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Garden Bloggers Fling 2017…Anticipating Bliss

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Garden Bloggers Fling 2017 in the DMV

I have been anticipating this year’s Garden Bloggers Fling 2017 for quite some time. Maintaining my composure as I waited has been challenging. Trying to hide my excitement when people have asked the question “What is a Garden Bloggers Fling 2017?” has been difficult!I even tried to not give away too much information about the sponsors, speakers and raffle items that we will have the opportunity to win. (Did I mention the Swag Bags – you will need a personal crane…oops!)

One of the hidden gardens on Our National Mall

What is the Garden Bloggers Fling??

No, it is not a group of Gardeners flinging things at each other. It IS an intimate gathering of like-minded passionate garden bloggers who come together and share the experience of visiting bodacious gardens in a specific region. The Garden Bloggers Fling 2017 will encompass the awesomely wonderful, fabulous and unique Washington, DC region – DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

Four days of horticultural BLISS, starting right in the Nation’s Capital. I am holding back because it has been killing me to NOT go to my favorite haunt, The United States Botanic Gardens to share how gorgeous it is RIGHT NOW!!!!   OUR National Mall is the first stop – how exciting, right?  If you are not aware of what is happening on the National Mall, I’ve got a little news for you.

Wikipedia Image of the Historic Lockkeepers House on Our National Mall

Did you know that the Trust For The National Mall is in the process of managing the relocation of the infamous Lockkeepers House?  You know that beautiful stone structure at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 17th Street that is 180 years old. I know you have seen it and wondered what are they ever going to do with that?? Well, I have it on good authority that its re-birthing will be awesome.  Lack of funding will NOT keep us from enjoying this beautiful building.

Thank you to the Private Donors who are making the move and restoration possible. Without the Private Donors, the choice to keep this jewel of a building has become a reality. It will become the beacon of historical light, as we welcome visitors to the National Mall. After all, it is the oldest structure on Our National Mall. To keep up on the latest news or to donate, check out the National Mall. Personally, I am still excited about the effort to install Constitution Gardens….one day!!

The Garden Bloggers ae Flinging for 4 days straight!!

Our National Mall has so many gardens and museums that offer education and beauty.  The United States Botanic Gardens offers us inspiration, beauty, programming and so much more. Admittedly, I tend to stalk the United States Botanic Gardens. It is amazing to see the combinations of plant material in the planters as well as on the grounds, the seasonal blooms, and new plant introductions.  Then there is that fountain…

Bartholdi Park and Fountain – a true work of genius…surrounded by teaching gardens…

The fountain of my desire is known to many as the Bartholdi Fountain. Located in the Bartholdi Park, just beyond the rain garden display at United States Botanic Gardens, one simply must pause to see this work of art. Bartholdi Park was completely renovated for the first time since it was created in 1932 last year. It is now considered a SITES Certified garden.  Certification for SITES Projects found just about anywhere from private homes, streetscapes, national parks and more is worth investigating. To find out about SITES Certification click here.

There is so much in store for the attendees of this year’s Garden Bloggers Fling!!! Did I mention I am a Bus Captain??? This is a hard job but someone has got to do it!!! As a native Washingtonian, Avid Volunteer, Supporter of The Trust for The National Mall, Member of The Association of Garden Writers, I am honored to be a part of this awesome event. Did I mention that this is all just a taste of  DAY ONE???!!!

How To Find Out More

Although registration is closed, if you blog about gardens, you might want to click here to check out the Garden Bloggers Fling, for more information. I am dreaming about cultivating new friendships with people I have admired by reading their blogs. Taking tons of pictures of local gardens in late June, I am packing my personalized smelling salts and enjoying the moments will be the mission.

Special smells to revive me if I am overcome by all the beauty that is sure to surround The Garden Bloggers Fling 2017!

I would never have known about the Garden Bloggers Fling if I had not joined The Association of Garden Writers. You would never know what members of The Association of Garden Writers have available upon joining. The opportunity to meet passionate gardeners, experts in horticulture, vendors and free plants –  Did I say FREE PLANTS?? To find out more click #GWA.

Follow me daily starting Thursday, June 22 through Sunday, June 25 on my social media garden plots (Twitter, Instagram, Tumbler, and Facebook) to stay in the loop on all things beautiful. I am considering this Pre-Game Practice for #GWA2017, #BUFFALOGARDENWALK Registration is still open for the 2017 Garden Writers and Communicators Conference. It will be a great way to end the summer and quite the unique vacation idea!

