Dressing up in Holiday Style

I have seen some of these lavish and elegant creations pop up in my feeds over the last few years. Instead of a Christmas tree or a decadent wreath of greens, some fabulous designers have used a dress mannequin as a base for some absolutely inspired couture where nature meets fabrics.

I am not sure why I have never seen them as curated works in a museum or an upscale boutique. If we can create Art In Bloom around paintings in a gallery, why not as a holiday fashion spread? Some place like the Galleria should tap into these! They all have a base structure of greens - from hemlocks to pines, maybe even raw branches. And then some sort of elegant boddice, shawl or other top piece. Then build a shape around it and adorn with incredible ribbons, lights and ornaments. Easy Peasy right?

I think it would make a great craft activity, like the wine pairings with painting or glass blowing. I am not sure if it would be "bring your own mannequin." But I know several types who would swing for something alternative in terms of their holiday decor. What think you hive mind?

Monster Garden for the Day of the Dead

I just took a lovely Fall afternoon getaway to our Regional Franconia Art Park. It is a huge acreage where whimsical art meets rolling plains of grass. It begs us to either climb onto the large works, or step back and just observe their colors and shapes from afar.

But here is a Garden adorned with sculptures that lean more towards the scary and Gothic. it is called the Bomarzo Park of the Monsters or Sacred Grove in Central Italy. It dates back to the 16th century and the large creatures were actually carved out of the bedrock itself on the site. It was commissioned by Pier Francesco Orsini and the majority of the works were chiseled by Simone Moschino. From what little we know of the park, there was no grand scheme or design - they were meant to astonish with their grotesque offerings. An inscription on one works states they were created "to set the heart free." There are thoughts that they could allude to some sort of graphic Romance Novel. Or possibly just to defiantly juxtapose the traditional Christian art coming out of the Rennaissance.  Some of the works have an Asian aspect to them while in general they appear as if something out of American Horror Story.

The Gardens have undergone a total restoration in the 1970's after falling into neglect for almost a century. Salvado Dali had made references to the works in the 1950's which prompted further interest and curiosity and that catapulted the renovation. It has inspired an Opera that was deemed sexually offensive in Argentina. It was also an inspiration for the novel a Green and Ancient Light. Settings from the Garden are featured in 1985's Frankenstein, The Bride and 1999's Alice in Wonderland. It is currently a private property and has grown into a popular tourist stop when visiting Central Italy.

Goth Flowers for Halloween

I know our precious garden season is coming to an end. In Minnesota, after a horrible summer of drought, we are rebounding with an extended Fall that is renewing a bit of faith in my garden plot - as long as I continue to water on a daily basis.

But I thought instead of sharing the usual Fall Mum post (there is nothing wrong with them, I have changed my planters as well), I would share something different in dark black tones for the somber Halloween celebration. 

The difficult issue with all plants in the black/ blue/ purple category is that they never seem to match what is shown in pictures. Often they skew more towards crimson and eggplant shades. So take each of these mentions with a grain of salt. Although I will say, I own a few of them and from my experience they do come pretty close to as dark as you can get. Also - this is a "fantasy" list that none of us will likely to find at any of our local nurseries and some are long past season. *But as a side note for any possible nurseries out there - Fall is a lucrative time for revenue and many folks are looking for alternative plantings.... It might be worth the extra time to seed an extra crop of a few of these.

Here is a highlights list, as well as a link to the original source that caught my attention.

I have been an advocate for Petunias for years now. I see them as "not your grandma's flowers" any longer. They last an entire season and if clipped back, yield again and again. Plus the tones they are creating for hybrids are crazy! I had the most incredible papaya colored one this year and last year great cinnamon and even brown tones. Here are two choices that I know I have had. Black Satin and Phantom; both really push the limit of true black. I love the contrast of the Phantom with the bright rays of yellow which is really eye catching.

Another that I own is the Spring Before the Storm Iris. I grabbed it as a clearance item with little expectation. It is one of the last iris to bloom, past Spring and actually an early Summer bloom. But its wrinkles of deep black are certainly beyond the usual purple default, It is huge, but from what I have seen, yields only a single bloom per stem. So as regal as it is, it tends to be a "blink or you miss it" winner.

