Wordless Wednesday - In the Garden

Artichoke In Bloom

Red Sunflowers against the sky

Zinnias & Cornflower

What's Hapening In Southern California in September - Garden Edition

As always, I want to remind you to shop local, and get the freshest produce around by heading out to our local Farmers' Markets in Santa Clarita

Sundays 8:00am – noon
College of The Canyons Parking Lot
(Don’t forget to visit my friend Sarah from Worldwide Exotics!)

There is also another great Farmers' Market:
Thursdays in Old Town Newhall from 3-7pm.

Now for some gardening and not so gardening events...

September 2, 2011 – Annual Patio Clearance Sale at
Green Thumb Nursery
23734 Newhall Avenue. Newhall, CA. 91321
Save 40% off all floor sample patio furniture, umbrellas & cushions.
Save 50% off all patio and home décor accessories.

September 3, 2011 – Annual Halloween Opening at
Green Thumb Nursery
23734 Newhall Avenue. Newhall, CA. 91321
Ghoulish treats & open house deals abound, along with the unveiling of the Department 56 Halloween display. Save 10% off all Halloween merchandise excluding Dept 56
Last year I waited too long to buy one of their awesome Halloween pieces … I snuck in early and already purchased what I want… don’t wait too long the best stuff goes fast!!!!

Friday September 2nd is the last Lexus Jazz & Blue Concerts on Town Center Drive for the year, so come out and enjoy this FREE event, which starts at 7 p.m.

September 17, 2011 is a SUPER busy day!

Start your morning helping out:
The 17th Annual River Rally - 2011 River Clean-up & Environmental Expo
8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: Wiley Canyon Road, off the Via Princessa Bridge
(East of Orchard Village Road)
Help maintain a portion of the Santa Clara River – one of the last natural rivers in Southern California! We will provide gloves, trash bags, snacks, and special giveaways for participants. River Rally is an excellent volunteer opportunity for clubs, students, scout troops, non-profit organizations, and people of all ages

* COMPLIMENTARY DESIGN SEMINAR*
Presented by: Tami Smight, Interior Designer & Julie Molinare, Landscape Designer
September 17, 2011 - 10 am – 12 noon at Green Thumb Nursery 23734 Newhall Avenue. Newhall, CA. 91321

We will present fall harvest inspired design elements to enhance your garden and celebrate the splendor of fall. With proper planning, you will enjoy the fall garden decor through the December holidays.

Enter your biggest and best flower and vegetables into the fair competitions, and you may win a prize! Please pick up your entry form with details at Green Thumb.

You don't want to miss this event!
Send an email to: rsvp@thegrassisalwaysgreener.net with your name and code GB917. We’d love to see you there!

A Spiritual & Psychic Boutique

Courtyard Marriott in Valencia
28523 Westinghouse Ct. (where the 5 meets the 126)
Valencia, CA 91355
10AM-4PM
A different type of boutique!
Harriette Knight - Psychic Readings/Healings - $30 for 10 minutes
Maile Gray - Past Life Regressions and/or Angel Connections $30 each
Kathe O'Hara - Hand Analysis; Your True Life Path - $25
Diane Stacy Heavenly Healing Chair Massage - $20
Kimberly Barclay - Angel Readings - $25
Rebecca Kellogg – Life Path Intuitive $25 for 10 min.
Sharon Wright - Iridology (Eye Readings) $25
Stacey Nivichanov - Quantum Touch and Oneness Blessings $25 for 20 min.
Tina Landrum - Crystal Healing and Reiki $25 for 20 min.
Kri Chetan - Whole Body Vibration Machine $1 per min. for 10 minutes
(Equals a 1 1/2 hour workout!)

Charity Clarity Healing Jewelry by Harriette Knight
Elaine Giftos Wright - Feng Shui Crystal Bracelets
Shawneen Rubay - Renaissance Home Eco Friendly Totes and More!
CONTACT: Harriette Knight at 661-254-4747 to make appointments or get directions.

September 17, 2011 9 am – noon - CLWA – Landscape Education Class
What’s Bugging You? Castaic Lake Water Agency on the hill above Central Park. Please RSVP to (661) 513-1230.

