider that part a learning experiment.
Whola! Simple, natural, effective. Plus you get a twofer out of this. Notice the bottom of the garden gate. That netting is all it took to keep skunks out of our yard this year.
Do you need more inspiration? Check out your local garden center, or mine. Berthold’s, right here in my home town of Elk Grove Village, will have their Open House on December 8th. It will be complete with reindeer, hot apple cider, and more demos by Chris. While you’re there, you can even get your Christmas tree, decorations, gifts, a completed wreath or winter planter, and supplies to make your own winter arrangements.
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