Blooms – The Flowerpot Pen

Tree Dahlia

I love these plants, they tower over the garden majestically. Tree Dahlia is an apt name, they can grow as tall as a small tree. It’s been a good season for them here in Southwest Victoria, it’s been cold but we’ve had no frosts or major wind events. The last few years I’ve lost mostContinue reading “Tree Dahlia”

Therapeutic Horticulture

What is Therapeutic Horticulture? Who is Therapeutic Horticulture for? They’re the two main questions I’ve been asked when speaking to people about my professional focus over 2023. In a nutshell, Therapeutic Horticulture (or TH) is using horticultural practices to achieve therapeutic outcomes, and TH is for everyone. TH can be as simple as keeping houseplantsContinue reading “Therapeutic Horticulture”

Simple Joy

There’s a simple joy in going out to your garden, cutting some flowers, then sticking them in a favourite vase. You don’t even need to spend any time arranging them if you don’t feel like it, just bunch them up and let them do their thing. Their beauty is in their forms, colours, scents, andContinue reading “Simple Joy”

Wistaria

That got your attention didn’t it? Wisteria or Wistaria? Both are legitimate. I once got into a heated ‘discussion’ on a FB garden group with a woman who was adamant she knew best. She had NEVER heard this gorgeous plant called Wistaria before, so it never had been. Quite apart from the futility and stupidityContinue reading “Wistaria”

Blue

The colour blue is difficult to find in the flower world, there are more options for purple and lilac colours. Borage (Borago officinalis) is one plant with what I would call a true blue flower, Love in a Mist (Nigella damascena) is another. Thinking of the theory of how colour affects our moods, the colourContinue reading “Blue”

We’re In Clover

This little plant is loaded with symbolism. White Clover (Trifolium repens) has been used as animal fodder probably since the domestication of farm animals. It is also connected to the idea of good luck and prosperity. I also think the flowers are beautiful. The saying ‘we’re in clover’ is believed to be linked to theContinue reading “We’re In Clover”

Old Fashioned Beauty

Some plants just sit in a garden, or a park, for decades and remain pretty much unnoticed unless they’re flowering. The Weigela is an example of just such an old fashioned beauty. A native of China and South East Asia, it was first brought to English gardens in 1845 by Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanistContinue reading “Old Fashioned Beauty”

Rose Pruning Time

It’s that time again, rose pruning time. Time to sharpen those secateurs and loppers to cut those rose bushes down to size. I’ve covered rose pruning in previous posts so I won’t go into it in this post. If I was more clever I would put a link in to connect you to past roseContinue reading “Rose Pruning Time”

Happy Mother’s Day

It’s Mother’s Day here in Australia and New Zealand! Wishing all the mums, Grandmums, Aunties, Dads being Mum too, and anyone else who is ‘Mum’ a very special day. I’m not sure when Chrysanthemums became ‘the’ Mother’s Day flower, but it does a spectacular job and is flowering quite prolifically here at just the rightContinue reading “Happy Mother’s Day”

Late Roses

These late roses caught my eye. They were just crying out to be photographed, so here they are in all their sublime beauty. In other news, my business building journey is getting its legs, I had a real life design job to start. A garden focused on sustainability and becoming self sufficient as far asContinue reading “Late Roses”