There are also a lot of fun events at our local gardens and arboretums:

Descanso Gardens:
They have a LOT going on so here is a link to the Calendar. My favorite highlights:




9/10/11 (like that number!) gives us Harvest Basics, and Leave your Lawn – How to replace that water guzzling turf.
9/17/11 brings us Organic Gardening with Mike Brown
9/24/11 – Is a class about uses of Native plants by indigenous people.

LA Arboretum
There is roadwork going on near the Arboretum during the first three weeks of the month, so please check the calendar carefully because there will be partial garden closures during that time. Here is a link to their events. This month there is a Korean Festival and a class on Organic Fruit & Vegetable Gardening, as well as the Thursday talks with Lili Singer.

I hope you find a few things to do this month, enjoy!

And don't forget to register for my Blueprint for a Beautiful Outdoor Sanctuary! This is your chance to learn landscape design basics and get your landscape design questions answered directly by me! For someone interested in learning more about landscape design, this is a fabulous opportunity. More info here: Outdoor Sanctuary Blueprint

Wordless Wednesday - Birthday Week for Mom!

Crape Myrtle & Pines

Morning Glory

Scaevola & Helictotrichon

To learn more about my designs, please take a look at my website

Where to go to beat the heat? A moonlight garden of course!

Summer in Southern California Valleys and inland areas are HOT, however that gives us an opportunity to take advantage of our beautiful evenings so you can beat the heat in your garden at night! The stress of a long day melts away in a fragrant, relaxing haven… your backyard. The way to create a wonderful retreat that will shine in the moonlight is to fill your garden (or a space in your garden) with silver foliage, white flowers, and plants that are fragrant at night.



Plants that bloom at night are great, but you can also use foliage plants that scent your space. First create a backdrop of vines or tall plants why not try some Star Jasmine, White Climbing Roses, Angel’s Trumpet (poisonous watch kids & animals), Viburnum and you can use Camellias if you have shade in the daytime. The shrubs and vines will allow you to add height and a sense of enclosure to your space, which will make you, feel more comfortable and relaxed



If you have a nice wide bed, you can add a layer of smaller shrubs, Spirea, Gardenia, Russian Sage, and for the shady spot Brunfelsia. These will add more depth, texture, fragrance and color to shimmer on a full moon. If your bed is 6’ or less wide – please skip this step!



Then it is time to add perennials in front. There are some nice scented foliage plants in this bunch as well as ones that are just plain textural, they can add so much to your garden. Achillea, Euphorbia (poisonous), dwarf Cuphea, Licorice Plant, Moon Flowers and Artemesia, and for the shade you can use the silver foliage Plectranthus, Calla Lily or some lime green Coral Bells. Then just finish up with a ground cover and/or annuals such as Lamb’s Ears, Bacopa, Nicotiana, Cosmos, Dusty Miller, Allysum, Thyme and Impatiens for the shade.



By creating a beautiful space to share the night with your family, you will have a relaxing sanctuary that you can enjoy from spring into the fall.

To learn more about my designs, please visit my website

Wordless Wednesday - Summer Gorgeous

Fennel front & center after the morning watering

Plumeria

Echinacea

For more about my designs please visit my website

Do you need a little garden inspiration?

Imagine walking up to your front door and feeling like you are truly home. Imagine sitting in your backyard; a drink in your hand, friends and family all around feeling completely comfortable. That is how you should feel in your own private sanctuary. It is not always easy to create that sanctuary when you are unclear of your goals and the tools that you need. But that can be fixed!

Let me share with you the key ingredient for creating a sanctuary: Inspiration. Finding the places that make you feel the most calm and relaxed, the vignettes that speak to your heart, those are the keys to creating any kind of sanctuary. Summer is often the time that so many of us have a few extra days (or if we are lucky weeks) to take a break, visit beautiful locations, rest, and relax. Don't let that time disappear, savor every moment and bring it back as inspiration for your life and your surroundings.



This Swiss chard may not seem inspirational to your 10 year-old when served for dinner, however the play of back light on it's leaves is a thing of beauty. Did you know that you could mix edibles into your planting beds and have extraordinary results?



