Winter Solstice is a celebration for optimists. Six months of ever-diminishing sunlight leads up to this, the day with the longest, darkest night. If you weren’t an optimist or schooled in the rational ways of the world you might expect the days to diminish into perpetual darkness–No wonder the Mayan Long Count Calendar ends on this day in 2012. A pessimist could see this day as the beginning of the end of time.
But I know things are about to change. The duration of the sunlight I find so precious is about to start to increase. The plants that are beginning to sprout will take advantage of the extra light and grow faster and run headlong into California’s manic late-winter, early-spring season of flowering and regeneration. Call me an optimist. It may be tough now, but to appropriate the words of Dan Savage in his campaign to fight bullying of LGBT young persons, It gets better!
Here’s a brief white-themed gallery in case you’re dreaming of a white solstice. We have no snow to offer you, but instead how about some bright white flowers, some white leaves to get you into the mood?
Have a warm and safe holiday, everyone, whether the white stuff around you is snow, foliage or blooms. It’s all about to get better, soon.
Beautiful photos and a timely reminder. In previous years I had multiple count-downs working towards this day (on a calendar at work, a calendar at home, etc), however this year I’ve not been drug down by the lack of light. One of the unexpected benefits to being unemployed I suppose, actually being able to see the garden everyday not just on the weekend.
white is light! thanks for brightening up my day! it does get better!
I am so glad we have reached the Solstice and the days will start to get longer. Found it very hard going to and from work in the dark.
Love the Limonium perezii – off to see if it is available here
Have a good Christmas
Love your choice of winter whites. Carpenteria is such an elegant shrub, one I prefer to any camellia. I need to check some of your past blog posts to see what you did with your soil for natives, whether choosing to amend or not.
James, your winter whites are lovely. We are having the other kind of white solstice here; I awoke this morning to the sight of big fat snowflakes. You, I imagine, are having a wet solstice — not dangerously wet, I hope. Happy holidays!
A nice collection for the winter solstice. The whites the ones that still show when I get home after dark this time of year. Happy solstice.
I love white flowers and silver foliage in any landscape design. It brightens things right up. I have to second Denise, since Carpenteria is one of my favorites too!
Winter whites are awesome….
Merry Christmas…
Great pic of the white sage. And nice way to work in the “It gets better” project. Happy solstice.
What lovely whites–I also love Carpenteria, but don’t expect to see mine bloom in the toasty East Bay till well into spring. Also loved your thoughts on solstice. My heart always does a little happy dance knowing that the days will be lengthening. I think one should always give a little nod or shout-out or prayer (or whatever one’s inclination is) to the sun to thank it as it starts its return journey. This year we had a cool lunar eclipse to accompany solstice, which was quite special too.