I've been spending time in nauture lately and feel inspired. This was taken in a garden in Malibu. This song fits this photo perfectly for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS8NvoMudy8&feature=related
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
"I know the heart of life is good" ~ John Mayer
Friday, December 10, 2010
"Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." Mark Twain
If you're from an area where seasons are distinct and easily recognizable, visiting Southern California will make you feel as if you're not having seasonal changes at all. But if you look closely, you can find it.
Location: Terrenea Resort - L.A.'s Oceanfront Resort
http://www.terranea.com/
If you visit Terrenea Resort, they grant oceanfront access to all California residents, as well as, a professional Falconer who meets up with his magnificient birds of prey daily. I met this lovely Eurasian Eagle Owl there, on Halloween morning. This to me was certainly a sign of the season, as well as a fortunate event. The falconer keeps them there to detract pigeons and rats from moving into the resort.
My gardening mentor, Florence Sullivan, told me she was convinced that even the plants are slightly confused and bloom when they shouldn't. In any case, if you're used to extreme weather changes, and predictable patterns in nature, Southern California Fall will certainly make you realize you have to open your mind and awareness, and look for the changes.
I suggest you carry your camera, and keep your eyes open. Opportunities to spot fall in Southern California are everywhere. One of my favorite places to visit, is Descanso Gardens, in La Canada Flintridge, CA.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Balboa Island, California (Beach Cottage Gardening)
Hee that is in a towne in May loseth his spring. ~George Herbert, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.
My sister-in-law came for a visit and I suggested we take a quick day trip to Balboa Island, located in Newport Beach, CA.
This adorable cottage town has fun activities for families and children, including a ferry ride, a carousel, and an arcade.
And the endless rows of cottage houses, with the accompanying cottage gardens are stunning.
To add to the charm, the restaurants are casual and inviting.
It's the perfect place for a day trip and if you do go, let me know if you enjoyed yourself. We certainly had fun!
LINK
http://www.balboa-island.net/
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California
June
The first step in having color in your garden is planning well ahead. This month plan for the mums that will make your garden a joy next October. Divide clumps now and make some cuttings too. If you are limited on space, put a few divisions or cuttings in 4" plastic pots and bring them along for the next six weeks then tuck them in. Keep tops pinched back till first week in August. The rewards are so great that I like to put a very small handful of all purpose organic fertilizer in each hole and also use a small spade and work up the soil for each plant and add some R.S.A. Plants can be obtained at nurseries or aske friends for divisions.
If you have fading foxgloves, you could pull them out and put the mums in. Speaking of foxglove, they are so worthwhile for tall colorful spikes, and have bloomed for almost two months. First, the tall cneter spike, which when faded is cut back, then, six or more small spikes all grouped. Spikes are hard to come by in the garden where most of the forms are rounded, so next fall do buy some foxgloves. Put it on your calendar for October. They take full sun on the coast. Colors white, purple, cream and pinkish. After the early spring bloom of the last few months, actually the best time in our gardens, there are literally garbage cans full of throwaway material. Consider putting this on the compost heap. Even if you have no time to turn a heap, it will eventually become compost.
Delphenium gets cut back when new growth appears at the base.
Early sweet peas are almost gone, you might have a few seeds before throwing them out. When you plant them next September pinch them once when six inches high. You will be happy about what a nice full bush that makes.
Early in June you could buy pony packs of many late summer annuals, put them in a good mix, half garden soil, half potting mix, in 4" plastic pots, then when all these bare spaces occur from pulling calendula, sweet peas, etc. your late summer things will be ready to pop up and flower. This is a great money saver. The nursery does it for you at about ten times the costs. If you plan ahead this way, you save money and make the garden show more color.
Iris should be divided in July if they have become too crowded, but if you have too many you might dig some now and throw away or give away and tuck summer annuals into the empty spaces.
Dwarf Dahlias can be bought in 4" pots in bloom so you can see the color. Tucked in now, they will give months of bloom in summer, and then die down to rise in full glory for years to come. Use systemic granules when you plant them, and every six weeks thereafter, while in bloom. Let the leaves die completely before cutting back.
Zinnias provide some summer color, they want good air circulation or get mildew.
Roses can be cut with long stems now.
Margurites should be kept groomed and thinned and they will bloom all year. Make some cuttings now. Many of the best summer bloomers are perrenials. Statice, lily of Nile, daylilies, roses and others. Plan on getting some in next fall, and your garden will have summer color. Gloriosa daisy could still be planted from 4" pots and give a lot of summer color for years to come. Protect from snails. Select roses now, when you see the colors, but buy in January, bareroot. Botanic gardens usually have them labeled.
In mid-June your fuchsias should be in full bloom. They are fairly expensive at this time but do go to a nursery and get the names of some you like and plan a basket for next year. Red ones are blooming now, in full sun, along the coast. Other colors give six months of color, tucked in semi shade in the garden, and trained as trees or bushes. Much easier than watering baskets all the time. Train them high, remember they look best from below, hence the popularity of fuchsia baskets. Learn to make fuchsia trees from basket types.
I suggest you get your social calendar and make an appointment with yourself on the above suggested dates and go out and do these things.
