February 7, 2013 by Born To Organize

(Almost) Blooming Thursday: Tulips!

Tulips Break Ground

Did you hear me squeal with delight?

Tulips are popping up all over the garden. They won’t flower for a little while, but the fact that they’ve survived this long (shh…don’t tip off the squirrels) is amazing.

Last fall I planted three varieties, purchased at a local garden center. They are all sourced from Van Zyverden.

I planted:

15 Tulip ‘Angélique‘
15 Tulip ‘Attila‘; and
5 Tulip ‘Passionale‘

In other words, the potential for 35 stunning acts of nature. Guess what? I counted over twenty, ground-breaking bulbs! The last time I planted tulips, nothing came up. Zip. Zero. Nada. I’m really liking these odds.

Tulips all Around!

While I had my nose to the earth, I noticed several more bulbs breaking through: Crocus, Narcissus and a few others, to-be-determined when they bloom.

Oh happy day! What’s ‘cooking’ in your garden this Thursday?

Assorted Spring Bulbs Break Ground

Tulip Bulbs

January 31, 2013 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: It’s a Stretch

Here’s the view from my back door.

View from my back door

At first glance, it looks like nothing is blooming. In my under-dressed (put on a coat, Alys!) and overzealous quest for something in bloom, I poked around here and there and teased out the following:

Somehow this Begonia escaped the frost

Faded but beautiful drying hydrangea

Flowering Daphne

The first of the Serbian Bellflowers

An over-do thank you to Laura for these wonderful Forget-me-not seeds. I’m excited to plant them come spring.

Forget-me-not seeds

Vernal Equinox, 49 days and counting.

January 17, 2013 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: Daphne Odora

Daphne Daphne Daphne No one told me Daphnes were finicky. Just as well since I planted two over a decade ago. On at least three occasions landscapers and nurseryman applauded my success. What gardener doesn’t beam with pride at that? I sure do.

Then one died. Just like that. Did I mention they’re finicky?

I’m keeping my eye on the other one. The surviving Daphne is in bloom this week, the darling of the winter garden. Daphne Odora shines brightly with glossy leaves and deep pink to white flowers. The plant will remain in bloom through spring, when lots of other color joins in. Yippee!!!

Happy Birthday Benjamin Franklin

Ben Franklin introduced soy beans and Kale to the US in his time. He wasn’t so much a gardener as a man interested in seed trade. His legacy includes inventing bifocals and the Franklin Stove, not to mention his role as one of the Founding Fathers of America. Happy birthday, Mr. Franklin . One of my favorite quotes:

“Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.”

This is an area where I have lots of room to grow. It’s also an interesting metaphor for the garden. Ask any plant, and they’ll tell you the same thing: Keep in the sunlight.

November 29, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: Vibrant Purples, Passionate Reds, No Rain

The good news: I took these photos without getting drenched in the rain. The bad news: I took these photos without getting…drenched in the rain. I had such high hopes. To quote our local morning paper: “‘Rainfall Amounts Minimal’: Anticipated storm turns into sprinkle. Sigh.

The paper went on to say, “Broader downpour expected over next few days,” so I’m thinking I should go wash my car after I hang a silk blouse outdoors on the branch of a tree.

Meanwhile, three cheers for drip irrigation!

Here’s what’s blooming this Thursday:

The fairy garden is back outside, resting on the forged iron bench. I wove several fir branches along the back, and in a matter of minutes had a lovely spray of greens. Those little cyclamen prefer the cool air, so all is well.

Guess what? The pansies and bulbs remain firmly planted. I mulched the pots with rough gravel to deter the squirrels. Weeks in, it’s still working. They haven’t unearthed a thing.

Lavender still blooms, grazing the edges of the front deck

This cyclamen came back from last year, joined by two others under the Magnolia tree. The fuchsia centers just send me.

Coral Bells make my heart sing.

I’m heading outdoors to do my best rain dance. I’ll keep you posted.

What’s blooming in your neck of the woods?

November 15, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: Dark Shadows Waiting for the Rain

Rain is forecast for the rest of the week, but this morning it was bright and clear. I love the shadow play on the flowers this time of year as the earth maneuvers into mid-autumn. Angled shadows and bright light equal beautiful flowers.

Pink Cyclamen

Our cool season plants are starting to bloom, and will continue to flower through March. Prolific Azaleas and Camellias line the back fence and the side yard, with two more planted in the children’s garden. I potted a few more cyclamen last week. Holdovers from last year reemerged as well.

Begonia

Begonias from last spring are still holding up, but we’ve not seen much cold weather. They are in good company in the Hodgepodge pot, a planter for misfits. When I end up with the odd annual, or a small plant in need of relocating, I plant them there. I love the variety and an always-full pot outside our bedroom window.

