The Garden Explorer

The Most Rewarding Part of Vegetable Gardening-The Harvest

2011-08-18T14:51:00.013-06:00

It's August already and I've waited patiently all summer for the chance to harvest these beautiful, delectable vegetables! There are not many more rewards for me than to be able to walk out to my vegetable garden and pick organic vegetables to feed myself and my family. As I began gathering this morning, I was so giddy inside to see a rainbow of colors...so I snapped a few shots to share. From left to right: A sampling of herbs (sweet basil, flat-leaf Italian parsley, purple ruffles basil),"Green Zebra" tomato (a new heirloom for me this year), "Purple Cherokee" (new heirloom for me this year), "Viva Italia" Roma tomato, "Celebrity" tomato, "Black Cherry" (new heirloom for me this year), "Sunsugar" tomato, "Green Gem" zucchini, & "Big Bertha" bell pepper

Another angle of my cornicopia of veggies

Belated Garden Blogger's Bloom Day-August 2011

2011-08-16T19:26:00.011-06:00

This summer has been a whirlwind of activity and emotions, from the death of my mother-in-law to some very personal challenges! Lets just say I cannot handle another repeat of this summer! As a result of these experiences I've had to let my blogging time fall by the wayside temporarily. I know I'm a day late posting my GBBD post, but better late than never I guess.

Just when my garden is looking a little tattered and worn out, these beautiful "Limelight" hydrangeas steal the show for late summer color and look stunning well into the fall. They really hold up well in our dry climate in Utah, unlike most bigleaf hydrangeas that need constant humidity and more mild temperatures.

This daylily has about spent its blooming cycle this summer. Only a few more blossoms remain to bloom.

In the vegetable garden, my "Yukon Gold" potatoes are flowering. I just planted them July 1st to be harvested this fall.

These are two of my "Celebrity" tomatoes. As you can see we've had our share of crazy thunderstorms as indicated by the hailstone scars on the green one. Ummm! There is nothing better than a home-grown tomato!

Zucchini
I decided to plant a few more Heirloom tomatoes this year. This variety is called "Black Cherry." It's delicious!

As delicious as the "Black Cherry" tomato is, this cherry tomato, "Sunsugar" is like eating garden candy. Many of my neighbors have planted this variety after sampling these tomatoes from my garden. If you love cherry tomatoes, you better plant this one!

This is the last of my Shasta ("Becky") daisies to bloom.

These zinnias have been outstanding performers this summer. If I could figure out how to keep the earwigs from devouring them, I would be a happy gardener. I'm going to try some organic methods that I read about online.

The zinnia variety I planted this year is called "Dreamland. " They are a dwarf-type variety that has held-up well in our 50 mile-an-hour microburst winds.

GBBD June 2011-A Bouquet of Beauty

2011-06-14T17:07:00.034-06:00

Where do I start? June is by far one of the most beautiful blooming months in my area of Utah. I wish I could post all my photos, but I'll try to restrain myself and only post a sampling of the beauty around here. That's why gardening and photography are a perfect match...because photographing this beauty freezes time for a moment and helps me appreciate and re-live it all over again (maybe during winter...heaven knows we need it with our endless winters here). My first subject to display is my 'Sarah Bernhardt' peony Paeonia Lactiflora. Isn't she a beauty? She just opened yesterday, just in time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I would say that was PERFECT timing.

Peonies are so BEAUTIFUL! They have a short blooming time span, but they are well worth the wait each year. I've been anticipating their blooms for weeks now. Now I need to add to my collection. I can't have just one with all the gorgeous varieties to choose from.

For the first couple years my peony bloomed, I watched these beautiful blooms unfurl only to be disappointed when the stems flopped over from the weight of the flower. This year I wised-up and staked the plant as it was growing. As you can see in the image below, I placed three bamboo stakes close to the plant, and in three sections, tied twine around the entire plant to help keep the peony together and support the weight of the blooms. The leaves covered the twine quite nicely. My idea worked perfectly, and I love the organic look of the bamboo stakes.

These baby peonies are waiting patiently for their time to bloom.

Next is my beautiful clematis, 'Little Duckling'. It's on the east-facing side of my home and it seems to like it there. My Japanese maple is reaching its branch out to steal a little attention in the shot too.

Thought I would zoom in for a closer look so you too could appreciate the detail.

Since taking this photo a few days ago, there are even more blooms open today. Each day this month is a gardener's adventure watching to see what will bloom next!

I don't own a wisteria vine, but this tree called 'Purple Robe' Idaho Robina Ambigua 'Idahoensis' locust comes in a close second to the wisteria. It's blossoms remind me of a cluster of wisteria flowers, and even the leaves look similar to wispy wisteria leaves.

Idaho Locust Robinia x ambigua 'Idahoensis'

Not sure about the variety of this columbine. It's my neighbors.

I think old-fashioned bleeding heart 'Dicentra spectabilis' is an interesting perennial. Its name suits it well. I was reading recently about good companion plants for bleeding heart. They are hosta, false spirea, and ferns. Try tucking a few of these plants around your bleeding heart.

Coral Bells Heuchera Sanguinea 'Snow Angel'

Ornamental strawberry ground cover grows well in full sun as well as part sun.

Salvia leucantha 'May Night'

If you are trying to attract pollenators like honey bees, they love this stuff.

My husband and I planted this Dwarf False Spirea ('Sorbaria sorbifolia 'Sem') just a couple weeks ago. Even though it's not blooming yet, I thought I would post a picture of it. The leaf structure reminds me of a fern and the pinkish tipped new growth gives the plant interest. Apparently it has white blooms that bloom all summer.

Over by my mailbox I've planted guara (Guara lindheimeri 'Perky Pink') with a few zinnias tucked around for more color. The guara has not bloomed yet but gets wispy wands of pink flowers. Even better is that guara is drought tolerent and is a very hardy plant here.

