Surreal Gardening Art and Artist Candylei

One reason I love touring gardens is to see many plants, leaves and flowers, up close. By visiting other people's gardens you usually bring home some little gift they have given you from their garden, too. Gardeners are a generous lot. Often what I see makes my "I want" plant list lengthen considerably, too.

We live in the country and have a vegetable garden and perennial gardens and it's an ongoing love affair. Trying to arrange colors in a colorist way or with bold swathes of jolting color. Which brings us to painting and pen and ink illustrations. I combine my two loves into one, at least on paper anyway, and have been selling my art on the internet. Recently I started selling on etsy which holds an array of talent.

My art is surreal but seems so realistic to me. There is something about overflowing gardens and secret gardens that make you feel so little taking in the vastness and beauty of it all. I do feel very little at the seed racks in stores now...even though I have big lists of things I want and sometimes get.

How do you combine gardening and with another love or hobby? I would love to hear from you.

The above print is titled Morning Tea and is available by clicking on the picture to the right in the etsy box.

Spring Gardens at United States Botanic Garden

A beautiful warm day for us which was about 52 degrees F. and I visited the United States Botanic Garden in Washington D.C. Sleet and snow are in the forecast for tomorrow night so it was a rush into town and out again.

You can see the US Capitol from outside in the gardens. The above photograph I took in the National Garden which is part of USBG.

This is no doubt the tidiest perennial garden I have ever seen in winter. Maybe even in my life. So unlike mine, but then I want birds in my gardens. They work for food. Nor is this portion anything like an english-style garden where it's packed solid inch by inch with plants and shrubs.

When you enter the conservatory you know right away a sensational treat awaits you. The warm humid air, the scent of flowers, and the gurgling fountains add to the majestic size of the place. Everything is lush and packed together just how I like it. The more the better seems to be their motto. I agree! Every crook and corner is brimming with live flora.

Yes, spring has arrived here in the Garden Court area of the conservatory. Azealeas, daffodils, amaryllis, bromelaids and orchids in abundance. The USBG has 5,000 specimens of orchids. Hundreds are on display and the others are rotated from their Production Facility about 4 miles away.

Once a year the USBG Production Facility, which consists of 34 greenhouse bays, is open to the public for tours and visiting with the gardeners. A real wonderland of plants. This year the date is March 7th and to register for tours call (202)225-1116 or go to www.usbg.gov/

All of this is funded by our tax dollars. Fabulous news. More money for gardening.

Raccoons in the White House Gardens

Well Mr. Barney, the terrier, leaves and the raccoons have obviously figured out that the coast is clear to adventure through the fences and try to call this place home at the White House, in Washington d.c. What a green paradise in the city. The White House sits on just a little over 18 acres of land. Who would want to live on the streets and pavement especially when they are serving up salmon in a beautiful, green, landscaped park? There was a catch to it though. The park service caught one and let it go in an "undisclosed location". I wonder if that was Tennesse because the common raccoon is the State Animal there!

One raccoon has multiplied into many.

We hope President Obama and his family decide on a dog soon as it will be a bright spot in news! Remember when President Obama told Barbara Walters that they received more activity on his website about getting a dog than anything else? America is full of dog lovers. Isn't the American dream a house with a picket fence and a dog on the porch? The deluxe dream version is a house with a picket fence and a westie dog.

A little trivia. Did you know states also have a state butterfly besides state birds, state animals and state dogs? Not all states have picked out a state dog yet. Lobby your senators if your state does not have one.

Homesteading Art The Lego Way/Sculpture

Lego Art. Now I know what to do with all the extra little lego pieces we find around the house. Legos are not all about star wars and indiana jones... The holstein cows look great.
Can anyone build a westie dog out of legos?

Deluxe Garden Arbor in Florida

A sensational arbor complete with lighting in Orlando, Florida. I am happy with my wooden arbor swathed in William Baffin roses, clematis and ferns gracing their legs. It didn't require a building permit, but then again, look at this one...

Build Bird Houses for Organic Gardening

Organic gardeners know that birds are their best friends in combating defoliating insects. It's time to build or buy bird houses for all of these feathered gardeners that will be looking for the perfect place to call home and raise a wee, singing flock. We want it to be our yard, of course, so it's time to be thinking about making the birds cozy and comfy.


The bird houses should be up and ready for "open house" tours by late March. Even better is to have the houses out a little earlier if you can because March is a crazy, busy month for gardeners and sometimes the birds are a bit forgotten in the hub bub of activity. Seedlings of annuals and perennials need planting, tilling the vegetable garden, running around from roses to lavender, and checking on all of the new growth and health is very time consuming.


There are so many adorable, fun bird houses for sale in specialty stores now. Look at the vintage trailer above? How appropriate for these creatures who migrate throughout the seasons and it is much cheaper than a real refurbished trailer.

This custom home above is for the more formal yards. I saw this one for $89. US dollars recently. If you have time it's fun to build bird boxes (less formal, but definitely worthwhile) for under $8. (If you have weathered wood around and a few nails, it's free, just a little labor of love.) Just purchase one board and mark off the lengths, saw and assemble. Simple. Such little effort for a free, chirping, dramatic, opera every morning and afternoon in your own garden theater. For Free Directions here is the link through NCSU. We plan on making a few with our son. If he had his way we would make 100. Kids are so enthusiastic! Great quality for all of us to have.

