Besides work being done on the barn as described in my last post the main house is also scheduled for some major rebovation. The kitchen has always been disproportionately cramped, given the size of the rest of the house, which has always been a problem with the size of the family and the fact that its a major activity center. So finally the day has also come (in the new year ) for it to be renovated, but a few other things are getting a revamp at the same time- one of them being the porch. . . .
Who wouldn't welcome a bottle of 'homemade' flavored vodka, as a hostess gift? Your garden will become the talk of the party. About's Guide to Cocktails (now there's a job)...
reBlogged
to herbs whimsy
on Dec 3, 2007, 8:47PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to herbs, whimsy on 2007-12-05, 00:24:57
The stereotypical Christmas tree is an evergreen conifer, drooping at the foliage end from the weight of the crisp, lazy snow. Even in Australia, where temperatures soar past the 100 mark... and more, we idolise this sentimental picture as though it were something we experience every year. . . .
reBlogged
to trees
on Dec 3, 2007, 4:30PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2007-12-05, 00:24:25
While out today running errands, I couldn't help but notice all of the poinsettias in the stores. This was the first time I had noticed all of the different colored poinsettias.
I often say it is not the cold I hate so much as the wind. I can handle a cold, calm day. A cold, windy day is just outright inhumane torture. For the past 24 hours or so we've been getting sustained 50 mph winds. In short, stepping outside to get the mail sucks and blows. One good thing that has come of it as that in the past day all the leaves from my five huge, 75+-year-old oak trees have come down -- and I do mean all at once. Yesterday, I had a shady back yard. This morning there was full sun and about a two-foot feet thick layer of leaves on the ground. By this afternoon, thanks to the winds, many of those leaves have blown on down the street. How can I arrange this natural leaf-blower action every year?
It’s easy to buy a wreath. Get a basic balsam wreath, throw a ribbon on it and you’re golden, right? But are you proud? If you make your own wreath instead, I guarantee you will glow with I-made-that! satisfaction every time you open your front door. And it’s such the perfect thing for any of us gardeners who might have early onset cabin fever and need all the green-stuff creative outlets we can get. . . .
reBlogged
to whimsy
on Dec 3, 2007, 2:36PM
Posted by Kris Reblogged by Old Roses to whimsy on 2007-12-05, 00:22:51
I found this cute pot at Homegoods several months ago and decided to put a basil seed in it. I've never grown basil indoors and have noticed a few striking differences b/w the indoor-grown basil and the same exact seeds grown outside. . . . .
Remember when I went to Grand Cypress and loved their succulent planters? Well, I've been growing my own for several months and really enjoy it. I was just re-reading a comment from Julie about how she grows her succulents. Check out her blog for more on succulents. . . .
reBlogged
to succulents
Posted by ldybug Reblogged by Old Roses to succulents on 2007-12-05, 00:21:44
I love my little strawberry planter by thr front door. Right now, I've got basil, coleus, and Poinsettia in it. TIP: don't plant the Poinsettia...just place the pot right inside. The roots won't take over the pot this way. It may require a bit more water though. Remember to keep your basil pinched back.
reBlogged
to basil whimsy
Posted by ldybug Reblogged by Old Roses to basil, whimsy on 2007-12-05, 00:21:20
I love Meyer lemons. I made fresh lemonade this past weekend with a few from my mother's tree. I love to eat these lemons right off the tree. They are so sweet (for lemons). . . .
reBlogged
to trees fruit
Posted by ldybug Reblogged by Old Roses to fruit, trees on 2007-12-05, 00:20:58
Where did all the Cowichan primroses go? I guess the answer might be... to Brittany. Cowichan primroses are deeply colored garden primroses with the yellow eye in the center being very small, so you get a big snootful of rich, dark color. The original Cowichan primrose, I read, appeared from seed in Cowichan Station in the lovely Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island in the 1930's. It was a deep red with almost no eye, so it was very striking, and was passed by the original gardener, a man named Neel, to a friend, then it was passed along further until a local nursery began to sell it, calling it 'Cowichan Primula'. . . .
reBlogged
to primula
Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to primula on 2007-12-05, 00:20:30
Fellow temperate-zone sufferers of garden withdrawal, how do you cope? What activities replace all those hours you'd like
to be in the garden but can't because of, you know, winter? I'm
looking for help here because this is the part about being a gardening
addict that's sad, really - when we can't. And of course it's on top of the normal
challenges to happiness that affect everyone, like short days and hostile weather.
Here are my pathetic attempts to replace digging. . .
reBlogged
to gardening
Posted by Susan Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening on 2007-12-05, 00:20:11
What a great holiday gift idea from Uncommon Goods! They paired a biodegradable rice hull pot with a beautiful amaryllis bulb. You can also order it with Paperwhites or herb seeds.
Sacramentans, you can make this yourself by going to Emigh Hardware.
After trying to upload several kitty pictures over the weekend so that I could make a post in answer to Yolanda Elizabet's tag and wrangling with Blogger (with Blogger winning), I've given up. Oh, the post will be made at some point (in a couple of days or so), but right now I'm actually sick of looking at it. Forgive me, Yolanda Elizabet! Or rather, please forgive Blogger, because it's all Blogger's fault. . . .
reBlogged
to blogs vines
Posted by Kylee Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs, vines on 2007-12-05, 00:19:24
I planted this kale early last spring. It was bitter when tasted it in September. Not now. It made one of the best bowls of soup I've ever had. We've had several good cold nights now, which helps improve the flavor of kale. Today, at 25F, as our first serious snow started to fall, I picked a big bunch. Since I also had some nice dried beans from my summer garden, I opened my Portuguese kale soup recipe. . . .