Keep fertilizing!
~Florence Sullivan
The first step in having color in your garden is planning well ahead. This month plan for the mums that will make your garden a joy next October. Divide clumps now and make some cuttings too. If you are limited on space, put a few divisions or cuttings in 4" plastic pots and bring them along for the next six weeks then tuck them in. Keep tops pinched back till first week in August. The rewards are so great that I like to put a very small handful of all purpose organic fertilizer in each hole and also use a small spade and work up the soil for each plant and add some R.S.A. Plants can be obtained at nurseries or aske friends for divisions.
If you have fading foxgloves, you could pull them out and put the mums in. Speaking of foxglove, they are so worthwhile for tall colorful spikes, and have bloomed for almost two months. First, the tall cneter spike, which when faded is cut back, then, six or more small spikes all grouped. Spikes are hard to come by in the garden where most of the forms are rounded, so next fall do buy some foxgloves. Put it on your calendar for October. They take full sun on the coast. Colors white, purple, cream and pinkish. After the early spring bloom of the last few months, actually the best time in our gardens, there are literally garbage cans full of throwaway material. Consider putting this on the compost heap. Even if you have no time to turn a heap, it will eventually become compost.
Delphenium gets cut back when new growth appears at the base.
Early sweet peas are almost gone, you might have a few seeds before throwing them out. When you plant them next September pinch them once when six inches high. You will be happy about what a nice full bush that makes.
Early in June you could buy pony packs of many late summer annuals, put them in a good mix, half garden soil, half potting mix, in 4" plastic pots, then when all these bare spaces occur from pulling calendula, sweet peas, etc. your late summer things will be ready to pop up and flower. This is a great money saver. The nursery does it for you at about ten times the costs. If you plan ahead this way, you save money and make the garden show more color.
Iris should be divided in July if they have become too crowded, but if you have too many you might dig some now and throw away or give away and tuck summer annuals into the empty spaces.
Dwarf Dahlias can be bought in 4" pots in bloom so you can see the color. Tucked in now, they will give months of bloom in summer, and then die down to rise in full glory for years to come. Use systemic granules when you plant them, and every six weeks thereafter, while in bloom. Let the leaves die completely before cutting back.
Zinnias provide some summer color, they want good air circulation or get mildew.
Roses can be cut with long stems now.
Margurites should be kept groomed and thinned and they will bloom all year. Make some cuttings now. Many of the best summer bloomers are perrenials. Statice, lily of Nile, daylilies, roses and others. Plan on getting some in next fall, and your garden will have summer color. Gloriosa daisy could still be planted from 4" pots and give a lot of summer color for years to come. Protect from snails. Select roses now, when you see the colors, but buy in January, bareroot. Botanic gardens usually have them labeled.
In mid-June your fuchsias should be in full bloom. They are fairly expensive at this time but do go to a nursery and get the names of some you like and plan a basket for next year. Red ones are blooming now, in full sun, along the coast. Other colors give six months of color, tucked in semi shade in the garden, and trained as trees or bushes. Much easier than watering baskets all the time. Train them high, remember they look best from below, hence the popularity of fuchsia baskets. Learn to make fuchsia trees from basket types.
I suggest you get your social calendar and make an appointment with yourself on the above suggested dates and go out and do these things.
Keep fertilizing!
~Florence Sullivan
Friday, May 14, 2010
“A beautiful thing is never perfect.” ~ Proverb
I went to the flower fields in Carlsbad , CA with another photographer.
If you're visiting Southern California in April or May, this is a wonderful place to explore. They plant the fields in rainbow rows of ranunculus.
The last section, nearest the entrance blooms last, just in time for Mother's Day.
They are located directly behind the Carlsbad Outlet mall, and adds another fun dimension to your trip there if you want to stay more than one day.
This is their website for more information including their address and phone number.
http://www.theflowerfields.com/
Saturday, May 1, 2010
A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California
May
May is Lei Day in Hawaii or MAY IS THE MONTH OF MILDEW here on the coast, on your roses.
Be sure to spray for mildew on your roses all this month, every week. Spray the soil also. Cut short stems on the roses for the first blooming to let the plant get strong, then after that, long stems to semi-prune as you pick.
You can safely fertilize almost everything now, to keep it growing fast. When the rains are over, water infrequently but deeply, about once a week in sandy soil, less often in adobe.
Always add organic amendments to soil when you plant, as these continuously decompose and must be replaced.
Multiply Mums Madly, by making cuttings of the tips and divisions of the plants. In the next six weeks see that all your mums are divided. You will do better to dig up a clump and keep one division than to leave the whole clump. After they are established continue to pinch till mid August. Keep them 6 to 8 inches high, till then. If they get lumps on them use systemic granules.
If fuchsias are nicely rounded plants, stop pinching now and let them set buds. Fertilize them now iwth fertilizer with a high middle number.
If calendulas get mildew and leggy throw them out. They have had their day and plant them again in September. Save the stock, it may last two years, simply cut the old flowers off. Keep pruning chunks out of the marguerites every few weeks and they will continue to put out new green and blooms all year.
Plant asters and zinnias late in the month.
