Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts

Gloria's Flowers: How much more stunning nature's work is than anything we can come up with!

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

(John loves when I notice when his flowers bloom, so I took nine images of this iris and let the camera combine 'em. Also darkened the back a bit:)

--Gloria Z. Nagler




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Photo: Poem - Aunt Bonnie's Garden

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

Aunt Bonnie's garden showcased showy orchid-like irises,
beds of flags, a feast for the eyes,
produced rainbows of color.

poem by L Milton

Photo by Wayne Pridemore


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White Rose and poem

Sunday, May 29, 2022

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

Delicate as the summer breeze
pearly white of royal genes
a queen within the garden green
the blooming of the white rose

Petals of the White Rose by James Haley



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Rose and poem

Saturday, May 28, 2022

 
Photo by Jan Hansen

One Perfect Rose

A single flow’r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet—
One perfect rose.

I knew the language of the floweret;
“My fragile leaves, ” it said, “his heart enclose.”
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.

Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it’s always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.

— Dorothy Parker, for more see Dorothy Parker: Complete Poems



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Flowers: something pretty to look at

Wednesday, May 25, 2022


Photo by Lee Lageschulte

Pretty and cheerful.


 

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Gloomy day flowers

Monday, May 16, 2022

Photo by Lee Lageschulte

It may have been a gloomy day, but the flowers were bright.



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Spring flowers like the rain

Sunday, May 15, 2022

 
Photos by Lee Lageschulte
No rain on Saturday, so Lee was able to cover a lot of ground! 
(And flower beds)




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The Garden Guy: Living with Lavender

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Garden Guy Bruce Bennett
By Bruce Bennett

Last summer was a prime growing season for lavender in the Greater Seattle area and several questions concerning this versatile sub-shrub did hit my email in-box. Consequently, in preparation for this summer, let’s talk about several forms of this great Mediterranean perennial which might fit well in your landscape. 

We’ll also figure out why one person’s lavender thrives and their neighbor’s is good for only the compost pile. The reasons are fairly simple; lavender type, drainage and good intentions. Let’s talk details...

Western Washington is considered to have a moderate Mediterranean Climate or, more precisely, a Summer-Dry Climate. Virtually all types of lavender (botanical name: Lavandula) will enjoy our summers. But, we also want plants that can survive our damp, cold winters. In this case, not all varieties make the cut.

Lavender fields. Photos courtesy pixers.uk
There are more than four hundred varieties of lavender. 

Depending on parentage, the one-gallon little guy you crave from the nursery could be classified as tender, half-hardy or hardy in our USDA Zone 8 region. 

Each of the three groups have their own pros and cons. These distinct differences will determine where you can successfully grow them. 

When you are shopping at your favorite garden center, you will probably see Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender), L. x intermedia (aka, lavandins), L. stoechas (Spanish Lavender) and L. dentata (French Lavender). 

And, there are certainly other varieties and cultivars out there as well. This will be the time for your first major decision – where do you want to grow your plant, indoors or outside. Your second question is do you have the proper spot to plant it. Finally, just how much of an attentive gardener are you?

Lavender Window Sill
Photo courtesy gardeningknowhow.com
For those who want an indoor plant which can bloom for a great part of year, L. dentata ‘Goodwin Creek Gray’ is a good choice.

This tender to half-hardy variety has light gray, fern-like leaves which contrast nicely with its dark purple flowers. 

It is one of the best lavenders to grow in a container on a south- or west-facing the window sill. It can be brought outdoors from late Spring to early Autumn.

Lavender Otto Quast
Photo courtesy ecgrowers.com
If you want to add a different style of flower to your lavender beds, Spanish Lavender will fill the bill. 

With their short, petal-topped blooms, they will add a nice bit of texture to your beds. 

As a half-hardy variety, they will do its best when planted on the south-side of the house.




