Garden Delights

Radishes

2013-01-30T18:32:00.001-08:00

Do you like radishes? I often plant them in my garden and then use them in salads. Radishes grow easily from seeds and are a fun project for young gardeners. The best radishes are those that are harvested at the right time. Plant them in cool weather and provide moisture.

Spring varieties mature fast and it's best when you check often by pushing away a bit of soil and checking on the growing bulb. They should not be too spicy or too tough tasting.

Some Radish inspired Etsy finds

1. Lavender Bags available from Daniela here 2. Radish Shaped Teapot from Victoria here 3. Vintage Print from Joanne here 4. Radish Charms from Bead to You here

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Fall at the Gardner Village

2012-10-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

I just came back from a trip to Salt Lake City and wanted to share some of my photos from the Gardner Village. This rustic, small village is compromised of restored historic homes and buildings surrounding a Gardner Mill and a flour mill built by Scottish immigrant Archibald Gardner in 1877.

As I walked around the site I noticed brass plaques on the buildings which tell the stories of each of the historic structures. The mill, which is on the National Historic Register, houses a large store specializing in country furniture and gift items. For the Halloween season it was filled with seasonal decor and special fall treats.

I loved seeing all the pumkins and made a mental note for next year to place some gourds in between my own flower beds. Of course witches were all over the place and quiet funny to look at. The village was teeming with children and made for a very lively setting.

Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/saltlakecity/A539.html#ixzz2A91mK3w0
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Glowing Pumpkins

2012-09-28T10:05:00.003-07:00

I love walking through neighborhoods during the holidays and seeing front lawns and entry ways lit up with clever holiday decorations. While browsing through my stack of ideas to utilize one day, I came across this lovely tutorial, which I thought I share today.

Directions:

Turn Pumpkin on it's side and use a knife to carve out a circular opening on the bottom . Make it large enough so that you can scrape out the flesh and seeds. A serrated loop tool comes in handy to scrape out the inner walls.

Mark horizontal lines using a tape if you like evenly spaced holes. otherwise use a marker and place marks randomly. Using a drill make 1/4 inch sized holes in any pattern you like.

Once all holes are drilled place your string lights inside and place one bulb in each opening. Then return the bottom making sure that the plug sticks out. Turn the pumkin right side up, plug it in a timer and watch as it starts to magically glow at night.

Photo credit goes to Anna Williams, tutorial was saved from a Martha Stewart October 1999 magazine.
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The Fauna in Laguna Beach

2012-09-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

©Enzie Shahmiri
When walking through the neighborhoods of Laguna Beach, you can not but stop and take in all the beautiful vegetation. This time around I was astonished by the different types of trees I found, from being just about enormous and full of blooms to almost barren and scrawny looking.

©Enzie Shahmiri

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Green Spikes

2012-09-08T08:42:00.001-07:00

©Enzie Shahmiri Prints Available
This image was taken in Laguna Beach, CA. Right by the main beach is a a section that is nicely landscaped with plants native to California. What attracted me to this cactus were the little beetles (see brown spots) that called these spikes their home.
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Mâché

2012-06-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

Mâché Rosettes purchased at Whole Foods were planted in a container and seem to have taken. Once this are double in size they make a great salad.
In France "Mâché" is known as the "Little Sweet One" and used as a salad accompaniment. I love it's tender ans slightly nutty flavor and usually add just a bit of rice vinegar and some fresh strawberries.The tender shoots stand up well to braising or sautéing and are a great side to fish and meat.
When I buy fresh produce I love to look for those that have a bit of their roots still attached. Once at home I plug most of the leaves and leave only about three very young ones. Sometimes I dip the roots in a growth hormone and other times I just try my luck and stick them right into some good potting soil in a semi shaded area. Then I watch over them like a mother hen making sure that the little ones adapt well to their new location.
I guess these little guys liked their spot and pretty soon I can plant more and enjoy the delicate leaves all summer long.
If you prefer to buy them in a store visit Whole foods. Here in the US Mâché is now grown in California by Epic Roots and I am sure they can let you know other places their greens are sold at.

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Boxwood Maze at the Getty Museum

2012-05-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

I love the grounds @GettyMuseum in Los Angeles! This maze of greenery is such a nice contrast to the rock water fall in the background. Boxwood lends itself greatly to pruning and is often used for topiary designs. In areas where there is a lot of space geometric boxwood shapes make a nice addition and can be of great visual interest.

