Renee's Garden Seeds: Thrilled with Nasturtiums

I'm opening this post with a photo of my deck last July - I needed a #goals photo after the cold wet Spring we've been having to remind me what is coming and what to plan for. Last summer was the first time I committed to a collidescope of color palette and I loved it. Beautiful pops of pink, orange lavender, yellow against bright green leaves. 

I have been letting small 1 quart hydrangeas grow larger in my pots and I found that planting one or two nasturtiums seedlings (that I sprouted in Jiffy Seed Starting Greenhouses in peat pellets) at the edge of the hydrangea pot has become a great companion plant. The nasturtiums grow and fluff beautifully and really fill in the hydrangea.

The nasturtium seeds can be planted right into the ground when the timing is right, of course, but I like to get them started early when I'm ready to garden. These examples (below) have only been planted about a week and they are doing fantastic!

I am a garden communicator and member of GardenComm (remember when I was Regional Director for a few years?) by Renee's Garden Seeds and I am generously given a credit toward some free seeds by Renee's Garden. Thank you! 

I can't wait to see these colors come to life, especially Cherries Jubilee. And I am thrilled to try the Heirloom Electric Blue Sweet Peas. Stay tuned, as the these seeds will light up my blog and @FindDelight all summer long.

#reneesgarden #seeds #nasturtiums #growfromseed #pnw #gardener #springgarden #edibleflowers #gardencomm

Renee's Garden: The Miracle of Seeds

At the risk of sounding like a goof, I think you should try growing some plants from seed. Since I am a garden writer, Renee's Garden offered me some seeds (thank you!) to try growing this spring. I chose a variety of Nasturtiums, Violas, Sweet Peas and Morning Glory vines. 

I must tell you that I bought this mini-greenhouse by Jiffy (complete with peat pods that plump with water) at the grocery superstore Fred Meyer and the fact that some of the seeds have sprouted in just 3 days, has me giddy. I planted this tray by Jiffy on April 24, 2018. I will report on them occasionally, but know that I am checking them constantly like a happy elementary school kid.

Like my identification flags? I cut triangles of stiff paper, wrote on the names/color with permanent marker and taped them to vanity hors d'oeuvres picks by Talisman Designs (similar picks available here). 

What am I going to do with all of these magnificent plants? Well, the Morning Glories are going onto a tuteur in our front garden. The violas (Johnny-jump-ups) are destined to be frozen in ice cubes and sugared and placed on cupcakes. The Sweet Peas will grow up the staircase on our deck, I think. The nasturtiums will be planted along the edge of a cutting garden in our back yard, location TBD. There is also a trailing variety of Nasturtium that I want to drape out of a hanging basket. I.cant.wait.

Have you sown seeds indoors lately? Join me!

May 3, 2018 (day 10) - they look so happy and healthy. Go seeds!

#reneesgarden #sowingseeds #seeds #flowers #startingseeds 

The Genius of Burpee: Advent Calendar Promotion

Every once in a while I come across something that deserves an award in promotions & marketing. This year the award goes to the Burpee Seed Company.

They created an advent calendar for the 2017 holiday season and mailed it to garden writers and journalists. The calendar features the Burpee Seed House (which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places) and behind each of the 25 windows of the advent calendar is a tiny packet of seeds. Each package of seeds is a sample of a new Burpee variety.

You can applaud now. Isn't that the cutest idea ever?  It is clever, interesting, unique and builds anticipation. It actually transcends marketing and would be a fantastic item to sell in gift shops and garden centers. I mean it! I can think of a lot of people that would love to get this whimsical gift.

I have to tell you that I have not opened all of my windows yet. My move was scheduled just after Christmas and I was nervous that I would lose the seed packets in the chaos. My dormant treasures are still safe behind the paper windows. When I am ready to sow seeds I will open them all with abandon.

My all-time-favorite-advent-calendar came with an informative booklet that includes a photograph, a description of each new seed and the plant's attributes. Genius.

I have to mention something that is so interesting about the historic Burpee Seed House on the calendar. The booklet explains that the seed house was designed and built in the late 1800's to let in as much natural light as possible in late summer/early fall. It wasn't a safe environment for candles so the employees worked by the natural light from the windows to wash, grade, sort and catalog the seeds. Isn't that wonderful? 

I love everything about this advent calendar promotion:

• It is beautifully designed and therefore fun to display
• It builds anticipation for growing season in the darkest time of the year
• It is informative and tells you everything you need to know about the product
• It blends the history of the company while including the latest products they offer

Bravo, Burpee! I can't wait to try out some of your latest and greatest seeds. 

2 Minute Bird Feeder

It may not be glamorous to have an empty toilet paper tube in the tree outside my office window, but boy do the birds love it!

I simply save the empty toilet paper and paper toweling tubes and every once in a while I make 2-minute bird feeders.  I slather the tubes with peanut butter and roll them in bird seed.  The tubes slip onto the branches easily and the birds practically line up like it's a Starbucks drive thru!

It looks like you can see the bird's tongue in this picture!  Anne Reeves, nature photographer, signing off...

Marine Vinyl Clutch & Seed Packet Card Case

To me, this orange vinyl clutch looks like a mod summer accessory that Hermes would design. I love how sleek and expensive it looks - straight seams and minimal stitching is the key.  

Yesterday I showed you my fold-over clutch with contrasting top zipper (love them!) but do you remember the royal blue clutch that started it all last year?  I carry it all the time and it still looks as good as the day I made it.  Marine vinyl is a fabulous material to work with!

I had some orange material left over, so I made myself a little case that I can clip to my belt loop when I just want to run to the grocery store.  It holds my iPhone and a Botanical Interests seed packet case that I use to hold my ID, Visa and $20.

I know, I say seed packet case as if that is a known commodity, right?  It is just a little something that makes sense to me.  Botanical Interests seed packets are beautiful, why wouldn't you up-cycle them into something for your purse?  

I cover them in plastic tape and then sew on triangular vinyl flaps that I made. The perfect clasp is a circle of adhesive Velcro. They are where beautiful and interesting meet.

#diy #sewingproject #makersgonnamake #creativelife #momentsofdelight #seedpackets #gardenlove 

Beekman Seeds at Williams Sonoma

What could be more fun than telling people that you are taking part in the world's largest "community" garden?  I love this kind of thing and I am completely on board.

What makes it even better?  My dear friends are "The Beekman Boys" - the brains behind this fun promotion to revive heirloom vegetable gardening.  They star in a show on Planet Green called, The Fabulous Beekman Boys.  You can see a picture of us here. 

You can buy their seeds at Williams Sonoma and then log into the Beekman Boys website to register for growing tips (customized to your zone) and participate in a forum for great recipes, garden help and to see photos of other gardeners progress with the same seeds.  So smart!

But what makes this even more personal for me?  My grandmother always, always talked about "French Breakfast" radishes and I remember telling her that one day I would try growing them.  When I opened the package of Beekman seeds, out slid a packet of "French Breakfast" radishes.  You can't make this stuff up.  Gardening here I come!