Summer "Six Pack"

Wanted to say hello with some quick 'pix' at 102 degrees in Fort Worth, TX this afternoon!

#1 

Under our Mulberry tree in the shade...Whew!

photo by Suzanne * July 23, 2011

#2

Impatiens * May 2008 * photo by Suzanne

I like to plant the Impatiens early while it is still cool, because, by early July they are burning up if they don't have some shade and I often lose them.  This spot faces East, yet, it is still hard to keep them fresh and alive.  In the lower right hand corner is a 'Gardenia' bush.  I have another one on the other side of the porch.  They took a ghastly 'bite' this winter, but are trying to come back now-we'll see! The large clay pot houses a small boxwood shrub and there is another on the other side of the porch also.  They did well in these pots up until this past winter, and, they perished.  We will have to replace them, but it is so hot, now, I can't make myself do it yet.  And then, we have 'Elephant Ears' in the corner.  In May they are just starting to come up and thrive pretty well in this corner.  We have more of them this year.

#3

photo by Suzanne

A trusty Gnome watches over the 'Japanese Fern' with 'airplane plant' in the lower right hand corner and some 'purple' plant that was given to me in the lower left corner.  This purple foliage is really hearty, still comes back after 11 years, and puts on small pink blooms in the late summer.

#4

'Portulaca" * photo by Karo * July 23, 2011

Well, one, lone, 'Portulaca" aka 'Moss Rose'.  I feel so guilty-forgot we even had this in a pot out back.  But we noticed some growth and Karo started caring for it.  It has bloomed a little, so he journeyed out and took a quick pic.  It is very pretty.  So I have gone out, moved the pot out and freshened up the soil in it.  These are a drought-tolerant plant, NO DOUBT!  And I saw new buds on the plant. I promise to do better by this soldier.

#5

Suzanne * Weatherford, TX * July 1992

photo taken by my Mom

Now here I am in the summer of 1992.  My son and I lived in Weatherford, TX about 45 miles west of Fort Worth.  Along my driveway I dug a large kidney shaped bed for -YES, of course, some excess plantings I had.   Can you see the large 'Yucca' towering to your left?  That's the one Rusty brought back from a trip to Arkansas-it was only 1 foot tall then.  Boy!  These things really take off!  I had to find another spot for it besides being in front of a bedroom window (it was tearing up my window screen).  What a job getting it down the driveway!  In the right hand corner rests a 'pencil cactus' that was given to me by some friends from their trip to Mexcio.  And it was a fast grower too!  Everywhere a piece drops, another one grows.  This plant, too, had to be moved.  I did find the perfect spot, didn't I?  A pretty wide open space coming up the drive toward the house...and, out of the way of small children, and clumsy women, like me!  I had placed a couple of barrel cactus, and some kind of 'fishhook cactus' that were low to the ground.  And, then, there was the 'pear cactus'.  You can see one in front of my leg.  They're quite abundant in Texas, in, and out of the city limits.  This one would bloom in bright yellow in the spring.  Then I dotted the ground area with white and pink 'perriwinkles' for brighter color.  I knew these plants could withstand the Texas heat and a cactus surrounding.  My mother and sister came to visit that month and brought me the wooden garden sign with the blackbird on top.  It was like icing on the cake, or something on the pin cushion maybe?  The garden was a real nice welcome to the property.

And as for #6 in the pack, you ask?

Blue Moon Belgian White Beer! (Whitbier)

from Coors Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado USA

Well, I don't drink beer anymore, but cold beer always looks good!  Thanks so much for stopping by...stay cool, and for those of you having fall and winter weather, stay warm...but, I ENVY YOU!  Come by anytime and say hello.  You are always welcome!

And Remember!

"Consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like an idiot!"

***

Thanks to:

Google

Yahoo Images

davidstuff.com

"OOPS! I Messed Up!!!" How Many Demerits Should I Get?

I am embarrassed to announce that I've screwed up the poll on my sidebar...AAGGHHEE!!!  Recently, I labored and put a survey on my sidebar asking if  you could name the 4 plants in the photo.  It took me three tries to get it on there, and I'll be...I left off the name of one of the plants that is actually in the photo!  So I have given myself a "DEMERIT", or 'boobie' prize, so to speak!  A dead sunflower!  Now a dead sunflower can't be all that bad, I say...I've had them before.

  Oh, I feel another story coming on! 

One year, I decided I wanted to raise sunflowers for cutting, and enjoying inside.  And I wanted to be sure they would have stems at least 10" long in order to work in a vase.  I had a tall, slendor, black ceramic vase that would be perfect for bright, yellow sunflowers.  To the store I went, looking for seeds-sheesh!  There are so many kinds and sizes of sunflowers.  I found a package that said 'up to 12 inches', and grabbed it!  Well, got the seeds planted along the fence row, watched and waited.  Of course, they did come up, but they looked kind of funny-took their time about growing tall.  And the stems were kind of thick.  Oh no, will they be stunted?  NOT ON YOUR LIFE!  The stems became 4 foot stalks, then came the buds-WOW!  And they grew in size too.  I didn't plant the seeds in a large area, but they didn't know it.  Gradually the buds started to open, but kept growing-LO & BEHOLD!  These blooms were mammoth!  I got the package out and read it again...'up to 12 inches' really meant the circumference of the blooms!  What a fluke!  I didn't read beyond the 12 inches...they meant the blooms themselves.  Well, no cut flowers here!  They were lovely, but overpowered some of the other plantings-yet, I couldn't let them go.  And, of course, they had to die out.  Karo to the rescue!  Since the dead blooms didn't fall off on their own, he cut them off-like, with a sword!  Then he dug the seeds from the centers.  This was kind of hard-they will poke you.  Then he spread the seeds out in some old pans we had and set them out in the back yard in various areas.  As more blooms dried out, he did the same.  It was great!  The birds came and feasted for several weeks on all the seeds Karo harvested.  So, in the end, I feel like I made a good choice.  But I DO read the seed packets more carefully now!

