Saturday, February 5, 2011

I've Got it BAD!

It started this morning.  I woke up thinking of gardening --- really!

Ya, like I look that good when I wake up?!!
Red Husker Penstemon.  Karl Forester Feather Reed Grass.  I had the  'itch' to pull out my garden journal and start sketching what plants I wanted to put in the new "South-by-Southwest" garden.  Then I started thinking about all the 'bald'/empty spot's by my slumbering 'Crimson Pixie' Asiatic Lilies (Lilium Hybrid) by the SW corner of the addition.  I hadn't been a "red" flower kind of girl until I saw those beauties back in 2009.  The 'Center Glow' Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) looks great by them, but what else would compliment those early risers?

 

Not being able to sleep another minute - with my mind just racing, I got up and logged into the web.  It was a beautiful sunny day today, and I pulled the blinds wide open.  The Paprika Yarrow  (Achillea Millefolium) stood tall against the recent snow (it must be melting - on Wednesday you could only see the top of the dried blooms)

Paprika Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)
Dormant in the snow
I started catching up with the garden blogs I follow.  My adrenaline got cranked up even more!  Garden Walk Garden Talk had a post that really struck me.  Donna has a design series of posts that I could really relate to -  focused on fundamental elements - shape, texture, color.  Check it out....  Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener had a more Zen moment (I need to tap into that!).  And Tufa Girl was another blogger who enjoyed a peaceful moment.  Along Life's Highway featured bunnies in the latest yard art "field report" post -- we know how I feel about bunnies (the good, the bad and the ugly).  I was a reading machine today.  Thanks, as always, for your inspiration.

I went nuts on "Google Images" -- downloading photos of all the plants I have on my '2011 Wishlist'.  Being a visual person - I needed a photo fix to inspire me.  Bee Balm, Meadow Rue, Shooting Star, Astilbe, Jacob's Ladder, Candy Tuft - to name a few.  (Hope I win the Lotto?!)

Then I had to do something tactile.  If I couldn't work outside, I'd add a little color inside....  just a little.

It's organic ... it's color, "The Spring Edition"
This wasn't organic - but was the "Holiday Edition"
Blue has always been my favorite color - but since I've started gardening, green has prevailed.  It's become a feature color around my home....  As I walked about, I started to appreciate what's inside.  Green leads your eye around from the kitchen to the family room...



The striped green vase was a recent impulse buy.  With the addition, I now have a lot of tall walls, so I had to re-adjust my train of thought - think tall.  During the Holidays I moved our Ficus tree into the kitchen.  It was not happy, and promptly started shedding leaves.  Once I moved the tree back into the family room - there was a big vertical void in the kitchen.  When I found some tall bamboo in a local craft store, I ran with it.  The 'next steps' in the kitchen - the back wall needs a 'feature' color, and then I'm thinking a photo collage would be great - combining pictures from my "Budding Photographer" and 'her' generous mother, who shares Mom's digital SLR.

Speaking of the Ficus, I had a fresh look in the family room to appreciate some of the live green there.
Ficus during the Holidays - tolerant but not happy

Ficus - happy back 'at home'
So, I'll see if this blogging is going to help satisfy some of my garden anxiety?  If not, I may have to be sedated.  Or I could channel my energy toward the Lotto --- lots of plants on that 2011 wishlist!

Happy Gardening!
(Come on Spring.......)

17 comments:

  1. Thanks Shyrlene for the shoutout. You sounded quite busy today. It is no secret that I love that apple green color. You were a decorating banshee today.

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  2. You seem so energetic, I could use some of that. Each time I step out of the house, the heat zapped up my energy.

    Your ficus tree is doing good. My tree has RIP. I have a tiny one that looks like a bonsai.

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  3. It is great to wake to the call of gardening isn't. It just feels like the right thing to do.
    I wish I had some yarrow too, I will try to find it this year.

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  4. Ficus are like that. They resent being moved. It looks better in the living area though. Nice to see the touches of green you have incorporated in your decor. As far as future plant selections go, I think you'll really enjoy shooting star! I have a few and just love their delicate bright blooms! So unique and colourful for a shady area! I look forward to reading your spring posts!

