Armstrong Nursery Haul - May 2019

This is basically a tour of the Armstrong Garden Center in Claremont (735 E Foothill Blvd, Claremont, CA 91711). I made a trip here last month and also created a video of the items I purchased.

I picked up some small fairy garden accessories, including a new baby, and some new colorful flowers and foliage. I spent more than I would have liked to, but it's hard to contain myself when surrounded by such beautiful things!

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Local Happenings: Green Scene Expo 2019

Another year, another Green Scene Expo trip with my best friend! Last year my blog post focused more on the vendors and items being sold, so this year, while I did purchase items and enjoyed the vendor section, I decided to focus more on the natural beauty of the Fullerton Arboretum.

This walkway is lined with seating and covered with beautiful flowers, making it a great spot to relax, take in the beauty and enjoy the company of your friends and nature.

The Fullerton Arboretum boasts over 26-acres of botanical gardens. I was able to manage walking the paths for at least 1.5hrs and still didn't walk them all.

The array of colors this time of year is fabulous! There are so many different plants, over 4,000 plants, making it the largest botanical garden in Orange County.

While walking near the lake, people were pointing at the water with 'ooh's and 'ahh's. At first I wasn't sure what they were seeing, until I stood still and looked hard. There were itty bitty baby turtles swimming around! There was a whole bunch of life under the surface that I may have missed if there weren't others pointing. I also saw that there was a collection of turtles on a log which I initially thought were a pile of rocks. In the photo above, there is also a family of ducks. What a great photo opportunity!

I saw these flowers and have decided this is a plant I want in my yard. Can any of My Fairy Folks help me to identify it?

Unfortunately, while I was at this event, I did learn that the future of the Fullerton Arboretum may be in danger. I was hoping to tour the Clark House but had run out of time, and now I hope it will still be there next year (if they continue to do this event, of course). I found a news article about the situation online. If you'd like to read it, click here.

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...They Came In Droves

The "Super Bloom" this past month in Southern California attracted many crowds, at a point between 50k and 100k in one weekend alone. I heard stories of the traffic jams, cars parking on the side of the freeway and even people waiting hours to board shuttles that were provided for a fee. There is good reason for the crowds since the last bloom was in 2017 (before that was 2005). The city used that experience to plan for this year's crowd, but the bloom and the crowd were greater than they had anticipated.

Photos above contributed by Katie (My Fairy Folks)

Painted Lady butterflies migrated from Mexico to Oregon (or further), making it the farthest migrating butterfly. For over a week it was pointless to get a car wash since every trip on the freeway gained a few unfortunate splats on the windshield. Over 1 billion of these orange and black butterflies filled the skies, being the most in migration since 2005. This migration and Super Bloom go hand in hand.

Photo posted to Facebook by Ernie Slone

Sources: NY Times, LA Times, CNN

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Local Happenings - Veggiepalooza!

On March 16 and 17, Veggipalooza attracted quite the crowd of "green thumbs" to browse nearly 300 home-garden friendly plants for sale. I managed to buy a few types of tomatoes and beans but it was a hard decision. I passed up Clint Eastwood's tomatoes but will hopefully try them next year. I'd also like to thank my best friend for accompanying me on this day trip.

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Local Happenings: All Inclusive Fairy Garden

Wow, what a wonderful time we had over the weekend at Sunshine Grower's Nursery! Local fairy garden enthusiasts (and some new to the craft) were able to create a unique fairy garden with the bountiful supplies provided by the nursery, including a fairy (which in itself was nearly the value of the entire entry fee!). A few of the supplies and raffle prizes can be seen in the photo below. On top of the supplies the nursery provided, I brought succulent clippings from my yard for everyone to use and my granddaughter brought fun googly-eyed cups for the kids. Everyone who attended was able to win a prize in the raffle.

Guests were allowed to bring their own containers and decor from home to add personality to their creation. The artist of the container garden shown below got creative and decided to save the pot that the fern came in and use it in her scene to fill with water and act as a little watering hole for real wildlife.

Above is another example of an artist who brought decor from home, some of which I recognized as being from Dollar Tree!

This artist created a sweet looking beachy-forest scene. There were so many lovely gardens, I put them into the slideshow below. 

