Unboxing - Seed Bank Box - September 2018

King Richard Leek - Depending on how much you love leeks, or how impatient you are, these leeks can be harvested at 3-4 inches or you can wait until they reach their full length of 1ft. Whenever you choose to harvest, they suggest trying your new leek in mashed potatoes, soup or even roasted.

Walla Walla Onion - Mild and extra sweet, these are not your typical onion! People have been known to eat them "like an apple" but I'm not sure how I feel about that. These along with the leeks will be the first time I've ever attempted growing onions (if you can believe it)!

Touchstone Gold Beets - Have you shied away from cooking with beets because they are known for staining kitchen ware that you do not want stained? Unlike other beets, the Touchstone Gold Beet is notorious for just the opposite - NOT staining things! This fact coupled with their mild flavor makes me more likely to attempt this root vegetable in my garden and hopefully have my mind changed on my dislike of beets.

Green Zebra Tomatoes - If this light green fruit with dark green stripes doesn't catch your attention, the bold, sweet taste surely will! This unique addition to the garden will have visitors requesting to take a few home to try and you'll be able to oblige because this plant is a heavy producer! 

Jewel Mix Nasturtium - This edible flower blooms in beautiful clusters of red, orange and yellow and I'm very excited to plant these in my garden since they are one of my favorite flowers.

Royal Burgundy Bean - I was just getting ready to plant some beans the week this box arrived so this is pretty exciting. After I'm done with that I'll need to sweep my house for cameras and microphones because I don't know how this company keeps knowing exactly what I'm planning to plant!

White Gold Mighty Mustard - To add to my list of "I've never grown this," this particular mustard plant is a jack of all trades! The plant serves as ground cover and suppresses weeds, attracts beneficial insects, the leaves are edible and its deep roots enrich the soil. What a power plant!

Surry Arugula - This fast-growing plant has a spicy kick to it which will be a punchy surprise to add to a salad. Potassium, Calcium, vitamins C, B, K - what a great addition to my garden and with great timing, I'm preparing an area to grow a salad mix already.

Seed Bank Box continues to impress me with their unique plants and vast variety. Like I always say, if I won't eat it, someone I know will (although of course I am willing to give every plant a fair chance). If you'd like to subscribe to the Seed Bank Box and have a mystery box of edible future food delivered to your door, please follow THIS LINK and let me know how you feel about what you receive. If you send me some pictures of your Seed Bank Box garden, I'd love to spotlight it here on my blog.

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Fairy Garden Class - The Garden That Tells A Story

This large plastic container came complete with drainage. Sometimes, building a story begins at the soil. This container is filled with soil that is low in the front and high in the back - this will help create the illusion of a hill.

This container garden will be a prime example of the "use what you've got" method. I did manage to purchase some flowers for this garden, but hadn't purchased enough ground cover. I decided to use fresh grass clippings to cover the bare soil. Among the grass clippings is some beautiful colored sea glass (as well as some frills of the ground cover Sedum japonicum, nicknamed "Tokyo Sun").

Stout, fluffy garden mums are on either side of the terra cotta saucer which will act as a sturdy base for the focal point. Having low foliage in the front and adding height gradually toward the back adds to the "hill" appearance we began with the soil. The taller, purple flowers are Celosia 'Intenz' and the yellow flower in the rear center is tickseed.

All that's left is to add decor to set the scene. I've added a tall tower at the end of a long, stone path headed off by a thin, golden banner that reads "happily ever after." 

Building a story with the decor you use ins't mandatory but can be very fun. The grass clippings make the royal grounds look unkempt which seems contradictory to this golden banner. The story is slowly coming together.

 I felt like the princess had a sassy facial expression and decided to create an unconventional story with some help.

A sad frog is seen at the window of the princess' tower. He longs to be free but the princess has him and many other frogs locked up. She has townspeople and servants to entertain and wait on the frogs and kisses them every night in hopes one will turn into a prince. One night, with the help of one of the townspeople, this frog was able to escape the tower.

It turns out, that frog actually IS a prince but he did not like the princess so a kiss from her did not transform him. Now, back in his own castle, he is able to transform into his true form. He can live out his days happily, seeking his true love, but not before an extra bit of security.

Ahh, that's better. A big, strong wall to keep that rotten princess at bay. By swapping out some decor, the scene changed!

