garden Archives - Page 4 of 8 - 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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DOES THIS VASE………….

July 7, 2015

©Linda Nelson 2015

…………make my bud look too big? Just kidding, but I couldn’t hold back.

Last summer I posted a collection of images meant to entice your bud vase creativity. One year later, I’m doing it again. I often playfully gravitate to my vegetable garden when creating fresh cut arrangements.

©Linda Nelson 2015

The smell of cilantro……… love it, or hate it? I find it a curious olfactory trigger, and rather peculiar tasting, too. Yet, I always come back for more. No matter, its delicate little blossoms add charm to any vessel.

©Linda Nelson 2015

I have a fascination with root crop vegetables. Under water they portray a specimen-like quality, straight out of a science lab.

©Linda Nelson 2015

The allium family is another one that intrigues me. Anything pompom-like will do.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Of course, cheery floral bunches are a must, too. Arrangements made using a variety of plant material makes for a casual display, perfect for cottage-style homes.

©Linda Nelson 2015

What do you think of my layering of dishes underneath the vase? Drag some of yours out of the cupboard and give it a try.

©Linda Nelson 2015

I hope you, too, are playfully enjoying your vegetable and flower garden.

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POPPING POPPIES

July 6, 2015

I’m thrilled with the show that my bread seed poppies are putting on this year, and look forward to harvesting their seed pods. They’re quite trouble-free with regard to pests and such, and simply just do their thing. This particular annual species is Papaver somniferum ‘Lauren’s Grape’.

©Linda Nelson 2015

The seed packet will make a wonderful little addition to a decoupage project, don’t you think?

©Linda Nelson 2015

Zucchini squashes are just starting to plump up. (Note to self…. must fry up some blossoms.)Yum!

©Linda Nelson 2015

Oh, and I must try my hand at making kale chips.

©Linda Nelson 2015

My trusty-faithful hydrangeas never fail to deliver. I can always count on them.

©Linda Nelson 2015

I goofed (sort of) with the timing for planting onion sets. I took a chance planting some garden center freebies last fall, with the hopes of getting an early summer harvest. Instead, I got flowers. There’s no disappointment going on here, though. They’re great for fresh cut arrangements. I’ll just plant more next spring, which is the correct season for planting onion sets.

What a thrill to see that my water lotus garden is taking to life. I had a seed pod from an old potpourri package that was looking a little exhausted. It was at least ten years old, so I was more than ready to just toss it. I saved the seeds and sprouted them in a small glass of water. I then transplanted the seedlings to this lovely little glazed cache pot. The big challenge will be when it’s time to overwinter them at the end of the season.

Linda Nelson 2015

Cats make for fabulous decorative garden objects, wouldn’t you say. I’m partial, of course, for that’s my cat!

Enjoy your day.

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GARDEN HAPPENINGS AT THE CREATEAERIE

June 8, 2015

Today I decided to take a little extra morning time for myself. The trade-off….. I’ll work a little bit later into the evening. It’s no problem, though.

It’s a peculiar, rather coolish June here in the eastern most tip of New York. I feel borderline silly wearing a sweatshirt and turtleneck, but hey, I’ve done sillier things than that. Anyway, this is what’s happening among the garden beds at the createaerie.

The peonies are looking gorgeous, don’t you think? And, while I’m not exactly fond of the current color combination pictured below, I’m enjoying the lovely show, courtesy of my Baptisia australis, achillea ‘Moonshine’, and the scarlet foliage of the Cotinus in the background.

I delight in the quirky looking stalks of Euphorbia ‘Fireglow’ poking up among the ferns and Alchemilla mollis. Some folks might categorize this plant as a nuisance, but mine behaves quite nicely.

And, I’m super delighted that my Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’ weathered the severe winter just fine, as you can see here. They’re known for being a little temperamental in this region.

I’m a big fan of gray. Are you? I know that Dusty Miller can have the reputation of being a bit stale with regard to all the wonderful plant material out there, but it works. It just works….. especially paired with a nice decorative rock.

©Linda Nelson

Oh, let’s take a quick peak at my vegetable garden.

The potato plants are looking good and are just setting some flowers. My swiss chard………I think it’s time for a small harvest.

The kale, pictured above, is coming along nicely. Last year it experienced a premature bolt, then crop failure. That was on account of unusually high temperatures early on in the season. This year we are experiencing the exact opposite.

Though not in my vegetable, and not exactly a culinary pick, my citronella balm(a little less hardy than lemon balm) wintered over in the ground just fine. I chose to pot it up and place it near my patio sitting area.

And, finally…… my first little summertime bud vase, set upon my kitchen windowsill. I enjoy creating dainty sized arrangements. To me, they’re little bursts of sunshine and happiness.

Enjoy your day!

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