Friday's Flowers

today's flower offering is one of my own photographs of

a bunch of hydrangea picked from our garden and placed in a  glass vessel - simplicity itself!!

happy weekend everyone!

Gena

click here to view more Flower Friday pics

to view more of my photography, visit Thinking Aloud - a photoblog

to view other Today's Flowers participants, click here

Spring has Sprung

The weather is warmer and everywhere you look, there is new growth - be it new leaves, blossoms, the early flowering plants ...

This past weekend I spent a lot of time outdoors (as always armed with my camera), and was in awe of the vast array of growth and colour,

after what was considered by most to be a very long, cold and dreary winter.

These are but a few pictures of early flowering blooms ....

For those who wish to see more, here's a link to my "Shades of Spring" album on facebook: click here

All pictures: Gena D Photography

Spring has Sprung

Spring is definitely here, the weather is warmer, the days a little longer, and there are blooms here and there ... This is generally a very busy time in the garden, being the best time to order mounds of good quality organic compost and feed your garden well. Watering will need to step up too as the days get warmer.

It's also the perfect time to start planning your herb/ vegetable patch and planning which annuals you want and where you want them ..... Have fun

Winter Pics

Take a look at some of the winter scenes in Johannesburg and surrounds.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24592&id=1133416876&l=5f8e23c544

African Poolside

A tranquil pool garden setting. I took this pic at a private home whilst on a Heritage walk. The two carved African chairs just look perfect next to the pool - so inviting and yet remaining so elegant - you almost don't want to disturb!

Come sit with me

We all love the thought and aspire to have a quiet spot in the garden to sit and contemplate life ..... a chill zone, a place to meditate the future.

This picture, taken in Irene, Johannesburg, depicts a simple seat placed under the trees facing a lake (not shown). The light structure of the chair, complements the Japanese maple and the airiness of the space.

So you really do not need to invest in a huge, solid garden bench, but can use almost anything (even sawn pieces of tree trunk), but, just make sure that where you place your seat(ing), is where you want the focus to be, and ideally place it somewhere where you can enjoy "a view" of sorts as well - whether it's a water feature, a view beyond your garden, interesting flowers, shrubs or trees, or quite simply a quiet, shady spot.

Picture: Gena D Photography. Irene, South Africa

A Simple Pot

In yesterday's article on a kitchen garden, I suggested that if you have no ground/soil to work with, use pots.

Well here's a perfect example of how a great groundcover is used in a pot, being allowed to tumble over the edges, both creating a lush effect and softening the edges of the pot. This plant, which goes by the eloquent name of "Erigeron Karvinskianus" is not only perfect for pots and containers but also for hanging baskets and certainly as a true 'ground cover'.

Erigeron grows and flowers abundantly throughout the year (possibly with exception of extreme climate changes), and is not in need of lots of watering or care, needing only the odd trim/ cut back, effectively being both waterwise and low maintenance - which is, after all the idea of a perfect garden, wouldn't you agree?!

G

Picture: Gena D Photography

A Tranquil Garden Space (part 2.)

This is the picture, referred to below, with the large waterfeature which separates the herb and vegetable garden from the remainder of the formal garden area.

Venue: Moon and Sixpence (see link below)

Picture taken by Gena D Photography

A Tranquil garden space.

This picture was taken at "Moon and Sixpence" (Muldersdrift, South Africa), of a small part, of what is a very large garden and property. This area encompasses predominantly the herb and vegetable garden and is a little more formal than one would normally find in a herb/ vegetable area. The beds are raised and pathways lined with gravel. In the forefront (not shown) is a large water feature surrounded by large trees. Just imagine ..... a breeze through the trees, the sound of trickling water, the crunch of gravel underfoot, the chattering of birds somewhere in the background .....a simple, effective and certainly very tranquil garden space.

For more info on this venue:

http://www.moonandsixpence.co.za/

to read my article on "Growing Your own Herbs and Vegetables":

http://www.gardenhomedesign.co.za/blog/?p=158

Picture taken by Gena D Photography