Kaseys Korner

sizzle, pop, burst

From an emerging diminutive mound to flat out spectacular is what seemed to occur with my clematis integrefolia this weekend when our temperatures took a dramatic turn upward.  Where did that come from??!  I'm used to a much slower evolution but I guess plants and humans alike were just waiting for a little heat.  I've learned to insert an obelisk over the emerging foliage early in spring to help keep the lovely rounded shape I prefer.  Otherwise, it sprawls all over and falls apart in the middle (kinda like its owner, but that's a whole 'nuther, much less fascinating story).  I have a long and interesting history with this perennial.  I first saw a photograph of it in Lauren Springer's book titled "The Undaunted Garden."  That was approximately 18 years ago, give or take a few??  On sight, I fell in love with its unique bloom and started obsessing about acquiring one for my own garden.  Not knowing where to search, I wrote to Lauren herself, inquiring where I could get one (pre-Internet days).  Unbelievably she promptly jotted me off a handwritten note with a source!!  Glory days!  The rest is history.  I bought myself one that week and the original plant has been with me thru four moves and three gardens, that's how much I love it.  It is amazingly tough as it survived (not sayin' thrived) in a container for two years (during a brief apartment stay).  I  wouldn't think of being without it.  Those pretty, nodding heads always make me smile.  Welcome back old friend! 

Be Back Soon

Outside planting today....

Oleander Gamble

Gambling is not my forte.  I don't have the stomach for it.  I guess I can't stand to lose.  But gamble is exactly what I did last fall on my double pink oleander (nerium oleander) and now, I see, I've lost.  I've lost it all.  It's completely dead.  Unless something comes back from the roots, it's over.  At the time, I was on the fence about how badly I wanted to save it.  (I only learned last summer how toxic the entire plant is) I decided not to haul it inside but rather to store it in the garage.  ugh.  I might add I was somewhat cavalier "if it lives, it lives, if it doesn't, oh well."  Why do we make these decisions only to regret them later?  Now I wish I had just hauled it down to the basement and stored it with the other half of my yard.  It wouldn't have been that much extra trouble.  As I was cutting it back, a little at a time last night, desperately looking for some "green" I wondered if I should search for another?? Thoughts??  Anyone have this shrub??  Love it, worry about its toxicity??   

I "toad" you so

"Quickie" post this morning to update one I wrote several weeks ago (when I saw the first toad of the year but couldn't find a photo to go with it). Resolved that small dilemma by snapping one of this fat fellow happily sunning himself on Mother's Day.  He appears to have survived the winter exceedingly well, doesn't he?!!  Unfortunately, my big guy has probably been forced back into hibernation this week as we've been on a weather roller coaster.  The local weatherman summed it up by saying, "It's May, which means it "May" or "May" not be spring!"  Hadn't heard that before but it's so true I'm going to have to remember it!  If he's accurate, we are going to go from winter like temps to summer starting tomorrow (my toad can resurface).  Maybe next year we will have a nice, gentle spring?!  Happy Friday!

Container Bonanza

Barnes & Noble tickled me pink, red, green, purple and every other color in the rainbow last Saturday when I found this issue sitting on their shelves.  My 2006 Container Gardening issue received so much love that it's practically coming apart at the seams.  I'm sure its relieved there's a new edition.  I don't think Fine Gardening publishes one every year??  At least I didn't see a new issue last year or I positively would have bought it.  $7.99 but worth every penny if you are into container gardening even the teeniest bit.  The new issue has a lot more tips on successful planting, aftercare, etc., than the 2006 issue did but there's still enough eye candy to keep me wholly satisfied and completely inspired.  These issues have raised my consciousness about the art of planting a container.  It's so much more than sticking a few petunias and a spike into a pot.   Last summer, I really contemplated the plant combinations I was grouping together on a level I'd never done before.  Fine Gardening also has a container contest called "Thrillers, Fillers & Spillers" which even if you don't care to enter, provokes consideration about whether those three elements are present in your pots or not.  If you care to check it out, the new issue must be in every bookstore now and there's also a link here for online ordering.  I'm expecting great things from my containers after all this extra time I've had to plan (due to inclement weather) so stay tuned!  ha!  the pressure is on....