First Lady marigold will add a lot of summer color. Buy small dahlias in the 4" size in bloom so you can pick the color. They will bloom all summer if you protect them ever six weeks with systemic granules, then they will go dormant in late fall. When foliage i all dried up, dig and store bulbs to plant next year or they may be left in the ground a few years before separating. They always get leaf minor o you must use systemic granules every six weeks or spray them every 10 days. Protect them from snails too.
If you have pets do use the "spray on" snail protection. Completely water the garden first in the morning, let all the water dry off the leaves and then thoroughly spray the entire garden. Repeat in about 10 days and you will find very few snails live through this treatment. "That's it," and a product by Germaines are a few of the good sprays. If you can persuade the neighbors on each side to do this at the same time you are all going to be happy for a while. If you use snail spray or any spray be sure to get under the leaves.
In summer: impatients for shade, vinca for sun. Impatients in shade will bloom until November. A good investment, make cuttings and have them next year. Buy in bloom and collect your favorite colors. Planted amid ferns and using campanulas as a ground cover you can have a colorful spot in the deep summer shade. Impatients can stand a bit of sun along the coast, and must have sun in winter.
Don't cut foliage off bulbs but braid it and tuck it away neatly. Try to take in a Garden Tour in May. You will learn a lot from it. Take carnation cuttings now.
Florence Sullivan
May is Lei Day in Hawaii or MAY IS THE MONTH OF MILDEW here on the coast, on your roses.
Be sure to spray for mildew on your roses all this month, every week. Spray the soil also. Cut short stems on the roses for the first blooming to let the plant get strong, then after that, long stems to semi-prune as you pick.
You can safely fertilize almost everything now, to keep it growing fast. When the rains are over, water infrequently but deeply, about once a week in sandy soil, less often in adobe.
Always add organic amendments to soil when you plant, as these continuously decompose and must be replaced.
Multiply Mums Madly, by making cuttings of the tips and divisions of the plants. In the next six weeks see that all your mums are divided. You will do better to dig up a clump and keep one division than to leave the whole clump. After they are established continue to pinch till mid August. Keep them 6 to 8 inches high, till then. If they get lumps on them use systemic granules.
If fuchsias are nicely rounded plants, stop pinching now and let them set buds. Fertilize them now iwth fertilizer with a high middle number.
If calendulas get mildew and leggy throw them out. They have had their day and plant them again in September. Save the stock, it may last two years, simply cut the old flowers off. Keep pruning chunks out of the marguerites every few weeks and they will continue to put out new green and blooms all year.
Plant asters and zinnias late in the month.
First Lady marigold will add a lot of summer color. Buy small dahlias in the 4" size in bloom so you can pick the color. They will bloom all summer if you protect them ever six weeks with systemic granules, then they will go dormant in late fall. When foliage i all dried up, dig and store bulbs to plant next year or they may be left in the ground a few years before separating. They always get leaf minor o you must use systemic granules every six weeks or spray them every 10 days. Protect them from snails too.
If you have pets do use the "spray on" snail protection. Completely water the garden first in the morning, let all the water dry off the leaves and then thoroughly spray the entire garden. Repeat in about 10 days and you will find very few snails live through this treatment. "That's it," and a product by Germaines are a few of the good sprays. If you can persuade the neighbors on each side to do this at the same time you are all going to be happy for a while. If you use snail spray or any spray be sure to get under the leaves.
In summer: impatients for shade, vinca for sun. Impatients in shade will bloom until November. A good investment, make cuttings and have them next year. Buy in bloom and collect your favorite colors. Planted amid ferns and using campanulas as a ground cover you can have a colorful spot in the deep summer shade. Impatients can stand a bit of sun along the coast, and must have sun in winter.
Don't cut foliage off bulbs but braid it and tuck it away neatly. Try to take in a Garden Tour in May. You will learn a lot from it. Take carnation cuttings now.
Florence Sullivan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Bright colours or dark ones, sparkling clarity or misty atmosphere, landscape, still life, portrait - I haven't met a subject, style or mood yet that can't be portrayed beautifully in pastel. (Dave Beckett)
Bright colours or dark ones, sparkling clarity or misty atmosphere, landscape, still life, portrait - I haven't met a subject, style or mood yet that can't be portrayed beautifully in pastel. (Dave Beckett), originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.
Flowers are blooming everywhere in Southern, California. All of this rain from El Nino has certainly brought forth gorgeous blooms.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Signs of Spring in Southern California
A day before the Groundhog tells the world about the coming of Spring, February first in Southern California shows blossoms everywhere.
It appears that our recent El Nino storms nourished the flowers and helped the insect population.
This flowering tree was filled with blooms, and quite a swarm of happy bees, which are not picture here.
There will be more Southern California floral photos here. This tree was spectacular, and covered in pink blossoms.
Enjoy an early taste of Spring fever if you live in Southern California. I think were in for a showy floral season with the help of all of this rain.
GARDENING TIP: Now is a good time to use the weed and feed sold at your local nursery. It'll boost your grass and fight back the weeds and crab grass that could take hold if you don't catch it now.
It appears that our recent El Nino storms nourished the flowers and helped the insect population.
