Welcome to Garden Girl...

Vivid Green! Creamy Spinach Gruyere Soup!

2012-02-17T17:35:00.000-08:00

A while ago I posted this Delicious Soup on my facebook page and have served it to Friends on Many an Occasion. A Promise is a Promise! Here's the Recipe! Creating a Blog to share this Recipe was the easiest way to Accomplish this task!

2 Pounds Fresh Spinach
1 Cup Chicken Broth
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
1 1/4 Cups Half and Half
1 Clove Pressed Garlic
6 oz. Grated Gruyere Cheese
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Freshly grated Nutmeg and Sour Cream (optional)

Wash spinach and remove stems. Steam with just the water that clings to the leaves, until tender. Drain and squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan, add the flour, and cook for 2 minutes with out letting it brown.
Slowly add the chicken broth, half and half, garlic and cheese. Blend well. Add the spinach and puree with an Immersion blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with Freshly grated Nutmeg and Sour Cream.
Don't forget a big yummy chunk of bread or toast for dipping!

If you don't own an Immersion Blender, go get one! Such a great tool for the Kitchen. You can also puree the spinach with the chicken broth in a regular blender and add them to the recipe at the same time.

I'm thinking St Patricks Day! What a Perfect Day to Enjoy this Vivid Green Dish!

Enjoy!

A Day At The Getty

2011-07-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

I Recently spent the day at the Getty Museum with my friend Sally. I'd never been, and living in Southern California I decided it was time to start taking advantage of all the great Museums around us! Going to see the Life and Luxury in Paris sounded Intriguing!
Beyond these doors was a Beautiful Exhibit. Of course there were no cameras allowed. This lovely French quote greeted us at the entrance.

A Cheerful House!
Furnish it with Taste and Propriety, Such that Everything in your Home Breathes of You.
Have Good Food, Books, Instruments, Good Friends, and Pleasant Company!

This Fresh Orchid Arrangement Caught my Eye as we Entered the Restaurant. Lunch was Relaxing and Delicious with an Incredible View!

After Lunch the Gardens Awaited us!

At the Entrance was this Giant Sculpture Trickling Fountain! Looks like a giant Urn!

On the way down was a Zig Zag Path with Artistic Plantings and a Stream of Jagged boulders.

Reaching the Central Garden were these Magnificent Trellis, made from all things, Re-Bar! . The Bougianvillea grew up the Center and Cascaded out over the Top.

Here's the View Standing Underneath!

I just Loved this Idea. I'm going to Create a much Smaller Version at Home with a Climbing Rose! Just show you how Huge they were......

Look..... There's Sally!

The Floating Garden was Jaw Dropping Beautiful!

Time to go Home now, Down these step Filled with Sun Loving Plants in Giant Pots and this Sun Bathing Sculpture!
There's so much more I could share , as these are only a few highlights of our day! Take the time and go enjoy for yourself!

The Story of Big Black!

2011-06-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

I'm telling this story simply because a few nights ago Big Black disappeared for 3 days. Then she returned! Where did I find her... Meowing on top of the greenhouse! Tears of Joy, I thought she was gone forever!
A few years back , a beautiful big black cat would hop the wall to our back garden for a visit. Stay awhile, always keeping her distance. Surely, she was someone's pet.

She was a funny cat, with her big furry hind legs that reminded us of the pantaloons of a Russian dancer. She looked silly when she ran, with her hind paws that faced outward. She was as fast as lightning!
One day two young kittens showed up in the garden, played all day and then they were gone.
I called them "My Little Garden Sprites". This happened a few times, with Big Black always present, at a distance. I was sure she had brought them by to share!

One day Big Black decided to just Stay. She had chosen us. I think she had been hunting for a new home for a while!
This created a problem for us! We already had a Beautiful kitty! Dinky was going on 14 years old and was not going to accept a new creature into her domain!

Big Black was never allowed in the house, until one rainy night my soft heart opened the sliding door for her to come inside and spend the night. She was here to stay!

