Showing off a bit :D

There will be rather a few posts, but this is a great teaser, lol. So, since we got the camera it has been hectic here (we hosted Thanksgiving). But, I did manage to get a few pics of some things around here. That is the view out to our balcony. The must have, hunted for one because I can't give up my bonsai!



This is a Southern Magnolia. Seems pretty happy here in Seattle! This was sent to me by YardGranny in SC. I potted it up a while back and it has loved the weather here, frankly it surprises me as it has gotten rather cold here.


Here is the White Snapdragon. I don't grow flowers normally but this one has it's place here. Shannon fell in love with it so I will do all I can to keep it alive. It has grown on me since it flowers when it gets cold. How random is that! I guess I will have to do some research on this bugger so I know it's habits and whatnot :D


YardGranny also sent me two Mimosa's, they were happy but just to make sure, since they are babies, I have done what I normally do for my coffee tree at work (the one I am bonsai'ing) and placed their very own mini greenhouses over them. These will stay on until the last possible frost. There are a lot of mimosa here, not this color...but they seem happy to live here. I figure once they get older, perhaps next winter, they will not require this (and I will get a Bay tree to do this for instead, hehe).


I had these at the house and took them with me (note...MINE!). There is a Purple Sage, a standard Silver Sage, some Garlic Chives (thanks again Poe!) grew from seed from Ohio and a Mother of Thyme. It is so nice having fresh Thyme at any time. Yes...I had to do that ;)


And one last shot for now, the Japanese Elm with a few leaves left, my favorite Japanese Maple (about 7 years old) and some Provencal Lavendar. Shannon is a freak for Lavendar so I think this will get a bigger pot come spring so it can go wild!

No patience...

Oct 22, 2008 | 10:53 AM PST

Lordy I hate waiting. No camera yet, lol.

I want to get a pic of my Herb Pot. I have two sages, one silver, one purple. A Mother of Thyme and some Garlic Chives (Thanks, Poe!) that were all potted separately. So I tossed them in a big pot and wow, the space. Amazing how much space a couple pots take up! I have two Purple Thai Peppers (thanks to the seed exchange!) I had started in that pot and I repotted them to take inside as it is starting to chill a bit around here. Here is my method of herb pots. It will be great because this means we will have something green out there all winter. I am going to put a firepit out there, yes, it's a balcony. In an apartment building. My building manager was going through an abandoned storage unit and found a small smoker grill and gave it to me. With the lighter fluid. WITH the charcoal. So...we can have FIRE! Been using the heck out of the smoker, first time in years I had my OWN Carolina BBQ. The real stuff. Alder plank smoked fish...oh yum.

I have two new plants out on the balcony, two 'liberated' plants. My excuse? They SAID they wanted to come home with me and we were wandering by...and had been 'out'...and well, they came home with me. A Hardy Fern, I don't do ferns. What is wrong with me? I kidnapped adopted a fern?!? I put it in the hanging basket, and as Shannon said the fern is all 'I'm a FERN! I'm up HIGH! It's COLD and WET and I LOVE IT! WOO! I'M A FERN!' So...guess it has grown on me, it is a family member now. I am sure TIppy would love to meet it but I think the fern is safer outside (she is good about *most* plants, it is the ferny types she just can't help herself about, lol). There is another plant and Shannon has fallen in love with it. It has no use that I know of, it is just pretty. It seems to be getting happier the more it cools down (as if it ever really warmed UP this year, lol). I will take a pic of it...when I get the camera...and it is flowering (several blooms are begining to open) as I am not really a flower growing type either (too selfish with the space) so I know it is simple, but I don't know what it is!

Oh, and as a side note, I have had a few messages and comments about bonsai. If you really REALLY want to get into it, read here: BONSAI! I give a few great tips about them :D

Still no Camera, let's talk BONSAI!

Oct 20, 2008 | 11:16 AM PST

Yeah, no camera yet. Stupid mail, lol.

