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philadelphia flower show 2022

June 24, 2022

philly flower show fave

I have been to the Philadelphia Flower Show in years past.  Hailed as the world’s longest-running and largest indoor show in the country, it is hard for any flower lover not to visit at least once in their life!

The gazebo at fdr

But I have never been to the Philadelphia Flower Show since COVID.  And since COVID, there has been one huge change to the show – it moved outdoors from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

pavillion orchids

Because of the change, I was especially excited to visit the show this year – my first with the outdoor venue.

orange at the pavillion

sky at fdr

The site for the show since COVID has been FDR Park – a 348-acre park located in South Philadelphia along the Delaware River.

orchids for days

The venue turned out to be really great – even though the day my daughter and I chose to attend was a 94-degree day!  Yes, it certainly was hot, but we found some nice breezes and some shady spots to rest.

orchids over water

The food and drink options were fabulous with many great seating areas available.  We chose to have a snack in the boat house which provided a shady spot with a picturesque view of the river.

pavillion at fdr

orchids philly flower show

Though I prefer white flowers over multi-colored and I am not particularly an orchid fan, the flower installation in the gazebo overlooking the river was my favorite!  A profusion of multi-colored flowers, predominately orchids, dazzled in the space.  The photos I share here are all from this installation.

roses at fdr

My daughter and I hadn’t been to Philadelphia in quite a few years and we had many stops on our list!  I am glad we included the flower show as one of our stops because it really was enjoyable – particularly because it was held outdoors.

pavillion orchid display

urn at FDR park

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fabulous weekend!

philly flower orchids

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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early gardening

May 13, 2022

white bleeding heart

May is the time for gardening…and, it is the time when my creative spirit moves from the indoors to the outdoors.  Typically, in this part of Connecticut, Mother’s Day is the ‘all clear’ for frost scares and it is on for planting annuals!

This time of year is so fun – using free time to visit nurseries to hunt for the perfect garden additions, adding plants to the garden, and planting annuals in containers.  For me, this includes searching for the new and unusual in white plants/flowers.  (If you follow this blog, you know I have what I call a ‘virgin’ garden – all the flowers bloom in whites!)

planted watering can

My garden is off to a great start!  It looks as though all my plants are doing well – the established and the new!

I am starting off the season with just a couple of planted containers.  I redesigned the basket by my front door with some spring annuals and planted in my grandma’s watering can.

planted basket

A small start, but one that brings me great joy!

I hope you find happiness in a pretty plant that you walk by each day or a visit to a local garden store!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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chihuly in the desert

February 11, 2022

boat like sculpture

Chihuly in the Desert showcases Dale Chihuly’s stunning, large scale glass installations. The pieces created by this amazing glass artist are currently nestled among the collection of desert plants at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona (see more on the Botanical Garden here).

favorite chihuly dbgphx

Chihuly’s work features installations throughout the garden’s trails in addition to pieces displayed in an indoor gallery exhibit.

chihuly indoors

chihuly indoor beauty

cleaning the chihuly

Yes – cleaning is required! Pieces are cleaned by garden staff regularly to ensure the brilliance of the glass.

If you follow this blog, you have probably seen photos of the artist’s 2017 collection (click to see) displayed at the New York Botanical Garden.

chihuly sculpture

purplechihuly dbgphx

I was so lucky to have the opportunity to view Chihuly’s work again – in 2022.  And, it was so wonderful to do so in the beautiful February climate of Arizona when, back home in Connecticut, snow was covering the ground!

chihuly in reds

chihuly tower dbgphx

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of Chihuly in the Desert.  I recommend never passing up an opportunity to see Dale Chihuly’s work!  (Tip:  If you visit the Desert Botanical Garden, try to see the exhibit at the end of the day when the bright sun is not as distracting to the works.  Chihuly in the Desert continues through June.)

chihuly in blue

Thanks for stopping by!

fun curls chihuly

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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fall chair planter diy