With trust and patience Big Black became a very affectionate kitty. My husband Brian and I felt she had been terribly mistreated by some of her behavior. She always knew that Dinky was the
#1 Kitty

On the night of August 15th, 2009, My beloved Dinky was carried off by a Coyote. No one should ever have to witness this as I did. My heart was truly broken.

Well guess who became my shadow, my constant companion, with a mission all of her own?

I'll never forget the first time Big Black tenderly curled up on the couch beside me while I was napping. She brought me gifts, mostly birds and mice. How sweet of her! Slowly but surely she was mending my broken heart.

You often hear of people rescuing animals... Well, Big Black rescued me. Our favorite place to spend time together is in the garden. If I am there , she is to . Always close by! I love Her!

After all the Garden is where we met...The End.

Spring is Finally Here!

2011-03-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

Spring is finally here, and it reminds me every year that it's worth waiting for! This was an extremely long Winter, especially for California. With most of the Big rains behind us now, the Sun is shining. Yippee! I took my walkabout this morning and here's what I found! It may not look like much to you, but I know with a cold winter and lots of rain good things are happening in the Garden! This is when I went in and grabbed my camera!

A Beautiful volunteer of Sweetpeas up amongst the Grape vines really surprised me this morning. While the late planting of Sweet Peas are just barely above the soil.

Big Bearded Iris are beginning to burst!

Up in the Terraced Garden the Shrub Roses are beginning to really leaf out. Sweet pink blossoms are not far away!

Forget me Nots?

I haven't seen them in a few years! Now I know where the name come from!

Another round of Daffodils. Chubby blooms of Cheerfulness, a highly fragrant variety!

All the bees are happy. Buzzing around the Lavender in Full bloom!

The soft dewey leaves of Lambs Ears! This soft gray green leaf is just lovely combined with delicate English Roses.

Feverfew. I could never have enough. Be careful what you wish for.... It's coming up everywhere!

Here she goes! Just waitng for a stalk of Artichokes to rise up! Do we eat them or just watch them bloom?

A row of teeny tiny Alpine Strawberries never cease to amaze me. There is more sweetness and flavor in this little gem than a basket full of huge Berries from the market. A little treat for me in the garden.

This snowy white Camellia opening after the Rains. So worried I had lost them all.

A hardy shade Perennial, Hellebore, and such a great cutting flower.

Dainty Coral bells in a shady garden.

I love this Perennial Ranunculu. A yummy yellow, with more volunteers popping up all over my garden every year.

Hundreds of tiny Snowballs forming on the Viburnum bushes. This is going to be quite the show this year!
Big mound of Alstromeria. I love this particular one for it's variegated leaf. One of my favorite flowers to cut. Actually you just pull them right up out of the earth by the stem!

This is the first Iceberg Rose to bloom. I can hardly wait, there's so much more to come! Lilacs and Columbine and... Hundreds of roses! Oh My, I better get to gardening! Bye!

It's been A while...

2011-03-06T16:47:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last post! The holidays at the shop were hectic and then it was off to Atlanta in January for the gift show. I returned home with a severe case of Bronchitis, which took me several weeks before I began to feel like myself again. That was then and this is now. What I have been hearing from so many people is that they are all feeling so overwhelmed! Well you're not alone... So am I!

One week ago this was the view outside my kitchen window... Don't I live in Southern California? It is just a few days until March 1st. and it was snowing madly!

Looking out, I realized I had so much to do in the garden and now this! With over 100 roses to prune and plenty of perennials that needed my attention I was feeling extremely overwhelmed. I'll never get it all done and surely Spring is on the way, Right?

Looking at the Big picture , whether it's your home, garden or business will drive you crazy! Thinking about this I decided to just look at one tiny snippet of my garden and what could I actually accomplish today! This is my favorite view to wake up to every morning so this is where I began.

Just pruning a few roses, cultivating the soil, adding a little compost and fertilizer, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. Because it's what's below the soil that you can't see that will be so rewarding in just a short time. Spring is coming! The Daffodils are beginning to emerge, along with so many perennials. The English roses will be blooming before I know it.