Pretty chives blossom in my garden. Chives are an herb that is hardy in my zone 5 area and will return each spring.

Baby romaine and rosemary planted in my concrete block raised vegetable garden.

This is another view of my vegetable garden. Growing right now are my snow peas, garlic, tomatoes (in my wall-o-waters), herbs, and lettuce. I used bamboo stakes to trellis my snowpeas with string attached for the peas to have something to climb onto. It's working very well.

Closer view of snow peas...white marigolds and lobelia are planted to soften the edges and attract pollenators.

This romaine mix has been delicious! It's so attactive too with its speckled, burgandy, and chartreuse leaves.

The next few photos of the bearded iris' are gorgeous. Unfortunately I do not know the varieties because a neighbor (who has since moved) gave them to me when she divided them one year. I'll have to investigate I guess.

Hope you've enjoyed viewing what's been blooming in my garden. Happy gardening and happy GBBD! Go visit May Dreams Gardens to check out more garden blogs. http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2011/06/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-june-2011.html

My PERFECT Spring Day!

2011-06-07T17:32:00.038-06:00

Today has been as close to a perfect day as anyone could ask for. Just look at this beauty! The sun was shining, the temperatures were in the mid 70's, a little breeze was blowing, and the sky was absolutely amazing! Who could ask for anything more? I wish all you blogger friends could have experienced this day with me.

My children know that the blue sky with white fluffy clouds is my FAVORITE sky. It's a little piece of heaven and makes me happy. I just laid on my lawn and soaked in the warmth.

This view of the mountains is from our driveway. As you can see, we've had our share of snow this winter and spring. There is a lot of snow still yet to melt which is causing some flooding issues in our state (Utah).

This shot was taken from my backyard, looking out toward the field behind our lot.

And more beautiful skies...it was so picturesque. Unlike where I grew up in Louisiana, where we practically live in forests, we have BIG open skies in Utah, which makes for many colorful sunrises and sunsets.

I even spent time playing with my daughter's puppy cause he loves to go outside.

Awe, isn't he so cute?

My black-eyed Susan vine, 'Lemon Eyes' loves the sun as well and hopefully will fill the obleisk with loads of blossoms.

I even had time to plant zinnias for a "pop" of summer color.

More zinnias (Dreamland mix)

My 'Goldflame' honeysuckle (Lonicera heckrottii) is just beginning to bloom...love the sweet scent of honeysuckle!

My fountain garden is still evolving into something that I've envisioned, but it's not there yet. The climbing rose is leafing out, creeping phlox is beginning to fade, the daylilies will eventually bloom to give this bed some much needed color, and the honeysuckle my husband and I just planted should help fill in some of the empty space behind the aborvitae that's taking its own sweet time to grow. I think I need a trellis for the honeysuckle. Now I'm on the hunt for two.

Got my west-facing pots soaking in some much needed warmth and light to help them fill in the empty gaps.

I decided to plant mint this year since I enjoy cooking and garnishing with it. Because I've learned that mint can be invasive, it's planted in its own container so I won't be pulling mint babies from my garden for the rest of my life.

I'm hoping my honeysuckle will be happy with its new home in my fountain garden.

Lobelia and marigold fill the holes around my raised bed garden to soften the hard edges of the concrete block.

Just planted sweet basil in my garden...one of my favorite herbs to cook with. My family loves the pungent scent of basil too.

Purple ruffled basil has more of a licorice flavor, but I'm giving it a try this year.

Flat-leaf Italian parsley is a must-have herb if you like cooking with fresh herbs.

I'm so happy to report that my snow peas, yes I said snow peas, are beginning to bloom. They've only been planted since mid-March. With our crazy weather, who knows what I'll harvest from my garden this year!

As I reflect upon this perfect spring day, I am so grateful for that I can experience it with all five senses (sight, touch, smell, taste, sound). Gardening would not be as tangible without them. As I enjoyed this day, a song that I sang as a child played its melody in my head. I thought I would share it with you so maybe you will appreciate it as well.

Whenever I hear the song of a bird
Or look at the blue, blue sky,
Whenever I feel the rain on my face
Or the wind as it rushes by,
Whenever I touch a velvet rose
Or walk by our lilac tree,
I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world
Heavenly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see
the color of butterfly wings.
He gave me my ears that I might hear
The magical sound of things.
He gave me my life, my mind, my heart:
I thank him reverently
For all his creations of which I'm a part.
Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me.

Signs of Spring!

2011-05-26T12:02:00.004-06:00

I was out on my walk a while ago and saw this sweet mama horse with her baby colt. Mama horse was grazing on the grass and baby was not leaving her side. I remember those days... when my little ones adored me and wanted to always be near my side. Now some of them have wandered off to newer pastures.

I LOVE spring! It is truly the birth of new life in the plant kingdom as well as the animal kingdom. What signs of spring are you noticing?

Taming the Climbing Clematis Vine

2011-05-20T14:28:00.013-06:00

For all of you gardeners who love beautiful Clematis vines in your gardens and don't know how to prune them, maybe my post will be able to answer some of your questions.

Why prune clematis anyway?

If left unpruned, clematis vines become overloaded with stems that produce few flowers. More vigorous species and varieties that are left unchecked bear most of the flowers high on top the plants and many times can result in pulling down the structures that are supporting them with their weight.

Pruning clematis stimulates new growth, which increases the number of flowers at a level where you can best enjoy them, and takes weight off the plant to keep it from toppling over.

Pruning also helps to keep clematis vines healthy. Clematis wilt, or fungal stem rot, occasionally strikes this plant, causing shoots, leaves or sometimes whole vines to collapse and brown, usually in early summer. Pruning back wilted shoots to healthy growth, or, if needed, pruning the whole plant almost to ground level prevents the disease from spreading and stimulates new stem growth from the remaining healthy tissue.

