Fluffy Flowers

Mrs. Greenthumbs

A little while ago I talked about the virtues of hauling home oodles of books from the public library. It's a super way to explore a new hobby in a cheap and satisfying way. One of the things I'm always on the lookout for are fabulous authors whose voices speak to me. And I found just that in the books by Cassandra Danz.

Now when I first picked up Mrs. Greenthumbs Plows Ahead: Five Steps to the Drop-Dead Gorgeous Garden of Your Dreams, I glanced half heartedly at the cover. Surely this frumpy lady in an 80s style dress could teach me nothing about gardening. But oh how wrong I was! Not only did she teach me gardening know how, but she made me understand it. I couldn't believe it. All my life I've been looking for a gardening book to explain just how to make a garden in a way that I could understand. She articulated my needs and explained just exactly how to meet them. I was amazed! And I was converted.

I set about to acquire all the books that were written by this fabulous female gardener. And that's when I discovered to horribly sad news. Cassandra Danz, the person who finally made me see the gardening light, died at age 55 from breast cancer. I was crushed. How devastating that such a lively, energetic person could succumb to such a horrible disease. Damned unfair. And I'm not the only one who misses this enthusiastic personality. I was pretty bummed that just when I'd found the perfect gardener's voice to guide me through my horticultural adventure, she was snatched away.

What makes me love her books so much? Her voice. Her style of writing is quite conversational. It's a lot like a blog, really. She talks to her reader as if we're sitting together chatting over a cup of coffee. And she's funny too. Oh yes friends, she is indeed funny. We're talking Stephanie Plum funny here.

I never thought I'd ever laugh out loud at a gardening book. I thought the only kind in existence were boring, lecture type books that extolled the virtues of plants using horribly boring black and white charts. You know the ones I mean, the kind that state you "must" do it this way or else. Or else what?! I always wondered. Or else you'll come over to my house and march into my backyard and set the place on fire? I always wondered.

But Mrs. Greenthumbs changed all that. She changed my whole gardening information world. She made it ok not to have all the answers. She made it ok to make mistakes. She made it ok to go ahead and try my hand at gardening, even though I didn't know everything. All those other books put the fear into me that I had to memorize all that stuff so I would know it all and avoid mistakes. Oh the horror of mistakes!

I think the reason I didn't get serious about gardening before was because I never felt I knew enough not to make mistakes. But gosh darn folks, ya know what? Everyone makes mistakes! And we new gardeners are bound to. Mrs. Greenthumbs made me realize those things. And for that I will forever be grateful. So thank you Cassandra, for all of your words of wisdom and laugh out loud funniness that helped set me on my gardening path. Even though you've gone to the great big mulch pile in the sky, I take my sun hat off to you and will plant a fluffy flower in your honor.

zen Ginger

Ginger was hanging out with me the other day.

It was a warm and lovely day.

I think she really enjoyed herself.

Private Gardens of Georgia

There is nothing more fun than browsing through books at your local public library. This is even more fun when you've just discovered a potentially fun new hobby. Trucking home a lot of books from the library is a great way to inexpensively immerse yourself in this newly discovered fun and it's also a perfect way to learn oodles about it.

So when I really got into this whole gardening thing this year, I did just that. One of the books that I drug home from the library was Private Gardens of Georgia by Polly McLeod Mattox. Now ordinarily I'd just look at this book for the pretty pictures and oo and ah and lament the fact that my garden could never look like that. Well folks, I'm starting to change my tune! As I looked through this book I felt like I was receiving my own personal tour of these private gardens and I was taking notes!

The neat thing about reading a book about private gardens in your own state is that you can get some sort of idea of how beautiful your own garden can be. I mean, think about it. Yeah, they might have more money for hardscape and garden furniture but since they're in or around your same hardiness zone, basically they're using the same plants you will use. And if they can make their stuff look that good you can too!

One of the things that I'm trying to learn from books like these is layout and design. I have no background or training in design of any kind, so I'm trying to understand and learn the principles that they used to create these fabulous gardens. I see no reason why I can't recreate these same design concepts in my own garden with lesser priced accouterments. Yes indeed, I think I'm on to something here.

Another reason I love this particular book is because it features one of my most favorite gardens ever. I went on a Macon Secret Garden tour earlier this spring in this beautiful garden which you can see here. It was fun to read up a little more about it. And one thing's for sure, it was so much more beautiful in person.

fall front yard

Every year I get pretty excited when fall rolls around. We're still a little ways from it here in Georgia with temperatures in the the 90s (30s C) but the calendar on the wall is telling me its time.

So I dug around in storage to find my girl scarecrow from last year and did a little shopping for pumpkins and mums and the like.

And I simply couldn't resist adding this cute character to the scene this year. Isn't he the cutest crow scarecrow ever?

Yep, I think this little lady is pretty happy with her new friend. Happy fall y'all :)

pretty padded pouches

Before I got sucked in to the world of gardening delights, I did spend a little bit of time sewing.

I decided that I wanted to start working with more colorful fabrics and I think these fit the bill!

Cheery and fluffy and pretty. I love them!

