When the Garden Fades, Obsession Naturally Moves to Twinkle Lights

Life in Bloom
Written By Trish Jones

To say I have an obsessive personality is an understatement. Those who love me have probably always known this about me, but honestly, it’s something I’m just now realizing about myself. (Self-awareness at 56… I guess it took me long enough!)

When I’m in gardening mode, I’m in it. I’ll obsess over soil health, plant spacing, and whether the morning sun is hitting my hydreangeas just right. Every spare minute is spent pruning, planting, or planning what’s next. There’s something about nurturing life from the ground up that fills my cup — and my calendar.

But then the garden fades.

And suddenly, all that creative, slightly obsessive energy needs somewhere to go.

Enter: Christmas decorating season.

The shift is almost seamless. One day I’m deadheading marigolds, the next I’m untangling last year’s lights and wondering how early is too early to start decorating. (Spoiler: there is no too early.) It’s as if the garden quietly hands me off to Christmas with a knowing smile — “She’s your problem now.”

Projects are a constant in my life, and Christmas decorating is a project I take very seriously. Much like my garden, it starts with a vision — a color palette, a theme, a feeling. Then comes the planning, the tweaking, the ladder climbing, and, inevitably, the rearranging. By the time I’m done, it’s not just decorating. It’s a full-blown seasonal transformation.

So yes, when the garden fades, I don’t exactly rest. I just redirect. My obsession with growing things becomes an obsession with glowing things. And honestly? I think that’s just part of who I am — a woman whose seasons of creativity simply change shape with the weather.

Because for some of us, twinkle lights are just the winter version of blooms.

…when the garden fades, I don’t exactly rest. I just redirect.

My obsession with growing things becomes an obsession with glowing things. And honestly? I think that’s just part of who I am — a woman whose seasons of creativity simply change shape with the weather.

Trish Jones

I’m an artist at heart, drawn to vintage charm and the beauty of old, pretty things. My favorite place is at home—whether I’m in the yard or out in the garden—creating, experimenting, and finding new ways to make things beautiful. I pour that same creative spirit into the quirky, playful designs we share and the thoughtful touches that make our garden—and our shop—uniquely ours. Above all, I’m a daughter, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother who finds joy in simple things, a good cup of coffee, and a day spent among the flowers.

Previous

The Emotional Rollercoaster of the First Freeze
Next

Never Bored, Never Done: A Lady’s Guide to the Ongoing Project