This flowering tree was filled with blooms, and quite a swarm of happy bees, which are not picture here.
There will be more Southern California floral photos here. This tree was spectacular, and covered in pink blossoms.
Enjoy an early taste of Spring fever if you live in Southern California. I think were in for a showy floral season with the help of all of this rain.
GARDENING TIP: Now is a good time to use the weed and feed sold at your local nursery. It'll boost your grass and fight back the weeds and crab grass that could take hold if you don't catch it now.
A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California
Calendula in Florence's Garden in February
FEBRUARY
Calendula can be in full bloom on Valentine's Day. Do note on your calendar to plant them next September or October. Learn to plant the lovely annuals that will soon be in bloom, in early fall, to get the best and most carefree bloom, we have all year. All of the following bloom best in our early spring: Calendula, Iceland Poppies, Primula, Primroses, Cineria, Stock, Marguerites, Daffodils, Freesia, Statice, Callas - boom in February and March if planted in the fall. Buy them by the dozen then, at very reasonable prices. They will all be available in 4" pots at a higher price now. Another advantage of early spring bloom is the dormancy of many insects.
Roses pruned last month can be fed a good 1 cup of balanced commercial fertilizer now, 10% nitrogen. As soon as all of the the sprouts are out.
Buy cottonseed meal to feed Azaleas next mont - good for other shade plants too.
Prune Poinsettias, Lantana, and semi-hard hibiscus, bougainvillea - about the middle of February. Our last freeze date in this area is February 28. Finish dormant pruning early in February.
In spite of the advice of others, I don't fertilize my lawn much now or it gets too think in March and is very difficult to cut.
Cymbidiums get Hi-nitrogen til July.
Epiphillums get a Hi-bloom fertilizer as soon as blooms appear.
Fuschsias get a second and last feeding of blood meal now. 1T per basket and a heaping T per foot in the ground. Don't work into soil.
Pelagoniums gat a pinching now.
Dahlias and tuberrose go in now.
Try another dozen delphiniums in enriched soil. Bait for snails. Or you can use plastic cherry tomato baskets inverted to protect delphiniums from birds and snails.
Make a mum tree. Put 3 plants close together and pinch out side shoots till correct height is reached, then train it like a tree rose. Pompoms are best.
Calendula, carnations, cinerarias, and dahlias always suffer insect damage. I protect from the time of planting with the granular form of systemic and therefore do no spraying, simply using the granules every six weeks.
Meyer lemons do very well here. They are dwarf and look great in a large container.
Try some Azaleas even if they are difficult here. They don't really like our alkaline water and soil. Work an azalea mix into your soil. I don't like pure peat, once dry it is next to impossible to get it wet again.
~Florence Sullivan
FEBRUARY
Calendula can be in full bloom on Valentine's Day. Do note on your calendar to plant them next September or October. Learn to plant the lovely annuals that will soon be in bloom, in early fall, to get the best and most carefree bloom, we have all year. All of the following bloom best in our early spring: Calendula, Iceland Poppies, Primula, Primroses, Cineria, Stock, Marguerites, Daffodils, Freesia, Statice, Callas - boom in February and March if planted in the fall. Buy them by the dozen then, at very reasonable prices. They will all be available in 4" pots at a higher price now. Another advantage of early spring bloom is the dormancy of many insects.
Roses pruned last month can be fed a good 1 cup of balanced commercial fertilizer now, 10% nitrogen. As soon as all of the the sprouts are out.
Buy cottonseed meal to feed Azaleas next mont - good for other shade plants too.
Prune Poinsettias, Lantana, and semi-hard hibiscus, bougainvillea - about the middle of February. Our last freeze date in this area is February 28. Finish dormant pruning early in February.
In spite of the advice of others, I don't fertilize my lawn much now or it gets too think in March and is very difficult to cut.
Cymbidiums get Hi-nitrogen til July.
Epiphillums get a Hi-bloom fertilizer as soon as blooms appear.
Fuschsias get a second and last feeding of blood meal now. 1T per basket and a heaping T per foot in the ground. Don't work into soil.
Pelagoniums gat a pinching now.
Dahlias and tuberrose go in now.
Try another dozen delphiniums in enriched soil. Bait for snails. Or you can use plastic cherry tomato baskets inverted to protect delphiniums from birds and snails.
Make a mum tree. Put 3 plants close together and pinch out side shoots till correct height is reached, then train it like a tree rose. Pompoms are best.
Calendula, carnations, cinerarias, and dahlias always suffer insect damage. I protect from the time of planting with the granular form of systemic and therefore do no spraying, simply using the granules every six weeks.
Meyer lemons do very well here. They are dwarf and look great in a large container.
Try some Azaleas even if they are difficult here. They don't really like our alkaline water and soil. Work an azalea mix into your soil. I don't like pure peat, once dry it is next to impossible to get it wet again.
~Florence Sullivan
A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California
My friend, and gardening mentor Florence Sullivan, passed away recently at the age of 95 1/2. I had previously asked her daughter's permission to share her gardening tips. She wrote a booklet, with the above title, so any tips I share on this blog, with this title are from "Florence Sullivan," with the kind permission of her daughter Holly.
