Category Flowers
Orchid
Spring is a season of change. This weekend our clocks will move forward into daylight saving time. Three years ago exactly, I was spending my last night in London before moving back to the states. And nine years ago I gave notice to my law firm that I was leaving to take a new job […]
Meanwhile in the garden
Despite the chilly dampness of the last many months, the garden knows that we’re nearing solstice. The long days have coaxed the roses into their first flush of blooms. They’re so lovely. In the opposite corner the Mexican fleabane is as exuberant and joyful a ever, framing a wee pink dahlia. I just love those […]
First roses
The pink-and-white speckled roses have started to bloom. Seems earlier in the season than last year, and the other varieties are probably still about a month out from their first bloom cycle. But the bush looks healthy and the flowers are a nice colourful addition in the dreary Seattle spring weather.
It’s finally garden season in Seattle
As March, April, and May plod by under chilly clouds with temperatures steadfastly in the 45-55 range, spring in Seattle can feel like quite a slog. But then a sunny, mid-60s weekend arrives and all the joy of spring comes rushing out at once. That’s how this weekend has been–and oh, what good it does […]
Speaking of flowers… those lilies did not cooperate 🤨
After two full weeks —aka eternity—the lilies finally deigned to bloom. By then nearly all the berries had turned brown, the pussy willow buds had either dropped off or begun to sprout—and the lilies weren’t even white. Pink! Sigh. But it’s good lesson in the importance of getting the timing right in floristry. And of […]
The hand bouquet
The second task in my floristry class was to create a hand bouquet—meaning a bouquet constructed with stems held in hand, rather than inserted into a vase. The result was supposed to be compact, roughly symmetrical and appealing from all sides—something in the vein of a bridal bouquet. I chose to build mine with a […]
Floristry! First task: the vase arrangement
Back in, hmm, maybe 2010 I spent a few days in Guatemala City with my friends Jennifer and Mark who were living there on assignment with USAID. I have a lot of good memories from that trip, but one that has had a surprisingly long lasting impact is of an enormous vase of stargazer lilies […]
Urban guerilla gardening
There’s an old, fire-damaged house down the street from me with an overgrown garden that, in happier days, must have been a pretty little garden. Every spring amidst the overgrown brambles and roses, I’ve admired a crop of unusual oxalis plants with pink flowers rather than the typical white. Well, today I saw that the […]
The sunset matched my roses
My garden felt a little empty today without the pond fish (as predicted, the full population has now died), and I felt a little blue. But as I left the garden after dinner I turned for one last look at the roses—just in time to see the pink and yellow sunset in shades that matched […]
More of the garden
I’m realising we’re already more than halfway through the summer and I’ve documented virtually nothing of my garden this year. Not sure why—especially since it has been huge success. Maybe I’ve just been too caught up enjoying it to want to stick my nose back in the phone to post about it. But if hate […]
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 