Posted on by Camellia's Cottage · 21 Comments

Hydrangeas!

I have an ongoing conversation with my garden. Nature speaks to me in a strange language- I see dressmaker details in flowers- I see faces in wisened old trees, I see fabrics- sheer, satin, velvet or nubby. When a stem or branch bends or twists, I see embroidery or applique.  I see elves and nymphs hiding beneath tree roots; butterflies and hummingbirds are flowers in flight-busy bees remind me of happy cooks and homemakers. Let me say it this way…I try to use words to describe things when there are no photographs; for instance-if you couldn’t see these beautiful hydrangeas– how would I describe them to you?

  • Blue Eyelet Bloomers?
  •                  Blue Flowered Bubbles?
  •                               Big Blue Pom Poms on a Green Chenille Bedspread?
  •                   Blue Clouds over an Ocean of Green?
  •  Blue Lace Lollipops on Pale Green Sticks?    or Pink Cotton Candy? or-
  •                         Orbs overlaid with blue crochet?

Hydrangeas bring on summer with the pomp and circumstance of a parade- and stay around until autumn like pale parchments as if they hate to see the season go…

They are not fickle- though they do tend to surprise me…changing in spring from pale green to blue then brighter blue or decide that they might like to wear lilac instead…

Before new hybrids- old timers would say to ‘sweeten’ them up- with lime…to get pink blooms. Just look at this pink hybrid! Reliable bright cotton candy pink blooms shamelessly flamboyant in a friend’s garden!image

And in the last few years, I’ve become enamored of these sweet lace cap hydrangeas!

A bevy of beauty whether in a bouquet or peeping through a fence- I have to admit I love hydrangeas!

I’m greedy, I always want more! So, as much as I enjoy describing hydrangeas with words-I have to share more- hoping you love them too!

Cultivating Hydrangeas is easy – great companion plants in a slightly damp, shady or dappled shade environments, under-planted with spring bulbs, hostas and Ferns…Try it!

Thanks for stopping by Camellia’s Cottage…remember if you sign up we will never ask-

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We like you just the way you are! Stop by anytime day or night.  We’ll leave the light on!

Love y’all, Camellia

Thank you to a fellow lover of hydrangeas and friend -Alyson, for the beautiful photos of your pink hydrangeas and the bouquet! Think you want to grow hydrangeas? Here are few resources from Amazon.com-

Hydrangeas!                 Hydrangeas

Posted on by Camellia's Cottage · 4 Comments

Lessons from My Garden…

Quote of the Day

Whenever I read a quote about growth, I make a connection to gardening. The greatest lessons I have learned have come to me when I am gardening- doin’ yard work. A good garden is always changing, growing – a living thing.. Gardening is like dealing with the Devil and touching the Hem of God’s Garment.

When my garden and I started out, I had dreams for it; some have come true.

  • I wanted roses spilling over a white picket fence, I wanted my grandmother’s Spiderwort and her Hosta to thrive.
  • I wanted heirloom peonies to pass along to the next generation.
  • I wanted a couple of magnolia trees and a gardenia that knocked my socks off with it’s white blooms and heavy scent.
  • I wanted big blue Mop Head Hydrangeas by the dozens.
  • I wanted to look out of every window and see something growing.
  • I wanted an old gardener’s bulbs and irises to spring up every year and greet me.

I’ve gotten all of that and more. I still have to fight weeds- I still have to prune and vigorously cut back new growth. My best laid plans have been interrupted; I’ve even loved and lost-

My herb garden had to be torn up because of a structural issue. I mourned the loss, I resisted the change. Nature doesn’t seem to resist change– but eases gently, gracefully through the seasons. Plants do not seem to be alarmed or depressed when they are pruned- they just up and put on new growth. There is a quiet wisdom impressed upon me when I garden, nature is a patient teacher. She calmly points out the splendor of the sunshine, the peaceful necessity of a gentle rain and the blinking lights of  fireflies-then, quietly points her finger toward the stars without worry or anxiety about tomorrow..Gardening points me to my higher self-it brings out the dreamer in me. I love this quote by Harriet Tubman:

‘Every dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.’

Gardening helps me believe that within the personality of God, there is an unruffled calm, a perennial pace to life, an order and higher purpose in my life. My doubts and anxieties about aging are overcome when I see a sunset. A Sunset is proof that Nature really does save the best for last. Before the curtains close -She waltzes out, shows off her most glorious colors- spreads her skirts and takes a graceful bow- then tosses out a handful of stars!

