Friday, November 26, 2010

GIGANTIC SALE


Come check out my jewelry making supply shops at: www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com and www.gardengatedesigns.artfire.com for some great savings. 50 PERCENT OFF EVERY ITEM IN SHOPS. BRASS FINDINGS, FILIGREES, VINTAGE FINDINGS AND BEADS, VINTAJ LINE OF NATURAL BRASS FINDINGS AND FILIGREES. Everything selling at wholesale prices.

Rosemary, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com
www.gardengatedesigns.artfire.com

Friday, October 8, 2010

SUPPLY SHOP RE OPENING AND A NEW SHOP ON ART FIRE





I have recently re opened my jewerly supply shop on Etsy at www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com and am now featuring brass findings, filigrees, vintage findings and beads, plus chalcedony.

Here is just a sample of the items that I have for sale in that shop:



My newly re opened Art Fire Shop is featuring the Vintaj line of Natural Brass Findings and Filigrees. It can be seen at: www.gardengatedesigns.artfire.com.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Perennial Fuschia, Mandaville Vine and Oriental Lillies













Sunday, July 11, 2010

I don't know about any of you who follow my blog, but I had never heard of a perennial bush type fuschia. A couple of Sundays ago, I was at my favorite local Garden Center for half price annuals to replant in my porch containers to replace the pansies that had bolted in the summer heat. As I was wandering through their outdoor selection of perennials, I came upon these bush type fuschias. They have very miniature blossoms on them and can take some shade and sunlight. I asked one of the nurserymen about them and he said I could transplant it into a porch container for the season, but, if I want to keep it, I needed to establish it in my garden by mid September. The first pictures are of the fuschia. It has just started to bloom and I am hoping to attract my hummingbirds to the front porch with it. It has the tiniest little blooms, just like the large varieties, but in miniature. Mine is dark pink on the outside with purple on the inside. Potted, they need to be watered thoroughly every other day. They are heavy drinkers.

My indoor azalea is three years old now and blooms consistantly every year. This year, the blooms are very large and not as many as before. It had a lot of new growth this Spring. I keep this on the floor of my Florida Room the cold months of the year. In May, I bring it outside on my front porch. I have purchased two more of the same plants the last two years, but, neither has thrived and had to be pitched. I call this my "miracle" azalea. They need to be kept moist all the time for best results.

I have about five oriental lilies up in front of my tree hydrageana. Cannot tell you when the last time was that I saw them bloom as the deer always eat the buds just as they are about to bloom. This year, they ignored them! After watching them for about a week, they are finally opening and are just spectacular. Thought you would enjoy seeing pictures of them.

This is the second year that I have a Mandeville Vine on my front porch. My oldest daughter-in-law Janet gave it to me for Mother's Day this year. When I got it repotted and trimmed up with new soil and a larger space for it's root system, it immediately "took off" and is now starting to bloom. This years plant is red, last years was pink. It also needs to be kept evenly moist, but, do not place a saucer under it as the roots will rot with the collected water in the saucer. It needs to freely drain. I have tried saving it over the winter and within two weeks, the plant completed disintigrates. So, it just gets pitched in the compost pile at the end of the season. Until then, we will enjoy its beautiful blooms.

The last plant I would like to share with you is my Oak Leaf Tree Hydragenea. I placed this in my garden about 10 years ago, and have only trimmed it back once. That was the year that it did not bloom. Right now, with the summer heat setting in, the white blooms are turning pink and brown. They will be totally brown by summer's end. The blooms make interesting dried material for your winter garden. I trim them off in the Spring. Needless to say, my husband would like to see me cut it back all the way to the ground. He is the shrub and grass man in the family, needless to say.

Hoping you enjoyed a tour through some of my gardens. Until next time.

Rosemary, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com

Sunday, June 27, 2010

JEWELRY SUPPLY CLOSING




Sunday, June 27, 2010

After almost five years on Etsy.com., Garden Gate Designs is closing. Come help me empty my shop by taking advantage of 50% off every jewelry making supply in my shop. It has been a fun time and I have made a lot of great on line friends and customers. But, the time has come to close and be off to bigger and better endeavors.

Just an example:



Rosemary, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Garden Kitty Bike Spinner



Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Last Friday my friend Elaine and I took a trip to Downtown Medina, Ohio and had lunch at Miss Molly's Tea Room. It is always a pleasure to go there with a friend or relative as Miss Molly's is a very popular Victorian Tea Room. Having been there many times in year's past we were both looking forward to their excellent scones of the day served with Devonshire cream and raspberry jam. Friday's scones were blueberry and did not disappoint. We both settled on the Chicken Fruit Salad accompanied by the Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad and lemon poppyseed tea bread. Excellent choice! It is always consistently great!

When we first arrived at the Tea Room, we noticed a lot of garden spinners outside of the building all animated by the wind. There is a great toy shop for children in the same building as you enter to go to the Tea Room. We decided to check out the Toy Shop on the way out from lunch. Sure enough, the toy shop owner showed us a really great selection of garden spinners. I decided on The Kitty Bike Spinner and Elaine just had to have the Frog Bike Spinner and the large Hot Air Balloon.

The bikes wheels spin in the wind. Kitty has a mouse in his bicycle basket. The fabric parts are made of Sun Tex UV resistant textiles. I just love the way he looks and hope he has a fun summer peddling his bicycle around my garden.

Rosemary, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Little Gardens, My How You Have Grown





My gardens are finally at full growth for the season and I wanted to share some pictures of them with you today. The first picture is of my back garden. I have placed my sundial there this year and my bee balm (on the right hand side) is going to open any day now. Food for the hummingbirds!

This year I made wave petunia planters for my deck rails. Wave petunias self shed and the baskets should be huge by the end of the season. More food for the little hummers.