This is the best time of year to devote some time to your bonsai. Thye do need to be repotted now and them, depending on the tree either one or two years. The pots are small so they tend to get rootbound a bit faster and use most of the nutrients faster. Some people insist on keeping them just as they are but I do NOT recommend that at all! Make the tree's happy. I am never the same about it, I tend to repot half in Fall and the other half in Spring. Whatever strikes me at the time.

I have pictures here that include basic maintenance as well, right here --> BONSAI

Always keep in mind, you feel better with a great haircut. So do they, but that should include the roots as well, consider it giving your tree a great haircut and pedicure. That would make YOU feel great, wouldn't it :D

Last Post 210 days, 7 hours Ago ...Wow...

Oct 15, 2008 | 7:04 PM PST

That long. Since I have had a camera. It's in the mail (I had a minor setback that took a month, a month mind you to get my money back on an 80$...paperweight. It would not power on and brand new. Process takes FOREVER to get done, and now it is.). We have a Sony Cybershot on it's way so I will actually WRITE again. How I have missed writing, so much. Not just here, man I got some stuff going on. BIG time. OK, so soon you will see what has become of the Bonsai, and meet some new plants :D Wait till you see this balcony, I got SO lucky. Nice space for an avid gardener in an apartment, haha.

Going to miss the garden

Mar 19, 2008 | 11:57 AM PST

But guess ya'll will see me hitting the container gardening a lot more soon. *sigh* I gave away the baby self supporting, stringless sugar snap peas I had sown in a winter box a few weeks back this morning...to someone who will be in one location and able to harvest them.

I am going to miss having fresh peas and lettuces and spinach (don't know who will get to enjoy them). Nothing like putting a lot of work into something and finding out it is for naught. That being on MORE than one level. I will be the balcony gardener for awhile, but maybe get at least two tomatoes going as it will still be early enough in the season for me to get some going?

I do have to have a balcony, my bonsai must stay outside so that is a given...wish me luck on the hunt, mourn the lost garden for me. A bit o good will never hurt anyone...

Fall storms...beauty and destruction.

Nov 8, 2007 | 3:04 PM PST

So we had an amazing wind storm not that long ago. I even cleaned up the yard and battened down the hatches, so to speak. Got all the potted stuff down in a protected spot (will be the winter spot too!) and all the furniture and bikes nice and tidy and close...

Max is a dumb cat, I love him so but he is CRAZY. The wind started blowing HARD but it was not raining yet so I decided to give him some outside time. Nut job goes running around with the WILD KAT look in his eyes. You know the drill...run run run...mad dash...STOP! look around madly with flashing eyes.

He does not have that collar anymore, little jerk keeps losing them. This time was the worst as it had his license and a name tag. Jerk.

Then he did this and I was thinking 'Ain't he cute!'. As you can see all the brown in him, he snuck in as a regular cat and once he was established he is letting the Maine Coon out.

Then he FLEW over to one of the cedars and ran on the roof. Not happy. Wasn't happy a bit. He had no clue how windy it was, and how fast he could fly off! So I ended up standing in the raised bed while he teased me by coming to the edge when I was whistling and calling and finally came down so I promptly tossed him inside! Jerk. Cute, fuzzy, lovable jerk.

So, on to the destruction,

The dahlia. It took one hell of a beating...

My tomatoes, oh dear, my poor Black Prince...

The radishes I let bolt? So close to get my seed? Not a chance in hell. The wind snapped every single one of them and it was going so well. They would have had SO much seed. Damn. I had a fit and went ahead and cleared them out. They are now mulch. See all those seed heads? I don't even want to look.

So, upset as I was, daunted by the greenery that needs to be cut, tossed...all of the above, I started looking around. I have pretty much missed the nice fall foliage that so many are harping on as our nicely colored leaves have been passing us at about 90 MPH. I looked at my Bonsai and had to take another glance (and pictures!) as they are most gorgeous! Here is one where I took two different breeds and literally wrapped the Female around the Male to create a piece I call 'co-dependence'. hehe. Her color is amazing! He has just started to change a bit.

And one of my favorites, these are all about 4-5 yrs old. Such a nice yellow! Guess we have to keep our trees behind a wall in order to be able to see the colors!