Anyway, back to my survey.  I know there were some votes on the survey, mostly correct votes.  And I thank you so much for your votes, but I took the survey off, when no one was looking.  Below is the photo.  CAN you name the plant I left out of the choices?  If so, let me know.

Here are the choices I gave (minus the key plant)
Lilac Bush
Zinnias
Apple Blossoms
Wood Fern
Umbrella Plant
Buttercups

And as a peace offering, here is a short video I shot on July 3rd thru our living room window.  I happened to see a mother cat tending to her kitten between our house and the neighbor's house.  This mama cat is a stray who we've seen in the neighborhood for the past 7 or 8 months.  She appears to be young herself.  And there is only one kitten.  We have since been providing food and water to them in hopes it will keep them healthy and well.  They are leary of us, but have gratefully accepted the food and water.  The other night Karo gave them boiled chicken!  My video isn't the greatest, you can hear our TV and other background noise, including my babbling at times, AND I had to cough in there, so the camera jumps around some.  Please enjoy!

I guess you've noticed the temperature gauge on my sidebar for my side of town.  On Friday, we reached a record temperature in the Fort Worth area for this summer so far of 107 degrees!  And this morning we had a rolling blackout in our neighborhood to conserve on energy-well, all that did was send all of our electronics 'haywire'!  We're really worried about these animals and our beloved husky "Whitey".  Even with large trees in the yard, she can't find a cool spot.  Karo waters down her favorite areas throughout the day, and we have put the sprinkler out in the evenings in an attempt to cool down the back yard.  She won't come inside, so we're doing the best we can.  Whitey is getting on in years, so this heat is a concern, as she clearly is NOT in her element.  She is a rescue dog, that, we believe just got lost from her previous owners.  We've had her for about 9 years-we think.  Below is a photo of Whitey taken December 24, 2009 when we experienced a great snow storm. 

NOW, THIS IS HER ELEMENT!  Trust me, she is smiling!

photo by Karo * Christmas Eve 2009

Merry Christmas Whitey!

So, I just want to ask you all to help out where you can in regards to any animals that may be in dire straits during this horrible heat wave!  Even tho we can't save them all, maybe a drink of cool, clean water and anything that can be spared for nourishment will make a difference. 

***

Thank you my 'cool' readers for stopping by...I don't know about you-but MY TEXAS GARDENS are burning up!  My white oleander, however, is starting to bloom now.  Some things just love the scorching heat.   Last nite, I went to pick up dinner from 'Taco Cabana' and they had a lovely display of white periwinkles on the patio, that are some other heat-loving plants!  I marveled at them, since I don't have any this year.  Well, maybe next time!  And, my 'gardenia' plants are trying to come back-in this heat!  Maybe by fall they will be healthy enough for a few blooms!

Please come by anytime and say hello!  I always enjoy hearing from you. 

Thank You:  Google, YouTube, Yahoo Images AND a cool thanks to Whitey!

***

"Bring me the Sunflower CRAZED with the love of light."

~Eugenio Montale

Swan Patrol!

photo by suzanne * spring 1999

When I bought this house, there was such a large back yard, with absolutely nothing around, save some trees.  I had to take a few of them out, because they were dead. Well, some of my friends would donate bulbs and cuttings to my cause.  I couldn't afford professional landscaping, and, even if I didn't always know what I was getting, I took it gladly!    But, as time goes on, and flowers flourish, one needs to expand to keep things alive.  Thus, the 'Swan' garden.  It's primary digs are white and yellow iris, Shasta daisies, a few viola plants, and some monkey grass.

The daisies were given to me by a friend from work.  She just brought me a couple of clumps...I'm like, 'what the'...?  They looked liked nothing!  Well, I got them home, found an off-the-wall spot, and just stirred up the dirt enough to 'plunk' the clumps in it.  It was a slightly shady spot, but the clumps didn't care.  They started getting greener in a few days, the leaves perked up, and then, within a couple of weeks, I could see some actual growth, and runners coming from underneath!  "Man!"  These dudes are gonna make it!  And they did!  I couldn't believe it, but here came more-it was getting cold, and I wondered how they would fare throughout the winter. I covered them lightly with our 'Texas fallen leaves', and sat back.  They did survive and I was able to transplant them.  The one thing I found tho, is not to drown them with water, or they will wilt and die.  The following photo shows how they began to flourish in the first year.

photo by suzanne

They grew tall and plentiful.  This spot is shady most of the day...there is a large tree nearby.  So, I think 'shasta daisies' are pretty hardy almost anywhere.  I did, later purchase some other types of daisies, 'margerita daisies', and 'dahlberg daisies', but didn't have the same results.

photo by suzanne * spring 2000

This photo gives a better view of the border.  We dug the bed into a semi-circle shape, and bordered it with sprigs of 'monkey grass', which did grow in nicely, and it did make mowing easy.  In the lower left is a clump of 'violas' donated by my next door neighbor Lee.  She had them everywhere, and they were easy to start.  Now they LOVE all the water you're willing to part with.  They can be lying flat down from the heat, and perk up within just a few minutes.  In early spring, and again in the fall, they will bloom with small deep violet flowers.  I have given clumps of this to other friends myself.  Violas are so easy and make good bordering plants. 

