Really?

 

Source

 

Need I say more?  Happy April Fools Day!

Guerilla Gardening: Are you in?

May 1, 2013

is

 International Sunflower Guerilla Gardening Day.

To join up, just visit the Facebook page.

Source

Throughout the world, on this day Guerilla Gardeners will step forth in their communities and plant Sunflower seeds “in the hope that they will bring beauty and health to our neighborhoods.”  What is this day all about you ask? It’s a day to actively take back our urban and neighborhood streets and beautify them with living plants and flowers. It is about becoming a garden activist and taking action against the urban blight surrounding us.



The Guerilla Gardening movement’s mission is to make our public spaces greener and more beautiful.   Started by Richard Reynolds in London in 2004, it quickly spread throughout England, Europe and the World.  Now, it has grown into an international horticultural movement to beautify and green up our public spaces.



Guerilla gardening is the term used to describe the unauthorized cultivation of plants or crops on vacant public or private land.  It can take place privately or publicly in an effort to engage the community into improving its streets.
Some Guerilla gardeners make seed bombs.



And spread them throughout their urban streetscapes, wherever beautification or greenery is needed … or not.



Won’t you join the movement?  This is something we can all benefit from!  Just stop by Here, sign up and create an event in your own community!  Then go out and identify an empty patch of dirt, traffic island or planter in your community.  Cultivate it, plant it and nurture it for the benefit of all!

To purchase wildflower seeds for your area, click on the pic.

       

It is time to reclaim our sterile streetscape!

Happy Valentine’s Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope yours was all you hoped for!

Laissez les bons temps rouler! The Colors of Mardi Gras

 

It’s Mardi Gras!  Carnival season!  And Fat Tuesday is just around the corner.  Ever wonder where those fabulous colors of Mardi Gras came from? 

 

 

In 1872, the three colors of Mardi Gras were chosen by Rex, the King of Mardi Gras in honor of the visiting Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovich Romanoff, who suggested the colors.  And where do you suppose he found these color combinations?

 

 

Purple Represents Justice.

 

 

Green Represents Faith.

 

Gold Represents Power.

 

 

The colors are found throughout nature. 

 

Johnny Jump Ups Viola tricolor

German Iris Iris germanica

 

Crocus Crocus sativus

 

On the Color Wheel, purple and yellow are opposite colors making them the perfect complimentary color combination providing the best contrast.  This effect makes them jump out at you.  While yellow is a primary color, purple and green are both secondary colors (a blend of two primary colors). 

 

 

For more information on New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, go HERE.  For more information on color in the garden, go HERE.  And to all of you who embrace the season, Laissez les bons temps rouler!

It’s Earth Day!

I’m hoping everyone will join in and do something to create positive change for our planet.  This year’s Earth Day theme is  “Earth Day 2011:  A Billion Acts of Green.”  To get involved with Earth Day events go Here.  Take action!  You also might consider visiting Oceana, the largest international organization whose focus is Ocean conservation.

Please take a moment this Earth Day to think about what small measure you can do to help our planet!

Happy Earth Day and Happy Easter!

Black Friday gift ideas

Tis the season to get busy shopping!  For those of us who prefer to let our fingers do the walking, here are a few gift ideas from the internet.

 

Fabulous semi-custom stationary from fabulousstationary.com   Set of 20 notes and envelops. $45.00

 

Succulent Wreath from VivaTerra.  13” diameter hand-assembled wreath made out of living plants! $79.00

 

Tin can Angels with bottle cap faces are hand made in Guatemala!  Made from old aluminum cans from VivaTerra.  Set of 4: $17.00

 

 

Colorful handmade beads from Bead for Life, an organization whose mission is to eradicate poverty in Uganda.  You can purchase these colorful bracelets or necklaces (made from paper) that range in price from $5 to $20.

 

“Love our Oceans” Gift set from glassybaby.  These glass candle holders are made from a multi-layered glass blowing process.  100 per cent of the sales price of this set goes to assist Conservation International, an organization whose mission is to “responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity, for the well-being of humanity” including our beautiful oceans.  Set of 3:  $120

 

This recycled sailcloth collection of bags, shower curtains and dog beds is a must have for all those who are nautical-minded!  The bags are durable and affordable and come in a wide range of sizes!  Available from Ella Vickers.

 

Amaryllis Flower Kit.  Make beautiful flowers out of paper!  Visit Paper Source to find this kit and many others!  $14.95

 

At last, tools designed for fun!  Get these hammers and screwdrivers in mulit- or nauticual-stripes from Delight.com for $24.50.

 

Finally, here are some wonderful gifts available on Etsy …

 

This “Blooming Neck Gardens” scarf features hand-crocheted flowers on a crocheted chain.  It is handmade with love by Scarf it up at Etsy.  You can own it for just $48.00!