The Japanese Elm has lost most of its leaves so gets to show off it's corkscrew nicely!

And the Cotoneaster is showing off it's berries, the wind took off a lot of them but it still has a few ;)

Then I notice the thyme and sages, how happy they are...it has finally cooled down enough for them.

And yes, I will get in there and weed them!

My herb pot looked a little unhappy, then I looked closer and changed my mind when I saw the flowers :D

The Parsley is happy finally, it does NOT like it hot-hot-hot, haha!

I come out of the garden area and see this, a cool little volunteer. One of the great things about a rental is you really don't know what is there so it is always a surprise

Yes, I know the buggers next to it have to go, lol. I *promise* LMAO!

Heading up the hill I see the dahlia in a different light...and that bush behind it? Never stopped flowering, it was leggy, like 8 ft tall and I cut the bejeezus out of it. So it flowered and has not stopped since early spring. Oh, how the honey bees and bumble bees love it!

Then I look over and see that the yellow rose a kid decided to trim this summer, with a toy sword *eek!* gave us something.

I look to the left and see fall colors on the hydrangea with a guest that really set it off!

Much better mood. What can I say, there is good in everything...I think. Excepting our present government, hehe. I decided to FINALLY plant the alpine strawberries that have been floundering and mocking me continuing to flourish despite my treatment of them. They will be great here, this spot is full of bulbs so is interesting for about 5 minutes then Blah.

So, I lost power. It was cold, windy and rainy and the power cut off while my non tv watching butt was in the middle of Grays Anatomy. I will not get radish seed this year from my crop. My tomatoes are a mess...the dahlia is half broken and the yard is a basic mess. A basic beautiful mess!

Japanese Maple repotting, part deux.

Jul 12, 2007 | 8:31 AM PST

Well, here I am in my new home! It was a quick operation for which I was grateful. I don't like being out of a pot long and this, well, it made me feel a little naked! First I got taken out of the pot and almost all my roots exposed (see me blushing!)...

Then they got CUT OFF..even my tap root...that was weird! I got root hormone powder on them to help them heal and grow again. There is not much room in my new pot but I don't mind, the Elm and Cotoneaster tell me it will just be 'Cozy'.

Then I got put in my pot and got some new soil (YAAY!) and a trim and some wire, it has been years since I got wired, this was a little one compared to what I have had done in the past!

One little coil was all I needed, I had a 'wild branch' that wanted to go one way and we wanted it to go the other way! This is 16 ga. copper.

And here I am wired, before being bent...

And here I am, done...I really like it in this pot, but I was told I can have a pot just like this one that will be more plain (I like the grapes design...but my gardener thinks they are hideous!).

Some people think you need REALLY expensive tools to do this with, but not really. You just have to have a few basic tools. My gardener uses these, predominately. A simple pair of hair cutting scissors (gets in nice to trim close in small areas), a pair of flat wire nips (no sharp edges), a pair of needlenose pliers and a ring winder like the one you saw above. Simple, and found at any decent craft store at minimal cost. That way you have more cash to play with for pots...soil...trees....LOL!

Japanese Maple, bonsai potting.

Jun 27, 2007 | 2:19 PM PST

Well, while my brethren beside me, Orange and Japanese Elm, have their own things going this weekend, I get to do something VERY exciting!!! I Get potted! I get to have my very own bonsai pot. I have waited over 3 years for this to happen and now I get to have it!! YAAAY! I have been very compliant and a happy grower this whole time thinking 'pick me! pick me!' and now is my time. For the last year I have felt like a bonsai, I have looked like a bonsai...down to making sure I have a nice, natural mossy ground cover, but there was the 'pot thing'. I will make sure they get pictures for I am very happy I get my pot!!! After I get potted I will be getting a trim, but not to downplay Japanese Elm, it is nothing like that...just a few clips here and there!

Japanese Elm. A haircut.

