We celebrated the winter holidays in the Dalarna region of Sweden. Walking daily, at –20 degrees F among the rimfrost covered pine, spruce & birch, balanced the wonderfully rich meals and generous company. I was so jealous of the real snow cover; not only was the landscape beautiful, but as well, it protects the plants. In the Chicago area, this has been a challenging winter for our landscape: little snow cover, lots of cold temperatures and salting. In Sweden, they smartly use sand: better for the environment and your car. One of the most soulful aspects was manifested in the sunlight’s faint beam so low on the horizon (daylight ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

To see Swedish gardens at the height of summer, click here