I was very picky about coordinating depth of color and foliage...after all, I was accumulating so much, I could draw out plans and I used old, gardening books to help with arrangement of plants.  You can see how large the 'iris' plants are...does this REALLY mean "everything grows big in Texas"?  I think not!   A little old man in the neighborhood had a cardboard sign out front of his house "Iris for Sale-$1.00 a Clump".  So, I stopped by...this was in 1994.  He had rows and rows of all kinds of iris of many colors!  But, he said I couldn't have any of the snow white iris...they had been cared for by his late wife, and he wasn't giving any up...he said he didn't have enough.  Well, I hounded him and begged, and he finally gave in and gave me a few roots, or a 'clump' as he described it.   There are white iris in this bed-they grew so tall, you couldn't cut them to bring in.  I did find a tall bottle that I could put some in to enjoy indoors.  You can see how tall the iris foliage is.  These were large plants and the blooms were also very large...mmmm, smelled like grapes!  Some of the white ones get very tall, they lean over, so I try to cut them and bring them in to keep them off the ground.

Well, I needed an anchor, or focal point for this garden-it makes me think of a pond, with it's tall foliage and the daisies swaying in the front.  So much green, glistening with sparks of yellow and white.  Now, I was never a fan of swan planters...but, for some reason, it seemed as tho nothing else would fit!  And, probably, I found a good price on this molded plastic planter...you know, $2.00 or $3.00, and decided to take a chance.  We turned a black pot upside down to prop the swan up above the ground because he couldn't be seen admist the plants.  And the foliage covered up the pot nicely.  I planted white periwinkle in the swan, but, you know, I had a lot of trouble keeping anything alive in that planter, so I gave up.  Even so, it all came together pretty nicely, and later, I planted some umbrella plants at the back of this bed.

And the Swan continues to patrol and watch over!

Some tips for 'Iris' from MY diary

* Iris love a lot of sun.  If planting in a cluster, they should be placed where each plant draws the attention of the same amount of sun in order to bloom concurrently.

* And it's true!  You can  just drop a root or two here and there, and they will take.  But I would rather place them to be standing up when they start rooting.  And I point the roots in certain directions so they will not grow up 'willy nilly'.  I want all of the foliage facing in the same direction. 

* When it's time to transplant, you MUST have this done by early fall-September at best.   This will insure more successful blooming in the spring.  I thought you could just move them on a whim and get instant blooms...not on your life!  You will have to wait almost a year for them.  Once the blooming season is over, you can go ahead and transplant for the following spring-it's okay.  Just don't go beyond the deadline.  I have a few purple iris that bloom in February-don't know why, but I run out and get them to enjoy inside, and they really smell like grapes!

* As the summer progresses, and starts burning green stuff, I go along with a pair of scissors and trim the foliage of my iris.  Each plant gets cut into a fan shape to about 6 inches high...hehe!  I know-it's crazy, and I wish I had a photo to show you.  But some of the leaves will die or fall over and you have to go along and pick them up.  Cutting them back makes the plant look cleaner, and they withstand the heat better.

* And, it's okay to leave the top part of the root exposed, in fact, I've read that you should do that, even tho it sounds unhealthy for the plant. Plus, sometimes they will fall over, so I try to pack soil around to the back to help them stand up.

That's all I have today friends!  Thank you so much for visiting.  I hope you enjoyed and learned.  I couldn't find a Swan poem or quote that I wanted to share...they were all too sad.  So, I did find a quote from the internet (I'm embarrassed I can't remember which site) that I particularly liked.

***

"To pick a flower is so much more satisfying than just observing it, or photographing it ... 

So in later years, I have grown in my garden as many flowers as possible for children to pick." 

-  Anne Scott-James  

Happy Birthday MOM!!!

I Love You!

Hello July...from some Pretty Maids!

The following photos aren't from my yard, BUT, they are MY TEXAS GARDENS!  Please enjoy...

Whispering Wisteria

 photos taken by suzanne * March 26, 2011

These lilac beauties reside just a couple of blocks from my house in Fort Worth.  They bloom every spring, massively...and then after about 6 or 7 days, the blooms go away.  And every year I say I'm going to get a picture of this-finally, I bit the bullet and stopped by with my camera before the blooms would disappear.  They bloom all up and down the fence of this property, and the property across the street from this house has a large tree of Wisteria.  Once the blooms die away, green leaves appear on the bush/tree, and in the fall, the leaves drop off, and this is the 'UGLIEST' tree I've ever seen.  One downfall, in my opinion, is that this plant attracts the chunky bumble bees, and they don't like to be bothered!  I did get a photo of one, but he didn't show up in the photo.

WAIT JUST A MINUTE!  WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?

I SAID BUMBLE BEE...NOT BUBBLE BUTT!

TRYING TO MAKE ME LOOK BAD?

Ok, Ok...you are a cutie, you can stay!

A Crepe Canape!

