Okay, here I was prepping my garden on the Friday before of my upcoming garden party, which was on Sunday. I am potting up a gorgeous pale pink geranium cutting that I wanted to showcase indoors at the party. I tussle a pot that had some potting soil in it and I get ready to pot up my geranium and what do I see? A ton of yellow jacket bees! One bit me on my arm, another bit me on my foot, and one was stuck to my leg ready to bite. I ran like a mad woman. When I finally caught my breath inside my house, I made sure no bee followed me in or got stuck in my mane of rough curly black hair. Then I slowly ventured back out with a coat on this time, and from afar took a look at my potting bench. And I see a group of yellow jackets just hovering on the ground in that area. Continue reading A No Yellow Jacket Garden Party
Category Archives: Flower Power
Gamble Garden Spring Tour 2016
Every year the Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, a historic home and garden in Palo Alto, California hosts a Spring Garden Tour where a few private homes in this exclusive neighborhood open their gardens for public viewing. The tour is open on one Friday and Saturday only in April, and all proceeds from ticket sales go towards the maintenance of the Gamble Garden. Continue reading Gamble Garden Spring Tour 2016
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose…
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.” From William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. This is so true! Whether it is called a rose or any other name, it wouldn’t make a difference – a rose is a rose and it is gorgeous! No matter what the color, the variety, fragrance or not, there is something about roses that is pure floral joy. Continue reading “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose…
Ixia
Have you heard of Ixia? It is a little flower bulb with flowers the size of a black bean, and it blooms in the spring just like freesias and daffodils.
Continue reading Ixia
Bouquets to Art 2016
Bouquets to Art. What a novel idea! Flower bouquets that mimic paintings and works of art in the permanent collection at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Every year I plan on going to this talked about exhibition, but something always takes precedent, and I end up not making it. But this year I put it on my calendar 2 months in advance so as not to miss it, and I finally made it! Continue reading Bouquets to Art 2016
Floral Gowns by Oscar de la Renta
Flowers, flowers, flowers!! Anyone who knows me knows I love flowers! I absolutely love them. So when I read about an exhibition in San Francisco of Oscar de la Renta’s floral couture gowns, I had to go! All I saw in this little article about the exhibit was the word “floral”, and it got me hooked. Continue reading Floral Gowns by Oscar de la Renta
Freesias and The Story of Freese
The easiest bulbs to grow, freesias are spectacular spring bulb flowers just like daffodils. These bulbs are small, but the flowers are stupendous. They come in a rainbow of colors and have the sweetest fragrance. Freesias epitomize the ultimate cottage style flower. Freesias grow freely under any conditions. They do well planted in shade, a sunny spot, and even in pots. Continue reading Freesias and The Story of Freese
Flowering Fruit Trees
What is really beautiful about fruit trees and many times overlooked is their spectacular flower show in the Spring. Every fruit tree bears beautiful flowers before they become fruit.
Continue reading Flowering Fruit Trees
Growing Daffodils
Daffodils are in bloom everywhere in the Bay Area right now. They are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring. Sometimes they even start blooming earlier in January – February depending on the weather.
Celebrating the Twins Birthday at Daffodil Dreams At Filoli Gardens
Aah celebrating birthdays. These days it seems each kid wants to do something unique and with so many kids it can be hard to do something totally original. That is the dilemma the twins were facing, what to do for their 14th birthday. Around this time is when I got a very timely newsletter from Filoli Gardens announcing their Daffodil Daydreams! A totally unique experience with hundreds and hundreds of daffodils in full bloom, what an awesome idea for a birthday event! Continue reading Celebrating the Twins Birthday at Daffodil Dreams At Filoli Gardens