NP Dianne, I made up a special batch for Karma and I babied them for weeks before I got the courage to send them, I was so afraid they would not be strong enough for the trip and Terri's teapot was no where in sight. When the weather gets nicer here, I'll pot up some for you and after a month or so will send it out.
Karma, glad you are seeing signs of spring, none here yet, but just around the corner.
This message was edited Feb 10, 2009 8:53 AM
Flowers from yard to vase - fall and winter series
lurking....
Hi Blossom - lurkers are always welcomed too.
Candee - I would love some bloodgrass - I remember seeing them in some of the arrangements in the threads here and really liked the way they look. Do you know the scientific name - maybe I can find some here??
Karma - in regards to the flowering quince that they sell these days - I don't think it is because you are growing yours in a container that is causing the shortness of the branches. The varieties that they sell are more ground-hugging, and do not give off long shoots that are good for arrangements. I bought some about 15 years ago, and was thoroughly disappointed. There were only blossoms at the base of the branches, and the rest of the upper part of the branches were bare. I dug them out. I saw a shrub at a friend's house, the old-fashioned kind, and dug up a side shoot and planted that. A year later, I saw some more in a vacant lot, and dug a small portion of that too. (I tend to go around the neighborhoods with one eye on the road, the the other eye for seeds and potential plants that I can scavenge) Those are the ones that you see in the photo above. So, if you see any of the taller quince in your neighborhood, you may want to ask. We have many vacant lots here with them growing wild. They do send off a lot of underground offshoots, and is easy to dig one. I have to constantly keep mine's in check, and hope that it won't be losing battle.
LOL, year round flowers from this garden, not gonna happen unless I have houseplants from November 1 to April of May....whaaah!! You are so lucky.. so must lurk and drool!!
Same thing here with my quince Dianne, must keep check on the new shoots and keep it trimmed w/n my reach. I planted some of the shoots at the cabin a couple years ago and then are really just now takin off, figures since we are soon to be out of the cabin business, this will be likely our last season there.
The bloodgrass is jus Japanese Bloodgrass far as I know. Here is the link to it in the plant database
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/2547/
They refer to it as Cogongrass, Cogon Grass, Satintail, Japanese Blood Grass 'Rubra'
Imperata cylindrica
Thanks Dianne for the info. Candee was so sweet and generous to share her bloodgrass with me. You will love it!
Hi Blossom!
HIya Karma.....lurk lurk!! Man we had wind last night...
The garden was littered with shingles off the house today. Everything is still brown. Did not have the heart to take any pics. I still have branches littered alllll over from the ice storm we had and don't know how soon we can get to cleaning up that now that we are going into the "midstate monsoon" season....
Need to get some potting soil for those cuttings. That onry vine is some 40 years old. The parent is still in its original pot!! LOL! Finally a plant I cant kill! LOL!
Everyones gardens above look absolutely beautiful!
All I can say is...here is to spring and houseplants! (Must see if there is a thread started on HP's!) and remain to lurk here!
miniature roses
onion flowers of some kind, (chives?)
Variegated Liriope leaves
Alternanthera
Grasses, (used the one that looks like mini bamboo) Everything was wet and droopy from the rain.
Turned it into a Valentines Day arrangement for myself.
And set the table for a romantic evening, (but then went out for tea, he,he)
...lurk....all is sooooo loverly!
Hi Sue -what a lovely bouquet for Valentine's day. I am a baileys fan myself. Hope you had a great tea time and romantic evening.
Gorgeous and so whimsical Sue! The color on your alternanthera is so bright and pretty. Lovely lovely lovely!
Sue you are really somthing to be able to manage those luxurious gardens of yours they always look impeccable. Lovin the arrangement reminds me I have one of those bikes and the candelabra is quite unique and just my style, better put it away before my next visit or I make make you an offer you can't refuse.
Baileys, well need anyone say more, on the rocks or straight up or a splash in my coffee, there is no wrong way!
Hi Sue!! Lovely to see your garden and beautiful colourful plants, a treat for us today!
Your arrangement is so sweet, lovely colour combination and textures. Is that twirly wire with a bead on it ?? looks great! Extra special container, love it! Thanks so much. The background cloth is WOW also!