‘Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own; and from the morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress.’ Charles Dickens

It’s such a treat for me to share some lessons from my garden. I hope your gardens and your lives are abundant and changing ever so gently. I hope there are still stars in your eyes and dreams in your hearts.

Love y’all, Camellia

*image from http://www.quotesgram.com

quotes from ‘The Dictionary of Thoughts’ published in 1959 by Standard Book Company

Find more gardening inspiration on Amazon.com

Posted on by Camellia's Cottage

Roses…

 

The roses are unbelievable this spring!  I never thought I would be able to successfully grow roses. I tried- I knew folks who could- they worked at it, they studied it, they tended to them. All of that changed when Knockout Roses arrived in my garden! My prize heirloom ‘New Dawn’ running roses were the only ones before- one magnificent flush was worth it all. Now? I’m surprised every year that I have roses! I had to show them off and a few from Walter’s veterinarian’s too; with a rosebud by an azalea, an iris and a sunbeam or two, enjoy these stunning rose photos. Then I hope you will take time to read portions of a favorite prayer written by George Matheson…    imageThey need to be pruned down, but I don’t have the heart to discourage them yet…

 

How blessed we are to enjoy so much beauty; delicacy among thorns. Everyone knows how sweet rosebuds are, and no one doubts the loveliness of dewy young blooms- but we ladies of a certain age, must not forget -a rose is at its peak of beauty when in full bloom.

Many years ago, a young Scottish minister learned he would soon go blind. His fiancé told him that she could not bear to marry a blind man; she broke their engagement and his heart. Many believe that this talented minister and writer of hymns considered his blindness and his broken heart to be the proverbial ‘thorn in his side’. As he grew older and more learned in Scripture, Matheson began to see the truth of Apostle Paul’s admonition ‘ in everything give thanks ‘; and the old Christian also wrote this- ‘I am thankful for my thorn, for when I am weak, His Power shows up best’. George Mattheson must have agreed as he wrote this beautiful prayer in the late 1800s…

‘My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn. I have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses, but not once for my thorn…Thou, Divine Love…teach me the glory of my cross, teach me the value of my thorn. Show me that I have climbed to Thee by the path of pain. ..show me that my tears have made my rainbow…’

*emphasis mine- portions from http://www.SermonIndex.net  Classic Christian Writing

I suppose if we live long enough – things happen-things we wish would change; a hurtful thing -which becomes a ‘thorn’ in our sides.  Apostle Paul and George Matheson learned the secret of contentment- they learned the lesson of the Thorn. This Sunday, let us thank God for our thorns as we thank Him a thousand times for our roses.

Have a blessed Sunday, love y’all, Camellia

 

Posted on by Camellia's Cottage

When the blackberries bloom…

imageThe pollen has been terrible for weeks now, I’m not complaining loudly because the foliage and flowers are beautiful this spring! But…we have been trying for months to get some ‘curb appeal’ done, including exterior painting. I hate to say this, but we have a grumpy painter. He’s always grumpy because he’s a perfectionist, and particularly grumpy when he is trying to paint outside. A few weeks ago, he threw up his hands, slapped his paintbrush down and said ‘I’ll be back when the blackberries start blooming !’ What? Yes, he assured me that old timers say- when the blackberries start blooming the pollen stops. I looked skeptical, so he challenged me- ‘If you don’t believe me, just joggle it’… again- What? ‘You know, on that computer of yours, look it up, joggle it’…oh right. Googled it. Never found it. Old wives’ tale I guess. We had some rain, a cold snap, then Blackberry Winter happened. I went outside and to my surprise, I found this blackberry blossom on Sunday.  Monday the grumpy painter called and said he was coming to paint. He wasn’t as grumpy, and he never stays grouchy very long because I cook lunch for him! Anyway, I am going to give you a sneak peak at the finish he’s been putting on our front door. I wanted a high gloss finish, the first round of painting wasn’t glossy enough.  I ‘joggled it’ and found a clear polyurethane paint to add as a final coat. The painter says we still have one more coat to go, but very soon we will show you the finished front door. imageThe paint is dry, and after that one last coat- the gloss will look clean and shiny. I think we’re going to love it. Another upgrade that was badly needed- painting the urns which stand on either side of the door. Again I ‘joggled it’… I was going to paint them and I knew exactly what I wanted to use-blackboard paint. That’s right, there is no risk using blackboard paint- it will cover everything, including exterior urns, planters and even statuary- regardless of the material- metal, wrought iron, concrete or synthetic like these urns. Blackboard paint has a matte finish that looks wonderful and the best thing is- it is so durable even in exterior applications. Well, let me show you what condition the urns were in before, and now that they’re painted.

