California Gardening.

My favorite place to be on a Saturday before Easter...in the garden. Getting ready for summer with spring plantings. Also sighting of the Easter Bunny hiding eggs. Enjoy the day.

The Beauty of Fall Dahlias

A sunny, crisp fall day in Los Angeles and the perfect time for fall dahlias. The colors all blend to make a perfect fall arrangement. It is a sure sign that the summer blooms will give way to late fall and winter flowers here in California. This brings back memories of September in the Hamptons when we would gather flowers at the vegetable stands before they closed for the season. Had to share my view in the office/studio for you to enjoy.

Hydrangea for Winter

My Hydrangeas are ready for drying! Not all of them, mind you but the ones on the back terrace seem to be calling out: dry me!

I can tell when they start to to change color and seem to be drying at the edges; then I simply clip them and tie with wire and hang them in a cool dry spot.

This fall/winter they will be great in big bunches in antique containers. Please don't say this is a sign that summer is almost over.

Flowers From The Garden!

Before our guests arrived last evening, I had to take some pictures of the flowers we used from the garden. Hot pick geraniums and lavender petunias. It seems this year the cutting gardens are giving all they have and we have had a cool spring in California (unusual) so the flowers are "loving it.!" These tin lanterns which I set out on tables and in the trees, I purchased from the store Hollyhock about 20 years ago. These gothic lanterns take a tiny tea light and I have not seen anything like them since I purchased them. Just some ideas from our summer entertaining!

Flower Power!

In this case "less is more" as I sit in my studio to begin my day. Just one rose or a small group of lilies starts my day off on the right note. Easy to assemble and easy to change and always a reminder of beauty, color, nature and the bounty of the earth. Not a bad idea to stop and smell the roses or whatever flower you have in your garden. Enjoy the day!

New Roses Arrive.

New Roses arrive. These climbers Meiviolin climbers are the most "antique" looking roses I have seen in a while. There are deep rich green leaves and a hardy nature to these climbers just in time for Mother's Day. The perfect accent for my studio/office.

Welcome Home!

What a joy to see the garden in full bloom when I came home from High Point. I had been away for ten days and to see the roses all in bloom was the perfect greeting.

There are quite a few very old roses mixed with many varieties of impatiens. Looks like we will have a summer full of "pinkalicious" color.

Spring Comes to California!

After a drenching spring rain, my garden is beginning to feel like spring. There is nothing more refreshing than the glisten a California rain gives to the garden. My impatiens are re-growing, the succulents ready to send up blooms and the the geraniums flowing with soft pink blossoms.

The primroses are so happy in the cool wet planters and the topiary display is dotted with white blossoms.

Vertical Gardening

Being a succulent plant enthusiast, I saw this article in the Dallas Morning News about vertical gardening. Flora Grubb Gardens now sells 20 inch plastic modules so home gardeners can install succulent wallscapes. This idea originated in Paris at their Natural History Museum and I really think this is a spectacular new gardening idea. Think of it as a living Monet!

Flowers In My Garden!

Here's a shot of the impatiens at the entrance to my house. These salmon colored flowers are just about the only color of flowers other than white in all our gardens. I like this splash of color. It is cool but sunny today in southern California. To quote the artist Claude Monet: "More than anything I must have flowers always, always." Now I am off to see Mary Poppins with my grand daughter.

Potted Plants for Impact