Monday, July 23, 2012

"Lords and Ladies"

Monday, July 23, 2012

"Lords and Ladies"

What an unusual name for a plant!  I have had this plant growing in my side shade garden for about six years now, and have not know the name of it until just this past weekend.  I toured the Cleveland Botanical Gardens over the weekend with a group of people from my Garden Club.  Namely, The Nordonia Hills Garden Club, of which I am the founding Past President. 

Lord's and Ladies" (Italian Arum, or Orange Candleflower) was acquired from a friend in the garden club.  She had brought a few of them potted  up to a garden club meeting and gave them away to new homes.  The leaves are long and arrow shaped with white lines running through them.  They grow in mounds, and, in my garden, the leaves are under the snow in the winter.  As Spring approaches and the days grow warmer, more leaves come up and the plant is just spectacular with those white veined leaves.  Then, around the middle of the Summer, the leaves die off and the most amazing green posts shoot up with clusters of green berries on them.  As the Summer heat continues, the berries turn a reddish-orange.  These will stay for awhile, then die back as new leaves shoot up!

You need moist, organic soil for this plant to do well.  Shade or partial filtered sunlight, also.

Any part of the plant is an irritant if ingested!

Can you figure out who which one is the "Lord" and which the "Lady".  One is the leaf and one is the berry!

Until next time.

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

Monday, July 16, 2012

Agate and Turquoise

Monday, July 16, 2012

Agate and Turquoise

I have large teardrop gemstones up for auction at: www.tophatter.com this Wed. July 18 at 9a.m.Pacific Time in the Supply Auction.  Right now they are in standby, but, if someone places a minimum bid on them they will go directly into the regular Supply Auction and then they can be bid on.

The ones below are Purple/Pink Dyed Turquoise Teardrop beads measuring 40mm x 30mm x 3.5mm.  Drilled top to bottom.

These are Caramel/Carnelian Agate Teardop beads.  They measure 40mm x 30mm x 3.5mm each.  Drilled top to bottom.
They are in two separate listings in Standby.

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

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Mid Summer Deck Flowers

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Mid Summer Deck Flowers

It has been a terrifically "hot" summer this year.  As we have had little or no rain in quite a while, I have had to water my deck flowers planters, tomato plant and shade garden daily.  This is my first experiment with making my own planters for our newly expanded deck, and, I must say, I am pretty pleased.  Except for:

Mr. Groundhog!!!

I have an in resident groundhog who lives on the other side of the steam in my wooded ravine.  Up until this year, he has not posed much of a problem.  This year, he has eaten most of my lamium that surrounds my forsythia bushes at the back of the house, and has acquired a taste for sweet potato vines. (Only the green variety).  Now, the two large planters that are elevated and made of weather resistant wicker that flank my patio furniture have the green variety of sweet potato vine planted in them.  Mr. Groundhog discovered them about a month ago, and eats them all the way to the soil.  Then, he comes back when they are grown again, and continues on his gourmet adventures!  If it was legal in the State of Ohio, I think I would shoot him!

Now, don't get me wrong, I really love the chubby little guy and have enjoyed watching his forays under my bird feeder stations for the last 11 years. (I am guessing he is the same groundhog).  He always got the leftover scraps of veggies and fruit from the day before from me.  I would just place them under the bird feeder on the ground.

What gratitude!  He is now quite comfortable on the deck, munching his way through my sweet potato vines.  At any rate, thought you all would like to see what the planters looks like at mid summer.
Notice the chartruese color in the planter above.  That is what is left of the Sweet Potato Vine after he had his gourmet feast!
The rectangle hanging planters on my deck railings were new for this year.  I purchased them at Plow and Hearth two years ago and this is the first time they have been used.  I must say, I was a bit skeptical of their plant capacity as they are not very wide or deep.  But, as you can see, my marigolds and geraniums are doing quite well in them.  I still have to water them every two days even though they have a water reservoir at the bottom.

The planter on my coffee table is the one that is doing the best.  I should trim it back, but, with a summer wine tasting party coming up, they would not rebloom in time.
I planted one Better Boy Tomato in a large pot and caged it.  So far it has 18 tomatos and more to come.  My "hubs" counts them every day.  He is a non-gardener and I am so suprised at his interest in this one plant.  My younger son, who also has a deck at his home, is totally amazed by it and wants to try container gardening next year.  He could not believe I had made and maintained all these planters. 
The above is my strawberry ceramic planter that I filled with herbs such as thyme, oregano, majorcan, rosemary and a left over impatient.  The thyme plant on the left side was wintered over on my front porch in a clay pot.  I am suprised it did so well.  I also have a basil containter with four different basils.  I make pesto and tomato dishes for summer fair and this really comes in handy.  You need to keep basil trimmed and not let to set bloom spires.
My Mandeville vine is going absolutely crazy in it's extremely large pot.  Around the base I have planted leftover petunias and marigolds.  The hummingbirds just love this plant, as the flowers are red.  This is the first one I have owned that has done so well.  They really need full sun most of the day and when I had them on my front porch they did not get that. 
At the end of this season, I am going to shop for discounted ceramic planters to replace some of my plastic pots.  Fall is when you get the best deals at the garden centers.  Up to 70% off!  Then, over the winter, I intend on making a list of annuals that I would like to purchase and plant in those containers for next year.  This year was the first and was an experiment.  What do you think?  Did it come out all right or what.  Feel free to leave me some comments.  I really look forward to hearing from my blog followers.

Until my next update.

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

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Purple Agate Beads

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Purple Agate Beads

This strand of Graduated Faceted Amethys colored Agate Round Beads is to be auctioned off at www.tophatter.com on Monday, July 16 at 9a.m. Pacific Time in the Supply Section.  Beautiful coloring and banding in these gorgeous beads.  Check it out.

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

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Purple Lace Agate Teardrop Beads

Thursday, July 13, 2012

Purple Lace Agate Teardrop Beads

I have 16 of these beautiful Teardrop Beads in the Tophatter Auction tommorrow in the Supply Auction at 9 a.m. Pacific Time.  They are 25mm x 15mm x 1 1/2mm each and are top drilled, side to side.  Right now they are in the Standby Auction, but, if someone places the minimum bid before the actual auction, it will go right into the auction and you can then bid on it. 

Don't let these wonderful beads get away!  Come check it out at: www.tophatter.com.

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

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

A Little Southwestern; A Little Elegant

Tuesday, June 10, 2012

A Little Southwestern; A Little Elegant

I have just added something new in my ArtFire Shop today.  Something Southwestern and Something A Little Elegant.

Come check out the details at: www.gardengatedesigns.artfire.com

Monday, July 2, 2012

Mersmerizing Moonstone!

Monday, July 2, 2012

Mersmerizing Moonstone!

The gemstone Moonstone can be a very captivating stone.  When the lights hit it the blue colors come out, sometimes a pale violet flash.  An opalescent stone that looks creamy in one light and colorful in another!  No wonder people have been captivated by it for centuries!

Garden Gate Designs on ArtFire has two new necklaces in its collection.  Come check them out for yourselves at: www.gardengatedesigns.artfire.com.





Until next time, Garden Gate Designs at: www.gardengatedesigns.artfire.com