SnowFlower
Oh, no! Real Snow.
My Hero, Marianne North
My dreams are to be an artist and a plant hunter.
So, it is only fitting that I stumbled across this book in the middle of the night.
When I can’t sleep I do one of two things.
I play the app game, “Name That Bird” or I search through sample books on my Nook.
Who could resist this cover page?
After reading a sample of Marianne’s adventures, I was hooked.
She was an artistic, female version of Charles Darwin, another hero of mine. The two knew each other!
I then ordered the Nook book Abundant Beauty. No hard copies available on-line.
Her earlier book, Recollections of a Happy Life, is free as an e-book.
The paperback book, Marianne North: A Very Intrepid Painter, by Michelle Payne can be purchased.
Marianne traveled around the world in the 1800’s painting exotic plants, flowers, fruits, insects, birds and animals.
She also painted landscapes.
When she returned home, she donated a building in Kew Gardens to house all her paintings.
She wanted to include a snack bar (tea room) but they wouldn’t allow that.
What an adventurous and talented woman, who was way ahead of her time.
FLOWER
Out with the Old, NOW!
My Christmas tree flocked itself!
If you don’t know what “flocking” is, it is a method of spraying fake snow on a tree.
My tree took on a flocked appearance overnight, due to our ramping up the heat.
At first I thought the little white specks were moving. Mealy bugs?
Upon closer inspection, I saw the specks were actually tiny fibers blowing due to the fan.
I snipped of some whitened shoots and popped the pieces under the microscope.
There was a fungus among us.
The tree was unceremoniously stripped of its ornaments in record time.
We hauled it out on the deck with the lights still on.
No need to spread the spores.
Out with the Old.
Happy New Year from the FLOWER and her fungus.
In With The New
I love to share my favorite plants.
Today is the day I pot up the Schlumbergera pieces.
I have taken color requests. I have twisted off pieces with three or more links.
I have let these pieces callus off for several days. Notice the plates are labeled.
Now, I dust some rooting hormone on the lower nodes.
I use craft mesh over the drainage hole for any pots going outside and then inside. It keeps the critters out.
I use cacti/citrus mix potting soil, but any type will do. I prefer 3 inch pots, but could not find many.
Notice the labels for the pots with color and year. All these babies look the same.
I let these stand around in their pots for a day and then give them a watering.
I like to use a weakened mix of Planting/Transplanting solution.
They will be fully rooted and growing nicely when their new parents come in the spring.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
FLOWER
Southern Snowflakes
If we want snow at Christmas in North Carolina, it needs to be fake.
That’s why we decorate with snowflakes down here.
You folks up north get all the real stuff, so we have to make our own.
No need for it to be white.
A friend gave me this lovely Origami Snowflake light this year.
It looks great. It is my favorite color. It doesn’t melt.
It fits right in with the blue one at the front door.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
FLAKY FLOWER
Bunny Mommy
If you think it’s difficult to get a Christmas photo with children in it,
you need to try it with bunnies.
Barley took to the hat without complaint.
He also likes to be held, so this part of the photo-shoot went easily.
Then there was Charlotte.
The first photos had to be redone, because I left the photo card in the computer.
The repeat performance was even more lively than the first.
She bit her hat and then climbed me like a tree.
No blood was shed, so I consider this a success.
These two are such fun.
They are a lot of work, but worth every bit, or should I say bite?
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
FLOWER/Bunny Mommy
Under a Veil
We are under a veil of gray chill.
Softening sounds to murmurs and whispers.
No shine and no shadows.
Just a cold caress as the veil silently brushes past.
Hush and hide ’til it leaves us.
flower
Preventing Dormancy
Winter is here in North Carolina. It’s hard for the plant people.
Outside is all browns and grays and cold.
To keep from going dormant myself, I have indoor gardens in pots.
I keep myself surrounded by green.
I coo and ooh over every new sprout or leaf.
Here are my upstairs gardens.
The downstairs gardens may be shared later, after a major clean-up.
For now, I keep myself alive by turning and tending these potted plants.
They reward me by continuing to grow, while everything outside is dormant.
FLOWER
Flowers and Facts
There’s a new book in town. It’s Garden Flora by Noel Kingsbury.
It is full of beautiful paintings and photographs.
It is also full of information about each flower featured.
Facts include not only the plants’ origins, but also their uses in medicines and cultural information.
The flowers chosen are featured in alphabetical order, so it can be used as reference.
It is an interesting read for folks with some science background.
This is not a “how to ” gardening book.
It’s full of fascinating facts about the plants you all ready have in your garden.
I read this on rainy days. The pictures are amazing.
FLOWER
floweralley 