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  5. Shyrlene, I've been hearing that gardening call, too; it must be the lengthening days. Last night, I had trouble getting to sleep (rare for me) because I was mentally sketching a plan for this year's new flower bed project. It's time to put that outline of the new serenity garden on graph paper and that ever-growing list of plant possibilities on my garden spreadsheet together and actually start making some decisions! -Jean

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  6. Shyrlene, thanks for the shout-out. I was on the internet early this morning, working on my post. I am glad your husband enjoyed it. I sent you a link with more stadium photos if he is so inclined.

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  7. GWGT - it was my pleasure; I love your design style!

    One - my energy comes in bursts during the winter season, hibernation has it's merits too! The Ficus has been with us for a long time, but has really flourished in our new family room w/ all the natural light.

    Fer~ I am so excited for the Spring! :D

    Shirley - I've struggled with 'shade garden' plants that had visual interest; I saw Shooting Stars on a number of blogs last season and fell hard for them!

    Jean - you made my day! I thought it was just me; my husband handed me the 'Home & Garden' section of the newspaper, and the cover article is "Winter Blues? That means it's time to start shopping for spring flowers!" (Yay!!)

    Tufa Girl - your posts from Texas are a breath of fresh air for me up in the currently 'frozen Tundra'! Thanks for sending the link! (the game is on a couple of our TV's right now - no SB parties, just good football!)

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  8. Oh, my sleepless nights are about to begin here shortly when I can't stop thinking about gardening -- plans and plants will be running around in my head! The excitement is stirring! Thanks for following my blog! I am planning to "fave" you when I get another lot of faves. I'm tapped out right now till I reach the next level on Blotanical.

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  9. I enjoyed this topic a lot because I get so stir-crazy in the winter!

    The vases you showcased were very artsy and add a lot of personality to your space. ( did that sound like Christopher Lowell too much?)
    I love Life's Highway blog. I just have to get my fix of that blog. It cracks me up and keeps me laughing! I will check out the bunny post.

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  10. You kept me with a big smile, Thanks!

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  11. Very happy to discover your blog, Shyrlène !
    Plus this photo of 2 grasses in the snow, full of poetry.
    Have a great day
    Gabriel, from Paris.

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  12. Toni - I fell in love with your landscaping plan; I had to go back to my '2011 Wishlist' and add MORE PLANTS! :D

    Rosey - I used to be a mellow, laid-back person... now I'm climbing the walls wanting to get out and garden!! It got worse today - the latest edition of "Fine Gardening" came in the mail!! AHHHHHH!!

    Lula - you made my day!

    Gabriel - I'm thrilled to have you to come by for a visit and 'follow' my blog! Merci!

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  13. Hi Shyrlene, I had to smile at you having to get up and log on to satiate your garden fever! I've been known to do the same. Hope you don't need sedation ;-)

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  14. Oh my gosh, a shout-out... I am so excited. Especially since I don't write about loving growing things and you were so very inspired to garden. I love the green glass.

    I am a collector of purple glass (amethyst glass), not that you asked but we were sharing a glass moment.

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  15. Plantaliscious - it was an OCD weekend; I was such a garden 'squirrel'! I'm just really grateful I could get a semi-garden "fix" through my garden blog friends (my family was ready to commit me otherwise!). (No sedation though! Just eye drops from blog fatigue!)

    LifesHwy - your blog is too delish not to shout out too, there is just too much fun to be denied! And I hope the 'shared glass moment' was as good for you as it was for me! I am a danger when I walk into HomeGoods -- there is almost always something 'shiny' with my name on it! (It's like walking into a plant nursery in the Spring) ;D

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  16. I'm so excited to hear the gardening call. May be now is the time for you to start a new chapter this year after long rest during winter. I'm waiting something new surprise from you, after planing new thing during the winter (I guess). Happy gardening.
    BTW just to let you know that I have extended an award to you. I know you must be busy, please do drop to my blog to collect it, when you can. No hurry! Thank you!

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  17. I love the ficus in front of those big windows! The ficus knew it was too good a thing to give up. I love days when I can spend time leisurely surfing the blogosphere, admiring gardens and getting good advice. What did we do before the internet?

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