On Gardening: Christmas combos makes the season dazzle |

As you read this, it will almost be National Poinsettia Day, which is Dec. 12. The day honors Joel Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico. He is credited with introducing this beloved Christmas plant to the United States.

kAm%96 v2C56? vFJ 😀 HC:E:?8 23@FE :E ?@H 😕 9@A6D E92E J@F H:== 96=A 6?5 E96 9@=:52J 277=:4E:@? @H? 2D !@:?D6EE:2D (:E9@FE !2CE?6CD] ~z[ x 2> D>:=:?8 E@@Pk^Am

kAm!C@G6? (:??6CD :?:E:2E65 2 AC@8C2> `g J62CD 28@ E@ AFE 2? 6?5 E@ E96 !@:?D6EE:2 {@?6=J w62CED r=F3 3J D9@H:?8 2== @7 FD 2? :?4C65:3=6 4@>3:?2E:@?] %96 6G6?E H2D @H? 2D E96 r2=:7@C?:2 !24< %C:2=D] %96C6[ H6 H6C6 2== :?EC@5F465 E@ E96 4@?46AE @7 2 !@:?D6EE:2 !2=] %9:D 4@>3@ 762EFC65 !@:?D6EE:2D 2?5 s:2>@?5 uC@DE 6FA9@C3:2]k^Am

kAm~9 >J 8@D9[ H92E 4@F=5 36 >@C6 362FE:7F= E92? 2 C65 A@:?D6EE:2 8:G:?8 E96 2AA62C2?46 @7 D:EE:?8 @? 2 =2J6C @7 7C@DEn }@E @?=J 5:5 x =@G6 :E 3FE 2D 2 9@CE:4F=EFC:DE[ x 7@F?5 6IEC2 >62?:?8 😕 E96 724E E92E E96 A@:?D6EE:2 2?5 E96 6FA9@C3:2 H6C6 C6=2E65[ D2>6 72>:=JP xE H2D 3@E2?:42==J DJ>3@=:4 @7 72>:=:6D 86EE:?8 E@86E96C 2E r9C:DE>2D]k^Am

kAmx @H x 2> DEC6E49:?8 :E 2 =:EE=6[ 3FE x 2> 2 A=2?E 866<] x 92G6 D66? E96> 2E E96 82C56? 46?E6C 7C@> E:>6 E@ E:>6 2?5 6G6? >@C6 D@ 2E 7:?6 7=@C:DE D9@AD[ 3FE E96 :562 C62==J 😀 2 8@@5 @?6 2?5 ?665D 2 D9@E 😕 E96 2C>]k^Am

kAm{2DE J62C x 76== 😕 =@G6 H:E9 2 ?6H 4@=@C 42==65 r@=@Cq=2K6 |:?: |6 r92CEC6FD6] %9@F89 :ED ?2EFC6 😀 D9@CE6C 2?5 4@>A24E[ :E 7@C>D 3C2?49 FA@? 3C2?49 @7 =:>6\8C66? 7@=:286 E92E 😀 E96 A6C764E E6IEFC6 E@ A2:C H:E9 2 A@:?D6EE:2]k^Am

kAmtG6? ;FDE 9@FCD 27E6C 92G:?8 DEF4< 4FEE:?8D 2C@F?5 E96 A@:?D6EE:2[ :E H2D 2=C625J A9@E@\H@CE9J] %96 C@@> H96C6 E96 A@:?D6EE:2D C6D:56 92D E2== H:?5@HD 2?5 D@ 72C[ :E 92D 366? 2 56=:89E 7@C 86EE:?8 2?E9FC:F>D 2?5 r9C:DE>2D 424EFD E@ C63=@@>] $@[ :E 😀 AC@323=J A6C764E 7@C 4@=6FD 2?5 A@:?D6EE:2D]k^Am

kAm%96 52C< 8@=5 4@=@C @7 2 A@:?D6EE:2 G2C:6EJ ?2>65 v@=5 #FD9 😀 E96 =2E6DE E@ DE62= >J 962CE] x ;FDE H2?E E@ ECJ 2 4@>3@ @C EH@ H:E9 :E[ 3FE 2=2D[ E96J 2C6 C2C6] x 2> DFC6 E96 C6E2:=6CD E9:?< ?@ @?6 H2?ED 2 8@=5 A@:?D6EE:2[ 3FE x 5@Pk^Am

kAm%96C6 2C6 D@>6 @E96C 8C62E @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C 4@>3:?2E:@?D H:E9 E96 w:AA@ !@=<2 s@E A=2?ED] %96 !@=<2 s@E A=2?ED 2C6 @H? 3@E2?:42==J 2D wJA@6DE6D A9J==@DE249J2[ H9:49 😀 H96C6 E96 4FE6 w:AA@ G2C:6EJ\?2>6 @C:8:?2E6D] %96J 4@>6 😕 C65[ C@D6 2?5 H9:E6] %96 H9:E6 H:E9 E96 8C66? G2C:682E:@? 😀 D9@HJ 2?5 @7 9:89 4@?EC2DE[ A6C764E H:E9 C65 A@:?D6EE:2D]k^Am

kAmy6??J $:>AD@? H:E9 rC66<56 :=”” s2=”=2D[” r2c=”” a2ce=”” h:e9=”” w62ce=”” e=””/>

’

’

—