White Blooms in Filoli

      I love going through the Filoli garden with people as much as I do going solo.  My favorite is on days like last Saturday when it looks like it should rain and everyone stays home leaving me to wander and daydream by myself. Here are some pictures of what inspired me while wandering around with by myself. (And of course little Baby Boo in utero).

"The Wedding Place"

   This last visit I was inspired by some magnificent white blooming trees and tulips in Filoli. I think it was the stark contrast the white blooms had against the dark gloomy sky that really made the white look spectacular. It was magical. This was the first time this year I saw the trees blooming around "The Wedding Place". It is the only area on a diagonal on the entire grounds. There was one wedding held here- and the colors were all white and green. It's not hard to imagine how simple and beautiful it was.

Blooming in White around the wedding place

 
 Seeing all these tress in bloom has me considering planting one for my own garden. However, I'm not sure where I could put it. Also the blooms would be short lived with most of the year either green or sticks (more racking). I think if anything I will purchase and plant a Camilia tree. It is my "birthday flower", has a long period of blooming, and has evergreen leaves. So, I am pretty much decided on a nice Camilia.

   Also very nice is the field of Daffodils. Usually I go to Murphy's over St. Patrick's day weekend and meet my parents for the Northern California Daffodil show. This year my parents decided and I decided not to go. But, I got a fill of Daffys to keep me happy.

Daffodil Field with blooming apple trees

It was cold!

     And to appease the masses here are some pictures of myself with my beginning of third trimester bump. I propped up the camera and took these of myself. Eek.

Birds were signing (or laughing) to me

Inside the best smelling "garden house"

Pink Camilia blooming behind me.

 I am considering making myself this t-shirt because conversations have become repetative.

1. I am 6 months pregnant
2. The Dr.s tell me it will be a girl
3. I am due the first week of June
4. Strangers asking to touch my stomach kinda weirds me out. ... But great if you are a friend or family!

Trumpets, Miniatures, and Filoli

     This past week contained more Daffodil fun. Tiny bubbles bloomed, as did Arkle, and one of my pinks Katie Heath. Unfortunately Arkle was too tall and big so they fell over as soon as it opened. So, I cut most of them and enjoy them inside now. Can some one tell me why a daffodil grows so that it can't support itself? Should I modify something for next year?

Arkle

     I went for my first time this year to Filoli. I brought a couple of friends to experience the magical place. They loved it - especially because we toured the gardens with the sound track to Pride and Prejudice playing!

Me with Annie and Mindy at Filoli's  Daffodil Daydream

Smelling the Hyacinths

  
     The Northern Califonia Daffodil Society was also at Filoli over the weekend. I mentioned the event in an earlier post.  I shook hands with the NCD president Bob Spotts and dropped my Dad's name so Bob could know who I was. We chatted a little bit before he gave his talk on the history of Daffodils. I had never really thought much about daffodils in the wild before. It turns out Daffodils are only native to areas around the Mediterranean! I found that fact really interesting.  Also funny is how they don't required any special care at all- they are just like our orange California Poppy's! Crazy. Well here are some more pictures.

 

Tiny Bubbles

Katie Heath

Daffodil Season

     Daffodil season is here in my little California yard! This is probably the most exciting time for me in the garden. Bulbs require waiting and patience. So, when they do bloom it's like a present being opened after months of being "wrapped" up. The first daffodils feel so serendipitous, hope is renewed, and spring will be here with all the buds and blooms.

    First out of the gate was Topolino. My friend Jenni's comment was that it sure was small. :) haha yes it is a mid-size trumpet. This is my second year with this bulb. It was a b-day present from my dad.

Topolino

     Jenni did not yet see the miniatures blooming. Those will definitely open up any day now because of the light rain and wonderful sun. Miniature daffodils are so sweet and lovely. It would be amazing to grow a big pot of one type. I'll put this on my wish list for next year.

     Next to open is what I thought would be containers of Paper Whites that my friend Katie gave me this year. I potted them up in these containers of grey cement.

Paper Whites?

What actually bloomed.

Surprise! It's not so white

    Sometimes things turn out different than you expect. Who would not love a this yellow buttercup flower? So, even though my pots aren't those star shaped "little stinkers" these yellow ones are delightful and smell great! Any idea what how actually name this cultivar?

Pregnant Onions

      Happy New Year! It seems appropriate for my first post of the year to be something monumental. I was planning this post for a few months now. Well actually 18 weeks as my doctor will tell me tomorrow. Like this plant I too am pregnant! It is very exciting- much more exciting than an onion creating a baby- and probably more dramatic too. I don't think Mama Onion got the wonderful experience of nausea.

     In celebration of making it to the second trimester and as a little experiment, I "birthed" one of the little baby onions then planted it in some new soil. I think these onions have a dramatic look about them. Plus they don't require much maintenance. One day I'll give one away as a present if my little guys grow big.

