MY CHRISTMAS WISH FOR ALL.......

From what ever faith, culture or country I wish us all the same; Good health, love and peace!



MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

THIS IS WHAT'S GROWING IN MY BACK GARDEN .

Actually I took these pictures last week, it was a gorgeous day! I just have not had time to post them. Today however, was not a good day, weather wise. OMG the rain, still a bit warm but, the rain it's been unreal. Hopefully we'll get some cooler days. I finished all of my Impatience, I have to take pictures to share them with you, they are beautiful.

I’M SOOOOOO EXCITED ABOUT MY NEW POTTING AREA!!!

Even though it's HOT and I've been mad at the weather. I have finished my latest project. I'm so happy because I was able to finally carve a piece of my back yard, just for me. MY NEW POTTING AREA. I don't have a pretty wooden potting bench, like the ones I see in the garden magazines. I'm making do with this plastic party fold-up table, and it's working pretty good. I can finally keep all my supplies in one area.
The only other thing I need is one of those Rubbermaid small plastic shed, in order to protect my tools from the elements, without having to bring them in my house. I don't have a garage.




I found a spot to display and enjoy my bird house collection. These are just for me. I only have one real bird house, it's in the front yard near a feeder, but I have not had much luck with it. I think is maybe......... the birds don't feel safe. I'm going to have to do some research on that, because I would love to have an active bird house. How great would that be!



I'm still working on my orchids, I have plenty of work still left with them!

I'M DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS........

IS THIS BEAUUUUUUTIFUL OR WHAT!!!!!


I just came in from watering my plants, I'm literally mad.... it is soooooo hot out there. I know I live in Miami, but PLEASE GOD just a bit of cold weather would be nice. I love Miami, but I'd give anything right now for that happy joyfull feeling you get when you see snow falling, it all looks so beautiful almost magical, Ahhhhhhh that feeling.
Sorry, just dreaming out loud.

GIVE ME MORE LIGHT, PLEASE!!!!

I can't believe how well plants can adapt to their environment. I wish we can do the same. This beautiful Heliconia getS absolutely no sun light here and she still manages to put on a show.

ISN'T SHE A BEAUT!

Is nice to look back, take a look at these now and then.

When I first moved in my house 11 years ago I went crazy. I cut everything back, a bit too much. Now I just want to control the over growth. I like when I can't see my neighbors house. I feel like I'm not in the city.

Now.

Then.

Now.

Then.

Now.

Then.

HAPPY THANSGIVING TO ALL MY GARDENING FRIENDS.

Look what I did today!

I transplanted these Water Lilies next to a tiny patch of soil on the side my green house.


This is the entrance to the green house, I planted these Thorn of Christ from cuttings. They'll get plenty of sun here, I hope they'll take. I did not use root starter.

LOOK WHAT I DID AND FOUND IN MY GARDEN TODAY.

WOW.....WOW......WOW!!! LOOK AT ALL THESE BEAUTIES BLOOMING AT THE SAME TIME. WHAT A SIGHT. I JUST LOVE MY ORCHIDS.
I now can keep all my orchids in the green house, but once they bloom I put them all over, NEAR ME TO ENJOY, once I had a blooming Vanda with the sweetest soft scent. I kept this Vanda for almost a month on my night table next to my bed. What a treat!

These are in the back porch and during this time of year I practically live out there, I'll get to see them all the time.




This is why I don't always spike my orchids. I kind of like to let them do whatever they want. I know commercial growers have to, for transportation and visual purpose but, OH! not me. Look at this Dendrobium, she's got PERSONALITY!



My latest find, this cute little Zebra, I literally dove into a garbage can for. I can't believe my sister was throwing her away. Welcome Ms. Zebra, you're new to me!



I'm going to use these Petunias and Begonias in hanging baskets, I'm sooooooo looking forward to that on Sunday.




Today I planted my impatiens in the back garden, this is my usual timing for them. In the front garden however, I think I got a little ahead of myself, I planted them Nov. 1st. That's kind of early for me, but I could not wait. This year I'm doing all one color front and back, I picked a salmonberry color I just fell in love with.

I planted 2 trays in the front and 2 in the back. Every year I say I'm going to cut down on the amount of trays, but I always talk myself into one more tray.
It really IS a great bargain! 18 impatiens in a tray for about $10.00, you can't beat that. OMG the show they put on when fully mature. I use Osmocote now and some when I give them a hair cut in mid Feb. (I'll post on that later)

THIS IS MY IDEA OF FALL!!!

We grew up in Chicago, and the only time I truly miss it is this time of year. So in honor of my beloved Chi-town I had to post this beautiful picture.

Look at this WOW AWESOME sight. Here in Miami our leaves don't change colors, I buy them at the craft store Yikes, we do what we gotta do.

A PUBLIC THANK YOU!!! TO MUCH LEARNING.

Thank you Rusty from Miami at the DRAGONFLY GARDEN.

While blog hopping I found DRAGONFLY GARDEN by Rusty. I ran and told my hubby, he thought I won the lotto. Rusty is a creative gardener with tons of gardening know how and a beautiful garden. He's in my same area, Miami. We share the same gardening challenges. How lucky can a girl get? Yippeeee! THANK YOU for inspiring me to start my 1st gardening blog!!!! Check out his blog, he's great.
(I haven't figured out how to add a link to a post yet, sorry!)

