Poinsettias are a wonderful worldwide holiday tradition. In fact, next to a Christmas tree, nothing else says Christmas quite like poinsettias. Displayed alone or in groups, they can add a festive splash of color to every décor. From a centerpiece on a holiday table to a miniature plant decorating the corner of an office desk, to a colorful hanging basket that can brighten any room, the poinsettia is the perfect holiday gift.

So how did poinsettias become so popular at Christmas--and where do they come from? According to Mexican legend, a poor Mexican girl named Pepita who could not afford a gift to offer to Christ on Christmas Eve picked some weeds from the side of a road. The child was told that even a humble gift, if given in love, would be acceptable in God's eyes. When she brought the weeds into the church and laid them at the feet of the Christ child, they bloomed into red and green flowers, and the congregation felt they had witnessed a Christmas miracle.

Poinsettias are native to the tropical forest at moderate elevations along the Pacific coast of Mexico and some parts of Guatemala. They are named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Ambassador to Mexico, who introduced the plant in the U.S. in 1825.

Poinsettias have come a long way from their humble beginnings. For years only variations of red flowers were propagated and grown. But now there are hundreds of color varieties available ranging from traditional shades of red, pink and white to burgundy, peach, striped, flecked and hand-dyed varieties.

Poinsettias are fairly easy-going, and with proper care can last long past the holiday season. Just click on the link below for a complete care guide including tips for re-blooming the following season.

We have an outstanding selection of poinsettias in every color including a number of new varieties, such as 'Electric Orange' and 'Polly's Pink.' The sooner you purchase your poinsettias, the sooner you and your friends will be able to enjoy the unique holiday beauty that only they can provide. So hurry in and pick some up today while supplies last!

Check out our Poinsettia Care Guide (click here).

Everyone loves a secret place they can run to when they want to get away from the stress of everyday life--a quiet, secluded spot for times of reflection or privacy. Wouldn't it be great if you could create a place like that right in your own backyard?

Often an unfinished side yard or a hidden corner can be turned into a cozy nook for sitting and relaxing. It can be as simple as adding a bench or a garden swing under an arbor and surrounding the area with colorful, fragrant plants and flowering vines to stimulate the senses. In fact, any outside space, from a balcony to an acre estate, can benefit from including a nook.

First, think about your purpose for the nook. Perhaps it could be a place for morning coffee, a place to sit and read, or a quiet spot for an intimate dining space with a loved one or friends. The key is to make it secluded and partially hidden from the rest of the yard or home. You can create this by using taller plants, a lattice or an arbor that narrows and defines the entrance but invites discovery.

It's important to create boundaries for your nook. Try to enclose at least three sides by incorporating existing walls, fences, trees, and strategic plantings. Another way to define a nook's space is to use a different type of surface from the rest of the yard. This could include brick, pavers, a wood deck or a concrete pad surrounded by ground cover. Consider a cover overhead, such as a pergola, and outdoor lighting.

Now it's time to add greenery for color and texture to your space. Start with fragrant plants for privacy such as butterfly bush, lilac, michelia or even a bush or small tree. Colorful tall shrubs to consider are nandina, plumbago, smoke bush or physocarpus (Ninebark). Perhaps you'd like a small focal tree such as a Rose of Sharon or a tree rose.

Add a few colorful vines or a climbing rose. Now fill in the area with more fragrant plants such as calycanthus, chamomile, gardenia, jasmine, lavender, lemon balm, monarda or scented geraniums. Fill in any leftover space between plants with fragrant mint, thyme or verbena.

Make sure that whatever furniture you use is comfortable, whether it is a simple garden bench, bistro set or patio table and chairs. Now add some elements for sound, such as a waterfall, fountain or a set of wind chimes. Touch up the area with a colorful glazed vase-shaped container and you'll be set to go!

Make sure the view looking into your nook is as good as the view looking out. Having a great view will add to the pleasure of your time spent there. Using these principles, you will create a cozy nook that will give pleasure to everyone who visits and uses the space.

Finishing Touches

Try to include some greenery in your nook if it isn't there naturally. It will add color, texture and luxury to the space. If you can, include a favorite piece of whimsy that personalizes your nook.

Decorating the house with fresh greenery is one of the oldest winter holiday traditions. People have been decorating with greenery since the 1800s, with some homes elaborately decorated with garlands of holly, ivy, mountain laurel and mistletoe hung from the roof. Other homes went a simpler route, with greenery and boughs in the window frames and holly sprigs stuck to the glass with wax.

Today, decorating for the holidays with fresh greenery is more prevalent than ever. Greens such as cedar, ivy, pine, and holly add a fresh look and natural scent to our homes, and are good to use since they dry out slowly and hold their needles well. Hemlock, spruce, and most broadleaf evergreens can also be used, but will last longer if used outdoors.

In addition to using greenery in traditional methods such as wreaths, garlands and table centerpieces, you can also create beautiful arrangements in window boxes, pottery or vases. The key is to either immerse the cut ends in water before arranging or place them in an oasis inside the container, which you can keep moist.

Besides the more commonly used evergreens, consider using other plant parts such as acorns, berries, dried flowers, cones, seed pods and branches of dormant plants such as pussy willow or forsythia to give added color and texture interest. You can even incorporate fruits such as lemons, limes, apples, pears, kumquats and pineapple.

It’s important to decorate safely during the holidays. Dried evergreens can become flammable when in contact with a heat source such as a candle flame, space heaters, heater vents or sunny windows. If you use lights near your green arrangements, make sure that they stay cool, and if outside, that they are rated for exterior use.

Nothing can beat the look of real leafy greens scattered around the house and in arrangements. It’s hard to beat the aroma of real needle evergreens decorating your house in the winter months. You can find all kinds of fresh greenery here at White Forest Nursery, so come on in and join us in celebrating the holidays.

Fungus gnats can become a nuisance indoors when adults emerge in large numbers from potted plants containing consistently damp or wet soil. While the adults are harmless to humans and animals, the eggs they lay become larvae or maggots, and can damage plants.

African violets, carnations, cyclamens, geraniums, poinsettias and indoor foliage plants can be susceptible and show symptoms of sudden wilting, loss of vigor, poor growth, or leaf yellowing and foliage loss. The larvae feed not only on fungi and decaying organic matter, but on living plant tissue, particularly root hairs and small feeder roots.

Overwatering is the usual cause of fungus gnats, so it's important to focus attention there. It's best to allow the soil to dry as much as possible, without injury to the plants, as an effective natural way of controlling them. Another natural solution is to cover the soil with a one-inch layer of decorative rock, gravel, or sand.

An initial infestation can easily be controlled with an application of a pyrethrin spray such as Safer Houseplant Spray. It helps to do at least one follow-up application 7-10 days later to break the breeding cycle.