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Gifts for the Garden - September 2018

I've received so many gifts for my garden this past month. A few decorations, some containers and some new DIY supplies.

This beautiful ceramic pot is part of a matching set that comes with drainage holes and a saucer, gifted to me by one of My Fairy Folks.

The two containers in the rear also came from one of My Fairy Folks, complete with drainage holes and saucers. The peat pot sleeves come in a pack of 24 and I received 5 packs. Since I have been receiving so many seeds, the follower suggested I pack these with soil and get the seeds started.

I don't have a single-serving coffee machine at my house but one of My Fairy Folks suggested repurposing these plastic cups as small planters (I didn't count how many I received, but I have a small grocery bag full). These won't decompose the way that the peat pots do, but they come with drainage and are reusable.

This tall beauty came to me as a hand-me-down from one of My Fairy Folks. She has been damaged in the past (weak ankles), but I have ways of hiding flaws in re-purposed items.

This cute little prince came from my granddaughter when she spotted him on sale at Jo-Ann. She knows that anytime she finds a little boy fairy, it needs to be added to my collection.

Also from Jo-Ann, this fall-themed decor will find it's way into a scene soon with the new season.

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Plant and Decor Haul - September 2018

Look at all the wonderful fairy garden decor I picked up at Michael's at their 50% off sale! The fairy tale gate complete with crowned frogs, Strawberry house, and two magical castle's are all $7.50 each. The tiered container in the rear was only $20! I purchased a similar one in the past and love how easy it is to create a unique scene. The cobblestone and brick steps came out to $5.50. The princess was $4.00 (sorry for the bad angle, you'll see her in a future post soon). The gold banner says "happily every after" and goes perfect with all these fairy tale items, for the low price of $3.00. The wooden arbor comes complete with vines and mushrooms for only $5.00!

I'm especially thrilled about this find. This strawberry fairy home was originally $15, which is already a great price, but at 50% off it was a steal! With the addition of a few batteries, the windows will illuminate and be a warm addition to an evening scene.

This post is a two-in-one haul review! I spent around $25 at Home Depot for these new additions.

I purchased two beautiful mums, less than $2 each.

This Celosia 'Intenz' is drought tolerant. I purchased two for just under $4 each.

These two yellow Tickseed plants cost just under $8.

This six pack of sedum ground cover was under $3 total. This particular growth is nicknamed 'Tokyo Sun'.

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Illuminate - Lights, Shadows, Action!

The last few months, I've made my monthly lighting posts focused on bringing artificial lights into my garden and that is what I plan to focus on most of the time. This month, however, I decided to focus on something that's not only important to my blog but also for taking better pictures; natural lighting and scene setting.

First I'll focus on scene setting. in the top left photo, the grass I've used for the ground cover is a bit wild and needs to be tamed, especially because it is blocking the view of the detailed chair legs. After removing all the decor and flattening the grass, I reset the scene in the photo on the right. The chair now looks great, but I've placed the teapot all the way to the left of the table, and it should be centered (or at least closer to the chair since that's where the character will be sitting). 

Even when your decor is centered and your flora is in place, you may still not be ready for the best photo. Direct sunlight often washes out certain details and can make an otherwise great photo opportunity a flop. In the above photo, direct sunlight has completely washed out the details on the tea set and the back of the chair. The angle of your photo is also important. While this angle shows off the flowers in the background wonderfully, the containers edge is blocking quite a bit of the chair - the chair legs we worked hard to expose earlier when taming the ground cover.

Sometimes it's as easy as picking the right time of day. Familiarize yourself with your garden and the position of the sun at certain times of day. If your schedule is restrictive, a large sun shade might be what you need to get the best photo. The photo above is a good capture - the grass is pushed down, the decor is centered and the full scene is in shadow. The angle avoids the decor being blocked by the edge of the container but also cuts out the colorful, floral background. Once your scene is set, a few photos from different angles is a good idea so that you have a few photos to choose from for the best share.

Let's start fresh. New decor, same container. On the left, the container is in partial shadow and some direct sunlight. This completely washes out the fairies beautiful face. The lighting on the rest of the decor is good. In the photo on the right, the direct sunlight causes long shadows to be cast and the fairy is still washed out. 

Spotted lighting is fine as long as it is angled appropriately (like not making a bright spot on a fairy's face to wash her out). If this does not happen naturally, you might be able grab a tree clipping to block the sun out or even a large, thick card stock with some hole punches in it. Get creative! If it wasn't for the fact that I forgot to replace the flower pot, this would have been a perfect scene! So here's a reminder, always make sure all your pieces are in the shot!