The scent of life, thriving! The scent of my green house.

Juan Eberto Plasencia, better known as DAD, at the nursery with my aunt and uncle, relaxing probably telling stories and making jokes (notice the cigarett).

I feel the need to do a little more explaining about my green house. I've always heard the saying "time can heal anything" (and I did have some help from God). My family is Cuban and we have lots of sayings, this one is my favorite. Now, I get it!

My family had nurseries in the Horse Country area of Miami. My best memories about our family together as a whole was when we lived in the nursery. Those were great times! Even once I got married and moved into my own place. I would stop by the nursery EVERY DAY after work, before I went to my home. By the time I got there all the workers had gone for the day and my dad had taken his shower, he had on a clean white t-shirt and he smelled of Old Spice. He waited for me to show me the work that was done that day.
After our walk around all the green houses, we would sit in the front porch and wait for the sprinklers to go off.... Ahhhhhh, the sound of sprinklers. The daily walk was done before he watered, because I'm very afraid of frogs. Yes I'm a gardener afraid of frogs. HA! HA!

He would tell me plans for the growers and the clients that had placed orders, all kinds of great conversations took place, just between him and me. My wonderful dad at home, surrounded by 5 woman, we must have driven him nuts at times.
Our daily walk, the damp smell of the green houses and all that fertile growth around me, till this day, those are the fondest memories of my dad.

My saddest day was when, he was very sick and he wanted to sell the nursery. I remember my final walk around the green houses. I did that walk alone while my mom waited for me at the front gates and I said good buy to all the plants. My dad died a few month after the nursery was sold.
My uncle still has nurseries and I remember not being able to visit him at the nursery for many, many years. I thought I would never have the courage to smell the inside of a green house again, that particular sent that reminded me so very much of my dad. But, I did and yes it was VERY sad and I did it, again and again and again.

Today I'm very happy and blessed to have my very own green house and I can't wait till it gets that impregnated moist scent of things growing, of LIFE!!!
I have some great plans for my green house and who know, I have a very creative niece that loves to scrapbook with me. Maybe ??? I can pass to her the love for what grows in a green house.

MY NEW GREEN HOUSE, I'M SOOOO EXCITED! AND, MY GARDEN SOIL RECIPE??? YES THATS RIGHT, I HAVE A RECIPE FOR THE SOIL I USE.

I just love my green house, it's on the east side of the house and it gets plenty of sunshine. It's not very big, 12 x 10, but It's plenty big for me. I'm so happy, I just love, love, love it! Whooo Hooo!!! When my mom saw it she got very happy for me, because she knows what this little green house means to me. The hardest task for me was the measuring and cutting of the shade cloth. I was so nervous!!! Like when you're sewing ......meassure twice, cut once or is that carpentry? Oh well, that's what I did.


I thought we would be using some metal washers and screws to hold the shade cloth, but at HD they advised us on these metal plates with prongs. So easy, just hammer them in.


Since I have to control the water intake on the orchids. After interviewing a few orchid growers in the Homested area (farming city south of Miami), we decided to go with the fiberglass panels for the roof top. It worked out great.


I hope these hooks are not going to rip the shade cloth, we'll see.


This is the inside of the green house. I'm making do with the shelf in the corner. My neighbor was getting rid of it and for now it's OK. My husband ask me what I wanted for Christmas and I told him shelving tables for the green house. I could of said a new dress.



My version of eye candy, nothing gets me going like GOOD SOIL. I think my back yard has the worst soil in South Florida. So I have to mix my own. Every time I have to go and purchase soil, I think, that's kind of sad. What will happen when we can't get it from a bag? What will we do? I hope I never find out.
Well today was a happy day because I worked in my garden. My day started with my wonderful husband mixing some soil for me. I remember a time when I could pick a bag of soil like nothing. Well things have changed, my back is "shot" as my husband would say. I had a difficult time admitting to my self, that I have to take care of my back. I just can't do what I use to do before. Hubby to the rescue. MY HUSBAND IS NOT A GARDENER, BUT I COULD NOT GARDEN WITHOUT MY HUSBAND. He's great!!!
I would love to start to compost, I have to look into a compost tumbler. I don't have a lot or room and I wounder how big they are?


This is my recipe: One bag of good quality potting soil, one bag of organic compost, I use cow manure and two shovels full of Peat moss. This is the best mix for me, you have it all, if I'm using it for hanging baskets or in clay pots I then add a bit or Perlite. In the past for some major project in the front garden I got the soil by the yard. But, I like my mix best.

I always get the large block of Peat Moss, great bargain.

My blender LOL. He mixes all up in the wheel barrel. I'm sure there is an easier way to do this, but this is what works for me. I just wheel it around as I need it.

This metal galvanized tub like container came back to the states with me from Germany, over 16 years ago. Its had many functions in my garden. I've thought of turning it into a container for a small herb garden, but I just can't see myself drilling holes in it. For now It covers my open bag of Peat Moss. I love it.