If you're interested in attending a fairy garden class in the future, be sure to call Ken from Sunshine Grower's Nursery (909-797-9210) and let him know how much fun you had and that you're ready to do it again! As of right now, there is no set date for another class but I'm hopeful we can host another at some point this year.

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Local Happenings: Fairy Garden Class Returns!

If you've been with us for a while, you might remember the few meet-ups we did at Sunshine Grower's Nursery back in 2015 to create themed fairy gardens. Well, they're back!

On Saturday, January 26th at 10am we will burst into the new year with some festive miniature gardens! The $10 entry fee will give you access to a small container, potting mix, bark, moss, plants and one small fairy (however, feel free to bring your own container, fairies and decor as well). On top of all that, My Fairy Folks who reserve their spot in advance will also be able to enjoy a light snack and refreshments. But that's not all! If you see something fairy garden related in the store that catches your eye, take 20% off that day!

We will personally be available until at least 12p when we'll host a raffle for some great prizes. To be entered into the raffle you need to follow these steps:
1. Be on our emailing list. If you'd like to sign up, please email grandmasefg@gmail.com with your first and last name.
2. Register for the class. To do this, you'll need to contact Ken at Sunshine Grower's Nursery via telephone 909-797-9210.
3. Have a friend register. Make sure they tell Ken YOU referred them. If you are able to grab a friend the day of who hasn't registered but is interested, that will work too but RSVP is preferred.

If you've never attended a class before, here are some beginner tips:

• Come early. I will be in the nursery at 9am to prep and answer any questions and there will be plenty of plants and decor to ogle at and gather ideas before the class begins.
• Bring items from home. If you already have a container or decor, feel free to bring them! Sometimes it's easier to create a fairy garden with things you already know you have and love.
• Pocket money. $10 is a great deal for everything included in this class, but you should also take advantage of the 20% off sale only available this day and only for class attendants! As you saw in the video above, they've got some amazing stuff and I only captured a percentage of it. Small plants are also included in this sale.

To recap:

Sunshine Grower's Nursery

34017 Yucaipa Blvd. Yucaipa, CA 92399

$10 entry - Saturday 26th @ 10am-12p 

(fairy garden creation and 20% off sale will continue until 5pm, however myself and the raffle will be gone by then)

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Local Happenings: Armstrong Class, Succulents and Cacti

Earlier this month Armstrong Garden Centers hosted a class on the topic of growing succulents and cacti. This class took place at multiple locations but we attended the one in Claremont.

Just moments before taking this picture, staff opened these gates. We were not the only car parked in the lot, awaiting for the clock to reach 8:30 am. 

I was so in love with this arrangement. I would love to have a similar display in my yard. At a certain angle, the middle of these flowers have a lilac hue.

Above is a video I had my grandson put together showing many of the plants, supplies and decor I saw during my very first visit.

Our instructor John Burke introduce himself promptly at 9 am as he passed around some literature to those in attendance, space out under shade umbrellas. John explained that he went to school for Horticulture and would be happy to answer any questions throughout the lecture and after, even if it was off topic. Our literature included a breakdown of talking points on succulents and cacti including reasons to grow, requirements, prep and care.

I was happy to learn a few new things about one of the largest plant groups (succulents). Due to a terrible slew of fires in our area in the past week, John made it known that succulents and cacti are a very resilient plant and can often be fire resistant, making them a smart option to border your property line and possibly save your house! He stressed the importance of visual watering, being sure to saturate the soil (for potted succulents, water will need to leak from the drainage holes) so that the roots can have access to the water.

Overall, I was very pleased with the class and the nursery selection. I look forward to attending more classes in the future. My granddaughter and I filled out the survey for the class and spent another hour exploring the plants and supplies. We each made a purchase and used our 10% off coupon received during the class and I learned that Wednesday is senior discount day! That was great news since I only brought enough cash with me to purchase necessary items for my garden but a few decorative things caught my eye that I'll need to return for.

My granddaughter purchased these two succulents to put in her garden. I have quite a bit of the succulent on the left, but this particular cutting shows variegation in the leaves whereas my plants are a solid, darker green. I've never seen the succulent on the right before, but it sure has a unique look and shape to it.

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Myrtle Creek - Curious Gardens

Here is the arched path that takes you to the house on the hill, just beyond this ticket booth. This post is a continuation of the Myrtle Creek Nursery tour.

