Flowers Shrubs & Trees Archives – Page 17 of 27

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Our Kids-Friendly Garden

By JM PerezFebruary 6, 20143 min read248 views

When we inspected our Home a few years ago prior to putting in an offer, I fell in love with the backyard as the numerous structures on the lot broke the land into sections. As I looked onto the side of the house, I spotted a semi-shady corner which was ideal for a Playground and/or a Kid-Friendly Garden.

Five years ago, I started by creating a tiny corner garden and added a decorative wrought iron border fence around the garden as well as some color changing solar globe lights along the borders. The selection works well, as it provides a specific learning and playing area for our children. I added two comfortable sitting areas for them to sit still and enjoy conversing, enjoy the day, or for us to relax and watch them play. I have Garden Benches and Patio/Bistro Sets all over my garden as the yard is huge and it can be quite exhausting walking around sometimes. I enjoy retreat areas. Besides, sitting areas in a yard, if placed correctly, create attractive focal points.

A few years ago, I was given a beautiful hand made miniature vintage Mexican clay couple as well as a tiny Puerto Peñasco Pottery Vase. They are now resting underneath one of my Scotch Broom shrubs.

The fairy wind spinner is a purchase from Collections Etc., and a gift to my daughter who adores anything fairy and ballerina. It’s a beautiful addition to our front yard as it attracts hummingbirds and twirls in the breeze.

Somewhere in my backyard, we created this cute little area in memory of our wonderful neighbors and parent figures (one of whom is no longer with us). The picture features their wedding wine glasses, vintage 1960’s spaghetti porcelain poodle dog figurines and a porcelain ornaments box. The huge rustic fisherman metal art was a purchased from Horseshoe Art by Don Henry in Lucerne Valley, CA.

*1960’s Spaghetti Porcelain Poodle Dog Figurines.*

We love our Woodland babies!

The toy frog was a favorite of my son. He placed it himself among the daffodils when he no longer wanted it.

Geckos Metal Wall Art

The children at play figurines were also a purchase from Collections Etc.

Some Jim Shore garden stakes.

The balancing love birds stake is in the front yard, next to the water fountain. It gently swings back and forth in the breeze. The Angry Gnome is one of many in our gnome collection.

These Gnomes on a Ladder are eager to find out what is growing in my daughter’s planter.

The stone mushrooms were the bases of chain linked posts that were dug up, flipped up side down, and buried. We spray painted them red/green and added white spots.

The Conga Line Dog Silhouettes were so hilarious that I decided to get one. The Children Chasing bugs are adorable too.

*Conga Line Dog & Children Playing Silhouettes.*

One of my daughter’s favorite statues is the Little Girl Gardening statue below. She found a use for the tiny planter.

Every time I shop online, my kids look for an opportunity when I step away to add a few favorites of their own in the shopping cart. The Ladybugs are beautiful and the Bunnies are just perfect for Easter.

The Fairy and Deer Friend Shadow Garden Stake is one of my favorite.

*Fairy and Deer Friend Shadow Garden Stakes.*

There are unlimited ideas and ways to encourage kids to go out …

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By JM Perez

Antiques Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

A Happy Morning

By JM PerezFebruary 4, 20141 min read461 views

I woke up to a gloomy morning and within a few hours, the skies brightened up and gave way to a beautiful sight from my backyard. There is a formation of thick low clouds around the snowy mountains and it’s still very cold out there. I, for one, am grateful to be able to spend time with Nature.

Some of the Daffodils ‘Thalia Sun’ and Ice King Double Daffodils, which have now fully emerged from the soil are covered in buds and thankfully, none are opening yet.

*Ice King Double Daffodil Bulbs emerging.*

My Amaryllis Belladonna bulbs have finally emerged after two consecutive years of dying back from frost. The shoots are going strong and I am hoping to see some gorgeous flowers by August. Foliage emerges in Spring (sometimes as early as mid Winter). The foliage will die back by mid Summer shortly after which leafless stems will produce elegant, aromatic, pink flowers.

The Sweet Almond Tree is almost completely covered in bloom. I placed my set of Antique Cast Iron Bench and Arm Chair next to the Tree and it has become one of my favorite spots in the front yard as I occasionally lounge next to the Tree, reading the Newspaper or an Inspirational Book. Although we hardly harvest any Nuts from the Tree (as the Squirrels beat us to it), it accents the house and provides shade.

I am looking forward to warmer days as it’s time to move on with my gardening plans and materialize my design.

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By JM Perez

Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

High Desert Spring Gardening

By JM PerezJanuary 28, 20142 min read486 views

Right now in the High Desert it literally feels like Spring. The days are getting warmer and the plants are reacting to the unseasonably warm weather. I noticed a few days ago, some flower buds on the branches of the Sweet Almond Tree in my front yard and I am excited to see the tree all covered in delicate White flowers. The Almond Tree is always the first to blossom after Winter around here; however, the Tree is blooming too early this year compared to the previous years. The weeds too, are coming on strong as they rob my yard of its beauty.

This year, my Sweet William Dwarf (Dianthus) are the first to bloom.

