Yes, LUXURIOUS gardens in winter

Some people get so taken up with flowers, and leave out evergreens, when they are designing their gardens. They forget most perennials hibernate underground during the cold months of winter....and that WE, unlike bears don't. No we walk around our gardens all year, even if it is at a much, much brisker pace. Sometimes a mad dash.

Evergreens are the "bones" of the garden. They are there to hold it all together when the other plants don't want to come out and play in the snow. Yet most beginning gardeners don't include any in their island gardens or borders. The only downside is that they are more costly than perennials and annuals yet should be one of the first investments. Lowes, Home Depot, and Walmart are just a few stores that sell these for a little bit of nothing compared to the larger plant nurseries. They provide shelter from cold drying winds and keep the microclimate a little warmer.

There are little perks not usually mentioned with evergreens and that is they provide shelter for birds and their nests. Big birds prey on little birds that come to your feeders. If they can make a quick dive into an evergreen shrub it saves their life. You need the little birds to eat the, no so welcoming, foraging insects.

The next plus is that you can take cuttings from your evergreens and start new shrubs. Yes, people can add to their gardens in a big way, if they have the patience to wait until the cuttings become established.

Have a Westie Day...full of spunk and vitality!

Great Westie Paintings and Prints

Something to think about... Have you noticed that in paintings of men and their dogs in them...that the dog is under the chair or beside the chair, but usually never is the man touching the dog? It's his best friend, too. It's a male thing.

On the other hand usually in the portraits of women and their dog her hand is resting on it's head or back. I saw one of a Westie recently and a officer and the dog was under the chair! I must do a westie (West Highland Terrier) and a proper gentleman painting.

The most memorable pictures of men are usually when they are tenderly holding, say a child, helping a lady or such.

WHERE ARE THE CUSTOMERS...?

I went to the plant nursery to check on their seed displays and availability. I was disappointed that they are not carrying as many this year as last. Every year at this nursery it seems to get smaller and smaller.


The greenhouses were deserted. We were the only customers there. Often at lunchtime office workers will go there just to walk around for the atmosphere! There are parrots and other birds that add background music (squawks). They also call out, "MOM! MOM!" Everything they hear children say they seem learn to repeat that the fastest. I say to them, "Hi" and they answer my greeting with, "Hello."

This nursery is owned by Dutch folks and they are genius' as they put the huge gardenia bushes right next to the entrance door inside. Gardenias are intoxicating! Gardenias are right up there competing with roses for intoxication powers. In art we always see the beautiful girls with their heads back after they have inhaled the fragrance of a rose. Why were there not more paintings of gardenias and beautiful girls in that same pose?

They are rivals with roses in maintenance it seems to me, too.

Come to think of it I have paintings with my favorite Westies and roses, but not with Westies and gardenias. I am just as guilty. I must start at once on this new idea for a painting. Aloha~

Announcing......

Hi. I am starting this blog for the benefit of all who share a love for Westies, Art and Gardening. Surely there is a number of us who can group together to announce that Westies are the Best! Art is fabulously interesting and gardening is already turning into the fastest growing American hobby! With that said, how many agree?