Thank you to everyone for voting for me in the recent 2009 Blotanical.com awards. I very much appreciate being chosen for the Best Blog Design Award and the Best North Carolina Blog Award. I didn’t expect the award so didn’t come up with a new design to celebrate. I’ll get right on that and earn [...]
While talking with the folks at North Creek Nursery this past week, I looked down to see a beautiful coreopsis with the most unusual coloring. I interrupted our conversation to ask about it. When I got home, I called the nice folks at North Creek and ask if they would send me a high quality [...]
‘Easy Does It’ with her mango orange, peach pink, and ripe apricot colors is the 2010 All-American Rose Winner. It was a lovely presentation at the Duke Gardens in Raleigh, North Carolina. ( Photos in this article my not be used for any purpose) AARS President Tom Carruth introduced the new winner at the awards [...]
Proven Winners Plants A pink ‘Annabelle’ has come on the garden scene and is introduced by Proven Winners Plants. I am growing them and they bloom from Spring through frost. When the plant is young the blooms overwhelm the plant a bit but as the plant matures it grows into itself. The stems get strong [...]
Wait till you see what the propagators and merchants have in store for you in 2010. I’m in on the buzz about gardening. I’m in the know and I’m going to share so you can be in the know too. It’s going to take me two weeks to post about all the good stuff and [...]
I’m going to be gone this week. I’ll be home on Sunday and if my house catches on fire–please put it out. Mr D will be here but I’m at the Garden Writer’s Symposium in Raleigh, NC. I am looking forward to meeting up with vendors, writers, bloggers, friends, and publishers. I promise to write [...]
Happy Autumn ya’ll. Would it be the same without all the earth tone brights and delights? Of course not. This is a picture from my backyard in Autumn of 08.
I’m running a Monarch caterpillar bed and breakfast. I’ve seen so many names for this plant. See what some have said below and I’ve seen the word Fur/Furr spelled both ways. My Furr Balls plant is home to about 10 right now. This milkweed plant has been so interesting to grow. Follow the link to [...]
I almost missed going inside the farmhouse because these funny chickens were pecking around outside. Their movements were fast almost like they were in a constant state of excitement or anxiety. I really don’t know what kind they are. Would love to have one though. The German Farm at the Frontier Culture Museum was full [...]
A 1600′s English home is just as much in style today as it was during colonial times. A Tudor style was adapted from these exposed beams and plaster construction. New home construction incorporates these elements so that new and old will form an appealing neighborhood. It is a much sought after home design and I [...]
By 1850, the Mid-Atlantic states were well connected with roads and transportation being easily accessible. Farmers could trade their goods with states to the north and south. Most farmers grew wheat and tobacco which were in high demand. Crafting was still going on but not so much a necessity any more. Travel and trade allowed [...]
This is Apricot Fizz Lantana by Proven Winners Plants. This spot across my front porch is proving very hard to landscape. It only gets full sun at 2 hours a day and then it’s filtered light. Shade plants fry and sun plants get leggy. But did you know that lantana can take part shade and [...]
North Carolina is home to the Biltmore Estate and Olympic paint has a color palette named after the grand home. Natural Splendor Biltmore Estate has the names ‘Dancing Light’, ‘Mountain Light’, and ‘Autumn Red’ as part of that palette. These colors were inspired by those found in the woods, streams, and foot bridge that grace [...]
Staunton Virginia is perhaps the prettiest town I’ve seen in the last 50 years. I have to apologize to them first for getting their name wrong in earlier post. I was calling it Scraunton for some silly reason. They deserve to be recognized properly. My son lives there and we went to visit him last [...]
The Monticello vegetable gardens are meticulously maintained. I hope you will enjoy the slideshow I’ve put together for you.
Her expression made my heart sing and the delight in her work made me want to be a better listener. She showed me an apron made from the cloth she had woven. Once woven on the loom it was washed, dried, bleached and made in to the apron she was wearing. Just beside the virgin [...]
Thomas Jefferson built a grand manor which he named Monticello which means hillock or little mountain in Italian. It was the mountain of his youth and he had inherited it from his father. There is a larger mountain, Montalto or high mountain,just beyond and above the estate. Jefferson had ornamental and useful plants. We’ll talk [...]
Over the Labor Day holiday, Mr D and I visited Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Virginia. I’m just writing about it now and will present the whole trip over the coming days. The mansion was grand and the vegetable and flower gardens were spectacular. It will take me a week to write and show the photos. [...]
Where is flowergardengirl? Anyone know? You’ll find out Monday. Hint: Go north from my house. Stop after 4 hours and 45 minutes. Big big big gardens on the schedule tomorrow. Many heirloom seeds available. Big house–and the list goes on. Stay tuned.
You start getting older and things go south–right? That’s me above about 10lbs lighter than I am right now. Those are my winter jeans. Oh brother—they don’t fit right now. So I joined Shirley Bovshow at Eden Maker’s Blog for her “Blogger’s Butt” challenge. Visit her site and see where you can sign up. I [...]
I propagated this Rhododendron recently. I snipped off the ends, dipped them in some rooting hormone, and stuck them in the ground. I knew lots of rain was forecasted and the ground is staying damp but not too wet. This may not work at all but with so many to choose from in my neighbor’s [...]
Dear Perennials, I hope you remembered to write a will and leave me everything. I know you aren’t long to this world. I can promise that most of you will be back next year. Look around and say goodbye to the annuals as they don’t have enough genetic information to bloom again another season. They [...]
Are you digging a furrow in your brow? I try to remind myself to take it easy and relax. This is a card from my collection—-No More Worries The message inside—-Furrows are one of the things in our life that we can choose to dig less deeply.
While touring the gift shop at The Winery at Iron Gate Farm which I did a post on HERE, I saw these wine bottles which were glowing and decorated nicely. Of course I thought of ya’ll and how you’d want to see it too. The lighting was perfect to capture the shot in just the [...]