luscious bouquet

Blooming lilacs give me pause.  How can anybody stroll, run, skip, jump, walk, or ambulate in any form, past a lilac bush in full fragrant glory and NOT pause?  The only way I know is if all five senses are completely defunct.  Most especially the sense of smell because oh la la, it's exquisite.  So exquisite that I pilfered this bouquet from an unknown persons yard.  *gasp*  Least you think I'm a completely thoughtless thief, I did attempt to seek permission first.  and I was actually considering the safety of other passersby as the intoxicating purple laden bush was impeding pedestrian travel along said sidewalk.  Okay, okay (hands in the air) I confess, that rationalization is WAY more altruistic than my real motivations!  Here's the truth ~ I'm blaming it on the "pause."  If I hadn't of paused, I could have resisted the temptation.  But I did pause. And all five of my senses do function properly.  And I've been waiting forever for my own buds to open, so I caved.  I see why Adam had no chance if I lose all self control over a bit of lavender heaven.  I'm hoping a few covert clips does not doom me to you know where...  Meanwhile here's a slice of my sap bucket brimming with the cache.

PS.  Forgive me for fabricating a colorful story.  My imagination got a bit carried away and I spun a "wee hours of the morning" tale just for the fun of writing it.  I did snip the blooms from someplace other than my garden but it was from a neglected bush in the back of a little used parking lot, not anyone's yard.  I hope no harm was done?  ;-)   

double trouble

Aren't these two of the cutest, happiest faces you've seen in quite the longest while?   Their "smiles" are so infectious.  One Corgi can keep you grinning the whole day but two of those active little energizer bunnies are totally over the top.  This picture is from a photo shoot I did over the weekend of my neighbors "granddogs."  You wouldn't believe what we went thru to just get a few good shots.  When you want one with both Corgis together, it's darn near impossible (especially considering they are only 1 & 2 yrs old)!  They ran circles around the yard for 30 minutes before we ever got this far.  If only there was a way to harness such vigor!   Sit girls.  Stay.  STAY.  Puh leeze Stay.  GOOD girls.  snap, snap, snap!  hooray!  gotcha!   What adorable little cutie pies.

miniature treasures

There's a lot of prancing, stomping, snorting and feverish chomping going on around here.  You'd think a race horse lived on the premises.  Unfortunately, all that unladylike behavior stems from the author of this blog.  I have a garage full of hothouse beauties, bags of potting soil lined in rows, containers cleaned and ready, everything saying "go" except the weather!  Can you believe our local station is calling for "snow" on Tuesday???  unfreakingbelieveable.  Because of that one little four letter word, we are not viewing beautifully planted pots this AM but rather an old paper project!

Unlike this spring, fortune smiled on me in 2003 and I was one of the lucky designers who contributed to a special issue publication called "Big Ideas for Little Accents."  The book was produced by Paper Crafts magazine in conjunction with EK Success, one of the largest craft companies on the planet.  All the tiny 3-D embellishments on these pages are from their (then newly released line) of Jolee's By You. 

Receiving that box of Jolee's products was like Christmas morning come early.  Of course all the gardening embellishments were magnetic for me.  The first thing I created was this sweet little book which I intended to give away but never did (per usual for me).   Don't you just love all these tiny gardening replicas? 

Looking at them again almost makes up for not being able to plant!  *Ahem*  Okay, not really but what other choice do I have?!!  I'll keep tabs on the forecast and maybe later in the week we can look at containers.  How does that sound? 

What's in a Name?

Leave it to my daughter to select a hybrid tea rose labeled "Mis Behavin' as her gift to me for Mother's Day!  She said it was aptly named for all the shenanigans she's put me thru!!  lol  Who couldn't love logic like that?!  I'll be trying to figure the perfect spot to plant it today.  Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there.  Hope it's a beautiful day for you to enjoy.

Twosomes

What is it about peonies and ants???  They go together like popcorn and movies.  Although it may look like this bud is devoid of its counterpart, it's merely an illusion.  The result of a camera shy ant that snuck down the side of the bud when I pulled out my lens!  Seriously, I had read once that peonies produce nectar that attracts ants, the ants respond and aide in the blooming process of the plant.  I never paid enough attention to notice the nectar before I started taking macro pictures of my garden.  Now it's clearly visible.  Magnify the tiny details and plants become even more fascinating.   It takes gardening to a whole other level.  On that note, I'm off to experience another famous duo: weekends and relaxation.  Have a good one everybody!