Look at this HUGE 'Crepe Myrtle' * photo June 8, 2011

I get to marvel at this great tree every morning on my way to work.  It sits on the front corner of a city building and boasts a pastel pinkish lilac burst of blooms.   Karo took me by there one afternoon when no traffic was around so I could get a shot of it.  And, yes, I wish it was in MY yard!

photo by suzanne * June 11, 2011

These 'Crepes' are perched on a corner where the Tarrant County College is located downtown Fort Worth.  They were across the street from the Justice Center where I sweated out Jury Duty that week.  But on breaks, I had the pleasure of enjoying them.

photo by Suzanne * June 29, 2011 * Fort Worth, Texas

These are the red 'Crepe (or Crape) Myrtles'.  Actually, they're a dark pink, and they are the most common color seen around town.  I have two VERY OLD trees of this type, that are just now starting to bud out.  The one thing I don't like about them, is that they drip, drip, drip!  You can't stand under them, or you will get sprinkled on, and the droplets are a bit sticky.

kinda like this!

this photo from yahoo images is actually a redbud tree

but with the same drippage as the crepe myrtle.

When the blooms of a 'crepe/crape' myrtle die off, they leave some seed pods on the branches. You can get these off, let them dry out-then they will split open a bit...and you can plant them in early spring.  Or you can take wood cuttings of the branches of about 6 inches, and start propagation in pots.  I've never had to do that, because they sprout up all around the tree and even to about several feet away from the tree.  I have even read that you can bend a branch of the tree over and stick it into a pot on the ground next to the tree to propagate.  I have tried this, but don't have the patience to KEEP STICKING IT BACK INTO THE POT WHEN IT POPS OUT!!!

I also have a white 'crepe/crape' myrtle that is about to bud out.  And the blooms are gorgeous.  Later, I should be able to share photos of this tree.  I know-what's with me and the white blooms?  They are just so angelic, I think.  White roses, gardenias, iris, oleander, and crepe myrtle! 

***
I would like to take a moment to welcome my newest followers.  I'm sorry I don't know much about you yet, but I have browsed myself some, and hope to make better connections soon. 
Suzane Weck
Ellie Great
Ziggy Stardust

Thank you all, my regal readers for stopping by.  As you know, this is the weekend before our July 4th Independence Day celebrations on Monday.  I urge you to be cautious in all activities...not just of yourselves, but keep an eye out for those around you who may be a little...well, you know!
  Have a safe and happy holiday!

And, by the way, I do have a survey on my sidebar.  There are four plants in the photo. Can you name them?  The poll closes on July 9, 2011.  My only problem is, I can't see the results!  The print is so light, I need to have complete darkness to see it, and I'm not sure how to darken it without MESSING UP MY SIDEBAR LIKE I DID ON MY KARDKORNERKRIB BLOG!  So, I'll try to make do...gahh!

Thank you
google
yahoo images
the city of Fort Worth
and my neighborhood blooming trees!

***
"Where flowers bloom, so does hope."
~Lady Bird Johnson

"Summer Solstice and a cup of HOT Coffee!"

photo taken by suzanne * May 25, 2011

Today marks the first day of summer, I guess, for most of us.  But, here, in Texas, we have already experienced a sample of what's to come.  We've been graced with 104 degree temperatures, and no rain...until last nite.  And down it came.  I'm not sure how much we got, but I woke up at 3:30 am and walked thru the house looking out the windows and marveling at the sight and sound of it. I wasn't even mad about it, or gumping that it would only give me a bad hair day-I could suffer ONE day of spaghetti hair for the stuff that was coming down out there!   You see the pink roses in the vase above?  Well, they thanked the nite of fresh rain and bliss-now, maybe I'll get a few more of them.  And it seems as tho I will still enjoy a cup of hot coffee, even in the hot Texas summer!

One of my favorite blogmates, Susan, who hails from Australia, of 'this n that', also enjoys a great cup of coffee.  She and her husband, "MD", create their own coffee designs at 'Coffee Art'.  You will find both of her blogs on my sidebar... easy to get to!  Or...you can click on her blog button that is located on my sidebard with the beautiful bird that chirps "this n that" and go directly to her blog.  Susan generously sent me a blog award the other day for my garden blog, and, I would like to give her a proper thanks!  This blog is young yet, and I have far to go, but I am grateful for the followers and readers who have stopped by.

Thank You Susan!

AND, upon receiving one of these awards, you're supposed to reveal 7? things about yourself that may not be well known...like what, I ask?  Don't we all know enough?  OK, OK, I'll try!

1.)  You already know, I save the best for last...that means what?  It's kind of like, "Give me the bad news first!"  But one thing, is food.  I love salad, and will only eat a small portion early on.  Then I eat the rest of my meal, and treat the salad as a desert.  I think a lot of people do that, tho.  And of gift giving, I save the best gift to give for last-not unusual either...hmmm!

2.)  I like 1950's and 1960's rock n roll music...Tommy James and the Shondells, The Temptations, The Animals, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, James Brown,  Otis Redding, and any of them who could do music I could dance to.  Anyone remember the Stroll?

3.)  I go barefoot a lot, wear t-shirts and jeans, and sometimes go bra-less (shhh! too much info?) Nothing to see here!

4.)  I swear, I'm running out of things- I "swear"?  Ok, I, too, am guilty of under-my-breath cursings!  Especially when I am cut off by SOMEONE TALKING ON A CELL PHONE, WHO SWERVES TOWARD ME ON THE STREET!"  But, I have made it a habit of doing so without moving my lips until the culprit has passed and cannot READ MY LIPS!

5.)  I am lefthanded.  Does this mean I'm in my right mind?

