May 15, 2008

GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY -MAY

Ah, May in the garden .....

Dwarf iris


Autumn Moon Japanese Maple



Tulips


Jacob's Ladder


'Olga Mezzitt ' Rhododendron in pink attire




Old fashioned lilac




Magnolia 'Betty '



Snowball Viburnum



Lily-flowering tulips


Dwarf iris and bergenia

May 8, 2008

SPRING IN A BOWL


Bibimbap-
Healthy and Delicious !

Spring conjures up thoughts of fresh greens and veggies and no other dish I know of says it better than Korean bibimbap. Spinach , bean sprouts, shredded leaf lettuce, cucumbers, and carrots topped with an egg and served over rice is just like spring in a bowl .While the preparation is a bit involved the results are well worth it.

Bobbie Flay of Boy Meets Grill on the Food Network cooks up this dish on one of his shows and you can find the recipe there. This is one of our family favorites.

Traditionally bibimbap was served over rice with a dallop of kochujang ( hot sauce ) but it can also be used with noodles as well.



May 7, 2008

URBUS UN HORTO -CITY IN A GARDEN


Looking down at Millenium Park from the 21st floor




Aha ! A green roof in the heart of Chicago



Entrance to Millenium Park
( off Michigan Ave. )


The redbuds and tulips are in bloom.


Got any extra money you're not using?
Donald Trump Tower isn't finished yet.



A secret garden ( and the only one in the building ! )
I found behind the public one on
the 19th floor of my friend's high rise overlooking
Millenium Park.


This garden is on the 9th floor and is for use of all
residents of the high rise.

I had a belated birthday lunch with my friend who has a condo overlooking beautiful Millenium Park in the heart of downtown Chicago. What a wonderful day we enjoyed strolling down my old haunts on Michigan Avenue.

May 5, 2008

BETTY IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER



Last April my beautiful Betty magnolia was frozen in the bud and I wasn't able to enjoy her beautiful blooms.

This April has passed without a hard freeze and so Betty has now graced us with her beauty for more than a week now. The purple you see behind Betty are my neighbors Lilacs.

May is a wonderful month in the garden. Almost everything has emerged from its long winter's sleep. My Asian pear and Olga Mezitt rhodo are in full bloom. The dwarf iris are almost ready to send out their blues and yellows and the Weeping dwarf Crabapple is a beautiful scarlet until it unfurls its pink flowers. Blue creeping phlox and the Korean azalea are in bloom.

It's too cool now but it won't be long until we can sit out in the garden until the sun goes down. I hope to catch a glimpse of the hummingbird that visits my Olga Mezitt Rhodo every year. The bees are buzzing around it already.

Welcome Spring and welcome back, Betty .


May 1, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL MAY DAY GALS AND GUYS

One of my favorite singers Judy Collins and I were born on the first of May in the same year - she in Tennessee and I next door in Alabama . In my next life I wouldn't mind coming back as a country music star with a voice like hers . And, of course, singing with Kris Kristofferson wouldn't be half bad either : )

Happy Birthday, Judy, Rita Coolidge, Tim McGraw and all May Day gals and guys !



April 30, 2008

CALLING ALL GARDEN MUSES

Time to bid April farewell and welcome in May with your garden musings.

This May

Besides this May

We know-

There is another-

How fair our speculation of the Foreigner

Some know him whom we knew-

Sweet wonder-

A nature be

Where saints, and our plain going neighbor

Keep May !


-Emily Dickinson

April 28, 2008

BARTERING FOR SERVICES

For those who may have missed my post last year, I struck up a bargain with my high-fashion hairstylist to exchange services without any money changing hands. She does my hair and I do her garden. This arrangement has been going on for several years and some readers wanted to see the garden I designed for Anita . Here are some photos :


Julian, Anita's son, helps prepare the flagstone path


A blank slate : The "before " photo of the frontyard


The "after " photo with basic structure installed
( annuals are added for seasonal color )
Hydrangea 'Limelight' and 'Ivory Halo' Redtwig dogwood
are some of the shrubs for the shady front.


Anita selected this charming weeping Redbud near the back deck bed


Anita's hubby Paul is very handy and made this bench
A Smoke Bush ( purple leaves) grows on the fence
and provides a spot of color


Paul created the flagstone path to the backyard
and built the beautiful cedar fence


Two beautiful River Birchs flank the garden seat
and provide privacy