Aunt Hazel's Garden

Decorative Envelopes These envelopes are bright and full of design and a great way to share your plant cuttings with friends. Oh, and they are easy to make. Envelopes in Different Colors and Shapes Here is a close up of two envelopes of different colors and shapes. I use printed heavy weight paper that I get from my local craft or fabric store. Envelope Pattern Patterns for Decorative Envelopes You have my permission to copy the above patterns for your personal use. You can also find the decorative envelope patterns here. Here are steps you can use to create your envelope. First, trace the envelope pattern on your printed paper and then cut it out. Next, fold the envelope at the sides and bottom.  Then, cut the pattern shape between the front folds on the front-top of the envelope.  Finally, use a double sided adhesive tape roller to stick the envelope together up the back seam and then the bottom fl...

There's a Frog in My Garden - Can You Find Him? I'm so excited - I have a pet frog in my garden! Can you see it here? This one is easy, but the other pictures may get harder to spot him. I found out that my new buddy is a Baja California Treefrog. This one looks neon green to me - I love its color! This little guy is just over an inch in length and seems to love my planter here to rest in. Other tree frogs of this type also come in varying colors of brown, gray and dark green. Okay now, the next pictures will get harder to find Froggy as I loving call him. Are you up to the challenge? Froggy is Really Hiding Here - Do You See Him? I would often find Froggy in this spot resting after being out in the big, vast garden. If you are having trouble finding him here - go on to the other pictures further down - perhaps they will give you a clue. Look Closely for Froggy Hint - he's blending in with the plants. Froggy's Profile ...

  A Beautiful Garden How does one create a beautiful garden pleasing to the eye? Well, pleasing is what you enjoy and love to see so beautiful gardens will vary between gardeners. A garden takes patience, time, hard work, a little knowledge of where to place a plant and some creativity. Gardens tend to be really forgiving and have the ability to help you learn from your time in them. That's part of the way I learned in addition to watching my Aunt Hazel and her love for her garden. It's also fun to share tips and plants with friends. It is truly an enjoyable experience. Some simple things to do as you start to make your garden beautiful. 1. Don't be so quick to throw out what you already have.  Established plants are tried and true! For starters they have resisted many types of pests that may be in your garden. Give them a chance and see how you like them. 2. Prepare soil properly.  Lots of soils are hard and just need to be worked. Add a little wate...

Marguerite Daisy One of Aunt Hazel's Favorites This Marguerite Daisy was one of Aunt Hazel's favorite plants. She loved its beauty and vibrant little flower. She incorporated it in her garden and on her table in beautiful bouquets. Aunt Hazel would propagate it by taking cuttings and placing them in her rich dark sandy soil where almost everything rooted - I do the same, but my success rate is only about 50% - her thumb was much greener than mine. Hazel at 91 Years Young by Her Beautiful Marguerites and Cinerarias Hazel once recounted the story of how she had a few similar daisy plants and she would use one plant's pollen to pollinate the other plant. With Hazel doing this, a slightly different plant emerged in her garden. So this particular Marguerite Daisy that I'm featuring on this post is perhaps slightly different than other mainstream varieties.  Characteristics of The Plant This Marguerite Daisy has an approximate one and a half inch ...

Propagating and Growing Kalanchoe Delagoensis Today I'm discussing how to propagate and grow Kalanchoe Delagoensis also known as Chandelier Plant, Mother of Millions and Mother of Thousands. As you can see here, and in my previous post on  the flowering stages of Kalanchoe Delagoensis,  this succulent plant produces a gorgeous bloom when it is mature. It takes a couple of years for this small baby plant to reach this maturity but after enjoying its bloom I'm sure you will agree it is well worth it. Let's begin with propagation. Young Kalanchoe Plants with Little Plantlets   On this young Kalanchoe plant you can see the start of the baby plantlets which look like little spikes on the end of the tubular leaves. These little spikes, which are more rubbery than sharp, will become the plantlets that will eventually drop to the ground and root.  Propagation of Plantlets from Mature Kalanchoe Stocks Propagation of Kalanchoe Delagoensis begins w...

Kalanchoe Delagoensis This beautiful Kalanchoe Delagoensis flower, also called Mother of Millions, Chandelier Plant and sometimes referred to as Mother of Thousands makes a showing from late fall to early winter. When I was first introduced to this wonderful plant I did not foresee how beautiful it would be. This little Kalanchoe plant is what I encountered when I was first introduced to it. Grayish black and tan tubular branches with the start of little baby Kalanchoe plants growing on the branches. I planted it in my yard and did not think much about it except for the fact that it was growing but not producing much color. After more than a year of growing it in my garden I thought I might get rid of it because it was not very pretty or colorful. One December day while in my garden I noticed a gorgeous, beautiful blossom on this seemingly dull plant. What a surprise! This plant is one of my favorite now and I propagate it in many places of my yard. It loves the sun and i...