This year, though, the train is even more magical and special. It’s partly because of the great theme - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - but mostly because of the people who made this year’s train happen. Especially one new addition to the train team, a boy named Sam. Sam is an autistic person who has specific and deep passions, one of which is Willy Wonka. He knows everything about the story, the characters, the setting. He can discuss the finer points all day long. And that’s how this year’s train took shape. So how did Sam get involved with the Swansons’ train?
Happy Holidays! This season, celebrate the joy of giving with thoughtful gifts that reflect the unique passions of your loved ones. Our carefully curated selection of gifts is sure to make this holiday season unforgettable for everyone on your list. Let us help you spread cheer with gifts that inspire and delight!
The holidays are winding down and despite the desire to keep your beautifully-decorated Christmas tree as a centerpiece in your living room forever, at some point (sob!) it's gotta go. Here are 6 ways to transform your tree into a critter-feeding-bird-sheltering-kid-entertaining-garden-mulching thing of wonder this year.
Here are some quick tips for protecting your less-hardy plants from cold damage.
With cheerful red bracts and delicate yellow flowers framed against velvety green leaves, colorful poinsettias are an indisputable symbol of Christmas. In fact, poinsettias are the most commercially important potted plant in the world because of their endearing association with the December holiday season. But how did this warm-weather shrub native to western Mexico become so closely associated with Christmas?
Pollinators come in all shapes and sizes: bees, moths, butterflies, beetles, flies, and even bats, just to name a few. Knowing which plants serve our pollinators the best helps create a healthy and vibrant ecosystem where flora and fauna thrive. It also creates a diverse and beautiful garden for us to enjoy. Here are a few of our favorite flowers to attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your garden year after year.
Kids well know the glowing excitement of watching a bee go about its business flower to flower in the sunshine. And hopefully, most adults out there haven’t forgotten the feeling, either. Being a steward of mason bees is a special opportunity to watch these busy creatures transform your yard-scape into one of balance and bounty.
On a late-summer day of 2015, a windstorm roared through Swansons. Near the southeastern portion of the property, a fence draped with mature Vitis (Grapes) and Rosa (Roses) came crashing down and was then removed. Over time, Swansons thought about plans for the almost 100ft long empty space and by 2017 it was finally time to begin.
Companion planting is the practice of growing certain crops near each other and keeping others separated so that they all thrive. Companion planting can help attract pollinators and beneficial insects, repel pests, and even help you use your space more wisely! Even armed with the "why" of companion planting, it can be difficult to know where to start, so here are some guidelines you can use in your own home garden.
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