From the category archives:

Inspiration

Container Gardening Inspiration from My Trip to Roger’s Gardens

by Fern on March 2, 2010

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I’ve posted about Roger’s garden before, they are a fantastic garden center in South Orange County. It’s one of those sort of garden centers that people visit every weekend and take photos. The vignettes their landscapers create are nothing short of spectacular. And their pots do not disappoint. I think you’ll really enjoy taking a look at what their container gardening maestros have done as you contemplate your own garden this year…

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Can’t Grow Tulips? Try Poppies Instead

by Fern on February 23, 2010

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Everyone likes to think that you can grow anything in Southern California. And it is true that we have a wonderful climate that is great for growing plants. But there are some plants that just don’t do well here, at least not in the coastal zone. It just doesn’t get cold enough for plants that depend on a good solid winter chill, tulips being one of those plants. Of course, you could dedicate sections of your fridge to forcing pots of tulips, but part of me feels like we should spend our energy embracing plants better suited to our climate.

Like poppies!

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Tiny Balcony Bouquet Challenge

February 21, 2010

Yesterday Debra Baldwin spotted this great post in That Mini Gardener’s archives about making a bijou bouquet and I couldn’t wait to pop outside and put together a posy of my own. I used black New Zealand Flax leaves, variegated Plectranthus, and the white button flowers from a Chrysanthemum.

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The Life on My Balcony – February

February 16, 2010

Since I always forget to take pictures of my balcony in time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, I’ll just report on what’s happening on my balcony on the day after GBBD. That is, if I remember.

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Interview with Holly Hirshberg from The Dinner Garden

February 8, 2010

While you’re flipping through all those glossy seed catalogs and marking down heirloom varieties of tomatoes and zinnias, take a second to consider the people in your own neighborhood who may not have enough to eat. Did you know that just a few bucks worth of seeds could help a struggling family grow their own [...]

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Photos From The Huntington Botanical Garden

January 24, 2010

I went with my Master Gardener class to study botany in the lab at the Huntington Botanical Garden. I looked at all sorts of neat things under a microscope, but afterwards I was able to walk around the gardens and I saw lots of beautiful container plants. I’ve posted the photos of them below. If [...]

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Fern’s Balcony – January 2010

January 17, 2010

I have been putting off sharing photos of my new balcony, even though I promised them, because my balcony is largely in pretty sorry shape. With so much going on, I just haven’t had time to repot everything I wanted to repot, and I think I also need some new planters for some of my [...]

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Hot Plants for Gardening Hipsters: Edibles

January 5, 2010

Yesterday, I trotted out some of the coolest up-and-coming ornamental plants for the gardening hipsters out there, and also for the rest of us that aren’t as cool, but still like beautiful plants that no one else has yet. Today, I have a few vegetables that will surely turn heads as people spy you tending [...]

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Hot Plants for Gardening Hipsters: Ornamentals

January 4, 2010

Are you a gardening hipster? Do any of these statements sound familiar?

You live in Seattle, Portland, Austin, or Brooklyn, or wish you did
You have songs from bands like Sons and Daughters, Flosstradamus, or Little Sister loaded onto your iPhone 3Gs
You have one–and only one–Republican friend who you refer to your “one Republican friend.”

If you resemble [...]

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How Long Should I Wait Before Complaining About My Neighbor’s Christmas Lights?!

December 23, 2009

Photo by Jenny Peterson
The condo association in charge of our new place has all sorts of rules, most of which I see my neighbors breaking left and right. For example, you’re not supposed to hang any planters on the railings of the balcony, but I have seen at least two people doing just that. And [...]

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Fullerton Arboretum Succulent Sale

December 6, 2009

I went to check out the Fullerton Arboretum’s Cactus and Succulent Sale this weekend. Arboretums and botanical gardens are great alternative places to find interesting plants at reasonable prices. At this particular sale, there was an assortment of people selling pups and cuttings from their plants. They were all really friendly and knowledgeable. It was [...]

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Thumbnail image for Neat Idea for Chiminea That Doesn’t Involve Fire or Smoke

Neat Idea for Chiminea That Doesn’t Involve Fire or Smoke

November 19, 2009

A lot of us live in apartments or condos where it really isn’t possible to have a BBQ or chiminea due to safety concerns or community rules. But little chimineas can add a lot of charm and visual interest on a balcony or patio. If you have access to an outdoor electrical outlet, check out [...]

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