My side shade garden has a number of yellow corydalis (dicentra). This year I have had lots of babies pop up in the garden and have been able to transplant them into other areas of the garden. They are in the same family as bleeding hearts.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Scallops Breaded in Panko

Thursday, June 10, 2010

SCALLOPS BREADED IN PANKO

Serves 2

10 Large Sea Scallops fresh or frozen
Japanese Panko Breading Crumbs
2 tbls. olive oil

If your sea scallops are frozen, defrost them under cold water in a strainer and place them in refrigerator for the day to defrost. If they are fresh, you can go ahead and dry them in between paper towels to get the extra liquid out of them so that the panko breading crumbs adhere. Do the same with the frozen ones once they are completely thawed out.

Roll the dryed scallops in the panko crumbs and place them on a plate, ready to fry.

Place 2 tbls. of olive oil in a medium sized fry pan. Place heat on med. high. Fry breaded scallops on both sides until lightly browned. Try not to overcook the scallops as they are delicate in nature and will dry out fast.

I have made these several times using this method and found them to be really delicious. We serve them with a pinapple coconut mango sauce which you can purchase ready made in your grocery store.

This is a lighter version than regular breading and deep frying them. I bet you will agree with me that they are just scrumptious.

Rosemary, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Yummy Jade, Turquoise and Chalcedony Beads






Saturday, March 29, 2010

Just wanted to post some of my new jewelry making supplies that I have in my shop at www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com. Yummy Canary Yellow Chalcedony Briolettes. Beautiful Swiss Blue Chalcedony Briolettes. Colorful Multi-colored Candy Jade Nuggets. Multi colored Turquoise Rondells. Delicious Apricot Chalcedony Jelly Bean Nuggets.

Come check out my supply shop for some wonderful and reasonably priced jewelry making supplies.

Rosemary, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Gardens in Springtime - 2010







Sunday, May 23, 2010

Finally got my new computer back and was able to download some recent pictures of my shade/sun gardens. This year, the back shade garden has become part sun due to the fact that we had to cut down a large dead tree to the side of the garden. The tree housed little red squirrels for the last several years and after the tree was felled, they never came back to our wooded ravine. I do miss them dearly. They were so much fun to watch. This year, we have a new squirrel "on the block". A small black squirrel has invaded our ravine. This is the first time we have had a black squirrel.

In my back garden I had a lot of different ferns of which I dug out and either transplanted into my side shade garden, or pitched in the ravine hoping they would root themselves. That left the center of the garden empty. I have always wanted plants for sun, and purchased a monarda (bee balm) in red, two shasta daisys in white, a black eyed susan, cone flower, gallardia, purple salvia, pincushion plant and bellflower. They should be flowering soon and I cannot wait to see them. I do hope the hummingbirds like them also. In my next blog I will be showing you my side shade garden. Hoping you enjoy my pictures.

Rosemary, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Colorful New Gemstones for Spring in My Etsy Shop





Thursday, May 13, 2010

Lots of new and colorful gemstones have been added to my Etsy supply shop at www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com the last couple of weeks. Here are just a few:

Pastel colored Morganite Rondells.
Bold, beautiful Solodite Faceted Briolettes.
Transluscent Green Prenite Marquise Faceted Briolettes.



Come check out all my wonderful new gemstones at: www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Changing Garden-Nothing Stays the Same Forever








Tuesday, April 7, 2010

Today I spent most of the afternoon cleaning up my back "shade" garden only to discover that it truly has changed from a very shaded garden to one that has sun most of the day. The winter before last we had to have my "squirrel" tree cut down to about five feet. No more tree squirrels, no more shade. I finally came to a decision to rip out some of my shade plants that were doing terrible because of no shade making way for sun perennials that I have wanted for years. Gone are the ferns (they are now in the ravine), soon the trillium and jack-in-the-pulpits will be moved to the very shaded side garden, as will the diplodocus. The hostas can stay and the wild ginger and nettle groundcovers. This is a picture of the garden last year.

I am thinking "butterfly garden". So excited at the prospect of having bee balm, daisies, cone flowers, etc.


My supply shop has some wonderful dyed candy jade beads. Here are a few. You might want to check them out as they are sure to go fast. Already sold a few of them.

Rosemary, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Early Spring in the Shade Garden










Saturday, March 20, 2010

My shade gardens are finally starting to come up again and this morning I decided to take some pictures of some of the plants to show everyone.

My two Lenten Roses (Helleborus) are in bloom. The leaves are very leathery and they stay green all winter long. The blooms start while the snow is still covering the plants. The large white one is Apple Blossom and is very hardy. The smaller one that is dark rose colored is more of a hybrid and is finicky. It has not grown like the white one.

The plant with the long heart/spear like leaves that is pictured here is unknown to me. I received this from a gardening friend about eight years ago. I do not know its name, but, if anyone who follows my blog can give it a name, I would be happy to hear from you. This plant is very unusual. It never really dies back in the winter. In the summer it will put out stalks in the center with clusters of orange/red berries kind of like a piece of corn. Then, late in the fall, the leaves kind of go back in the ground leaving the stalks. It then starts coming back up before winter.

The small chartruese colored leaves on the plant coming up is a white bleeding heart with chartruese leaves. It is a hybred and this year I will have plants to share as it had several babies start end of last summer.

My daffodils in the shade garden are coming up, also. Last week they were only 2 inches tall. Today, they have buds ready to burst into bloom.

The rest of the pictures are of our ravine w/stream and side shade garden. I will be sharing more pictures of my shade gardens as the plants come up. My back garden needs some trimming before I can take pictures. There are a lot of different hostas and unusual plants in it. Trilliums and Jack-in-the-Pulpit are just a couple. Until next time. I hope you enjoyed my pictures.