Other Spring buds are both tulips and Hellebore. I think the tulips tend to be a bust and are dark, but no where near a black. But the Hellebore, which are also called a Lenten Rose are much closer to the mark. Exotic, waxy and striking with their bright ivory stamens. They rebound well even in the cold north. Just beware the rabbits love to chew back those stems when they are first curling out of the ground after snow melts!

A choice that would be perfect for our cool autumns would be Violas. Pansies always make their reentry, but in the predictable colors of yellows and blues. Why not try either Molly Sanderson (can we say Hocus Pocus sisters and perfect?) or a plain Black Pansy?

I am also a fierce advocate of Coleus. They last forever all summer, get huge by this time of year, and like the Petunias - come in new shades every year. I have interesting copper tones this season and also had some of the brightest chartreuse and fuchsia shades imaginable. There is a Black Prince variety out there. From what I have seen, it may not be the true essence of black shown in the pics, but it will certainly be a deep lavender.

Down the street in the plots at Aldi are the most gorgeous and giant Black Magic Caladiums. Of everything I have noted, these are absolutely black without any question of being pure darkness. They are striking and huge. These flower beds are maintained by Tangletown Gardens where everything they plant is unique and special.

And an unfamiliar plant listed is the Bat Flower or Tacca plant. It is an exotic annual and not likely to do well into our late October chills. They do well in shade but likes temps that stay above the 50 ℉ mark. They are also called the Devil's Flower. If you can find one you would likely be the only one around to have them.

Otherwise there are several others; Black Dahlia, Chocolate Cosmo, Salieri Lily (which I own), Peonies and Hollyhocks. Most of them tend to veer into rich Blood Red Tones. But would still make amazing bouquets or garden pots that would be excellent surrounding your Cinderella Pumpkins of bright orange. Sharing just so you know they are out there. Happy Halloween.

Black Flower Gardening

Don't That Take the Tassel Off'n the Corn?

As summer fades, us gardeners have to look for other forms of amusement and wonder in nature. Yes there are still the asters and mums, but most of the blooms are finished. Leaves and gourds bring us color among only a few other things.

I found a new and delicate form of Garden Art in the secret rows of corn fields. For years, crafty types have made Dolls out of the dried corn husks. Or Granny Heads out of dried apples. But lately I have seen creative images of small princess locks of braided silky tassels - while still on the cob. 

From a horticultural perspective, this silk is the female part of the corn. Think of them as long tubules where the male pollen will land and form the kernels of the corn. While they are developing, the larger husk wraps & protects them. Namely, it keeps most birds and animals from eating the cobs. When we harvest, the first thing we do is rip off both the husks and then the inner silk tassels.

These sweet and fragile images show simple braiding of the tassels while still in the field. The colors vary from golden blonde to slightly warmer ambers. And are often laced Baby's Breath or other tiny wildflowers found nearby. They are mini, magical wonders each. I suggest that any of you taking an outing into any of the many corn mazes for Fall fun, take a handful of small wildflowers or other jewels along with a spool of thread. Find a single ear still on the stalk. And spend a few minutes in nature to create a surprise for someone else who will be a few steps behind you. I know that I am going to try to create at least one.

 

Lovely Lavender Labyrinth

I was just talking about the new trend of both Sunflower and Wildflower Farms here in MN, where you can stroll through the late harvest season enjoying the blooms, and leave with a handful of flowers to take home and continue the joy of nature.

This is a similar farm a few states away in Michigan near the shores of the Great Lake. Cherry Point Farm sounds much like my native roots in Western Pennsylvania, where a combination of lake breezes and fertile soil allow for bumper crops of fruit trees. The website shows pics of seemingly perfect Concord grapes, cherries and apples. They have a market of what look like incredible baked goods and many things grown on the farm. Also Summer Fish Boils and Tuesday Teas. If it was a bit closer it would be a perfect weekend get away.

What grabbed my eye though, is a stunning Lavender Labyrinth that has become a draw on the Farm. They make a point that it is not a maze to wander in like many of the corn maze fields around here. But more like a spiritual labyrinth, that you stroll through at a slow pace being mindful of the beauty surrounding you. The centerpiece is a stone circle and it is supported by a vast herb garden of 36 beds and a stretch of trellis arbors. The whole scene appears a wonder of geometry, landscape design and inspired planting. 