 

Delicate and dainty, this Family Tree Initial necklace features your initials and creates a personal statement for the wearer to keep close to her heart.  From Soul Peaces on Etsy.  $47.00

These chalkboard plant stakes will assist you with labeling your garden this summer!  The best thing about them is that they don’t cause glare from the sun AND they are reusable!  Get this set of 5 plant stakes from  bradensgracewallart on Etsy for just $12.

This beautiful line of clothing pins can dress up any outfit!  Get them from Bien Aimee at Etsy for under $30.

Happy Black Friday everyone!  Feel free to post about any other great gift items you might find when you are out and about on the internet!

The Irish Shamrock

 

Photo by Jon Fravel

Oxalis regnellii, otherwise known as the Shamrock, was a sacred plant to the Druids of Ireland as its leaves formed a triad, and three was a mystical number in the Celtic religion.  St. Patrick used the shamrock in the 5th century to illustrate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as he introduced Christianity to Ireland. 

Over time, the shamrock has become the most recognized symbol of Ireland.  Once worn on the lapel, it is what is referenced by the slogan “wearin’ of the green.”

To all my friends in Blogland, Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

‘May the roof above us never fall in.

And may the friends gathered below it never fall out.’

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly

At this time of year, evergreen holly with it’s prickly leaves and bright red berries is front and center!

Romans gifted Christmas holly to their friends during Saturnalia as a sign of good luck charms and safety against evil.

How did it come to be associated with Christmas you ask?  Well, long, long ago Christians believed that Holly helped in driving away the evil spirits as it was endowed with magical powers. During Christmas time, the Holly was  hung on doors and windows to prevent the entry of witches and evil spirits. 

We continue to this day, to hang evergreen wreaths on our doors and windows at Christmastime.

 Southern Living

Holly also became associated with the Christmas festival.  Christmas festival was a time to celebrate and enjoy. The entire month of December was utilized to prepare for the Christmas festival.

Because of its evergreen foliage, it was believed that the Christmas holly plant was sanctified.  According to Christians, one winter night, the holly amazingly grew leaves in off-season to hide the Holy Family from Herod's armed forces. Since then, it has been an evergreen Christmas plant indicative of Christ's gratefulness. Christmas Holly is also said to be the tree of Christ's cross.

Germans believed that its twigs were woven into an agonizing crown and placed on Christ's skull and its berries were white until Christ's blood left them with a permanent red color.

Holly came to symbolize the crown of thorns Jesus was forced to wear on his head.  While the leaves of the  plant represented the crown of thorns, the red berries symbolized  the blood that he shed in this world.

 Martha Stewart Living

 

 Photo by Laurey W. Glenn, Article by Madeline Crawford, Southern Living

Holiday wreaths have long been made by twisting or bending evergreen branches into a circular shape.   In Christianity, the holiday wreath represents the circle, a symbol of eternity. When made of evergreen leaves and branches, the wreaths symbolize everlasting life with the green color symbolizing hope and new life. During the 15th century,  the wreath began to be used as a hanging decoration.

 Photo by Laurey W. Glenn, Article by Madeline Crawford, Southern Living

Evergreen plants, such as holly, ivy, pine, and even magnolia, have long been used to create holiday wreaths.  

Traditional Christmas wreaths are a symbol of faith.  There circular form symbolizes God's eternity and mercy during the Christmas season. When decorated with evergreen leaves and branches they also represent everlasting life and God's everlasting love.

 

Martha Stewart Living

Merry Christmas everyone! 

The Easter Lily

Lilium longiflorum, better known as the Easter Lily gained its popularity at Easter from American protestants in the early 1800s.  Native  to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan, the beautiful trumpet-shaped and fragrant white flowers symbolize purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life - the spiritual essence of Easter.

In the 1880s, while in Bermuda, Ms. Thomas P Sargent became familiar with a beautiful lily that blooms naturally in springtime. She fell for this lovely white 'Bermuda' lily and brought its bulbs with her back to her Philadelphia  home. There, a nursery man, William Harris, fostered its popularity among other florists.  At this time, most bulbs were imported from Bermuda.

Around the turn of the century, the Japanese took over the main production of the Easter Lily bulb market and its exportation to the US.  They remained the major world wide supplier of the bulbs until the start of World War II.  When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, the supply of Easter Lilys was cut off. 

In America, the plants became known as “white gold” and many farms along the west coast began to grow them.  However, it was very hard to produce consistent quality of bulbs year after year as the plants required specific soil and climatic.  Eventually, just ten farms in the northern California/southern Oregon region became the sole producers of Easter Lilys for the entire country.

“The commercial bulbs are shipped to greenhouse growers throughout the United States and Canada who force the plants under controlled conditions to flower in time for Easter. This is a very tricky process since Easter falls on a different day each year, dependent upon celestial bodies. The first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the vernal equinox, Easter can be any day between March 22 and April 25. Crop scheduling and timing is critical - another reason why the bulbs have to be of such a consistent high quality with reliable vigor and performance. The flowers must bloom exactly when they're supposed to, with no margin for error.

