July Gift Flower: Larkspur

One larkspur plant in bloom at the front of my garden, Bluebird Gardens.

July Gift Flower: Larkspur

Larkspur is the wilder version of the domesticated delphinium. Native to the North Temperature Zone, Larkspur is a genus of ranunculaceous delphinium plants and int he "Language of Flowers," symbolizes feelings of an open heart and passionate attachment.

There are secret meanings to three larkspur colors: pink stands for lightness and fickleness; purple represents haughtiness and pride, and white stands for joyfulness. Victorians would make bouquets with flower choices to send secret messages.

The spur of the flower, which is reminiscent of parts of a lark, created this flower’s name.

In Missouri, there are several native larkspur varieties including dwarf larkspur and Carolina larkspur. All varieties are favorite nectar and pollen sources for garden friends bumblebees and honeybees.

Wish I could take claim for planting this one in my garden. I think birds brought in the seeds and they found a good spot to sprout. That's fine, all larkspur is most welcome!

Charlotte

June Birth Stone: Pearls

My favorite pearl earrings, a January birthday gift from a dear friend, no June required!

June Birth Stone: Pearls

If Iris are the orchids of American gardens, pearls are the gems in any woman's jewelry box. In many cultures, pearls are a classic, and traditional, personalized gift. Certainly in my life, pearls have been a tradition. My first strand was given to me when I turned 16. A custom ring from one pearl to mark my divorce. A favorite pair of earrings from a friend to celebrate a birthday.

In many ancient societies, pearls symbolized the moon and were imbued with magical properties. Ancient Chinese civilizations believed that wearing pearls protected a person from fire and dragons. Other cultures have associated them with chastity and modesty. In Victorian England, small seed pearls were often used in mourning jewelry to symbolize tears.

Pearls start out as a grain of sand irritating a molusk, which then covers the grain with a secretion that hardens to a pearl. Pearls are a reminder that even life's aggravations can be beautiful.

Charlotte

The Gift of a Book

My brother David and his son Alex enjoying some reading time together.

One never quite knows what happens to gifts once given. Having been raised with books as gifts, it was only natural that I would pass down that tradition to my brother, David, and then his son, Alex.

Shortly after Alex was born, I sent a custom baby quilt with a book, one of my favorite gift combinations to give to newborns. Shortly thereafter, my sister-in-law sent me the photo of the two of them reading together, David with his book and Alex with his gift book.

Here's proof that it's never too early to introduce a child to reading!

Happy Father's Day, David!

Charlotte

June Gift Flower: Rose

Bluebird Gardens hybrid tea rose in bud, perfect time to cut it for a gift.

June Gift Flower: Rose

It's so easy not to appreciate what it takes to grow a rose when one can pick up a dozen roses at the floral section of the local grocery store. Growing roses, however, is not easy, especially in Missouri. Our almost non-existent soil and variable weather conditions can stress the old-fashioned roses to the point of not flowering. 

Roses have been a traditional gift for as long as gifts have been given. Considered an edible herb, roses have been hybridized into a variety of forms including the perpetually-blooming Knockout roses, popular today in landscapes. 

When I think of gift roses, I think of hybrid tea roses, those long-stemmed, single budding flowers often associated with gift bouquets at dance recitals and sports events. During the Victorian Era, roses of various colors represented messages: white rose for peace, yellow rose for friendship and red roses for love.

Growing hybrid tea roses takes a little extra care, mulch, and patience. Since roses are June's gift flower, a reminder to pick it in bud form so the person receiving it can enjoy the petals unfolding.

Bluebird Gardens hybrid tea rose now in bloom.

And when they ask, did you grow this yourself? You can smile and proudly say, yes, I did. Enjoy!

Charlotte

May Gift Flower: Lily of the Valley

Lilies of the valley are tiny but mighty when it comes to having a lovely scent.

May Gift Flower: Lily of the Valley

My lilies of the valley finished their blooming cycle end of April but a few were still hanging on by early May. Their Latin name Convallaria majalis honors that May blooming period, majalis means "pertaining to May."

Lilies of the valley look similar to tiny hostas, upright glossy green leaves that taper to a point reaching 6 to 9 inches. They look best growing in clumps in shade, they make a lovely ground cover in a woodland setting.

Originally from Eurasia, they can grow in most USDA zones 2-9. They are poisonous so keep kids and pets from playing in them

I love lilies of the valley in small flower vases throughout my house, they are so delicate with a lovely scent. 

Give a group of bulbs coupled with a garden gift set as a birthday present to a May baby so they can have a little nod to their birthday in their garden.

