Indoor and Outdoor Design

So many ideas. We have a huge interest in so many different venues. Gardening is our number #1 passion, but today we were reminiscing so many different things we enjoy and our photo library is so large,  we decided to share some “favs” with you. It’s interesting that once you have design in your blood it seems to carry  over into so many avenues of interest. From time to time we will share from our photos collection.  ENJOY!

 

African Violets (Saintpaulia Ionanthatha)

African Violets are a very common houseplant. And now that our holidays are past, they are a lovely addition to the house for some pretty decorative indoor color. Very often you will see three of them on a wrought iron vintage garden stand designed especially for them. These stands are becoming more and more rare. They are old fashioned but you can still find them at country antique stores. This small plant is a bit fussy in terms of its care. They have fuzzy looking leaves and prolific velvety colorful flowers and they have an almost continual blooming phase. They are somewhat similar to an orchid, in that once they bloom, their blooming phase lasts fairly long. They are usually very economical, and they will reward you for several years, if cared for properly. A warning; every now and then you will buy a dud. They try, but for some reason they just don’t make it. This is fairly rare but it does happen and it’s not your fault. Violets like to be grown in the plastic pot they come in. Rarely will you need to repot. They prefer a crowded root system with little soil. The soil can recede over time with watering, so you can very carefully add a little with a teaspoon. Bright indirect light is perfect and an east-facing window is best. If you have a spot on a side table under a lamp source, they are very content. Always water them from the bottom. Do not get water on their leaves. Let them sit in a small bowl with one inch of water. Add more, if they drink all of it. Then remove them and sit them on a cloth or paper towel to soak up the residual moisture. Do not water again until completely dried out and their pot is very light weight and is clearly dry. African Violets are pet-safe.

Christmas Cactus – Care

Christmas Cactus is a very colorful houseplant and several of you undoubtedly received one this year.  They are low maintenance and pet friendly. If well cared for, they will grow and bloom for years. It’s well known that if your planter is too large for your plant you won’t have very many flowers. They also don’t care to be repotted while they are in their blooming phase. Chances are that if you received one for Christmas it came in a plastic pot, suited to it’s current size. This plant likes crowded roots so if you like the planter it’s in, chances are you may never need to repot it – ever.

Chrustmas Cactus likes dim or indirect light. A north or east – facing window is best.  Be cautious with direct Hot sun. It will cause it’s leaves to discolor. Cactus flowers are delicate and often fall even with the slightest movement, so once you find a good location, it’s  best leave it be. Do not try to rearrange the plant in it’s pot, as it frankly prefers no touching.

Folks are often very proud of their Christmas Cactus that they have been growing for 20 years or more. So be sure to compliment their achievement…….

“Contessa” says….it’s a good thing…..

My Amazing Pink Geranium

This Geranium is the last of our summer/fall. It’s been outdoors every day up to the recent snowstorm. Geraniums do not mind the cold at all, but a freezing temperature will “bite” them hard. So I always bring them in when a hard frost is inevitable. The leaves have started to die back. I pulled all the withered and yellowing ones off this morning. This process will continue unless it can once again get some SUN and go outdoors again. Regardless, we will, as they say in gardening speak – “winter it.”  It will survive, but all the blossoms and leaves will die back eventually. At that point we will diagonally cut back the stalks. And water normally one day a week. It won’t produce anything new most likely until late March, but believe it ir not, as soon as the arrival of spring SUN comes round- it will revive. And then we will probably dig it up and replant the bare, but green stalks in fresh soil. And the “miracle” of new growth begins again. It’s so amazing and so interesting to observe. A living plant all over again…….,  As a real gardener, the process is so amazing and rewarding. It’s like a “re-birth.”

“Contessa”

A Happy Breakfast – “for brain health”

Breakfast…. your most important meal of your day. I have two poached eggs with some sliced Avacado at least two days a week. Eggs and avocado are low fat and combined help promote “Brain health.” On my other days, I cook Gluten Free “Oat…meal.”  And the rest of the week I eat plain unflavored low-fat yogurt with apple, banana, a few berries and sprinkled with homemade honeyed granola oats. It’s very filling and so fresh tasting.

For me….it’s my best way to begin the day. It’s necessary and it “revs up” my engine for my gardening daily activity. And I’m usually only consuming water up to lunch time at about 3 pm. My lunch actually becomes my lunch/dinner. And in the evening I most often eat nuts and some fresh or dried fruits

I feel healthy. Like everyone, I have aches and pains, but my daily diet in conjunction with my Yoga routine and thirty minutes of brisk walking  is the key to my overall health and the better movement of my body.

I challenge you to keep moving and always make time every morning for your breakfast.

…..happy eating and exercising.  Motion is lotion!!

Start where you are…

”CONTESSA”

PS:  Please stay tuned for “tips from Contessa” as we all prepare for my upcoming Beginners Outdoor Yoga class in May, 2022. 

Beginners Yoga – early spring….and More

Hello Friends,

We wish to announce our spring Yoga class. We will begin posting the details of our spring class in the PFX Forum Newsletter beginning in January, 2022. Do be on the look-out for it. It just makes sense to give our prospective classmates an overview of what will be included in our curriculum. Several of you may be very experienced in Yoga and we will always welcome your attendance. Our class is designed specifically for “beginners,”. Maybe you tried a class once and were defeated right off the bat. Generally that is because you were not in the right class. It’s so important to start with the basics of Yoga. They are; proper breath, stretch, balance and pose/form. These four components help you discover an inner strength you may not know that you have. But…they are the key to developing a long lasting love of Yoga. Yoga at your speed and level. They will encourage anyone, of any age, to learn a progressive yoga practice at any level, be it beginners, intermediate or advanced. You will gain a self confidence about the strengths in your mind, your body and your spirit.