My granddaughter and I each traded 5 american dollars for 5 Curious Gardens bucks that can be used inside to purchase many things to help personalize your garden.

Here are some of the unique containers that can be purchased and used in the workshop. I purchased the one on the bottom shelf. I called beforehand and asked if we were able to bring our own container and decorations, which they were fine with, so my granddaughter brought her own container.

There were so many items for sale to accentuate your container garden ranging from colorful stones and pebbles, many styles of fairies and animals, houses, plants and more! Here is only one of the tables with a few plants that were on display. 

This large example of a container garden sits right at the entrance of the Curious Gardens which I'm sure is meant to inspire and peak the curiosity of any passerby.

There were so many small fairy gardens spread throughout the grounds and the house. I found it hard to not stop every five feet and take a photo!

The workshop is held in a nice size room with rows of working surfaces, chairs and tubs full of soil. The walls are adorned with decor that inspires creativity and reflects the unique character found inside the house. The woman on the left in the red is the Fairy Godmother (Debra). She is integral to the Curious Gardens experience as she guides guests through the house tour and encourages them to take in the inspiration scattered throughout and to meet her in the work space area when they're ready. 

This garden is what I created. While I did bring my own decor and accessories, I didn't end up using any of them since I found all of these unique pieces in the Curious Gardens shop. I was sold on these sprite looking beings the moment I saw them. I was amazed at the range of suppliers they stocked as evident by the many styles of fairies, animals and decor including this natural-looking door that I've hidden amidst moss and corkscrew greenery.

This container garden was created by my granddaughter. Both pieces were purchased in the Curious Gardens store, as well as the colored stones, moss and plant. Of the items they have for sale, I'd say the container and moss are the best deals in this workshop. We each purchased a basket of moss (which included multiple colors as well as sticks) and the moss my granddaughter didn't use in her creation went to my larger container which worked out perfectly. 

Here are two young participants that shared the work space with us that morning. Their creation can be see on the table next to them. The Fairy Godmother had some great suggestions for this work of art but was put together with these tiny hands!

Here is another creative little participant in the workshop. Her art is contained within this natural container sold in the Curious Gardens shop. It could easily blend in to her garden at home! Before we left the Gardens, we took advantage of the air conditioned tea room where hot tea was offered and had a conversation about gardening with some other guests of the house who stopped to admire our creations fresh from the workshop.

As I said, I couldn't stop taking pictures, so below is the slideshow of the majority of my pictures within the gates of the Curious Gardens. I also want to thank all participants who allowed me to take photos to share the experience with my followers. If you see yourself in any of the pictures below, please feel free to comment with how you felt about your experience at this workshop.

I was able to ask Emma the cashier a few questions to quench my curiosity about the building that houses all these magical things. The house was built in 1972 and based on a 1600s plantation home. The house was used for special events and tea parties before the fairies moved in at the end of March 2018. However, the fairy workshop is not new to Myrtle Creek Nursery and had been held elsewhere on the grounds for a few years. The popularity of fairy gardens and the workshop caused them to grow from the two vendors they began with (which focused mainly on farm animals) and move up to the house on the hill.

I want to give a final thank you to Myrtle Creek Nursery and encourage others to experience what they have to offer - make sure you set aside a whole day though because there's so much to explore! If you'd like to learn more about this business, visit their website HERE.

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Myrtle Creek - Tour

 

My granddaughter and I took a short road trip to Fallbrook, CA earlier this month to visit Myrtle Creek Nursery. She had been seeing advertisements for it on Facebook and decided we needed to make a trip during her Summer break. I'm not one to say no to a trip to the nursery, even one that is 60 miles away.

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by an employee in the parking lot who gave us this map when he found out it was our first visit. Have you been to a nursery that required a map!? The weather was hot when we arrived at 10am. It was hotter when we left around 3pm. I'm hoping the temperature is a good enough excuse for the fact that we were only able to appreciate 50% of this map and I also hope to return when the weather is cooler.

From the parking lot we made our way through the large area and many tables where they have plants of many sizes and varieties. I had to stop at this tree just outside the gift shop to take this photo. If you click to enlarge, you will see some lovely potted succulents with an overflow design. I'm keeping this in my catalog of "things to try" for my own garden.