Since it's already February, I'll do this slightly out of order and start with February.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
This booklet contains flower gardening information for a specific area. This area includes Santa Barbara to the Mexican border and from the Pacific, inland to the hotter areas.
To make the best use of this information, may I suggest that you get a thin felt pen with green ink, go to your calendar and turn to the current month. Jot down chores which apply to your garden. Then continue thru the year. Green ink will suggest gardens. Thereafter when you fertilize or spray, make a note on your calendar, in green, to remind you when to do it next. Then you will be organized, and your garden will flourish.
Happy Gardening
Florence Sulivan
Mrs. Sullivan has taught Basic & Container Gardening at the South Coast Botanic Garden and lectured to Garden Clubs. She has gardened in this are for 25 years. (Copyright 1986 - Florence Sullivan)
September 1, 1913 to February 9, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
life in la la land
There are many ways to enhance a garden. Adding a picket fence is certainly one way to go. Earlier this year, I found ready assembled sections of picket fences at Lowes.
With the help of a good carpernter, and and a few buckets of white paint, my front yard was transformed into a cozy cottage garden.
Welcome to my little slice of paradise.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California
AUGUST
Remember, all beautiful color you see here in winter and very early spring should be planned about this time. The roots get a fine start and much of the best blooms come from this early planting. If your garden is full of mums now, and you lack room, get pony packs and transplant into 4" plastic size pots, and have inexpensive plants ready to pop into place later. If you plant directly into the garden, do it at about 4 p.m. to give the plants a whole cool night to help them thru the next days heat. Shade them for part of the next day.
THING WINTER COLOR NOW, BUY BY LABOR DAY!
Our early color comes from planting these now. Stock, iceland poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and try some perennials, now, too. Try margurites, blue daisy, foxglove.
Some seeds could be sown in flats now, if that's your thing. Spring flowers and perennials. A few that do well sown in the garden and reseed year after year are: white allysum, forget-me-nots, bachelor buttons, lobelia, nasturtiums, impatients, California poppy, and orange African daisy, but most others need more care and the see is too expensive to waste trying to sow directly into the garden.
Stop fertilizing hibiscus and other subtropicals so they will harden off for winter.
California poppy if watered in a garden situation makes a fine garden flower. It blooms much longer than in the wild. Lack of rainfall keeps it from germinating on our local hillsides. Remember seeds must never dry out while germinating. California poppy comes in mixed colors. African daisies, the little orange and cream colored kind can be sown soon. They bloom for many winter months.
Now, you have thouh about your winter garden, let's see what needs doing this month.
POINSETTIAS may still be pinched back early this month. Just remove the last six inches of each stock to have double the number of blooms.
FUCHSIAS, keep the dead blooms picked and plan to cut some straggly branches back about six inches.
HIBISCUS should be fertilized for the last time this year, but lightly. Later fertilizing will result in growth tener to frost. This is true of many sub-tropicals.
CAMELLIAS must have mulch renewed or replaced to keep the roots cool and don't let them go in hot weather. Fertilize lightly and thing buds. Be careful not to remove the growing tip which can look like a bud.
IRIS should be ordered now.
MUMS should be cut to about 8" abou the first week in August, then do not cut again. Some gardeners do it a few weeks later but do it! Otherwise, they will get six feet tall and collapse.
Prepare areas for sweet peas, dig in manure, and R.S.A. Let set a few weeks, then plan early blooming kind. Remember they are heavy feeders. When six inches high, pinch tips out.
CALENDULA will get thrip so use systemic granules when planting and every six weeks. Thrip is what causes the buds on otherwise healthy plants to dry up. Thrip have eaten them from inside.
Remember, all beautiful color you see here in winter and very early spring should be planned about this time. The roots get a fine start and much of the best blooms come from this early planting. If your garden is full of mums now, and you lack room, get pony packs and transplant into 4" plastic size pots, and have inexpensive plants ready to pop into place later. If you plant directly into the garden, do it at about 4 p.m. to give the plants a whole cool night to help them thru the next days heat. Shade them for part of the next day.
THING WINTER COLOR NOW, BUY BY LABOR DAY!
Our early color comes from planting these now. Stock, iceland poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and try some perennials, now, too. Try margurites, blue daisy, foxglove.
Some seeds could be sown in flats now, if that's your thing. Spring flowers and perennials. A few that do well sown in the garden and reseed year after year are: white allysum, forget-me-nots, bachelor buttons, lobelia, nasturtiums, impatients, California poppy, and orange African daisy, but most others need more care and the see is too expensive to waste trying to sow directly into the garden.
Stop fertilizing hibiscus and other subtropicals so they will harden off for winter.
California poppy if watered in a garden situation makes a fine garden flower. It blooms much longer than in the wild. Lack of rainfall keeps it from germinating on our local hillsides. Remember seeds must never dry out while germinating. California poppy comes in mixed colors. African daisies, the little orange and cream colored kind can be sown soon. They bloom for many winter months.
Now, you have thouh about your winter garden, let's see what needs doing this month.
POINSETTIAS may still be pinched back early this month. Just remove the last six inches of each stock to have double the number of blooms.
