Friday, July 31, 2009

Floral designer forum





atheana

atheana's photo


Frog Hanging in There

Now a beautiful lotus flower pond inviting for a bath - view the same lotus pond during rainy season looking totally different.
In album Lotus flowers

beetography
dalia-DSC_8944.jpg

dalia-DSC_8944.jpg



This image and the following 2 lotus pond wallpaper show one and the same pond. Here during dry season in January. The last image shows the same lotus pond during rainy season completely covered by white lotus flowers.
Next to this beautiful pond the little farm house. Imagine you have such an idyllic home - simple but your own and amidst beautiful natural environment. Free leeches treatment when ever you need one included at no extra cost.
In album Lotus flowers

beetography
lilac-DSC_3609.jpg

lilac-DSC_3609.jpg


Asim Shah posted a photo:

bee


Looking back over the week I think the show has been another great success.

During my more 'sane' moments this week, these are some of the things which gave me most pleasure, in addition to the floral marquee. I particularly admired the flower beds - especially Noah's Ark and the Stoke on Trent to Patagonia bed.

The Visionary Gardens, although not my personal favourites were very much a talking point. I think the category could potentially be extended - even if it is a bit 'Emperor's New Clothes'.

samyoud_writing.jpgA real highlight for me has been the introduction of the Fruit and Vegetable section, which inspired a great deal of interest among adults and children alike. I hope this section returns and extends next year!

By the way, this is where you could often find me this week, writing my blog in the shelter for rain or sunshine in the Tatton Tent!'

So as 4pm and the great sell off approaches, it's 'hold on to your plants', watch out for walking hanging baskets and here we go for next year!


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Iris heidecker






This image and the following 2 lotus pond wallpaper show one and the same pond. Here during dry season in January. The last image shows the same lotus pond during rainy season completely covered by white lotus flowers.
Next to this beautiful pond the little farm house. Imagine you have such an idyllic home - simple but your own and amidst beautiful natural environment. Free leeches treatment when ever you need one included at no extra cost.
In album Lotus flowers

Robert Nyman
Like, flowers

Like, flowers



beetography
dahlia6-DSC_9362.jpg

dahlia6-DSC_9362.jpg


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Flowers - 122442544684tbLHE.jpg



Lupine at Quail Hollow Ranch, CA USA

Asim Shah posted a photo:

yellow


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Flowers - 199Pic.gif



Flower


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Pyracantha berries in Ben Lomond, CA USA

atheana

atheana's photo



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Flower - images6.jpg


Sunflower

Beautiful Cambodian Hibiscus - wallpaper 1600x1200px. Cambodia is a tropical paradise for flowers, fruits and vegetables and of course a truly tropical climate. Hot all year long.
Nature scenery in Cambodia is specially beautiful during or early after rainy season when all nature is lush growing and blossoming.
In album Kingdom of Cambodia Pictures

I don't generally approve of plants in houses - they never look quite comfortable, not in my home, at least. I've been lucky enough to travel to places where Ficus benjamina are the size of oak trees and Monstera deliciosa are climbing towards a forest canopy. For me it just doesn't feel right to grow them next to the TV.

hawaiin_palm.jpgBut it's a plantaholic's prerogative to change their mind. So I must confess I was secretly delighted to discover at Tatton what could become my ideal houseplant.
The Hawaiian palm (brighamia) is not so much a jungle escapee desperately pining for the rainforest - it's more of an endangered species in need of fostering. Raised from seed by Dutch nursery Plant Planet, these beautiful plants can be grown happily in your living room. And as there are only seven specimens left in the wild, the IUCN is desperate to bring attention to them.

That's a pretty good reason to grow one. They need little watering and have the added bonus of flowering in deepest, darkest winter. I think I have the perfect spot in mind.

Camilla Phelps, Gardening Editor


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Blue orchid nightclub cro






See how this same lotus pond looks alike during dry season - completely covered with dense growth of large white lotus flowers.

Now the lotus pond has turned into a valuable resource of lotus as vegetable for the nearby little farm house and its hard working family.
A lotus pond at one time may be a source of fish or other aquatic life, then turn into a source of edible delicious lotus seeds or lotus vegetables. All year long lotus ponds always are an enrichment for its neighbors or owners.
In album Lotus flowers

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flowers purple - flowers.jpg



beetography
Bombax flower s(Bombacaceae). Taiwan.

Bombax flower s(Bombacaceae). Taiwan.



Bright yellow flower

Bright yellow flower


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flowers - flowers.jpg


bamboo_wales_arrangement.jpgI'm never quite sure what to make of the floristry tents at shows, the displays are always fantastic but I'm not sure quite what the average person can take away from them. Tatton is no exception, this year the tent is dominated by an enormous display of giant bamboo canes each supporting a tropical arrangement. This 'Bamboo Forest' is all the work of the Welsh College of Horticulture, (the team that brought us the giant ball of flowe rs at last year's show).

