GARDENING: SPRING GARDEN TOUR - Just around the corner. . .

Announcing our annual Spring Garden Tour

with a little twist....

This year our Spring Garden Tour will be a 'virtual' one.

I HOPE YOU WILL PARTICIPATE - WE NEED YOU TO MAKE THIS A FUN AND SPECIAL EVENT!

Here's what to do:

First: Let me know that you will be participating (comment below or send me an email here).

Next: Take a few photos of your favorite garden and outdoor living spots, send them to me via email, along with a little blurb about who you are, what you love about your space, your favorite place in your garden, how you enjoy it, etc. - you know what I want! If you have a site of your own, you can send me the link and put your pictures and dialog on your own blog.

The advantage to this is that you control what parts of your garden we will see. We will see it through your eyes, and you can get close and show us the wonderful little details. This year you don't have to live nearby to be a part of or to enjoy the show!

I will do my best to show your garden's most beautiful face - and may edit your photos a little to achieve that. If you don't feel confident in taking the photos, have a friend take the photos, or call me if you are in Southern California - I have camera/will travel!

3rd: Email the photos to me (along with commentary) before June 2nd. (Or the link to your blog tour)

4th: On June 6th or 7th, visit this blog and enjoy! Any questions? email me here.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Refreshments!!! Okay, so I can't serve refreshments, but I can post recipes - STRAWBERRY recipes! - share your favorites and I'll post them (if you have a photo, that would be terrific as well)..

I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR GARDENS AND OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES!!!!

and

WHILE WE ARE ON THE SUBJECT OF GARDENS,

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH SUCCULENTS LATELY....

Succulents are everywhere - have you noticed? At the Orange County spring garden show this year at South Coast - succulents were everywhere...

I came home with quite a few little plants to make my own little sculptured gardens. That's saying a lot for me, as I have never been a fan of desert plants or landscapes - or the desert for that matter. I'm an island girl.... give me the tropics anyday.... but there is something about a few succulents, mixed in with the regular plants of a garden that I love...

Here are a few photos to inspire you...

I love the sculpted look of these tiny plants - and the fact that they need water only about once a week!

So, with the help of my DH, I now have some succulent pots to add to my garden.

Another amazing way to garden with succulents - vertical gardening. Here, a building turned vertical garden... a mosaic of succulent plants - no soil, these are actually planted in felt!