Nice Surprises for April Fools' Day!

This afternoon on returning from work, it was not only still light outside but also sunny!  I could see from my car that a box had been delivered to my front porch.  I'd not ordered anything lately so wondered what it might be.   Upon seeing the return address label (Les Parks, Norfolk VA) I realized that this was a prize from A Tidewater Gardener's Winter Walk Off drawing. I was surprised at the large size of the package but thrilled that there were so many beautiful Channeled Whelk Shells!  These are east coast creatures although they've been introduced to the San Francisco area and reminded me of visiting the beach in Connecticut (visiting relatives) as a child.

These are east coast creatures although they've been introduced to the San Francisco Bay and reminded me of visiting the beach in Connecticut (visiting relatives) as a child. According to the Smithsonian's website,  the wampum crafted by native Americans was made from the twisted central axis from channeled whelks and knobbed whelks.

I love sea shells and the first thing I did was to hold one up to my ear and sure enough, even way out here on the Pacific coast,  I could hear the waves of the Atlantic.

Because I'm currently on a tillandsia kick, this is the first thing I thought of.  Les enclosed a nice note saying that these could be drilled for drainage and planted with sempervivum or sedum.  For now, I'll just leave them on the table and enjoy them!  Thanks Les for another fun winter walk off and for this wonderful prize!

On Sunday I saw these cut proteas on sale at Costco.  I'm not a huge cut flower kind of person but these were so spectacular and since they were grown in the U.S. and reminded me of seeing them growing in the ground in California, they got thrown in the cart.

As I was unpacking Les's shells the sun sreamed through a window and hit the blooms making them glow.

A sunny day, a surprise in the mail and interesting flowers to admire all with a couple good hours of gardening before dark.  It doesn't get much better than this!

Also over the weekend, we visited Vassey Nursery in Puyallup.  It's much too early to put pelargoniums (geraniums) outside but Vassey grows the nicest plants around in big nearly five inch pots, each given a foot of space to grow in the greenhouse.  This yields a large plant the size of something one might find in a gallon pot elsewhere and Vassey's price is very low.  They seem to run out of my favorites quickly so I get them early and keep them going inside or in the glass room until mothers' day when it's safe to haul them outside. 

Here's Crystal Palace Gem's leaves are enough but it also has fluorescent orange blooms.  Throw it in a turquoise pot and stand back!

Indian Princess is also a favorite of Linda and Tom Reeder.  They were smart enough to take cuttings last fall.

 

This one was new to me and they'd lost the name of it.  Here are newly emerging leaves.

And what they look like when they're larger.  I was told that if grown in full sun, the leaves become almost totally black and it produces red flowers.  Imagine that combination and try to keep this out of your cart!

 

Wishing you a day full of surprises foolish or otherwise.

Winter Walk Off 2014

Each late winter, Les at A Tidewater Gardener hosts a winter walk off.  The rules are simple, leave your house on foot or bike and photograph what you see.  You can drive to a different location and wander around there taking pictures too.  No pictures of one's own  garden though.   It's a great way to enjoy some armchair tourism.  Last year I turned left out my front door, this year we turned right.  We are fortunate to live in an historic neighborhood with lots of interesting older homes so that's what I focused on this time. 

 

 I love spring with it's many flowering trees!  Soon it will be "pink snow" time again when the petals begin to blow in the wind as they fall.

Many of these homes were built in the late 1800's to early 1900's in this area of town known as "New Tacoma"   Large old camellias as large as trees are a common sight although more of them are kept smaller either on purpose or by snow/ice storms taking down tall branches every few years.

Happy looking kitty!

Hey, look a little library.  How cool is that?  Did we somehow walk to Portland, home of all things hip?  Nope, it's right here in Tacoma. 

 I hope I can remember where this was because I'd like to meet these people! 

They like to read, share books, and garden .  Bamboo, check, stock tank, check.  Maybe I could stop by with an agave pup or one of my extra yuccas and see if they can be influenced. 

Interesting front entry on another house.

 Pocket park with a big toy for little kids.  Once the electrical station that the city no longer needed was removed, the hood decided that it would be a good idea to make this little park which is maintained by volunteers.

Forsythia putting on its sunny show.

 Do these winged lions represent St. Mark?   St. Mark's lion is the symbol of the city of Venice, and maybe they are harkening to that  as they preside over the moat that looks from the front like it might surround the building.  (The one on the right is named "No Smoking."

It's a little odd to see this around a Victorian era apartment building complete with stained glass from that era.  Fun though.

This almost prarie style home is less common in our area than some other styles.

Beautiful  art nouveau style gate that is totally wrong for the tudor style of the house.  It should come and live in my garden instead.

What's the verdict period architectural experts?  Was the expanse of glass original to the house, an enclosed porch, or a later addition?  What a great light place that must be to grow plants!

 Stucco and flat roofs may seem impractical in our wet climate but the beauty of this style did not escape our ancestors.

A construction company has its sign displayed.  The landscaping was "installed"  This sloping garden would have excellent drainage and is crying out for a  xeric, spiky garden.  Loree?  Louis?

Down the hill a tad and we're now in a different hood.  Here is part of the Annie Wright Schools, a private Episcopal affiliated school, once for girls alone now is a coeducational day school for boys and girls through grade 8  and a boarding school for girls only grades 9 - 12.

 The daffodils are suddenly blooming everywhere and I regret not planting any in my own garden.  I get over it when there is no ripening foliage to deal with.

In an alley was this large window box.  Looks like the garden of a couple of  young children.  Sweet.

Across that same alley is this  outdoor play area. 

A beautifully kept garden and home!  Look at those phormiums that don't look like they missed a beat even after our freezes. 

Painted lady.

These homes are incredible but think of all that cleaning.  Yikes!

The star magnolias weren't out last week and suddenly, they've burst open all over town!

A little taste of the woods in a parking strip.

A camellia petal strewn walk.

 And home again just as it was getting dark.  This former synagogue, then apostolic faith church is for sale. The building has been well maintained and the copious stained glass has landscape scenes. The cross and crown are removable.  this would make a great house!  Not much of a garden but the parking lot that comes with the building could be removed to create one.  Anyone? 

Thanks, Les, for another year of the winter walk-off meme.