Taking time to stop and smell the roses, or better yet pause and watch a bee flitting on a beautiful hollyhock will help you find both relaxation and inspiration. You deserve it! Give yourself the gift of inspiration and knowledge take a trip, visit a botanical gardens, take a class, or visit a friend's beautiful yard. I am offering a series of classes - if you are so inclined take a look at my offering. Visit: Outdoorsanctuaryblueprint.net

Have a wonderful weekend, and stay inspired!

Julie

Wordless Wednesday - Gabriola, British Columbia

Bosco

Garden Art

Under the maple leaves

You still have time to sign up for my BRAND-NEW FREE teleclass "5 Stepping Stones for Creating an Outdoor Sanctuary: Take your Yard from a Drag to a Destination" today, Wednesday, August 10, at 7 pm Pacific time.
TONIGHT!!!

(Ready to cut to the chase and reserve your seat? Click here)

What to do In your Southern California Garden in August

August started out with a real heat wave! I’ve been out installing for the past few days, and I’ve got to tell you my hat and long sleeve shirts are saving me. So, my suggestion is if you don’t have to be out in the heat of the day… don’t go out! Spend your time gardening in the early hours of the morning or evening, and please drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen.

I decided to take my last year’s post and put it into a To Do List format – I hope you like it!



1. Prepare your rose beds for fall planting

Get a nice layer of compost going and till the soil a bit, if you prep now it will be easier in fall.



2. Start your second set of tomatoes.

I normally say to plant your second crop of tomatoes, but I haven’t seen many nice short season varieties locally in SCV this year, and I was recently told, that concentrating on getting your winter crops in by September is better. If you really want to try another crop of tomatoes, take a look my post How To Extend Your Tomato Harvest then go shopping in the San Fernando Valley, Ventura or... wherever you might be visiting nurseries.



3. Check plants for pests.

Give them a good spray from your hose if you find cobwebs, aphids, spider mites, or whitefly. Be sure to check you tomato plants regularly and pick off any hornworms you find … see my hornworm blog post.



4. Check for invading animals.

You might also want to keep an eye open for signs of animals eating your veggies or fruits. If you do, rig up some protection if you find that you are sharing too much food with your animal neighbors.

5. Order seeds and seedlings.

If you enjoy winter blooming sweet peas, order your seedlings now and you will have beautiful bouquets to enjoy. You can also order or plant tropical trees such as Silk Floss (Chorisya speciosa) and Acacias.



6. Order bulbs that require winter chill now, and refrigerate.

That would be crocus, hyacinths, and tulips. Also, if you planted tulips last year you can dig them up and refrigerate them too – they’ll just keep sinking every year if you neglect that little step.

7. Leach the alkaline buildup in your soil

Add some organic acid plant food and giving the soil some deep watering. Remember to observe the watering regulations in your specific area.



8. Buy seeds for winter annuals.

You can also spend a little time in your local nursery and see what perennials have arrived and might be right for planting now and in the fall.



9. Spruce up container plants.

Container plants and hanging baskets can be trimmed up and fertilized. Remember every time you water (which is often in this heat) you are removing the plant’s nutrients – so you’ll want to fertilize containers more frequently than your other plants.

I hope this helps you keep you yard in tip top shape.

Wow! I can hardly believe how many people have signed up for my BRAND-NEW, FREE teleclass.

Do you love Southern California gardening? Want to learn 5 key secrets about how to design the personalized outdoor sanctuary of your dreams? Join me on a free training call "5 Stepping Stones to Creating your Outdoor Sanctuary: Take your yard from a Drag to a Destination" August 10, 2011 at 7 p.m., which I'm hosting as part of the celebratory launch of my upcoming teleclass. Sign up here for access to the call and the call recording, and I'll talk to you August 10!

Julie

Wordless Wednesday - An Eclectic Bunch

Scabiosa - Burgundy Pincushion Flower

Campanula Canterbury Bells

Hibiscus

Please visit my website, take a look at my designs and see that you can have the landscape of your dreams.