6.)  I love to watch classic car shows and auctions on TV.  And I watch a show called "Chasing Classic Cars" where this guy will go almost anywhere to buy an old 'woody', or something unusual.  Most of the time he takes them to an auction, or actually has a client who wants purchase the auto.

7.)  And, I do like to design and print greeting cards, calendars, and other items like business cards and flyers.

***

Phew!  Is that over?  Thank You again, Susan!

So, without further adieu, I will move on.  I tried to put a poll on this evening, but the gadget bar would not accept my closing date, or any other date for that matter.  Never fear, I will try again later, or tomorrow.  In the meantime, I am working on a new garden story and beginning to recuperate from my ghastly cold!

Thanks to all who have stopped by...HI MOM!

***

"What dreadful hot weather we have!

It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."

~Jane Austen

Private Garden...or plant hoarder?

spring 2004 ~ photo by suzanne

What is all this, you ask?  This "mish-mash" of pots and plants-is SHE stock-piling, or are these castoffs?  What's in that pink pot at the back next to the tall white one with the white flowers?  A 'Kalanchoe', you say? And is that a 'Schefflera' at the back righthand corner?  What are they doing out in the yard?

Well, dear readers, you'll be glad to know that they aren't castoffs, and, yes-I have been known to be a "plant hoarder"!  These plants had been in the shed for the winter.  Some of my bedding plants get dug up as it cools down, and put in pots.  It was just a test at first, to save, and see if they would survive in the shed, thus, an economical way of getting a free early start on my gardens.  Of course, Karo fixed up a sun lamp, and we kept a small electric heater on hand, (I know that's dangerous) but we didn't have to use it much.  And the small shed has two small windows up high in it that face south and west, so there was actually sunlight coming thru.

I would keep (hoard) flats from my purchases of bedding plants at the nursery, line them with weed block paper, then spread some potting soil mixed with peat moss.  And I could take 'begonia' clippings, or 'kalanchoe' clippings, and 'coleus' and plant them in the flats.  And, then, as it warms up, we have to take the potted plants and new bedding plants outside to revive in the fresh spring air, then transport them right into their beds.  You know, some plants don't come back as readily, and these 'hoarded' ones make good filler plants.  When I first started 'saving', and time to move them out came along, I really had nowhere to put the plants before placing them where I might want them.  So, I just stuck them back along the northwest side of the yard for holding.  Well, lo and behold, it became a little more than just 'holding'!

Looking Better?

What, then...happened here?

As you can see, the plants are still there, but somewhat re-arranged, and OH!  What's that? A brick walk?  Time marches on...you caught me-hoarding, AGAIN!  They were doing so well, and droplets of variegated, silver-striped looking jew were spreading throughout the grounds of the area, not even in pots!  And look at the 'red caladiums' and 'geraniums' at the back-they loved it!

WOW!  Time does march on!

Here are two views I put together to give you an idea of what my 'hoarding' yielded.  In order to keep things watered and alive, I had to be able to move around them without getting into a muddy mess.  I found some old brick and formed a small walkway-then painted the brick 'willy nilly' colors.  The white pot down front had a 'dahlia' blooming in it, and there are various white 'impatiens', and some pink.  Just peaking down from the upper right hand corner, the long, thin leaves are from an 'umbrella' plant.  They grow very tall and come back every year.  They do love sun and plenty of water.  And at the farthest right back are some 'elephant ears' just coming up along with some tropical plant that was given to me...I just never knew what it was, but it did put on red blooms in the fall.  We've got 'mother-in-law' tongue and 'lamb's ear' too!  The silvery-leafed 'jew' plant just spread and spread, and I think I saw it glow!  So, I dubbed this area my "Private Garden".

A little about 'Kalanchoe'

My 'kalanchoe' was this color (the above picture is not mine) and started as a teeny-tiny potted filler in a bowl garden arrangement that was given to me.  After the blooms died, I tried to keep it healthy, and it grew, but was very frail and pale.  So, I looked it up in one of my garden books, and it said, "Just take me outside and put me under a tree!"  So I did!  The plant started getting stronger with thick green leaves, and I eventually had to put it in that large pink pot.  When buds started to show, I moved it out into some sun to encourage blooms, and it REALLY BLOOMED!  As it got cold, I had to take it back into the shed, but it stayed healthy all thru the winter.  I did the same with other 'kalanchoe' of various colors.  Some, I would leave in smaller pots, and in the early spring they would bloom in the shed.  Then I could bring a small pot into the house to enjoy the blooms.  It's kind of a lot of work, but they just won't thrive in my house and I really do like them.  Sometimes 'loving' and 'learning' go hand in hand!

Well, folks, it's time to call it a nite.  I hope you've enjoyed!  Thank you so much for coming back to look, AND, I have noticed a new follower on my page, Suzane.  Welcome, and thank you for following.  Please stop by again and say hello! 

By the way, it is 11:48 pm in Texas as I write and the temperature is still at 83 degrees!

Thank you Google

Thanks to yahoo images

***

"Come stroll with me thru my Private Garden...

The path is small, but offers much.

Trinkets of red and white, and leaves of silver.

Hum a tune if you like...don't be afraid to touch."

...penned by 'me'  (chuckle)!