Mentally Flinging,

Teri

The Beauty of The Lemon – Hydration For The Temple

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Did you know that lemons and lemon water bring added value to our bodies? Our Temples (bodies) need hydration. The art of infusing a slice of lemon is practiced by many who want a twist to their basic glass of water. I personally use a few slices of lime or even, while not citrus, mints of all types are tasty and refreshing, too.  There are even beneficial qualities in the mint family as well.  Lemons usually have  less than 1 gram of sugar, trace minerals like folate, potassium and things that may enhance the bodies metabolism.

Think about it – this gorgeous yellow orb can turn a basic glass of water into a refreshing cocktail. A drink that can help with digestion, enhance our feelings of well-being, helps athletic performance and I personally don’t go into the garden without it!

Lemons are a beautiful thing on a gray day or any day. Did you know how energizing  this wonderful yellow fruit can be while in the garden? I think I even convinced myself to try growing a Meyer Lemon Tree…even if it is just for the fragrant bloom…..and perhaps a lemon or two!

Some of my favorite twisted water combinations would include lemon slices with ginger shavings, slices with strawberries, raspberries, pineapple chunks or fresh blueberries. Another refreshing option is lemon balm or mint, slightly bruised and left to steep overnight in a pitcher. The options are endless and the hydration so uniquely refreshing.

Tis the season to keep our Temple hydrated. Think about naturally flavoring you water, whether you are gardening or just enjoying the beauty of summer. The beauty of the lemon, never gets old to me!

From the Cottage,

Teri

Pleasures From Our Earth – Pause, Enjoy, Repeat…

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Today I took the time to enjoy a few pleasures from the earth. It has been an unusually busy Spring and I know that in the midst of my busyness, I might have missed some of the early gifts from the earth. Now it is time for me to savor whatever daily treats I witness. To witness the garden evolve is certainly a treat that makes me smile from ear to ear, as I leave the Cottage and plan my hasty return. As summer gracefully dances in our midst, some blooms open as others begin their departing waltz. There is a fresh face to the pleasures this earth shares with us, unique to the seasonal moment. Unexpected buds, as well as blooms, have made my garden stroll much like a Christmas morning.Each fresh bud offers the promise of something beautiful. All blooms are not perfect, but unique to their own beauty and perfect for the moment at hand. This shell pink rose was tossed aside and all hope of it ever blooming was al but lost. I rescued it, loved it and it has continuously bloomed one bud at a time, faithfully for the past 4 years. Raindrops settle and linger on every petal, taking in the beauty up close and personal. How I wish I was in the midst of this rose. To savor the velvety feel of the petals, to sniff the gentle fragrance and wonder how anyone could have tossed this garden gem aside. When gifted with pleasures like this, one should be ever mindful of how we treat our earth daily. As the winter of 2016  ended, there were days when it was rather warm followed up with a period of colder temps. The Hydrangea was putting out the prettiest leaves as every gardener I know was working towards making certain that no buds were lost. Late season cold blasts can be detrimental for the Hydrangea…as well as the Gardener that loves them. Much to my delight, the pleasure of the prettiest conical blooms of the hydrangea can be seen throughout the grounds of The Cottage.To welcome the end of Spring with its diversity of buds and blooms, perfect or otherwise……is to welcome a new day, a new season and a special appreciation of the pleasures of the earth. Do you pause, enjoy and repeat in the gardens that are all around us?  I was once told that practice makes for near perfect situations.  I am approaching an Advanced Garden Pleasure Seeker status, as I practice this daily!

With Pleasure,

Teri, Cottage In the Court

Pausing for Tea….

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Sometimes a day comes that requires you to pause and just have a cup of tea. Why tea??? The relaxing qualities, aroma, health benefits and warmth as it is sipped with a certain grace, gliding down the throat…oh what a great feeling from within!! The warmth radiates throughout the body and all is right with the intimate world around you. My what a journey…at least in my mind.

Last Saturday I needed to escape fro it all, pause for a bit and decided to enjoy a cup of tea or two. I wasn’t really hungry, so no nibbles were required. I simply wanted to enjoy a hot cup of tea that perhaps had some positive benefits for my body and perhaps an uplifting fragrance for my spirit. I put the kettle on, grabbed a few new magazines and chose a long unused teapot and matching cup. I chose The Republic of Tea “Hibiscus Superflower Tea, a blend of Coconut bits, Nigerian Hibiscus flower, Rose Hips, and Stevia – as its proprietary blend. I gently steeped it for 5 minutes and eased into the moment….which turned into an entire day of oohing and ahhing over gardens in England and sipping a wonderful cup of tea.

