Our Nebraska Greenhouse...

Cherry tomatoes freshly harvested from our Nebraska greenhouse!

Another Blessing during this season of miracles!!

OK, Mother Nature...

We know you are the one in charge!!!!

A Season of Magic...

There are 31 days, 744 hours and 44,640 minutes in the month of December...

and we are treasuring each moment of this magical season!!!

Whew!!

Well, the gardens...and this gardener... are finally prepared for a little winter's rest! Beneficial compost has been added to many of the beds and the newest batch of compost is 'cooking'. The 'green stuff' from all those containers and gardens has been fed through the chipper and mixed with the appropriate amount of 'brown stuff' in the form of fallen leaves. A little extra work? Yes! But....

with results like this...so worth that extra step!

A Magical Week...

Beautiful sights have 'sprouted' in the gardens...
and we have celebrated moments of 'air therapy' magic!

Organic growing practices are on our minds as we gather new 'workers' for our greenhouse....at 6 to 8 inches long....does anyone have an extra collar and leash for our Praying Mantis?

We are taking time to treasure the sights of friends preparing to leave us for the season. Hmm...maybe God created the Aster just for a Monarch??

The beautiful color of freshly harvested Pumpkins, Gourds....

and Indian Corn celebrate the treasures of this season...

while new treasures inspire plans for beautiful additions to our 2011 landscape!!

A September Day...

A September day...
in the life...

of our gardens!

Ok, Mr. Google....

OK Mr. Google!!! Just teaching you how to drive the county roads in Dodge County! Navigation devices don't always work on country roads. Here are our directions!!! About 5 miles north of Fremont on Hwy. 275/77 then west on County Road "O"....North on County Road 18...follow the signs!!! We can't wait to share our treasures with you!!! Here's a tiny peek!!

Celebrate the Treasures of the Seasons at our Autumn Boutique..

This little guy isn't the only busy bee at our house these days!!! We are preparing to celebrate nature's treasures at our Autumn Boutique September 10, 11 and 12! Visit us on Friday and Saturday from 9 to 5 and Sunday from 11 to 4! This particular little bee? Well....we like to think he travels to our gardens from his home on the prairie at our neighbor's house... the O'Conner-Ruppert farm...his honey is available at our shop!

We have been busy harvesting, designing and decorating! The inspriration you need to celebrate the treasures of the season is...' Behind our Garden Gate!! Even our sweet little garden angel is ready for your visit!!

Take a tour of our outdoor rooms in bloom....then relax in our bistro area with a delicious lunch and refreshments to benefit the Crisis Center....
Now for just a little more temptation....a tiny peek at the trimmings of another treasure! This sweet little potting bench is sure to find it's way into your special garden...

And finally one more little delight... among so many! Our 'Thank You'... to all of you! We have raised these huge beautiful Belgian mums throughout the summer....most measure 18 to 24 inches across...and are priced unbelievably low...Just our way of thanking you for your love and support this year!

Simplicity

Never...ever....be so busy that you become blind to the gift of today!!!!

Tempting Treasures...

Join us as we celebrate the treasures of the season at our Autumn Boutique!

September 10, 11 and 12!

Now...to tempt you with some delightful new treasures!!

This wonderful Cuppola is filled with character and is destined to be the star of someone's beautiful garden! When I find something this special it has to be a new addition to the shop! My favorite is 'Inspirations...A Gratitude Journal'. Time spent writing in my journal is my 'counting my blessings time'...and there are so many blessings to count...including all of you!!! A Gardening Journal, a Recovery Journal....oh...so many opportunities to collect our thoughts and as they say...'write it down'!!!!!!

You know...even the smallest treasures hold the magic of the season!! We are looking forward to seeing you!!

Okay, Little Thunderstorm....

Okay little thunderstorm....
you are not allowed to dance in our yard!

We are grateful for no injuries or structual damage! We will miss our fruit trees that were uprooted in the storm...but of course we will replant them! Our prairie gardens are tough and weathered this little micro burst. Our power was restored quickly...but it was a very short night in our house! Thank you to everyone who offered their help today! We are counting many, many blessings!!

Sweet Success

Each year we research unique plants to grow in our prairie garden. Our research often includes a little geography lesson...comparing climates around the world to our Nebraska growing season! A little Aussie wildflower that doesn't seem to mind our heat and humidity! Clianthus Formosus or Sturt Pea- this little treasure has become an annual member of our garden family!
Another successful experiment! Gossypium...commonly known as Cotton! These beautiful blooms are followed by pods that contain the cotton. Our first pod has not yet opened but we are looking forward to sharing the first pictures with you! Hmm...you just never know what you might find blooming in our prairie garden!

Beautiful Blooms...

So much color...
some favorites....

some old friends...

and some new treasures!

Our Outdoor Rooms...

One of our favorite outdoor rooms...
filled with beautiful garden blooms!

Lovely Lavendar....

Lavendar has always been a fussy little member of our prairie garden... refusing to survive our Nebraska winters. Thanks to the gift of 'Vera' Lavendar seeds from dear friend Susan who gardens in Boseman, Montana....we are celebrating a wonderful harvest of this fragrant herb! Now...it's time to get busy on all those beautiful Lavendar projects and designs!

Daydreams....

It started with a daydream on a snowy winter day....You just have to love it when a plan comes together!

Flower Fairies....

A treasured gift from my dear friend Jeanette...A beautifully illistrated book about the Flower Fairies...
inspiration to begin our sweet little Flower Fairy garden!

Delightful little creatures... celebrating the magic of the gardens!

The Great Peony Harvest....

Beautiful Peony blooms celebrate the beginning of this year's harvest. Each bloom is cut during early morning hours while the flower is at it's peak of beauty. The flowers are pre-treated and frozen in boxes on a bed of soft Easter grass. Our Freeze Dry Chambers are set to 30 degrees...below zero. The boxes are quickly inserted into the machine and placed under a vacuum. Every twelve hours the temperature in the chambers is raised by five degrees. As the flower very slowly thaws.....the vacuum pulls the moisture from the blooms into a central unit that must be defrosted daily. After ten to fourteen days these beautiful blooms are ready to be post-treated and designed into the stunning wreaths, arrangements and swags that we sell in our shop. Another beautiful treasure from our garden!

Monday Morning Gifts

Monday morning gifts...
from the garden!!

Golden Spring Sunshine

...on a cloudy Saturday morning! Succession planting gives us the gift of something glorious blooming in the gardens during the entire growing season! Right now the Iris are putting on quite a show! The Peonies are promising to be the next rising star!!

An Invitation to a Hummingbird...

Salvia "Forest Fire" invited the season's first hummingbirds into the gardens today!

Happy Mother's Day....

To the moms...
of the sweetest little flowers in my gardens!

Join Us For Our Spring Open House!

April 30, May 1 and 2! Treasures in the shop....
in the greenhouse....

...and in the gardens!
Friday and Saturday 9 to 5
Sunday 10 to 4