Nadia Knows Gardens

I KNOW THAT CREATING + GROWING = INSPIRED LIVING!

Apple blossoms in pretty pink March 28, 2010

Filed under: Flowers,Garden Fruits,Photography — nadiaqh @ 10:30 PM
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♥ This weekend I had only a few minutes out in the garden which was a bummer because the weather was beautiful and I was unable to do any planting.

On occasion when time is limited I like to grab my camera and snap away at the emerging new blooms and garden happenings. This Anna Apple Tree with blossoms in faint pink and white made my few minutes in the garden worth while with their dainty beauty and hopes of a great tasting fruit on the way.

Photos create the illusions of time standing still so I can delude myself with the fantasy that I enjoyed it longer than was real. ♥

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Information about the Anna Apple Tree:

Genus: Malus

Species: domestica

Cultivar: Anna

Family: Rosaceae (Rose)

Size: Height: 10-20 ft.

Width: 10-20 ft.

* A deciduous edible fruit and landscape tree. Pink and white flowers with dark pink buds. Blooms in Mid Spring to Late Spring, Full Sun.

Thank you for visiting me in my garden today… www.nadiaknows.com

 

Dollar Store Creates Flower Garden Inspiration March 26, 2010

Filed under: Flowers,Garden Design — nadiaqh @ 6:50 AM
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Several months ago I purchased some flower bulb packages at the 99¢ Store and wondered for several months as they sat under the soil if any of them would bloom. Well it just so happens they did, every single one of them! Scilla Siberica, Anemones, Ranunculus and Narcissus bulbs. Blue, Purple, White, Yellow, Orange and Pink blooms covering a wide range of the color spectrum. Who knew the 99¢ Store could offer so much garden inspiration.

I created plant labels by laminating the packages to remember what and where they were planted. I was completely surprised this month when every bulb bloomed. The yellow “Jetfire Narcissus”  have just a hint of fragrance and look just like daffodils. The Scilla Siberica were dainty miniature little things, I have not ever seen this flower before until it bloomed in my backyard and that was pretty cool. The ranunculus were last to bloom and although they are not fragrant, they are very delicate and showy flower. I plan to get more next year with one exception, I plan to buy larger quantities since they proved to be great flowers at a great price. Nice little bundle of beauty for a dollar.

 

A Garden Road Trip- San Diego, CA March 22, 2010

Filed under: Flowers,Living Healthy,Vegetable/ Herb Garden — nadiaqh @ 7:07 AM
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Chubs the dog that sat on command which made me happy because I got a great photo of him!

There is nothing more quaint than stopping at a roadside garden stand and being greeted by an adorable old dog like this one, his name is Chubs and quite photogenic and friendly. On a day-trip out to Fallbrook, Ca just 30 minutes inland from coastal North San Diego county sits “Diane’s Herb’s, Flowers & Things” where homegrown fresh and dried herbs, bath and beauty herbal products, vegetables and soaps are produced and grown on premises.

I came home with a carload of beets, lettuce, parsley, a bouquet of dried roses, a jar of honey and several bars of lavender soap. Did I mention the surprise at bargain prices for such quality products? Diane’s roadside shop is adorned with hanging herbs and roses drying upside down from the ceiling and  hand painted garden signs everywhere.  The “wildflower honey” seemed to have a different taste and aroma compared to clover honey, or maybe that was just my imagination. I’m already looking forward to my next visit and wondering if I should take my Chihuahuas along for the ride, I think they would like to meet Diane’s dog.

For both garden gurus and day trip enthusiasts alike, this is a wonderful place to visit in the San Diego region.