Thanks Ladies! A glass of Baileys on ice for each of you!
Candee, my back aches with how tidy my garden is! he,he. *groan* I just don't take pics of the messy parts. I bought the candelabra about 12 years ago, handmade from Camphor Laurel wood. (cinnamomum camphora) I was on a motorcycle holiday, so posted it back to myself. I have seen them a few times since then, carved to the same pattern, (although there is about 10 different styles) but they are very costly since I first bought mine!
Terri, yes, twirly wire with beads. I got the idea from a very talented friend of mine who is extremely imaginative with her arrangements (another glass of Baileys?) Funny you should mention the cloth. he, he. I would have ironed it, but it's been such a long time since I ironed anything, I can't find the iron! he he. Just call me 'Wrinkles'
I get a bit lazy and rush a bit too, as I have no patience, and wish I could slow down and pay attention to the details (like making sure the floral foam is hidden) he, he. I know there are faults, but it's lovely of you ladies to be so flattering and to keep your criticisms so quiet! I guess its nice to just see an arrangement from time to time, or even just some pretty flowers.
Who's next?
Sue (Wrinkles_woman)
I don't see any any floral foam Sue! LoL Wrinkles are cool! only Real people have them!!
Ironing is not my thing either!! Warm clothes out of the dryer hand ironing and folding works for me!!
Drives me mad when the kids leave the clothes in the dryer, then they are all wrinkled!!!
I guess you hang yours outside in the sunshine to dry? LOL!
Candee, glad Sue reminded you about the bike you have been hiding all this time LOL!
Cheer's, it's nice with ice!
Hi Dianne, it's almost spring! nearly time for a new thread??
little hellebore!
oops!
Hi Terri - welcome back. yes it is almost time ......but think I'll wait until true spring arrives. Lots has been happening in my garden, but I have been neglectful in going out there to take photos and cut blooms. I love those heelbores. Your teapot goes really well with your hellebore. I have two types in my garden now, the chartreuse one like what you have, and the purplish-pink tinged ones.
Thanks Dianne! They are quite difficult to 'arrange' because the flowers hang down and the stems are so short! Looking forward to seeing your chartreuse and pinky ones.
OK - finally getting back to looking at the garden with an eye for arrangements. I got this chartreuse hellebore last year from a co-worker and it has grown a lot in one year. Can't remember the name of it off hand, but this growth habit and the leaves are quite different from the lenten rose.
and this is the purplish lenten rose
Still have a few Tulbaghia fragrans blooming. These are great winter bloomers - often from November to March
And, putting all of them together.....
Can't live in the Camellia capital of the world and not grow any..... Here is my red one.
And in a vase. The flower heads were quite heavy.
My forsythia is still pretty lanky and sparse after over 5 years. Not sure how to get it more bushy. It doesn't get much light where it is at - that might be part of the problem. I found a branch tip that rooted, so if that grows, I'll plant it in a sunnier location and see it the second one will do better.
I planted these chasmanthe also about 5 years ago, and the bloom time always happens just before a frost, and then it is toast. This year, it bloomed a little later, after most of the frost days have passed. Finally, got a couple of blooms!!!
White callas are starting to bloom too - they will reach their peak here in April.
I got some orange chasmanthe last year from a friend in Berkeley - they were growing wild all over the house that she was living in. These orange ones are much more common than the yellow ones - my patch is small since it is only a year old, but I did get a couple of stems. I planted it in a sort of an isolated area to control it's spread. Here is a combination of the yellows, orange, and white.
Wow Dianne you have quite a lot showing. Lovin the camellia, oh I can almost smell them from here. Nice helleborus everyone, mine are just popping up, not sure why so late usually I see a bloom in February?
Dianne, do you trim your forsythia, seems the more I cut mine back the bushier it becomes. I have 2 that I never fool with in an obscure place and they are no bigger than 5 years ago.
Oh so jealous... my garden is still brown! May I present my mess! LOL!
EEKS!
Ribbet
Thanks Candee. I have not done a lot of trimming, just a few branches for arrangements. There has not been a whole lot to cut, but maybe I will trim a little more vigorously this year.
Hang in there Blossom - things will green up for you soon.
Those are really pretty Terri and Diana!