Once again their display was awarded gold, and I have to admit that it was very striking so I could see why. While nobody is going to create an arrangement on anything like this scale at home, there were some nice plant combinations of orchids and exotic foliage that would look great on anyone's dining table.

warwickshire_sun_arrangement.jpgWhile wandering through the display my eyes were also drawn to a large exhibit created by North Warwickshire and Hinckley College that has been inspired by the planets of the solar system. Very apt considering it was only a few days ago, that we were all celebrating the anniversary of the first moon landings. Each of the planets were created in different colours, with red anthuriums for Mars and equisetum strands for the rings of Saturn. At the centre of the display the Sun was created with a stream of exotic orange and yellow arum and some kangaroo paw cascading down like flares radiating out from the centre.


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Thursday, July 30, 2009

Caring for spider plants





Asim Shah posted a photo:

pretty


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Flowers - f0310.gif


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Flowers - vaseofirises.jpg


Today I went along to the back to back garden called The Lunch Hour Garden to catch up with Sue Beesley, one of our previous Gardener of the Year winners. Since winning the competition Sue has gone from being an IT consultant to nurserywoman and gardening guru. She gives talks, writes for two magazines and does radio and television for her local region; in fact she's so much in demand that she has had to employ a PR agency this year!

the_lunch_hour_garden.jpgSue tells me that her nursery (www.lodgelane.co.uk) is coming along well, it's hard work and not very lucrative as yet, but she loves it and is building a strong client base. Ideally she would like to concentrate on the nursery work in the spring and summer and write in the winter - sounds perfect.

The show garden she has created with her co-designer Isabelle Brooke is the sort of garden that we all wish offices would provide for their workers - a lovely, plant filled space for eating, meetings and getting away from your desk when you're having a bad day! It's quite a big garden, double the size of the other back to backs and I wondered if Sue and Isabelle would be having a go at a big show garden, at Chelsea perhaps? Given their progress so far, I wouldn't be surprised.

If you fancy following in Sue's footsteps and taking part in BBC Gardener of the Year download an application form today and send it in before next Wednesday.


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Animated garden hose






Lupine at Quail Hollow Ranch, CA USA

pollen-flowers posted a photo

gallery4219.jpg
tea light holders as vases for rose buds - gallery4219.jpg




This image and the following 2 lotus pond wallpaper show one and the same pond. Here during dry season in January. The last image shows the same lotus pond during rainy season completely covered by white lotus flowers.
Next to this beautiful pond the little farm house. Imagine you have such an idyllic home - simple but your own and amidst beautiful natural environment. Free leeches treatment when ever you need one included at no extra cost.
In album Lotus flowers

Gerti\'s garten

Gerti\'s garten


beetography
honeysuckle-DSC_9870.jpg

honeysuckle-DSC_9870.jpg


madeira09054.jpg
Flowers - madeira09054.jpg


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flower - 0023052Cxgi.gif

flower



Exotic flower

Exotic flower



Dove... flying around. This tiny flower, with mostly with white colour, plus a little spot of yellow. The formation of dove.




Robert Nyman
Like, flowers

Like, flowers


red_rhythm.jpg
One of the things I love about the Tatton show is the way the RHS are so encouraging to young designers. Many young hopefuls have started here with a small back to back garden and have then gone on to bigger and better things, a successful career being one of them.

This year, for the first time, there was a special competition for young designers under 25 from the north-west region. Two finalists were selected and invited to build gardens that were to be judged alongside the other show gardens and awarded RHS medals. Next year the Young Designer of the Year competition goes national and there will be three lucky garden-builders having a go.

Lee Belgrau is a student at Reaseheath College and his design, 'Red Rhythm', was one of the two chosen this year.

I think it's stunning - one of the most accomplished here. Lee says that his inspiration came from the shiny red posts that are the first thing you notice, rising up out of a beautiful raised bed. The five verticals are continued horizontally across a broad path of rough cut blocks of slate - creating a satisfying contrast of textures.

He has carried the red into the planting. It's vibrant and sophisticated; Crocosmia 'Lucifer', Dahlia 'Bishop of Llandaff' and dark Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty' lead the way. On the shadier side of the path, large specimens of Photinia 'Red Robin' and Astilbe 'Burgundy Red' continue the theme. I like the way that Lee has designed the garden with young clients in mind, it's ideal for a smaller, urban space, perfect for socialising.

Lee got a well-deserved Gold medal, a fantastic achievement for his first show garden. He has demonstrated that good design is about scale, function, harmony and, of course, rhythm. I shall be looking out for his name at future shows and I'm also quite tempted to look out for some shiny red posts...


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