PIG PLANTER with Euphorbia Splendens
29 Jan 2010 4 Comments
in euphorbia, Flowers, Photography Tags: crown of thorns, drought tolerant container plants, euphorbia splendens, pig planter
- PIG PLANTER
If you are looking for a nice upright flowering and drought tolerant plant to put into a container, this one is a gem! My pig planter pictured here is potted with a “Crown of Thorns” plant, botanical name: Euphorbia splendens. I purchased this pig planter in Old Town San Diego at a pottery shop filled with mexican pottery and ceramics.
The Euphorbia splendens plant is very low maintenance and mine flowers most of the year. The variety of colors range from coral, red, and pink to yellow and white. It’s also a great plant for propagating when it gets too large, just cut off the extended stalk and allow it to dry for a few days, then add rooting hormone to the end of the stalk and plant in cactus mix. This a good potted plant and also a great landscaping plant.
* Origin: Madagascar
* Temperatures: Ideally 62° to 85° degrees Farenheit, but tolerates cooler temperatures in the winter. It hailed three times in San Diego last week and it still looks o.k!
* Water – Once per week and keep dry between watering.
* Negatives – This plant has a milky sap that is a skin and eye irritant. Wear Gloves!
– Follow this link to another wordpress photography blog titled “Decent Exposure” for an amazing photo of this flowering euphorbia.
Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com
Create – Grow – Inspire
Narcissus- Paperwhites & Marbles
26 Jan 2010 5 Comments
in Flowers, Garden Projects, Photography Tags: forcing indoor bulbs, fun flowers for kids, marble vase, Narcissus, Paper White Bulbs
Narcissus In Full Bloom 1/25/2010
Every January I plant Paperwhite Bulbs indoors and by forcing the blooms I have beautiful fragrant flowers to bring in the New Year. I started this about 10 years ago to entice my kids into the pleasures of indoor gardening. We loved to watch the amazing process of an ugly onion looking bulb turn into a color burst of green stalks shooting up into the air and delivering silky white heavenly scented flowers. My children thought the best part of the project was using marbles for the foundational base, it also added beauty to the clear vase as we awaited the flowers to grow.
Narcissus- Macro Lens
It only takes a few weeks for the blooms to emerge and by then the marbles are almost completely covered by roots and the visual focus moves from the marbles to the white trumpeted flowers with a soft yellow center. We all look forward to this little tradition we share each year and even though my kids are teenagers they still show appreciation for blooming bulbs indoors. I have to admit that the flowers this year are so pungent that it did not mix well with the smell of our dinner tonight. I think I will move them into the living room!
Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com
Create – Grow – Be Inspired!
Antique Marble Collection and Narcissus Bulbs
Setting bulbs on marbles to create a foundation for the roots to grow around.
Add some water to the bottom part of the bulbs and they are ready to grow.
Gardening Friendship Card
23 Jan 2010 5 Comments
in Photography, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: funny friendship card, gardening card, olive sandwiches LLC
My very good friend gave me this card as a “thank you” for helping organize and plant her garden. See my video blog titled “The Giving Garden” to see the results. I was able to scan and insert it on my blog today to share it with you in hopes that it will give you a good LOL like it did for me! Some cards are worth saving and this one is a keeper.
Card from Olive Sandwiches, LLC Made in the USA
* Follow this web link to Olive Sandwiches, LLC , the creator of this card and other fun cards, gifts and notepads. These cards are made in the USA… buy local!
Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com
Create – Grow – Laugh!
San Pedro Cactus- Echinopsis Pachanoi
21 Jan 2010 4 Comments
in Cactus, Flowers, Photography Tags: Cactus Bloom, Cactus Garden, Echinopsis Pachanoi, San Pedro Cactus
San Diego had a day full of rain today and as I went out to the garden to get some carrots I noticed that there was a first bloom from my San Pedro Cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi). I watched a documentary on T.V. a few weeks ago about Peruvian religious customs where the San Pedro cactus has been used for 3,000 years as a hallucinogen for religious divination and other healing methods.
San Pedro Cactus Exotic Flower Bloom- January 2010
This flower that bloomed today was about 9 inches in diameter and had a very light and sweet flower scent (only detectable by inserting my nose into the flower!). The San Pedro is a columnar cactus that can reach up to 15 feet tall. It has grown very well in my San Diego cactus garden situated on a hill with great drainage and very little watering. The San Pedro also grows well in containers with a cactus mix type of soil. The flower bloom only lasts a few days and is so beautiful juxtaposed to the thorny cactus it bursted out from.
