05/27/15
beautiful small yard

Beautiful Small Yard

Beautiful Small Yard in Albuquerque

Beautiful small yard: Albuquerque is surrounded by Federal lands of one type or another on the north, east, and south. Yards within Albuquerque proper tend to be small, compared to other places I have lived. The weather beckons people out of doors most of the year. Attractive yards in which to spend time are desirable, but sometimes making a very small yard attractive takes some thought and planning.

Water was not always considered a problem in Albuquerque, although it certainly is now. Ideally, the native plants would have been left when homes were built. Instead, the land was bulldozed clear of the native plants in many parts of Albuquerque (as well as other places in the Desert Southwest). New homes are often being xeriscaped from the beginning.

This home was built in the late 1990’s. This yard has been featured in several posts on this blog. It has not only matured, but the owner has tried to decrease the use of water by removing some plants, while keeping the foundation plantings and then a few for color. A lot of work has gone into this yard, but the owner has certainly achieved a beautiful small yard.

beautiful small yard

Beautiful small yard

The beautiful New Mexico sky is a constant feature here. Plants featured here,and these have been longstanding, are roses ‘Hot Cocoa,’ ‘Gentle Giant,’ and ‘Baby Grand;’ clematis trained on a pillar; two nandina bushes; and the Rose of Sharon, ‘Blushing Bride,’ trained into more of a tree shape than a shrub. This will bloom later in the summer. Although the yard is small, the plants give a lot of privacy here.

This is a beautiful small yard.

03/20/15
Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick

Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick, A Fun Plant in the Garden

Harry Lauder’s walking stick is a fascinating plant to have in the garden. The contorted limbs add interest in winter. Leaves are lush green in the summer. Flower arrangers like to use limbs in their arrangements. My mother, an outstanding arranger, has grown this plant in her yard for some time, and it has been one of her favorites for line material.

In the spring, “Harry Lauder,” as it is commonly referred to, can put on a spectacular display of yellow catkins, the male flowers. My mom’s plant is in “full bloom” this week, and I managed to photograph it before the rains came. I love it for creating images as much as arrangers love it for line material.

Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

Male Flowers, the Catkins, of Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick

08/18/13

Note Cards Now Available

Note cards seem to be what people need now. I have received requests for note cards with some of my floral images, and I am happy to announce that 5″x7″ note cards are now available here.

note cards

Ambridge Rose

Sunflower Note Card

Sunflower

The note cards are available in both landscape and portrait orientations.

The note cards are available in packs of 25, all the same image, with envelopes included. These are blank note cards, leaving you plenty of space to write notes.

There are a variety of paper options, all the same price. If you are not sure which paper you want, I would recommend the “Linen” paper for note cards.

These images are suitable for more than just notes. They can be framed in 5″x7″ frames readily available in many places, or in 8″x10″ frames with mat openings for a 5″x7″ image. You may think of many more uses.

More images may be added over time.

I thank you for your interest.

06/26/12

Small Garden with Roses

This small garden with roses is a wonderful example of the creation of beauty in a small space.

Small Garden with Roses

Small Garden with Roses

This photograph was taken in May of 2012, and the clematis as well as many of the roses were in full bloom. Not, in late June, the clematis are bloomed out, as are most of the roses until August. The rose of sharon, “Blushing Bride,” is, however, blooming prolifically in the heat. I’ll try to get over to photograph the rose of sharon later this week or over the weekend.

A partial listing of roses seen blooming in this small garden would include:
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