Feeding the Birds
Now is a great time to have a window seat to view our flying friends. Cardinals, chickadees, titmice, and finches will brighten your yard as well as your spirits this season. Feed, such as white proso millet, Nyjer seeds, and black-oil sunflower seeds, will attract a wide range of birds. Purchase seeds by type or in blended mixes. Hang feeders at least 5 feet off the ground and 10 feet away from structures and vegetation to discourage predators. Water for drinking and bathing is appreciated, with running water being ideal. Place feeders around nearby shrubs and trees to provide places for refuge from the weather and future nesting sites in the spring.

Houseplants
With shorter days and cooler temperatures, your plants inside are slowing down for the season. So take a break yourself, and go easy on the water and fertilizer. Most houseplants like for the soil to go slightly dry between waterings, especially during the winter months.

Cut Flowers
Try some nontraditional blooms in your displays. Gerbera daisies, orchids, and callas are long lasting. Keep things simple by choosing one flower type and color, and then use multiple stems for an easy and elegant show.

Plants as Presents
Give the gift that keeps on growing. Plants are welcome additions for new homeowners as well as seasoned gardeners. There are lots from which to choose. Evergreens, such as magnolias, hollies, and hemlocks, can be used individually as specimens or in groups as screens. The bright flowers on 'Yuletide' camellia bloom just in time for the holidays. Think of all of these plants as investments; they add value to the landscape as they mature.

Ivy Topiaries Dress up your holidays with these classic plants. Available trained onto many forms, such as standards, spirals, rings, and cones, ivy topiaries work well alone or to anchor other seasonal displays. Care is simple. They are happy in cool rooms with bright, indirect light. Water plants regularly, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Do not let plants sit in saucers of water. Rinse or mist the leaves every other week to help deter spider mites.

Winter Solstice
December 22 marks the end of fall and the beginning of winter. As the leaves drop and you begin your seasonal cleanup, the shape of your yard becomes more apparent. It's a good time to take a look around. Imagine it as a room. Where are the walls, ceiling, and floor? Do you need to add a hedge, shade tree, or path? Plan now for future additions or changes.

FLORIDA

Well known in Central and South Florida for its almost year-round yellow flowers, thryallis (Galphimia glauca) can also be grown in North Florida. (The evergreen shrub is not damaged by cold until temperatures drop to a sustained low of about 25 degrees.) Even if thryallis is killed back by a hard winter freeze, it will usually resprout from the ground in the spring. Thryallis grows to a height of 5 to 9 feet, with a spread of 4 to 6 feet. Though it flowers best in full sun, it can get by with less. Thryallis is very easy to grow and tolerant of a wide range of soil types. The shrub has few pest problems but is only moderately salt tolerant. It can be used as a specimen plant or as a hedge planting. Avoid heavy shearing, however, as sheared plants often thin out at the bottom. Shearing also reduces the number of flowers.

Entire State
Fertilizing--Give flowers, such as pansies, petunias, and dianthus, regular feedings every four to eight weeks. This keeps them blooming. Use a fertilizer such as Pansy Booster 19-6-12 or Osmocote Outdoor & Indoor 19-6-12.

Central and South
Seasonal color--Pansies and violas are among the most popular choices for color. But other good selections include twinspurs, nemesias, dianthus, snapdragons, petunias, sweet alyssums, geraniums, calendulas, and gaillardias. In South Florida you can also plant impatiens, nasturtiums, torenias, verbenas, marigolds, begonias, coleus, and caladiums.

Poinsettia--This popular Christmas flower can be planted outdoors after the holiday season. Make sure you locate it where it will not receive artificial light at night, though, or it won't flower next year. Give it full sun to partial shade. Also allow it adequate space, as it can grow 6 to 9 feet tall and wide. To keep it from becoming too leggy, prune it back several times during the growing season but not after Labor Day.

North and Central
Leaves--Recycle fallen leaves by using them as mulch around plants or by composting them. An easy way to gather them from lawn areas is by using the bagger on your lawn mower. If it doesn't have a bagging attachment, simply use your mower to blow the leaves into areas where you want them.

Trees and shrubs--This is the prime planting season for trees and shrubs. The next three to four months offer cooler weather and usually some winter rains. It's the perfect environment to get new plants started before the stress of warmer weather arrives. Don't forget to water, though, during dry periods. When you water new plants, be sure to saturate the root-balls.

South Citrus--Tangerines, tangelos, and early oranges are ripening now. Flavor doesn't improve once the fruit is picked. So provided temperatures don't dip below freezing, just keep it on the tree until you're ready to use it.

Water--This is typically a dry month in this part of the state, so don't forget to water the lawn and other plants. As temperatures are lower, you won't have to water as frequently. Apply ½inch of water once or twice a week as needed.

TEXAS

Native hollies such as possumhaw and yaupon will thrive in most of the state and attract birds while brightening your garden. Possumhaws lose their leaves in the winter, exposing the bright red or orange fruit that remains until spring or whenever the birds get hungry. 'Dwarf Burford' holly is of Asian origin and a more compact version of the older type. It can be maintained at 6 feet tall or less with occasional pruning. The ideal time to prune hollies is when they are in fruit. Burford hollies are self-pollinating, which means that you don't need a male holly in the area to set fruit. Yaupon and possumhaw hollies set fruit only on female plants so be sure to purchase plants that have berries on them. American holly (Ilex opaca) is native to the eastern third of Texas and are best adapted to that area of the state. Red berries adorn the evergreen foliage of the pyramidal shaped plants.

Entire State
Containers of greens--Add pots of colorful, 'Red Russian' kale, ornamental cabbage, lettuce, and Swiss chard to your porch or patio garden. Parsley, arugula, chives, and mint also thrive during our cool seasons. Start with 4-inch-size plants for a quick effect.

Panhandle
Birds--Provide food and water for them daily. Birds add color and interest to the landscape all year long. Locate birdbaths in open spaces where predators can easily be detected, and change the water often. Encourage and supplement native vegetation to help give sheltered locations for the birds. Allow native grasses to mature and ripen their seeds because these are important natural sources of food and nesting materials for the birds.

Central, East, and South
Vegetables--Plant seeds of turnips and mustards. Begin by adding organic material, such as compost, to the soil. Sow seeds in rows, or scatter them over the area. Thin the seedlings 4 to 6 inches apart, and begin harvesting the foliage as soon as the leaves are 4 to 6 inches long. Root turnips will begin to form about two months after seeding.

Central, West, and South
Holiday herb--Rosemary is widely available in cone-shaped forms, standards, or trailing types. Select topiaries for seasonal holiday decor. All types are useful planted directly into the garden or in containers. They prefer sunny, well-drained locations.

North and East
Spring bulbs--Finish planting spring-flowering bulbs this month. Narcissus such as 'Erlicheer' and 'Golden Dawn' become dependable perennials. Dutch irises and snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum) may also be planted now for blooms in March and April.

"Around Your Garden" is from the December 2007 issue of Southern Living.