Growing White Torch Ginger

I purchased these great seeds for the white torch ginger, Etlingera elatior, on ebay from the organic seed seller eco_oasis. http://www.ebay.com/ They still have these seeds if you are interested. I have never seen this exact flower in white, even though we used to live in Hawaii. I have only seen the reds, pinks and burgundies in the "torch" ginger family. We do grow the white butterfly gingers and the orange kahili gingers for their wonderfully fragrant flowers. As most of you would know they have to be brought in here, as they are a tropical plant, during the winter months.

The white torch ginger has waxy petals and everyone has said they are gorgeous and can reach 7 feet in the tropics. Germination is slow. Anywhere from 20 days to 8 weeks. I am soaking the seeds overnight and they are already plump. It could be awhile before my little plants bloom, but I will do alot of caregiving and watching over in the meantime. Nurture. Nurture. Nurture. Exciting.

What is going on outside? Ella one of our lambs is all smiles. The sheep know that soon warm weather will be here and green grass and sweet clover (which grows all on it's own without our nurturing!) will be abundant...and that they will not be allowed near my seedlings and garden! For now they play in the snow that appears and vanishes almost every day.

Sweet Westie Terrier Dog

This wee white westie, who happens to be at my feet now, is waiting to give a kiss. Sir Salty has been spending alot of time on the ottoman stretched out this winter. That is when he is not out trying to chase red cardinals and bluejays. Isn't he cute? Out come the oil paints again since he is a great model.

Seed Planting Extravaganza

Hope is not just about the economy. No, hope is about spring arriving. The trickle in of roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs in a slow but steady stream in area stores, make everyone cheer for spring! Even nongardeners get excited when they see and smell the aroma of damp peat moss.

Our little dwelling has turned into something out of the movie and children's book, Secret Garden. Little sprouts tossing their hats (empty seed jackets) twirling their green legs and arms with the great miracle of life. No, it's not just one tray. It has become many. There is alot of twirling and tossing here. It seems this year almost everyone in my family has been bitten by the grow it yourself bug. Brown was the predominant color last week and now it's green, green, green. The brown peat-compost is hidden under the GREEN sprouts this week.

Then there are the seeds that you need a magnifying glass to check on such as nicotiana sylvestris, foxglove and snapdragons. Do I really see green in those flats yet? No. You somehow always feel a bit cheated when you open the seed packages seeing just a bit of what appears to be dust. It's actually 100 seeds that weigh less than the paper they are packaged in. For starting out so small these end up four feet tall to six feet and higher. Okay the larger snapdragons can reach 3 feet and maybe a pinch more depending on variety.


I went to check on a book by the English gardener Sarah Raven titled, Bold and Brilliant Garden, and it was backordered and would take 3 to 4 weeks for the Borders store to get it in stock. "Must be a problem with the distributor," the clerk said. I wanted to tell her, "No. I believe she is a genius with color and the book quite popular." She is actually starting seeds as I write this, too. However, it is a large greenhouse not a little humble dwelling. Nevertheless us wee folk manage to grow some great perennials and annuals with just as much enthusiasm and vigor.

To view Sarah Raven's webpages go to http://www.sarahraven.com/

To see a page in her book and to buy it there are a number available, new and used, on www.amazon.com

White House Chief Florist- Nancy Clarke

When you have a love for foliage and flowers you often want to connect with other like-minded individuals. My connection is only through reading about Nancy Clarke and seeing photographs of her arrangements. Another dream job, I believe, but one with some stress, I also imagine.


Nancy Clarke has been the White House floral designer since the Carter Administration and is currently Chief Floral Designer with the Obama Administraton. Her job is not a small feat as she is in charge of designing, the arrangement, and the placement of all floral displays. That includes all State Dinners, private parties, the First Family's residence and President Obama's offices.

Her knowledge of the meaning of flowers, the meanings of the color of flowers serve her well. Nancy Clarke has an excellent eye for flower combinations. I hope the white house photographers have documented all of her past bouquets and will continue with her current arrangements so that she can one day pen a book full of delightful photographs for all of us to enjoy.

It's exciting to find out that there were greenhouses, or conservatories, at the white house. At one time all flowers were grown on the grounds that were used inside the White House. Unfortunately, the conservatories were taken down in 1902 when the new east and west wings were built.

John Adams was the first to live at the White House and he added something I consider valuable...A vegetable garden. We definitely have had some Presidents who were gardeners. Now I must try to find out if there are any records of the vegetables he planted.


See a sampling of Nancy Clarke artistry
here.

Simplon Oriental Lily Bulbs

Oriental lilies have flowers so large that it puts them on the exotic side of the gardening scale. I tend to like the ones that tower the tallest and look down on you when you're on your knees pulling weeds. You are in grand company.

Some stores lumber/gardening store chains have them for sale now. A bonus of purchasing from a store is that you can see exactly how large the bulbs are and if they are already sending out new roots. More importantly you can see that the lilies are healthy.

I have some white Simplon bulbs to plant in our gardens and it's great to think of companion plants. With white Simplon lilies I like to plant white cosmos at their feet. After the lilies bloom in the summer, the cosmos reach maturity and take over blooming right up til a hard frost. Other options are love-in-a-mist, white cleome or campanulas. Each gardener has their own unique combinations and for that reason gardening will never be dull.

Always improve your soil with compost. Oriental lilies do not like to sit in soggy wet clay. For the wet soggy areas plant cannas or better yet, taro.