Lavender of Provence
Photo courtesy natureandgarden.com
For the epicureans and scent seekers among you, take a look at the hybrids. L. x intermedia ‘Grosso’ is among the most fragrant of the varieties. 

Its dark purple blooms are used for making perfumes, sachets and filling a room with a pleasant aroma. One of the tallest of the group at, 36”, is L. x intermedia ‘Provence’ (pictured at left) and its light-lavender blue flowers are the quintessential lavender blooms you will see in the fields of southern France.

Finally, there are the other gray-foliaged, hardiest-of-their-kind lavenders, the English Lavender. 

The Old Guard stalwarts of this group are ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’. These vertically-challenged varieties will mature to 18” – 20” tall and slightly wider. 

Although shorter in stature than most of the others, they have an excellent fragrance and have a 2,000 year history in providing that quality to we discerning humans. They are also a top choice for low hedges and cut or dried flowers which come in shades of purple or white.
 
English lavender
By most reviews, they are also among the tastiest for cooking savories and sweets. The fact they rebloom in autumn is just another added benefit.

With their development history based in the Mediterranean basin, it makes sense that lavenders need as much Northwest sun as they can get. Coming from a rocky native stratum, lavenders are accustomed to a lean and slightly alkaline soil. (If you are uncertain about your soil’s pH, send a sample to the King Conservation District. The first five tests are free.) and good drainage.

Finally, while all of us try to be attentive gardeners with our plants, amending, irrigating, fertilizing, etc., most of these beneficial tasks are counter-intuitive to what lavender actual prefer. 

Being too good to your plant can be the kiss of death and reduce the scent of the blooms. Lavenders prefer lean soil, which means you don’t want to improve your clay soil with too much compost. Consider adding coarse sand, perlite or vermiculite to lighten the soil and improve the drainage. This one action can save your plants from water-logged root-rot in winter which is the primary cause of the untimely death of lavender. 

These plants are accustomed to a slightly alkaline soil of 6.5 – 7.0. If you have a low pH, add dolomite lime. (If you are uncertain about your soil’s pH, send a sample of the garden bed to the King Conservation District. The first five of your tests are free.)

Another water issue, first-year plants should be irrigated once a week to help their roots better establish. After that first year, other than irrigating once a month during the summer months, do not add water. The plants and your PUD water bill will thank you.

Lavender and Rocks
Photo courtesy backyardgardenlover.com
PIC-GRAVEL MULCH Finally, when it comes to adding a layer of mulch to suppress weeds and protect roots from undue heat or cold, consider your best mulch-of-choice to be a 2” layer of sand or white pebbles. 

These two materials improve drainage and will reflect the sun’s heat back up to the lavender.

Lavenders require little time and attention. Considering the year-round positive impacts they will have in your garden with their foliage, fragrant flowers and pollinator-friendly affinities, they will be welcomed new additions to your landscapes. 

Until next month, Happy Gardening all!

Clinics Alert - WSU Master Gardener Clinics across the county will be reopening again in May! Check the Master Gardener Foundation of King County website (mgfkc.org) for the days, times and locations. 

We’ll be happy to see you again! The email clinic (ask-a-mastergardener@live.com) which has been in operation during the pandemic service will also remain active during this time.

Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Master Gardener, lecturer and garden designer. If you have questions concerning this column, have a question to ask or want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@gmail.com



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Photo: Poems - Rain plummeted from clouds

Friday, May 13, 2022

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

Rain plummeted from clouds
plummeting our lawn,
embolding the rhododendrons to bloom,
liberating the Clematis to sprout,
invigorating and exciting the whole garden.

by Suzanne Delaney in Poetry Soup

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

Meanwhile in Shoreline

It rained in April,
it rained in May.
Perhaps we will get lucky,
and by August it will stop.

by Wayne Pridemore

Photo by Wayne Pridemore


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Quince

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

 
Photo by Seattle Poppy

Photographer about town Seattle Poppy identifies this lovely plant as quince. Anyone have more information? I thought quince grew on trees?