************************

We are currently still gardening for a few of you, and our wreaths project is ongoing. Wreath deliveries will commence December 10 – 15.

Do stay tuned to this blog for new offerings. We may conduct private personal “consults” to help folks prepare a plan on paper, for their spring flower/planting season. Meeting up at an outside venue to put pen to paper, and create a personal spring gardening plan. A chance to socialize safely, create some new acquaintance and learn new things about gardening basics. So many things to share and we are told that these “gardening tips” could be useful to so many of you. Your inputs gave us this idea. Thank you!

We may even create a podcast re; Potting 101

Stay tuned for new updates and new offerings from:

Yours truly,

“THE GARDEN CONTESSA”

 

Gardening tasks – post storm clean up

Good Morning Gardeners!

Our wonderful sun is peeking through a cloud cover. It’s dampish and chilly. We were out to get a coffee already. Everything is very wet, but it all looks so clean. A rain storm is a good thing. It cleanses and refreshes our garden. About Noon today would be a great time to be out in your yard. Pick up fallen sticks, branches and tree limbs. Notice that the heavy rain has most likely disturbed your garden beds. They may need an edging lift, additional mulch, and of course, weeds have a way of poking up. It’s the natural process after a hard rain. 

Please don’t be frustrated. It’s not the prettiest time now as our fall blossoms are wet and droopy, but if you look carefully you will still see some lovely natural moments in your garden. Under the ground your perennial plants are storing energy for next years growth. Now is the time to cut back all the way to the ground. We give you permission to “cut back” now. 

Flowering plants such as Iris, Day Lily’s, Peonies, Rose bushes, Mums and Hostas need to be taken down. Your garden yearns for clean up. Go for  it. You will be very happy you did, once “spring”’arrives.

Bulbs can be planted now. The wet soil will make it so much easier. The nurseries are well stocked with bulbs. Be sure and dig your holes deep enough. And use “blood meal” to deter the squirrels from roaming around in your garden to dig them up. They think they are nuts to eat. You must fool them. Ha!

We just heard on the news that tomorrow is going to be a beautiful day. You might choose to let things dry out just a little bit today. So visit the nursery today and purchase your mulch, and bulbs. Remember to enjoy the process,  because in January when you are indoors due to cold and our dormant season, you can think about how lovely things will look in the spring. It’s such a “hopeful” thought and gardeners are very hopeful people.

Well…. I’m now back to my coffee and a nice Saturday morning breakfast. You all have a fabulous Saturday. Most likely we’ll see you out and about next week.

“Contessa”

Birds and Blooms, October, 2021

Our October issue arrived  today. We are approaching “Suet” season. Seeds, Fats, Fruits, Nuts and more. This one article provides 13 ways to serve your birds with Suet. Peanut Butter being one ingredient that the birds Love. And you can create your own “suet” concoctions. The article provides recipes and how to prepare them. We are going to do this as a fall project.

This publication is a beautiful color issue with many bird photographs and the dried flowers and plants they forage for.

 

GREAT HORNED OWL

It reminds us that there is so much beauty outdoors in our woods. And lucky are we to live in Parkfairfax with so many trees, scrubs and wildlife   In fact, if you sit long enough quietly in your yard you will surely discover one new bird you didn’t know lived nearby.

Back Cover

We can lend our copy out if you’d like. Just txt us and we will share it with you.

”Contessa” – 703-548-1882

Today on Beverley Drive – bushes prep for fall

Bush trimming today on a most beautiful, cool and gloriously sunny day. Our Community landscaping contractors have yet to come around this summer season to trim bushes, so we are working on this today at our longer term, three-year clients wonderfully large corner lot on Beverley Drive. In reality this is a “good thing” as we can manicure the bushes to a nice size and shape. Hedge trimmers frankly harm the natural growth of the bushes and leave the cut edges to wither, dry up and die,  often causing the bush to loose healthy new growth. It’s a tedious and arm stretching job, but so worth the effort.  And it allows the bush to revive itself nicely during the upcoming cooler fall evenings. Frankly it’s the best way to prep them for winters colder temps. You will see….. new fresh spring growth which will be fuller, more healthy and more green. Contessa says, “it’s a good thing.” 

Cast Iron Urns (2)

1600 Preston Road is the home of this lovely pair of Urns. We completed the plant install just this morning. Miniature Evergreens with a Creeping Jenny border which will spread like madness. We created a very deep planting reservoir by “rigging up” a fairly durable plastic bag with drainage holes as the home for these plants. The bonus is it will stay moist. These Urns were so deep they needed a good amount of soil in order for these lovely plants to live healthy and well. These mini evergreens we think will do quite well, and we imagine at least five years of growth for these little trees. We will teach our homeowner how to effectively water them and how to snip new growth in terms of shaping. In our world you tell the plant what you want it to do. It does not tell you. A tiny garden snipper will keep it looking shaped and encourage new growth at the same time.

Our homeowners are pleased as punch. They had just kept purchasing a new plant, popping it in, and hoping for the best. Naturally with no new soil, each plant would dry up in less than a month. It was getting expensive. So we did an install; including all plants, a fresh bag of soil, travel fee to buy the plants, and our one hour of labor. A nice $110 assignment. Easy and it looks fantastic. They are loving  the new “longevity” look. We are happy and these new plants are going to thrive. 

Contessa says, it’s a good thing……