Pumpkin Lady

My pumpkin lady greeting visitors to my fall front door. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pumpkin Lady

There something about the changing of the seasons from summer to fall. This year people are jumping straight to halloween decor but I like to enjoy the fall colors first.

One of my very talented friends who likes to make rustic decor gave me this pumpkin lady, a lady’s head on a stick that fits right next to the long pumpkin.

At first I thought she was also going straight to Halloween with her eyeless face. Halloween is part of fake scaring I don’t particularly enjoy, life is scary enough as it is but I can get into the spirit - so to speak.

I found a good spot for the pumpkin lady and her pumpkin retinue, by my front door.

This was my pumpkin lady originally, without eyes. Gave her a Halloween vibe, didn’t it. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

After sitting next to the eyeless pumpkin lady for a couple of days, I decided I need to make a change.

With the help of a black magic marker ,I gave her some friendliness in the form of pupils. Such a simple change but makes a difference, doesn’t it.

I carefully marked, then filled in some eyes to make her friendlier. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

With some dry bittersweet to fill in the space around her, the pumpkin lady is now giving visitors a nice welcome as they approach my front door.

Dried bittersweet keeps the pumpkin pile, and pumpkin lady, company. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The dry bittersweet helps keep the handmade head over the long, gooseneck pumpkin body.

I may add a couple of little flying ghosts once I am ready for Halloween, then back to the pumpkins for a Thanksgiving theme.

I may need to make her a little scarf and hood if she’s going to spend winter outside, maybe add a little Christmas tree in place of the bittersweet. Or a train engine in Christmas colors.

Did I mention I like to keep my home decor easy and flexible?

Charlotte

Surprise Yellow Roses

Two small yellow roses I found blooming in my hillside garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Surprise Yellow Roses

We’ve had record hot temperatures this September in Missouri, it’s hard to even think about fall being literally just around the corner. My hillside garden is now struggling for lack of water, something I hope will soon be remedied with a forecast of cooler temperatures and possible showers.

With everything struggling, I was thrilled to find two little yellow rose buds popping up in one of my garden beds. I plant onions around all of my roses to keep unwanted bugs away and I had missed harvesting onions from this particular spot. That means the roses were in great shape and there was no bug evidence on the flowers themselves.

Studies show that fresh flowers are good for the soul and contribute to our happiness. I know I try to have fresh flowers in my home whenever I can but this hot spell has been challenging. With these new yellow rose buds, I had something I could add back to my favorite spot for flowers, the center tray in my kitchen next to my island.

Once inside, the rose buds started slowly to unfold. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I keep small flower vases that nicely fit the space on the tray. The rose buds fit right in quite well and started to slowly unfold.

The center is where bees visit to pick up nectar and pollen. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The yellow roses are lovely open, I now get to see the center where bees collect nectar and pollen. also found a great use for a tiny handblown honeybee I picked up at a glass factory earlier this spring. I added a tiny wire to the copper stem so the bee could visit the yellow roses.

I found a use for this charming handblown glass bee, to keep my flowers company. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I have such nice memories of spending time with family when I see that bee, I do believe it will now spend its days keeping other flowers company in the small flower vase.

Do these flowers make me happy? What do you think?

Charlotte

Pink Roses Simple Bouquet

Simple rose bouquets nicely brighten up any room. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pink Roses Simple Bouquet

Another home decorating magazine at a local business office was extolling the virtues of huge flower bouquets to decorate rooms, including dining room tables. The challenge with making huge, tall bouquets is that once people are seated across from each other, they can’t see because the flower bouquets are in the way.

Over the years, I have developed a preference for smaller, simpler bouquets and you can’t get much more basic than one or two roses in a vase like this pink roses simple bouquet now in my den.

To help simple bouquets last longer, cut roses at different stages of opening. I try to have one fully open rose and then several rose buds so they can extend the life of the little bouquet as the rose buds unfold.

Rose buds unfolding, left, are the best ones to cut for bouquets. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To ensure you extend the flowering bouquet, pick roses in bud form and ready to start unfurling.

The rose bud on the right in the photo may be a little too early to cut for a bouquet. It may open if cut but I would tend to wait another day or two before bringing it inside.

The rose bud on the left, however, is at just the right stage to be cut and added to a flower bouquet.

Cutting rose in bud form helps them last longer in a vase. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This pink rose starting to open was picked at the budding stage in the earlier photo and, after two days in a vase, is starting to open.