Tomorrow I will begin again in another area of my garden. With time and persistence, a trowel in one hand and clippers in the other, I will eventually be able to look at the Big Picture and say I did It!

Creating Fall in the Home

2010-10-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

Fall is the only time of year we welcome all the warm colors of rust, reds, yellows, oranges, browns, blacks and creams into our homes without reservations. What inspires us to do so? In many parts of the country Fall comes naturally by way of Nature. In Southern California we need to create our seasons by bringing these colors into our Homes and gardens.

For me... It begins with hunting for Pumpkins out in the fields and bringing them back to the shop. But it isn't until the arrival of Bittersweet that really gets me in the hunting and gathering mood.

First I roam through the nurseries, the Flower market naturally, and then start in at home looking for different elements to inspire Fall decorating. Pottery, pots, garden tools, baskets, containers, linens and some treasured collections.

This Fall I seem to be drawn to whites and blacks and just a few accents of color. There's always a gardening theme in my home as well.

First I strip down the areas I want to focus on redecorating and then I begin adding in . White pumpkins are a must along with white pottery. I found this old quilt from India and hung it for pop of color

For the dining room table I filled a Vintage French soup tureen with rusty red mums. More white pumpkins , white candlesticks and candles with a gardening motif.

I have a collection of white Ironstone in a small European hutch. I added a few pieces of Brown Transferware to give a Fall feel.Tiny mums in a bowl and hand carved giant acorns in another add unique touch.

In the bay window I went really tall! There's always something I can't resist like this beautiful orchid in the same colors as my quilt. Flanked by white pumpkins on vintage pedestals, with a violet under glass and terra cotta pots filled with color!

Ahhh... then there's Bittersweet. Every year it gets it's debut on the piano in this creamy urn with my beautiful carved birds!

Moving to the Fireplace I was inspired by this Garden Trophy artwork. On the left side I filled my little French wheel barrow with a collection of hand carved pumpkins. On the right side some collected garden elements . A vintage watering can, a French wire gathering basket, a mossy cloche brought in from the garden, a topiary for height, and a few more pumpkins.

Black and white Bridgewater Pottery is a favorite of mine! So are these delicious pumpkin chocolate chip muffins I've been Baking every Fall for 25 years. Yes, I'll share the recipe too!

So many think of Ranunculus as a spring flower, however they really begin blooming in the Fall. Love them!

Even the guest powder room gets a mini makeover. Yummy French Orange Ginger soaps , new hand towels , fresh flowers, violets and ivy, and more little hand carved pumpkins too!

The Front porch definitely needs some attention. Even though Fall is a transition time for planting... mums, begonias, greenery and pumpkins will keep me happy til Winter! A fresh Rosehips wreath will dry beautifully on the front door.

A witches work is never done... or is it...There's no rest for the wicked!

Don't for get the Treats! Happy Halloween!

From the Ground up!

2010-09-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

Going to Atlanta to hunt for all things great for the new shop was the easy part. Coming back to reality and realizing the goal was to open in just a few weeks was going to prove just a little more challenging! August 1st. we were happy to announce "We've got the keys to 1367 foothill blvd in La Canada." This was just a few doors up from the previous shop.

After taking a look around a few things were very clear. This was a much smaller location than the last shop. This was just fine. I felt I needed a much more manageable space. It has big front windows filling the location with sunshine. Lastly we would need to take down the mirrored monster and paint the entire shop walls and the floors as well. I needed a blank canvas to start!

My inspiration for the shop colors were a beautiful remnant of European Grainsack fabric. This was the look and feel I was so attracted to over and over again in Atlanta. Not to mention I love to collect old textiles. The colors I chose were Greek Villa for the walls and Sealskin for the floors.

Doing all the work ourselves, my husband Brian gets the Husband of the Year award for tackling this project. It took nearly a week from start to finish. Meanwhile I was painting, painting and more painting! Brian really pitched in when I came down with a nasty summer bug and my arms were ready to give out.