Pruning the dense tangle of stems opens the remaining shoots to air and light and reduces the number of leaves that can hold moisture, which encourages wilt and other diseases.

This clematis is from my garden. I believe this variety is called 'Little Duckling' and is a repeat blooming clematis.

There are three ways to prune clematis, thus there are three types of clematis:

SPRING BLOOMERS-vines flower in spring, on growth from the previous year.

REPEAT BLOOMERS-vines bloom in late spring or early summer, then again sporadically, on new shoots and old stems.

SUMMER OR FALL BLOOMERS-vines flower in late summer or in fall, on new growth produced earlier in the season.

As you can see, I've waited a little late to prune my clematis, but it was not high on my list of priorities, considering the weather has not cooperated at all this spring. There were so many other items of business to get done in the garden first.

Follow this link from Fine Gardening magazine Click here(which is where I found the clematis information). It will explain in more detail about which method of pruning that needs to be done on your clematis.

Happy GBBD May 2011

2011-05-15T20:18:00.019-06:00

The last several days have been a joy in my garden to walk around and enjoy the latest blooms and bursts of emerging color. On this May Garden Bloggers Bloom Day I thought I would share a few images. This image is of my 'Bloodgood' Japanese Maple dripping with rain. The leaves are so tender and flaming red. They don't stand a chance in our windy dry summer climate. In no time they will be a little frayed around the edges.

Coral Bells and a reddish pink creeping phlox nestle below the Japanese Maple.

My tulips are just about past their peak of beauty, so I shot a few images of them before they were gone for another year. This variety is 'Pink Impression.'

This beauty is either 'Apricot Impression' or 'Salmon Impression.' I'm not exactly sure because they came as a mix.

This area is my front garden. It is beginning to fill in quite nicely and soon the bare spots will be covered with vegetation.

This area is on the south side of my driveway. My husband and son just cut back the encroaching grass last weekend, so now I can add a few more plants to fill the area with color and texture.

In my fountain garden, lavender-colored creeping phlox spills over the beds and is so beautiful this time of year.

In my backyard, the white candytuft really adds brightness to the bed. The red and purple tulip "lipstick" blend and chartreuse green spirea give this bed a pop of color. Stella Del Oro daylilies in the background have not made their debut yet.

This is the backside of the tulips looking toward the street. Everytime I look out my front window, I smile.

The 'Stawberries and Cream' variegated grass is beginning to emerge and will be a couple feet taller by the end of summer.

Hot pink creeping phlox

I believe this is Dolce 'Peach Melba' heuchera. I have vowed to keep better track of the variety of plants I plant. The tag is somewhere in my house. Can anyone relate with me?

One Project Checked off the Honey Do List!

2011-05-09T17:24:00.015-06:00

Considering we've experienced a very wet, cold spring this year, the spring projects just keep piling up! Most weekends have not been nice enough to get out and start "knocking out" the outdoor projects. A beautiful weekend was forcasted last week, so my husband and I decided we had better take advantage of it. This side of our yard has been an eye sore for a while now and needed a bit of sprucing up. The grass was encroaching into the bed and needed to be cut back a lot! I pulled out the garden hose, formed the hose in a curved pattern (that I thought would look best), then my husband cut the lines with a sod cutter and pulled the grass out. Thanks honey! That was not an easy job! It took a lot of muscle POWER!

I'm always looking for ideas to tweek my landscape to maximize its potential. Unfortunately it usually boils down to lack of time and lack of money. Does that sound familiar to many of you gardeners? This project took some time but won't really cost all that much to add a few more plants to help it be more aesthetically pleasing.

My son even pitched in to help out with the bed. His job was to throw the grass remnants in the wheel barrow and dump them in the field behind our house.

Now all I have left to do is lay down some sort of border alongside the grass to help keep it from encroaching into the bed again. Then the fun part comes when I get to decide what to add to this bed to give it four seasons of interest. I'll start making my wish list now!

Now that I think about it, this bed needs a fresh layer of rich dark compost...yes that will finish it off quite nicely.

The Legend of the Dogwood Tree This Easter

2011-04-22T16:30:00.018-06:00

Did you ever wonder why the dogwood tree blossoms every Easter season? I thought I would share a legend that I grew up hearing as a child. Each part of the tree has significance to the crucifixtion of Christ. As legends go, since they are unverified stories handed down from earlier times and popularly believed to be historical, this legend is not fact, but I enjoyed hearing it none-the-less. In the southern states, where I grew up, dogwood grew wild in the woods.

The Legend of the Dogwood

(author unknown)

In Jesus’ time,
the dogwood grew
to a stately size
and a lovely hue.

‘Twas strong and firm
it’s branches interwoven,
for the cross of Christ
its timbers were chosen.

Seeing the distress
at this use of their wood
Christ made a promise
which still holds good:

“Never again shall the dogwood grow
Large enough to be used so.

Slender and twisted it shall be
with blossoms like the cross for all to see.

As blood stains the petals marked in brown,
the blossom’s center wears a thorny crown.

All who see it will remember Me
crucified on a cross
from the dogwood tree.

Cherished and protected,
this tree shall be.
A reminder to all of my agony.”

Now as we celebrate Easter, we focus not on the death of Christ, but his resurrection. He lives! We will be with him again! Happy Easter everyone!

Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival

2011-04-17T21:21:00.009-06:00

I thought I would share images taken at Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival. My husband and I love to tour gardens and this one just happens to be located in Lehi, Utah, not far from us. More than a quarter million bulbs bloom throughout 55 acres of this beautiful garden and there are 15 themed gardens to enjoy!

