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May 18, 2023

 

Star of Bethlehem

Star of Bethlehem

The Star of Bethlehem name probably dates from the Crusades. The bulbs were brought home as souvenirs when ancient people made pilgrimages to the Holy Land. So, this sweet little flower has an impressive history.

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May 11, 2023

 

Dying daffodils

Tired Daffodils

Always deadhead spring bulbs after they finish blooming or they will put their energy into setting seed, which limits their rejuvenation.

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May 4, 2023

 

Evening primrose 'Summer Solstice'

Evening Primrose

There are about 125 species in the genus Oenothera, and they are commonly called sundrops, evening primroses, or golden eggs, and they are native to North and South America.

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April 27, 2023

 

Alyssum, a.k.a. basket of gold

Basket of Gold Dust

In olden times, if one wore a sprig of alyssum, no one would be angry with you.

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April 20, 2023

 

The National Champion Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) on Sauvie Island, Oregon.

Allelopathic Items

Allelopathic plants release chemicals through their leaves and roots that prevent the germination and/or growth of nearby plants.

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April 13, 2023

 

Invasive plants, no digging sign

Attacking Invasives

It's important to remove invasive, non-native plants to make more space available for plants that nourish our own native wildlife.

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April 6, 2023

 

Flowers on ninebark 'Little Devil'.

Smaller Shrubs

If you are planting a garden this spring around a condominium or in some other small garden space, you may want to consider some of the shrubs that have been developed to grow into a compact shape and size at maturity.

March 30, 2023

 

Scene in Moya's garden in 2019

My Own Garden

There is magic associated with flowers. How can it be, I wonder, that there are so many different shapes, colors, and sizes to delight the senses?

March 23, 2023

 

Shaker seed display boxes, stacked

18th-Century Gardens

By the 18th century, it was fashionable in the colonies of North America where a garden was essential to feed a family.

March 16, 2023

 

Detail of an illumination from the Canon of Medicine of Avicenna, 13c.

Not Just Ornaments

In ancient times, roses were not grown for ornamental reasons but for their medicinal and mystical properties.

March 9, 2023

 

Tired daffodil

Disguising Bulb Foliage

After the spring bloomers' flowers faded, I used to have day lily plants that grew up in my beds to disguise the decaying and unsightly bulb foliage. All that changed once the deer in my neighborhood came by in droves and ate all of the day lily foliage.

March 2, 2023

 

Gerber daisies growing in a greenhouse

Controlling Growth

During the 20th century, growers learned to grow flowers with taller, straighter stems, less blemishes, and, also, to force blooms out of season.

February 23, 2023

 

The garden of Coleridge Cottage, Nether Stowey, Sommerset

Romantic Gardens

Beginning in the early 18th century in England, many quaint new cottages were built surrounded by plantings of fruit trees, honey suckle, ivy, and all kinds of flowers to create intentionally romantic gardens.

February 16, 2023

 

Rosa 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' (bred by Jean Béluze, 1843)

Josephine’s Roses

Empress Josephine Bonaparte had the first European ever-blooming roses from China, and her eclectic collection allowed French hybridizers to create many new varieties.

February 9, 2023

 

English daisies and pansies

There's a Fragrance to This Message

Way back when there were no cell phones, lovers used flowers as coded messages to keep their communications unknown to chaperones.

February 2, 2023

 

Frangipani blooms

Frangipani

In North America, frangipani is often associated with Hawaii because of the lovely leis that are made from their blossoms.

February 2, 2023

 

Frangipani blooms

Frangipani

In North America, frangipani is often associated with Hawaii because of the lovely leis that are made from their blossoms.

January 26, 2023

 

Hellebores floating in bowl

Spring Bouquets

Starting in February we can pick garden flowers for indoors.

January 19, 2023

 

Sanguinaria canadensis

Sanguinaria canadensis

These plants enjoy rich, moist soil that drains well, and if they're happy in their spot, they will form colonies under deciduous trees but will disappear once the trees leaf out.

January 12, 2023

 

Garden at Versaille

The Pleasure Gardens of Versailles

King Louis XIV's pleasure gardens were places to entertain and impress, and to glorify himself and his achievements.

January 5, 2023

 

AI generated image of a Roman courtyard in Pompeii.

Gardens Preserved

In AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted, and huge amounts of volcanic ash covered the city of Pompeii. The ash preserved the homes and gardens that otherwise would have decayed or been destroyed over time.

December 29, 2022

 

Pounding flowers

Pounding Flowers

Pounding can create emotional release and satisfaction for some, and the resulting images can be quite beautiful.

December 22, 2022

 

musings about bluebells

Musings about Flowers

“Hope is like a harebell, trembling from its birth / Love is like a rose, the joy of all the earth... / Harebells and sweet lilies show a thornless growth / But the rose with all its thorns excels them both.”

December 15, 2022

 

blue vase, holly, lights

Holiday Remembrances

If you are looking for a sweet gift for a loved one or friend, check out antique stores and thrift shops for miniature vases or cute tiny bottles.

December 8, 2022

 

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Johann Wenzel Peter

God's Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote, "As long as one has a garden, one has a future and as long as one has a future, one lives."

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