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Greetings!
Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Me neither! It's hard to get in the Christmas spirit when it's over 80 degrees outside, but we'll have to give it a try.
The long-range forecast calls for a pretty good cold front the week before Christmas. I think that would be delightful - a cold front without a freeze! :)
 | | Holiday bell instead of a hanging basket! |
As we did last year, we are celebrating the independent and original artist in our gallery. Every single thing inside the gallery space is hand-made by a local artist or craftsperson. I know you can find something a gift as unique and wonderful as your special loved one.
 | | This is the one I want! |
Artist JZ Selewach has a new series of watercolor paintings, very reasonably priced at $50 each. Lee Steiner has brought us several different new books and journals, including Christmas journals. And we are so happy to have new works by Jo Edwards. I know you will love Golden Sky, pictured below.
 | | Golden Sky, Jo Edwards |
We've also been making plenty of custom arrangements for gifts. Whether you bring in your own empty container or choose one of ours, I'm sure we can put together something extra-special for your child's teacher, your holiday hostess or anyone at all on your Christmas list!
 | | Lee Steiner's Books |
There are no more classes scheduled until the beginning of the year, and we're still planning events, classes & workshops. If you've got an idea or a teacher to suggest, please get in touch! We are always looking for fun, new ideas. I'd love to hear from you!
And for you seed-starters, I'm expecting the first batch of 2013 seeds to arrive next week. It's never too early to start thinking about tomatoes, is it?
Thanks for signing up for our email newsletter! Come see us soon! |
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CASA Home Tour 2013
This Friday and Saturday mark the 21st year of the home tour benefiting Child Advocates of Fort Bend. The volunteers & staff of CASA advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children, particularly when the courts are involved. Through the Court-Appointed Special Advocates program, CASA assigns a volunteer to every single child in CPS custody in our county.
 | | From the 2011 Tour |
A significant portion of CASA's budget comes from the proceeds of the home tour, while the expenses are very low. So many in our community volunteer for this special organization that most of the money raised goes directly to services.
 | | From the 2010 Tour |
This year, there are tour houses in First Colony, Lakes of Williams Ranch, Lake Pointe, Sienna Plantation, and Sweetwater. Tour hours are Friday, December 7 from 10:00am to 4:00pm and a candlelight tour from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Then Saturday, the tour continues from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Tickets are $25.00 and can be purchased at Kroger's or Randall's stores and online.
 | | Be a hero. |
Go, enjoy the holiday decorations and the lovely homes and more importantly, know that you are supporting a very worthy organization. |
Christmas Cactus & Cyclamen
These are two of our favorite holiday plants! Here are a few hints to keep them happy and healthy.
 | | Beautiful long flowers. |
Christmas cacti are jungle plants native to tropical forests, where they are adapted to living in the crotches of trees. You can imagine what that's like: plentiful water, but the roots never, ever remain saturated. Try to duplicate that environment when you water. Use a fast-draining soil, as for cactus and succulents. Keep the soil barely moist. Water when the top 1 inch is dry to the touch and then only lightly. If you're keeping your plant indoors for the holidays, make sure to put it in bright light. Plants cannot thrive in dark places.
The Christmas cactus is actually a fine outdoor plant for our area, and only needs to be protected if a frost or freeze is forecast. Once the holidays are over, it's best to move it back outside where it can get bright light but no hot afternoon sun. Christmas cacti are day-length sensitive and it's the combination of cool temperatures and longer nights that causes them to come back into bloom. For yours to rebloom, make sure you leave it outside where it can experience the natural day-length and temperature cycles. Make sure it's not near a security light or porch light that will interfere with the hours of darkness needed for buds to form. Once the plant forms buds again next year, it's okay to move it back inside. If you can see visible flower buds, it will flower in the house regardless of light or temperature.
 | | Rich holiday red! |
Cyclamen are our go-to plants for shady areas. They sport large colorful flowers that are very showy but did you know that some colors are more fragrant than others? I find that the pink is the most fragrant of all -- it's almost like it has been perfumed! Cyclamen also have beautifully patterned leaves, so make a space for them in a container where you can really appreciate their beauty up close.
If you like, you can keep your cyclamen indoors for up to a month before moving it back outside where it will appreciate the higher light levels. Water frequently to keep the soil moist, but make sure you're not saturating the roots. Lately we have been watering our outside cyclamen every other day, but indoor plants will require much less water. For best results, keep water off the leaves and remove spent flowers. If the old flowers fall on the foliage, it can cause fungal problems.
 | | I wish email had scratch 'n sniff! |
Cyclamens planted outdoors will continue to grow and bloom until the weather gets warmer. Although some people report success with getting cyclamen to survive our summers, it's an iffy proposition. If you want to try, though, here are some tips.
 | | Cyclamen tuber: photo courtesy Clemson.edu |
Either move the entire potted plant to a cool dark place or dig up the little tuber. Stop watering. Repot with fresh soil in August or September with about a third of the tuber above the soil line. Water and move to bright shade, but no afternoon sun. By Thanksgiving you should have good foliage and a few leaves.
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Please stop by and visit! Have a glass of world-famous lemonade (or a beer!) -- we'd love to meet you!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barrow
Papershell: A Garden Gallery
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Holidays!
Monday, December 25 through Tuesday, January 1
Papershell will be closed the week between Christmas & New Years. We may even go home early on Christmas Eve, so get your shopping done early!
During the holiday I will be checking email, so please get in touch if you have a gardening question.
Peace be with you this holiday season and we'll see you on January 2!
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