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Garden Gifts for Mom

2012-04-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

Available via Etsy
I love to garden and every minute that is not taken up with painting or house chores is dedicated to soaking up sun in may backyard. I just take such a delight in the beauty that nature has to offer and I thought I'll bet there are many mom's out there that would love some garden themed gifts for Mother's Day this year.
Here are some wonderful Etsy finds that would make great gifts. Enjoy!
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Earth Day Celebration

2012-04-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

Earth Day on Etsy

I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.
Each blade of grass,
Each honey tree,
Each bit of mud,
And stick and stone
Is blood and muscle,
Skin and bone.

And just as I
Need every bit
Of me to make
My body fit,
So Earth needs
Grass and stone and tree
And things that grow here
Naturally.

That's why we
Celebrate this day.
That's why across
The world we say:
As long as life,
As dear, as free,
I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.

Jane Yolen

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Growing Tulips

2012-04-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

Tulips - Oil Painting by Enzie Shahmiri

Tulips were cultivated over 400 years ago making Holland a center for Tulip cultivation. Rare varieties were highly prized and the price for just one single bulb could run into the thousands. Cultivators have made it their challenge to produce the 1st ever black Tulip, but have only been able to create a deep purple variety that almost looks black.

Tulips come in long and short sizes (2inches - 3 feet tall) and in many colors, such as red, pink, yellow, white, purple, etc. Very few actually have scent. Tulips need full sun shine and plenty of water while they are growing and flowering.

They are planted in in soil in borders, in plant boxes and forced in pots for an early bloom.

Since I live in southern California were winters seldom reach below freezing, I plant my potted tulips in the yard as soon as they stop blooming. Soft and discolored bulbs should be discarded however, since they are beyond saving. In colder areas tulip bulbs should be removed if the withered top comes away easily when tugging and stored in a dry, dark space until October when they can be replanted.

For a head start tulip bulbs can be forced in pots. Just make sure to use a rich topsoil which goes 2/3 up the side of the pot. Fill the remaining 1/3 with gravel or sand. Bury the pots in the ground and cover them with straw to provide an insulating, protective cover. You might want to mark the spot where you dug in the pot, because come November or December you should bring the pot indoors. The warm room temperatures will fool the tulip into thinking that Spring has arrived and force it to bloom.

Tips:

1. The Parrot tulip is a variety that can give a virus to other tulip varieties and should be planted separately.

2. Drooping or broken stems might indicate that the tulip needs calcium. Add .06% potassium nitrate to the water once a week.

3. Gray Mold appears as a grayish fungus on the bulb. Dip the bulbs in a liquid fungicide solution or water the beds with this solution before planting the bulbs.

4. Mosaic virus makes leaves look as if they were sun bleached. It's best to un-dig the plant and to destroy it before it spreads the virus to other plants.

5. Tulip bulbs can be propagated easily. When digging up the old bulb inspect for small bulbs growing around the parent bulb. They can be broken off and planted separately, blooming in one to three years.

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Primrose

2012-03-08T08:22:00.000-08:00

"Prima" means Spring and what better flower to signify the arrival of Spring than the lovely Primrose, which blooms early in a variety of colors. Primroses flower twice in the year with proper care. The large cluster of flowers grow on short stems, the plant does well in pots. Primrose can also be propagated, just like Violets which means that with a green thumb you can double and triple your investment.

In February the plants can be purchased from nurseries and planted in the garden. From March until June you will notice that no more flowers are appearing. It is best to find half shady spot and replant the plant there. This will help the plant to develop a nice leaf rosette and become stronger.

From July through August you will notice flowers reappearing. Water them as soon as you notice the soil getting dry. Once the blooms are spend cut them to encourage new growth.

September and October is a time when the leaves will start to turn yellow. In colder climates you should cover the plant to protect it from frost and to let it rest until the arrival of Spring.

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Flower Beds Planting Ideas

2012-02-25T14:12:00.001-08:00

I love taking photos of flower beds, especially when they are so densely planted as these ones. Spotted while walking through Laguna Beach this display always gets me excited to run to the nursery and pick out several variations of plants to plant together.

