Archive for November 2012

Scout & About

Friday, November 30, 2012

: : the first installation in a series in which I begin to scout for color the way a dog sniffs out . . . well, the way my dog sniffs out toast in the morning. With a voracious, hyper-active appetite, and lots and lots of crumbs.
 

This grainy portrait is none other than local friendliness enthusiast Raurri Jennings (two links there for your clicking), posing with a bouquet found in his own home during this week's Friendsgiving party. It contains some Gerbera daises, which are actually in the sunflower family, and a big sprig of cultivated goldenrod.

Goldenrod is a fantastic filler and, though you may have heard otherwise, will not make you sniffly or sneezy. Many people believe that they have an allergy, because goldenrod appears at the same time as its more subtle (and infinitely more evil) cousin, ragweed. So please, appreciate it without fear! G-rod doesn't get enough love.

Check back for more Scout & About in the near future. . .

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Cherry Blossom Flower

Sunday, November 25, 2012 · Posted in , ,

Cherry Blossom Flower, Native to Japan, Korea and China, the cherry blossom flower has become a celebrated symbol of both life and death. This is due to the fact that they burst forth in early spring, then fall to the ground within a week. The cherry blossom tree is from the genus prunus, which holds a moderate 400 species. Although the most popular cherry blossoms – the Somei Yoshino – come in a milky white shade that is tinged with a vibrant pink, many cherry blossoms – such as the yaezakura and shidarezakura – can be seen in delicate shades of an almost violet-hued pink.
The cherry blossom flower, unofficially speaking, is considered the national blossom for Japan. This is not surprising, as these blossoms have long been considered some of the most exotic, delicate and entrancing flowers in the world. Festivals and viewings have become cultural staples not only in Japan, but in Canada, the United States and Germany. They have also become a prominent figure in a number of artistic mediums. Many people use this figure in tattoos; sewn into kimonos and silk screened onto t-shirts; painted onto canvas or walls; dried and used as decorative pieces, or simply used as inspiration for music and poetry. The cherry blossom flower has also become a very popular theme for weddings. This is due largely to its romantic and unique beauty; however, it is also used as means to represent hanging on to one another despite the ephemeral nature of existence.
The cherry blossom flower makes for an unusual, elegant and deeply meaningful gift. Despite the overall idea that cherry blossoms are an emblem for the transience of life, they tend to have a different meaning depending upon location. For example, in China they are thought to be the ultimate symbol for feminine beauty, sensuality and strength. The Japanese blossom, however, is meant to represent the Buddhist teachings of the nobility of strength in acceptance of all phases of life. Although many people present these flowers in their more artistic formats, you can very easily give them as single flowers, as a dried branch, or in their more edible, pickled form.

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Leftovers

Friday, November 23, 2012


So it's been Thanksgiving, one of the holidays that make up The Holidays, and here I am with a belly full of multiple plates of reheated harvest foods, happy for a number of reasons.

In the Flower Scout department, I'm glad to have had the opportunity to mess around with some vases and flora over the past few days.


It's nice to do some arranging, after a brief hiatus, and now that I'm back in town I find I'm eager to begin trolling the woods and streamsides of Troy for bushes and branches. Already I've stolen some bittersweet, the red berries pictured above, which frame the entrance to my new home at the CAC Woodside.


New home, old home: This coming-back is a chance to spend time in my childhood house (too much time?!), and also to return to a wonderful job in the produce department at the Honest Weight Food Coop, where on Wednesday Gayle hooked me up with the ingredients for this second bouquet, which includes two kinds of decorative "politically correct" (as she says) eucalyptus, mums, African Boxwood, and a gorgeous spiky grayish filler that I can't remember the name of.


I really don't like mums, but beggars can't be choosers in late November and these are actually kind of lovely ones. If you're in Troy//Albany//hereabouts and want to go search the forests for seasonal shapes and colors, email me at flowerscoutfarm@gmail.com, or comment on the Facebook page, or just call me if you have my digits. Let's get out there!

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Flowers resist the crisis

Sunday, November 18, 2012 · Posted in ,


Pink flowers
While many sectors of the economy suffer with international crises, the segment of flowers and ornamental plants has weathered increased by 12% the volume of production.


According to experts this increase is due to large supermarkets and even convenience stores began offering plants, beyond the flower delivery services over the internet.

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Calla Lily Flower

Friday, November 16, 2012 · Posted in , , ,

Calla Lily Flower, Calla Lily, calla lily colors, calla lily care
The calla lilies are a beautiful genus of flowers that have been enjoyed by humans for centuries. The calla lily grows from a type of bulb called a rhizome and produces very large green leaves, typically covered with lighter-coloured spots. The flower blooms from the top of a rather thick stem and sort of resembles trumpet shaped rolled paper, having a texture ranging from rather fleshy to wet autumn leaves. A grouping of calla lilies is a wonderful addition to any garden, since they are relatively easy to grow and are an absolute favourite as a cut flower inside the house. Keep on reading to learn more about calla lilies and how to grow them for your own gardening pleasure.