Although I did not grow the tea for this day, it made me think of what herbs can be grown in the garden for tea. As we approach this year’s gardening season consider growing some herbs for a good cup of tea with benefits. A few of my flowering favorites are chamomile, bergamot, and borage. Borage has such a lovely blue flower and is considered to be an uplifting herb. A gorgeous star flower that adds sheer joy to a salad or in a cup of iced tea or lemonade. I like to see the blossom’s floating in a sea of pale yellow with a leaf of mint….just beautiful!!! A beneficial of having Borage in the garden other than for tea….it is a terrific bee attractant. It is like a bee alarm that goes off in the garden!!

There is also Bergamot. A wonderful bloom that resembles fireworks, however, it can be aggressive in the garden,  but easily maintained when tugged in time – keep an eye on this one!!! Using the leaves that emit a wonderfully sweet orange blossom fragrance, this herb is a native plant that has been used for many, many years. The oils found in the leaves offer a huge level of antioxidants. A calming tea best enjoyed ….whenever!!

Rose hips are another common item found in the garden. Those wonderful orange remnants of bloom found on the rose-bush offer flavonoids, lycopene, Vitamin C and VitaminA. Drinks can be made by crushing the rose hips and steeping them in hot water. All this beneficial goodness, found in the garden. Imagine that! Some other herbs to consider are most of the Mint family, Chamomile, Lemon Balm (delicious hot or cold) and Anise Hyssop.  Now before you go making all sorts of combinations as a cure-all, check with your doctor. Some herbs interact with medications or allergies.

ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR OR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL PRIOR TO INGESTING!!!

Steal a quiet Saturday for yourself, make time to pause to enjoy a cup or a pot of a delicious tea from the garden. You will be surprised at the joy that it will bring if you dry the leaves and store them to be enjoyed offseason.

Peace from the Cottage,

Teri

Philadelphia Flower Show…Ushering In Spring

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Ushering in Spring this year meant traveling to the Philadelphia Flower Show to embrace all that Spring has to offer…in advance.  Usually, I am either sponsoring or a participant on a bus trip to see the Philadelphia Flower Show. It has been an odd year of unanticipated changes, so I thought I needed to experience this Spring Advance Showing with a different set of eyes.  In a way, I am glad I did.I have visited the Philadelphia Flower Show for over 20 years and have never regretted going. Some of the themes were not appealing to me at the time, but when I look back, an exhibit, a vendor or a moment, always lingered in my mind….at least until the next show. To anticipate my personal Flower Show in my mind always starts with my yearly trek to the Philadelphia flower Show.This year, the theme was Holland. When I think of Holland…well bulbs naturally come to mind. All kinds of bulbs from Tulips to Daffodils, Muscari to Galanthus to Hyacinths – bulbs mean Spring no matter where you go.  This year’s Philadelphia Flower Show did not disappoint from the inspirational bulb displays to the creative combinations.  Distinctive displays shared how plant material, such as trees and shrubs, can be integrated into the Spring landscape and complimented by a underplanting of bulbs.Greeted by a phenomenal arch of assorted bulb combinations, the fragrance of spring, the fresh foliage filled the aired, causing the world outside to be a distant memory. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that some of the bulbs I would see were from a familiar vendor, Brent & Becky’s Bulbs out of Gloucester, Virginia. Such an awesome merchant with such a wide range of bulbs not just for Spring, but for any season.  There were some very soft, feminine, as well as bright, bold and colorful tulips, artfully arranged in diverse landscape interpretations.There were large displays with outrageous interpretations of landscape options.   Big displays, small displays, minimalist displays… and over the top displays. There was the theme of bikes, alternative means of transportation made beautiful simply by adding flowers. I also seemed to find a lot of wire and floral collaborations.  The diversity of bikes, wire and light bulbs…yes light bulbs, was uniquely integrated into inspirational floral fantasy. This yearly trek always includes a little shopping with the vendors located on site.  From a simple souvenir to ornamental flags to whip in the breeze in front of my house as a constant reminder of a wonderful day. Light shopping this year…but this year, it was all about the memory as well as the escape from the world as I know it. A limited edition pin, mug, GROW magazine, and key ring, were just what I needed. When I sip from my coffee mug at work, my smile merely reflects the memory of a great day at the Philadelphia Flower Show.The Philadelphia Flower show ushers in Spring and has for quite some time.  Quite honestly, I cannot imagine Spring without my yearly trek to be in the City where I can immerse myself and find the creative interpretation of all things Spring.  Thank you, Philadelphia Horticultural Society for all you do to help us embrace a new season, every Spring.

The theme for the 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show is Wonders of Water. Featuring how water is used in the landscape as well as creative features on sustainability and conservation….alas…something to dream about until next March. The show dates for the Philadelphia Flower Show 2018 are  March 3 – 11. See you there???