Wednesday, January 23, 2013

I've been gardening a bit...

 While the rest of the country has seen major cold temperatures...in my neck of the woods we've had a warm spell...totally normal for this time of year...temperatures have been in the upper 70's the last few days...and blue skies...today is supposed to be the end of the warmth...rain coming our way...I take advantage of the warm weather to garden...well...here in my area...I really pretty much garden all year...but I really love it when we have a warm spell in January...so since most of you are bundled up tight...I thought I'd show you some of what coming up in my back yard...This top picture is one of the tea cups I use to start my succulents...they sit out on the coffee table on my back porch...the small size of the cups make them the perfect starter pots...
 There's a ton of Stock flowers in the yard...they smell so wonderful...the colors in my yard range from this pink to bright dark pink...I love them all...Oh...I have purple and white ones too...in the front...
 I did something this year I never have done before...I bought a couple pots of daffodils...I have bulbs planted everywhere...mostly the normal yellow ones...some of the white and orange ones...King daffodils...but these are the miniature ones...hard to tell in the picture...but the flowers are so tiny...I have never seen them in bulb form...so I splurged and bout these at Lowes...I know they won't last too long...but I will have them for years to come!
 Iceland Poppies are another favorite of mine...I planted seeds in the Fall...there's quite a few plants now...and some are just starting to get blooms...but a few already have flowers! I love these delicate flowers...so bright and cheerful!
 These daisy like flowers are actually mums...snow something...the name just slipped out of my head...crazy brain...anyway...they start coming up and flowering this time of year...they don't get too big... anywhere form a few inches to a foot tall...and tons of little white flowers until about July...they don't like the heat...they die back...but the seeds get blown everywhere...so I get them every year!
 I have these everywhere too...in many shades of pink and some white ones too...a couple red ones in the front...but for some reason the pink and white ones give the seeds...I just sprinkle them everywhere...they grow like crazy here...don't know the name of them though...I knew once...
 Strawberries are starting to grow now too...these are wild strawberries...they are small...but tasty...if I get them before the birds...but I don't mind...the birds planted them I think!
 Here's another little gnome that guards the yard...I have an army of these guys in my back yard...
 I have been raking and raking these...apple tree leaves...it feels like it is raining leaves...and they multiply somehow...for a couple months I have been raking...we have one 90 gallon green can to put them in...every week I fill it up!They're pretty though...that's because we had some very cold temps before this week...
Lastly I wanted to show you Don's latest coat rack...he has made several of these...this one he added way less turquoise to it...what do you think?? I like it...but I'm not sure...he has sold quite a few of these this month...I knew he would...
I have really rambled on today...sorry I'm so yacky...lots to say I guess...tomorrow I get to go to Road to California...I can't wait...I'm so lucky its close to home...only 20 minutes away... I am going with my sisters and a friend...I hope to get lots of pictures and get inspired to make some of the things I see...and design some of my own from the goodies and trims I find!
I've rambled on enough...better go get dinner ready...
Until next time...enjoy the day!!!

11 comments:

Holly said...

Nothing wrong with being yacky. Your flowers are gorgeous! We don't have any yet but I'm on pins and needles waiting for them. Love Don's coat rack.

Terry said...

How lovely to see flowers blooming when it's 16 degrees here and we won't see flowers for months! Thanks for sharing! :0)

Michelle said...

Nice to see flowers at this time of the year, for me!

Our Neck of the Woods said...

Such lovely flowers! So strange to think that in your neck of the woods things are blooming! I love your garden gnome! Too cute.

I do like that coat rack! The turquoise adds just the right amount of color to make it interesting, but not overbearing.

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

I'm so ready to see some of this beauty in our part of the country. Your flowers are gorgeous.
hugs ~lynne~

Kris said...

Beautiful pictures! Have fun at Road!
xo Kris

Siobhán said...

Oh my goodness, what gorgeous flowers! Neat idea on how to start the succulents, too.

Christine said...

You are such a talented couple! I love Don's newest rack!
And that was like a breath of spring seeing all the latest blooms in your garden.
Best wishes
Christine

Traci said...

All the flowers are so pretty! We've been around 70 the last couple of days & we're supposed to get to the high 70's this weekend. My plan is to get some yardwork done. I think Don's rack is pretty. Except I'm not a fan of birds. hehe!!!

Judy S. said...

Your post made me miss CA, even after all these years! At least our temps are back in the forties instead of below freezing. Thought we were going to make it through the winter without any frost damage. Nope!

koralee said...

Oh my this is soooo lovely....you are blessed to have such a beautiful garden! Hugs to you for a wonderful Thursday...hope the sun is out for you today. Would love to have one of your roses on my table!