 

Gardenias: A Fragrance That Captivates - Southern Living

My Gardenias

This is the only photo of my Gardenias I have, because...blah, blah, I lost all others on my last computer, of course!   And my poor bushes perished this winter in all of the ice and snow.  They are trying to come back, but, I don't think they'll ever be like this again.  They did flourish for about 5 years, tho.  I love Gardenias...as mine would bloom, I would cut from 3 to 5 of them to bring in.  They had short stems, so I had to figure out how to display them effectively.  I had a shallow clear crystal bowl and would place 'ice cube-like' rocks in the bottom of the bowl.  Then I would strategically arrange light blue marble-shaped glass globes on top of the clear crystals.  I could then, carefully, place the 'Gardenias' on top in a minimal amount of water, and gently push the stems into the glass baubles to stay in place.  Thus, the 'Gardenias' had the appearance of floating, and you got the reflections of the clear glass cubes and blue marbles that gave a 'watery' look to the arrangement.  And I truly believe that the water kept the scent of the 'Gardenias'  fresh and longer lasting.  Oh, what aroma!

And it brings to mind an alltime favorite...

 Jungle Gardenia by Tuvaché

"The World's Most Exotic Perfume"

What a fragrance!  'Jungle Gardenia' was first introduced in 1932 by the Tuvaché Company in New York. When I was a kid, 'Jungle Gardenia' was a favorite on the "Queen For A Day Show".  All of the contestants would receive a bottle of 'Jungle Gardenia', and I had always wished to be able to have a bottle myself one day.  And then, in the 1970's sometime, I bought myself a small bottle.  Mmm...how wonderful!  But I used it sparingly, since it really wasn't in my budget.  I just wore it on occasions, and only to work if I was wearing green that day.  How funny!  I think some of the game shows like "Truth Or Consequences" continued to gift 'Jungle Gardenia' for some years, and you can still purchase this lovely fragrance today, (by the way, it is more affordable now).  I haven't had any in years, and other 'Gardenia' fragrances just don't hold up to the original 'Jungle Gardenia'. 

You can find the whole story on:
www.timelessperfumes.com

Next, I want to share with you some garden tips.  This is where I have gotten a great deal of help for garden design and the care and raising of plants for my part of the country.   Southern Living magazine posts garden tips every month, and when I saw the article on 'Gardenias' in June's issue,  a sweet note struck home.  I know a lot of gardeners do love 'Gardenias', and this article offers a few good tips. 

Please click on the Southern Living link if you have a moment.

http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/gardenias-fragrance-captivates-00400000010309/

And, I want to thank all of my readers for your gracious AND funny comments and input to my blogs.  I know some of us are still having some trouble with our blogs...I have had trouble this week leaving comments on a few blogs, I hope you all know I am still reading and following and will continue to attempt my "hellooos" to you.  And I noticed that my list of followers has disappeared from my sidebar-I tried to revive it, but to no avail.  Sheesh!!!  I've already lost one whole post...is this some kind of sign?

* Have a safe and pleasant Memorial Day weekend! *

Grandson Shawn on a verrry chilly April 1st, 2011

" Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

~Alfred Austin

Colossal Caladiums!

White/Red Veined Caladiums ~ Summer 2007

Caladiums are of my favorite blooms-I say blooms because I heard someone mention that they are blooms.  And I never thought of them in that way.  To me Caladiums are  flowing, fluffy leaves, whimsical and careless in the soft breeze.  But, when I really considered it-yes they are blooms!  My favorite Caladiums are white with red veins.  One lady mentioned, "They are curiously blotched with white and red."  It was early July, I remember, when I took this photo, and fortunately enough, because our computer 'KRASHED' and this is the only one I printed-AAGGHH!  See how the morning sun from the east comes thru the back of the blooms, causing the veins to really stand out.  If you look closely, you can see the morning dew, still resting and waiting for the ride in the breeze, before disappearing into the hot July day.

***

"AW"-the little fellow feels a presence behind him!

This garden is in front of my 'no-good-for-nothing-pain-in-the-keister' Mulberry tree.  The tree bears fruit in early spring, and you can't work under it until they're all gone.  Fortunately, the plant life doesn't suffer from the squirrels and birds playing 'catch' with the fruit.  But the berries do leave a splotchy mess, and usually I can lightly spray and wash the stains away.

In the upper lefthand corner of my photo resides 'vinca major'-a periwinkle relative.  It grows EVERYWHERE!  And you can easily propagate it-it also climbs easily.  Karo built 2 ladders, one on either side of the tree for the 'vinca' to climb...and it did!  In the spring it will produce lavendar blooms, but only on the mature plant.  Any 'vinca' that you may transplant will not bloom until the following year.  It's a fun plant, that can be transplanted easily in most areas of the yard, and, or used in pots.

Isn't that a beautiful 'hosta'?  It kept coming back for about 4 years.  My mother sent me the roots from Kansas City, and it really took off-it got so big!  Behind the 'hosta' is, you'll never guess, 'gladiola'.  Not a very good spot for this plant because there was not enough sun to encourage blooms.  But it did make for interesting background foliage.  And there's a small clump of white 'impatiens' to the lower right.  

I prefer to plant my caladiums as bulbs.  I have bought them in pots before, but they don't last as long-they are usually already too leggy when you buy them and have a tendancy to fall over.  The only thing you can do then, is save the bulbs for next year.  AND-I remember reading that 'caladiums' and 'elephant ears' need to be in the ground after danger of frost, but by May 1st.  I have actually gone outside in the rain just to get them into the ground on May 1st!  Dedication, you say?  Sometimes we leave a few 'elephant ears' in the ground, because in Texas, the ground doesn't freeze too deep in the winter (most of the time).  And they can survive.  But 'caladiums' are not as hardy.  We try to dig up the bulbs-I sprinkle some peat moss on newspaper, wrap the bulbs up, and store them in paper sacks inside the house during the winter. 

