Blog - Page 31 of 52 - Linda Nelson

THE GARDEN GIFTS OF AUGUST

August 22, 2015

Here are a few garden gifts the month of August has brought to the createaerie, like…..

leafy growth to the water lotus I started from seed back in June…..

©Linda Nelson 2015

lots of big leafy swiss chard…….

©Linda Nelson 2015

plenty of colorful dahlias to harvest…….

©Linda Nelson 2015

……..and fertile fronds of the sensitive fern. They’re great for drying, and will retain their gorgeous emerald green color for many months to come.

©Linda Nelson 2015

The garden beds are showing no signs of exhaustion (despite the horrid, humid heat!)……..

©Linda Nelson 2015

……..especially not the Stella D’Oro daylilies. Well, that’s actually because I cut them back completely to the ground just after their first flush bloom. They were up and growing again within a few weeks.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Some gifts of harvest, such as my ornamental corn…….

©Linda Nelson 2015

and other little curiosities from my garden, like…..

©Linda Nelson 2015

dried golden yarrow……..

©Linda Nelson 2015

dried poppy seed pods………

and those gorgeous fertile fronds, will become lovely little decorating accoutrements for the fall.

Ahh….., the gifts of August!

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MEET SOME OF MY CLIENTS!

August 14, 2015

Just kidding. But, you’re welcome to meet some of the blooming handiwork I created for them.

I usually make it a point to photograph most of my seasonal work, though some years, such as this one, I struggle to set aside the time. I did, however, manage to capture some images.

I love working with colossal-sized containers, such as this golden glazed urn. An advantage to large containers is that the soil temperature and moisture level is maintained for a longer period of time, thus preventing wet/dry extremes.

©Linda Nelson 2015

The ocean is just a stone’s throw from this home. Very few annuals are tucked into (purple scaevola in the foreground)this colorful perennial seascape I designed for my client.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Here again, big urns are just so easy to work with.

©Linda Nelson 2015

This dark red Rudbeckia has been blooming non-stop throughout the summer. It’s the first year I am using it, and will do so in the future. It’s a keeper.

©Linda Nelson 2015

This poolside vegetable garden is providing my client with sweet-like-sugar cherry tomatoes, perfect slicing cucumbers, bountiful bush beans and a nice selection of culinary herbs.

©Linda Nelson 2015

A cheery, playful home requires cheery, playful plantings.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Everyone who enters this home is greeted with a cool, colorful and crisp welcome, which is ideal for tempering the sweltering summer heat….. even if just visually.

©Linda Nelson 2015

That’s all for now, folks.

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“L” IS FOR…….

July 31, 2015

…….. lavender!

And, for today’s post, I’m sharing with you a fun and simple way to display those heavenly scented flower buds which so many of us love. I harvested mine just a few weeks ago.

My shrubs might produce another crop of flowers before the season is over, though it probably won’t be as flush as the first. We’ll see.

Anyway, it’s always nice to have a stash of dried lavender buds on hand for making delightfully scented gifts, such as these salt-n-pepper shaker and tea strainer pomanders!

I particularly love the clamshell action of the tea strainer pictured above.

Aren’t they just darling? They’d make for fabulous luncheon party favors, don’t you think? I found the little shakers at a thrift store for twenty-five cents each, but happened to have the two tea strainers already on hand. What I especially like about using these types of vessels is that one can conveniently refresh the buds with a few drops of lavender oil, if needed.

I picked this jumbo shaker up at a yard sale just this past spring. I couldn’t resist. Funny thing, I don’t even use salt on my food. But, I sure do love lavender, and making lavender shortbread cookies is definitely on my to-do list.

I painted the cap of one of the shakers with a few coats of blue nail polish, then lightly buffed it with super fine sandpaper. Prior to painting it I sanded the cap to dull the sheen, thus creating a better paint adhering substrate. Nail polish adheres well to stainless steel provided the object will not be subject to regular wear and tear.

What ways do you enjoy displaying dried lavender? Perhaps the examples shown above might inspire you in some way.

Now, sit back, and smell the sweetness.

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WHAT DOES ONE DO WITH A BLOGGER AWARD NOMINATION?

July 28, 2015

A blogger award nomination is something I was unaware of until earlier today, and I was just nominated for two, a One Lovely Blog Award and The Sisterhood of the World Award. These nominations came from Charlotte of My Green Nook. You can learn more about these awards there. She hosts a very lovely, wholesome and gentle natured blog, and I always look forward to her posts. Please do pay her a visit.

With much given thought, I have declined the formal and formatted acceptance of these award nominations and the required actions to do so; however, I accept and reciprocate Charlotte’s appreciation for the shared support with our corresponding posts and comments.

Each and every one of us have taken up blogging for very individual reasons, though many are shared ones. Our blogs are as unique as each of us are; they are virtual and ongoing autobiographic storybooks. How wonderful is that!

I delight in reading such a wonderful variety of flavorful storybooks; each one of them touches me in some way and adds sunshine to my day.

Thank you Charlotte, and to all of you, for sharing your stories, creations, captivating images, and inspirational words and comments. I will continue to do the same.

Yours,
Linda

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