i'm a sucker for a succulent.

Photos from my iPhone.

autumn wildflowers

I didn't mean for our playdate at the reservation to end in collecting wildflowers, but it did. On the way there we kept passing patches and clusters of goldenrod along the roadside. I love goldenrod, it reminds me of the patches of wildflowers in the fields by my home growing up in western new york. As I was pushing one of my daughters on the swing, I saw bountiful amounts of it not far off. With a 14 month on my hip and two wee excited girlies in tow, we picked wildflowers, which might look like weeds to anyone else, but quite an afternoon treasure to us.

fall container gardens in new jersey

The first day of autumn is here on saturday! I am ready to pack away my sandals and pull out my boots. I'm tired of my hair frizzy from humidity, I am ready for fall! That means so are my container plantings. My friend Julie and I design container gardens in northern new jersey, specifically Short Hills and the surrounding areas. Can't wait to show you some more soon!
If you are local, contact me at flowersofthesun {at} gmail {dot} com for more info.
-Christina

my little container gardens

 

 

My plants have been neglected for a few weeks now, leaving them to fend for themselves and apparently that's what they did. These are my little container gardens at the beginning of summer and now at the end. It is interesting to see how some plants survive the hot heat and thrive while others die and are taken over by their neighbors. My favorite is that bottom bird feeder that is made out of a mix of left over plants from the season.

 It is so nice that the mornings are cool and crisp now. That means that mums and kale are at the stores and it is time once again for fall plantings. To get a jump start on autumn, here is an old post I did on fall container garden plant choices. 

-christina

found friday: jeremy miranda

I know i have featured him before, Jeremy Miranda, but I just can't help it! I am inspired by so many of his paintings. A few more short weeks and fall will be here. I love harvest time.

new in shop: field harvest

two new designs in the shop. They are relaxed and organic with a hint of autumn tones. Field harvest and a smaller version, petite field harvest.
they are composed of preserved eucalyptus, dried ammobium, craspedia (billy buttons, billy balls), bits of brown preserved maidenhair fern and preserved white roses which are so soft to the touch.
visit them in my shop here and here!

moments notice

i love having a great camera in my pocket... er phone... to take photos of the things that inspire me at a moments notice. I'll share with you the latest:

-creeping fig by my feet at the greenhouse,

-colorful coleus outside the bagel shop on a saturday morning

-rose hips on an evening walk with my little family

-two new designs i made months ago . i swear i will list them for sale one of these lazy summer days

- and double flowered perennial sunflowers growing in my neighbors front yard. they are about 7 feet tall. *reminder, i need to plant these gorgeous flowers!

crazy sunflower i did not plant

This is a sunflower plant that is in my backyard right now. It's not just any sunflower plant. It is a crazy freakish one that wont stop blooming tons of flowers on one stalk! Im talking about 15 flowers right now. And to make it even more strange, I did not plant it. I in fact have no clue how it is possible. I think it may be from a bird feeder that Raquel made at preschool in the spring that we hung about a foot away. Maybe it was a silly bird that knows sunflowers are my favorite... flores del sol... get it?

sorry if you follow on facebook/ instagram and have already seen this. 

i am @floresdelsol on instagram. Instagram, probably the reason why my blogging has slowed!

happy monday!

touring an orchid farm

I had the opportunity to take an impromptu tour of Plainview Growers which specializes in 'Pure Beauty Orchids' or potted phalaenopsis orchids. There are rows upon rows of gorgeous Taiwanese breeds of orchids in different stages of bloom in massive greenhouses. 13 acres to be precise. It was a breathtaking rainbow of beauty to behold.

baby orchids just starting:

 

waiting to bloom:

 

classic white phalaenopsis in bloom:

 

and the varieties of colors they offer:

 The vibrant blue variety above is done by 'colorfuze'. A process in which the literally infuse the color into the orchid. I was able to watch the infuzors at work. They literally put color dye into the little plastic vessels below with the die solution in that plastic bucket below and directly insert it into the bottom of a classic white phaleanopsis orchid. The orchid then soaks up the dye and brightly shows the vibrant hues.

 Plainview Grower's 'Colorfuzed' orchids are one of two licensed growers in the US that offer the unique process, so chances are if you have seen these, they are from this grower in Plainview New Jersey! 

The variety of hues of colorfuzed orchids they offer:

 Orchids potted and getting ready to ship:

 ready to go:

 I was at the grocery store a few days ago and saw a few of the orchids above for sale. I was like a little kid, giddy and excited that I have seen how they grow and where they come from.

hydrangea block

there is a long row, a full block of hydrangea bushes in bloom that someone has planted a few blocks from my home. It is gorgeous. The hydrangeas are mostly blue and purples with some light pinks. I find myself purposefully driving by that way just to see them. I took Raquel's 5 year birthday photos at them. I have a feeling they will not last much longer in this hot and dry weather we've been having.