And I really love how the contrasting polka dots ones turned out.

They're all for sale over in my Fluffy Flowers shop in the padded pouches section.

Y'all have a great weekend!

Woofstock 2009

This past weekend the dogs had an extra special treat and got to sit in on the fun and music at Woofstock (not to be confused with Plushstock!).

Lucky usually can't hear very well but we sat close enough to the band that he could actually hear. That made him want to sing! It was so darn cute.

This animal fundraiser event was sponsored by FURever Friends Humane Society.

Even Ginger had a good time and she's not usually  one for just hanging around. She either likes to be on the go down a trail or at home on the comfy couch.

They both got to meet lots of new doggy friends and Lucky got plenty of scratches behind the ears.

No time for a dip in the pond though. Maybe next time!

The Cottage Garden

I had no idea when I picked up The Cottage Garden at the library several years ago that author Christopher Lloyd was THE guy when it comes to horticulture. I just liked to look at the pretty pictures. But I was reading the best gardening book ever written and it mentioned Christopher Lloyd. A lot. And the funny thing was, I kept thinking she meant Christopher LOWELL. Um, yeah, that's a totally different guy. Anyway, eventually I figured out my mistake and was happy to be introduced to an amazingly inspirational British gardener.

This time when I sought out this book again at my library I was ready to actually learn from it's pages. After years spent pouring over the beautiful photos in gardening books and wondering how the heck they managed to create such beautiful gardens, I'm finally, slowly learning how to craft my own beautiful gardens. And what I found out is that not only is this book a delight for the visual sense but it's also crammed full of helpful information. Its an excellent overview of the history of cottage gardens and the plants within them. And not just plants and flowers but all the other aspects that make up a cottage garden too: gates & doors, fences, walls, & hedges, ponds, streams, & ditches, pathways, containers, furniture, and outbuildings. Wow!

If you are at all considering establishing a cottage garden at your home I highly encourage you to find this book. And if you have a cottage garden already then you'll love it too. Sadly, Christopher Lloyd is no longer with us. But thankfully he left behind a body of work that can be read and savored for years to come.

Here Be Dragons

You would think with two dogs and two cats I'd be done adding pets to the Fluffy Flowers household. But this weekend my sweetheart and I invited a dragon into our lives.

Actually, he was a black dragon. Specifically, Cryptomeria japonica ‘Black Dragon’.

Doesn't he have groovy little claws?!

Not sure what Mr. Bunny thinks of this new resident!

Folks, this weekend I planted my very first tree. It was one of the most satisfying things I've ever done.

I spent a lot of time researching a small tree for my backyard that could handle our blistering summer heat.

And, once again, I found lots of helpful information on GardenWeb Forums.

The hole was dug deep and wide, the roots were loosened, and the tree put in place.

Oodles of water to quench his thirst. Dragons get thirsty sometimes.

In the end Mr. Bunny decided he liked the new dragon and would keep him company on his first few nights in his new home.

I planted my first ever tree. Groovy.

British Car Fayre

We were out and about this past weekend and made a slight wrong turn on our way back home. Lucky for us, we ran across an awesome British Car Fayre sponsored by Taste of Britain in the historic town of Norcross, Georgia.

Mr. Fluffy Flowers practically jumped out of the car to rush over and see all the cars on display.

I didn't really mind though since it was a beautiful afternoon with lots of pretty things to see.

And Mr. Fluffy Flowers had some mighty sore smile muscles by the end of the afternoon. I think he enjoyed himself :)

I know I did! There was so much to photograph in this cute little town.

And oodles of MGs to see. Mr. Fluffy Flowers loves MGs. There's one sitting in my backyard right now. I've never had a ride in it though. It seems to be in need of a little TLC before its ride worthy.

I did manage to drag him over to the local British pub, the Iron Horse Tavern, for a shandy and a quick bite of bangers and mash.

Loved that cute pub. It even had a phone box outside.

And, of course, I really loved it because there were oodles of fluffy flowers all over the place.

Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden

I've had a lot of luck with good things to read lately. I don't know if y'all know this about me but I usually have three books going at one time: an audio book in the car, a fiction book by the bed, and a nonfiction book in the sitting room. I just finished reading a delightful memoir called Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden by Emily Whaley. This book was entertaining from start to finish.

It's more than just a book about a garden and a gardener in her eighties. It's a wonderful glimpse into the life of a southern woman raised in the country during the early part of the twentieth century. It's also a celebration of that life and the people around her. She gives credit to all those folks who where important in her life including her dog, Rosie.

What is really fabulous about this book is the style of writing. Its really more of a conversation than anything else. And Mrs. Whaley's voice, and her opinions, are loud and clear. This lady tells it like it is! I found myself nodding my head and chuckling more than a few times at her sage advice.

Really folks, it's an easy, short read that is thoroughly delightful. You can read more about Mrs. Whaley's garden over at the Stencil Library's blog.

The Little Stranger

It's been a very long time since I've read anything as brilliantly written as The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. Probably I should have held this book review back for October, the month of Halloween and all things spooky. But I've just finished reading this chilling story so I figured I'd go ahead and tell y'all about it now so you can get your name on the list at your local library.