Much like our horrible growing season in Minnesota, I also note that their website also apologizes for the sad crop and meager display of the lavender in 2022. I have given up on finding varieties of Lavender that are tolerant to our MN winters - I know of only one person who manages to bring it back year after year. But they still welcome people to visit, take in the herb gardens which are thriving and meditate while walking the grounds. Judging by pictures, it is a bucket list adventure I hope to take in some day.

 

Cherry Point Farm & Market

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here.

This line is a title from the Broadway Musical On a Clear Day. It is the opening song sung by Daisy Gamble who is psychic and can also make flowers magical bloom in seconds.

 On these hot summer nights and days, I also spent hours in the garden tending my flowers, weeding, and watering as I give my attention to each and every plant. I have also been spending time just laying on my back with Rosie next to me. Usually looking up at clouds. Sometimes just hearing the birds chirp or a lawn mower whirring. But lately some of the images are from under the canopy of my Cherry tree limbs which hang low or through the whispy leaves of my River Birch which has grown huge over the last few years.

 We spend so much of our time looking down or straight ahead. Maybe occasionally glancing up. But to truly lie flat on your back and peer through branches gives a fascinating perspective. These photos are from various feeds and posts that I have collected in a folder. They are from underneath a blue Hydrangea, a Mushroom, a field of Lupines.There is no great magic in them. Just the sheer scope of seeing things from a new perspective; from down under. I have to imagine that Rosie, being only 16 inches tall, sees so many things this way as her norm. It is a bit of a mind bender to see things from a slightly different angle. A fresh take is always good.

 

Glass Flowers of Harvard

One of the unexpected surprises of our recent Boston trip was the collection of Glass Flowers as part of the Harvard Museum of Science. It had not come up on our radar at all, but was a must-see from almost everyone that we talked to. Being a garden lover as well as an artist, I was overwhelmed with what we saw.

You have to imagine the museum just as you would expect, an old giant, red brick academia structure with little signage out front. We had gotten confused and went to the Art Museum and were given a small hand drawn map with a trail in blue marker on it that took us to a different part of the campus. We obviously were not the first to ask this question. The Collection itself was front and center as soon as your enter and was only a modest room with 5 rows of glass cases, so expectations were not high at first. But what was inside those glass cases was magical!

Over a hundred years ago before the silk flowers we now find readily at Michael's crafts, were these specimens. A smart and dapper guide explained to us the process behind them. It was not glass blowing, but a very specific and rare process called glass "pulling." Harvard was needing some sort of Botany specimens for their horticultural studies and they stumbled onto the idea of a craftsman Leopold Blaschka in the Czech Republic who was dabbling in a new art form. His original pieces were modeled after sea urchins like jellyfish and not plants at all. From the 1880's forward to the mid 1930's Leopold and later his son Rudolf had 3 contracts with the University to compile specimens for the collection. By the project's end, there are nearly 800 species in the collection, of which only a handful are on current display.

 

Each model has a strand or stem of the blooms. Sometimes a progression as a plant was coming to fruit or maturing. Then there are also magnifications to show the intricate parts on a larger scale that students would be able to study.

The glass pulling that they used was done by heating very small pieces of glass and then pulling them into very thin, tiny layers. These could be petals, leaves, thorns, fruits and then even the smaller pistols and stamens of plants. Stems were wrapped wires and all the components were then glued onto the stems with a clear animal adhesive. To get the different textures prevalent in the plant world, they would experiment with dust, hair and other elements to fight against the translucence of glass and make it more opaque as needed. Also, like stained glass, color was added to the parts prior and most of the vibrant colors have faded in the 150 years hence.

Each species was collected and studied at length. At first from local markets there. But as demands grew, they needed more variety from around the globe. They did not have transport like we do today. So, often they would work with other conservatories there and later in the process began to cultivate some of their own gardens to catch the samples at all stages of their development.

Our guide talked about the incredible process of shipping them over to Harvard in giant crates where air was their best ally instead of trying to pack tight with cushions. Newspapers and oversize worked best. The museum also had a feature on damaged models. How they maintain them and what repairs have been made. There is no one that can replicate their process in the world today. Also, the way glass is colored is different now. Our guide corrected several guests on the fragility of the wooden cabinets while we were admiring.

It was awe inspiring seeing so many flowers I was familiar with and seeing them exactly as they bloom in my yard. The concept that they were glass was beyond comprehension. My pictures barely do justice to the craftsmanship other than a bit of color and the shape of each. An unexpected diversion. And if you are ever in the Boston area - this is a must-see