Daily Inspiration: Branches

Today, I was inspired to bring branches from an ornamental pear inside to force. My mom sent me her article for our March newsletter, and that's what it was all about-what shrubs to look for to bring some early spring beauty into your home! That was all I needed to hear. I dragged Monica outside with me, and she lifted me up and down on a forklift into the pear tree in front of the store to gather some of these branches!

Now I have three galvanized containers of various shapes and sizes full or these branches! They will soon boast bunches of beautiful, white flowers!

What do you have outside that you could bring in now?

~L

Daily Inspiration: Massive Blooms

There is nothing like a peony in full bloom... Just look at these!

Both of these peonies are growing happily in my parent's garden. The lavender variety (a tree peony: Paeonia suffruticosa Kamata-nishika) has dinner plate sized blooms. Absolutely breathtaking. The yellow one (shrub type: Paeonia x 'Bartzella') is a harder to come by variety. If you see one of these...don't even think about...buy it!

~L

Daily Inspiration: Bulbs!

 I am just loving this early spring weather! Yesterday, I was able to work outside for several hours cleaning up beds, edging grass, planting bulbs (I still had a couple hundred to plant from fall!), and running heating cables in my patio raised beds to try and force some spring crops! Some areas of my garden were still fairly frozen, but some areas were pretty well thawed and ready to go. I was able to easily lift soil and pop the bulbs into the ground. Most of all, I loved getting my watering can out and soaking the bulbs after I planted them. It just felt like spring.

~L

Daily Inspiration

This pretty much sums it up...

Daily Inspiration: Indoor Jewels

String of Pearls 

(and it's not so common name Senecio rowleyanus)    

This is one interesting houseplant. 

They are a succulent so it receives the same care as all my cacti (water every 10 days, fertilize every other time), and they have delicate white blooms a couple times a year.  Of course, when I first saw one of these plants, I just HAD to pop on of the beads (I have no idea why :)...I was expecting the same outcome as bubble wrap for some reason, but encountered a wet mess with no sound effect. Sad. 

~L

Daily Inspiration

I have to admit that when I first started working with cacti and succulents I wasn't a huge fan. They seemed so unfriendly and boring.

 I was wrong.

The more time I've spent caring for them, the more I have been able to see their subtle beauty. The intricate design each has, and let me tell you, you won't find such beautiful color and intricate patterns in other plants as you will in some of these cacti and succulents!  I have grown to really love all cacti and succulents-to the point of wanting to collect some of the more rare varieties (have you ever seen a Calamar Squid Agave, a 'Bloodspot' Mangave, or a Spiral Aloe? I would love to have any one of these!). They have a beauty uniquely their own, and were created to be survivors. Most other plants would shrivel at the site of where these relish and thrive.

This is an Aeonium 'Zwartkop'

Beautiful.

I have found the best schedule for the cacti and succulents in our sunroom is to water them every 10 days, and add a little cactus fertilizer every other time you water. They do great!

~L

Daily Inspiration: Deadly Beauty

Yes, it's deadly...

the seed, that is.

This is a seed head from one of my Castor Bean plants. If you have an area where you need a quick growing screen, this is a great choice. Planted from seed in the late spring, it quickly grows 10-15 ft, providing great screens to cover fences, ugly buildings, or your neighbors view. Sadly, they are an annual, but when they grow this fast it almost doesn't matter!

Just make sure no one gets a hold of one of the seeds! They are deadly. Just one seed can take out a full grown man. Don't let this keep you from planting them though! Just make sure the seeds ends up in the ground, and not in someone's mouth! Easy enough!

I didn't take this picture, but it shows how huge their beautiful, glossy leaves get!

(http://printsofjapan.wordpress.com/tag/hideyoshi/)

~L