At the recommendation of one of my favorite bloggers, I read another of by Sarah's books, Fingersmith, a couple of years ago. That book had quite an original story line with a plot that took twists and turns to reach it's surprise ending. The Little Stranger is quite a different tale altogether.

Set in the post World War II English countryside, this gothic tale lures readers in with its normalcy. It's nearly day in the life type stuff, with a country doctor as our hero who aids the reclusive Ayers family. These upper class artiscrats have long since lost their family fortune yet struggle to keep their manor house, Hundreds Hall, from falling completely to bits. But things start to happen at Hundreds that are difficult to explain away.

This story is creepy gothic at its best. I have to say that this book was super scary in a "what the h*ll is going on around here?" way. I almost put the book down and walked away but it was impossible to do. I had to know what happened. So if you've got nerves of steal and love a good ghost story, I'd recommend you run right out and pick this book up. But don't blame me if you start hearing things go bump in the night!

gardening books

Been reading heaps of gardening books lately. I've mentioned a couple of them to y'all already. But I thought I'd show you just how pretty they look all piled up on the garden bench.

That would be Slashables's bench.

He was hanging out with me during the photo op. In fact, Slash usually hangs out with me when ever I'm out in the garden.

And he's really good company too!

almost Fall

The days are getting cooler here in the deep south. Its been in the 80s (~30C) the past couple of weeks. And the nights are down too. But it will still be a long while before we put our short sleeves away.

The last of the summer flowers are making their stand now. Many of them are beautiful to the end.

The Help

The Help by Kathryn Stockett was an amazing character study of upper middle class white women and their black maids in 1960s Mississippi. Kathryn gave us beautiful characters who are brought to life in rich detail. We hear them think and interact with each other that shows the many sides of their lives.

These folks are brought to life in such detail that you will feel you know them. And you will definitely feel strongly toward them. Some you will love, some you will hate, and some you will love but hate their actions. But one thing is for sure, you will have strong reactions!

The southern dialect is evocative of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small where the Yorkshire country folk's words were translated just as they sound. Southern folks will have no trouble reading the dialect which we'll automatically hear in our heads. Those not from the south may struggle a bit to catch the rhythm.
 
I wish the author had been given a longer deadline to write the book. I wanted more detail about the life of Miss Celia. What in her background led to her being the least racist person in the book?

Hoof it on down to your local library and pick up this fascinating read.

Easy Gardens for the South

I haven't spent a lot of time on the computer lately so my blogging seems to have turned into a sporadic adventure. One thing that has kept me away from the computer this summer is hard work in the yard. I've spent the past several months working diligently to turn this place into a pretty cottage garden.

For years I dreamed about gardening, imagining a yard filled with beautiful blooming flowers. I've spent many an hour browsing inspirational photographs on flickr and perusing gobs of library books which I usually check out a dozen or two at a time.

I spent a lot of those years confused by the conflicting information I would read in different sources. I noticed that the "right" way to do things was often exactly the opposite for the same problems from different "experts". I stayed confused most of the time. Their information only served to create fear that rendered me immobile, rooted to the same spot and unable to move.

There was a gradual shift in me over this past year that put me in a place where I finally built up the courage to get my hands dirty and get to gardening. We are talking, after all, about plants. This isn't rocket science! After researching gardening and thinking about things, I finally jumped in with both feet. This time I've actually gone beyond the stage of dreaming about gardening and I've finally, finally taken steps to create a garden of my own.

I'm super glad that I drug home a million gardening books from the library over the years. I've found a few gems that have really inspired me. Easy Gardens for the South by Pamela Crawford is one that I absolutely love. The plant information is organized so well that even I can figure how how to select plants for my gardens. I'm going to purchase my own copy of this one so I can spend the long, cold winter planning out my gardens. What I love about this book is that is focuses on plants that do well in my area. And by "do well" I mean can survive when I forget to water them for a while or forget to prune them or otherwise neglect those pretties. I highly recommend that you seek out gardening books that discuss plants for your state. And if you don't know where to start, then ask your local librarian, cooperative extension office or master gardener. 

Oh, and one more exciting thing for those here in the middle Georgia area. Erica Glasener, host of HGTV's Gardener's Diary will be giving a lecture at the end of October. I love her show and will definitely be there!

The Lace Reader

I love a good story. And I love a good story about broken people. The Lace Reader fits the bill perfectly.

Author Brunonia Barry has crafted a story full of loveable, flawed characters. But the beauty of it is that she never lets us feel sorry for them and for that I am grateful.

Set in present day Salem, Massachusets, we're immersed in an ordinary world with ordinary problems. Bad people and their effects on our character's lives make this a story that draws the reader in deep. There is a small thread of witches, weaved throughout the tale, until a huge, twisted knot appears near the end.

I love that each chapter starts with directons from the fabricated book "The Lace Reader's Guide". This book is just good ol' fashioned storytelling. Definitely one to procure from your local library or bookshop and add to your large pile of "to read" books by your bed.

And by the way, the name Brunonia Barry has got to be one of the grooviest author names ever. Love that alliteration!