FUCHSIAS, keep the dead blooms picked and plan to cut some straggly branches back about six inches.
HIBISCUS should be fertilized for the last time this year, but lightly. Later fertilizing will result in growth tener to frost. This is true of many sub-tropicals.
CAMELLIAS must have mulch renewed or replaced to keep the roots cool and don't let them go in hot weather. Fertilize lightly and thing buds. Be careful not to remove the growing tip which can look like a bud.
IRIS should be ordered now.
MUMS should be cut to about 8" abou the first week in August, then do not cut again. Some gardeners do it a few weeks later but do it! Otherwise, they will get six feet tall and collapse.
Prepare areas for sweet peas, dig in manure, and R.S.A. Let set a few weeks, then plan early blooming kind. Remember they are heavy feeders. When six inches high, pinch tips out.
CALENDULA will get thrip so use systemic granules when planting and every six weeks. Thrip is what causes the buds on otherwise healthy plants to dry up. Thrip have eaten them from inside.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California
JULY
FERTILIZE, everything is growing fast and continues to need feeding. Water deeply and usually only once a week. Light sprinkling begets shallow roots. Mulch. Keeps weeds down and moisture in.
July is the best time to separate iris. Don't use any nitrogens when replanting, only super phosphate. Remember, the new growth does the blooming, the second year is the best bloom and the third is good, then consider dividing.
Roses, daylilies and many other things have bloomed and need feeding with low nitrogen fertilizer for more bloom. Epipilliums can be repotted now, they like to be grown in orchid bark.
Make cuttings of Martha Washington type geraniums after they finish bloom, or cut back a bit to give you good cutting wood next month.
If the weather is very hot, do not drown fuchsias, but rather sprinkle the area around them several times a day to increase the humidity they love.
Continue to keep your margurites thinned and they will continue to bloom. Make some zonal geranium cuttings this month, and when well rooted, consider throwing out the parent stock.
Buy foxglove seed, and plant for the next year.
Look over the garden, and the neighbors garden, and decide what you want for next year at this time. Write it on your calendar to buy and plant, at the right time. See what perrenials you could put in this fall, and consider flowering vines as easy color. Hold yourself in check next year when you plant in containers and remember what a chore watering is, and plan to put more things in the ground, for easier gardening. Think ahead about winter blooming containers, they don't require as much watering, try to plan to get these started early.
Carnations get thrip, so protect as buds form, with systemic granules. Petunias should be lightly pinched so they will not get leggy all at once.
Spend an hour sitting and thinking in your garden with a pencil and notebook in hand. Plan for a year from now. Then go write notes on your calendar for things to plant next year. Use more perennials, they will be there year after year.
Daylilies finish their first bloom now, and can use a good cleaning out of the old dead leaveas underneath. Cut down the old bloom stalks. If they are sending up too many side shoots eliminate some. Feed them a fertilizer with a high middle number.
Pinch back poinsettias.
Look carefully at your glads. Plan on moving them to places where their dying leaves won't show, for next year. Don't cut leaves back till fully brown. Then they can be dug, dried and saved for the next year. While in bloom mark the colors.
If you have vacant spots now, you can still slip in some marigolds or dwarf dahlias.
Lily of the Nile can hardly be beat. They bloom from June 1 to July 20, need no feed, look neat as a border plant all year, what more can you ask? Get one, divide it over and over again the next few years, and then leave it alone and you will have a huge display. Be sure to get some of the Peter Pan, half as high. Divide about a month after they bloom.
Fuchsias flaunt their beauty all summer. Red ones will take full sun along the coast while lighter colors need more shade. In July red fuchsias, white shastas, blue lily of the nile, yellow marguirte, golden gloriosa daisy, and lemon and yellow marigolds make the garden the most colorful of the year. Purple statice blooms like mad in July and Pink geraniums, roses and petunias complete the color palette. Tuck in a few lobelia, both dark and light and you'll never want to leave home.
Water deeply and keep fertilizing and weeding.
FERTILIZE, everything is growing fast and continues to need feeding. Water deeply and usually only once a week. Light sprinkling begets shallow roots. Mulch. Keeps weeds down and moisture in.
July is the best time to separate iris. Don't use any nitrogens when replanting, only super phosphate. Remember, the new growth does the blooming, the second year is the best bloom and the third is good, then consider dividing.
Roses, daylilies and many other things have bloomed and need feeding with low nitrogen fertilizer for more bloom. Epipilliums can be repotted now, they like to be grown in orchid bark.
Make cuttings of Martha Washington type geraniums after they finish bloom, or cut back a bit to give you good cutting wood next month.
If the weather is very hot, do not drown fuchsias, but rather sprinkle the area around them several times a day to increase the humidity they love.
Continue to keep your margurites thinned and they will continue to bloom. Make some zonal geranium cuttings this month, and when well rooted, consider throwing out the parent stock.
Buy foxglove seed, and plant for the next year.
Look over the garden, and the neighbors garden, and decide what you want for next year at this time. Write it on your calendar to buy and plant, at the right time. See what perrenials you could put in this fall, and consider flowering vines as easy color. Hold yourself in check next year when you plant in containers and remember what a chore watering is, and plan to put more things in the ground, for easier gardening. Think ahead about winter blooming containers, they don't require as much watering, try to plan to get these started early.