San Pedro Cactus in a San Diego Cactus Garden- Echinopsis Pachanoi
Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com
Create – Grow – Enjoy
san pedro hiding in the background
Nasturtium Sandwich
19 Jan 2010 7 Comments
in Cooking, Flowers, Living Healthy Tags: eating nasturtium flowers, growing edible flowers, nasturtium sandwich
I read on another WordPress blog about using Nasturtium leaves and flowers to make sandwiches. Since I have so much growing in my garden I thought ”why not?”. I used some whole grain bread, mayo (I am a big fan of mayo and I use a lot!), grey poupon, swiss cheese, local and fresh tomato slices, avocado, my herb seasoned sea salt, nasturtium leaves and flowers. I think it was definitely the prettiest sandwich I have ever made with the bright orange flowers poking out of the sides. Now my Nasturtium plants can feed my bearded dragons and my lunch cravings too.
Nasturtium Sandwich
It turned out tasting pretty good, but not fantastic. Nasturtium leaves are very peppery tasting and it was a good contrast next to the swiss cheese, but there was a very “green/grassy” taste to it. The last few days I’ve used some of the leaves and flowers to brighten up my dinner salads where I think the peppery taste is a better fit. The flowers are a nice colorful addition to a winter-time meal.
Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com
* Create – Grow – Inspire *
Eating Nasturtium
Pretty Flower Sandwich
Nantes Carrot and Chula
16 Jan 2010 7 Comments
in Living Healthy, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: carrot planting strips, chihuahua nantes carrots, nantes carrots
Good morning! I read in the paper today that a storm is brewing to be here on Monday so I got out in my garden this morning to enjoy a little sunshine. This is my first carrot of the season, a Nantes Coreless that I planted from a “pre-seeded strip” about 70 days ago. It tasted sweeeet and my chihuahuas and bearded dragons enjoyed the green carrot tops too. Every seed on that planting strip germinated which verifies the seed packet printing that these Nantes are “guaranteed to grow”.
Chula and a Nantes Carrot
The first bloom from planted flower seeds and pulling out that first ripened veggie of the season is what makes gardening magic.
Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com
Create – Grow – Inspire
RECYCLE, REDUCE, REUSE POLL
15 Jan 2010 3 Comments
in Garden Projects, Living Healthy Tags: recycle poll, recycling ideas, Reduse and Reuse
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Here is a POLL about Recycling.
FOLLOW THIS LINK TO “REAL SIMPLE” ONLINE RECYCLING IDEA/GUIDE AND CHECK OUT SOME OF THE BEST AND EXTENSIVE WAYS TO REUSE AND RECYCLE. THIS GUIDE LISTS PAGE AFTER PAGE OF CREATIVE IDEAS SUCH AS: NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL TAKE YOUR USED HOLIDAY CARDS, TRADING IN SPORTING EQUIPTMENT FOR CASH TO PLACES LIKE “PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS” AND HUNDREDS OF MORE IDEAS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO GET CREATIVE IN OUR RECYCLING EFFORTS IN THE GARDEN, IN THE KITCHEN, WITH OUR BELONGINGS AND WITH OUR REUSE OF PACKAGING. GO GREEN!
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Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com
create + grow= inspire 
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The Best Garden Salad Dressing EVER!
13 Jan 2010 3 Comments
in Cooking, Living Healthy, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: best garden salad dressing, Garden Balsamic Salad Dressing, oliver's infused olive oils
My favorite salad dressing was passed on to me by a friend who I will forever be grateful to! It’s also great as a marinade for salmon, veggies and steak. It is in my opinion PERFECT! I use fresh garlic from my garden and the best quality balsamic and olive oil possible. High quality ingredients in salad dressings makes all the difference in taste.
Balsamic Salad Dressing
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R E C I P E:
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (I use flavored balsamic)
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Clove Garlic- crushed
Crushed Ground Pepper as desired.
Mix all together at the same time by shaking in a closed salad bottle.
* adding fresh or dried herbs to the dressing works well too depending on the flavor desired.
* I use Oliver’s Infused Olive Oils and specialty Balsamic Vinegars from San Clemente, CA. Available online. Check out their Website at : http://oliversevoo.com/
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Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com Create – Grow – Eat Well!
Mulch, Mulch, Mulch…
11 Jan 2010 2 Comments
in Garden Projects, Vegetable/ Herb Garden, Video Blogs Tags: coconut husk mulch, garden bed mulch, mulch, organic garden mulch, planter mulch, Video Blog
Thanks for visiting my gardening blog: www.nadiaknows.com - grow, create and inspire!
New Nasturtium Blooms
09 Jan 2010 3 Comments
in Flowers, Garden Design, Photography Tags: Nadia's Nasturtium, new nasturtium blooms, orange nasturtium, Renee's Garden Seeds
Remember I planted Nasturtium “here and there” in my garden in December? Here is a photo I took this morning of the “Spitfire” Nasturtium from Renee’s Garden Seeds blooming away on this sunny Saturday morning in January. I love the color orange when it’s in a natural setting surrounded by green foliage. Have a great weekend!
Orange Nasturtium "Spitfire"
