Author: Sandra

Clematis in Heavenly Blue Profusion

Sandra

Clematis in a containerI have gardened for many years but I had never seen a real live clematis till recently. I had seen pictures of different types of clematis but I had never seen a real clematis in bloom. That is – until we came to live in Gauteng.

We used to live at the coast – and clematis didn’t seem to be top of the list there.

Then one day at a garden display I saw this exquisite clematis plant with three of the most heavenly blue plate-sized blooms.

Suffice it to say that I was blown away – and of course I had to have it.

So I bought this very expensive clematis plant. It was very young and delicate so I looked after it with the greatest of care.  I watched every leaf bud open. Read more →

Tips for Designing Cards with Pressed Flowers

Sandra
A curved design

A curved design

Designing cards with pressed flowers is very easy. Once you have pressed your flowers they are so pretty that half the work is already done for you.

But that being said there are a few little tips that can help you get the best from your pressed flowers.

It’s important for pressed flowers to look natural in a design.  Because don’t forget, pressed flowers are flat and one dimensional.

Curved leaves

Curved Leaves

So it’s important to create an impression of depth with curving lines.

A clever little trick I have discovered is to use elegantly coiled tendrils and curled leaves in my flower designs.

It gives them the natural flowing look I want and the designs soon take on a curved and even three-dimensional appearance.

Designing with Leaves and Greenery Read more →

Orchids are Spectacular and so Easy to Grow

Sandra

Red OrchidOrchids had never captured my interest before. I always thought that orchids were hot house plants – fussy about their environment and difficult to grow.

It just shows what prejudice can do to your decision-making faculties.  Because nothing could be further from the truth.

I have been growing orchids for about a year now and I can quite understand how people become obsessed with them.

With every new addition to my orchid collection, my interest in orchid growing expands. It’s a great new hobby and I’m just loving it!

I read somewhere that a good hobby is defined by its ability to provide visible results in a short amount of time.  Well, orchid growing fits the definition to perfection.  Because with very little effort, you can get stunning results quite quickly. Read more →

Creamed Spinach- A Quick and Easy Recipe

Sandra

SpinachThis is a quick and easy recipe for creamed spinach.  It’s one of the best ways to use your own home grown spinach.

I can promise you that when you pick the spinach fresh from your own garden it will taste far better than any bought spinach!

I don’t have to tell you about the many health benefits of spinach which are long reputed to be unbeatable.

Suffice it to say that spinach is packed with the best vitamins and protects us against many of the dread diseases.

All that in a bunch of spinach?

Yes! And here’s a delicious way to take advantage of those health benefits. Read more →

How to care for your Amaryllis Plants

Sandra

Amaryllis on the patioMost people buy their Amaryllis plants from nurseries when they are in full flower because they are so spectacular.

But this is unnecessarily expensive particularly if you would like to have a collection of amaryllis flowers in different colours. In this case, you should think about purchasing a few bulbs.

Amaryllis Bulbs

Make sure that you buy the largest bulbs as mature bulbs will give you the biggest flowers. Smaller bulbs may skip a season before they flower and disappoint you.

As soon as you have planted your amaryllis bulbs – remember not to plant them too deep – water them thoroughly and allow the soil surface to dry a bit before watering them again. Read more →

Amaryllis Flowers bring splendor to your Garden Patio

Sandra

AmaryllisAmaryllis flowers have become increasingly popular as gift plants, undoubtedly because the bulbs bloom so freely on garden patios as well as indoors.

The large, showy flowers make a bold statement and are available in a large variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.

Amaryllis are not difficult to grow.  You can bring them into bloom every year if you treat the plants correctly.

You can keep your amaryllis indefinitely, and if you can provide the right conditions for growth and dormancy, your bulb will get larger and multiply itself over the years.

Large bulbs may produce as many as three flower stalks and some bulbs may bloom during the summer as well as during the winter, depending on the temperature and other growing conditions.

But in the main, they are very easy to grow.  And this is one of the best features of the amaryllis. Read more →

Planting by the Moon for Healthy Vegetables.

Sandra

Quite a few gardeners believe in planting by the moon.


Planting by the moonPlanting  by the moon means that you take into consideration the phases of the moon before you do your planting.

Gardeners who plant by the moon also tend to harvest,  cultivate or deal with pests according to the phases of the moon.

Here in the southern hemisphere, the 22nd September is Spring Equinox day when knowledgeable organic and moon gardeners arrange to do their planting.

It’s supposed to be a very favourable time for planting because moon gardeners believe that plants thrive hugely when they are planted this way.

Well, I don’t know if planting by the moon works or not but I was willing to try.  So I prepared the soil carefully with compost the week before.  All my garden beds were ready and waiting for the important day.  Read more →