Charlotte

Happy Mother's Day

Purple iris from our southern Illinois home are the first to bloom in my cottage garden.

"Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love." --  Stevie Wonder

We all have memories of our mothers. One of mine is weeding my mother's favorite Iris patches on our southern Illinois home. Nothing exciting, just several circles of Iris that needed to be cleaned out at about the time the Iris bloomed, usually around Mother's Day. It was easy to make Mom happy with our childish gift of weeding. 

My mother has passed but I always remember her when I see a patch of blooming Iris.

May your Mother's Day also be full of beautiful blooming flowers and wonderful memories.

Charlotte

April Gift Flower: Daisies

One of the first wildflowers I learned to identify by its rosette shape was the oxeye daisy. According to Don Kurz, who wrote Ozark Wildflowers, ox-eye daisies were considered a sacred plant to the soldiers of Artemis in ancient Greece. The practice of picking the petals one by one, to find out if one is loved, dates back to medieval times.

Ox-eye daisies made the trip across the Atlantic along with European settlers in the 1600s.

In Europe, the young leaves are used in salads and soups.

Don't mix them with other flowers. Similar to daffodils, they put off a toxin that will make anything else in a vase with them wilt.

Daisies are April's gift flower. In Missouri, they tend to bloom in May so if you want to give them as a gift, you will need to visit a florist, or give a potted plant.

In the Language of Flowers, daisies represent youth and simplicity.

Ox-eye daisies in Bluebird Gardens ready to be transplanted to a better garden spot.

Regardless of what flowers are blooming each month, ox-eye daisies will bring sunshine to anyone who receives them.

Charlotte

March Gift Flower: Daffodils

A bouquet of daffodils from my garden usher in the season of new beginnings, spring.

Give the Gift of Spring

When I think of what marks the four seasons, daffodils are the ambassadors for spring. The long-nosed flowers are the first to bloom in my garden, the early ones smaller than the mid-season flowering bulbs but special in my heart for ushering in the season of new beginning.

How to Incorporate Other Flowers with Cut Daffodils

If you want to include other cut flowers in with daffodils, allow daffodils to sit in water all by themselves for a good day or so. Daffodil sap has calcium oxalate crystals, an irritant, so let the sap work its way out or it will kill the other flowers.

Include Daffodils Still in Bud Form

I personally like a handful of daffodils in a vase all by themselves, either all the same or a nice variety. Include a few still in bud form, they will continue to open once picked and placed in water.

A bouquet of freshly-picked daffodils should last about a week if placed away from heat sources.

Charlotte

February Gift Flower: Violets

Regardless of the special occasion, flowers make a lovely gift and for February, the traditional gift flower is a violet. Although there are a variety of violets, the ones easily available for mid-winter gift-giving are African violets.

For years, African violets were a very popular gift and home decor plant. Hybridizers developed a wide range of colors including white-bordered ones and miniature varieties. African violets, like iris, are one of the few flowers that include a true blue color in their color palette. Although they have lost some of their popularity, African violets are still a charming gift flower and are a nice choice for a February gift.

African violets are very easy to grow. The trick is to find the right indirect sunlight spot and not to get cold water on their leaves. It's not true that you have to only water them from the bottom, what bothers their tropical leaves is exposure to cold. If you have room water temperature you can water them under their leaves, which is a good idea every once in awhile.

In their native habitat of South Africa, African violets live under the shade of trees. Their leaves have developed hairs to capture nearby moisture.

In the right lighting conditions, African violets will bloom continuously for months.

In the Language of Flowers, which Victorians used to send secret messages in bouquets, violets represent faithfulness.

To dress up your plant for a gift, find a complimentary basket or interesting container to hold the usually plastic pot. Make sure it allows for drainage so the plant is not sitting in water. Add a nice card with a special sentiment or better yet, make your own!

Charlotte

Tiny Santa Hats

Don't try to find any of these; I think my friend Margaret in St. Louis has cornered the market on these tiny Santa Claus hats she turned into holiday fascinators then shared a few with me.

My tiny Santa hat fascinator with a slight bend to give it a little extra panache.

Not that one remembers one has them on. Once firmly attached, it's far too easy to go through life without remembering what's on one's head. People either scowl or smile. The ones' that smile might be awarded a tiny Santa hat of their own, like my friend Ina.

My gardening friend Ina was the first one to get one of the extra tiny Santa hat fascinators.

