Seeking Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Promises for the New Year; Plus Top Botanical Resolutions to Inspire You

Art of the Garden

Jan 7

We are back from the winter holiday break. For many of us, the new year brings new opportunities, good changes, self-improvement, and of course resolutions. Those resolutions or promises serve as our guideposts. We approach our life and world in both big, philosophical pursuits and at the same time with personal goals. Most of us hope to identify a list of promises to do things that will make us and our communities better. I wanted to share a few ideas to inspire your new year and new-you improvements kinda’ like how we approach a home renovation. A dream + a plan = Joy!

In years past, Bill and I would pick a deliciously long, holiday-break afternoon to look back at the year just ending, talk about the good things and and the bloopers, and then plan ahead with doable one, two, and five-year objectives that includes personal, financial, and career goals. You don’t have to be a stickler, but ya “gotta’ love a man~wo-man with a plan.”

Just think about identifying your goals, vision, and producing a strategy to achieve your plan for success. Even if you don’t achieve them all, you’ll enjoy the journey.

From a Macro or Broad Viewpoint

Speaking of hope, this year I identified Seeking Hope as my January 1st Intention. You?

While I often repeat the phrase that hope is not a strategy ~ you can’t just wish upon a star. Well, you can do that too 🌟 but having a deliberate plan is a better prescription than relying on luck or that wishful star.

It’s also said that while hope is not a strategy, it's the soil where strategy grows: Hope provides the fertile ground ~ the inspiration ~ for effective strategies to be planted and flourish.

We’ll get to more (real) soil in a bit. Hang in.

This year we all need an extra helping of a Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Hope ~ now more than ever. The “seeking” part satisfied my New Year’s intention especially because I don’t think we ever truly fulfill that desire for the optimum outcome. Rather, seeking hope is more like optimism or expectation with a strategy!

I also want to share one of my forever personal maxims or intentions that I may have shared with some of you and that is to Be Fearless; not Foolish.

We must take risks, push ourselves out of our comfort zone in order to brandish any modicum of good success

At the same time, preparation is in order. It’s often said that luck favors the prepared, and my philosophy is a little bit like that but with more mojo!

I embrace advocating for big, bold dreams and the actions that will yield the desired results.

Which brings me to seeking Ambition. For too long I believe folks, especially women, shied away from being ambitious. I share with my Ladies Who Lunch Conversation (LWLC) guests that far too often even the most successful women will say ~ with that demure smile, “I was so lucky…” when relating their achievements. Luck/Shnuck!

No, they achieved results and success and/or fame because they did the work, did the homework, the extra credit (my next book is Girls Do Extra Credit! ha) and grabbed the brass ring.

No more leaning in. Ambition is not a dirty word. When channeled with purpose, ambition can be personally fulfilling and provide great progress to society on a grander scale.

Let’s not just “lean in” but rather get more muscular. Yes, we can seek to overcome our internal voices of self-doubt and fear of failure to embrace, persevere, and take on leadership, particularly in a career sense, but we can take it up a notch by pursuing the concept of bravery and courage ~ a mindset that will serve us in every situation.

Ultimately, even The Cowardly Lion shows his courage, telling us, "True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid.” and reassures us that we “have plenty of courage ~ he is sure. All you need is confidence in yourself.” There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger.

And then, just like that as I took a writing break and was doing my morning ablutions, there was a moment of karma…

I love listening to Julia Louise Dreyfus’ Wiser Than Me podcast, don’t you? And I heard her say that “bravery and wisdom are the same thing.” I jumped up from my weight-lifting to note that for you. I agree. My quick search shows that both involve facing challenges and acting for a greater good. Wisdom guides brave action; bravery provides the will to act and courage is acting wisely despite fear. It feeds into my Be Fearless not Foolish maxim.

And for a rollicking inspiration, I’ve always gotten such a kick out of Bette Davis/Margo Channing in All About Eve, where she declares, “Fasten Your Seat Belts, It’s going to be a bumpy night (ride)”.

So Fearless!

All About Eve (1950): Classic Scene - Fasten Your Seatbelts - Bette Davis - Marilyn Monroe

So buckle up, my friends. The year ahead promises to be more than bumpy!

Now, onto some inspiring promises you can choose from for your 2026. Here’s my Top-Eleven Botanical Resolutions (yes, I was aiming for a Top-Ten but couldn’t resist the lagniappe!)