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day-April 2011

2011-04-15T21:29:00.023-06:00

-Hello garden friends! It has been a few weeks since I've posted anything on my garden blog, but it's great to be back. In a nutshell I was very sick for a couple weeks, was involved in my nephew's wedding, had company from out-of-state, and this week is our spring break! I finally had a little time to take some photos of my early spring garden a couple days ago. Wednesday was a beautiful day so I took advantage of the mild weather to pull weeds and prune perennials. I was out in the garden for hours and my back can vouch for that. The weather here has been so fickle! We've had very few days to work in the yard. In fact it snowed all last weekend and during my nephew's wedding! I was the photographer...try taking photos in the snow! Crazy! I'M SO SICK OF THE SNOW! I need sunlight and warm weather. No kidding...we've had six long months of winter. I need to win the lottery so I can buy a winter home out of Utah! O.K. I'll stop complaining.

Saucer Magnolia x Soulangeana

I'm happy to report that I actually have a few blooms to share on Garden Blogger's Bloom Day! We've had an unusually cool wet spring season so far, even for Utah.

Creeping Phlox x Subulata

I'm not sure what variety of tulip this is. It's an early bloomer. These were given to us a few years ago.

This is my sweet little snow pea plant. I planted the seeds a month ago, but with the extremely cool weather, it has slowed the progress of my spring garden.

Spring Has Arrived in My Garden-1st blooms of 2011

2011-03-28T16:00:00.018-06:00

Despite the fact that it is barely 48 degrees for the high temps today and we had a mix of snow, hail, and rain this past weekend, my daffodils are finally rearing their beautiful faces to bloom. I resolved to plant more early spring flowers in my garden next year so I won't have to wait so long for my first bloom. My wish list is growing...now if I only had a place to put them. Hmmm I may need to do some rearranging in my garden beds.

Narcissus 'Ice Follies'

With their cream outer petals and yellow centers, these daffodils are great companions for all colors of bulbs, perennials, and annuals.

Yes it was worth the wait. I look forward for more to come. Don't daffodils just say SPRING to you? What's blooming in your spring garden?

Put a Little Spring in Your Vegetable Garden

2011-03-19T11:45:00.038-06:00

Sometimes life gets so hectic and crazy and challenging that I lose my focus from enjoying the simple things of life. When I find myself in these situations, (many of them out of my control), I have to refocus on the blessings that bring me joy! Joy is in the journey, even with it's disappointments and heartaches. If I wait until situations are perfect, I will miss the sunrises and sunsets, chirping birds, babies laughing, emerging flower buds, long walks, little wet kisses, warm embraces, and most importantly... LOVE! So for now, I'll focus on something that brings me great joy...GARDENING! I am still amazed at the miracle of a tiny seed emerging into a plant that will give me baskets full of delicious fruit and vegetables.

I don't know about you, but every winter I wait with anticipation to plant vegetables in my garden. We have a very short 2-2 1/2 month period of time that we can grow spring vegetables here in Utah before planting our summer crop. I also have limited space in my raised beds, so I thought this year I would plant veggies with a shorter maturity time, so I could rotate my spring veggies for summer ones come mid-May. With the exception of snow peas, (they have a longer maturity time), I planted short season vegetables. I will sow the bed that currently houses the snow peas with delicious carrots the beginning of July. They don't need to be planted till later anyway.

I like to keep a garden journal of my vegetable garden because just when I think I'll be able to remember what I planted in a particular bed, come next year I will have forgotten. I draw out my garden beds on graph paper and record the variety of vegetables I've planted. Another reason I keep records is to remember to rotate my crops so I have less problems with diseases. After the vegetables are harvested, I record my success or failure with a particular plant or variety, so I'll know whether I want to plant the same plant next year or not.

Vegetables I chose this year were 'Neon Lights' Swiss chard, 'Melting Sugar' snow peas, and 'Cherry Belle' radishes. I planted Swiss chard a few years ago but didn't really know how to prepare it, so my family didn't eat it. I vowed to try it again this year and find other methods of preparing it so they would eat it. Besides, isn't it a beautiful vegetable?

Have you priced lettuce in the store these days? It's outrageous! In a couple months (cross my fingers), I'll be able to harvest my own. I planted several varieties. I prefer lettuce with a CRUNCH! That's why I chose an all season romaine mix ('Little Gem', 'Rosalita', 'Craquerelle du Midi', Forellenschluss, and Rouge D'Hiver'). I also planted Baby Romaine, and Bibb.

Okay, it's not time to plant carrots in my garden just yet, but rather than planting my ususal 'Red Nantes' carrots, I thought I would be a little more colorful and creative and plant Kaleidoscope mix and 'Chantenay' varieties along with the old standby, 'Red Nantes'.

As you can see, there is nothing growing in my vegetable garden right now except chives. I planted my seeds and hope to see little sprouts coming up soon. Now if I can just keep those darn stray cats out of my beds! They like to dig around and use them as a litter box. Rrrrrr!

My chives are loving the cool temperatures. They'll be blooming soon. I like their mild onion flavor.

In a few months my garden will be filled in and growing delicious vegetables like these, but until then I'll try to enjoy life even with its bumps in the road. Enjoy the journey! Thank you garden blogger friends for your positive comments and correspondance. It brightens my day!

Reminicing About Paradise-Part 2

2011-03-06T18:43:00.046-07:00

If I can't be in Hawaii, I might as well reminice about it. This post is part 2 of my 20th anniversary vacation on the beautiful Hawaiian islands. Like I mentioned in part 1, we (my husband and I) went to the Hawaiian islands almost four years ago. The images on this post are of Maui, Hawaii. We stayed in Kihei, which was actually on the drier side of the island, so there was much more sun and less rain...my kind of vacation! This photo was taken our last night on the island. My husband and I drove to this beach and shot these beautiful sunset images. Aaahhh! If I could squish my toes in the warm sand and walk along the beach with my sweetheart again...good memories!