Remember to cut roses early morning when it’s still cool; take a jar with water with you so once the roses are cut you can place them immediately into water. The less stress for the flowers the longer they will last.

And yes, this rose bud has a bite out of one of its petals. If you don’t like seeing the missing piece, you can gently remove the petal by pulling on it, which is what florists do to clean up a wilting rose.

I myself like to see the hole, it reminds me that some bug was partaking of the edible flower. Every flower, just like handmade quilts, has a story. Part of enjoying this simple pink rose bouquet is imagining a story for these flowers.

What would your story be?

Charlotte

June Wildflowers Bouquet

These are Missouri wildflowers cut from starts I am planting. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

June Wildflowers Bouquet

In addition to adding a touch of nature and beauty to a room. I am going to add “relaxing” to the reasons why you should have a bouquet of flowers in your most-used room.

This is a bouquet of Missouri native wildflowers from a pile of plants someone tossed. The wildflowers were broken at the top of the plants so I cut them off and placed them in a jar of water before trimming the rest of the plants so I could more easily plant them in my garden.

By cutting off the flowering sections, the plants will concentrate their energy on establishing their roots in their new homes and may bloom again later in the growing season.

In the bouquet, there is a mixture of hardy perennials that will start blooming this month and continue until fall. How do I know?

In addition to having some of these already growing in my garden, I easily keep track of what is blooming in nature through Missouri Department of Conservation’s Natural Events calendar. These calendars are usually available October through the beginning of the new year.

Missouri Department of Conservation’s Natural Events calendar lists what wildflowers are in bloom. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This wonderful annual calendar also has a natural event on every day of the week including when hummingbirds migrate and when honey bees swarm. This year, the honey bee swarm season began May 9, 2019.

These calendars are now staples in the beginning beekeeping classes I teach through Rolla Bee Club. It is helpful as a beekeeper to know what is blooming because that is the source of nectar and pollen for insects.

Now that you see the list of Missouri wildflowers in bloom, can you identify some of them in this flower bouquet?

Can you identify some of the Missouri wildflowers? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Here is a hint, purple coneflowers are among these bouquet flowers.

And yes, I find it very relaxing to sit in my den sofa and look at the bouquet of flowers. Some of them are still opening up so it’s interesting to see the flower bouquet evolve as the flowers bloom.

Charlotte

A Small Garden Flower Bouquet

Uh-oh, is there a rabbit after this beautiful little bouquet of red hybrid tea roses? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

A Garden Flower Bouquet

Of all of the things we can do to decorate our homes, adding a small bouquet of fresh flowers out of our gardens is the simplest, and most enjoyable, thing we can do. Not only does it bring some beauty into the room but you can add whimsy by pairing the flowers with a favorite decorating item.

In my case, the white porcelain rabbit has been a favorite coffee table partner for many years. I confess I make bouquets in relationship to the porcelain piece, such as this little bouquet of red hybrid tea roses I snipped from one of my rose beds.

I have real rabbits in my garden as well so having the little porcelain one inside reminds me of the ones living happily outside. Many are native wild rabbits, released into my garden when I was a rehabilitator for our local conservation office.

To easily add a small garden bouquet to your room decor, cut the flowers early morning and keep them in a vase of water not treated with salt for water softeners. That salt quickly cuts down the time the cut flowers will remain fresh in the vase.

Once you have the vase you want to use, re-cut the stems to the appropriate length. Add a pinch of aspirin to help keep the flowers fresh, then position them where you can enjoy them. Don't place them on top of electrical appliances such as TVs or anything else that produces heat. The heat will cut down the lifespan of the flowers.

Hardly. There is a rabbit but its porcelain and still has the good taste to admire the flowers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

These small red hybrid tea roses are sitting on my den coffee table so I can enjoy them when I am working.

I could have cut them with longer stems but I chose to keep them small. The smaller bouquets are easier to incorporate into a room close to where everyone can enjoy them.

Charlotte

Surprise Lilies

Surprise lilies in a flower vase in Bluebird Gardens kitchen.

Surprise Lilies

One of the nicest garden gifts you can give is a bouquet of surprise lilies, even if it's just to yourself to brighten up a corner of your house.

Surprise lilies are hardy perennial bulbs that bloom usually in August in USDA zone 5b on leafless long green stems. Their aromatic pink flowers fade to a soft lavender as they age, the buds good to cut as they have first started to bloom.

Over the years, I have given away dozens of bouquets of surprise lilies, placing the pink flowers in tall vases and taking advantage of the dramatic look of the flowers on their long green stems. Some of the surprise lily bouquets have been used on altars in weddings.