Carnations get thrip, so protect as buds form, with systemic granules. Petunias should be lightly pinched so they will not get leggy all at once.
Spend an hour sitting and thinking in your garden with a pencil and notebook in hand. Plan for a year from now. Then go write notes on your calendar for things to plant next year. Use more perennials, they will be there year after year.
Daylilies finish their first bloom now, and can use a good cleaning out of the old dead leaveas underneath. Cut down the old bloom stalks. If they are sending up too many side shoots eliminate some. Feed them a fertilizer with a high middle number.
Pinch back poinsettias.
Look carefully at your glads. Plan on moving them to places where their dying leaves won't show, for next year. Don't cut leaves back till fully brown. Then they can be dug, dried and saved for the next year. While in bloom mark the colors.
If you have vacant spots now, you can still slip in some marigolds or dwarf dahlias.
Lily of the Nile can hardly be beat. They bloom from June 1 to July 20, need no feed, look neat as a border plant all year, what more can you ask? Get one, divide it over and over again the next few years, and then leave it alone and you will have a huge display. Be sure to get some of the Peter Pan, half as high. Divide about a month after they bloom.
Fuchsias flaunt their beauty all summer. Red ones will take full sun along the coast while lighter colors need more shade. In July red fuchsias, white shastas, blue lily of the nile, yellow marguirte, golden gloriosa daisy, and lemon and yellow marigolds make the garden the most colorful of the year. Purple statice blooms like mad in July and Pink geraniums, roses and petunias complete the color palette. Tuck in a few lobelia, both dark and light and you'll never want to leave home.
Water deeply and keep fertilizing and weeding.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
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. ~H. Fred Ale
“They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” ~ Tom Boddett, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.
Meet some of my latest rose blooms. After adding a picket fence to my front yard, it was quickly followed with the addition of some pretty pink roses.
I'll share photos with the fence soon too.
Friday, May 22, 2009
“The heart has reasons that reason does not understand.” ~ Jacques Benigne Bossuel
Happy Pink Saturday!
Thank you Beverly at "How Sweet the Sound" for hosting.
Welcome to my flower blog. This week I'm taking you on a garden tour. First stop; my rose garden! The more I garden, the more I realize roses are my favorite flowers.
“The heart has reasons that reason does not understand.” ~ Jacques Benigne Bossuel, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.
Thank you Beverly at "How Sweet the Sound" for hosting.
Welcome to my flower blog. This week I'm taking you on a garden tour. First stop; my rose garden! The more I garden, the more I realize roses are my favorite flowers.
“The heart has reasons that reason does not understand.” ~ Jacques Benigne Bossuel, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.
Earlier this year, I added new bareroot roses, and this is the first "pink" bloom on the new bushes.
Next stop... the area women's club hosts a yearly garden tour... and this home had a beautiful waterlily coy pond that ran right underneath the driveway.
The tour had five gardens, and the perfect mix of garden styles for the tour.
The cottage garden had this mullein verbascum album. It was quite frankly, the first time I had ever seen this flower. Thank you to my gardening friend Kate for the flower id. If you get a chance, visit her blog, it's packed full of gardening knowledge and beautiful flowers. http://www.katesmudges.com/
Finally, the last stop on our garden tour today, was taken at the flower fields in Carlsbad. There were so many ranunculas there, to focus on one seemed odd, but I thought it was fitting for our tour.
I hope you enjoyed your pink garden tour. Stop back soon, and you'll get the rest of the garden tour, and I'll surprise you with giant honeysuckles climbing the walls of a Spanish Villa. Until then, have a lovely Memorial Day weekend.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Cottage Garden Curb Appeal
"Cats never strike a pose that isn't photogenic." ~ Lilian Jackson Braun, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.
Nothing is more relaxing to me than walking my dog through my neighborhood, and studying my neighbors "cottage gardens."
My home is a small 1950's ranch house, and as my rose and front yard wildflower garden grows and flourishes, it finally occured to me that I want a picket fence, and a coastal cottage curb appeal. Luckily, my neighborhood is filled with this cottage gardening style.
As my ideas for the the landscape design become solidified, I'll post before, during and after photos of my garden updates. I'm currently studying fencing, arches, and cottage garden accessories.
Meanwhile, enjoy the stroll through my neighborhood!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Wildflower Garden Experiment Update
My wildflowers are in full bloom. This is a macro photo of one of the pretty blooms.
This is the box of seed, and the flower's baby photos. :-) The box was $6 and yielded an entire wildfower bed beside my driveway, and around my rose garden.
Friday, April 17, 2009
A Good Day
Need to be uplifted today? Then click the title above... you'll be taken to an inspiring video that I just love.
"Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more." Brother David Steindl-Rast.
"Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more." Brother David Steindl-Rast.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California
April
Is your patio spilling over with color? It could be!
Mine is brilliant with pots of blue and yellow violas, pansies, blue ageratum, geraniums,a nd white alyssum. But they were all planted in November and December. So reach for your calendar and make a note to plant these things next year in those months. Even a huge redwood tub of yellow marguerites was planted last fall. The petunias blooming now are left over from last year. All in the sun.