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Unboxing - Seed Bank Box - August 2018

August's Seed Bank Subscription Box came with 8 unique seeds spanning from hot, to sweet and even a drought tolerant flower! I love the variety they include every month! I took the liberty to copy the descriptions from their information cards word for word this month.

Big Jim Pepper - "The Big Jim Pepper was developed by New Mexico State University and has since become a favorite in green chilis and rellenos. The medium-hot fruits change from green to red and grow up to 12 inches long. These peppers are sure to impress your friends and your taste buds!"

Cream of the Crop Squash - "This creamy little acorn squash is a compact, bushy grower that belongs in every garden! Each plant can produce 10-20 of these delicious, nutty squashes. Whether you choose to pick them young and saute them like a summer squash, or wait for them to mature so they can be stored as a winter squash, you'll be happy to have made room in your garden for this vegetable!"

Siam Queen Basil - "The Siam Queen basil is a highly ornamental herb, with large, bright green leaves and clusters of tiny purple flowers. This Thai variety of basil holds up well in heat, making it an excellent choice for the summer garden. Enjoy this clove-flavored basil in curries and Thai dishes!"

Evening Primrose - "These pretty North American wildflowers come in a variety of colors, ranging from white and yellow to pink and red! The short, 6-12 inch tall mounding shrubs bloom prolifically all summer, practically hiding their own foliage. These wildflowers are drought tolerant and have extensive medical uses in homeopathy medicine."

Sakata's Sweet Melon - "If you have never tried an Asian melon before, you are in for a treat! The Sakata's sweet melon originated from Japan and only grows to about 3-4 inches in diameter. The real surprise here, though, is that the entire crunchy fruit is edible, even it's rind! Let your garden host this interesting melon this summer and enjoy the single-serving fruits, rind and all."

Long Purple Eggplant - "This delicious Italian eggplant grows up to a foot in length and has a glossy, deep purple skin. Long Purple eggplants are copious producers, yielding up to eight fruits per plant! For the best flavor, pick these eggplants when they are about six inches long and try them in an Italian dish like lasagna or caponata!

Emerald Okra - "Okra is a favorite vegetable in many different types of cuisine. This high-quality heirloom variety of okra produces tender 8-inch long fruits that, fortunately for the gardener, are spineless! The blooms of this heavy producer look like hibiscus flowers, making Emerald okra not only edible, but attractive as well!"

Sugar Pie Pumpkin - "These little 6-8 pound pumpkins are not only a superb variety for making into pies, but they also make cute jack-o-lanterns! The Sugar Pie pumpkin only grows to about 6-7 inches in diameter, making them easy to grow in your garden. We are already looking forward to one of our favorite fall treats; roasted pumpkin seeds!"

If you'd like to have non-gmo, heirloom seeds like this sent directly to your doorstep that will surely brighten your garden and kitchen table, please use my referral code! 

CLICK HERE

I'm excited to see how many of My Fairy Folks are joining me on this journey. If you also subscribe, please feel free to send me progress photos of your Seed Bank Box garden!

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My Fairy Crate - August 2018

My Fairy Crate for August had some beautiful surprises! 

These two cards we assumed were large, glossy print tarot cards. One is the Nine of Winter on the right. The card on the left shows the beautiful artwork on the back of the card, and on the front is the Eight of Winter. 

This little fairy looks like a fortune teller! 

This set of wooden chairs and table have beautiful attention to detail. 

In keeping with the natural feel, this wooden cart will surely help the fairies with any heavy moving, but can also be used just for fun, as shown by the porcupine who was also included in the subscription box.

A tiny flower pot that houses my favorite; sunflower!

What a great haul! And below is a container garden with all my lovely new pieces. I think it's great that the items in this box all fit so nicely in one scene!

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Illuminate - Color Bursts

Here are my newest garden lights in action. I purchased these on clearance at Walgreens. They were $3.50 each (two strands pictured above) and are battery operated. I do prefer solar light options, but I don't mind having a few battery-powered pieces, especially at clearance price. These lights slowly fade into different colors shown in the video below.

I don't have a specific garden in mind, but they might make good lighting for a July 4 garden. We'll find other uses for them in the meantime. How do you use lights in your garden?

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