You’ll have to wait until we get them planted up to get the full effect. This is just a sneak peak. Now, I can’t let you go without showing you what we used…imageGo ‘joggle’ it for yourself, um I mean ‘google it’ -Rustoleum Chalkboard paint. We love black- but you will be surprised at the array of colors that chalkboards can be this day and time. Meanwhile, I wish those blackberries would hurry up! Makes me hungry for a blackberry cobbler!

Love y’all, Camellia

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A time to plant…

imageGarden centers are blooming up a storm with bedding plants, herbs and vegetables…Now is the time to start planting, but not before you take a little time to think about what needs to go where, I am a big believer in getting the planting spaces ready whether in established beds or breaking new ground. Garden chores are never done, so decide what you want to focus on first. For me, it has to be the front yard; it’s where I usually park, it’s what I see when I go get the mail, it’s what I see when I come home. This year, we have had to install a new front door (more in another post on that!) and we also had to repair the screened porch in the back, not finished yet! Most  of the work is now going on out back, So you know it would have to be the front yard again this year. Here is my checklist for getting started.

  • Prune the dead branches and shrubs, this includes shrub roses and overgrown or overcrowded perennial plants.
  • Weed the established beds.
  • Find the blank spots. Buy pine straw for these areas, to hold down the weeds and hold moisture once the plants are in place.
  • Make note of what is growing well and where; what the current major color scheme is and if it needs tweaking.
  • Be aware of where the sun is at morning, midday and late afternoon.
  • Keep in mind the style and color of your home when buying plants.

This is all before the first bedding plants are even purchased. I had one area where creeping jenny and irises are just getting a foothold. I wanted these perennial plants to have room to spread, so that is where annuals needed to go. I made an odd choice as you can see- that’s right, I planted purple cabbage. It was cheap, colorful and will get big and then be gone! Small vegetable plants are generally cheaper than annual flowers. I like to plant begonias that mimic the colors of my knockout roses. But there are at least two spots that are too shady for the begonias to really make a good show, so I purchased a couple of six packs of annual impatiens in the same color family as the begonias and the roses.image

  • When buying bedding plants don’t just think ‘bloom’ think ‘foliage’- often the colored foliage will outlast the blooms. Purple cabbage- real or ornamental, opal basil and coleus are just a few.
  • Don’t buy spindly overgrown plants, you will have to cut them back to get a new flush of bloom which may not be as vigorous as buying very small younger plants. ( I made an exception to this rule, I bought a six pack of violas because I had a small spot for them and because they re-seed. Also at the end of the season I sometimes buy ‘spent’ plants if they are perennial or re-seed and if they are bargain plants.)
  • Don’t buy plants that are dried out, bedding plants need lots of water until they are well established.
  • When buying herbs, the rule of thumb is that most perennial herbs do not prefer good soil and do not need as much water as other plants, basil and mint are two exceptions to this rule. I love to plant rosemary in drier areas of my garden, it can get very large.
  • Some shrubs and fruit bearing plants can be planted now, azaleas and blueberries are good examples of this- both grow in my front garden.
  • There are so many tips and tricks this time of year, but one of my favorites is that a western exposure needs ‘hot’ plants- plants that can take heat and strong sunlight and that have strong color.
  • If something doesn’t work where it is, don’t be afraid to move the plant to a different spot next year, I give a plant 3 chances- after that? I have to assume I can’t grow it. If something you love grows prolifically? Plant it over and over again! I have masses of spiderwort, hosta, hydrangeas, azaleas and roses.

I love pale pink roses and camellias. I planted pale pink flowers in my front western exposure yard- and they just faded in the strong light. Now, I have a red camellia and the hot pink knock out roses, a mix of hot pinks in begonias and impatiens- when combined with greens, blues and dark purple, the result pleases me in that lighting. I planted my love of pale pink around back where the eastern sun is a perfect place for them to shine.

There are so many good garden books out there to help you make a good plan, one of my favorite garden authorities is P. Allen Smith- his book, ‘Garden Home’ is one of my favorites. I have more favorites listed at the end of the end of this post. Most of all  have fun with your garden, don’t try to make it look like a public park. Strive to make it a reflection of your own personality.

I’d love to hear your favorite tips and tricks -seasoned gardeners, first time gardeners, garden writers or bloggers- new and old, let’s hear from you-it’s time to plant!

Love y’all, Camellia

P. Allen Smith http://amzn.to/1rcQdZB

The Grumpy Gardener http://amzn.to/22JwKLl

Martha Stewart Gardening  http://amzn.to/1SoT62e

Rosemary Verey http://amzn.to/1rcR4tf