Tag Archives: Flowers

Hope Grows Day: Amaryllis

Posted by Lesley on April 5, 2011 2 comments

In my first ever Hope Grows Day blog post, I was looking forward to the big, red, flashy blooms of my amaryllis bulbs…and was not disappointed.  

Reaching full bloom is quite a process.  I posted Part One of this post on March 10 when the shoots first appeared.  Full bloom didn’t happen until March 23.  It’s a bit like watching the wings of a butterfly unfurl from a chrysalis; one by one, up to five individual buds blossom from each small shoot.

It’s been a two-week amaryllis fest around here.  The flowers are outside, inside, by themselves, and mixed in bouquets.  I’ve brought them to friends; a recycled wine bottle makes the perfect vase.  And I even stirred the dye from the petals into a bar of soap.   

The soap worked out better than anticipated, although there were a few small snafus along the way.  It was originally planned to be an Amaryllis-Aloe bar, but the aloe wouldn’t mix into the glycerin.  I added a few drops of essential oil and went with Lavender-Amaryllis instead.  The amaryllis dye was collected over a few days.  As the petals wilt, the dye is released.  I got a few drops straight from the petals and a few from scraping the table where they had already dripped.  I kept the bottle of dye in the refrigerator until needed. 

In the past, my experiments with natural colors have returned lackluster results.  Red pomegranate juice turned the glycerin gray, and pink rose petals turned it brown.  My expectations were extremely low.  But as I poured the mix into the mold, it looked like there was a deep red tint.  The possibility made me impatient in the dark kitchen and leads me to this very important soap making tip: don’t move the molds until the soap is set.  My need for better light is what created all the little bubbles.  Still, I’m pleased with the outcome.  It’s certainly not red, but the purple is nice.     

To get in on Hope Grows Day, visit Sweet Bean Gardening.  

It doesn’t always have to be about me…

Posted by Lesley on April 12, 2010 2 comments

Blogs are so me, me, me…look at my flowers, this is my grapefruit tree, blah, blah, blah.  But not today, today the camera is focused on some plants other than my own.  These are the flowers that my neighbors are growing and to bring it back to me – the flowers that I’m wishing were in my garden this month. 

Orchid Tree

Azalea

Wisteria   

Gardening Pop Quiz

Posted by Lesley on August 15, 2009 2 comments

I am a
Canna


What Flower
Are You?

I waited two years for this?

Posted by Lesley on June 28, 2009 1 comments

One Sad Shasta Daisy

One of my first workable squares was dedicated to landscaping plants.  When the squares went in, the path behind the house created a long garden bed that needed to be filled.  I bought a Jiffy mini-greenhouse set and got started with my seedlings.  Have I mentioned that I become obsessed with things and don’t think them out thoroughly?  This particular greenhouse, although mini, held 72 seedlings.  I’ve since downsized because having to plant 72 of anything takes some of the joy away.  I planted Lupine, Shasta Daisies, Purple Coneflowers, Dahlias, and Salvia.  I ran out of room in the square; I was planting them in pots; and some of them didn’t even make it into the ground.  The Dahlias bit it pretty quick.  The Lupine hung around forever but never bloomed.  About half the Salvia survived and most of the Purple Coneflowers, but what really thrived was the Shasta Daisies.  These, of course, take two years to bloom.  The wait is over; they’re everywhere; and this is what they look like.  Booooooo!  Still, the seeding frenzy wasn’t a total bust; I’ll show you my Purple Coneflowers tomorrow.

 

Thank you, Mr. Lincoln

Posted by Lesley on April 5, 2009 None comments

Mr. Lincoln was the first – a classic, statuesque beauty with dark green leaves and deep scarlet petals.  He showered me with gifts every time a new bloom emerged.  It was akin to a shopping rush and quickly turned into a binge; I needed more and more, so along came Tropicana and Gold Medal.  Then I needed Peace and wanted to Strike it Rich.  I became designer obsessed, buying Lagerfeld and Tiffany.  I went for scent when bringing home a double order of Perfume Delight.  They swept me off my feet.  I’d never gardened before, but those roses tapped into my ancestral roots.  Gardening is a family tradition; my mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother all found joy in their gardens and I feel the joy in mine.  I am a gardener.  I love the solitude and peace that comes with running my fingers through the dirt – some say boring; I say exhilarating.  Bring on the weeds!  There’s nothing better to clear a crazed head.  The breeze, the sun, the occasional butterfly – they’re blissful.  Roses were just the beginning…welcome to my garden!