The result I was looking for was perfect. Crisp clean walls and the floors the color of 85% dark Valrhona Chocolate. Oh Yum!

It's time to start moving in. First I need to make the outside look like somthing belonged here. And... I hadn't gardened in over 2 weeks. Now I had a different Bug, The Gardening Bug!

With an over abundance of Terra Cotta pots at home into the moving truck they went. All filled with white roses of different varieties, I spruced them up with some summer annuals and herbs that could take the summer heat. Little did we know over 100' temps were on their way! Too many Pots in front of the shop? Who cares, I love it!

Aside from a few favorite Pine cupboards saved from the previous shop all my collecting has finally paid off. My love of garden furniture will now all be put to good use in the new shop. I'll also mix in the new furniture pieces from the Atlanta show that will be for sale. Brian's definitely been working to much. Silly Guy!

With 1 week to go before we open the UPS man is nowhere in site. I just keep waiting, very impatiently I might add. It's one thing to order the goods, but another alltogether to actually receive them in a timely manner. What's the one word a merchant never wants to hear"BACKORDER" Oh goody here he comes! It's going to take quite a bit more than one dolly full to fill up the shop!

Down to two days to go until the shop opens. My Topiary order arrived and I've been the mad potter! Still waiting for more merchandise to arrive. Nothing like waiting until the last minute!

The day before the shop's to open so much more arrived. I think it's the chair I've been waiting for don't you? Along with the tables and lamps and some other wonderful items tomorrow will be a good day. It's off to the flower market at 3am to put the finishing touches on the shop. What would my shop be with out a beautiful fresh arrangement of flowers to greet you on opening day!

Julie O'Keefe Home and Garden opened on Wednesday August 18th. All I have to say is" Good Thing Come in Small Packages" and" It feels Like Home to Me".

To view a current slide show of the new shop go to www.julieokeefehomeandgarden.com

Once a Shop Girl... Always a Shop Girl!

2010-07-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

This year has not only been a year of rejuvenation for my garden, but for me as well. While working from home was a wonderful experience I found I missed being a shop girl. An extraordinary opportunity presented itself to begin a new shop. So off to Atlanta I went looking for wonderful new finds for Julie O'Keefe Home and Garden!

The Atlanta Gift Show is wonderful a source of accessories for the home, garden, gifts and best of all... inspiration! I just love these Terra Cotta Pot light fixtures. I must create one of these for the new shop.

There is a Vintage Area where it's hard to resist all the great Antiques. I wish those French bakery tins would fit in my suitcase. Makes a great statement on a wall for a kitchen. Industrial salvage is a big influence this show. The wheels in my head are turning!

Jewelry is a huge weakness of mine. Who wouldn't love all these stands of pearls around their neck. This new line of Pure Sanctuary jewelry will be in the new shop for sure.

Focus Julie! Back to what I really came here for. This new garden line is a must. Look at these vases hanging from a wire display. I can envision these at a party where all the guest could take one home. Those would be so fun in the new shop too.

In another favorite showroom, this fabulous stencil would make a very graphic statement. The poem is so charming. Maybe I will actually use the stencil with paint for an inviting entry to a home.

There's even a Band of hysterically funny costumed musicians playing through the floors in one of the buildings. You can't help but laugh out loud. This keeps a smile on my face the rest of the day.

Atlanta is always full of surprises! My room mate coaxed me into something new. A night out for Sushi and Cosmos. This was just what the girls needed after a 10 hour day of hunting and gathering for our shops.

Atlanta is always a worthwhile trip, but there's no place like home! I can't wait to get started. Bring it on UPS!

A June Wedding

2010-06-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

It all began with a pair of purple pumps as the inspiration for these beautiful wedding flowers. Ranging in hues from lavender to purple, with delicious creams and bright greens.

At the first meeting to discuss flowers I was given samples of colors in the form of paint chips which I think was a very clever idea. When it came time to select flowers it made my job so much easier. The bride also had fabric samples and a few pictures of bouquets and flowers she liked. The rest was up to me!

