Nature's Decoration

Since it is almost winter, things in the garden this time of year look quite bleak. Most people have planted bulbs for spring, cleaned out their veggie beds and put their gardening obsessions to rest for a few months. As I wandered around my yard this week I began to notice just how many things people use even at this time of year inside their homes. I snipped some holly to place around the house as a Christmas decoration. I noticed simple twigs and branches that may look rather unappealing in their raw form but can be turned into beautiful mantle pieces for the holidays with a little glitter, paint and imagination. Recently I bought some interesting potpourri called Seascape. When I opened it up, not only was there an amazingly earthy and sweet scent but I also saw an abundance of outdoor splendor that included dyed nuts, shells, twigs, cones and my favorite, starfish. I am now thinking of new ways to bring the cold weather foliage inside to create more memorable and inspiring decor.

Autumn Garden Candy

I took a break the last few months and decided to redesign my blog. Stay tuned for a completely new look and style. In the meantime, the seasons have changed and fall is here. While rain and wind have now taken over the Pacific Northwest, I do truly love this time of year. The sheer sprinkling of burgundy red, vibrant yellow and sunburst orange leaves is a sight to behold. As we had a particularly long summer, it was amazing to have sunny weather and the beginning of fall for a brief time.

A Heavy Dose of Berry

THE "CADILLAC" OF FLOWERS

I heard a lady once refer to a Peony as the "Cadillac" of flowers. I was around sixteen and thus it meant nothing to me at the time. I was a rose lover through and through ever since I could remember. Nothing compared to roses in my mind as one could bask in the multitude of colors and fragrances that many varieties captured. It was not until I started to grow peonies in my own garden that I slowly began to open my mind to the possibility that this strange woman was onto something. In my youth I never bothered to buy peonies simply because they were (and are) very expensive. In some floral shops one can expect to pay $3-5 dollars a stem (or more), especially for certain varieties like the Sarah Bernhardt.

When I purchased my home six years ago there was only one Peony plant on the whole property. It was actually a crimson red peony bush that produced the most amazing flowers. But then I planted several other varieties and although it took a few years to get an abundance of peonies, it was well worth the wait. The hardest part of growing peonies is that unlike roses, the harvest season is quite short and one can find that in a matter of weeks all the peonies have had their day.

Purple and Pink!

I noticed for the first time this year just how much purple and pink there is in my flower garden. I am surrounded by various hues ranging from periwinkle to fuchsia and the color combinations are amazing. I decided however that I need to focus on other color pallets as well that I love like yellows and whites. Strangely I have some great deep red colors (that I didn't plant) which pop up every year in the form of crimson peonies, burgundy bee balm and a few fantastic red Rhododendrons that are strategically placed to catch ones eye.

Chives

Bearded Iris

Pink Rhododendron

Purple Lilac

Pink Lupine

Lavender & Cosmos

I spent a week this month really trying to amend my soil in the garden and plant the veggies. Although the weather was gorgeous for almost the entire week, it ended with a down pour. My son, who is now 2 is constantly asking me when the raspberries will be ready and it's very hard to explain to one so young that these things take time but are so well worth the wait. Next up, is the planting of the butterfly garden I have been promising myself I would put in. I am trying to get the perfect combination of flowers that will attract a variety of butterflies this year. We shall see what happens.

Butterflies and Spring planting

I caught a few butterflies out and about and became hopeful that maybe this season was going to be a long gardening period. Spring planting is upon us and this time of year excites me because everything is new again and I can enjoy the simple beginnings before all the hard work of weeding, watering and fertilizing become all too familiar. Once I get the usual suspects into the ground this month I will turn my attention to things I want to experiment in. Perhaps a few different heirloom varieties that I have been wanting to try. Better yet I have been wanting to do more radishes and beans, something I haven't been too successful in the last few years. Below is my planting guide and we shall see what gets into the ground this month and next. Here's praying for a hot Portland Summer.


Planting Guide:
Lettuces;
Carrots;
Scallions
Swiss Chard;
Kale
Corn
Cucumber; pickling, lemon and
Tomatoes; sweet 100, early girl, Brandywine,
Beans; french runner
Radishes
Broccoli
Potatoes
Squash - haven't been successful but will try again
Zucchini

Rhubarb, strawberries, rasberries, black currant, asparagus already growing.

The Thing For Spring

Jacob prepares for Spring planting

Just around the corner is the splendor of new blossoms. Cherry blossoms, grape hyacinth and crocuses will be popping up everywhere to mark the beginnings of yet another gardening season. Most of us who love our flower gardens look forward to each day when something new unfolds and reaches it's peak. The tulip that was closed yesterday is all of the sudden completely open and the sweet pea plant that was a tiny mound, all of the sudden is 3 feet tall. For some reason no one minds the Portland rain so much these couple of months as there is knowledge that winter has passed and there is a new anticipation for this thing we call Spring.

Missing the snow

There are days when 80 degree weather in December just feels a bit bizarre and you long for just a couple of days of pure white snow. The kind of snow that comes out of nowhere and forces you to stay inside in front of a fireplace, eating yummy stew, playing games with kids and baking too many cookies all at once. But then after two perfect snow days, everything melts and things magically go back to normal. Wouldn't it be great if mother nature could behave the way we always wanted? I am reminded of the fabulous snow storm in 2008 that kept me indoors for almost a week. The first few days were bliss as I wandered around the empty streets, watched the neighbor kids throw snowballs and brave explorers put on their skis to roam around the city. That kind of snow doesn't happen often in Portland but is surely embraced on those rare occasions. My son has yet to see snow in person and I cannot wait to see his reaction.