Status

California Poppies, white Begonias and pink Cosmos passed through the Hodgepodge this year, as well as yellow Snapdragons, a small pumpkin and a few assorted wildflowers. I’ve really enjoyed the variety, not to mention a dedicated space for the odd plant.

Coming Soon

Camellia Bud

Abutilon Buds

White Camellia Bud

Fingers crossed that the rain arrives on schedule tomorrow.

November 8, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: State of Confusion

In our glorious state of California, known for sunshine and moderate weather, there is usually something in bloom. That said, even the Golden State has a natural order of things. Perhaps it’s time to hang up an “out-of-order” sign. My garden is in a state of confusion.

Tomatoes

First up, the tomato plant. The seeds I planted in the spring grew, produced and then died off. Nice, orderly, predictable. The wind, or perhaps a bird dropped a seed in our narrow side yard, and believe it or not I have a seven-foot tall tomato plant. With flowers. Tiny, tomato flowers. The limited sun explains the height of the plant, but flowers in November?

Off-season tomato

Pumpkins

Pumpkins should be done for the season. Errant seeds should sleep under the soil for the winter, or gathered and stored till next spring. As I covered the patio furniture in preparation for our first rain I had a pumpkin bloom keeping me company. It’s beautiful and hopeful but decidedly out of season.

Off-season pumpkin bloom

Cosmos

I reluctantly removed several Cosmo starts from the vegetable box, to make room for cauliflower and broccoli. After days in the mid-eighties, the warm soil must have triggered the cosmos to grow. I don’t blame them for the state of confusion. We’ve all been shaking our heads and saying “where is fall?” I didn’t have the heart to remove all the out-of-season re-starts, so I have an impressive pumpkin plant, true leaves and all, rubbing shoulders with the winter vegetables (take two).

Shoulder to Shoulder: Broccoli and Pumpkin

I don’t want to seem ungracious, but I feel like we’ve missed out on sweater-weather entirely. Seven weeks in and we’re only now seeing the more traditional weather patterns. Today’s light rain was a welcome relief. I donned my coat and hat and worked outdoors for nearly five hours. The air was cool and fresh as it rained off and on. Even the cats didn’t mind.

Here’s hoping fall is here to stay this time. Shorter days, cooler nights and a gentle rain will go a long way to end my garden’s state of confusion.

What’s blooming on your Thursday?

September 20, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: Bachelor’s Button

According to the Bachelor’s Button seed packet, this “care-free, drought tolerant annual, adds vertical interest and an array of colors to your garden.” Well.

Perhaps there was a single’s dance going on a few gardens over, because my Bachelor’s were largely a no-show. The ones that are in bloom were late to the party, blooming two days before Autumn officially arrives. Bachelor’s Button, also know as cornflower are drought tolerant and require “little pampering.” So what gives?

Were they jealous of the cosmos getting all the attention this summer? Maybe they didn’t get enough sun. I offered them plenty to drink and lots of encouragement. There is always enough love to go around in my garden.

I’ll just chalk it up to “one of those things” and “you can’t win them all” and I’ll move on <sniff-sniff>.

Here are a couple of pics of the one or two that grew.

Flower or fish? I love those multicolored scales.

Bachelor’s Button handsome profile

There’s the promise for next year.

September 13, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: Party in the Anemones

Prolific Anemones bloomed about six weeks ago, monopolizing the back garden fence. I’ve been gathering them into bouquets every few days, then bringing them indoors. Little did I know that atop those crisp white blooms and their buttercup yellow centers there was a party going on.

Anemones line the fence

It wasn’t your typical, garden-variety party. In fact, I wasn’t even invited. Apparently you needed four to six legs to attend, and the invites are on the QT. I don’t think my neighbors even knew!

The party host wasn’t available for comment, so instead I snapped a few pics of the guests. Our host has an eclectic group of friends, including elegant grasshoppers, busy-body ants and even the low-brow house fly. I didn’t recognize all of the party goers. A few of their identities remain a mystery.

Mystery Guest

I don’t want to name names, but things may have gotten a bit out of hand. I saw a small spider chatting with a grasshopper, and in the next shot…the spider was gone! Do you think I should say something to the host? One of the spotted guests spent most of his time at the food table, while the ant kept darting in and out of the petals. I think he had too much pollen to drink.

A grasshopper and a spider chatting it up

Ant running laps. Too much pollen?

The house fly enjoyed making the rounds, but the others seemed to be avoiding her. It might have been her over-powering perfume.

