My Happy Place

 

I took a much needed 3 day holiday over the Columbus Day weekend.  Since I rarely have a Saturday off I decided to attend the First Annual Fall Plant Sale at my fav place, Descanso Gardens.  It was in cooperation with Monrovia Nursery, Mt. San Antonio College Agri Dept. and Descanso.  They had speakers on Saturday which is why I wanted to attend Sat.  I learned all about the magnificent Oak tree and it's symbiotic relationship with other life forms.  Amazing!

 

 

Descanso has the most Camellia plants of any public garden in California.  They are everywhere throughout the garden but there is one place under the oaks where the majority of them live.  The best show of Camellia flowers is in January through March.  If you've never been there you should go because it's beautiful and peaceful.  They're open everyday except Christmas day.  Check it out www.descansogardens.org .  They have a large rose garden where you can get married.  This is the entrance to the rose garden:

 

On Sat. I also learned about how to graft citrus trees so you can have different citrus fruit on the same tree, new plants that have been hybridized by Monrovia Nursery that will grow well in So. Cal. and added my to my knowledge about vermiculture (worm farming); how to make compost tea that plants just love. Because I'm moving, I didn't buy even one little plant, boo, hoo.   Here's the plant sale on the main lawn:

 

They even have fish (Koi) in their ponds:  They'll swim close to the edge and the kids can reach down and touch them!

I've been going to Descanso Gardens for years; I  used to stroll my babies there.  It has improved over time although, I miss the Japanese arts/crafts/book shop they used to have.  I still have the origami books and some of the special square papers that my daughter just had to have.  I always stop in at the new Gift Shop before leaving:

Have a beautiful day!

It's the 1st day of Autumn and my 1st Post!

Hi, I figured that today would be a good day to make my blogging debut since Fall has been my favorite time of year for quite awhile now.  Although it can still be hot here through October, the heat is almost over, vacations are over, the kids are back in school and everyone's getting into a new normal.  My plan is to write everyday and would appreciate reader input.  The internet still fascinates me and I've already made friends online and we too, can be friends. 



I'd better get going, it'll soon be time to open my shop and I have a display box to paint red this morning...

I hope that your Fall is filled with good-natured ghosts and goblins; great food, drink and happiness always.  Come back tomorrow and say, hi!