Happy Belated...

...New Year!

Late last summer, as I toiled away in the garden, an idea took hold.

What began as a gentle tug and whisper grew too loud to ignore.
So, I did some research...

and, I got started...growing MORE flowers!

I have always loved creating arrangements for friends, co-workers,
or even just for my own dining room table.  
Using fresh picked flowers right from the garden made them even more special.

So why not get more resourceful and broaden that creative side of
my love of gardening?  Makes total sense, right?

Growing flowers strictly for harvesting and designing on a weekly basis
will have it's challenges, I am sure.  But I am ready to give it my all.

I hope you'll continue to visit and enjoy reading about
my new adventure as a flower farmer.

Happy Belated New Year, friends!
(All photos from a recent visit to Longwood Gardens)

Late night progress

So the last post here had us counting 10 days down to Spring. 
Well, the ten days came and went...where is it?! 
It's been over a month and the weather is just finally changing!

Sure, there were a few 70 degree days but Mother Nature was just messin' with us.

I should've known better than to sow my indoor seeds 2 weeks early! 

So...are you asking what's with all these black and white flowers?

I am still sharing beauty from the Philadelphia Flower Show (see last post).
This curtain below depicted a waterfall in Yosemite National Park...
what a stunning display!

Imagine the immense labor of stringing these individual blooms...whoa!

 Made great progress burning the midnight oil...cleaning out my immense photo files.

And I was ruthless, too! 

I mean, really...do I need 4-5 photos on the same subject?!   

The above 8 are keepers out of 45!  If photography is your hobby too, 

I'm sure you get that!  I've been wanting to make cards out of the best ones...

another project on the To-Do list.

Let's end this post with a little color, shall we?

Next time, I'll share what's blooming in the garden! 

Happy Spring, Friends!

2016 Philadelphia Flower Show

Explore America is the theme of this year's show. 

Inspiration came from our nation's national parks and monuments throughout history.

Visitors are treated to wonderful creations of flora and fauna inhabiting
our wetlands, forests and dry deserts.

 

Amid the themed gardens are the bulb display I always look forward to!

And, of course, the vast varieties of orchids, orchids, orchids!

See the cute pine-cone turtle tucked in below?

I really LOVE the bold contrast of this spring arrangement! 

As you can imagine, I took hundreds and hundreds of photos,
but they'll have to keep til next time.

Thanks for visiting, friends!
Hang in there...10 more days 'til SPRING!

A Special Visit...

An extra early flight out of Trenton started my journey to Orlando last Sunday.

A much anticipated trip to visit my eldest, Amanda, who'd been away since August.

We celebrated her (belated) Birthday and possibly new job with Disney!

But a barely visible take-off (and landing!) had me kinda nervous!

Frontier's slogan is "A whole different animal"

so on a wing...and a prayer!...was this adorable polar bear...lol.

  A quick curb-side pick up and off we went!

 Always such a thrill to pass under this banner...despite the raindrops.

After day or two of work (moving her out of the dorms), we were free!

So....we played 'peek-a-poo' at the zoo

 with a giraffe,

 flirted with the crocs (he did wink at me!),

and I swear this guy was hammin' it up for the camera,

ate like a...oink, oink

and even kissed a snake...

through glass!

We spent many hours window shopping,

admiring Disney's floral displays.

Wish I could grow poinsettias outdoors in NJ!

 Mandy even scored a very special Disney souvenir...YAY!

Of course, the nightlife is never dull in Orlando

 where every night is a reason to celebrate...with fireworks!

 

 The week flew by before we knew it!

I will so miss this awesome view from the hotel balcony.

 

Sadly, we must say...

 and cheers...to an internship well done!

'til next time, Orlando!  Hope I'll be visiting often!