Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Inner and Outer Gardens – 9/26/2026

It’s that in-between time of year when lots of the plants that were “on Vacation” outside are coming in, and I have two gardens. The outer garden is almost all done, and the inner one if adapting to being inside and under the grow lights again.

The inner garden is part of my plan to flood my dining room with cheerful light and green growing things during the winter, when we get little daylight and no outside greenery. I suffer from a bit of wintertime blahs, and I find the light therapy and the greenery to be a real mood boost.

Many of the plants being brought in are plants that will take the additional light and flower. The flowers add to the mood boost.

There are also herbs, and among the herbs is a big, bushy Rosemary plant that has doubled in size this year. This plant has a place of honor on the dining room table every Christmas, when we decorate it with tiny ornaments to provide some holiday cheer at every meal.

The big plant that comes in early December is our potted miniature spruce. It’s our living Christmas tree and will be covered with decorations between the living room and the dining room from mid-December until the Twelfth Day. It’s a careful dance with the weather to get it out during a mild spell so it adjusts to being back outside. I usually swath it with remay plant cloth to insulate it until it’s readjusted.

So my inner garden is as important as the outer one, but usually gets less attention in the blog. This is its time of year.