Friday, October 31, 2008

A Stunning Two-Toned Dahlia

A Two-Toned Dahlia, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.Stop by the garden of a true gardener, and you never know what might sneak up and surprise you. I've passed a rose garden for months, telling myself to stop by and photograph those amazing roses. I finally did it today. While I was poking through the roses, I found, what appeared to be the last dahlia of this season. It was starting to

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

True Flowering Carpets

I recently came upon these fantastic photographs of Brussels' live Flower Carpet, which they set up in the main square called the Grand Place. One million begonias are placed directly on the cobblestones of the main square mimicking a medieval carpet design called Savonnerie. Grass and bark are used to fill in for the brown and green, dahlias for the blue. The total size is an incredible

Monday, October 27, 2008

Pretty & Pink Geranium

Pretty & Pink, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.This has to be one of the easiest plants to care for on Earth. One of the most memorable flower articles I ever read was on geraniums, by the Martha Stewart Living Magazine. You can find the article here. http://www.marthastewart.com/article/geraniums

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Spring has sprung

He loves me... he loves me not (in Portuguese: bem me quer, mal me quer). A little girl plucking the petals of a daisy... can you relate to that? I can! I wonder if this is a common rhyme in all countries, well, it is here in Brazil. Daisies are here... and it means Spring is here too!This is my contribution to Today's Flowers hosted by Santilli.

Fall in Southern California

The Color Purple, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.Southern California suffers from overcrowding, and here's the reason. Fall in California comes shades of purple......fading pink hydrangeas......and seashells lying about in your cottage garden...But before you move here, ask yourself, can you handle the traffic, the multi-cultural diversity, and the expense. I moved away once, briefly, and I

Friday, October 24, 2008

Razzle-Dazzle, it's Zazzle!

I'm hooked on this new site I discovered recently, called Zazzle. There, you are able to design your own Keds sneakers. Being a shoe fanatic, AND a flower fanatic, I thought I would try my hand at it and see how it works. You be the judge!There are several other items you can design, such as mugs, t-shirts, and tote bags. Once you are happy with your

A thank you note

My friend Connie who has a private blog had a giveaway and I won! I love coffee and the gift was just perfect! I enjoyed the delicious chocolate filled wafer cookies with a cup of coffee in a quiet afternoon... And as for the book... it is filled with facts and anedoctes about coffee, I can't stop reading it! Thank you Connie for being so kind and generous!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The Brandy Hybrid Tea Rose

Good Morning, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.You simply cannot find a shapelier, healthier rose for your garden than the Brandy Hybrid Tea Rose. I can't imagine walking in my garden and not seeing it there. Don't tell my other roses, but I think this is the prettiest rose in my garden, and it has an appealing soft scent. When it's in bloom, it's so perfect you almost think it's fake. If

Next Day Flower Delivery

Making it easy for you to gift flowers to any boy in any corner in the UK instantly, florists now offer online service. With the availability of such florists, you will never miss an occasion of sending some beautiful flowers to someone special. Even if you place an order today, they will offer you next day flower delivery. You can enjoy this type of service always unless there are any holidays

Monday, October 20, 2008

Peggy's Garden

My friend Marilyn, introduced me to her sister Peggy, an avid gardener, a few years ago. Peggy is incredibly creative, and her garden is so inspiring to visit. I had the good fortune of being invited over for lunch in Peggy's magnificent cottage garden, and she allowed me the privilege to photograph and share it with you. Peggy's Garden, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes. Peggy raised boys

Friday, October 17, 2008

Descanso Gardens

I've been Schmap'd. Is that a word? Yes, Schmap is an online a mapping service for your computer or iPhone. Click the "Descanso Gardens" title above, and you can learn more about their service! Lots of Easter bunnies, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.This photo was taken at Easter time in Descanso Gardens. Descanso Gardens, located in La Canada / Flintridge, California, is my absolute

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Dutch shoes do grow on trees!

A pittoresque Dutch town nearby and their traditional shoes on trees... A nice place to visit if you are looking for that Dutch accent, with beautiful flower shops, nice Dutch food restaurants and an European look and feel.

The Horses! The Flowers! The Hats!

scot. The very name conjures up images of immaculately coiffed and attired upper classes strutting their stuff along with the horses. I just love the witty hats, especially the floral ones! Ascot is England's most famous racetrack, but it's also a fashion show for the elegant and eccentric.The Royal Ascot races date backto the days of Queen Anne, in 1711. Ladies' Day is also known as"Hat Day", a

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Pierre de Ronsard Rose

The first time I saw the Pierre de Ronsard climbing rose, it instantly became my favorite rose of all time. It's a stunning rose, that's beautiful to photograph, and see in your garden. Pierre de Ronsard Rose, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.Stephanie, a friend and fellow gardener, had this growing up and over her pergola, in her cozy cottage garden. A real beauty, this old-fashioned looking

Monday, October 13, 2008

My amaryllis

My amaryllis... special delivery with a special meaning... delivered 3 1/2 years ago at the time our third child was born...a gift from my husband... Last week new flowers came out... and here is the sequence of photos I was able to capture...This is my contribution to Today's Flowers hosted by Santilli.

The South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation

If you're an avid gardener, or just a person who wants a relaxing day in the garden, take a trip to the Palos Verdes Peninsula. There, you'll find the South Coast Botanic Garden, with 87 acres of beauty to experience and enjoy. This botanic garden holds beautiful garden gems.. like the lovely Children's Garden, complete with a child's size house......a Dahlia Garden......a Japanese Garden......

Friday, October 10, 2008

"Boo"tiful Blooms

alloween is perhaps not a traditional "flower" holiday, but there's so much out there to use in your seasonal decorating that it's a shame to not include flowers!Almost everyone succumbs to the temptation to buy a pumpkin or two when the air turns crisp. Most will be content to seat it on the doorstep until the time comes to carve it into something ghoulish. Why not bring it inside, and with the

Yellow Marguerite

Yellow Marguerite, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.This yellow marguerite is a shrubby perennial plant. It's cultivation history goes all the way back to 1699 in England. I had this flower in my garden for sometime. I recommend you replace it once it becomes to thick and woody. I found it easy to maintain, and a vigorous bloomer.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

It's October - Where'd the time go?

Can't believe its October already! I haven't had time to do a lot of crafty things lately but have one project to share. It's a mini-album for My Creative Scrapbook. This is for the October Album Kit. Making this really put me in the fall spirit (even here in South Florida - lol)."Photos from the Pumpkin Patch" Mini-Album Cover (This is the pumpkin from the cover of the album.)Because I have been

Friday, October 3, 2008

Pink Dahlia - for the cure!

Pink Dahlia - for the cure!, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.Here's my contribution to "Pink for the Cure." It's a wildly edited dahlia, creating a fun floral abstract for a good cause. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

A Roadside Garden

While driving, and following my navigator to a Chinese restaurant one day, I stumbled upon this gorgeous roadside garden.   I suspect it was started when someone sprinkled seeds there in the springtime.  It was filled with zinnias, daisies, cosmos and more.   I think I'll try this seed sprinkling garden experiment next year. I have the perfect patch of soil, right beside my driveway. Hopefully

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.This pink collage is for the cure!