On the other side of the 'hosta' are some other exciting plants which I will be showing later.  We really showed this tree up with the circular bed around it, and Karo used green, metal edging for definition.

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading today.

My previous post on this blog was lost in the shuffle of the "blogger dilemma" last week.  I have requested that blogger restore it, as they said they were restoring lost posts and comments, but, so far nothing!  So, I am in the process of re-writing, since only 2 paragraphs actually went to draft.  PHLUGF!!! 

And I want to welcome, and thank my two followers:

Susan from this n that

Nancy from Nancy's Arts, Crafts and Favorites

These two ladies are fine bloggers!  They share some of the greatest ideas, photos, and art around.  I am so grateful to have them as blogmates.  You can find their links on my sidebar bloglist. 

And I want to wish Laura at forestwalkart a speedy recovery from her surgery this week.  You can also find her blog on my sidebar.

Thank you Bonnie King Powers for reading my blogs and emailing me with your sweet and wonderful comments.  Bonnie and I met when we were four years old.  We grew up together in Kansas City and went thru all of our school years together.  We've only seen each other a few times at high school reunions, but recently have connected thru Facebook, and now, we stay in touch frequently.  It's really good to talk about the fun we had as kids.

***

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made

while learning to see things from the plant's point of view."

~saying by H. Fred Ale

***

"I've been here before,

Tho I know not when.

And I hope I left my mark,

So I'll see you again."

~penned by Suzanne

05/20/11

Precious White Roses!

photo by suzanne * march 2011

I've had a particular white rose bush for 10 or 11 years now...so long, I don't even remember what type of rose it is. I do think it is some kind of 'tea rose' that most generally blooms twice a year and brings me much joy.  And I've not taken many pictures of the bush because the roses are so white, that it is hard to capture the exquisite details of the blooms.  At times, I have been able to cut and bring in a dozen roses at once.  One stem can house from 4 to 6 roses.  I cut the stems at an angle and put some chips of ice in the vase of water.  

photo by suzanne * april 2010

In order to receive a beautiful spring crop, I must prune the bush in October.  And, then in March, the buds start developing.  After the spring show, I must lightly prune again, and I can enjoy more blooms in the fall.  Last year I failed to prune (lazy), but this spring I did reap a favorable lot of roses.  However, the March winds this year were so strong and frequent, that the petals were blowing everywhere, and I lost quite a few roses.  I did get a few photos in April, just before Easter, when my little grandson was visiting for a few days.  The results below.

photo by Suzanne * April 16, 2011

My grandson Shawn * April 16, 2011

"He wears the rose of youth upon him."

~William Shakespeare


***
So, for now, this is it.  I'm having a dilemma with posting.  After having written a post and published it on Wednesday nite, Thursday came and I couldn't log in to my blogs.  I kept getting a message that "blogger" was unavailable.  When I got home from work Friday, I was able to log in to my blogs, but my new post from Wednesday was gone-VANISHED!-I know it posted, because I saw it Thursday even tho I couldn't log into the blog.  And one of my blogmates had left a message, but I when I tried to publish her comment another message told me the comment did NOT exist.  Don't know what the deal is, but I will try again, and within a few days I hope to rewrite and publish the previous post. 

So-what do you think my chances of a successful post are?

CHARLIE-WHAT DO YOU THINK?

"Winning...Winning!"
~ Charlie Sheen from 'Two and a Half Men'
***
The quote on my sidebar above the rippling water rose picture is by: 
Emily Dickinson * How beautiful!

I look forward to hearing from you, my readers!  Have a safe and happy week!

***

"And she was fair as the rose in May"
~Geoffrey Chaucer

* May 8, 2011 * Easter Sunday *

More Dianthus and 'Dusty Miller' photo by Suzanne in Spring 2004

I found a good combination for color and brightness to be 'Dinathus' surrounded by the silvery 'Dusty Miller'.  I took this photo at night and was pleasantly surprised at the outcome.  It appears to be illuminated by the 'Dusty Miller'.  If you look closely a little to the right, you will see a frog face poking out of the 'Dusty Miller', and to the extreme right is red 'Dianthus', which is not as showy as the fuschia and white.  But if you can get the red to cluster heavily and border it with lighter colors (like yellow), you can get it to show up.  And, of course, my backdrop is 'Iris' in yellow and blue.  At least when the 'Iris' blooms disappear, the foliage makes a good background for most other bedding plants. 

Now, remember, 'Dianthus' is kin (I mean relative) to the ever lovely 'Carnation', as is the 'Sweet William'.  The "Sweet William' has somewhat taller stems than 'Dianthus', and I have not seen it in a variegated state as the 'Dianthus'.  I have had 'Sweet William' in lilac-purple, and pastel pinks.  It is a beautiful plant.  Since I have problems raising 'Carnations', which are a most aromic and lovely flower, I do the next best and stick with 'Dianthus', the most hardy of the two, and also fragrant.

As for the 'Dusty Miller'...it is a most hardy plant in my area, and does come back for at least three years, whether you want it to or not.  AND, you can pop of a top and root it to propagate.  It gets ugly when a stem comes up with sticky-yellow looking blooms.  I don't know what to do then.  I try to break them off without damaging the plant.  But it is a wonderful contrast to purple petunias, red begonias, and other dark colored bedding plants...and they are usually cheap!  Just be careful-'Dusty Miller' can get big, although it is not invasive.  You just don't want it to overpower your smaller bedding plants.