* Diane’s Herbs * 3642 South Mission Road * Fallbrook, CA * 92028

* (760) 728-1251

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

◊ Creating +Growing = Inspired Living ◊

 

Lavender and Sweet Peas and Patron- A Perfect Blend March 19, 2010

Filed under: Flowers,Living Healthy,Photography — nadiaqh @ 7:07 AM
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Last years pink sweet peas 2009

Last year - 2009 Pink Sweet Peas in a Recycled Patron Bottle

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Last year one of my most popular blogs was about the ease of arranging Sweet Pea flowers in a recycled Patron Tequilla bottle. I’ve received a lot of feedback since that posting from friends and readers that are now hooked on the idea of trying all sorts of different containers and bottles to show off their flowers. Last year’s Heirloom Sweet Peas were purchased from Burpee seeds. This year I am growing Sweet Peas from rareseeds.com in purple heirloom and they are blooming just as well. Sweet Peas in a are still one of my favorite flowers arrangements because of the simplicity, beauty and fragrance. The recycled mini Patron bottle with decorative glass stones at the bottom really add dimension and character to the whole presentation. I wish you could smell these flowers… they are a slice of heaven.

* Renee’s Seeds has a great growing guide for sweet peas. Check it out here in on this link to Sweet Pea growing guide.

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

“gardens inspire me… simplicity is best~”

This year March 2010 - Heirloom Purple Sweet Peas from rareseeds.com. mixed with Lavender flowers.

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day- Go Green! March 17, 2010

Filed under: Garden Design,Living Healthy — nadiaqh @ 6:54 AM
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♣    Happy St. Patrick’s Day    ♣

Good luck in the garden

Shamrocks are considered a good luck symbol; representing faith, hope and love. The age-old saying: “The Luck of the Irish” with its magical mysticism just might rub off in our gardens today with a little St. Patty’s Day symbolism.

The word Shamrock comes from an Irish word meaning little clover and is said to have gotten its symbolic meaning in Ireland in about the fifth century. St. Patrick used the abundantly growing green shamrock to teach Christianity by using a natural method to show the concept of the holy trinity. Each leaf representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The shamrock was a sacred plant in Ireland even before St. Patrick with the Irish Druids because the leaves in a cluster of three formed a triad. Currently the shamrock is still used as a good luck symbol and popular with Irish brides as the clovers are intertwined in bridal bouquets.

Botanically speaking:

“The true Irish Shamrock, as identified by Nathaniel Colgan c. 1893 is a clover. It is not one of any or many clovers, it is one species, collected from a majority of counties at that time and with the exception of a very few plants, the majority were Trifolium repens or a form of this plant – White clover also known as Dutch Clover”. …’From Ireland’ © Jane Lyons, Dublin, Ireland

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

 

Double Delight Rose March 12, 2010

Filed under: Flowers,Photography — nadiaqh @ 8:08 AM
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I’m excited to share this first bloom of my “Double Delight” rose today. In the past my rose gardening was a failure due to mildew from San Diego’s lingering morning fog and excess water on the leaves. Despite my past failure I decided last month to buy three varieties of rose bushes and plant them in containers instead of on the lawn. For the microclimate here in San Diego this is proving to be a far better method for growing roses and is working beautifully. It’s not hard to guess that I am in LOVE with being a rose gardener now. The fragrance is phenomenal, the form exquisite and the color romantic. This is nature at its best.

Here is a little information on the Double Delight:

First Bloom: Double Delight Rose

→ USDA zone 7b-10b

→ Hybrid Tea

→ Registration name: Andeli

→ Height: 3-5′    Width: 2-5′

→ Container Friendly Rose

It’s not too late to buy one of these rose bushes at your local nursery. For an incredible old-fashioned cut flower this one is a winner!

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

Create – Grow – Enjoy

(Thank you Kris for your love of roses and inspiring me to give it another try!)

 

Freesias and Chihuahuas March 9, 2010

Filed under: Chihuahuas and Pets,Flowers,Photography — nadiaqh @ 10:50 PM
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PHOTOS OF THE DAY:

March Blooming Freesia and Chihuahuas in the Garden!

Freesia bulbs are a native to South Africa and are perennial bulb flowers from the Iris family (Iridaceae). They are very easy to grow and have a light sweet fragrance. This is a great cutting flower for flower arrangements.