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Rolling Self Watering Tomato Planter

2012-02-12T06:04:00.000-08:00

Available via Plow and Hearth here
When space is limited growing tomatoes can be an issue. However when I saw this self-watering tomato planter on wheels, I thought this is a wonderful idea. The vines are forced to grow up right and supported by the trellis and the container can be moved around as necessary.
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Solar Fountains

2012-02-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

My garden has many water features, because I find the trickling of water extremely calming. Fountains and bird baths also attract birds who stop by for a quick thirst quenching and frolicking, which is always fun to watch. But not every spot in the garden allows for the set up of a power powered fountain, this is why I fell in love with the solar fountains.

Available via Amazon
Fountains and bird baths can be set up anywhere as long as the solar panel gets plenty of light to charge itself to power the pump. As soon as the sun is put water flows in a continues stream adding a nice visual and audible effect. Once the sun goes down activity stops as well, although my fountain has these two tiny lights that come on at light.

Available via Amazon

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Valentine Tulips

2012-02-08T20:41:00.000-08:00

These Valentine ideas for displaying Tulips were spotted on Martha Stewart . For a big color punch filling a vase with red Jelly Beans is a fun idea. If something softer is more your style how about these candies hearts in pastel colors to go with pink and yellow tulips?!

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Two Week Plant Sitter

2012-01-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

Every time we plan a vacation I start fretting about how me plants are going to survive without watering.I tried several wick methods, mostly the DIY type and always noticed how water would initially escape leaving the water container less than the optimal full. Well the Drip-It supposedly was designed after five years of research to take a simple concept and make the most out of it. The two types of Drip-It systems release water drop by drop instead of in one initial rush, so the water lasts longer. Sweet! Now has anyone tried one yet? I would love to hear how well it works.

Specs

Releases water one drop at a time for up to 2 weeks

Drip-It Frog waters pots up to 14"

Drip-It Pro waters pots 15" and up

I spotted these via the Gardener's Supply Company.
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Unusual Looking Plants

2012-01-14T07:33:00.000-08:00

During an outing I spotted this very unusual looking plant. Each stem held up a very large starburst looking flower head.

As a grouping it looked like fire works had gone off in this flower bed. Do you know the name of this plant?

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Freesia

2012-01-10T20:22:00.000-08:00

Photo by Enzie Shahmiri

Freesias come in many colors and have a lovely fragrance, making for great cut flowers. I love them because they keep multiplying every year in my yard and when they are blooming I have an abundant supply of pretty long lasting cut flowers for my vases. The flowers can get large and stems can be at least 14 inches long. My freesias are well established in the garden and I need to stake them.

Source: dailymail.co.uk via Enzie on Pinterest

January - February Freesias will start to flower.Start to mix in plant food when you water.

Late Summer or Early Fall - Plant the bulbs (they are actually called corms)in early fall and make sure that they are protected against the cold. This is a native of South Africa and the bulbs do not tolerate extreme cold. These flowers like to be close to each other, so plant 5 to 6 together. Freesias also like a little bit of sand mixed into the soil to improve drainage. Mixing some bone meal into the soil also is beneficial for great blooming.

Growing Freesias from Seeds - Freesias seeds are very small, with hard shells. Soak them overnight before planting and let them germinate in the dark. Germination takes at least three weeks. Mix the seeds with sand and sprinkle them on the surface of a pot. Cover with black plastic, keep warm at about 70F and check after two weeks. Re-pot or move to garden when roots are about 1.5 inches long. Corms need damp soil to sprout and should be fertilized regularly once they begin to grow.

Plant Doctor

For cut flowers use a clean vase. Old, dried up bacteria can reawaken in new water and choke the stems of the plant so it can't take up water. When you buy freesias from a florist buy those with only one bud open - they will last much longer. Cut flowers will last even longer if they are kept in a cool place at night and moved into the sun during the day.

- Aphids may be a problem. Spray once with insecticide and check now and then for re infestation.

- Fusarium is a fungus disease. Treat with a fungicide. I like to cut away anything that does not look 100%. This will assure that each plant gets enough air circulation, reducing the growth of fungus.

-Virus Infection may occur on Freesias. If there are thin black lines up the side of the leaves or stems, and the plant appears droopy, the virus is present and the plant must be removed and destroyed. There is no cure and it can infect other plants.

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Carnations

2012-01-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

Photo by Enzie Shahmiri

According to the Flower Experts

Carnations grow readily from cuttings made from the suckers that form around the base of the stem, the side shoots of the flowering stem, or the main shoots before they show flower-buds.
The cuttings from the base make the best plants in most cases.
These cuttings may be taken from a plant at any time through fall or winter, rooted in sand and potted up.
They may be put in pots until the planting out time in spring, which is usually in April or in any time when the ground is ready to be handled.
The soil should be deep, friable and sandy loam.

