Halloween 2013

I can't tell you how much I love Pinterest.  I have always struggled with why dress up a toddler, you know they'll never remember.  So it's more for me, so this year I went with one of my favorites.....

Clark Kent...


The whole gang...


Rosey's First grade Halloween Party cupcakes


40 cupcakes later......I need  a break!

My secret to a stunning Dogwood

It was love at first sight when I saw my first dogwood in Yosemite valley 13 years ago.  It was late may and the Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) was covered in enormous white cream colored flowers.  The tree already had leaves, but the flowers were still the star of the show.  When we moved to Washington and I was told there was a dogwood on the property, I was ecstatic.  I could hardly wait all winter to see this amazing tree covered in gorgeous flowers.  Well along came spring and all I saw was tiny, very light pink flowers. Not at all stunning, well at first. After some searching I found I had a Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida).  I noticed my neighbor also had a dogwood, but hers had a gorgeous dark pink color.  
  She told me her secret was Epsom salt.  She said to put on two applications, one in early spring before the petal like bracts open, and a second in early fall when the next years bracts are forming.  And there you have it! After one year I had my own spectacular dogwood, super stunning!

After

   

Before

  

Dogwood anatomy:

Dogwood flowering head

*other plants with smilar petal like bracts are, poinsettia and Bougainvillea

Shallots

A new addition to the garden this year is shallots.  Planted the first of April, these photos show just over a month of growth.  Spacing was 6 inches apart, rows 12 inches apart.  They only need to be under 1/2 inch soil.  They can also be planted in the fall.  Yum!

Organic shallot sets purchased from Filaree Garlic Farm

You know it's finally spring when.....

Crocus inter-planted with tuplips