Presidents Message
Maplewood Garden Club’s President Monthly Message
January 2026
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I wish you all good things in 2026! I hope that at least, we see a lot of better weather!
JANUARY-BRRRR. Winter is here but don’t worry as of 22-Dec we are already getting one more minute of light each day. Even though our gardens are frozen and asleep, there are a few plants that you can get to provide some color and interest in your winter garden.
Christmas ferns, which are native to our area, stay green even in the coldest temperatures. They have been used for winter decorations for many years. We sell them at the Garden Club Plant Sale. I received two small winterberry hollies from the local Facebook group this fall.
Winterberry produces bright red berries which are a delight in the winter garden, and provide food for the birds. You need a male and female plant to get the berries. Mine are babies now.
I also have Eastern Teaberry that I bought at one of our meetings. Teaberry is native to our area. It is a low growing shrub, more like ground cover in my opinion. The leaves stay green, and red edible berries delight you all winter long. Teaberry (also known as winterberry) was used to make chewing gum in the past. Close to home, in Pittsburg is the D.L. Clark Company makes Clark’s Teaberry gum. The picture of my teaberry is not that impressive. I have to move it. My hellebores are covering it.
This leads me to another plant that gives some interest to our winter gardens, Hellebores. Their leaves start to grow as winter arrives and they flower in February or March. Red Twig Dogwood is another native that adds color all winter long. I have Yellow Twig Dogwood which brightens these dark days.
Here is some poetry to remind you that hope is always there:
Whispers Beneath the Frost
In winter’s grasp, the earth lies still,
Beneath a sheet of crystal chill.
The seeds, they dream in slumber deep,
In frozen beds, they softly sleep.
Encased in frost, their laughter fades,
Yet hope resides in quiet shades.
In silence, secrets tightly spun,
Await the dance of warming sun.
With bitter winds, the stories sing,
Of life reborn with breath of spring.
A gentle thaw, the whisper’s cue,
A symphony of soil and dew.
As sunbeams pierce the icy veil,
And tender rains begin to hail,
The Earth reclaims her vibrant grace,
To usher life in every space.
From seedling dreams, the green will rise,
In bursts of color, ‘neath the skies.
A tale of patience, time unbound,
In gardens rich, where hope is found.
So heed the lessons winter teaches,
In every frost, potential reaches.
For in the dark, the seeds hold tight,
And wait to bloom in glorious light.
Have a very happy and safe holiday season!
~ Virginia Nordberg
president@maplewoodgardenclub.org
