AZ Garden Tour

We saw several examples of comfortable seating areas in shade to part shade spots that also provided a splash of color to those areas!  Gee, a good book and cold drink would be ideal to take to these spots for some quiet moments?

Az Garden Tour Water Feature

The sounds of water flowing over the art backdrop was soothing to hear! A great artistic way to add sound and movement to a calming yet refreshing scene.

AZ Garden Tour planter

This lovely planter used  a basket as the pot and added calming blue flowers with green and chartruse glass art for a charming accent. and excitement.

I like using baskets as planters.  Usually I line the basket with lawn fabric to hold the soil in while providing excellent drainage.  You just need to be aware to set the basket on something that will allow water to flow thru.  When I spray the basket with a clear finish before planting in it, I can usually use the basket three years as it ages slowly then and just looks a bit more rustic each year.

Lady Banks Rose

Absolutely breath taking when you see one for the first time!

However, it is only zoned for 6-9, which leaves us northern gardeners envying the southern gardeners!  We saw several on our AZ Garden Tour this year!

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT LADY BANKS ROSES CLICK HERE

AZ Garden Tour first stop!

Our tour this year began at a local elementary school and left us all wishing our northern school year could include a growing season to teach the students to appreciate our earth.  
This was the best school garden project I have seen!  All raised beds, plants featured included vegetables and plants to attract Monarch Butterflies and colorful Art created by the kids!  The plants were so healthy!

Garden Tour AZ style!

Garden Tour time in Az!  A group of Northern snowbird gardeners did "our thing" and checked it out again this year! Fun day included stopping for lunch, of course.  Notice we have only one guy gardener and he was our experienced leader again!  Yep, he handles this gaggle of gals just fine!

More updates from the SE MN Tundra

Today I got these pictures from my gardening friend, Betty who lives on an acreage outside of Rochester with hubby, a flock of sheep and lots of flower beds!   Thanks for sharing my friend!

Oh my!   I need to get packing so I am ready to leave these hot temps and head for MN Spring!

I think I have some of these iris and am wondering if they are up and blooming!  I hope my crocus wait for me!

Tulip update from So. MN Tundra

Karen, I uncovered my tulips along the south side of the house Monday morning (March 7th).  I had covered them with a thick layer of straw to protect them from last weeks sub-zero temps.  So they were covered for a week and a half.

They were little pips unfurling when I uncovered them.  Two days later........  Tuesday, March 8th, the photo attached shows them about 4+ inches high.  Amazing!  Guess the tulips liked our 68-degree temps yesterday!

Sorry for the brief intermission in my blog posts.  My friend, my computer, briefly needed a rest.  It is very ill and I am in the process of getting a new friend ready to take over so my tired current one can retire!

MARCH 8TH!

Echinopsis oxygona

Actually that is the botanical name for the "Easter Lily" cactus!

Special request from my gardening friend, Cindy, to bring her back one for her newest project, a succulent wall on her three/four season porch!

Those little white puffy things are flowers developing!

The man at the nursery assured me this will grow just fine on Cindy's porch and also enjoy some time outdoors in the summer!  I picked out this one and he told me that was a good choice and I noticed it has three babies developing also!  She says she has the perfect pot for it, so.......!

For more information on this cactus click here!


And for more information, click here!

Cactus shopping

A friend, Cindy, requested I bring her back a special cactus for her new project, a succulent area on her three season porch in MN!

So, off I went to a fabulous rustic looking nursery in Apache Junction, AZ called "Shady Way Nursery".  I have been going there for 9 years and had only shopped in the area of small potted cactus/succulents.  I was amazed at a rather large nursery in Mesa recommending I go there for this particular cactus variety!

Here is what I found this trip!  It reminded me of shopping for hostas in Minnesota!  Each variety was more beautiful than the next!  This is just a few pictures of what I saw while realizing I could get really excited about growing cactus in AZ if I lived here!

 I didn't  take pictures of the spectacular Mexican pottery in stock!  Next time!

AZ Poppy Time!

What more can I say!  Absolutely one of the most cheerful sights to enjoy!