Baby ivy

When January rolls around, I am always ready to put the holidays behind me and move on to planning the garden for spring.


My family complains that I am much too quick to take down the tree and all the decorations, but I figure... after December 25... who needs decorations? I try to be good, and leave things at least until New Year's day. If I think they might not notice in their Christmas chocolate stupor, ( The Dutch chocolate letter tradition taken waaay to far!) things come down on New Year's eve day.


January 2 found me at my favorite local seed store, Apache Seed to see what goodies they might have. I like to start pansies at the beginning of January so they can be put out early if the weather cooperates. No intriguing pansy seed could be found. (although you can be sure I didn't leave empty handed... but more on that another day!)


My next stop was Rona to see what they might have in. Imagine my disappointment to find no seeds only leftover Christmas things!


You'd think they would know I was coming! Unwilling to leave without at least a little stroll through the greenhouse area, I came across this good deal... little baby ivy for .95. If they can be kept alive through the winter ( and that's a big if!) they will be a nice size by spring and can be used in my hanging baskets .


As I am incapable of just putting the little pots under lights and calling that good enough, I continued wandering around, looking for inspiration on how to display them until spring. I found a terracotta saucer and that gave me an idea... I still had some nice gravel at home... I could put them together like this.....