Jun 27, 2007 | 2:14 PM PST

Hi, I am 'Japanese Elm'. I was once just a regular tree but someone looked at me and said, Bonsai... you must be. Here I am and enjoying the new 'digs'. I have gotten a little happy though and been getting a tad 'leggy' so I am scheduled for a haircut this weekend. I am looking forward to it as I have been feeling a bit 'full' lately! I understand there will be a photo journal of my cut :D

Orange tree, or Bonsai to be...

Jun 27, 2007 | 2:08 PM PST

Hi, my name is 'Orange Tree'. That's my new pal, 'Clover' behind me. I know this is a good home when someone realizes the importance of clover! I have been promised a glorious future. As my new owner, RKayne has taken note...I am taking very quickly to my new home, I love it here in this new pot that is SO much bigger than the one I lived in for so long. I know I don't get this pot forever so I am taking advantage of it and growing very fast, she put me in this pot about a week ago and I already have new growth sprouting all over. The ploy worked and she took notice of my very fine efforts. Guess what? I get to start training to be a bonsai this weekend! I am so proud, wonder what my parents would think. Maybe the old grove owner will see my progress and let them know! RKayne told me she would take a photo journey of my progress so this weekend you get to see what becomes of me, I know this won't be easy but I am eager to join the ranks of some of the finest trees on this planet, Bonsai!

New trees.

Jun 22, 2007 | 1:47 PM PST

Have to get pics, have more on the way...My Mom got me tree's for my Birthday! So far, I have an Orange, Tangerine, Key Lime, and BONUS Lemon. I say BONUS because I took it out last night to pot it, and go 'Hm, that's odd'...and grabbed an *emergency* pot...it had a little one next to it. So I go to plant it again, after potting the little guy. Think...'Hm, that's odd'...and get ANOTHER emergency pot. I have 3 Lemon tree's! WOO HOO! These are all bound to be bonsai.

I will put up pics soon as I take them!

Thanks Mom!

Bonsai Update.

Jun 12, 2007 | 3:34 PM PST

So, tis the season for Bonsai to look great! Decided to have an update on how they are doing.

Needs a trim, hehe...

One of the Wisterias...

One of my Favorite Japanese Maples (almost 4 yrs old)

Babies...and strawberries that are going in the ground tonight!

I gots pots

May 25, 2007 | 1:21 PM PST

I got POTS I got pots, all so many empty pots....hehe...so..what to do...PLANT STUFF! This weekend:

Basils, both Spicy Globe and Provencal (some to go to my PILE OF POTS benefactor, hehe)

Japanese Maples (have WAY too many, but now they can have their own homes as they have been living in big pots, one has like 25 in it...)

Mini Roses (we have two new ones, one for each of us Moms for Moms day, mine is pink, hers is red)

Daisy (of a variety I have no damn clue, but is sho is purty)

Now all I need is....MORE DIRT! WOOT!

Another good thing is I have several Bonsai that need to be repotted, so this will help with that as well.

Some of the goodies in my yard.

Apr 30, 2007 | 2:15 PM PST

OK, so I am not sure what flowering tree is what, as I have ID'd the east coast ones, they are not the same here! I have a couple nice trees in my yard, I think at least one is a cherry LOL and I have a lilac as well as a Pieris Japonica, Japanese Aucuba, and now a place for my Bonsai besides them being scrunched all on a patio. I like the tulips but must figure out what to put there that will be appreciated year round (and cheap...this IS a rental).

Rock Layering Bonsai

Apr 6, 2007 | 1:35 PM PST

So, this is what I am going to do during the course of the year, my BIG project for the year. I am going to take THIS rock :

And I am going to put one of these White Wisteria Bonsai on it:

I have two of them that are cascading over and don't know which one to do it to. What I need to do is take the one I want and put it in a DEEP pot for awhile, then take it OUT of the pot and put it on the rock where I want it (towards the bottom in a crevice) with a bit of peat in the crease of the rock and the roots all over the place, haha. Then I will bury the whole thing in course sand for about a year. Then it will be ready...not a slow project but I can already see it in my head and am thinking it could be less than a year as I decided to use wisteria. I have had this rock for almost 5 years now waiting for the right project, so I know it is frost proof.