I wish I was talented enough to build a shed like this. You'll need to visit Simon Kirby's blog for the full photo story of its construction from pallets and packing crates, but this image gives you a taster of the nearly-finished product. Simon, who calls himself a bit of a "shedonist", says: In all it’s taken me five weeks to build and has cost me £40. I love it. I wouldn’t have a bought shed if you paid me. It’s very environmentally-friendly because the pallets just go to land-fill and it’s a wonderful bit of self-expression, but not everyone...
reBlogged
to sheds
on Dec 3, 2007, 3:42PM
Posted by Jane Perrone Reblogged by Old Roses to sheds on 2007-12-05, 00:18:11
I've never had many roses*, at least in part because they're reputed to be a difficult plant to grow organically, and partly because I don't feel confident enough to prune them correctly. When our daughter was born earlier this year, we were given a patio rose called Many Happy Returns, which was a lovely gift, and prompted me to finally get around to some rose care research. I found the Organic Rose Gardening site, which was useful although fairly basic. But I had an idea in the back of my mind that the HDRA as was, now Garden Organic, had...
reBlogged
to roses
on Dec 3, 2007, 3:10PM
Posted by Jane Perrone Reblogged by Old Roses to roses on 2007-12-05, 00:15:19
The second flower on my Thanksgiving cacti is flowering. I'm really bad at describing colors outside of the primary colors, so this one will be called red. In reality it isn't very "red" but my color vocabulary leaves much to be desired and fails to adequately describe this "red" flower which looks like red satin fabric. . . .
Here is a hibiscus cutting and four Kalanchoes and three Aloe Veras are sharing a space. Probably not a good plan.
I have been gardening in this space where I live in Chacala for about eight or nine months now. It was hard for me to get started here. I had lots of plants from my old place. Still in pots. But I couldn't figure out how to plant them. How to arrange the gardening space. . . .
reBlogged
to transplanting
Posted by Andee Reblogged by Old Roses to transplanting on 2007-12-05, 00:14:52
Yesterday I was heading through the snow over the mountain pass back to Seattle, to catch a flight back home this morning. I received a call that my 96-year old grandfather has had more heart trouble, and is in the hospital for the second time of his life. He’s going in for an angiogram, possibly followed by angioplasty, this afternoon. So I’ve postponed my flight back home, and am waiting for a ride to the hospital. I stayed with friends last night, and will stay with my family tonight. Please stick with me and forgive the short posts for the moment. Hopefully all will go smoothly and I’ll be back on a flight home tomorrow.
reBlogged
to weather
on Dec 3, 2007, 3:29PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2007-12-05, 00:14:25
I can't decide whether to just paint the styro balls or dye the corn husks and cover them that way. Maybe I should just leave the husks as are to cover the styro? Hmmm...
I have lots of flowers dried and ready, including goldenrod for filler. . . .
reBlogged
to whimsy
Posted by Tina Reblogged by Old Roses to whimsy on 2007-12-05, 00:14:18
When most people think of holly, the image conjured up is one of bright red berries, glossy evergreen foliage and Christmas decorations. So when you talk to the average homeowner about deciduous holly (Ilex verticillata) they look at you as if you were moron. That's because many people consider deciduous holly is an oxymoron. A holly has glossy evergreen leaves, right. No, not always. Ilex verticillata, Winterberry Holly, or Winterberry is our native, wetland holly that looses it leaves each autumn. This is a beautiful shrub is all the more showy because its loss of leaves makes the berry display all the more showy. After the leaves have turned yellow and have fallen, you are left with a breathtaking view of thousands of brightly colored berries clinging to every stem. What a joy to have such color in the middle of winter. . . .
reBlogged
to shrubs
Posted by Tim Wood Reblogged by Old Roses to shrubs on 2007-12-05, 00:13:12
Just inside with Karl the wonder dog. Our first trip out was at a little before 5 this morning as he was awakened by someone with bald tires trying to get up the hill. It began snowing at about 2:30 this morning and the storm I have been waiting for since Wednesday's prediction looks like a good one. As soon as I clicked the snap on Karl's leash I went back outside to clean off the bird feeders and shovel the two sets of steps. My two helpers sleep soundly this morning but they'll be brought into action before the storm is over. . . .
reBlogged
to astilbe
Posted by George Africa Reblogged by Old Roses to astilbe on 2007-12-05, 00:12:21
One of my jobs over the weekend was to check and clean our three bird nest boxes. We've had one of them up a few years now, and the others only a year or two. Although there's plenty of hedgerow...
reBlogged
to birds
on Dec 3, 2007, 4:15AM
Posted by Dan Reblogged by Old Roses to birds on 2007-12-05, 00:11:56
Ever wonder what shrubs and plants will add interest to the garden throughout the winter? Here are seven shrubs with winter flowers and are great additions for year-round interest.
Enjoy! Angela <><
reBlogged
to shrubs
Posted by Angela Reblogged by Old Roses to shrubs on 2007-12-05, 00:11:49
Now that all the hard work is done -the hardscape, pond, trees and shrubs; time for some fun : The fillers. Perennials that come back year after year. I also leave space for annuals to add constant color. My favorite annual is coleus and it is carefree from early Summer right up until late Fall.
CLICK TO ENLARGE
reBlogged
to design
Posted by Carolyn gail Reblogged by Old Roses to design on 2007-12-05, 00:11:40
via Oceanic Wilderness on 1969-12-31, 19:00:00