“Still today, the Easter Lily remains the traditional, time-honored flower of Easter. Symbolic of a resurrection, Easter Lilies rise from earthy graves as scaly bulbs, and bloom into majestic flowers that embody the beauty, grace and tranquillity of the special region from which they originate.

I think the best thing about Easter Lilys is that once the plants have bloomed, they may be transplanted to your garden where they will continue to bloom each year!  Here in North Carolina where I live, they thrive! 

To plant your Easter Lilies outside, prepare a well-drained garden bed in a sunny location with rich, organic matter. Use a well-drained planting mix, or a mix of one part soil, one part peat moss and one part perlite. Good drainage is the key for success with lilies. To ensure adequate drainage, raise the garden bed by adding good soil to the top of the bed, thus obtaining a deeper topsoil and a rise to the planting area.

Plant the Easter Lily bulbs 3 inches below grade and mound up an additional 3 inches of topsoil over the bulb. Plant bulbs at least 12 to 18 inches apart. Spread the roots out and backfill the hole.  Tamp the soil lightly to ensure that no air pockets are left.  Water in immediately and thoroughly after planting.   As the original plants die back, cut the stems back to the soil surface. New growth will soon emerge.  Finally, it is important to remember that lilys like cool or shady feet and sunny tops.  Therefore, add a layer of mulch around the base of your plants.

Although commercial Easter Lilys are forced to bloom in March, they typically will bloom in early summer when planted out of doors. 

To learn more about the history and tradition of the Easter Lily, and how to grow them, go Here.   Happy Easter!

Earth Hour: Tonight’s the Night!

At 8:30 pm local time on Saturday, March 28, 2009 Earth Hour will commence. People all over the world will band together in unity by turning off their lights for one hour. The purpose is to “make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions.”

Spread the word! Email your friends, family and associates and ask them to participate in this world-wide event. Ask your federal, state and local officials to do the same.

Lets stand together for one hour. Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm. Turn out. Take action.

My friend Ross in South Africa will participate. So will Christine in Kentucky. I will turn out my lights tonight at 8:30 pm. How about you? Will you join us?

To learn more about this important event, visit the Earth Hour website. To join the movement of global solidarity against global warming, go Here. Be the voice for our planet!

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose

When we think of Valentine’s Day, the image of the red rose comes to mind.

Photo by donelligiacomo

Did you know?

• The rose is the favorite flower of 85% of Americans.
• In 1986, then President Ronald Reagan signed legislation making the rose the official National Flower of the United States.
• George Washington bred roses at his home.
• A fossilized rose, which was 35 million years old, was found in Florissant, Colorado.
• Over 900 acres of greenhouse roses are harvested in the United States every year. 60% of these are grown in California.
• Florists sell millions of roses each year in the United States. The two biggest days for sales are Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Christmas is the third highest day for rose sales.
• Columbus’ crew picked a rose branch out of the ocean on October 11, 1492. This signaled the presence of land. The very next day, Columbus discovered America.
• Rose hips contain more Vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable.
• Ancient Romans believed that white roses grew where the tears of Venus fell when she was mourning Adonis.
• Shakespeare referred to roses over fifty times in his works.
• Mythology says that roses grew thorns when Cupid accidentally shot an arrow into a rose garden.
• The oldest rose in the world has flourished for over 1,000 years on the wall of Hildeshiem Cathedral in Germany. *

*From: All you need to know about growing beautiful roses in your garden

Most people, when asked to name a flower, will name a rose first. Ever wonder what the color of a rose means? This information from ProFlowers Florapedia will tell you.

Red

Red roses are the traditional symbol for love and romance, and a time-honored way to say "I love you." The red rose has long symbolized beauty and perfection. A bouquet of red roses is the perfect way to express your deep feelings for someone special.
Read More – Meaning of Red Roses

Pink

As a symbol of grace and elegance, the pink rose is often given as an expression of admiration. Pink roses can also convey appreciation as well as joyfulness. Pink rose bouquets often impart a gentler meaning than their red counterparts.
Read More – Meaning of Pink Roses

Yellow

The bright, sunny color of yellow roses evokes a feeling of warmth and happiness. The warm feelings associated with the yellow rose are often akin to those shared with a true friend. As such, the yellow rose is an ideal symbol for joy and friendship.
Read More – Meaning of Yellow Roses

White

White roses represent innocence and purity and are traditionally associated with marriages and new beginnings. The white rose is also a symbol of honor and reverence, and white rose arrangements are often used as an expression of remembrance.
Read More – Meaning of White Roses

Orange

With their blazing energy, orange roses are the embodiment of desire and enthusiasm. Orange roses often symbolize passion and excitement and are an expression of fervent romance. A bouquet of orange roses will send a meaningful message.
Read More – Meaning of Orange Roses

Lavender

The unique beauty of the lavender rose has captured many hearts and imaginations. With their fantastical appearance, lavender roses are a perfect symbol of enchantment. The lavender rose is also traditionally used to express feelings of love at first sight.
Read More – Meaning of Lavender Roses

Happy Valentine’s Day!