After much planning and ordering, market day finally arrived. Starting out at 3am, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I reached downtown hoping all my wishes would come true. I so desperately wanted very special flowers for this occasion. I was stunned, every flower in every color was there. Wrap them up! So far so good.

Home at 6am. With help, all the flowers were prepped and resting in buckets of fresh water by noon. First up... 8 bridesmaids bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres.

I can't wait to see these bouquets with the girls dresses. Love it!

On to the brides bouquets. I've decided to make two different ones for the bride to choose from. Both beautiful, one to keep and one to throw!

I wonder which one the bride will choose?

All the personal flowers are to be delivered tonight. A hard days work and a good nights rest. Tomorrow, 0ver 40 arrangements to be designed and off to the reception by 2pm. Yikes!

Off we go, and on schedule too!

Here at the reception in this beautiful setting there were 30 tables with exquisite champagne colored silk tablecloths. A tent complete with swags of sheer fabric on the ceiling and crystal chandeliers for ambiance.

Arrangements were placed on the tables, in the home and reception area. A private collection of mercury glass and wire vases were used. This always creates a more intimate feel. Here are just a few.

The finishing touch were these flower sacks I designed especially for the wedding. Each one with a pocket to hold a photo of the bride and groom. Each flower sack was filled with fragrant purple sweet peas, hanging from one chair at each table to welcome their guests.

I wonder who will get to take them home?

And they'll live happily ever after!

Out and About

2010-05-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

One of the favorite things about my work is being out and about. Whether it's creating a beautiful environment for a Home tour, delivering and hanging artwork a client ordered, or delivering flowers, something inspiring is bound to happen.

With the 4th of July approaching, these custom flower sacks I created for Home Tour inspired a new idea.

For a June wedding these very special flower sacks will be filled with sweet peas and a photo of the bride and groom tucked inside the pocket 35 of these will be tied with big ribbons on chairs.

Sometimes it takes just one element for the finishing touch!

Here I am in my Element delivering flowers to the Horse show for the table arrangements. There's just something so special about roses of any kind. My car was filled with the fragrance of roses on a beautiful warm day.

This Boulangerie artwork I spotted in Atlanta was just perfect for a clients kitchen. That was her lucky day. Not only did we hang her new artwork, a rug we chose and special ordered arrived as well. This red and cream woven rug really pulled the living room together.

This French inspired ottoman was the perfect piece for another clients living room. Great for extra seating, a coffee table, or just putting up your feet at the end of a long day.

It's almost time to return to Atlanta for the next show. I can't wait to be on the look out for fabulous new home and garden accessories.

This bird cage is one of my all time favorite pieces. A beautiful reproduction and functional as well. A very thoughtful husband was really thinking ahead for his wife's Birthday. She's a lucky girl!

I couldn't wait to deliver flowers the other day knowing I was in for a real treat. This beautiful Mama Robin sitting on her nest she built up in this market umbrella. Never having seen one up close, I can't even tell you how sweet an experience this was. I've heard the babies have hatched. Maybe we'll throw a baby shower!

For the Love of Gardening

2010-04-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

This Spring my garden is amazing . As I walk around with my clippers in hand, the question I keep asking myself is ... To cut or not to cut? As beautiful as the flowers are outside I want to bring them indoors to enjoy as well.

My style has always been very casual with what I feel are very romantic flowers. As a florist and a gardener my desire for the garden was to grow not only beautiful flowers and plants , but varieties that would last well after cutting and arranging. A delicious fragrance is always a must!

Freshly cut Snowballs

Here, these sweet peas in a pot are just ready to burst. Way ahead of all the sweet peas up in the terraced garden. My secret...lot's of fish emulsion as a fertilizer.

In one of my very first blogs I began to bring my garden back to life by pruning my roses back hard and adding alfalfa and compost into the soil. They did not disappoint. Just beginning to bloom, here are a few of my favorites.