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

♥ Create – Grow – Inspire ♥


 

TALAVERA MEETS A FIRESTICK March 8, 2010

Filed under: Garden Design,Succulents,euphorbia — nadiaqh @ 8:08 AM
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I planted this dynamic looking Euphorbia tirucalli, common name “Firestick”  in a Talavera ceramic pot matching the orange and green colors of the succulent with the colors painted onto the ceramics. Talavera pottery is made in Mexico exclusively in the State of Puebla with the same techniques used in the 16th century.

Firestick

Euphorbia tirucalli is a native to South Africa and grows well in drained soil with no frost exposure. In San Diego it is the most colorful in winter months with tips of bright orange-red and a green-yellow base. I call this Euphorbia a “show stopper” because it stands out among my other plants with absolute beauty in color and form. A great container plant, but also grows well on hillsides for landscaping with a growth potential of 30 feet tall and 6 feet wide.

Firestick in the landscape

The E. tirucalli is a fast grower, drought tolerant, grows well near the coast and loves full sun. I designed this meditation garden (photo below) with a Firestick which is kept pruned back to maintain the small size. The growth and pruning diversity with this Euphorbia allows for more creativity with landscaping design.

The new growth tips are where the color bursts are most prominent. Other common names for this plant are: Milk bush, Pencil bush, Pencil tree and Firestick.

* My Chihuahuas and Euphorbia tirucalli *

* Note: The Euphorbia plant contains a milky sap that can burn skin and eyes, wear protective gear when trimming or working with this plant.

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

Create- Grow – Get inspired by nature!


 

March into Planting! March 5, 2010

Filed under: Vegetable/ Herb Garden — nadiaqh @ 9:29 AM
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Here is the Southern California planting guide for March.

Southern California in March has just the right amount of rainfall to water our gardens for free, the evenings are warming up and getting ready for those squash and bean seeds and the days are sunny and beautiful. Now go plant!

VEGETABLES:

Planting Seeds

Asparagus – (last month to plant asparagus until October).

BEANS : Bush and Pole beans

Beets – (plant all year)

Broccoli – (last month to plant until September).

Brussel Sprouts  -  Cabbage -

Carrots : Plant these all year-long, every month!

Chives- Collards  - Lettuce: Endive -

Swiss Chard – (all year-long) – Spinach  -

Radish- (another all year long vegetable)

Potatoes  -   Peas – Parsley – Spinach

Squash- Summer and Winter –   Turnips –

Tomatoes – Start indoors this month!

* FLOWERS: Some of my favorite  flowers that I have planted in my garden this month are: Carnation, Nasturtium, Sweet Peas, Sage and lavender.

“The trouble with gardening is that is does not remain an avocation. It becomes an obsession.” — Phyllis McGinley

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

 

Gardening with Gnomes March 3, 2010

Filed under: Garden Design,Vegetable/ Herb Garden — nadiaqh @ 6:40 AM
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Mushroom Garden Gnome

Does your garden grow better with gnomes? Garden gnomes originated in European folklore depicted wearing red hats, tunics and holding garden tools. In the 1800′s German potters made them from clay stoneware and sold them as lawn and garden ornamentation said to bring good luck, humor, wisdom and prosperity to the owner. They are whimsical little creatures that for some add character to a garden, but for others only create an eyesore. Several large garden clubs in the U.K. have banned garden gnomes from elite flower and garden shows stating they decrease the sophistication of garden landscapes.  Other groups such as the “Garden Gnome Liberationists” direct their energies towards “borrowing” gnomes out of gardens and photographing them all over the world at popular travel locations, some say this was the start of the now popular Travelocity Gnome.  

Blogs such as Gnome Frenzy are dedicated to collecting photographs of these traveling gnomes at famous places around the world and posting them on the web. It seems more people are inclined to like the Travelocity gnome with its updated appearance and reference to good times over the more traditional European ceramic gnomes with mythical powers of fortune and luck.

The mushroom gnome photographed above standing in-between my basil and oregano was only “borrowed” for a few weeks for blogging purposes, soon to be returned to its rightful owner.

I think the garden gnome craze is in the same genre as the plastic pink flamingos – love them or leave them!

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Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

♥  Create – Grow – Enjoy   ♥