Bloom! Garden! Bloom!

No matter where one lives, it is important to slow down and learn to enjoy and appreciate the beauty that's around you. Gardens, parks, and landscaped buildings are a great place to go when seeking a bit of tranquility.

It is fun to learn the names of plants. Often, gardens have small plaques that identify them. And it is interesting to observe how the garden designer placed and spaced plants in the garden. With thought, it's easy to see how they used the principles of design in their plan. Balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, and unity are all considered when designing a beautiful garden.

I also enjoy observing how designers and gardeners choose plants native to the locale. Grasses, cacti, and succulents accent beautiful flowering shrubs and flowers where I live. What kinds of plants are local to your area?

Pretty river rock, decorative stones, and chippy bark work together to create a dry river bed. Dry river beds works well in many climates. Other gardeners prefer ponds and fountains with the soothing sounds of bubbling waters that flow over rocks and falls. No matter what the choice, gardens can be a soothing to both the gardener and the observer.

Public gardens are common and enjoyed everywhere. The Bloom IQ website shares a map which identifies many public gardens by state. Check it out! Find your state and see what's there.

Public gardens are great sources of information, ideas, and inspiration. Walking through them or viewing them from a blanket on the ground as you share a picnic lunch with someone you enjoy is a great way to observe their beauty. 

What is your favorite public garden? How many have you been to that are on this list?

Vibrant Lime of the Sweet Potato Vine

The first time I saw a sweet potato vine was at a plant nursery and gift shop called "My Grandmother's Garden". I was visiting my mother and it was one of her favorite places. The shop owner planted a variety of plants in huge planters and urns. She was skilled at selecting a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, and reds and greens filled the planters. Tall plants of sharp spikes were contrasted with delicate vines and plants with small, bushy leaves. I came away inspired! In analysis, I decided that it was the bright lime-colored sweet potato vines that caught my eye the most! They were gorgeous, classy, and vibrant!

If you read Gracious Hospitality, you know that I love tea and everything related to it. So, last summer I planted a sweet potato vine along with a purple hot pepper plant in this large teacup planter.  It did very well in the summer's heat. I was also pleased to find that it wintered over very well in my living room. How I enjoyed its vibrant lime green during the dreary days of winter.

Sweet potato vines also grace my outdoor garden. They are tucked into planters and flower garden beds. It grows prolifically and compliments both flowers and plants. It dies back after the first hard frost, but it's a gift that keeps on giving. If you are curious, dig up the root and you'll find a large and healthy sweet potato! Take a look at your garden center if you want to have some fun "creating" gardens with this interesting trailing plant.  I think you'll enjoy it, as I have! 

Today I am linking to Bernideen's Tea Time Blog for "Open House". 

Rejoice & Blossom

The cooler days of September and October are something that my roses seem to enjoy. During the hottest days of July and August they fade away and any blossoms there can start looking parched pretty quickly. Even with a daily dose of water, the heat doesn't agree with them. But when the temperatures cool to the 70's and 80's they take a new lease on life.

They start blooming again! They seem to do better this time of year than at any other time. The word "thrive" comes to mind. 

Although we have had our first frost, they have been hardy enough to survive. Knowing that they will soon be hit by a hard frost, I am appreciating and enjoying them all the more!

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; 

the desert shall rejoice and blossom. 

Isaiah 35:1

Lavender Blue, Dilly, Dilly

"Lavender blue, dilly, dilly

Lavender green

If I were king, dilly, dilly

I'd need a queen."

It's lavender season! Karleen and I decided to take advantage of a hot summer day to drive in a cool car to a nearby lavender farm. Actually, the season is nearly over, so we knew we needed to go while we could or we'd miss it all!

We drove along the river, through sage and tumbleweed, to farm country where alfalfa and wheat fill the fields and hillsides. Nestled in next to a golden field of wheat is a lavender oasis called Blue Mountain Lavender.

Fields of many varieties of lavender greeted us and its fragrance filled the air. Visitors were walking amongst the plants, enjoying not only lavender, but rows of blacked-eyed Susan's, poppies, echinacea, and coreopsis. The orange and yellow interspersed with the masses of purple provided a beautiful contrast. The lavender was as magnificent as ever! Guests enjoyed the gift shop filled with a variety of unique, handmade sachets, wreaths, art, and food items. Some were having lunch at a picnic table in the lavender field while others simply sat on the Adirondack chairs and relaxed. 

On the patio, a fountain cheerfully dripped and gurgled. It was beautiful and was surrounded by boxwood which sprigged beautifully in response to its environment.

Pots of herbs and colorful planters filled with flowers in a riot of color created such a pretty space.

The complimentary lavender lemonade was cold and sweet; most delicious for a hot summer day!

