By Marvin Miller, AIB President

For many of you, winter may seem like it’s already here. Perhaps cold weather has already settled in. For others, this fall has been long and mild by most standards. Here in the Midwest, we’ve just seen our first measurable snowfall, which came much later than normal, but two days back in the 40s have made it but a memory. Indeed, the real start of winter, at least according to the calendar, won’t occur until later this week.

For many, winter is the time when we give our gardens a rest. After all, the ground is usually frozen solid, and it may be under the cover of snow. The days are short. And often, conditions make spending time in the yard quite a challenge.

However, there are parts of the country where the garden is now approaching its peak. A November visit to Phoenix to attend the National League of Cities’ Congress of Cities conference reminded me that in Phoenix, landscape color is just now peaking. Indeed, October there is like May in the Upper Midwest for garden sales. Give or take a month, the same might be said for parts of South Florida and Southern California where fall is a “second spring.” In these climates, the summer may be too hot, but the winter garden experience turns out just right both for people and plants. For gardeners, the Winter Solstice signals a time when the subsequent lengthening of days allows gardeners to spend longer evenings outside, to enjoy the fruits of their gardening labors.

In any case, whether you’re allowing the garden to rest or whether you’re into the more active gardening season, the shorter days of winter provide longer evenings indoors with time to plan. For many, planning might include making a list of items to repeat and a list to delete from the next gardening attempts. For others, planning considers a list of new items, which can be added or substituted for old favorites. For some, plans might even include totally new garden features, including new beds, new hardscapes, and/or new accoutrements to complete the garden experience. For many, it is a time to dream.

One of the dream opportunities is to contemplate how to make plants a bigger part of your life in the coming year. We know that plants offer so many benefits for people “beyond the pretty.” These functional benefits might warrant considering plant expenditures in the same way you consider other assets. For example, if a driveway’s useful life is extended because it’s shaded by a tree, you could consider the tree an investment on par with new seal coating. If this tree also happens to shade the house from summer’s afternoon beating sun or shield it from a cold north winter wind, the resulting savings in air conditioning and heating costs can be considered in a similar vein as a benefit generated by landscaping. A similar thought process can be used to discern the true costs and benefits of flowers, shrubs, turf and groundcovers. Benefits certainly can cover a spectrum of economic, environmental, psychological or sociological areas.

To take this dreaming a step further, why not consider the accumulated benefits derived if an entire neighborhood got involved in greening. If an entire block suddenly planted trees along the curbs, the resulting shade would likely benefit all the block’s residences, as less heat would be radiated back toward individual homes. If the entire neighborhood planted flowers in some kind of coordinated fashion, it would signal to all that this was a neighborhood that cared, that was involved, and that was working together. Flowers literally could replace the security signs meant to deter crime. If an entire neighborhood adopted the local school grounds as a neighborhood park that just happened to have a school in its midst, not only would more residents get involved with the school, but students might have a totally different perspective on the educational process. Studies have shown that when this kind of experiment occurs, students also are able to better focus on school work, they achieve higher grades, and the school itself will likely experience less vandalism.

Wouldn’t it be grand to plan the “what if’s” should the entire city adopt a similar caring attitude and embrace the possibilities of a consistent environmental approach? Chicago’s former Mayor Daley had such a dream and Chicago became one of the greenest cities in America. Similar overtures have been made by New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg, Boston’s Mayor Menino, and Philadelphia’s Mayor Nutter, among others.

Dream with me one step further still: What would it take for your city leadership to dedicate itself to investing in green improvements and also to care enough to see how the city stands up to outside scrutiny? Measured against the ideal, how does your city compare to other cities of like size when it comes to floral displays, urban forestry programs, landscaped areas, heritage appreciation, environmental awareness, overall impressions and community involvement? This scrutiny really is no different than what a tourist might see or what a potential new resident might consider. This is also what businesses evaluate before considering relocation to your community. Would your city pass with flying colors? Or would a few new eyes looking at your city objectively suggest worthwhile opportunities for improvement?

This last dream is the opportunity of America in Bloom’s annual national awards program. Enrollment is now open (until February 28). Whether your city is currently nestled under snow or quickly moving towards the peak of the gardening season, this could be just the excitement needed to see you through those short days of winter. Please offer us some consideration and dream!

In the meantime, perhaps, consider buying a plant for yourself for the holidays, or offering plants to relatives, friends and neighbors. Who knows, the investment you make might pay dividends from that first smile onwards.

Happy Holidays!