September 24, 2021

closeup plants for fall

An unwanted chair is the perfect piece to use as a fall planter!  While everyone else is decorating with cornhusks and scarecrows, use an old chair to create a unique vessel for some pretty fall flowers.

before chair planter

You don’t need much…an old chair with an upholstered seat, some old screening, a staple gun, and some potting soil.

chair planter steps collage

The seat is removed and screening is stapled in its place.  Handling the screening requires a lot of caution – it can be sharp.  Thick gloves to protect your hands from cuts are probably a good idea.  If you don’t have any old screening, you can buy some at Home Depot.  They sell thin screening that comes in a roll that is very inexpensive.  I bought some and cut it with regular scissors.  I cut a square larger than the square I needed because I allowed for space for soil.  I used a staple gun to staple the screening around the frame of the chair.

replace chair seat with screening

After the screening was secure, I painted the chair.  You can leave your chair as is or paint it in any manner you desire.  I used Annie Sloan Coco chalk paint I had left from another project and then added some dark wax.  (A bright pink chair with pink flowers would be fun for October – breast cancer awareness month!)

Once the chair finish is completed, the fun part begins!  Pick out an assortment of plants that you want to plant in your chair – I like visiting a local nursery for some small varieties.  I knew I wanted a tall purple grass as the main plant!  I also added a couple pumpkins, not that I expect them to last long – the squirrels make short work of them at my house!

fall chair planter

A chair certainly is a fun alternative to a barrel or other common fall planter and it can be used for many years to come!  Use your annual junk pick up to find a good candidate for your planter!

pumpkin stack

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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falling for green

September 17, 2021

green pumpkins in chair

Gone are the days when pumpkins were only orange!  Those of us neutral décor lovers were certainly ecstatic when white pumpkins came onto the scene years ago…what could be better?!

green and white pumpkins

wall of pots

But there are other options these days, and although white pumpkins are still my fave, some of the heirloom varieties make me weak in the knees!

heirloom tower

green pottery

Heirloom pumpkins are more widely available now – I recently saw some lovely ones priced very reasonably in shades of green and gray at Trader Joe’s.

group of pumpkins

pretty sage green pumpkins

Decorating for fall in hues of green takes on a whole new meaning when pumpkins in smokey sage can be added to the mix!

pumpkins at entrance

4 pumpkins

Today I am sharing some swoon-worthy décor using green tones during a recent visit to Terrain.

sage green pumpkin

pumpkin arrangement

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fabulous weekend!

pots

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S.  Fun fact – for years I avoided wearing green because I have green eyes and I hated the attention when green clothing would accentuate my eyes!

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touring broken arrow nursery

July 23, 2021

georgia plume butterfly clouds

If it seems like I travel all over my state of Connecticut to visit gardens – I do!

broken arrow entrance

What could be better on a Sunday morning than taking a tour of a nursery!  This trip is to Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden where they specialize in rare and unusual plants.

hydrangea

There is no charge to enjoy a morning tour walking through the property with an extremely knowledgeable staff member.  It is a great opportunity, not only to see what is growing on the nursery property, but also to learn more about growing in Connecticut as well as discuss any personal gardening concerns with an expert.

raindrops

tree with white blooms

I definitely left the nursery with a heightened knowledge of trees and plants in my area and, because of my addiction with all things white, an obsession with this particular plant!

beauty berry

Also, love this Georgia Plume Tree!

a georgia plume tree

georgia plume tree with butterfly

Visiting a local nursery or taking a trip to a public garden (You know how I love Longwood Gardens!) is a wonderful field trip to take this summer and a super way to enjoy the outdoors!

jurassic leaves

I hope you are inspired to visit one this summer!

bird house at broken arow

Thanks for stopping by!

tree above

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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getting your just desserts

July 16, 2021

lunch at terrain cafe

Isn’t it feeling great that things are starting to get a little bit back to normal?  Getting together with the people we love, of course, is the best part!  When getting together at a fabulous place – all the better!

That was my luck recently when I was treated to lunch at one of my favorite places – Terrain.

white lavendar

There is so much to love about Terrain Café…the bread baked in a flower pot and served with herbed butter, seasonal salad selections like grilled peach and strawberry spinach, or the inventive summer beverage selection.