Carnation Plant Care

Carnations need some hours of full sun each day and should be kept moist.
Avoid over-watering as this may tend to turn the foliage yellow.
Spent flowers should be removed promptly to promote continued blooming.
The quality of the bloom depends on the soil and irrigation aspects for growing carnations.
Those who grow carnations should know the importance of pinching, stopping and disbudding.
At the time of plucking carnations, leave three to four nodes at the base and remove the stem.
The plant foliage should not be exposed to the direct heat of a stove or the sun.

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Rebutia Blooming Cactus

2011-12-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

Rebutia is a cactus that blooms - a show stopper for sure!
This cactus is a native to Argentina and Bolivia and grows in high altitudes. A easy to grow cactus, it remains small and blooms mainly in the spring following a winter rest period.
Flower color comes in red, orange and yellow.
Care tips via Easy Cactus
The plants should be kept almost completely dry during the winter months, only water them to prevent the roots from completely drying out, once a month should be fine. From March onwards the plant will begin to grow and watering should be increased gradually until late May when the plant should be in full growth.
During hot weather you may need to water the plants once a day so long as the plant is actively growing.
From late September watering should be reduced to force the plant to go in to a state of semi dormancy, by November you should be back in to the winter watering regime.

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DIY Garden Stepping Stones

2011-12-07T09:29:00.001-08:00

This will be a great project for a sunny day. Charlotte’s English translation blog, Hemmariket originally featured this idea. Rather than trampling all over young plants, these simple to make stepping stones allow you to navigate through flower beds with ease. I especially like the idea that these are very cost effective and pretty.

Charlotte worked on this project with photographer, Anna Evenius. She does beautiful photography which you can see on her blog, Foto: Anna Evenius.

Credits:

Photos: Courtesy of Anna Evenius Article: Courtesy of Charlotte Bladh.

Source: sunsetgurldesign.typepad.com via Enzie on Pinterest

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Repurposing

2011-11-23T08:40:00.000-08:00

Photo: ZierApfel

Do you decorate in your garden? When things get a bit banged up, rather than tossing the objects, I try to give them a 2nd purpose in the yard. Chips, dings, missing parts and peeled paint somehow become art of a graceful aging process and when paired with delicate flowers outright lovely. Here are some images to demonstrate what I mean.

Photo:Zierapfel

Photo: Luna

It's all about re-purposing in a tasteful manner. Just make sure not to put too many things out. Thant can quickly make the yard looked cluttered. The key is to be selective. If you have several favs, you just hate to ditch, then rotate things around. You won't believe how often friends thought things were new, when in essence all I did was to change the location of the item and the grouping.

About Orchids

2011-11-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

Did you know Orchids are differentiated not only by their flowers but also from the leaves and roots. Orchids can even grow on trees and come in a variety of sizes.

According to Bella: " The largest orchid is generally agreed to be Grammatophyllum speciosum. It can weigh up to 2,000 pounds or 900 kilograms and is reputed to produce up to 10,000 flowers on a mature plant in nature. The pseudobulbs reach 10 feet or 3 meters in height with leaves along the full length. The species is found in Malaysia, the Solomon Islands, Sumatra, the Philippines, Papua and New Guinea."

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Fall Decorating with Vegetables

2011-11-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

I subscribe to a German magazine Living and Gardening and saw these in their October issue and just fell in love with the idea and color schemes.

Combining stone ware, especially if it looks a bit weathered, with fresh produce are a great way to decorate for a fall party. This garlic set up is so lovely ~ don't you think?

I plant red cabbage in the fall, but this leafy kale, has great texture. I am so inspired by all this, that I just want to run out and buy fresh produce!

I love to hear and see how you decorate in and around your garden. If you like you can share your photos by emailing them to artenzie@cox.net and I will post them here!

All images in this post courtesy of Wohnen & Garten

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Living Garden Statue

2011-11-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

Heather Yarrow, co-designer of the 4Head healing herb garden, waters this reclining mud sculpture centerpiece, designed by Sue and Peter Hill, at the Chelsea Flower Show. Chelsea organizers have sunk a borehole to provide a sustainable water source in this year's drought.
Photo courtesy of BBC
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