Hello and Happy New Year friends!  Thank you for the pleasure of your company in this moment.  I hope you are curled up in your favorite chair and have time to read through this beautiful poem.  

To me, this poem captures the season of discovering anew who you are at the core when everything feels stripped away.  I see these trees, seemingly stark and bereft of beauty, having let go of all their leaves.  Letting go of old expectations feels restful as everything around me is still and quiet.  For me, January is a homecoming. It’s coming back to the seed part of me that holds the mystery of who I am.  

I have kept up a habit of journaling and reading poetry, and this poet has been a gem.  Wintering is a great book to read after all the fizz and sparkle of the New Year Celebrations are over.  My birthday (in the first week of the year) is past after celebrating with a lovely dinner at Grisette, and lunch with friends.  Now the stillness of the season finds me.  I am thinking of what I want to bring into the New Year and what I want to let go.  January is inviting me to be still. 

And yet, there are so many things I want to accomplish and have plans for this year.  I take comfort in the poet Rumi’s words, “What you seek, is seeking you.”  I trust that what is meant for me will find me…I won’t miss out!  The clues are in the soil, where that tiny seed, that core part of me resides.  In the stillness, if I take time to listen and see what sparks my curiosity, I will not miss what is meant for me.

In the stillness, I can hear better.  I have seeds of joy I would like to grow this year.  Seeds of Gardens.  Seeds of learning about nurturing natural havens humming with life.  Seeds of poetry.  Seeds of hope…creating gardens that are a heartfelt expression of what brings you joy, and nurtures our natural world.  What are you longing to create this year? 

May I suggest a garden?  A garden gently reminds us that we are nature, and calls us home to ourselves.  I believe that when create a haven at home, we replenish our reserves of joy.  When we are full, we have the capacity to care for others.  

Like never before, we are being called to be present for ourselves and our natural world. Taking time to create a haven that replenishes you and supports the natural world will bring you so much joy.  And that is what I am wishing for you this new year, to discover new reserves of joy so that we many all flourish together.  It all begins with a seed.  Small steps taken, one at a time, together we find our way. 

RVA IMMERSE 

New this year, I am excited to introduce The Living Haven Series: a collection of writings, poetry, and reflections.  This series explores the immersive, healing relationship between people and the natural spaces we create.  Stay tuned for more ways to support your relationship with nature. 

To kick off the Living Haven Series, I am inviting you to an event hosted by Capital Trees.  We will dive into the healing relationship between people and nature, and how to practice this in our own gardens.   I am so happy to be a sponsor for this potent speaker event: The New Garden Ethic: Rewinding for People, Place and Pollinators on January 15th at 7pm.  I hope to see you there!!  Register here. 

The Valentine Museum team and our community are mourning the loss of Bill Martin.  If you would like to honor his memory, memorial gifts support the redesign of the Valentine Garden, a project that mattered deeply to him.  Gardens are healing places for our broken hearts to mend.  

WINTER SYMPOSIUM & CVNLA SHORT COURSE Everyone is welcome. Registration is now live for the 2026 Winter Symposium & CVNLA Short course held on Wednesday, February 11 and Thursday, February 12 to hear from regional and international experts on how gardeners have the profound power to become catalysts for wellness, connection, and ecological restoration through our approach to planting, design, and the creation of shared greenspaces.

Find your Nature wants us to connect you to RVA outdoors…Learn all about our Virgina marsupial, the Opossum! Maybe you will see one in your backyard.  I sure did!!  My dog Kirby was quite concerned, but I told him this furry invader eats ticks and to please chill out. 

COOL NATURE STUFF THAT CAUGHT MY EYE

Did you know Wolves could be lifesavers? This article explores have wolves in the Midwest and Canada have altered deer behavior to prevent car crashes.  Worth a read. 

How to be a Lichen: Adaptive Strategies for the Vulnerabilities of Being Human from Nature’s Tiny Titans of Tenacity.  Such a fun read about being resilient.  Lichens invite us to “ become a pioneer of possibilities amid the ruins of before.”  How I needed to hear this.  

Climate Conscious Gardening Checklist. Practical ways to incorporate practices that support your world.  

Calling Ecological Gardeners.  Margaret Roach is offering online courses.  Zoom and learn how to maximize biodiversity.  

GARDEN GUIDANCE

It’s not to late to dream, to plan, and to create a plan for your Spring Garden!!  Now is the perfect time to begin a garden journal, or sketch a plan.  For new gardeners, here is a guide just for you.  