My husband and I discovered this garden when an older couple we were chatting with earlier that morning on our walk, recommended that we visit. I'm so glad we decided to take their advice and see it for ourselves. If we ever make it back to Maui, this will be on our list of places to visit. There was a restaurant on the property that overlooked the gardens, but unfortunately it had just closed after lunch. The next five photos were taken there at Maui Tropical Plantation.

Birds-of-paradise and ginger plants were just a few of the tropical vegetation on the island.

The gardens were like a beautiful park--tropical style!

Don't the burgandy plants look like fire coming out of the ground?

Some of the hibiscus were amazing! Just look at the detail in this flower! Thank goodness I brought my camera along this morning on our walk...so many photo opportunities.

One of my husband's co-workers told us about this beach, called Red Sand beach. It was located in the little town of Hana. As you can see, the sand and rock were red. It was a bit of a remote beach. I guess that's why we came upon a few sun-bathers bathing in the nude. Oops! Sorry...no photos of that!

This beach was called Waianpanapa State Park. The unique thing about this area was the black sand beach from the lava rock.

We loved to watch the sunsets at the beach. God has created such beauty on this earth!

There were so many plumeria trees on the island. The trees themselves were not that impressive, but the smell of the flowers was sweet and heavenly.

More plumeria just outside out condo. Plumeria is a common flower used to make beautiful leis in Hawaii.

This was my favorite beach on Maui, called Big Beach. It had warm white sand, a long beach area, and beautiful turquoise water. If you ever have the privilege of visiting Maui, hopefully you will visit some of the sites I've mentioned. Aloha garden friends!

Reminicing About Paradise-Part 1

2011-02-25T20:47:00.020-07:00

"Never lose an opportunity to see anything that is beautiful. It is God's handwriting-a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, every fair sky, every fair flower."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Since there is absolutely nothing in bloom in my garden right now I thought I would reminice and share some beautiful photos of my dream vacation. Almost four years ago my husband and I were able to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary on two beautiful Hawaiian islands-Oahu and Maui. I took so many beautiful photos, so this is only a small sampling of the beauty captured. Everywhere you looked there were lush green plants and a rainbow of colorful flowers and plants! If only I could have bottled this trip and opened it up in winter, I would truly be in paradise again!!! The images in part 1 of my posts were taken on the island of Oahu.
The hibiscus flower just says "tropical" to me. You could find them in just about every color.

Something that amazes me about the vegetation in Hawaii, is that these plants are sold on the main land as indoor house plants. In Hawaii they grow everwhere and thrive outside in their humid climate!

If you are ever on Oahu, you must visit the Polynesian Culture Center. There is so much to see and do there. You will not be disappointed. The remainder of the pictures were taken there.

The handmade leis were exquisite and they smelled so sweet!

I believe this variety of plumeria was called "rainbow." Doesn't it look like it was drawn with pastels? So BEAUTIFUL!

These handcrafted hats were so cool!

'Apple Blossom' Imposter

2011-02-02T21:29:00.016-07:00

O.K. This is my first time to force bulbs indoors, so I will admit I am inexperienced with this method of gardening, but I was completely surprised when my 'Apple Blossom' amaryllis bloomed into THIS!!! Don't think I don't appreciate this beautiful amaryllis, but what kind is she? Maybe she cross-pollinated with 'Red Lion' on the shelf next to her. Who knows???

Here's the proof that I purchased and potted what I thought was an 'Apple Blossom' amaryllis.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from other posts that I've seen, 'Apple Blossom' is a pink and white amaryllis, as pictured on the box.

Here's my bulb a few weeks after planting...coming along quite nicely.

As the buds began to emerge, I thought they looked a bit more red than pink, but I guess I was still in denial that it was a different variety of amaryllis than 'Apple Blossom.'

I ended up with a beautiful cherry red and white amaryllis, but I have no idea what variety it is. Can you amaryllis lovers please help me out and tell me what variety I have?

Oh well, although this amaryllis came into my possession as an imposter, I'm enjoying the beautiful blooms and plan to purchase more amaryllis next year!

Think PINK-or Should I Say Honeysuckle!

2011-01-24T17:44:00.038-07:00

GOLDFLAME HONEYSUCKLE 'Lonicera hackrottii'
Fast growing semi-evergreen to deciduous vine with blue-green leaves. Flowers are coral-pink with yellow inside. Blooms spring through fall. 15' long twining stems. Plant in sun; light shade inland. Zone 4.

For all you gardeners who love pink, this year is the time to incorporate the Pantone 2011 color of the year, Honeysuckle! "A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. Pantone, the global authority on color and provider of professional standards for the design industries, announced Pantone Honeysuckle, a vibrant energetic hue, as the color of the year."
I first read about this announcement from Jodi, over at http://www.bloomingwriter.blogspot.com/ a few weeks ago in a post she submitted. Since then, I have been seeing more info about this color. I thought I would share it with you. You can now start your own quest for 'Honeysuckle' pink.

I decided to launch my own quest to find examples of this color in flowers. This Mandevilla is pretty close to the Honeysuckle color with its reddish pink color.

I love Mandevilla because of its tropical characteristics! The trumpet shaped flowers and glossy green foliage are so beautiful!

Here are just a few examples of the Honeysuckle pink shade in nail polish, lipstick, and clothing. The nail polish is called Flower-to-flower (how applicable) and the lipstick name was faded on the bottom (so I couldn't tell), but the idea is to find colors that are the reddish pink like the honeysuckle pink.

This is an apron I made last summer. The fabric is a vintage style fabric with flower seed packet designs...there's also some of the honeysuckle pink.

