CP NEW MOON NEWSLETTER - NOVEMBER 2025

Jennifer Jewell
4 days ago
6 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Rose hips and Gardenias in the November Garden - Butte County, CA

Happy New Moon of November 19/20, 2025

(10:47 pm Pacific; 1:47 am Eastern):

“Thank you so much for this invitation to participate!”

— participant in the #CP100DaysInPlace project

I was deeply touched recently to receive an email from one of our #CP100DaysInPlace project participants with this note of appreciation above: the simple "Thank you so much for this invitation to participate. It got me thinking once again about the concepts of both INVITATION and PARTICIPATION. These are recurring themes in my thinking as a Gardener. Who and what do we invite into our cultivation of place in all sincerity, and how and when do we participate in this cultivation of place with all integrity and contribution?

I ask these questions knowing that for too long the word garden has carried connotations of exclusion; and as gardeners, our participation has not always contributed to the greater whole (environmentally, socially, culturally, economically, spiritually), and in some cases, has contributed harm.

How do we craft and navigate a code of ethics in which continue to learn, which means making mistakes, we continue to engage, rather than just opting out of our natural part in this world's existence, but we stay humble, as one of many rather than The Ones in charge?

CP is not a major national horticultural or garden club group, we are not a plant society, we are not international research scientists, or a botanic garden; some days, I find it hard to pin down what we are, but then I remind myself: We are Cultivating Place. We are conversations among many about all that this impulse to tend to, learn from, and grow with plants in our places offers us. And from there, what we can offer the world. Which is a lot. Starting from right where we are.

And I invite you all to participate in all the ways that call you. Whether you are Homo sapien subspecies Gardener, variety 'Native Plant Gardener', 'Vegetable Gardener', 'Flower Gardener', 'Artist', 'Poet', 'Chef', 'Parent', 'Companion', or any other variety you can think of. ...being alive on this planet means we are invited to participate - with generosity, care, and accountability.

November Gardenias invite me and the insects to come close and breathe deep; the rose hips invite me to notice their shapeliness, their color; they invite me and the birds and other wildlife to taste, to partake of abundant nutrients and disperse seed in the same gesture.

We are all invited to participate.

So glad to be growing here together. One Gardener at a time. One act of caring cultivation of people, place, and plants at a time.

Stay grounded; stay in touch.

Warmly,

Jennifer & The CP Team

PS: Wreathmaking-time-of-year is one of my favorite times of year! Join me to make beautiful, fragrant, native plant wreaths in Chico, CA & benefit Gateway Science Museum & The Ahart Herbarium Dec 6th & 7th at A Wonderful Winter Wreathing Weekend: REGISTER HERE.

And, Our next CP COMMUNING (free) is coming up and is now open, REGISTER HERE YOU ARE INVITED to PARTICIPATE :)

SUPPORT

CP PODCAST:

I think that every episode of CP is an Invitation to Participate in and with the world around us. I think every conversation offers us different ideas and models for how, and where, and when to jump in, all of which is inviting.

Follow along with process thoughts and sneak peeks from filmmaker Myriam Nicodemus of EM EN, starting with these clips above from our final filming, with Kristyn Leach of Gohyang Fields and Second Generation Seeds. You start to see how one seedkeeper germinates many....with a lot of delicious spice. There's food, culture, past, future, humor, science, research, and community.....

CP will be in-the-house for the Northwest Flower & Garden Show February 18 -22, 2026, where we will screen the next first look at the work as it is forming. Hope to see you there.

Catch up on your listening now; click each image for podcast links....

Because, everything we do as Gardeners who cultivate with care and intention is an opportunity to take care of one another and the world more beautifully, intelligently, intentionally, and imaginatively.

As we lean into the coming Winter Solstice and the season of quiet, rest, reflection that sits just beyond the holiday cheer and festivities, I know that one invitation being offered to us is that of Deep Listening–to our community, to our plants, places, and selves.

SUPPORT

CP THE POWER OF GARDENERS FILM:

The Cultivating Place Film is now in the mushy, indeterminate, and metamorphic state of becoming.

With the many days and hours of filming now complete, we are in the post-production phase of massaging and cultivating filmed days and interviews into the next creations they are meant to be.

CP will be in-the-house for the Northwest Flower & Garden Show February 18 -22, 2026, where we will screen the next first look at the work as it is forming. Hope to see you there.

In the meantime, stayed tuned here for monthly updates on progress! And if you would like to speak with us about partnering for screenings events in 2027, gift licenses for school or garden groups, etc. please reach out at any time! cultivatingplace@gmail.com

Follow along as we germinate this next chapter of CP in full view: cultivatingplacefilm

Listen, see, and grow - yourself.

Three of the 10 CP Live conversation events included in CP: The Power of Gardeners film. Click each image to hear more.

The dazzling beauty of frost in the garden.

AND FINALLY......

As we look forward, we (as you might be) are looking forward to the slower months of winter dormancy and calm. Dormancy never means doing nothing, but it means doing more below the surface, underground, inwardly, quietly.

As we look back, the way we do this time of year, we are amazed at all that has grown in CP this year, among them:

The ART OF CP online ART Auction

With so many thanks to all of the participants, artists, bidders, and encouragers, we made our goal and completed matching the 2025 Catto Shaw Foundation Grant of $100,000. THANK YOU ALL!

CP Garden Based Autumnal 100-Day Project #CP100DaysInPlace

We now have 75 people from around the country participating in this 100-day creative inquiry into our places and our relationship to them. We have writers, thinkers, dreamers, doodlers, and many skilled visual artists among us. Now over two weeks in, you're welcome to join us anytime. Kind of perfectly, it will culminate on February 7th, 2026 - the 10th Birthday of the Cultivating Place program! REGISTER HERE

And our final CP COMMUNING will take place on December 16th at 9:00 am Pacific/12:00 noon Eastern. It is Free but registration is required and limited. REGISTER HERE. Join Jennifer, Abra, Ben & the CP Team for our next seasonal gathering, allowing us as a community to come together, inspire, and encourage one another as we cultivate our places with care - and seasonal intention!

Until then, with the season of Thankfulness upon us, please know how thankful we are to have you here growing along with us.

Jennifer & The CP Team

PS: If you are starting to look for special things to delight the gardeners you love this holiday season, don’t forget the CP Shop….might have just what you’re growing for!

You made it to the end - Huzzah - I will leave you with this from a supporter and listener this month:

"I watched your film trailer last night and cried. I am so proud of this work; it feels so important. You take the noun garden and make it a powerful verb, Garden, for the world."

– Jennifer Johnson, Denver, CO

Thank you Jennifer, you made us cry.

CP EVENTS:

UPCOMING:

November 20: Jennifer Jewell Speaker, Oregon Native Plant Society, Ashland Chapter

December 6 & 7: Jennifer will help lead a Wonderful Winter Wreathing Weekend with Gateway Science Museum & Friends of the Ahart Herbarium, Chico, CA (REGISTER HERE)

December 16: 9 am Pacific/12 noon Eastern Pre-Winter Solstice CP COMMUNING (REGISTER HERE.)

All events here: CP EVENTS