Grandma's Enchanted Fairy Garden: Local Happenings

Showing posts with label Local Happenings. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

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.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

grandmasEFG@gmail.com

FACEBOOK GOOGLE+ INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST TWITTER YOUTUBE

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE

Saturday, March 23, 2019

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.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

grandmasEFG@gmail.com

FACEBOOK GOOGLE+ INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST TWITTER YOUTUBE

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE

Monday, August 20, 2018

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.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

grandmasEFG@gmail.com

FACEBOOK GOOGLE+ INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST TWITTER YOUTUBE

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE

Thursday, July 26, 2018

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.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

grandmasEFG@gmail.com

FACEBOOK GOOGLE+ INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST TWITTER YOUTUBE

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE

Thursday, May 3, 2018

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.