I also gave one to my beekeeping friend Cheryl. Her daughter Jordan quickly appropriated the tiny Santa hat so Cheryl asked if I had a second one. To make sure she wouldn't loose it, Cheryl wore both when she was at my house for a holiday drop-in. The punch wasn't spiked - really.

Cheryl HInchman, left, wore two tiny Santa fascinators so that she wouldn't loose them. Punch isn't spiked - honestly.

Ina had an even better idea. She sent me a thank you with best wishes for a happy Christmas with this picture:

Ina Bicknell loans her tiny Santa fascinator to her cat Oscar.

So hats off and may Ina, Oscar - Margaret - and I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Charlotte

Ok, maybe that's going too far but these tiny Santa Claus hats have the same vibe as the fancier head gear made popular several years ago by Princess Kate. The tiny Santa hats are attached to hair with tiny glued-in hair clips, much as fascinators are.

Once glued-in hair clips are allowed to dry and attached with a tiny Santa hat to one's head, it's easy to forget one is wearing it. Trust me, I know. Until someone spots it and gives you a quirky smile. Better yet, they point to the tiny Santa hat and ask where did you get it because they would love to have one.

Margaret gave me mine during a weekend visit to her house in St. Louis. She had thought ahead and made extras. It was her, and my call, she said, on who should get one as we shopped for fabric for one of my customers custom quilt project. It had to be someone who demonstrated that inner joyful spirit just waiting to be crowned. Such a little thing but so much fun, nothing quite like passing these out and bringing smiles to people's faces. 

Thanks, Margaret, it was Ho Ho Ho fun!

Charlotte

Handmade Snowman Christmas Tree Ornament

So cute and so easy to make, another easy project for kids to tackle during the holidays.

This snowman was on a Christmas tree at the Henry Shaw country home at Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis. Shaw was the founder of the Gardens and only used this home in the summer.

The snowman Christmas tree ornament was made out of round paper circles with holes punched at either end connected with red yarn. Little hands could safely help with hole-punching.

Handmade Snowman Christmas Tree Ornament at Henry Shaw's Country Home, St. Louis.

With a box of crayons or markers, these paper snowmen could get a very colorful and fun wardrobe!

Charlotte

Handmade Paper Christmas Tree Ornaments

Who said Christmas tree ornaments have to be expensive or complicated?

At a December 13, 2015 visit to Henry Shaw's country home in St. Louis, one of the Christmas trees reminded me that ornaments can be as simple as hand-decorated papers on a string.

Shaw was the founder of the Missouri Botanical Garden. His country home is on the Garden grounds and is open for tours during the annual Garden Glow event where lights form a magical wonderland.

These handmade ornaments reminded me of some of the children's artwork we have printed on fabric to make custom kid's artwork quilts.

Handmade Christmas tree cat ornament at Henry Shaw's home at Missouri Botanical Garden.

Although I like the idea of the round paper ornaments, not all of them have to be round.

The square handmade Christmas tree ornaments were just as charming.

All together, the collection of handmade Christmas tree ornaments had a charming effect.

One of the Christmas trees with handmade ornaments at Missouri Botanical Garden.

Wouldn't this make a great project for kids out of school over the holidays?

Don't forget to sign and date them, these unique ornaments are little works of art!

Charlotte

Jewelry Christmas Tree Idea

It's fun to run across creative ways to repurpose things and this little Christmas tree is one of my favorite discoveries.

I saw it at one of our local thrift stores sitting next to the check out counter. At first I thought this was a print of jewelry pieces. Getting up close, they are actually earrings, pins and pendants on red velvet fabric suggesting a decorated Christmas tree.

Handmade Christmas tree made out of jewelry pieces. It was for sale for $5.

Wouldn't this be a great way to use those lonely earrings that have lost a mate or pins that are out of style but you still want to keep?

I can imagine making one with vintage jewelry from family members for a new couple's first Christmas and including best wishes for many more to come. Not so sure about those chains at the bottom, I think those are asking for trouble with cats around!

Charlotte

Here, Kitty Kitties!

Our customer originally wanted a set of custom-made dish towels with only one cat on each of the handmade muslin dish towels. They will be a gift for a friend in Italy who has two cats, she said.

We can make hand-embroidered dish towels with two cats on each of the towels, I told her. Tell us what fur and eye colors the cats have and we'll do our best to reflect those colors.

The custom  Kitty Trouble dish towels are now finished and ready to ship.

Custom Kitty Trouble Dish Towels with two grey cats with yellow eyes ready to ship. 

We sell them out almost as quickly as we make them. Why not, these cats get into a lot of delightful trouble!

