Did You SPRING forward...?

It seemed unlikely that we would ever get here but, YEAH, the day has finally arrived!

I'm talking about daylight saving time....WOO-HOO!!

I've been spending most  my free time (as have you, I'm sure)
going through seed and garden catalogs, marking which new plants
to try as well as remembering to re-order those tried-and-true favorites.

The time has also arrived for indoor garden tours!  My annual trek to

the Philadelphia Flower Show did not disappoint.  

Disney and Pixar films inspired this year's show theme:
"Celebrate the Movies"

I will share some of those themed displays in another post.

      This entry will highlight the colorful and drop-dead gorgeous bulbs display.

I could not tear myself away from the tulip walk...as you will see!

My way of planting alliums in groups of  5, 7 or 9 is good

but a stand of 20 is even better!  

The pink tulips in the foreground were my favorite among the dozens of varieties.
Label marked "Just Kissed"...I'm already searching catalogs to order next fall.

A different angle but the same grouping of Just Kissed...

This is why I love it so!
Just look at the stunning pattern...each flower, each petal...unique!

The en-masse planting effect was mesmerizing!

And the display just went on and on....

A fun candid shot of an adorable visitor going in for a sniff-sniff...

These mini daffodils, were overpowering in their fragrance.
Such a sweet combination they make with the dainty coral bells (heucheras).

This dark purple (almost black) grouping was stunning!

I think I like the single-petaled variety more than the double.

 My garden, at the moment, is still buried under 2ft drifts,
so enjoying a flower show certainly helps feed my soul a bit
and tie me over for a few more weeks.

Maybe it'll rejuvenate and motivate the gardener in you, too!
I hope you enjoyed the tour!

Mum's the Word!

Chrysanthemums, that is.  This past weekend's visit to Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, PA), made a renewed mum fan out of yours truly.  With the advertised event of  Night of a Thousand Lights, how could I resist a tour?

It was too chilly a November eve to stroll through the grounds, but 4 acres of conservatories, filled with blooms...I could do that.  With each new season, the amazing staff/volunteers transform this space into a drop-dead-gorgeous wonderland.  This was actually my first visit during the Fall season...as I recently acquired 'Membership' status.

I arrived just after 4pm and the next 3 hrs. passed in a blink.  There were guided tours of how the Chrysanthemum displays came to be.  The man hours required to nurture and train plants into rounds, spirals and cascades...it's astounding!  From a single stem cutting, it took 17 months and 1,500 hrs. to create each of these perfectly shaped domes!

This peacock fan in the Children's Garden was adorable!

The glow from the setting sun made the Conservatories even more magical!

I was enchanted by the use of these beautiful lanterns.

How cool are these Bonsai Mums? Something we can try at home?

It was interesting to learn that many of the blooms need to be grafted to different plant stock in order to achieve certain heights and forms.

When night came, these floating lanterns made a spectacular scene!  Photos do not do it justice.  Although the Night of a Thousand Lights was a special event, the Chrysanthemum Festival will be on display through November 23rd.  If you're in the area, it's worth a visit!

 

Thanks for visiting, friends.  Hope you enjoyed the tour... 

Frosty The Garden

I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say "ENOUGH already!" As peaceful and pretty as fresh fallen snow can be, I am really, really over it! The view out my window is still mostly of a white landscape, but, by weekend's end, I will see the soggy lawn...YAY!

Record breaking temps made for some interesting photo ops...




Crape myrtle branch...

I'm very happy this glass ornament has not cracked...yet!


Two weeks ago, I woke to the sound of chirping! This little fella somehow snuck in and made himself at home. His flight pattern went from ceiling fan to this potted flower to my quilt! Every window and door held open for his escape went unnoticed. It took two hours to finally shoo him out! Strangely enough, this happened not once, but three times that week...weird or a sign of luck?


The only sign of life are blooms being forced indoors. Paperwhites potted up at 3 week intervals throughout the winter months keep the blues at bay. The last dozen opened just in time for Valentine's Day but are quickly fading. Don't forget to slice off the root end to keep the stems from getting too leggy...a trick I learned over the years. I love their cheerful faces but the scent can be overpowering and headache inducing...



Hope you all survived the winter blahs and are as anxious for Spring as I am!
A field trip to the NJ Flower Show planned for this weekend...I am beyond excited!!!