They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
   Which they ate with a runcible spoon;

--Editor



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Dr. Dahlia returns to the Senior Center with webinar and tuber sale

Saturday, April 30, 2022

Dr. John Hibbs with his dahlias and tubers

Thursday May 5th Annual Spring Planting Webinar with Dr. John Hibbs. Time: 2pm

Dr. John Hibbs, Shoreline-LFP Senior Center’s former site supervisor for Bastyr Naturopathic Medical Clinic at the Center, returns this spring with two outstanding Dahlia events.

Dr. Hibbs - or Dr. Dahlia as we like to call him - will host an online FREE webinar to help guide you on spring planting on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2:00pm.

Call 206-365-1536 to register for attending in-person or to receive the Zoom meeting number and password to tune in from home.

Thursday May 12th Annual Dahlia Tuber sale with Dr. John Hibbs. Time: noon-2pm

Then on Thursday, May 12th, drop by the senior center as we host in person, our ANNUAL DAHLIA TUBER SPRING SALE with Dr. Hibbs! The sale runs from 12pm-2pm in the Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center Multi-Purpose Room. Doors to the sale will open at noon.

The Senior Center is located in the southernmost building on the Shoreline Center campus, facing NE 185th. Address 18560 1st Ave NE #1 Shoreline WA 98155.



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Lee went on a walk today

Friday, April 29, 2022


Lee Lageschulte went on a walk today
and met up with some old friends

Lee has never met a flower she didn't like



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Destinations: Tulips are in full bloom at RoozenGaarde®

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Photo by Lee Lageschulte


Photo by Lee Lageschulte

The tulips are in full bloom in the Skagit Valley. RoozenGaarde® is spectacular, as usual.

On April 15, 2022 they posted this:

April is here and so are the tulips! RoozenGaarde is full of color and looks simply spectacular. Any day will be a colorful time to visit now through at least May 1st. After that, how long the bloom continues to last will depend mostly on Mother Nature.

Purchase your Tulip Festival Tickets HERE!

Drones are a NO at RoozenGaarde and in our flower fields. Please respect our farm and our guests.
Sorry, pets not allowed at RoozenGaarde.

Sign up for email updates via Tulips.com to be first in the known for any spring updates. We will also share via Facebook and Instagram . Follow and flower with us @roozengaarde.

RoozenGaarde
15867 Beaver Marsh Rd
Mount Vernon, WA 98273.


Display Garden Information during the tulip festival.


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Earth Day flowers at Paramount Open Space

Saturday, April 23, 2022

 
Photos by Janet Way

These are the kind of wildflowers that you find in wetlands, like the Paramount Open Space park in central Shoreline.

The yellow flower is a Swamp Lantern. I think the white one is a trillium.

When you catch sight of a Swamp Lantern, you will know that the ground is wet and marshy.

--Diane Hettrick



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Pansies

Thursday, April 21, 2022

 
Photo by Lee Lageschulte

I send thee pansies while the year is young,
Yellow as sunshine, purple as the night;
Flowers of remembrance, ever fondly sung
By all the chiefest of the Sons of Light

Sarah Doudney 1842-1926



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Spring flowers

 
Photos by Lee Lageschulte

Lee Lageschulte walks almost every day and takes photos of the beauty that she sees. Flowers are one of her favorite subjects.



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Blossoms

Saturday, April 16, 2022

 
Photo by Lee Lageschulte

Begonia?

Nope. Crabapple blossoms (thank you Rose Davis)



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Flowers: Bleeding Hearts

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

"A loving heart is the truest wisdom".
--Charles Dickens



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Photo: Poem - Alone in the Cold

Sunday, April 10, 2022

Photo by Wayne Pridemore


Alone in the cold a young bud will wait,
to finally bloom before it is too late.
                                           Caitlin Rimmer




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Photos: Bloom and Bee

Thursday, April 7, 2022

 

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

The early flowers are blooming and the honeybees are buzzing.



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