For Spring Colors, plant the following (just to name a few):

Eastern Redbud
Freesia
Pasque Flower*
Cherry Blossom Tree
Iris*
Daffodil*
Kangaroo Paw
Hyacinth*
Grape Hyacinth
False Indigo*
Rose Bushes

Rosemary
Tulips*
Hibiscus (Health Benefits)
Sparaxis*
Star Jasmine
Saucer Magnolia
Crocus*
Persian Buttercup (Ranunculus)*
Broom*
Lilium*
Oriental/California Poppies

Plants with the * next to the name (as well as some species of the plants) are poisonous and/or toxic (either to Humans, Livestock or both). Click here for a list of Toxic Plants.

How can you tell if your Garden is ready for Spring?
According to OrganicGardening.com, the best way to tell if a garden has dried out enough to be worked is to pick up about half a cup of earth in your hand. Now squeeze the soil together so that it forms a ball. If the ball of earth can readily be shattered by pressing with your fingers or dropping it from a height of 3 feet or so, it is dry enough to dig. If the ball keeps its shape or breaks only with difficulty into solid sections rather than loose soil, it still contains too much water. Clay soil that is too wet will feel slick when rubbed between thumb and forefinger and working soil that wet can spoil its texture for the whole season.

Since my soil is not quite ready for Spring Gardening yet, I am focusing most of my time and energy on various activities and yard tasks:

Planning a Fairy Garden
Researching Native Plants
Building Bird Houses
Cleaning Bird Feeders and Baths
Getting my Gardening Tools ready
Servicing my Weed Eater
Starting seeds indoors
Preparing new Sunken Garden Beds for Native Plants
Tending to my Perennials (pruning, trimming, cutting back, dividing)
Revitalizing my Mint Plants
Maybe start a compost pile.

With the weather this warm, it’s definitely time to Start Planning your Spring Garden.

Linking up to Beverly’s Pink Saturday.

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By JM Perez

Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Spring Bulbs Sprouting

By JM PerezJanuary 13, 20142 min read565 views

Surprisingly, we are having a very nice weather here in the High Desert this Winter (with warm days and cold nights). We turn on the drip system irrigation on a needed basis (depending on Plants need), for a deep watering to help our Flowers, Shrubs and Trees to establish and spread their roots systems.

I am loving the Rebirth in the Garden with most of my Spring Flowering Bulbs Sprouting. Some are sprouting through pine needles (which make awesome mulch) and others sprouting from scattered/dispersed seeds randomly around the backyard. The seeds were probably carried by the Wind.

Around the neighborhood, some flowering trees are beginning to show buds like the Raywood Ash tree in my front yard which normally starts leafing out around April or early Spring.

*Raywood Ash (Male Flower Opening Buds).*

Another surprise this morning was the discovery of this tender Miniature Rose ‘Del Sol’. The new growth is poking through the gravel reminding me once again that nothing is really lost in the World. We relocated the Parent plant last Summer and I guess one of the many living roots left behind during the relocation process survived.
Click here to learn about Growing Plants with Root Cuttings.

After two consecutive years of dying back from frost, my Belladonna Amaryllis shoots are going strong. Most of my plants are showing signs of life except for my Saucer Magnolia, Navajo Globe Willow, Plumbago Auriculata ‘Imperial Blue’, Cleveland Sage and Red Autumn Sage which seems to be dormant.
I am looking forward to warmer days like this one, to go outside and get a couple of garden beds ready for Spring.

Click here for Real-World Winter Gardening Tips From Your Growing Zone.

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By JM Perez

Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Reviving My Bare Root Rose

By JM PerezDecember 28, 20132 min read2K views

While my kids were running around this morning in the backyard, I decided to check on my Rose trees. The first one I checked is Rosa ‘Circus’ which I bought two months ago from Lowe’s and it looked healthy. My Hannah Gordon, which I moved from the front yard and transplanted in the backyard a few months ago looked odd and came right off when I lifted it. How could this have happened since the base/roots of the plants was protected by chicken wire? Did the Pocket Gopher chew through the chicken wire? I wondered. Rather than try to figure it out, my husband decided to set a Macabee Gopher Trap in the hole, which appeared to be fresh, quite large and unplugged. Saddened, I proceeded to check the next Rose tree, Iceberg Floribunda.

The next Rose tree is a bare-root I bought at Lowe’s almost three years ago and which thrived until a couple of months ago when it suddenly dried-out and died (or I though so). I dug out the plant and relocated it in hopes of a miracle. After pulling the plant out of the soil and inspecting it closely, I noticed tiny growth at the base of the plant as well as a few healthy white roots next to some thick black dead roots.

I started out by cutting off the dry stalk, then I dug the original hole twice the size of the base of the plant. I placed a wire basket (made out of chicken wire) to protect the roots from rodents. I added some potting soil and some wood chips which acts as insulation for the plant (keeping the warmth and preventing the plant from freezing). Finally I made a chicken wire fence around the plant to protect the new growth from being eaten by Squirrels.

Rose Tree - Iceberg Floribunda — *Rose Tree Iceberg Floribunda (Rosa ‘Korbin’), Spring 2011.*

The picture above is what the Bare-Root Rose looked like the first year after planting. Rosa ‘Korbin’ is a repeat bloomer from Spring through Fall with a light flush of pink to the blooms and glossy green foliage.

I am confident that the plant will grow and thrive, as I know I have given it a good start.

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By JM Perez