Climbing Colette Rose

Golden Celebration Rose

Fair Bianca Rose

In the process of rejuvenating my garden I realized we all need something to nurture, and love. Something that reaches our soul and brings us to a place of happiness. This is what gardening does for me. I can't wait to go outdoors every morning when I wake and see what's blooming next. That is of course after huge amount of coffee!

Foxglove

My husband Brian gets all the credit for taking all these beautiful photos of our continued work in progress. Who, by the way is also a fabulous gardener and always full of love and support.

This rose is Love and Peace. My wish to you all!

www.shopbotanicals.com

A Day for delighting the Senses

2010-04-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

A Day for delighting the Senses

Looking for some new inspiration for a photo shoot, Brian and I headed out to the Santa Monica Farmers Market. This is truly a delight to the senses. You want to see, touch, and smell and taste everything there. You knew fresh herbs were ahead of you just by the fragrance filling the air.

There were the beautiful young leeks and garlic I could not resist. Not to mention the berries and broccoli. Delicious, juicy oranges we peeled and ate on the way home. Everywhere, so many fruits and veggies I'd never seen before.

Is that me eating a chocolate croissant by the flowers? It doesn't get any better than this!

Oh wait are those French magazines? A nice ending to our trip. Might I add it takes a good sense of humor and a lot of confidence to To Take an Old Bag Shopping!

Market bags featured are available on Personal style at Shopbotanicals.com

April showers bring May flowers!

2010-04-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

This May is a very exciting month for Botanicals. I have the opportunity once again to be a florist at the 7/8 PTA La Canada Spring Home Tour. This will be my 10th home. Everything about this home is incredible. Sworn to secrecy of it’s location, I can tell you it’s very French, lots of stonework and beautiful grounds and gardens. You truly feel as though you are in the French countryside!
April will be a month of creativity and planning for not only the Home Tour which will include a Botanicals Boutique, there is a May Day Boutique in the works as well. So it’s time to put on a French Beret and start thinking!

As you enter...

The gardens...

For more details and tickets select this link: Home Tour

A Botanical Easter!

2010-03-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

Here's the "How To " for these beautiful botanical imprinted Easter eggs. Tuck them into centerpieces , Easter grass, planted baskets or pots for a very naturally elegant look.

Here are the supplies you'll need to start.

Large pot of boiling water

A big bowl full of onion skins from the grocery store. Call ahead and have them saved for you.

A pair of panty hose cut into squares large enough to pull tightly around the eggs.

Kitchen twine or tiny rubber bands. Scissors.

Freshly cut leaves from your garden. Fern, rose, strawberry and columbine work well.

Vinegar

As many pre hard boiled eggs that you'll be decorating. Free of any cracks after boiling.

Begin by slowly adding onion skins to boiling water, pushing them down into the water as you go. The onion skins will act as a cushion for the eggs while they are dying. The skins will need to steep on low for at least 30 minutes to reach the rich terra cotta color. At this point add a dash of vinegar to the water.

Place the leaf face down on the egg.

Gently place the nylon square over the top of the leaf and pull all four corners around until you have totally covered the egg and bind with twine or a rubber band. This must be very tight and secure.

Once all the eggs are ready to go , gently place them in the onion skins and water. Keeping the dye on a low temperature, simmer the eggs for approx. 20 minutes. Lift out with a spoon and check for a rich terra cotta color.

Set on paper towels, snip off the binding and remove the nylon stocking. Yes, the eggs will be very hot!

After the eggs have cooled, polish them with a drop of olive oil and a soft cloth. Beautiful, don't you think!

Tip: No need to refrigerate the eggs after this process.

Join us for a Botanical Dyed Eggs Workshop and Planted Basket "How To". Visit
shopbotanicals.com for details. Click on "Good things to come".

A warm welcome!

2010-03-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, It's Springtime. My very favorite time of year. To me, the most welcoming place of your home begins at the entrance. If a front door could speak it would be saying." Come on in, I'm so glad you're here!"