1. Improve Your Soil’s Health. There is nothing more important or impactful than improving your soil.

2. Grow as many Native Plants as possible ~ in your yard, in your windowbox, in your container or on your kitchen counter. Create an environmental garden that embraces all of nature’s critters: birds, butterflies, bats, fox, moths, bees, and… There are so many gorgeous native plants. Not sure what a native plant is? Arguably the best place to learn about Natives is the Mt. Cuba Center At Mt. Cuba they test all the plants they recommend, offer plant care, and are much sought-after experts to us professsional horticulturists. Mt. Cuba refers to the use of Natives as “Conservation by Addition.” You can also turn to your local native plant society or the National Audubon Society for lists. While I have you 🙂 I’m looking for a source/grower for native essential oils so if you can network me to such a champion, please email me? I also advocate for “cosmopolitan plants” ~ which are those plants that perhaps were exotics at one time but have adapted to our zones and landscapes and support pollinators.

3. Grow Edibles ~ Not just lettuces and garlic and tomatoes ~ although they’re all great growers in our Farmette, but consider also growing a fruit, berry, or nut tree! Learn from these experts

4. Consider eliminating most of your lawn ~ and replacing it with native sedge, grasses, edibles and perhaps seashells, like I did. In my design work, I do advocate for keeping a lawn area for children ~ it is a must for playing on. However, vow to not use chemicals, and allow those dandelions or other beneficials to grow. Get your neighbors on board too. Perhaps you can convince them with the promise of fireflies and lightening bugs that will light up the night garden when it’s safe to be there 🧚

5. Cultivate your Four-Season Garden Design Aesthetic. See what tree bark and herbs look like in your winter garden to boost your garden art. Make a garden design plan. Consult with a local, native plant enthusiast garden professional to make your dreams come true. For the best ecological all-season garden management, look no further than to Rebecca McMackin. Her landscapes and philosophy and energy is enduring and so inspirational.

6. Join your local Botanical Garden or Arboretum and/or a Garden Club. Participate in community, nature-based activities including forest bathing, tree ID, plant swaps, workshops and clean-ups.

Visit your local nature spots ~ beach, woods, park, and start a journal to record what your senses are whispering to you.

The American Public Gardens Association (APGA) offers a complete list.

7. Create Sensational Seasonal Containers ~ celebrate what’s in season, what’s local. As this guide from Fine Gardening tells us, take photos too that will show you how your tastes change, what you can use as pots (I love old shoes, bird baths that have cracked and kitchen pots!) and how to use colors. When creating a container composition, remember the Threes: A Spiller, a Filler and a Thriller.

8. Learn to prune. Start with shrubs. Find out when it’s best for the plant, and how to cut. Nobody better to learn from than my fellow botanic garden pro, Chris Roddick, arborist. Chris is arguably the best authority on trees and literally wrote the book on tree care and pruning.

9. Start composting ~ whether that’s building your own compost cabana, or a “kitchen kompost” or starting a compost at your children’s school, or making a habit of taking to your local green market or municipal center.

10. Expand Your Plant Palette ~ Grow a New-to-You Plant. Peruse the seed and garden catalogs that are brightening your mail box this time of year and commit to trying a stunning new plant. Grow something delicious, gorgeous, and fascinating. Quick Duchess Designs tip: I adore my Viburnum Popcorn, Viburnum plicatum and the luscious pink, vanilla-scented Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella’ or Cinderella Swamp Milkweed.

11. Enroll in Garden Classes ~ whether you become a Master Gardener, a rigoro us program to prepare you to do essential volunteering at local gardens, work for a garden designer or just improve your own garden; or want to up your armchair garden aesthetic, there’s a class for you. I’m a member of the Nature Conservancy and love their artful, informative zooms. There’s nowhere better to take a garden, botanical art, hort therapy, or horticultural class than at The New York Botanical Garden (I not only worked at the Garden, but for a brief two years, taught the SoPH students, so I can eagerly and sincerely recommend the Education at NYBG). Plenty of on-site classes at the Garden, in town, and online. Whether looking to earn a certificate or enrich your garden IQ, just looking at the classes will get you excited and planning.

However you choose to map out your New Year promises, please “pinkie promise” yourself to be fearless, ambitious, to seek hope, and be fulfilled.

There will be challenges and obstacles. Keep your head up. Regardless of what life throws at you. Stay the course. Laugh at the crazy things. Embrace the life you have… When a situation throws you for a loop, you may turn to some pearls of wisdom that I’ve always loved. I hope this cheeky quote from my glamorous shero, Elizabeth Taylor, will provide some coaching courage for you in a fun way:

And starting your journey with Mother Nature is a good path to a well-lived life… She’ll always support you, provide solace, and show us all true miracles.