Home for the Holidays

As part of this year's roof-top extension urban garden winterizing, (which I blogged about in a previous post), my Fagus sylvatica (Beech Tree), 'housed' in a lovely container, was removed from where it had been placed in what had been a frame for a table. You may recall what I wrote about this in an earlier entry and if not, please click here. In any event, the reason for moving the Fagus sylvatica was that it was located at the extreme northwest corner of my rooftop extension garden and very exposed to nature's elements. With winter-like temperatures setting in, I had to protect it by having the container wrapped twice in bubble-wrap, then 'sealed' with burlap tied tightly with jute, and then butt it up against the southeast portion of my roof extension garden. All the plants alongside where the Fagus had been located were treated in the same way and moved as well, where they could all huddle together, but placed in such a way as if they were sitting in an audience and each needed a good seat to see what was happening.

(I cannot take credit for this observation as it was Juan's, but I have had similar reactions to groupings of trees, plants, and shrubs, and in fact when I was in Vermont this past October, I mentioned to friends that in the Vermont countryside the trees looked as if they were giving a standing ovation.) An image of my garden treasures huddled together in an audience style facing west as they await spring can be seen below:

However, moving my trees, plants, and shrubs left my H.F. Young Clematis on its own in the extreme northwest corner of my rooftop extension garden to bear the elements of winter, as I could not disrupt its vine growth that has climbed up the pole behind it for many years (you can see a portion of its leaves on the pole in the photograph at the top of this post). I could only have the Clematis's container wrapped in burlap and have mulch placed over the entire plant as I put it to bed for winter. Meanwhile, (as I have mentioned before), there is something very calming about putting trees, shrubs, and plants asleep for the winter, and in seeing the 'empty' space this process leaves. But since it is the holidays, a time for decoration, and because this Sunday will be the last Sunday in Advent, I did not want my H.F. Young Clematis to be alone at Christmas; so in keeping with my finding uses for my garden table, I placed a decorated wreath (that I had inside my home in honor of Advent) in the rim so that my H.F. could feel that it too was home for the holidays.