Pots of Flowers, trailing ivy , ferns and topiaries lead the way. As if we didn't know Spring is here, this sign with a tiny pot of primroses says it all. And yes people who love to garden do live here!

We welcome you to the next Spring Boutique. Details on shopbotanicals.com Click on Good Things to Come!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!

Going Green with Botanicals

2010-03-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

St. Patricks Day is just around the corner and I was inspired by all the flowers in the hues of greens and white and soft yellow.

Creating Planted Baskets with Daffodils, Primroses, Shamrocks and Moss create an Irish Centerpiece.

A welcoming sign on the front door designed from a recycled door panel.

Can you believe these vivid green flowers are Carnations! Fabulous with these white Lizzy and Snapdragons. These are going in my house!

A whimsical "Cheers" on a Vintage French Terra Cotta Garden relic!

Getting ready for my next blog. Planting wheat grass for a very green Easter. What would life be without a Greenhouse sign!

All this and more are available at shopbotanicals.com

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Thank Goodness for the Greenhouse

2010-02-27T15:36:00.000-08:00

It's very chilly out and rain is on the way. After an early morning at the flower market I'm ready to get to work.

Today I have the pleasure of filling a home with fresh flowers, blooming plants and topiaries for a very special occasion.

It's cozy and warm in the greenhouse. Such a nice place to work surrounded by all that I love, flowers, plants and garden treasures.

Arranging flowers in a their natural environment is so rewarding. They open beautifully and the fragrance is almost overwhelming. It's a good day!

When I'm not outside, most likely I'm in the kitchen. Just could not resist a photo of this Lemon Ginger Cheesecake I baked for a friend's birthday. Of course it's topped with pansies and strawberry leaves from my garden. What else did you expect!

Fresh Flowers, Blooming Plants and Topiaries are always available at www.shopbotanicals.com

A day in the garden...

2010-02-17T12:45:00.000-08:00

Caring for my roses

This year I know my very neglected roses would need a little extra tender loving care. I purchased a huge bag of Alfalfa from the local Feed Shop and mixed it with huge bag of compost. Alfalfa helps to promote green growth, especially after such a hard pruning!

Just One month later after a good rain and then several days of pure sunshine my roses are beginning to leaf out beautifully. Looks like it's going to be a good year!

Delightful Daffodils

For ten years I have been choosing daffodils by mail order in the spring, forgetting about them until one day in the Fall, they appear on my doorstep waiting to be planted. First I plant and then I wait, and worth the wait they are. It's hard to resist cutting all of them into bouquets for the house. They have the most delightful fragrance straight from the garden and are truly the happiest flower on earth!

Climbing Sweet Peas

This pot of Sweet Peas are ready to climb. Using large branches from the newly pruned fruit trees I'll make a Tee Pee for them. Pushing the branches down the inside rim of the pot and then tying them at the top with wire then raffia. This is a beautiful natural support for the Sweet Peas tendrils to wind around and climb up.

Lettuce dine!

Lettuce is a very easy vegetable to grow and very rewarding. So delicious freshly picked from the garden. With so many seedlings left over after the first planting, I transplanted them into small pots while waiting for their turn in the garden.

For a whimsical table setting , lots of cut daffodils and pots of lettuce. Looks like a little garden on the table. Why not!

Garden Girl Pick of the Week available for purchase by selecting from below.

A Little Garden Romance.

2010-02-11T18:08:00.000-08:00

This blog was inspired by my love for gardening. Valentines is the perfect time to launch this blog. Here are few ways to put a little garden inspired romance into your life.

Create candle holders out of terra cotta pots.

Using florists foam in the pot, insert a candle, and surround with moss.

Set a romantic table by the fire.
Using a larger terra cotta pot and pre-moistening the florist foam surround the candle with fresh flowers. Heart shaped brownies are a delicious touch.

Bubbles are timeless and romantic.
So put on the pearls girls and have a little fun!

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Garden Girl Pick of the Week available for purchase by selecting from below.