This lovely area is the carriage house, right next to Cafe Bloom. There are so many natural elements in this area, from the seating to the wall decor. I especially love this picture since I was able to capture the outdoor seating area and fountain in the mirror.

There is quite a lot of seating throughout the nursery (which was a blessing for me), but the most beautiful seating was at Cafe Bloom. Here you can enjoy fresh, healthy food that include salads, crepes, sandwiches, daily specials and made to order food truck specials!

And if the atmosphere wasn't quaint enough, our food arrived in a basket, bringing me back to the days of picnics. I enjoyed the turkey club on a pretzel bun and my granddaughter ordered the melon salad with mint vinaigrette, both from the Farm to Table menu.

This was posted inside the cafe, encouraging patrons to visit the lovely house on the hill. No need to sway us, we're on our way! And I'll save that experience for another post.

To learn more about Myrtle Creek Botanical Gardens & Nursery, please visit their website, discovermyrtlecreek.com

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Local Happenings: Green Scene Expo 2018

Two weeks ago I took a day trip to Fullerton, CA with my good friend to an event we've attended for a few years now. The event was on Saturday and Sunday but we decided to get there as soon as they opened to the public Saturday for an entry fee of $8 which includes parking. Already at 10am the place was packed with people! The event has been pretty popular every year I attend.

The event is held every year at the Fullerton Arboretum which is a lovely setting with manmade ponds and waterfall (pictured above). Below are some pictures from vendors.

I found these plants to be so unique but did not purchase one.

Looking through my photos, I regret greatly not purchasing this grapevine-looking succulent. It would have been perfect for my vineyard scene I have planned. Well, there's always next year.

These plants have a pop of color that almost look photoshopped! The bright pink and purple could be used for lots of great scenes, including Spring and Mardi Gras.

One of the plants I purchased on this trip was this colorful bunch of peppers. Purple, Yellow and Orange peppers will brighten the food garden portion of my yard. While it is a pepper plant, the card specifically says they are not meant for consumption. Be sure to read all instructions on any plants you purchase.

This cucumber plant was purchased for my food garden, making it the 5th type for my garden. My granddaughter likes cucumbers so I tried to plant some from seeds earlier this year but it didn't take. So I decided to find a variety of cucumber plants to put in my food garden.

Have you ever seen a purple bell pepper? This was my first time seeing it and I decided that I needed to add it to my food garden. Purple is a magical color and this pepper is said to transition through four different colors!

On the way out of the succulent maze, there are many booths at the end of the event that you will want to save some money for. The Fullerton Garden Club has been there every year I've gone and they have so many wonderful plants for sale.

This adorable planter and healthy succulents are priced at only $10!

These ceramic mushrooms caught my attention, designed by a member of the Fullerton Garden Club.

Each container is priced very well for the amount of succulents they pack in there!

I found these garden markers for sale at another booth. There are so many creative people at this event!

Fairy Garden doors for sale! This cute basket had a fantastical door as well as some small decorations to accent the magical feel. 

This fairy home comes with lovely outdoor seating to enjoy a lovely, sunny day.

This vendor sold some unique Driftwood Creations (which is also their namesake). Owner Tim Shea and his wife were there to answer my questions about their art.

This particular piece is one I plan on purchasing. Their contact information is 714-875-5509 or Tim.Shea@hotmail.com

This vendor has taken an artistic approach to "what makes something a planter?" The following three pictures are from the same vendor.

This little buggy container makes you feel like it is housing some precious cargo. The chicken planter is the perfect size for the small succulent inside.

A small Radio Flyer is home to these succulents. I can just imagine them racing downhill.

This was definitely an eye catching display, both with color and function.

Gano Studios had a large display of ceramic containers. So many unique shapes and styles.

If you would like to contact Jenny and Jason Gano, I was able to grab their information.

FB: JenniferGanoArtist

GanoArtist@gmail.com

Instagram: JennyGano

Compared to the prices in the main area of the event, these succulents are a steal, especially with some interesting containers.

One booth had some air plants for sale and I managed to pick up a few.

It really is amazing what people can turn into a planter! I'm so happy I was able to attend this year and already can't wait for next year's event!

If you'd like to see the videos I took, pop over to my YouTube Channel.

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