Surprise lilies popping up in Bluebird Gardens.

Let's face it, though, not everyone has the room for a bouquet of tall surprise lilies so don't let those long legs discourage you.

Try surprise lilies cut short in a smaller vase, as I have in my kitchen. You can still enjoy the aroma and beauty of the flowers without having to struggle to peer around the vase!

Charlotte

Gooseneck Loosestrife Bouquet

Gooseneck Loosestrife Bouquet

One of my favorite flowers has a funny name and can be invasive but I would still say find a spot in your garden for gooseneck loosestrife.

This perennial produces lovely tiny white flowers in clusters that resemble a goose neck. The flowers last a long time as cut flowers, and are a favorite of butterflies and a variety of bees.

Relatively easy to grow where I live, USDA zone 5b, gooseneck loosestrife will grow in shade. It can also grow in sunshine but if it has a preference of where to invade, it will choose a shady spot.

I would give this plant its own corner of the flower garden, allowing it to grow until you have a nice little bed you can cut from and enjoy in vases inside. The flowers are pretty all by themselves or mixed in with other flowers blooming at the same time.

If gooseneck loosestrife starts to move into areas you don't want it, just pull out of the ground. The plant grows with shallow roots and can be easily removed by hand.

Charlotte

Twig Reindeer Contact Information

Glad you enjoyed my earlier story on seeing twig reindeer traveling through town. There are few things that will put one in a holiday spirit than seeing Santa's transportation driving close by. 

Aren't they fun? Can you see one of these in your garden??

In answer to several requests, here's the contact information for the guy who handmakes these twig reindeer:

 Please share your photos of your reindeer when you get one, would love to see them in your garden!

Charlotte

Dry Hydrangeas for Custom Decor

If you like to make dried flower wreaths and dried flower gift tags, hydrangeas are easy to dry and long lasting.

Cut off flower heads past their prime and hang from string tied to a rod in a cool dark place. We have them hanging from a rod hanging over the sink in a dark garage corner.

You can use hydrangeas as they are, which is what I do. You can also spray paint them to add color to a wreath. The dried flowers nicely hold color without drying out.

Great excuse to add more hydrangeas in your garden landscape!

Charlotte

Think Fresh Flowers as Cake Topper!

Fresh flowers are not just for flower vases any more.

I've been known to tuck flowers in all sorts of things - as decorations for gifts, inside a get well card, once in a book as a page marker.

Decorating cakes with flowers out of icing can be fun, but who wants to eat all of that sugar icing - or even cut into the flowers?? At a recent farewell potluck lunch, I was delighted to see the cake decorated with a stunning bouquet of fresh garden flowers, all held in the cake by a small glass flower vase.

Best of all, after the cake is gone, they will still have flowers to enjoy!

Charlotte

Use Favorite Birdhouses as Table Decoration

This little birdhouse was a gift so it had special memories.

Last year part of the roof rotted, so I removed the piece, sanded down the edges and treated the cleaned birdhouse with a couple coats of polyurethane. I then found an old glass bottle that would fit through the opening.

Filled with flowers, the renovated birdhouse works well as an outdoor table decoration under a deck umbrella, or anywhere inside the house where you want some whimsy.

Charlotte

Welcome

Welcome to Made Just For You.

I started Bluebird Gardens in 1998 on the premise that everyone can make
something; they just don’t always think of it as being special.
In my world, it is the thought that counts.
I’ll let you in on a little secret; making something for someone is
sometimes more fun than giving it away.
I’ll be featuring those wonderful homemade handmade things,
and the people who are special enough to get them.

What are you making?

Charlotte

Spring Flowers Make Great Cut Flowers

Welcome spring by giving someone a bouquet of daffodils straight out of your garden.

One of my favorite spring flowers are early daffodils. They are small; they need flower vases that are no more than 6" tall and look good tucked into any nearby corner.

Mid-flowering and late flowering daffodils and tulips will easily fit into standard, taller vases. You can also cut them to fit smaller containers.

Anemones, snow drops, glories of the snow and other small spring flowers will best fit in 2-4" containers.

If you plan to mix daffodils with other spring flowers, let them sit bythemselves in water for a few hours before mixing them. Daffodils have a toxin that will kill other flowers if you mix them immediately. I leave cut daffodils sitting in a vase by themselves overnight, then mix the flowers in the same vase in the morning.

There's nothing like a bouquet of home grown flowers to brighten someone's day, including mine!

Charlotte