The Laughing Siamese Cat

Our cat Kenya loves to laugh. You can see it in the photo. Laughing is tiring so she has to sleep alot. She laughs often and usually it's lying down on the white club chair. Maybe it's because we are no longer letting our westie on these chairs. He is much more active than a lazy, laughing cat and therefore carries a bit more of the garden inside like myself. I, on rare occasions, have time to sit in these chairs, but it is the cat who basically lives on them. Sleeping is a big part of her living.

She, Kenya, does chase dust bunnies around under furniture and to our dismay catches a bird every now and then when outside. Then worse our westie will take it away from her. I don't know which is worse. They are like brother and sister. "This is mine." "No. It's not. It's mine." Well, they are MINE and I love them both.

Curbside Plant Foliage Combination

The artistry of foliage and flower perennial/annual gardening is just that an art! Everywhere I go I carry my little digital camera around in case something catches my eye. There is something that stands out every time...that is if your eye searches for plants. This one is right on a curb...see the yellow curb on the bottom left corner. This gets full sun morning to evening and it's flourishing! Now it's time to take the jungle of weeds out of my own gardens that spring up after a drenching rain.

Say Yes to Double Knock Out Roses Radtko

Most gardeners are familiar with the Knock Out Shrub Roses, but then they came out with the new variety, DOUBLE KNOCK OUT ROSES. This rose is something to write home about. These have more attractive flowers in the classic style like an english rose. The breeder is an American, William Radler, who at present is very successful in the rose breeding business. (He is a seed collector, too, I might add. One of the big differences between myself and him is that he sows all of his collected seeds. Mine seem to stay collected.)



It reaches a height of 3-4 feet and 3-4 feet wide.
(Did I not say it was like an english rose?)
It has up to 25 roses per flowering branch.
It is very winter and disease hardy.
(Great news for our humid, hot summers.)
It is grows well in usa zones 5-9.
It's flower diameter is 3-3 1/2-inches.
It's flower petal count is 18-25.
It is a low maintenance rose.
(This we love to hear.)

It is... in my garden now. Right in the middle of my vegetable garden to be exact with a row of lavender to keep it company. Full sun all day long, they should be very happy.

Conrad-Pyle of Star Roses had this to say about the Double Knock Out Rose, "A shrub rose with a classic look and the toughness you expect from a member of the 'Knock Out' family." Well said.

City Gardens Are Meant to Please

This lush garden does please visitors. Locals, tourists and international tourists love this garden! With all of the pavement, asphalt and buildings this is a delightful refuge only one stoplight from the capitol. It is also free to visit and meander around in. You can't get lost in it, but you would like to.

The burgundy-red foliage is known as African Rose Mallow, hibiscus acetosella and false roselle.

For us in Maryland it is grown as an annual. Us burgundy leaf lovers think the foliage is spectacular just on it's own without the flowers.

A westie is Always Ready for Fun

Sir Salty has the cutest face even when his hair is long-ish. Yesterday I did his grooming with the clippers and kept his long skirt...I like that look. This is a before picture. He is so attentive here always ready for a game of anything that involves running and stealing things away from us. Today it's up in the 90's so I am glad that he won't be too warm with 50% less hair....He needs to lay low during the heat of the day.

Cupcakes and Westies

How can you bake and not let your westie have a taste? They are the best food critics. Just kidding...but only a little. Any treats you might sneak to puppy he is very appreciative of them. One of my new paintings I listed for sale on ebay.

On another note. Westies eat their cupcakes alot faster than we do. We eat it slowly and enjoy every morsel. They go woof, woof and it's gone.

Driving to town I found this little garden down a quiet lane. What caught my eye was the white culver root next to the variegated ornamental grass. I made a mental note to mix in some with mine. These two plant combinations are also a great duo for a white garden scheme. The dark green leaves of the culver root beautifully sets off the bright white spike flowers...and they reach a significant height if in moist soil! The variegated grass has a flowing fountain feel...without the bubbly sound though. I like the sound of water in a garden even just a small fountain.

Summer Rush

Our summers are anything but lazy. It must have been a cat who coined the phrase, "Lazy summer days." For dogs and us humans it's more like, "Summer Rush." Our westie needs lots and lots of baths during the summer. Three a week. Often he takes his toys outside, too, water or no water. The rubber duckie is a squeaky duckie...need I say more? All squeaky toys are a hit with dogs.