LET’S BE A GARDEN DESIGNER TOGETHER…

First, CREATE A WISH LIST. Ask yourself what type of space are you looking to create.  A space for entertaining? A space for a cutting garden?  A place to invite in more nature?  Create some clarity about is most important to you.  Temper this with how much time you have to weed and water. 

Second, NOTE YOUR UNIQUE FEATURES.  Sometimes perceived challenges can be an asset.  For example, a wet area can become a rain garden.  A dry shady area can be the perfect place to site a backyard patio. 

Third: PLAN AROUND YOUR SUN AND SOIL.  Use the compass app on your phone to note the directions in your garden.  This will help you create a sun “map” of your yard.  Understanding the amount of sun or shade your garden receives is really important.  It helps with the spatial arrangement of your garden, and guides what plants will be happy in your space. You can also test your soil to discover the pH to inform your plant choices. 

Fourth:  MEASURE YOUR SPACE & CHOOSE YOUR MATERIALS.  If you have ambitious plans, you may not want to call in professional help from a designer or contractor to help draw up a plan, and help decide materials and plants.  But you have nothing to lose by drawing up your dimensions on graph paper and giving it a go.  A good ratio for plants and hardscape (patios and walkways) is 50:50.  This makes your garden feel like it holds the house and gives your area a sense of privacy.  Draw in your patio, walkways, garden bed spaces, and lawn areas. Use a garden hose, string and stakes, or spray paint to see how it works in your space.  Ideally your hardscape is completed first so that you don't trample new plantings or lawn. 

Fifth:  ADD IN YOUR PLANTS.  Your local garden center can be a wonderful resource.  After you identify your sun (sun, part sun, shade), soil (most likely clayey) and drainage, you will be able to dial in some choices for Trees, shrubs, and perennials. I highly recommend planting some native plants for their beauty and support of your local bees and birds.  Think about what colors you would like in your garden.  Look for plants that offer evergreen interest as well as plants that offer foliage (leaf) changes and texture differences.  If this part is daunting, a garden designer can be such a help. This is the artistry in your garden, and should be a fun and engaging way for you to be in nature. Have FUN! 

WINTER TIPS FOR THE GARDEN 

Skip the Salt.  One of the best ways we can contribute to a healthy James River is to reduce salt pollution by skipping the salt. Here is a great resource from the James River Association. 

Just Leave it.  I’m hopeful you have heard about the magic of leaving your leaves.  Leaves are Nature’s love notes to you and nourish the soil beneath your trees.  Lawns will not do well with leaves, and must be removed.  Thankfully, your garden beds are the perfect place for your leaves to break down and provide a custom made source of nutrition for your soil, as well as a nursery for future pollinators.  Leave a 3-5 inch layer and they will be gone by Spring.  Some exceptions are: waxy leaves (like Magnolia leaves) that don’t break down or TOO many leaves that are building up in your beds.  Maybe you shred some, compost some, or create a leaf pile in a corner to create a habitat.  If this practice is new to you, here is a great resource.  Maybe start with one bed and see the difference in soil health next year! 

NATIVE PLANT SPOTLIGHT

Have you met the River Birch tree?  River Birch (Betula nigra) trees are simply a gorgeous feature tree in the winter garden.  Their layers of exfoliating bark that peels to reveal layers of browns, grays, and creams is a stunning feature when the garden is quiet.  River Birches are native to much of the Eastern United States, from New England to Florida and into Texas and lower Midwest.  

Where does River Birch like to grow?  You will find it growing along the James River watershed along riverbanks and they are happy with occasional flooding.  This makes them a natural fit for a rain garden or bioswale in your home garden.  

In the Spring, tiny flowers bloom and tiny cone like fruit appear in late spring.  You may not notice them, but the flowers and fruits are valuable to pollinators and birds.  Oval shaped green leaves emerge in Spring and the foliage turns yellow in the Fall.  Their habit is single or multistemmed, and I love selecting a multi stemmed specimen for garden interest. 

River Birches are hardy and grow quickly in moist, acidic soil with organic mulch to keep roots cool and conserve moisture during the hot months. ‘Heritage’ River Birch is 40-60 feet wide spread and 40-60 feet height so make sure you have enough room. ‘Dura Heat’ River Birches have a smaller spread 15-20 feet and smaller height 30-40 feet.  They especially heat tolerant and has lighter bark than Heritage. Another great native tree for you home landscape. 

Gardens are nature’s love notes, reminding us to care for ourselves.  Please reach out if I can help you create your haven at home. 

-See you in the Garden, Wendell