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What’s Not To Love About WINTER?BY SUSAN POTTHURST, ELEGANT OUTDOORS GARDEN CENTRE, TURRAMURRAPersonally, I love the crisp mornings and early dark evenings of winter (that’s the Londoner in me coming out) and I was only thinking the other day how I usedto set my heating in theUK in winter to 20 degreesto keep warm. Now, living here in Sydney, I set the air conditioner at the exact same temperature to cool me down after working through those scorching hot summer days in the garden centre! I know that winter is isn’t everyone’s favourite time of the yearbut it’s a pretty short season really, so I’d like to share afew things with you thatkeep me cheerful and cosy until Springtime.Waking up to a fresh, bright plant makes for a great start to the day. As it’s cyclamen season, I go for a feminine soft pink one in my bedroom and a more power- ful, invigorating magenta pink in the bathroom. The flowers keep popping up for months!Outside, my appreciation of the structural magnificence ofthe deciduous trees is equalled at the other end of the scale by the iridescent white blooms of the humble violas that line the pathways. White flowers are great in the garden at night as you can still see them in the darkness and they are particularly enchanting on a clear night when the moon is full.When friends come over but it’s too nippy to eat alfresco, I light simple white candles in my old-style metal coach lanterns on the outside table which are visible from the dining room. Inside, the gentle crackling of the wick of my WoodWick® scented candle creates a feeling of warmth and comfort to the living room.For those quiet nights in, there’s nothing nicer than wrapping a soft throw rug around you with a hot drink and a good book in your hands. So please, do enjoy the winter season – you’ll hardly notice it if you surround yourself with the delightful colours of nature and some creature comforts at home.www.livinglocalguide.com.au“Dream, Inspire, Grow” LIVING LOCAL WINTER 17 57