Monday through Saturday Kitty Trouble Days of Week Dish Towels.

No, we didn't forget Sunday.

Sunday dish towel from our custom-made Kitty Trouble days of week dish towels.

Purr-fect gift idea, don't you think?

Charlotte

Pearls, June Birth Stone

I thought I had lost one of these favorite earrings. I was wearing them when I was checking my bee hives, a wide hat with veil attached to a white jacket covering me in case my honeybees were cranky as I checked in on them.

At one point, a bee flitted across my face inside the jacket. It's my first beekeeping jacket, always springing holes and apparently I had another one. I slowly stepped back from the hives up the path towards the house, carefully removing my jacket so I didn't scare the bee.

Once I had my hat off, the bee flew off and I realized I had an earring missing.

Hours later as I was doing laundry, I heard a clanking in the washer barrel. There at the bottom was the second earring, under the newly-washed beekeeping jacket. 

I love pearls. I have worn them ever since I can remember, each one a gift. The Japanese believe that's the way to get pearls, as a gift, not as something you purchase yourself. Although it's a traditional jewel gift for June, I think pearls are a wonderful gift all year around.

I don't recommend washing them in a washer.

Charlotte

June Gift Flower: Rose

If there is one flower that we associate with gift-giving it's a rose.

From miniature roses for baby showers to wreaths with roses at funerals, roses are the go-to gift flower for a variety of occasions.

In the Language of Flowers, roses are by far the most popular flower and appear in many different types, colors and combinations. Their meaning has also evolved over the years. Yellow roses, for example, stood for being untrustworthy to the Victorian but by the mid-20th Centurey had come to symbolize friendship.

In general, a rose symbolizes full blown love. A red rose signifies "I love you."

And for those of you who think more is better, sometimes one rose is all you need to give. A single rose is beautiful all on its own.

Charlotte

April Gift Flower: Daisies

These simple but happy flowers don't usually bloom in Missouri in April so I waited to get some good pictures.

When I first started learning to identify Missouri wildflowers, this was the second easiest plant to identify. Ox-eye daisies grow from a ground-hugging green wreath of a start, the leaves frilly around the edges. When they are ready to bloom, the stems seem to shoot up overnight.

When finished blooming, the stems dry and the little ground-hugging wreath returns.

There are a number of other daisy-like varieties on the market. Shasta daisies are the domesticated version of these wild cousins but to me, Ox-eye daisies will always be what I think of when someone says daisy.

In the Victorian "language of flowers," these cheerful white flowers represent beauty and innocence.

 Charlotte

Hello, Cantalope!

This is a follow-up to an earlier post about a new basket I found at a thrift shop originally destined to be my produce basket.

My rescue cat Margaret had other ideas and appropriated the basket as her newest favorite napping spot.

Cats do like boxes but baskets are definitely a close second. Or in Margaret's case, preferred, especially if they are brand new to the household.

I waited several days for the newness of the basket to wear off, then decided to use it for its original intended purpose, to hold fresh produce. This time of year our local farmer's markets are full of locally-grown delights, some of which do better being stored at room temperate. Also helps if I can easily see them to be reminded I have it handy.

What was Margaret's reaction?

 At least there is room for both of them!

Charlotte

May Gift Flower: Lilies of the Valley

The May gift flower is Lilies of the Valley, a small, sweet-looking but poisonous plant that likes part-sun and moisture.

A friend of mine refers to Lilies of the Valley as grandma's flowers because she always came across them when she visited her father's Mother's farm. 

In my garden, these small plants can get lost among the other plants in a flower bed so I plant them in their own separate spot between beds. That gives them room to expand, are protected from trampling and, when it's time to bloom mid-spring, they can stand out on their own.

In the Victorian era's "language of flowers," when messages were snuck into flower bouquets, Lilies of the Valley symbolized the return of happiness. I'm certainly happy when I see them because they mean the growing season has finally arrived!

  

Charlotte

What Every Cat Wants

Everyone knows cats and boxes are a perfect match. There are enough videos online of cats sitting in, jumping into and wresting boxes that one would think a box is a perfect cat toy. At least that's the excuse I make for having several different-sized boxes scattered around the house in case my cats need further entertainment.

When I found an elevated whicker basket at a flea market, I thought it was perfect to hold the larger fresh produce I like to buy in summer: cantalopes, watermelons, apples and tomatoes, all best stored at room temperature. 

After lining the basket with a soft towel, I was ready to go shopping. Margaret beat me to it.

Not the shopping, the basket!

Charlotte