Marching Along

Design - "A Bit of March"

Designer - Lizzie Kate

Fabric - 28 count Light Mocha Cashel

Fibers - GAST & WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 23 March 2016

Completed - 26 March 2016 

As you can see from the finish above, I am still marching along with St. Patrick's themed stitching!

Over the weekend I visited Gossler's Farm Nursery.  

Located along in Springfield, Oregon near the McKenzie River, the Gossler family has a dozen greenhouses of amazing plants.

They also have a lovely display garden.  

We received word that that the Magnolias were in full display.

So we went out to take a look.

Such bold blooms.

It was the perfect time to view them.

Every place of business needs a helpful dog or cat.

Benny was darling! Shepherd and Corgi don't you think?

The gardens were filled with other plants and shrubs and trees, most of which I cannot identify.

This is a Redbud.

Very pretty and it smelled wonderful too!

A wonderful mossy bench.

A hybrid Fawn Lily.

A nice display of plants and a pot.

A conifer with new cones.

And because the nursery is close to the river, I was able to watch this Osprey. Osprey are super fishermen and site their nests near rivers.

Winter Garden Ideas

When my sister and I visited Down to Earth in late October, they were ready for fall.

With our generally mild winters, we can have some color by planting pansies...

..and cyclamen.

I thought these heron sculptures where very clever in their simplicity.

My sister has garlic that needs planting...

...and I have some bulbs to plant in pots for early spring color.

We both liked these boots and garden clogs.  My sister bought the red and I got a pair of yellow. 

I can always use a new pair of garden gloves... 

...and another trug or two.

Do you have plants to plant any bulbs this year?

After leaving the nursery, we went over to take part in an apple and pear tasting.

There were a couple dozen kinds of apples and the tastes and textures varied greatly.

I'm partial to a crisp, slightly sweet apple.  

A WIP and Fall Flowers

I'll bet you've forgotten that I am still working on a Noah's Ark or two.  I am so close to having this Noah's stitch done.  I just have some back stitching to do. What's keeping me from finishing it up? I don't know.

My mother and I went to Gray's Garden Center.

As is often the case, there is so much more to see than plants.

Cool garden art.

I never met a blue pot that I did not like!

Garden Art 

A pretty winter planting.

I watched several customers pick up a winter container or two.

I like the cheerful faces that pansies have.

Several of them came home with me.

Another Garden Adventure!

Design - "Belli...can"

Chart - "August"

Designer - The Cricket Collection

Fabric - 30 count R & R "Morning Fog" linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 21 May 2015

Completed - 13 June 2015

I think he is a darling pelican!

Here we are and it is Tuesday again.  Time for the Maple Hill Blog Hop and the Tuesday Garden Party. This week I have another Bus Trip Garden Adventure to share.

On Saturday morning the Hardy Plant Group headed off for Portland - first stop Xera Plants.  

I visited Xera in February and found some plants then.

In early June there were lots more plants available.

And while I'm mad about Sedums, I did not bring any home.

I did find a couple of neat Ferns.

Isn't this a weird and wonderful plant? 

A couple more Cupheas came home with me.

In fact an entire flat of plants called my name!

Our next stop was Garden Fever.

It reminded me of my local nursery, Down to Earth as... 

...besides plants it carried birdhouses... 

...and wind chimes and other fun items!

If you've read my blog for a while, you'll know that I love blue.

Funky metal furniture.

A fun blue chair!

I walked into Garden Fever saying, "No more plants!"

They had such a super nursery though with a great selection, that I walked out with a flat of plants - including Salvia "Amistad" which I've wanted for two years now!

So here's my blue pot with a purple Iochroma, Salvia "Amistad" and another Salvia.  I still have several plants to get set out in pots or flowerbeds.  And as we also visited a wonderful private garden on our Portland trip, I have plenty to share with you next week.