Lily Pads/Lilleypad, Etc.

I named my first Etsy shop, 'Lilleypad'. It helps to come up w/ something relatable, and hopefully, a bit clever. Needless to say, I have a true affinity for the Lily Pad flower. We have had the Botanic Gardens in Denver in the front of our brain, as it has been all over the news here. The infamous 'Corpse Flower', which they have in the gi-normous greenhouse was getting ready to bloom. Interestingly, a relative of the 'Lily Family', the Corpse Flower blooms once every 10 years, for about 2 days, and gives off the odor of a decomposing mammal. Gross, very very very gross. However, yesterday was cool, by Augusts' standards, and we decided that it would be a perfect way to seize the moment by going to the Botanic Gardens. I had a field day taking a boat load of pics, from Queen Anne's Lace, to the Sunflowers, the many many Lily Pads, the gorgeous Solarium (I want to live there!), and of course, the Koi Fish. As it turns out, I read today, that just a few hours after we left the Corpse Flower began to bloom. This was not something I wanted to experience, ever. But, we did see it, and I took some pics, which, somehow, not surprisingly, did not come out. But, I have to thank that strange creation for getting us to the Botanic Garden. What a gift, smack in the middle of Denver!

Post script: People were waiting as long as 3 hours to experience the 'Corpse Flower', and in some cases, were handed barf bags...things that make you go hmmmmmm.....

Koi fish...

Lily pads....

They come in all shapes and sizes!!

The Solarium, I want to live here!

So BEAUTIFUL!!

The bees are alive and well in Denver!!

Queen Anne's Lace, more bees!

From the gift shop!

The Corpse flowering plant...eeeeew
(not my pic)

'The Lord will guide you always;

    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

    and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

    like a spring whose waters never fail.'   

                                                            Isaiah 58:11

2014 Garden, For Joy!!

VintageGardenArt, hand pressed vintage silver plate flatware, on Etsy

4 varieties of basil..

Roma tomatoes and flat leaf parsley..

 

 

I don't get manicures. Just like the gal in the Vistaprint commercials, who owns a greenhouse, no point. I like to play in the dirt too much. Even though I own garden gloves, I often do not wear them, as I love the feel of the earth. I did a show @ a garden center this past November, and made a trade w/ Julie, from VintageGardenArt; one of her vintage hand pressed silver plate flatware spoons for one of my cards. I picked 'Dirty Girl', w/ a giggle, knowing it was headed straight for one of my house plants, later to be moved to the garden. It has found its rightful place next to one of the purple basil plants. Good contrast, I thought!

I kept it simple. 4 varieties of basil. Sweet, Thai, Purple and Greek. The small leaf basil did not make the cut this year, too woody. I planted Roma tomatoes and flat leaf parsley. I can still hear my old neighbor, Carole, from Rhode Island, telling me I had to space the tomato plants further apart. Given the 4'x4' space I have, w/ each of the raised garden beds, I did my best to space them and give them enough height from the soil for the roots to grow down. There is still room for more, 'I'm not sure yet', herbs or plants. We'll see. The Boys helped me this year w/ all the heavy lifting (The Lilley Community Garden). Many cubits of potting soil, mixed w/ many cubits of garden soil, mixed w/ compost. Not to mention the earthworms, night crawlers. All 36 of them, well, now, 35, one went the wrong way, and...

So, here's to a great harvest of a ton of basil for summer salads and 'Amy's Famous Pesto', some hearty, juicy Roma's for sauce and summer salads as well. I especially look forward to the low low hmmmmmmm of the bees!

'Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad...' 

Song of Songs 4:16

post script: I accidentally deleted the original post, twice (what's up w/ blogspot today????)...so, hopefully this re-post still paints the picture!!

The Dog Days of Summer...

 Just a bit of catching up as Summer rolls out of July. The skies, with all the drama of afternoon storms, hail, thunder, lightning (which one day I will be quick enough to capture), continue to amaze and inspire. I post some of the pics on Facebook, but, for the archives, I continue to post the majority of pics on the blog. It works for me. The garden has 'suddenly' filled out and feels like it is in full bloom. The plum tomatoes are heavy, but still green. The heirlooms are yellow striped and small, but sweet, and the peppers are coming in as well!  But, this year, having learned my lesson from last year, I have started making pesto now. Honestly, it is to die for, and so simple to make. I love the prep time, and then seeing/tasting/sharing. I have started drying the Greek oregano and the lavender!!! I was wrong about the bees. There were a couple @ the beginning, but there are no bees and it is a concern, as the garden should literally be humming w/ activity. This is a world wide problem. Here is a link to an article posted in the NY Times from May 2, of this year.

'And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not'.
Isa 58:11

NOTE: The last pics of the garden were from July 3...you can really see the growth from today's pics in comparison!!

And Grow She Will...

Golden Striped tomatoes..new one for me...

Greek oregano

Greek oregano...yields ALOT!!

Small leaf basil...very aromatic!!!!

 Thai basil

The ever delicate purple basil

Small, Greek, purple basil

This year, all basil....lots of pesto on the way!

Greek oregano, Greek basil, dill, cilantro, plum tomatoes

The garden. The garden is growing. The tomatoes are budding their delicate yellow flowers and the small green, yet to ripen plums and stripes are appearing. The basil, of all kinds, is flowering and I am being diligent about cutting back, a little at a time. The Greek oregano, grows low and spreads out, so I have left room for the oregano to do just that. The dill and cilantro are delicate, but hearty in their own rite and have a short life in the garden. They are being used on salmon and in salads. The sweet peppers are just starting to flower, a much later bloom, however, than the tomatoes. The bumblebees are returning, so there is a very low 'hum', and the spiders are building their webs from leaf to leaf, from stalk to stalk....good thing I am not afraid. It is the first week of July and thankfully, as impatient as I am, the garden is growing...more to come!

Jeremiah 29:5

'Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.'