Mama Onion carrying her babies

The babies before planting

      Now I guess I'm part of what's growing in the garden. And I am growing very quickly this past week. I am so grateful for the maternity clothes from my friends!

Christmas Musical Entertainment

I am going slightly off topic- but I just can't resist posting this link to another blog.

Musicals are definitely not for everybody. For those of us that enjoy them and all the cheese that goes with them let's hear it for White Christmas! Click on this link to kindle your desire to watch the movie and dream about snow.  Living-in-white-christmas from Design Sponge

I always loved the "Sisters" song because it's so catchy and fun.

 

Filoli Spring Opening

2011 Filoli Daffodil Display

       I was excited to receive the Filoli bi-monthly newsletter last week because it announced their opening day celebrations called "Daffodil Daydreams".  Yippee Daffodils! I can imagine how great the daffodils smell from the pictures. Apparently Filoli is the largest ADS (American Daffodil Society) Display Garden in the West. Click on the link to see the events schedule Filoli Spring Opening Event
 
The Saturday events look like fun to me. Bob Spots will give a talk - I'll have to stop by with my official ADS National show pin and maybe do a little name dropping till he recognizes me.

"Not Just that Yellow Flower Anymore Bob Spotts, President of the Northern California Daffodil Society (NCDS) and Nancy Tucket, NCDS Member. Bob shares his experience and gives helpful tips for growing daffodils in the Bay Area."

There is also a flower arranging demonstration I'd like to attend.
"Demo: Flower Arranging with Seasonal Blooms."

So, if you are around the Bay Area Saturday February 25th let me know if you'd like to go with me. I have a free ticket.

In other news I received a huge bag of Paper White bulbs (white star shaped clusters of Daffodils) as a present. Lets see if I can force my first bulb! I'm so excited because I think these smell amazing. Well to be fare they all smell amazing to me. *sigh* It's only December a good time to read books and dream about spring flowers.

The Great Iris Planting

  
 
      Finally, my horde of Iris bulbs are in the ground. I dug up this very overgrown bed of Iris that the previous owner of our house let go crazy. I was able to give away about 30. But, still I counted planting 30 plus the four of a different variety my dad gave me. (Of course). Then I broke down and threw out the very smallest because who really needs more than 30 Iris bulbs in one planter?

     I am worried they stayed out of the soil for too long and won't bloom again. But, sometimes if it is not a "must do" item on the to do list it just won't happen. So I am OK with losing some of the Iris because I made other choices that I think were good choices and take care of my health.

     Other happenings in the garden included planting up other fun bulbs. My Daffodils are already in (of course they had priority). Then I was able to put in my Muscari and Anenomi. Two new plants for me which will make spring exciting! As advised by bulb experts, Brent and Becky, I put another layer of compost on top of the soil. This is the time of year to do garden maintenance if you live in California. This means there is still plenty to do to prepare for the spring and think about another vegetable garden. I think I need to start a calendar to keep track.

   

Japan

Me with the Chrysanthemum Display- There is a temple around as well

     Thank you for checking back in to see what is going on with my gardening attempts.I know I have been off with my consistency for writing in this blog. I need to find a more manageable way to post regularly about my projects and discoveries. 

     

     At the end of October I traveled to Tokyo, Japan for work and stayed a little longer to also visit Kyoto. Here are some images from the gardens I saw. Japanese gardens are very well manicured and have a lot of evergreen trees and my birth flower- the Camilia. Unfortunately I was there too early, just before the maples started to change colors and the Camilias bloomed. But, the weather was very mild and not too cold yet.

    
     I saw many palaces and temples. In front of them they would have these Chrysanthemum displays. Apart from this I didn't see many other dis-bud blooms. My guess is that there just is not enough space for people to have pots and pots of dis-buds. But, I did see some sprouts of Daffodil leaves. It made me very happy to know there would be daffodils in a few months.

Chrysanthemum pots grown by 3rd graders

More Chrysanthemums

Some Spider Chrysanthemums opening up

Daffodils will be blooming in Kyoto, Japan

One of the many Persimmon trees in Kyoto

Lots of this growing

     When in Kyoto I was traveling by myself. So, I took a bus tour to the three most popular temples. I saw the Golden Temple, Silver Temple, and this one on top of a mountain. My favorite was the silver temple because it was very natural (wooden- not actually silver) and it had a very large garden. I had to watch the time walking around this one otherwise I was sure to be left behind by the bus tour.

The Golden palace- yes real gold plating

This is "Mt Fugi" on the grounds of the Silver Palace.

Grounds of the Silver Palace- Bonsai berry

Famous temple on the hill- "I'm going to jump off this temple and do xyz crazy thing"

Chrysanthemum display in front of the Noji Palace.