I found this Breast Cancer awareness T-shirt last weekend clearanced for less than $5...nice Honeysuckle pink don't you think?

A local TV show called Studio 5 had this segment showcasing ideas to incorporate "honeysuckle pink" in fashion, home decor, and even cosmetics. I thought you might enjoy viewing the video of the segment.

Sunrise Over the Utah Rocky Mountains

2011-01-18T14:26:00.013-07:00

Since there's not much going on in my garden right now, I chose to focus on the magestic beauty of our mountains. This morning on my walk, I brought my camera along to capture the snow-capped mountains in my neck-of-the woods. Like one of our fellow garden bloggers said the other day, when everything is brown (or white in my case) on the ground, look up!

This is the Wasatch mountain range which is part of the Rocky Mountains. The snow has finally melted off the roads, thanks to the warmer temperatures and sunshine we had yesterday and this past weekend. When I say warm, I mean mid forties and low fifties! That is a heat wave in January for us folks!

Beautiful mountains you say! Yes thy are, but unless you are an avid snow skier, snow boarder, or any other winter sports enthusiast, you will begin to get cabin fever about February or March when all our other southern region gardeners are planting their gardens and bragging about their camellias in bloom!

I guess I'll just stay close to the fire and sip on my hot chocolate for four more months until the ground thaws and I can plant something outside! Anyway, enjoy the snow pics and come visit Utah if you're looking for some fun in the snow!

January Winter Whites

2011-01-08T14:24:00.012-07:00

On this crisp cold January winter day, I thought it would be appropriate to post some images of a blooming winter white flower. Everytime I pass this simple single stem white gerbera daisy on my kitchen counter, it puts a smile on my face. Hopefully you will be smiling too!

There's nothing like fresh flowers displayed in a home! If your budget is limited, at least purchase some single stems like this one.

Ahhh! Simple pleasures! When you zoom your camera lens in, you're able to see much more detail in this Gerbera daisy.

The creamy white petals remind me of the blanket of snow covering the ground outside my home.

Attention! Update on my 'Apple Blossom' amaryllis. So far the flower has made this much progress. I patiently wait for my flower to bloom...I'll keep you posted.

Paperwhites Bloomed for Christmas!

2011-01-01T22:09:00.009-07:00

I'm just now getting a few minutes to update my paperwhite experiment...and guess what? They bloomed just a few days before Christmas! What a great Christmas gift! Everytime I walk in my laundry room I get a wiff of paperwhite aroma. I must admit, the scent is a little strong for me, hence this is why they were moved to my laundry room. Everytime I pass by the room, the flowers bring a smile to my face!

A week before Christmas, I drove 3 1/2 hours to visit my daughter at college, and bring her home for Christmas. While I was away, my husband called to let me know my paperwhites had bloomed. That was GREAT news! When I got home I was able to capture a few pictures to share, but because of the craziness of the holidays I am just now posting them. Now with anticipation I am waiting for my amaryllis to bloom.

To give a little stability to the bulbs and weigh the container, I added polished rocks around the base. It also adds a finished look to the bulbs.

Update on My Winter Bulb Experiment and Look What I Woke Up to This Morning

2010-12-15T19:33:00.007-07:00

Look at the foot of snow that fell last night. We had just been experiencing unusually warm temperatures for a few days. It was sooo nice! As with all good things they must come to an end eventually.

Instead of the morning run, I traded in my running shoes for snow boots and shoveled the driveway for an hour! Ugh!

Take a look at my paperwhite bulbs! They are growing! I just might have flowers for Christmas. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

All I Want For Christmas is My Flowers To Be in Bloom!

2010-12-07T20:50:00.019-07:00

Because I have enjoyed so many great posts on amaryllis the last couple weeks, I couldn't resist trying my hand at growing some winter-blooming bulbs this year. I didn't have great luck finding a wide variety of bulbs, so I decided to purchase some Paperwhite bulbs as well as 'Apple Blossom' Amaryllis and look for more unique varieties in the future. Kathleen, over at http://www.kaseyskorner.typepad.com/ referred me to a book called Amaryllis-author is Star Ockenga, if you are interested in growing varieties that are a little more unusual.

Paperwhites in a galvanized container. Another great container idea is to plant them in glass cylinder vases like Kathleen did. This helps to keep them more upright. I guess another solution might be to stake them if they flop over and get a little unruly.

Now I wait with anticipation for my bulbs to bloom into beautiful flowers. It is miraculous thing to see such beauty evolve from a simple seed or bulb! Please Grow! Grow! Grow!

I'll keep you posted on the progress of my winter bulb experiment!

Harvesting My Favorite Root Vegetable-Carrots!

2010-11-29T16:49:00.012-07:00

About 1 1/2 weeks ago I thought I would harvest my carrots because the weather was going to turn bitter cold. I was glad I did, because our low temps have been in the single digits for almost a week now...Burrrr! My carrots were the last vegetable growing in my garden, and boy were they worth the wait! Can I just say that it is so rewarding to pull these rich orange, crisp, delectable beauties out of my own garden? As long as you have loose, well-drained soil, they are one of the easiest vegetables to grow.

This carrot variety is called 'Scarlet Nantes.' It is a long, fine-grained carrot that is nearly coreless. It doesn't get woody either.

Bugs Bunny would love this carrot, and so should you!

Aren't the carrots so cute lined up together?