Nearby a table was set for wand making tutorials. Pretty ribbons and yarns seemed to call the passerby to stop and admire -- and maybe to try their hand a weaving something with their eloquent charm.

Or maybe visitors would rather make a lavender basket? They are fun to make too! I've made tiny ones, but none this large. I enjoy their rustic beauty and how the maker has added other dried flowers to compliment the blossoms of lavender.

Young plants have been planted among rows of more mature lavender. For prolific production of the blossom, it is important to start new plants every few years. I suppose one could call this "crop rotation", although I don't think that's a term that is usually expressed for flowers.

A drying shed nearby was filled with bundles of lavender. The order and organization provided nearly as much "serenity" as the delightful fragrance.

I took one last picture as we left the lavender farm. A dry creek bed with a wooded bridge and wagon leads so sweetly to the green and purple just beyond our sight. We headed home to a cup of  hot Chocolate Oolong tea and ice cold watermelon, cucumber slices, and pecans. It may not be your traditional "afternoon tea" menu, but it was delicious!

And while we are on the subject of lavender, I thought I'd share a picture of Karleen's completed quilt and cushions. We spent some time examining it after our "tea". I think they are so pretty all lavender and sage green. If you're a regular blog reader, you'll remember that I shared her quilt "in progress" a few posts back. It was really fun to see the quilt after quilting. Quilting adds a whole new dimension to the process. I think it's very nice!

Slowly, Spring!

It has been a cold and rainy spring. New growth is slow and flowering things are just coming out. It's been freezing at night, yet impatience for garden baskets and a vegetable garden is growing. One can only wait for so long without wishing to plant! A trip to a nursery  confirmed the cold spring! Everything is quite "new" and "small" yet as we all wait for warmer weather! 

Mostly a lot of "window shopping" was achieved, although a few heirloom seeds and some new mint plants made their way to my shopping cart. Pineapple mint, Catmint, Apple mint, and Spearmint all sound so good! I also found a lovely watercress nasturtium that should add great spicy flavor to tea sandwiches.

I left this plant at the nursery, but can you read the name? "Sweet TEA". Love it!

At lunchtime we braved the 45 degree weather for a quick lunch at the park. Thank you, Karleen, for indulging my love of eating alfresco dining! We were so thankful for the hot thermos TEA!

As we headed home, we couldn't resist stopping by a lovely little quilt shop. It was filled to the gills with yardage and a lovely shop owner who we shared an enjoyable visit with.


So, although spring is slow, it is slowly arriving and providing pockets of joy to the day!

Late Season Lavender

Lavender season is nearing its end. Generally, lavender is harvested in the bud stage before flowering. But if you are like me, you leave some on the plant to enjoy as long as possible. The long stems of lavender create a beautiful showpiece for a flower garden. Even when the blooms are past their prime, they dry nicely on the stems and provide fragrant beauty throughout the summer. This time of year lavender is past bud stage and is now in full bloom or past.

But that doesn't matter when it comes to lavender wands and bottles. Both can be successfully made with lavender that is past its prime. The flowers are fragrant and encase nicely into the ball portion of a lavender wand.

Small bundles of lavender are tied at the top of the stems with a string or rubber band. The stems are folded over the flowers to create a 'cage' and then ribbon is woven in and out of the stems. A tutorial can be seen here (you will need to scroll down the page to view the tutorial). This creates a pretty lavender wand. A lavender bottle is similar, but instead of weaving ribbon in and out of the stems, they are left open and a simple ribbon is tied around at the base of the flowers after the stems have been folded back. Lavender wands are valued for their contribution to fragrance and decor. Lavender bottles are generally tucked into a dresser drawer as potpourri. Because the bud and flowers are not compactly contained by the woven ribbon, bits of flowers break off into the drawer, but that is generally considered a gracious thing and is nothing to worry about (although you might need to vacuum out your dresser drawers now and then.

Little bundles of ribbon tied lavender bouquets and lavender wands look pretty placed in a basket or vase, creating a pretty addition to any room!

Signs of Early Spring

Early spring is a time for planning gardens. . .

A time to figure out what to plant, to get the sprinkler system working, and to amend the soil.

It's the time of the year for trinket pieces from the dollar store because your heart and soul crave color!

It's the time for planting seedlings in small trays in the garden shed or greenhouse as you await warmer days and nights free from frost.

And it is a time to think about all those delicious foods you'll be eating in the summer when the harvest begins!  Heirloom tomatoes are at the top of my list.  What's at the top of yours?

I'm waiting for spring!  And for some fun days of plant shopping with Karleen.  Hurry up, spring!

To everything -- a season, and a time to every delight under the heavens...

Ecclesiastes 3:1