Gardening is My Passion
- posted by: guest
- posted in: Uncategorized, Tools, Gardening
- on: November 6, 2009
My name is Patty and I live in Southern California. I’m fiskateer #23 and I’m excited to share my passion with you.
Flowers are my passion and my garden is my refuge! Living in a condo, my garden is a perfect size to manage and enjoy with no grass to mow! I really love sharing my garden with others and hope that it is a reflection of me. The plants I have accumulated are all very personal and really special.
My favorite thing to do is visit small or unique nurseries in Orange County. Living in Tustin, I have Armstrong which has always carried any type of plant that strikes your fancy. M & M Nursery in Orange carries several unique varieties and they have a wonderful section of fairies and small plants for a fairy garden. My mom and I have spent time both at the Fullerton Arboretum and the UC Irvine Arboretum. Both places have wonderful drought resistant varieties along with plants that are native to Southern California.
In my garden, I have three hibiscus plants that are at least 12 feet tall despite being trimmed back on several occasions. My favorite plant is the “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” which blooms first in purple, then lavender and finally in white. I love the way a single small flower can change color before your eyes. My grandmother had this beautiful plant in her garden in Santa Monica and I love that I can have it also to remember her and all that she taught me. I have four rose bushes that came with my home and bloom without too much care. My garden also has a beautiful sage plant that is a ground cover that came from the UCI Arboretum and a special lavender plant that was seeded by a co-worker. A neighbor shared a clipping from a unique hibiscus plant she has that has variegated leaves (green and white) and a beautiful red flower that is also variegated (red and white). It reminds me of a candy cane and is so unusual.
Living in Southern California allows a garden that will bloom all year long with beautiful color and continual growth. I love that I can share my garden with all kinds of neighborhood birds, friends and family. It is very therapeutic and great exercise. Thank you Fiskars for some amazing tools and making gardening such a joy. Come join me!
Cheryl here (#002) and I just wanted to share that Patty is my aunt and I love her a great deal. She recently shared during the on-line Pink Crop. I am so grateful for her. While I don’t have a green thumb I just wanted to say that I enjoy spending time at Patty’s house and in her garden. Some things I really enjoyed seeing as I photographed her garden was that she keeps the seed packets and stores them in her outside closet for reference.
Patty has used Fiskars for years and years and the white pair of pruners she is holding are approximately 15 years old. Fine quality I must say.
So while Patty’s garden is a refuge for her . . . it is also a refuge for her friends and family. I appreciate Patty’s many gifts including her love for all things green. Thank you Patty for sharing with us.
Tona #4437 says:
November 6th, 2009 at 2:23 amPatty you have a beautiful garden!Thanks for sharing. Here in the WA it’s time to start putting my gardens to bed for the winter.
Lyn Dwyer says:
November 6th, 2009 at 3:09 amHi Patty,
WOW…I love that Yesterday,today and tomorrow plant…..looks fabulous……love your garden…..thank you Cheryl for sharing Patty’s pssion with us…..love thoese Fiskars garden tools……they are made to last……
xoxo
Lyn
Michelle 3624 says:
November 6th, 2009 at 7:01 amYou have a beautiful garden thank you sharing it with us and I can not tell you how much Cheryl has made a difference in my life she is a very special and talented lady.
Patty 2832 says:
November 6th, 2009 at 7:56 amLovely gardens Patty !
We have quite a few plants and things that have come from friends and family and we cherish them . Of course, we also live on land that belonged to my husbands grandmother, so we are doubly blessed !
Thanks for sharing with us, Aunt Patty !
Shirley says:
November 6th, 2009 at 9:21 amYes, Patty’s garden is beautiful. She always did have a green thumb, She got that from her side of the family. I love the variety…
Maxine Hodges says:
November 6th, 2009 at 9:26 amWhat a beautiful garden. The fact thet the legacy of your family is reflected in your garden is wonderful.
Thanks for sharing!
Patty 2262 says:
November 6th, 2009 at 9:41 amPatty! What a beautiful garden…ah and thanks for a little bit of Cali sunshine in your pictures too. We don’t get that much here in Minnesota. I miss SC! Thanks for sharing with us.
Angela #3100 says:
November 6th, 2009 at 10:20 amYour garden is beautiful and your hard work really shows! Thanks for sharing.
Kim says:
November 6th, 2009 at 10:24 amPatty what a beautiful garden. I bought a pond base years ago, it’s in the ground and that’s it. I don’t know where to go from there. I just love your garden. I can only wish that someday I’ll have one too.
kimberlee #2494 says:
November 6th, 2009 at 11:25 amWow! What a sanctuary! I envy those who have them. Someday I hope to have one that I can be proud of.
Patty, you look fab holding up your trusty pruners.
Lesa #5200 says:
November 6th, 2009 at 11:45 amI love your garden, Patty! The flowers and plants are beautiful and it’s so nice that you have such wonderful memories from the past and are creating new memories there.
I live in north central Alabama and while we have a long growing season (camellias are blooming now), I’ll soon have to be content with berries for a few months. Your garden story has brought a little extra joy to my day! Thank you for sharing.
Laura B says:
November 6th, 2009 at 11:50 ambeautiful photos and lovely garden Patty.
love that Yesterday, today and tomorrow plant. Not heard of it before.
and thanks Cheryl for asking her to post.
Donna says:
November 6th, 2009 at 12:55 pmYou have a beautiful garden, thank you for sharing.
Rhonda 5614 says:
November 6th, 2009 at 1:20 pmFrom a fellow gardener, thanks for sharing!
Kathy Fisk. # 5588 says:
November 7th, 2009 at 12:31 pmLove how you associate memories with certain plants. It looks you have made yourself a lovely little refuge.
Interesting that it is in bloom all year.
My garden has gone to sleep for the winter, except for a few seed-heads left for the birds to enjoy, everything is at rest!