Instant Spring In Our Garden

This time last year, my garden were full of blooms from my orchids, petite mini roses and other flowering plants. I have marveled in their beauty and they inspired me a lot to garden more. This year however, they seemed to have fallen asleep. Last year, it was like there was a springtime in our garden. Here in the Philippines, we do not have what is called the Four Seasons. Although I think we do have it, just not acknowledged like the way other countries do. For instance, during this time of year, flowers are also in blooms. Isn't that spring time? Then, there's summer where the heat is unbearable. Around August, leaves from trees keep falling off. Isn't that what they call the Fall season? We have never experienced snow, but around Christmas time until February, the temperature is unusually very cold. So, I guess, in a way we might have it.

These flowers I recently bought gave our garden an instant springtime feeling though.

Pretty in Pink Roses!
When I was younger, I thought the color Pink was too "little girly". I favored the color Yellow then, the butter yellow shade or the pastel one. As I reached my 40's, I cannot remember however, what triggered my sudden interest to Pink colored things. I guess, it's true what they say, "Life begins at 40"!

Anyway, at the farmer's market today, I saw this beautiful Pink Rose for sale. I normally buy the petite mini Roses ones, but I was kind of drawn to this one. For one thing, it is Pink and it looks so pretty! And those buds, would they just be so lovely when they open up! Also, the vendor kept lowering the price (I had to smile remembering it). From 180 pesos, she lowered it to 160. I asked if I could get it for 150, as well as 50 for the petite mini in Golden Yellow originally priced at 70, then 60. 200 pesos for the two. She said okay. Although it was another impulse buy with a feeling of guilt on the side, I still went home happy!

I really do not give justice to things with my photography. I do my best to get their best shots, but I guess my best wasn't good enough. Hahaha.



Millionaire's Flower
Isn't the color lovely? I always like to have this flower, however it was kind of expensive. But not, I just found out, when it is sold in a farmer's market! It also came with free lecture on how to care and propagate them. Isn't it great! :)

Just including my frugal/recycled/re-purposed garden project. The tin kettle had holes in the bottom already, so its time for it to be re-purposed as a planter for my begonias. The teacup and the mugs had broken handles. I grouped them together for that coffee/tea theme.

My orchids, this time last year.

Joining the blog parties at:

Home and Garden Thursday
Sweet and Simple Fridays

Recycled Orchid Label

I just posted a thread in an orchid forum about my recycled idea for an orchid label. The other members seemed to like the idea and I'm feeling so happy! :) Okay yes, even kinda proud of myself!

I just found a recycling idea for those little expiry date or tags from my bread purchases. I save them for future use and this time I found a use for them. The rubber bands are also recycled. They came from the vegetable bundles I bought from the market.

I've Turned into an Orchid Hunter!

Yes, I've turned into an orchid hunter! It has been on my mind these past couple of months. I crave to go uptown and visit the orchid vendors and yes again, I go home with a potted Dendrobium or a few orchid cuttings. Yey!

Online time have been recently spent mostly in an orchid forum (OrchidTalk.com), or searching for informations about orchids and looking at photos of orchids. Oh yes again, it's orchids, orchids and orchids!

This morning, I just thought of summing up the amount of my orchid purchases (eversince I got into it so much!) since April 2014 until May 2014. It surprised me that I was able to spent that amount already! Prior to this "orchid craze" phase, I kind of promised myself not spend on unnecessary things. But the hunt for new orchids was so strong that it made me not live up to my promise! >< I would like to make a new promise to myself and I am keeping my fingers crossed (lol)! Maybe, just one potted orchid each month or a few cuttings (in equal amount)? And a promise to just visit the orchid vendors once! Anyway, here are some photos of my growing orchids. I don't have photos of the cuttings though.

Mokara Red Robin Vanda
A birthday present for myself this May 2014



Green Dendrobium
Also a birthday present.



Airy Peach Dendrobium
This is really pretty! My favorite so far!



Blue Dendrobium

Springtime in my Garden!

