Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Roses


The JFK rose has returned!

More lovely Hollyhocks.


The Iceburg rose and jasmine beneath as pretty as ever.


This incredibly sweet smelling rose keeps returning.


I was moved by the beauty of this plant.


And this is the photo I'll send to Martha Stewart when I apply to work for her. This hydrangea is my baby. I've taken very good care of it.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Hollyhocks, Lily, Mandevilla.


The first seeds I've raised have finally blossomed. It has been an amazing journey watching these grow. Together we conquered rust, snails, slugs, and all of it's brethren die. Today it is quite stately and proud, and so am I!
Also, our lily has moved indoors. It has a very nice fragrance, a more delicate version of the Stargazer variety.

And finally the Mandevilla, which is an excellent vine for the sun. I am very impressed by sun-loving flowers. Now we need to find a home for this beast!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Lilies and Hydrangeas

Our first lily finally bloomed:

And finally, the hydrangeas are all pink!

Monday, June 27, 2011

New Life


This Succulent, which was one rosette, has now multiplied and gifted us with flowers. We feel very lucky indeed. Their cool colors are very soothing.

Plums, on a tree we once believed to be pears! You can imagine our surprise when we learned otherwise. It is certainly a gift eating these. One can grasp a certain indescribable bliss upon tasting them. It is intoxicating.




Behold the incredible beauty of this tree. Indeed, dramatic language is appropriate in describing this plum. As artists, we deeply appreciate the yellows, purples, and reds that offsets the beautiful green of the leaves. Saving this tree has been a labor of love, if not so distressing. It's trunk is clinging to little, and much has been done to prop it, and alleviate weight with pruning. It's worth saving.




Our vegetable garden is growing. In the foreground is butternut squash. Behind it (unseen) are carrots. After that there are fennel, onions, more carrots, green onions, and peas. It is a marvel.

Lettuce. As I picked some last night for a salad, I felt a certain indescribable pleasure that bordered on heavenly. The abundance is overwhelming and beautiful. No matter how much I use I never appear to make a dent. It is delicious and one of the most gratifying eating experiences I've had. Alice Waters is right. There is something deeply satisfying about eating food you have grown. In the upper right corner of the lettuce are beets. To the right of the beets are two tiny tomatoes, growing slowly but surely.

Out front the Lily of the Nile are in full conflagration, like fireworks. I remember when we lived in San Francisco our neighbors had two of these growing in containers. I asked them what they were and they had no idea! A lot has changed since then. This particular variety is especially impressive. The flowers are large, the color incredible. They are neon light purple, a color only nature can produce.


This was once an antique red colored hydrangea, now a beautiful lurid pink, which happily invites our guests out in front. It has given us many beautiful flowers since June gave it to me for an art opening.

Roses, Daisies, Hydrangeas






Years past, we were lucky to get one rose, not two, and soon three, like now here we are getting in Fremont. So pretty!




I had to post this for its sheer beauty. It has since become pink, but I thought this was lovely until that is posted.




These are quite abundant, cheerful, and bright. They are a surprise to anyone willing to sneak around towering rosemary, for which these are sheltered.

more...Shirley Angel's Choir Poppies


Clearly I am smitten with these poppies. They are an everlasting delight. We hope you enjoy these pictures.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Grapefruit


When Grapefruit was in season, I ate them constantly. I decided I wanted a tree for the orchard. From the grapefruit I ate, I saved the seeds, dried them, and planted them as an experiment. After no signs of life for two months, I shelved the seedlings in their starter soil away in a bag and forgot about it.

Tonight, however, I dug through the bag and found these, alive and well and strong! You can imagine my joy and amazement. I am actually growing trees! I am so excited I could scream.

On another topic, we live in an incredible neighborhood. Down the street a neighbor stopped me and we talked for an hour about Hollyhocks, for which she has many, some being 10 feet tall! It was amazing. As if that wasn't perfect enough, she sent me home with Hollyhock seeds and Hyacinth bulbs! Amazing neighborhood!