And, of course, a special dessert because having lunch at Terrain Café always calls for a dessert splurge!

cafe at Terrain

For desserts, like everything else on the menu, a seasonal selection is offered.

terrain dessert menu

Wouldn’t you like to try every single one?!  My favorite dessert is the terrarium dessert created by Terrain Café and served in a Weck jar.  Not only is it on point in theme, but it tastes absolutely delectable!

spoonful of goodness

Sadly, not everyone has a Terrain Café nearby, but everyone can take some special time with special people to enjoy their ‘just desserts.’

terrarium close up

I hope I am inspiring you to do just that!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fabulous weekend!

finished dessert

Remember to take pleasure in simple things…like eating a fabulous dessert al fresco with your besties!  xo Jackie

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virgin garden

June 25, 2021

white cosmos

I love white flowers.

virgin garden collage

When I planned my current landscape, I planned for only white flower varieties.  June has been a fabulous month for me because all my new plants proved successful – everything I planted survived!  What a great feeling!

vintage watering can

Today I am sharing some of my favorite of the current blooms!  Look at the fabulous bloom on this  Little Henry!

Little Henry Collage

owl garden statue

If you notice a little bit of pink in the mix, that is a slip up from when I bought annuals marked as white before they were in bloom!

mermaid and flowers

virgin garden in bloom

I still have a couple of white varieties on my list that I haven’t been able to find!  Do you have any favorite white garden flower varieties to recommend?

birdbath collage

Thanks for stopping by!  It is wonderful gardening weather!  Have a fabulous weekend!

stone wall in hosta garden

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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majestic beech tree

June 4, 2021

european beech tree

Something I truly admire on visits to one of my favorite nurseries in Connecticut  – White Flower Farm – is the gorgeous tree standing guard near the front of the property.

tall european beech

european beech in spring

The European beech has been described by many experts as the finest specimen tree available.  This one at White Flower Farm was planted in 1958.

large euopean beech

looking up at beech tree

Isn’t it something?

white flower farm beech

While having that beautiful beech on my mind, I was walking around my neighborhood and realized that a tree doesn’t have to be 63 years old to be appreciated.

There is so much about trees to admire.  A couple of trees I passed on my walk, changing with the season, caught my eye.

pretty seeds

While I do have favorite trees at nurseries and gardens I visit (such as the copper beech at Longwood Gardens), I can appreciate the humblest of varieties!

red maple seeds

I hope you are inspired to take special notice of some local trees or trees you see in your travels.

pretty buds

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend, Jackie

hostas at white flower farm

Note:  Some interesting history about the European beech tree From the Arbor Day Foundation website:

The European beech tree has an unmatched place in history. The beechnuts were food for prehistoric man and are still consumed today. The wood has been employed for centuries for both fire and furniture in Europe. Historians claim that the first written European literature was inscribed on Beech bark in Sanskrit. The English word ‘book” comes from the Anglo-Saxon “boc”, a derivative for the Anglo-Saxon “beece” or Beech.

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desert botanical garden

May 21, 2021

blooming cactus yellow

I became a cactus fan long before succulents were ‘in.’  I made my first visit to Arizona when I was in junior high school and I instantly became mesmerized by the unusual and glorious plants called cacti.

look up cactus

cactus prickles

When I got home from my trip, I signed up for a subscription to Arizona Highways magazine so I could regularly see beautiful, artistic photographs of Arizona plants in their native habitat.

cactus landscape

burst of yellow cactus

This background of cactus love made it extra special for me to have the opportunity recently to visit the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.  I had never been.

blooming cactus

cactus arms

The garden is like a living museum, home to more than 4,400 species and 27,000 plants.

cactus yellow in progress

trio of cactus

Today, I share a few of my favorite views from my visit.

tall cactus with sun

Thanks for stopping by.

face mask sign

Have a fabulous weekend!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S.  Look at my last post for more from the Desert Botanical Garden.

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