easy breezy airplants

la femme paresseuse du jardin

  

In this first shot you can see my amazing success with the Spanish variety of moss...heehee.

I  used driftwood as a base for some small bromiliads 

Lazy women and men love airplants.....especially with blackspot on roses and waterlogged orchids!

 

I  just made this Tailansia tree and I hope it will fill out!

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thanks to rain...June is busting out all over

Hydrangea macrophylla "Taube" lace-cap

If you are into razors ,you'll love these....Billbergia 'Breauteana'

Blood lily

The big picture

These new cultivars are as large as a luncheon plate

These orchids are the first ones I've ever had that had an amazing perfume.Now, to keep her alive!
Her name is  Brassavola

 

Wisteria Woman

by Lisa Shields Violet lavender drug slipping beneath my skin, shucking off the stale air of too long shut in, too long shut away whispering to me to breathe deep and be. The clothes fall away till I stand like mother Eve two bites before the apple. Lips blush to rose, and the tongue tastes of sweet tart pomegranate, while a wisp of wind carries hair to frame my face. All I have been is pollen dusted, oh the wisteria sweet kissing deep, till I feel the promise of fertile, drooping fat on a vine petals that promise nothing, but hint at all. A month from honeysuckle still to come, but I can taste the nights, raise my eyes to the mantle of sky, suddenly clad in the skin of every moonlit woman, and beckoning with my being for you to dance beneath the far flung sky in the arms of a Wisteria Woman

Inspiration.!! Kuekenhof Gardens, ,Netherlands-May,2012

Inspiration

I look to you to be my guide
My heart can feel you by my side
Deep in my soul, I'm convinced 
You’ve Been My Inspiration
You’ve Been My Inspiration.

Can you realize all you are
Something more than just a star
Through ups and downs 
From Where we came
Confidence kicked in….,
And who’s to blame….? ?  

No doubt it’s you….,
You, you, you…., 
Was blessed by you....,
You've Been My Inspiration
You've Been My Inspiration             Trade Martin



                          

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Keukenhof is one of the worlds greatest gardens! It is absolutely the best bulb garden in the world and it's only open for about 6 weeks. 7,000,000  flower bulbs are planted annually in the park, which covers an area of 32 hectares  Keukenhof is situated on 15th century hunting grounds. It was also a source of herbs for Countess of Hainault castle, which is the source of the name Keukenhof  Rich merchants took over the grounds after the Countess's death. In the 19th century,  landscape architect Jan David Zocher and his son were asked to design the grounds around the castle.The garden was established in 1949 by the then-mayor of Lisse. The idea was to present a flower exhibit where growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe could show off their hybrids – and help the Dutch export industry (the Netherlands is the world's largest exporter of flowers). Keukenhof has been the world's largest flower garden for over fifty years.Every year they present a theme.This years theme was Chopin.....a wooden bust,flower beds shaped like the artist ,displays with black huge hanging notes and red flowers. In the middle of the garden is a free form lake. Interspersed in the gardens are the buildings.There is an orchid house, a tulip house and a buildings for flower arrangements. The orchid display is one of the best in the world.There is a wonderful playground, a petting zoo,cafes and even a working windmill and views to the flower fields .There is a calliope and sculptures. The gardens are attended by dozens of people working all day deadheading the plants to utter perfection for your visit. It was an amazing experience and I wanted a good friend to experience it with me...You should at allow a full day! Bring an umbrella and loads of storage on your memory card.

                             Orange Kaisers Crown                                             

  

  

 

I found a U-pick field by in Lisse not far from the entrance and I picked these myself and they cost 4 Euros

 I purchased this bulb at the gardens for 7 euro                  

a spring shower brings May flowers ...thank God!

My bleeding heart will tell on me...Dicentra spectabilis

 Sometimes it comes to a point when you say enough is enough....when things no longer serve you...no matter how alive, beautiful or the potential. I had some miniature camellias that I refused to give up on...Although they grew large.and even  when I sprayed them, they hardly ever bloomed and were constantly covered in white fly. Like a cancer it spread. Until One day I lost it and took the SUV and yanked them out. I know, it's cruel plant murder,but now  knockouts are in their place and will get their chance. I have been known to take pity on plants and people and have salvaged many a plant from certain death. Plants like people require a good match....and when you find the ones that fit in your landscape, it can be a glorious thing.

 

Oncidium

      

There must be light and shadow in the garden....night and day......evil and good..drought and flood..When we culturize  we lose  Eden. The garden is a metaphor of Life. We must balance the Yin and the Yang. Unless you love and accept someones shadow too,you really don't love  the whole person. The garden of life is everchanging and if you put in sweat equity and love, karma will bring you joy to balance the sadness.

a love nest

I came across this nest in my yard down by the swamp...it reminded me that a friend once said ..."don't put all your eggs  in one nest" 

 

This  poem came to me by a thread ...It touched me and I wonder about the author who is from Ethiopia...

  

 A Bird's Nest

My life is like an empty nest,

Of a bird who lost her nest.

Sometimes, I get the right road to the right life,

But mostly I get the wrong road of life.

My life is like a chick,

Who gets fed by her mom,

People teach me nothing that will help me in life.

My life is like a bird's nest,

That holds a lot of chicks,

There are lots of people in my heart,

But I don't know who my friend is.

My life is full of hurt,

Like a bird that gets chased by a snack.

So, birds, please don't come to the nest,

If you only need me for you advantage.

I am a lonely nest with no bird in it.

Rediet Teshome

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Another Carolina Wren but this mother has 5 eggs!!

my favorite time is Iris time..... March or April!

Special people get my bouquets!

Purple Irises with hues of gold and fragility

The purple Irises glistened

in the morning stillness

with three tongues that lick

as if to catch a dew drop

upon each tip

Golden bearded and strong

these living gems

calling for those lucky enough

to scent and see them.

Rhizomes barely catch the earth,

with roots that serve as a place of rebirth

Dividing as they go year after year, they double in show

Oh, this beauty with for my eyes to see

I cannot keep them for only me

with friends true I shall share.

and next year bring to them

this joy I find in

a purple world with hues of gold and fragile love.---Chris Lane

Florida irises thrive in the swampy  area with  less than one foot of water.They survive well in drought as well in the spring . .They require no care save weeding out the competition once a year. Summer rains will fill up the swamp. The frogs will reproduce again and he sounds at night will be deafening..The frogs eat the bugs and minnows and  in turn are eaten by raccoons.. the cycle of life....We built the boardwalk to walk above and admire these stunning blooms.   Here I  contemplate the stars, feel the glow of the sun and breeze and smell the fruit blooms ....I'ts.my private sanctuary.

the garden is alive with the sounds of animals

 

 

We like to make our garden animal friendly. We have raised orphaned squirrels and racoons.  We also have  foxes, rabbits, snakes, lizards, varieties of insects, and even armadillo which are not native to Florida.  We have many Carolina Wrens and Cardinals and birds of prey (like barn owls). We try to minimize pesticide use. We have a swamp part of the year and do not spray for mosquitoes.  We prefer to use minnows for natural control .We believe in the cycle of life. We have even had a small alligator visit our swamp . Our neighbors  try to restrict even squirrels,unfortunately.

Carolina Wrens

Our first fledgling bird of prey (raised and taught in our yard) named "Special"

Im hiding in the blue ginger

Our orphans named Fred and Ethel and a another from a nieghbor named Rocky