     Noji Palace is well known for their "Nightingale Floors". They didn't allow photography - sorry- but really a video or sound recorder would be more appropriate. These floors were designed so that the sho-gun could hear when someone was approaching. Every step you take makes this little whistling and creaking sound. The wood felt ancient and full of history. I will remember that forever.
 
  This palace had their own Chrysanthemum display. I liked the fan and the tree.

Chrysanthemum Fan

Chrysanthemum Tree

Chrysanthemum Week

     I am a little behind in the garden since I was sick and then traveling for work in Japan. But now I am back and not a moment too soon for what I really must call "Chrysanthemum Week". Today I'll show how my three pots of chrysanthemums are doing. I'll show some pictures from Chrysanthemums in Japan - the official flower of the country. Finally to end the week I will be helping my dad stage his blooms for the Glendale Chrysanthemum Show.

My three plants are doing great! The little pots don't really count but they are blooming too. ;)

One week ago from left to right= Lili Gallon, White City, and Gold Finger

      White City was the first to bloom. It opened up looking a little pink which worried me. Then it aged into a nice full bloom and turned it's namesake white color. Right now I see the yellow center. I am told this means you can no longer enter it into a show. Oh well I kinda like it smiling up at me.

White City just opening (pink city?)

White City looking good

             

White City with center

      Next to open is Gold Finger. It looks really awkward as it opens and makes me laugh seeing the little fingers poke out. But now it is starting to look almost "wow". It will probably be better at the end of the week.

Gold Finger starting to open

Gold Finger today

     Last to open will be Lili Gallon. I killed the first plants of these. Very sad and humbling. So this is my second batch. I think they are on the shorter side and I will need to use smaller stakes before they open. Let's see what they do later.

Lili Gallon showing color

Brent and Becky's Bulbs

The 2011 Spring Bulb Catalog

    I love Daffodils and have been "planting" them since I was a toddler. When they bloom I feel happy and that beautiful sense of new beginnings that is possible with spring. Daffodils also help me feel connected with my family in Southern California because it is another flower my dad grows and shows.
     Ah yes flower shows. I have helped out at so many with staging blooms or as a clerk. When I was younger we would enter as Junior Growers. Going to so many shows means I have met some big names in the business/ hobby. Two years ago I met Brent from "Brent and Becky's Bulbs" at the National show in Murphy's, California. He encouraged me by giving me a card and said get one of their catalogs. You can go the website here https://store.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/  He was so happy to see a "young person" at the show and hoped I would grow my own daffodils once I had some land. It was very encouraging and I learned a lot about his business.
     Now that I do actually have a little bit of land I am memorizing the catalog. It is so tempting to order everything I could dream of for the backyard. But, I am practicing good self control. We simply can not afford for me to buy every daffodil I want. (I want them all). And I would like to try some of the other plants from the catalog like a Tulip, some Anemones, and Muscari that will act as shoes and socks for the daffodils. Oh it's exciting. But these others are risky since they tend to like colder climes.

Brent and I at the 2010 National Daffodil Show in Murphy's, CA

The Great Iris Divide

Last Year's Iris Bloom

     Last spring I was delighted to find that our house came with some very nice and classic looking Iris. But, there are so many of them. It looks like the previous owners never dug them up and divided them for at least 5 years. They are growing on top of each other. It really is a mess of tubers/ rhizomes.
     Since fall is the best time to dig up your bulbs and tubers I set about cleaning up the Iris bed. What I learned is that an Iris tuber does not bloom from the same place twice. It must generate a new portion for the following year's blooms. Over time the old parts can rot away or are no longer useful. For this reason it is a good to dig them up every few years to clean out the bad stuff. It also allows you to create new clumps with the good portions.
     Since this was maybe never done I had a huge task on my hands. Here's my progress so far.

 

Before Digging- Iris are the tall spiky leafed plants

Dug up Iris

Large tuber- it bloomed from the center part

Same large tuber- they look like lobsters to me.
The bottom portion is no longer useful.

  
















 
   After digging them up with a pitch fork (bought specifically for this task and turning the compost) I was ready to divide and break off the old parts. Sometimes it was really easy to tell what to break off. There were a lot of times I had no clue what I was doing though. I decided that if it looked healthy then I shouldn't chop it up.

Small good portions divided

     I separated my Iris by size. The tiny singlets are on the left. Midsize are in the middle. And the big ones are on the right. There are at least 30 big and midsize tubers. So, if you think you'd like some I am giving some away to good homes. My dad and I are already planning an exchange. :)

All the Iris after division

One particularly lobster like Iris

Should I break off the little ones?

     If you managed to read through this entire post - then you are either my parents, very curious about Iris, or wanting to see my after photo. Sorry you'll have to wait for the after photo because I don't have them in the ground. So, now I have a question about the tuber in the picture above. Should I let the little ones develop more before breaking them off? Or break them off now?