The benefits of growing carrots: good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamin A

Glorious Fall Foliage

2010-11-18T14:43:00.012-07:00

CHANTICLEER FLOWERING PEAR TREE

Plant Facts:
Mature Height
40 - 60 feet
Mature Spread
15 - 20 feet
Soil Type
Widely Adaptable
Moisture
Drought, Heat Tolerant
Mature Form
Upright, Conical
Growth Rate
Rapid
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Flower Color
White
Fall Color
Red
Foliage Color
Dark Green
Zones
5-8

The Callery Pear tree, Pyrus calleryana, 'callery X Aristocrat cultivar', is a tight, narrow, pyramidal, thornless, ornamental pear tree. Some specimens appear almost columnar in habit. Oval, glossy green leaves turn an attractive reddish purple in autumn. The growth habit is dense, narrowly pyramidal, and evenly branched with crisp glossy green foliage. New growth shows a reddish tint. It has a heavy abundance of single white flowers in the spring and outstanding reddish-orange to purple fall color.
This deciduous tree is a true 4-season tree with white flowers in early spring; shiny, dark green foliage in summer changes to long lasting, dramatic shades of red & purple in mid to late autumn. In winter the tight, narrow form is a refined silhouette in the landscape. Callery Pear trees are very hardy and fast growing. They are an excellent choice for a trouble-free, beautiful addition in any landscape situation.

A few years ago we planted these flowering pear trees along the street so we could have a bit of privacy when we were sitting on our front porch. They have not disappointed us! They provide year-round color. They've also provided homes for the Robins that nest in the spring. These trees truly morph from green to deep reddish purple to gold, orange, and red and not at the same time. Aren't they gorgeous?

OCTOBER GLORY RED MAPLE

The October Glory Red Maple tree, Acer rubrum 'October Glory', is one of the best and most popular of the Red Maple cultivars. October Glory Red Maple trees are excellent for intense fall color and have a medium to fast growth rate. In the spring, red flowers in dense clusters form before the leaves. This Red Maple is an excellent tree for lawn or street planting.
The 'October Glory' Red Maple has a good oval-rounded form. It tends to hold its lustrous dark green leaves late into fall. The intensity of the brilliant orange to red fall color is worth the wait. October Glory Red Maple trees have a dense oblong head with dark green foliage. Excellent color for many regions.

Plant Facts:
Mature Height
25 - 50 feet
Mature Spread
25 - 35 feet
Soil Type
Widely Adaptable
Moisture
Drought Tolerant
Mature Form
Broad, Round
Growth Rate
Rapid
Sun Exposure
Full Sun - Partial Sun
Flower Color
Small Red
Fall Color
Red, Orange, Yellow
Foliage Color
Green
Zones
5-8

Limelight Hydrangea in the Fall

2010-11-03T19:55:00.011-06:00

Remember those beautiful Limelight hydrangeas that I posted pictures of in August? Well, I mentioned in that post that an added bonus you get with these flowers comes in the Fall when the tips of the flower petals turn a gorgeous pink! I love it when plants are repeat bloomers or bloom for a long time like this one.

Growing up in the southern part of the United States exposed me to plants that I love. Generally speaking, most of those plants love acidic soil and we have alkaline soil here in Utah. Plants like hydrangeas, camellias, gardenias, magnolias, etc. remind me of home. It's difficult or impossible to grow some of these plants here because of our colder, drier, arid climate. I was so pleased to find these hydrangeas a few years ago. They "tap" into my southern roots.

Fall Color in Utah

2010-10-27T20:06:00.016-06:00

I love to explore nature! It's difficult to explain how much it fills my soul! It connects me with my creator. Just think, if you never take a drive or walk, you will miss seeing so much beauty! These pictures were taken just a few miles from where I live. The maples were beginning to change beautiful shades of orange, red, and gold.

These are mountain maples.

My family and I drove up Provo canyon to walk along the Provo River trail between Vivian Park and Bridal Veil Falls a couple weeks ago. It was a beautiful day to enjoy the fall color.

The fall season is a beautiful season in Utah, as it is in many areas. Just be sure to pack your camera if you decide to take a drive or walk so you can capture the beautiful fall color before it is gone for another year. The best time to take your photos is two hours before sunset or early morning, or if you are really lucky, bright overcast days are perfect for photography. You get even light and the colors are not "washed out" and look much richer.

My son was enjoying skipping rocks in the river.

More Signs of Fall

2010-10-20T21:13:00.008-06:00

Last fall I planted these mums in my yard and this year I am reaping the beautiful rewards. Just when very few plants in my landscape are still flowering, the humble mum shows its glory! I love it!

Lately I cannot get enough of the beautiful fall color! I am pulling out my camera every chance I get to capture the beauty. These plants are rust-colored mums, "Bloodgood" Japanese maple, and "Stawberries and Cream" ribbon grass.

This is one of my favorite ways to display my Indian corn. Just purchase a hurricane vase and line them vertically in there. My vase has a pedestal, which I especially love. Try some of these Fall decorating ideas or get creative with your own.

Indian corn

I purchased this Indian corn a few years ago and every fall I love to pull it out of storage to display in my home. Don't you appreciate the variations of color in each kernal?

Signs of Fall

2010-10-07T14:31:00.009-06:00

I love the fall season! The colors, the smells of pumpkin cookies and apple pie baking, the cool nights, football games, apple cider, etc...all these familiar pleasant associations remind me that fall is here. Last Saturday I visited my local Farmer's market to buy these great pumpkins. They were reasonably priced. Unfortunately I do not have room in my garden to grow them. Pumpkins love to spread out and need lots of room to grow. If you are fortunate to have a local Farmer's market in your area, you should attend it soon. Ours will be ending the end of October. You will be supporting your local farmers and the produce is so fresh and delicious.

Find Ways to Bring the Outside In

2010-09-29T21:42:00.018-06:00

I came across this beautiful flower arrangement on a blog called onecharmingparty.com and wanted to share it with you. The flowers are so vivid! You could make this arrangement for your home or for a party. To view this tutorial click here!

