Today my kids and I took great pleasure in painting a set of twelves Lily and fairy stepping stones.
These stepping stones were purchased over twelve years ago and as time went by, their colors faded. Last Friday, we collected and cleaned them up, then we proceeded to give them a new life.
Fairy Stepping Stone. When fairies sing … flowers blossom.
– Fairies dance … among the butterflies
– When fairies sing … flowers blossom
– Fairies dream in the morning dew.
Fairy Stepping Stones.
The Lily stepping stones were the easiest to paint. We spray painted each stone a different color and concentrated on the filaments and anthers.
Lily Stepping Stones.
These stepping stones all have a metal tooth hanger attached to the back so they can easily be hung or displayed on any wall. For our project however, we used screws to hold the stepping stones in place since we wanted to angle them rather than hang them straight.
I woke up this morning to find my neighbors’ large trampoline hanging halfway into our property, breaking a couple of wood panels as it rested on the top rail. Had the fence not been there, the damage would have been significant. As fun as trampolines can be, they can also pose serious dangers. Please, secure your trampolines to prevent them from blowing away.
We have had very strong winds lately, unlike the previous years. I have always been wary about this trampoline from the moment they moved it to their backyard. It was never secured and it was a little too close to our side. In the front yard, thankfully, only a few branches from their unattended pine trees broke and fell on our side. I guess Nature is finding ways to keep us busy and engaged during quarantine.
Trampoline halfway through fence.
Some rain showers at last! Not as much as we would have loved, but enough to revive the plants and keep them hydrated. Early in the week we had our first wave of light snow followed by a mix of rain and snow the following days. I am so grateful it only lasted a day or two and melted in no time.
Light coating of snow.
There is nothing new around the garden as most plants are still dormant.
The Gopher plants are doing extremely well, with new growth emerging from the center of the plant. I am so excited and looking forward to see the clusters of chartreuse yellow flowers this Spring.
Gopher Plants.
Nandina Nana, also known as Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo is one of my favorite plants for Winter color. A small evergreen dwarf bush with vivid green foliage that turns brilliant red in Fall and persists into the Winter.
Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo.
One of the last Yuccas on my property. Yucca is a drought-tolerant plant; however, if constantly watered and properly fertilized, this plant could take over your garden and become a nuisance (if planted straight into the ground). It took us months to completely remove roots and rhizomes from my yard.
I saved a few young plants which I am growing in pots. I have been clipping the tips of the sword-like leaves to prevent injuries. I remove dead leaves from the Yucca and prune it to help the plant stay healthy and give it a beautiful and neat appearance. Next weekend, if the weather permits, I will be cutting back the ornamental grasses.
Yucca Pendula.
Ground Squirrels in the neighborhood are coming out of hibernation and becoming active. I have destroyed two large holes in the backyard and I am getting the traps ready (the sooner they get caught, the better).
I do not know about the rest of you, but we are enjoying the warm weather here. This week has been really good and we accomplished so much around the yard. With most plants flowering all around my property at the same time, I am realizing that most of them are yellow. From Daylilies, Rose trees, Climbing roses, Gladiolus, Gopher plants, Silvery Cassia, Yellow bird of Paradise bush, Green Feathery Senna, California Poppy, to Scotch and French Broom shrubs, … etc!
Spartium Junceum, also known as Spanish Broom, Rush Broom and Weaver’s broom, is a medium sized shrub which produces clusters of abundant bright yellow pea-like flowers. Spanish Broom is closely related to the other Brooms, with the exception of the honey-vanilla scent that the flowers from the Spanish Broom emit. They are drought tolerant and deer resistant.
This evergreen shrub is self-sowing and due to its prolific seed production, has been classified as a noxious weed. The plant is poisonous to humans and livestock.
Spanish Broom Blossoms.
I love ladybugs and I love the fact that they are beneficial garden insects. They are a favorite to gardeners, as they help keep garden pests at bay. Some ladybugs are omnivores, feeding on soft bodied insects such as mealybugs, aphids, scale insects, spider mites, eggs of the European corn borer and Colorado potato beetle. Other ladybugs are herbivores, feeding only on plant material and fungi, such as mildew. Ladybugs lay many eggs and the larvae immediately begin to feed as soon as they hatch.
Ladybugs and Eggs.
As the weather warms up, Black Widow Spiders come out.
Black Widow Spider.
I spotted a lone Green Stink Bug (Chinavia Halaris), also known as Say’s Stink Bug on a Daylily Bud.
Green Stink Bug.
Mosquitoes too, love warm temperatures. We had a pretty wet late Winter and early Spring, and along came mosquitoes. Click here to learn how to protect yourselves.
Mosquito.
So far is it a good year for all the plants in my gardens. The amount of rainfall we’ve had since the beginning of the year has made a huge difference by giving everything a good start.
Stella D’Oro Daylily.
I hope you are all enjoying the warm weather while being productive and staying safe.
It’s been a while since my last post. I hope everyone is healthy, safe and I am praying for those who are facing hard times. To reduce exposure to Covid-19, all schools were closed starting March 16th and Distance Learning began today, April 6th. Finding balance between work, keeping the kids entertained at home and remaining sane has been challenging. My kids are adjusting well and have found ways to stay active. They wake up at 7:00 am and are asleep by 7:45 pm.
We had a very cloudy and wet week here in the High Desert. I love rain, but I am not a fan of too much rain, however, I know we need these Spring rains to ready the garden for our hot Summer days. Now it’s a good time to plant. For the past couple of weeks, I have been enjoying my Tulips and Grape Hyacinth.
Tulip Blue Diamond.
I love the display of color changes and patterns of these Tulips.
Tulip Angelique.
Grape Hyacinth are popping up here and there.
Grape Hyacinth.
I received a few Spruce Cone Cactuses as gifts recently. I love the uniqueness of this cactus and I am looking forward to watching them grow, while learning a thing or two.
Spruce Cone Cactus.
The Yellow White Lady Banks flowers have began bursting with life and colors. I planted one on both sides of the second arch by the gate leading to our backyard. I also planted one on both sides on a separate arch in the backyard. Some of these roses are just a few months old and others less than two years.
Yellow Lady Banks gracing the arches.
If I have to stay home, I figure, I should garden. Last week I planted Red Autumn Sage, Silvery Cassia, Euphorbia Rigida (Gopher plants), Periwinkle Creeping Myrtle, Dwarf Cup Flower and Amethyst Falls American Wisteria.
Fortunately for us, we have been blessed yet again, with a weed-free yard. Now we can focus on other outdoor projects.
By JM Perez