Last month, and this month, is the time to be planting containers and tubs, and moss-lined hanging baskets of plants that will bloom clearn thru till next November. To plant now use for Pink: petunias, White: allysum, Blue: ageratum, potato vine, light blue or dark blue lobelia, Yellow: or Orange: dwarf french marigold, Red: fiberous begonia. These are all for sun. Vinca also.
For shade, now, use fuchsia, white allysum and impatients, but this would be light shade.
Small cyclamen can be purchased now for next winter's bloom.
PLANT - Dahlias from now till mid-June. A handful of bonemeal worked into soil below tubers at planting time is good. Take mum blooming bulbs, braid it and bend it over till completely brown. Try cherry tomatoes in a hanging basket, one basket will supply two people all summer. Put cascade mums into 12" pots now.
SPRAY - Watch roses for signs of mildew and spray it as it appears. Usually next month is bad for this. Spray ground too. Systemic granuales with fertilizer will protect from insects and fungicide to get the mildew. Systemic granules completely protect cinerarias, calendula, carnations, and any other plan you knoww that will get insect damage. Most of the garden will not need spray.
PRUNE - Camellias and azaleas after bloom, but only if needed for shaping and only after reading a book on pruning them. Important too is to remove the dead flowers from plants. Know what you are doing here. Sunseet prints a good book on pruning. Prune cape honeysuckle. Many other spring blooming shrubs need pruning after bloom.
PINCH - fuchsias till May Day.
FERTILIZE - lawns - shrubs and trees and bulbs when blooming.
Epiphyllums get top dreing of well-rotted manure. Hydrangeas get camellia food or cottonseed now. KEEP AFTER THOSE SNAILS.
WEED - Don't let it get ahead of you!
Hint: Even if you have poor reusults with petunias in the garden, do try them in container, epecially in moss lined baket where snails can't get them. Only trouble wa leaf minor and you can control that for six weeks at a time with systemic granules. These granule can be bought with or without added fertilizer.
REMEMBER: A garden is a thing of joy and a job forever! - unknown
Florence Sullivan
Is your patio spilling over with color? It could be!
Mine is brilliant with pots of blue and yellow violas, pansies, blue ageratum, geraniums,a nd white alyssum. But they were all planted in November and December. So reach for your calendar and make a note to plant these things next year in those months. Even a huge redwood tub of yellow marguerites was planted last fall. The petunias blooming now are left over from last year. All in the sun.
Last month, and this month, is the time to be planting containers and tubs, and moss-lined hanging baskets of plants that will bloom clearn thru till next November. To plant now use for Pink: petunias, White: allysum, Blue: ageratum, potato vine, light blue or dark blue lobelia, Yellow: or Orange: dwarf french marigold, Red: fiberous begonia. These are all for sun. Vinca also.
For shade, now, use fuchsia, white allysum and impatients, but this would be light shade.
Small cyclamen can be purchased now for next winter's bloom.
PLANT - Dahlias from now till mid-June. A handful of bonemeal worked into soil below tubers at planting time is good. Take mum blooming bulbs, braid it and bend it over till completely brown. Try cherry tomatoes in a hanging basket, one basket will supply two people all summer. Put cascade mums into 12" pots now.
SPRAY - Watch roses for signs of mildew and spray it as it appears. Usually next month is bad for this. Spray ground too. Systemic granuales with fertilizer will protect from insects and fungicide to get the mildew. Systemic granules completely protect cinerarias, calendula, carnations, and any other plan you knoww that will get insect damage. Most of the garden will not need spray.
PRUNE - Camellias and azaleas after bloom, but only if needed for shaping and only after reading a book on pruning them. Important too is to remove the dead flowers from plants. Know what you are doing here. Sunseet prints a good book on pruning. Prune cape honeysuckle. Many other spring blooming shrubs need pruning after bloom.
PINCH - fuchsias till May Day.
FERTILIZE - lawns - shrubs and trees and bulbs when blooming.
Epiphyllums get top dreing of well-rotted manure. Hydrangeas get camellia food or cottonseed now. KEEP AFTER THOSE SNAILS.
WEED - Don't let it get ahead of you!
Hint: Even if you have poor reusults with petunias in the garden, do try them in container, epecially in moss lined baket where snails can't get them. Only trouble wa leaf minor and you can control that for six weeks at a time with systemic granules. These granule can be bought with or without added fertilizer.
REMEMBER: A garden is a thing of joy and a job forever! - unknown
Florence Sullivan
Monday, April 13, 2009
"As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death." ~ Leonardo Da Vinci
"As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death." ~ Leonardo Da Vinci
Originally uploaded by Abby Lanes
The dogwood tree brings back the Spring in my childhood memories. I found this tree in my parent's front yard in NC, while we were visiting family for Spring Break. I have long associated dogwoods with Easter. The four petals represent the cross, the marks on the petals, represent the nails into Christ's body. It's a wonderful reminder of the true meaning of Easter, and a gorgeous floral Spring tree.
This is a gorgeous old Southern home in my parents town. I thought the pink dogwood trees framed the home so beautifully!
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