Flowers and Flies

I’m no party crasher, so I finished taking my pictures and left. Back on the patio steps once again, you would never know there was a party going on.

September 6, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: Garden Friendships

My friend Liz has been back in the States for several months, but it took her imminent departure for us to finally get together. Our friendship is such that we can simply pick up where we left off, regardless of time passed. Liz is also a gardener I admire and look up to.

Liz has the unique distinction of gardening through one spring and two summers. She spends part of her year in California, the rest in beautiful New Zealand. She taught me and some friends how to felt on one of her trips home. I hope to learn how to eco-dye from her one day, too.

On her visit today, she came bearing gifts…and lunch! So much for my hosting skills. We enjoyed delicious, home-made, vegetarian burritos while sitting on the patio talking shop.

You probably need to be a gardener to fully appreciate the first gift: a bag of worms and worm castings. I feel like a real gardener. I have a worm bin, a kitchen scrap container, and soon my tumbling composter will arrive at my door. I’ll be brewing garden goodness all winter long.

Worm Bin

In addition to worms, I am also the lucky recipient of several eco-dyed pieces, one-of-a kind art made with natural dyes, leaves and flowers. The small pouch is made from reclaimed materials, printed with leaves, dyed, then hand-stitched.

Eco-dyed Pouch

The three pieces pictured below use a similar technique, but with paper. I love the artistry.

Eco-dyed Art Print

Eco-dyed Paper

My dear friend is not a fan of pictures, but she did let me take a closeup of her t-shirt. She bought the shirt at a thrift store, wrapped it around rose leaves, and dipped it in a natural dye. It’s exquisite.

Eco-dyed T-shirt

You can learn more about eco-dying from India Flint.

August 30, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: Gardens Throughout My Day

It’s so easy to get caught up in our day, isn’t it? Everyone’s busy. We rush from here to there, and back again if you have kids. Who has time to slow down?

In truth, we all do. Everyone gets 24 hours in a day. It’s up to us to spend them wisely. When my mom was in hospice at the end of her life, I read some interesting comments from a hospice nurse. Most of her end-of-life patients regretted the things they didn’t do. I try to remember that.

Yesterday, though I had plenty to do, I consciously slowed down. I attend a fitness camp three morning a week at a local middle school. We complete our drills in the interior quad, working hard for 50 minutes. Then we all race to our cars and continue on with our hectic days. I took a moment to return back to the quad, to admire and photograph this beautiful rose.

Blushing Rose at Fitness Camp

After driving my older son to school, I lurked in the parking lot till the coast was clear, then walked around to the front of the school and snapped a few shots. They have a lovely garden just outside the office, with bright red geraniums, bushy ferns and a stand of magnificent trees. I never noticed the trees before yesterday. One of the small benefits of slowing down.

Branham Geranium

Branham Office Garden

On my drive home, I pulled over to admire the sunflowers growing a few blocks over. Kelly at Boomdeeada suggested I scout the neighborhood for similar flowers, since I seem to be growing a variety I didn’t plant. She might be on to something! It was a good excuse to finally get out of the car and see them up close.

Neighboring Yellow Sunflowers with Palm Tree

Down the block, our neighbor Robert plants a colorful selection of annuals along the border of his white picket fence. He suffered a stroke a few years ago, and had a long trip back to wellness. I enjoy driving by his house and seeing his flowers in bloom. If he’s sunning himself in the driveway, I’ll wave. I realize as I write this that he has no idea how much I enjoy those flowers. I plan to share that with him today.

Robert’s Summer Display

My own welcoming committee is a pleasure to behold: a wall of sunflowers just outside the kitchen window, and my recently planted fairy garden. The purples and yellows are vibrant and fresh, as if to say “summer will never end.” Sure, I know better, but I still enjoy the charade.

Sunflowers: The Sunny Dozen
Photographed in order on deck

Wednesday is early out day in our school district so the boys return home in the early afternoon. My last stop was Office Max, for yet another round of school supplies. They have enormous clay pots planted in front of the store, brimming with colorful flowers. It’s challenging taking photographs under the mid day sun, but I still enjoyed the view. I appreciate strip malls that make the effort to bring beautiful gardens to an otherwise drab exterior.

Office Max Flowering Pots

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. ~Claude Monet

Cascading Geraniums

Guess what? I still accomplished what I planned for the day, climbed out from under a writers slump, made phone calls, booked a client and nurtured my husband, two boys and four cats.

I encourage you to take five minutes for yourself today. Look at something familiar with beginners eyes. Taste. Smell. Marvel. Rather than imagining you are the center of the universe, try to be centered in the universe. You’ll be a happier person for it.