* May 6, 2011

Althea "Zebrina"

A few years ago we came across a plant called Althea 'Zebrina' and Karo thought we should try them out.  At a previous home of his, Karo had some Althea trees, much like the "Rose of Sharon", and, or "Crepe Myrtle".  But these were small plants, so we bought two of them.  One died pretty quickly...the other-POW!!!  It took off and a couple of years later it's ALL OVER our yard.  It goes to seed everywhere!!!  We almost never got rid of it...every year more would sprout itself strategically all over the yard.  Well, we finally got rid of it-but, guess where it went?  Why, yes!!!  Next door!!! Our neighbor is now the proud owner of Althea 'Zebrina'! 

The blooms are lovely!

It traveled all the way up the fence-I had to tie it off!

photos taken by Suzanne in April and May 2007

* Easter Sunday * April 24, 2011

Little English Garden * Spring 2000

I'm not real sure just exactly what an "English Garden is", but this little garden is my perception of what my 'mind's eye' would see as an "English Garden".  The statuary is a peasant girl, actually, a water feature.  But I have never hooked her up to water.  She is carrying two baskets that I planted "sweet allysum" in, and, as you can see, the allysum is planted within the bed around my peasant girl with bright colored "Petunias".  Directly behind her baskets looms a "Kale" plant that got rather large, but was attractive to me.  The small bordering blooms are yellow "purslane".  Of course, in the corner my "elephant ears" are coming up, and that's "mexican petunia" up against the house that grows wild-you can't get rid of that stuff!  I also have "iris" in white and blue, although no longer in bloom after early spring.  And, too, there are some red "canna" plants.  Up on the house is a terra cotta pot filed with "petunias".  I love "petunias"...they are so bright and refreshing.  There are also a couple of tiny "gnomes" standing behind the "purslane".   I constructed a brick walk to separate the larger plants from the "peasant girl's" private garden, and I re-painted them a darker brick color.  This small walk enabled me to step through and water everything without stepping on the dainty plants.  I have since moved the "peasant girl", will share her new spot at a later date.

* April 17, 2011

Oleander "White Beauty" 

The Oleander is very common in my part of the country.  I see them in at least 65% of the neighborhoods while driving all over the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.  I've also seen them while traveling thru West Texas and South Texas.  Most of them are red or pink-but "me"-I had to have a white one!  The Oleander for the most part is evergreen, but sometimes a freeze will "bite" them back and they have to be pruned, however, any branches that are still green can be left to grow new leaves.  You just have to get the dead leaves off and cut back what looks burned from the freeze.  It's not likely to get blooms from the new growth in the same season, but it has happened.  The plant is hardy and can handle lots of heat and sun (it's a good thing-Texas gets up into the 100's during the summer).  And these plants can grow to be 10' high and 4 to 5 feet wide.  We moved our white oleander a few years ago from the north side of the house, to the south side and reaped glorious results.  And just a few cuttings make the most beautiful arrangement in a vase!

These photos of our "White Oleander" were taken June 30, 2009

* April 13, 2011

Dianthus, Frogs and Knick Knacks

This little garden is at the southwest side of the yard in a shaded area.  I tried to build it up in levels since the property goes downhill from South to North. There are Iris planted on the top layer and "variegated Monkey Grass" (Liriope). I used "Dianthus" for some color and strategically placed some Knick Knacks throughout the bed.  If you look real close, to the far left, there is a small yellow ceramic snail.  These plants thrive in this spot, and return for me the next year.

Sometimes, I have to replenish the Dianthus.

* April 12, 2011

Zinnia Garden in 1950

I guess I can call this my garden-afterall, I'm standing in front of it!

My mother LOVES Zinnias and always planted them at home.

She shot this picture of me in September of 1950 when I was just a few months shy of 2 years old.

Periwinkles and Canna in the fall of 1997

See the little girl statue talking on the phone!

Mom's Pink "surprise daylillies" come back every year

When Karo and I were dating, he built this arbor in my backyard using the headboard of a twin bed for the top, and lumber for the climbing ladder. This was in the spring of 1998 and we planted some "Carolina Jasmine" at the base of each ladder.

And when we got married on September 20, 2000, I bought some pots of mums, covered them with colored tissue paper and ribbon to decorate around the arbor.  The Jasmine had by then grown to about 4 1/2 feet.  Our neighbor Lee came over and took our wedding picture.  The arbor looks like it is leaning some, but maybe Lee was leaning when she took the picture-ha-ha!  And my dress is way too short!  But, we love the picture.

My son brought this Yucca back from a trip to Arkansas in 1990-we moved it from our former house, transplanted it, and look how large it got!  I garnished it with Stella D'Oro Lillies and "Sweet Allysum".  

Can you see the terra cotta sun watching over the "Elephant Ears" that hover over more "Periwinkles" and St. Francis, as he hides amongst the canna?

Gnome Garden ~ October 2005

This was fun!  An odd-shaped bed around a tree (I don't know what kind of tree).  I can't keep "airplane plants" alive in hanging baskets, so I plant them in the ground-and they come back every year!  When they make the little parachutes, I just stick them in the ground and they grow for me, thus creating more plants.  These airplane plants adorn the small birdbath.  There are red and white "Begonias" and some kind of purple jew that was given to me in just pieces grows up and around the trunk of the tree.  Around to the right of the picture are a couple more Gnomes and more begonias.