Growing Calla Lilies
Plant Calla Lilies deeply for their good size.
Plant them at 4 inches deep, spacing each bulb 12 inches apart.
Start bulbs indoors in late winter and transplant them in the spring when danger of frost has passed.

Apply a bulb fertilizer every month during the active growing season.
Most Calla Lilies need a rest period after flowering.
Let the leaves die back and let plants rest for 2 to 3 months.
Then again resume watering to encourage new growth.

Calla Lilies Care
In cooler areas, take the rhizomes after first frost, clean the bulbs, if there is soil.
Dry them in the direct sun for a few days.
Store in a dry location that remains between 50 and 60 degrees F.
Plant the calla lily bulbs in spring after the soil has warmed and all danger of frost has passed.
Fertilize monthly, and keep well watered.

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Types Of Roses

Sunday, November 11, 2012 · Posted in , , , ,

Types Of Roses,types of roses with pictures,types of roses by color,types of roses and meanings,types of roses names
Picking a rose plant is a matter of personal preference. Do you want fragrance, a climber, lots of blooms, a certain bloom size, or a compact plant? Here are the types of roses and their basic differences so you choose the type that fits your gardening plan:
Climbers: Vigorous, sprawling rose plants that need the support of an arbor, fence, or trellis to stay upright.

Floribundas: Free-blooming shrubs that produce tons of flowers, usually borne in large clusters. One of the best types of roses for landscaping.

Grandifloras: Vigorous bushes producing large, beautifully formed flowers that are more likely to be borne in clusters than one to a stem. 'Queen Elizabeth' is a classic grandiflora.

Hybrid teas: The most popular type of rosebush, with beautiful long-stemmed flowers that are ideal for cutting.

Miniatures: Small in leaf and stature but big in amount of bloom. Grow only 4 to 36 inches high but make great landscape plants, especially as edgings and in containers.

Old garden and species roses (Antique roses): A huge group of roses varying in plant habit and flower type. A larger number bloom only once a year. Many have extremely fragrant and/or uniquely formed flowers.

Polyanthas: Small, compact shrubs producing large clusters of flowers. Good landscape plants.

Shrubs: A diverse group of quite varied plants, includes many new excellent landscape varieties known for their easy care and abundant bloom. Also includes some of the hardiest roses.

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The Bulbs Abide

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Yesterday I scored a lot of bulbs--a whole boatload of bulbs--at local gardening store, for half price. Half price! This is a great boon to Flower Scout's limited budget, and a sign that bulb-planting time is present/past tense. So today, in an effort to soak up sunlight and avoid the internet, which unfortunately cannot tell the future, I'm planting all of those bulbs in my parents' sandy front garden.


I've got some narcissus, tulips, giant grape hyacinths, two kinds of alliums, and an unbelievably beautiful fritillaria. And I've got a giant tub of ground cayenne, to keep the squirrels away.


I'm spacing them carefully with this trusty ruler, and I'm singing and digging and working to ward off nerves.

Please vote, everyone! 


Just think, by the time my fritillaria curl up out of the ground, we'll be in the future. We'll have seen some consequence of today's great decision-making, we'll have passed the historic solstice of 2012, will have braved winter storms and heretofore-unforeseen life-changing decisions, and all that while they'll be chilling out, patient and abiding, if the squirrels don't get them first,


which is a major reason why I heart farm.




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Hydrangea Flowers

Monday, November 5, 2012 · Posted in ,

Hydrangea Flowers, Hydrangeas are popular but can be challenging for Indiana gardeners. There are numerous species and cultivars that show amazingly diverse flowering characteristics, especially color. Depending on the species, cultivar and environmental conditions, the flowers may be pink to red, blue to purple, cream to white, or some shade thereof.

Hydrangea Flowers, Many gardeners are awestruck when they see a gorgeous blue-flowering hydrangea. Such a specimen is no doubt one of the big-leaf hydrangeas, known botanically as Hydrangea macrophylla, which has flowers that will be blue in acid pH soil, and pink in alkaline pH soil. Since this species typically flowers on old wood and is usually killed to the ground in much of Indiana, this plant often disappoints as it produces abundant new foliage but no flowers. 

If it does manage to bloom, much of Indiana has alkaline soil, so flowers are more likely to be pink unless the gardener treats the soil to lower pH substantially. There are some promising newer cultivars that bloom on both old and new wood, such as 'Endless Summer'. 

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