Feeling a bit worn out by the hustle and bustle of the holiday season?  Try these easy, fast, yet oh-so-soothing plant therapies:

• Enjoy the heavenly scent of an evergreen (if you can’t get out into the woods, go to your nearest Christmas tree lot).  I mean, really enjoy the smell – take a few deep breaths and remember Christmases past or hikes in the mountains or whatever wonderful memory the fragrance evokes.
• Grow some paperwhites on your windowsill – they’ll flower in the gloom and snow of January and make you feel hopeful for spring.  Or, scoop up some of those amaryllis bulbs at the stores – they’re now on huge discount because they have no hope of blooming by Christmas, but you can enjoy their dazzling colour and beauty when they won’t be eclipsed by all the other decorations.   You might be able to find some narcissus and hyacinth bulbs for forcing – give them a shot as well.
• Enjoy your houseplants: take a few extra, quiet minutes to water them, deadhead and prune them where necessary…you’ll find that caring for them without hurry will make you feel really happy (not to mention, the plants will love you for it!).
•  Grow your own food:  sow a few microgreen seeds in a small, shallow dish in your kitchen window.  Green kale, for example, only takes about five days from seeding to harvesting, and a handful of  fresh, healthy greens that you grew yourself is a small gift to your palate (and a nutritious break from all those holiday cookies and eggnog!).

  

Have a blissful, peaceful holiday season and enjoy the time spent with your family and friends!   Merry Christmas from Flowery Prose!