Here in the Philippines, we do not have what you call the Four Seasons. The "Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall" kind of four seasons! Well, except of summer though. But since I started gardening and spending a lot more time outdoors, I have seen and experienced the changes in the environment. Like recently, almost all my flowering plants bloomed and it looks like it was springtime in my garden! Summer just started and arghhh... it is so hot! After summer, it is gonna be what we call the rainy season and a few months after that, I am sure I will be very busy sweeping the falling leaves. Isn't that the season of Fall? So, I guess, there is Fall season in the Philippines too! It is just not acknowledge as such though. Winter, well, snow is impossible but the temperature does go down so much too that one can say "Oh, it is so cold"! Anyway, I have taken some photos of my plants that sprung beautiful blooms this April of 2014!

My Orchids!
Aren't they pretty? I only know the name of the first one. The Vanda. The other three, I cannot identify. Maybe someone can help me name them? I am not really into growing Orchids, I just happened to have them. And now that I have seen them all bloom at the same time, it really perked my interest to grow more Orchids. Why not?

The one with the Orange flower is called Don Manuel. I don't know the name of the one with Pink flower.

Into the Garden!

These past few months, I have been spending quite some time in my garden. I also acquired some new plants which inspired me all the more to garden! There are still a lot of spaces in our lawn that can be planted, so gardening time is still a long way to go.

My recent plant purchase was this really cute succulent plant with heart shape leaves. Although it was a bit expensive, it was really a love at first sight thing! I also happened to have this heart shaped planter which I bought very very cheap because the hand was broken, and to conceal it, I hot glued some paper flowers to it. Now, it was just perfect for my new heart shape plant.



Some of my new/recent plants.

Landscaping My Little Garden

Time to landscape my garden!

I have dreamt of landscaping my garden for such a long time now and finally, these past couple of weeks, the DIY landscaping began.

Although we have quite a large front yard to turn into a beautiful garden, planning the design and the lay-out seems to be harder than I thought. Besides more plants are needed. So, for now, I will settle with the little side areas around the house to work on.

I have finished one area (side of our porch) and is working on with the next one. The weather is not good today, and the forecast is that it's still going to be for the next couple of days. Oh, the weather, really! Just when I am in gardening momentum!

Anyway, here is a photo of my landscaping work. I also did the lighthouse using plastic pots, lampshade candle holder, some paints and nail polish.

I would really love to hear your comments and suggestions.

My Pink Lily's First Bloom

I remember how ecstatic I am when I first saw that my Lily plant is going to have it's first bloom. I forgot what color it is and so, the anticipation added more excitement. Everyday, it was the first thing I look in my garden. I fell in love with it even more when I saw the bud started opening and I had a glimpse of some pink shade! Gosh, a Pink Lily! I wanted to take a photo of it, but I decided to wait another day when it opened more. But then, came the bad weather. A very bad one. A stormy one that eventually became a typhoon in our area. A typhoon that stayed for days, almost a week! I could not go out in the garden to marvel the blooming of the Lily up close. I only look at it from the window.

So I grabbed the chance to get some photos when the rain stopped. By the time the typhoon was gone, the flower was not in its best condition anymore. I am really disappointed and sad that I was not able to indulge myself in my first Pink Lily!

Dish Gardens

My first couple of attempts in creating a dish garden. They are almost a week now and so far they are thriving! I love looking at them!

Gardening Bug!

I think I've been bitten by a gardening bug lately! No crafting, no baking, no watching dvd's, less tv and internet... just gardening! It started when I bought some plants. Three plants at first, then another three, then another three and another three once again. Why always three? The lady vendor sells it to me 3 for 100 pesos (about US$2.20). It is quite a reasonable price. Our house is quite far and I only commute when I go downtown so I only get to buy three per trip.

Here are some of the plants that I have transplanted.

Jade Plant

Serissa

Horsetail

Golden Pothos

Painted Pots

One afternoon, when I had nothing to do, I took my potted plants in the garden and started painting them. I enjoyed the project!