GARDEN BLOGGERS BLOOMDAY-DEC.15

Happy GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY
From Sweet Schnauzer JOJO

Cityscape with
Three Real live mini-Christmas Trees

Every window facing south and west in the Sweet Garden Chicago is filled with plants ( coleus )
BTW I handpainted the windows 'cause I despise curtains

This is my first indoor garden. I know, it's hard to believe . I've got some 'splaining ' to do. Houses in Chicago are SO close together it's difficult to get in sufficient light to grow flowering plants. Plus, my century old home has a huge front porch and a low overhanging roof that adds to the low light.

Last year we did a whole house remodelling that let in a lot more light in the western back of our house. So that area in the dining room which gets good afternoon sun has become my new garden.

In addition to the above I have :

A Pink Peacelily with glossy foilage

Good old Spidey Man

Would you believe my geranium is still blooming ?

A plant stand which contains : Ponytail palm, two lucky bamboos, aloe vera and
thanks to Carol again -I'm not ashamed to say - a fake Orchid ! Come'on now you couldn't tell, could you ?

A deep purple Calla Lily

My Bird Tree

A gardenia decorated with berries.

Not a bad beginning, eh ?

A big THANK YOU to Carol at Maydreamsgardens not only for creating Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, but for inspiring us outdoor gardeners to continue it indoors.

SOME MORE DESIGN IDEAS FROM SMALL URBAN GARDENS

You see a lot on a garden walk. I went on one this past summer and I must say that only one impressed me enough to make a photo. Sad. This was in a very trendy neighborhood with beautiful homes but few had a garden to match. They could well afford to have someone do it but I guess it just wasn't a priority.

The garden below was one of the tiniest I've ever seen but it was tastefully done.

Love the geometric shape of the boxwood and the cool bluestone mulch chips.
The black slate planter with its colorful plantings adds a lot of interest and color.

The Hydrangea vines on the fence will eventually fill up that space and soften the solid boards. It has beautiful white lacecap flowers over a long period.

The simple black fountain is perfect for this spot. The entire garden was hardscaped with a beautiful natural stone and had the appearance of a courtyard. Simple. Understated. Wonderful landscape job. I have no doubt that it was done by a garden designer.

ANOTHER TINY PLOT

This lovely contemporary home has another tiny urban plot. The homeowner client did not want grass and as an interior designer with good taste she didn't want the cookie-cutter developer's landscape ( you know the one - boxwood, boxwood and more boxwood ! ) .

CLICK TO ENLARGE
After clearing the lot of all grass and rubble I dug a big hole.

Notice how dark the soil is compared to the first photo ! I added a ton of soil amendments and built up the area into a raised bed to give it added interest.



To the left is my favorite evergreen, Hinoki cypress. Next to it are two dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangeas. This garden was completed in one day. When the client left in the morning it looked like the top photo and when she returned, much to her surprise and delight, she had a garden that looked as if it had been there for sometime.

Sigh. Another satisfied customer.

THE SMALL URBAN GARDEN CHALLENGE

IN THE BEGINNING -- THE BLANK CANVAS

Living and working in the big city I am becoming a master of the small urban garden. The tiny lot above was a big challenge. After the lawn was installed ( the homeowners have a small dog and insisted on it ) it left a bed of about 4 ' deep and 8 feet long for planting.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Here are the shrubs I chose for this Northern exposure ( from left to right ) : Viburnum Prunifolia ( white flowers in summer ) ; Hinoki Cypress ( Evergreen ) and dwarf Oakleaf hydrangea, all of which look very effective year around. All the Viburnums have a very interesting structure even when not in leaf.

Perennials : Repeat blooming ' Stella'd'oro ' daylilly, ornamental grasses, purple leafed coralbells.

Annuals for long season color , early summer to late Fall : Coleus.

More on small urban gardens to follow.

WELL, MR. DIAMOND, I MUST SAY I'M DISAPPOINTED

Neil Diamond has been one of my favorite singers ever since he started recording. I especially loved the hit SWEET CAROLINE which folks in the piano bar played whenever I came in. It was my song.

After 40 years Neil decided to reveal who Sweet Caroline , the person who inspired the song, really is. Well, dippity-do ! It wasn't a sexy woman he had a fling with or anything of that nature that the song kinda touches on. Are you ready for this ? -Caroline Kennedy who I must add was just a kid at the time.

Neil was just at the United Center in Chicago recently and I must say he's aged very gracefully and his voice is even better I think than before.

But, Mr. Diamond, I must say that I'm diappointed that you revealed who Sweet Caroline is because now I can't say you wrote that song for me. Some secrets are just better kept.

Watch the many stages of life of one of America's great singers :