This is our westie, Sir Salty, after a bath and not quite dry. At 90 degrees it dries fast. I cannot believe how fast his hair grows. (This was trimmed right next to his skin in May.) Besides the good eating it has to be all of his running!! You know how joggers say running is so good for your complexion. Maybe it makes your hair have more luster, too? I will be able to tell you soon if it is true with us humans. My new jogging shoes are getting a workout and I feel like an overcooked noodle.

Violet colored Nicotiana Plant

Such romantic colors here in these potted plant companions. It is a wonderful art to be able to master the foliage and color combinations. I can say this frankly because I did not put this one together! The splash of golden-green and burgundy foliage keeps our attention and gives our eyes a starting point and ending point. We can never tire of looking at plant art which is exactly what it is! An art form whether in a pot or in a garden plot. Isn't gardening exciting? Yes! It is!

More Delicious Plant Combinations For Potting

Lime green has always been one of my favorite colors. Look at this smashing combination of plants and how the lime green, glazed terracotta pot sets it off. Wow! Pink on it's own is delightful, but add some burgundy foliage and a shimmer of purple flowers and it's over-the-top gorgeous!

Most of my time is spent running around with a hose now. We are in a bit of a dry spell and some things have to be watered twice a day because of the heat. If every plant is well-watered they look cool and fresh no matter how high the temperatures go. We are all hydrating too like some kind of aerobics team.

Westie Dog Peeking and Hiding His Face

Our doggy boy, Sir Salty is photographed alot. He looks so sweet at me and by the time my camera focuses and snaps he has shyly turned away. (Shy isn't often associated with west highland terriers.) Of course, it didn't help that I had to move a toad away from him so I believe he is waiting for another one to hop out. The toads are plentiful this year. They are great for keeping organic gardens "organic." What would we gardeners do without birds, toads, and dogs to help keep the gardens green?!

Bold Foliage Potting Plants Combinations

If you think you can't have a garden because of pavement, bricks, or other hard materials, think again. Gardening in pots. It can say more than a small patch of grass. No mowing. This striking combination stood taller than me and it has presence!

Grid Gardening/Square Foot Formal Garden

I have always wanted to do this grid type gardening and now it is on my "to do" list. The repetition is graphic and the colors energizing. You could even replace english boxwood for one section of the grids to raise it up and make it even more 3-d. I love this design.

Who said all gardens look alike? Absolutely not. There are some designs that really grab our attention....and yet the repetition of plantings are soothing. Two opposing poles. Opposites attract and are happily married in this garden.

Recycled Glass in a Maze Garden

The art of recycling is gorgeous here in this garden in Washington d.c. The center maze has river black rocks pressed in and recycled glass...not the sharp kind, but the kind in car windows that when broken breaks into tiny glass balls. The foliage plants and colors are so striking around the center circle. It has to be luminous in the moonlight...the shimmer.

Westie 4th of July

We dined out today. Westie is always at my feet and when we were eating outside he was still at his "place." Against the white tablecloth I realized how much of the outside was on him so it was a fun bath for him after lunch.




What a little soap and water can do. This squeaky toy is one of Sir Salty's favorites. Here he is taking a break from us throwing it and him running like lightning to get it. Then we chase him a bit and he lets us take it so we can throw it again. One of his favorite pasttimes.

The red bandana was because he had a taste of key lime cheesecake when we had ours. A very small taste. He loved it. We all ran it off, the calories, I think!

A Garden in a Greeting Card

A perfect little garden pops up as you open this fun greeting card. The wheelbarrel is full and partially hidden gardens beckon beyond the arbor. The best part is that everything is orderly and there aren't any weeds to pull!

Beach Dog Westie

Everyone likes going to the beach! There is something invigorating about it. The seagulls and waves make the music. Here is westie enjoying the day. Still clean I might add and wearing a striped dog shirt.

This is a new 5 x 5-inch painting I listed for sale on ebay today. It could be yours. Check it out.

White House Lawns are for Luaus

Green lawns are to be used and they were used in a big way last Thursday at the White House. President Obama had a luau dinner for the US congress and their families. Look at the spread! I wonder if all of the guests got a tour of the new vegetable garden?