If you are like me, I am always trying to find ways to bring the outside elements in. I love to decorate my home with natural organic things (branches, stones, flowers, pine cones, fruit, wood, etc.) I usually like to display fresh fruit in my home. What do you think of my "Limelight" hydrangeas and green apples? I have mostly real plants in my home. I love knowing that I have real, living, breathing plants to enjoy indoors. They certainly require a little more care than fake ones, but I try to choose plants that are low maintenance.

Sunflower and Heuchera (Coral Bells) Centerpiece

2010-09-14T20:04:00.004-06:00

Thought you might enjoy creating this beautiful Fall Centerpiece with sunflowers and heuchera. To view click here!

Curing Onions

2010-09-14T16:44:00.019-06:00

If you haven't already harvested your onions this year, I want to share with you some information that I found on curing onions properly in a garden magazine called GROW by Fine Gardening. The author of the article, Leslie A. Clapp said that one of the biggest mistakes gardeners make is leaving their onions in the ground too long before harvesting. She said that this invites damage that will result in a shorter shelf life. Harvest the bulbs when they have sized-up and the tops are browning. On a clear, sunny day, pull onions gently from the ground. Do not peel them or rinse them with water because this will also shorten their storage life.

Allow at least a month for post-harvest curing (drying and healing of wounds). She lays her onions out on window screens propped up on sawhorses, out of direct sun, in a well-ventilated spot. The onion bulbs should be spaced fairly wide apart to allow good air circulation; a fan can also be used to help move air around. Turn the onions over periodically, and remove spoiled ones. Once the onion foliage has withered, cut off the tops (leaving an inch of so) and trim the roots. Give the bulbs a gentle brushing and remove some of the outer layers of skin. The onions that look iffy go to the kitchen for immediate use; the others can be hung up in mesh bags for long-term storage.

Hope this information helps. There will be more information about onions in the coming months as you plan next year's vegetable garden. Happy gardening!

Fall in Love with Fabulous Fall Color!

2010-09-02T16:42:00.014-06:00

For the record, my faaaavorite season in Utah is Fall! When the nights and mornings have a nip in the air, I know that Fall is right around the corner. 'Mother Nature' has one more time to show her glory in plants. This is why I am sooo passionate about gardening! When I walk outside, I want to absorb all the beauty. It is truly therapy for me. Take time to appreciate God's handiwork all around you this Fall season.

This flower is an Aster. Fortunately it is a fall perennial here so it will return each year.

O.K., you know you are a plant fanatic when you choose to visit a garden nursery for date night! My husband and I visited Engh gardens (in Sandy) one evening and discovered all these beautiful fall containers and fall flowers last year. Maybe they will give you some inspiration to compose a fall container or plant some fall blooming plants this year.

Container Gardening

2010-09-02T09:28:00.006-06:00

This is a picture of one of the containers I put together this year. I chose to just use foliage plants instead of flowers for this container because I could not find the right combination I wanted. I was pleased with the outcome and many neighbors have commented on how beautiful and a little unusual it is. I can leave this container as is through the Fall, which is an added bonus!

Can I just say that I "love" the combination of orange and purple! The rust-colored coleus is called Colorblaze 'Sedona' by Proven Winners and the plum-colored plant is called Purple Shamrock 'Oxalis triangularis'. It comes from the clover family.

The green trailing plant is actually grown as an indoor plant and it is called "Creeping Charlie."

The Purple Shamrock grows little lilac flowers that bloom spring to fall.

Plants for Late-Summer Color

2010-08-27T19:56:00.015-06:00

Zinnias

This is 'Green Envy' Zinnia

Zinnia Elegans

Guara

Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea)

Russian Sage

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Daylilies

Rose-of-Sharon

Bee Balm

Composing Your Garden with Color

2010-08-27T19:32:00.012-06:00

This segment was on Studio 5, a local TV show shown in Utah. Some great tips were given with flower suggestions and color themes to give a boost of color to your landscape. Darin Engh is the owner of a plant nursery in Sandy, Utah called Engh Gardens. He is the one demonstrating the TV segment.

Five Reasons to Garden

2010-08-27T15:21:00.010-06:00

1. It's important to learn to store your food to be more self-reliant.
2. Fruits and vegetables taste much better.
3. You can grow different varieties and pick them fresher.
4. You can grow without using pesticides.
5. You can teach the joy of gardening by involving your children and friends.

Aren't these vegetables a "feast" for your eyes, and they taste so delicious!

I think if you were going to plant one vegetable in your garden, it should be tomatoes. The flavor doesn't even compare to the tasteless tomatoes in the grocery store. The tomatoes in the basket are Roma (Viva Italia), Early Girl, & Golden Girl (which is my personal favorite, but is difficult to find now).

A few years ago, my husband and I opted to install raised garden beds for our vegetable garden and herbs. One of the best advantages to this system is that you can fill your beds with rich organic soil right from the beginning instead on spending years ammending the soil you currently have. Our soil in Utah is generally low in organic matter and needs a lot of ammending. Also the soil warms earlier and freezes later during the growing season. With raised garden beds you can connect them with your irrigation system to water them separately from your lawn. One other plug for gardening with raised beds is that it is easier on your back, especially when you are pulling those few weeds and harvesting.

These onions are Walla Walla onions that I grew in my garden.

Limelight Hydrangea

2010-08-27T14:48:00.007-06:00

Your neighbors will be "green" with envy if you have these beautiful "Limelight Hydrangeas" in your garden! When I first eyed these flowering shrubs a few years ago in the nursery, I instantly fell in love! They bloom fully in my area from about the beginning of August through October. For an added bonus, the flower heads turn a beautiful pink in the Fall! The only downside to this plant is that it is suseptable to iron chlorosis because of the alkaline soils we have in Utah. To combat this problem, it helps to treat the surrounding soil with a chelated iron and soil acidifier. Also placing organic compost around the base of the plant helps with this problem.

Absolutely one of my favorite flowers!