CityDiggity
A green space for urban gardenersArchive for morning_glory
Lights, climbers, action: building a twinkling, virtual garden wall
Net lights hung around the railing of my city balcony make for nighttime ambiance.
Every summer the City of Chicago puts on a festival called Venetian Night, in which a host of boats tricked out in sparkling lights drift past the city’s shoreline. Did I mention — for those who have never visited Chicago — that the beach here is ACTUALLY DOWNTOWN? What more could an urban dweller ask for?
Technically, it’s lakefront, not beachfront. But, it’s a Great Lake, so it has the aspect of a beach, without the salt water. Anyway, the magical effect of those twinkling lights is what I try to evoke on my 5×12-foot balcony.
I make my brand of magic by attaching a length of Read the rest of this entry »
Mother of all cleanup days: time for dirty job that has to be done
You can only put off garden cleanup for so long before the day of reckoning arrives.
Those of you in warmer climes probably spent Mother’s Day Sunday winding down colorful garden paths and smelling the early roses, while here on Planet Chicago I tackled the dirty job of cleaning up the debris from last year’s garden.
I promise the wooden duck and bird will stand proud again.
I know, many people choose to pull out the old plants in late fall, but for me it’s a pretty sad process at that time, since there always are a few flowers struggling to live on — if but for scant days more. I just can’t bear to deprive them of their extended moment of defiance. Cleaning up now, when I know the best Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve got the blues… hope it’s not too much of a good thing
Three shades of blue in a past garden. Even more blue varieties will abound this year, punctuated with yellow, green and orange.
In my mind’s eye, the idea of a monochromatic garden is very intriguing, entrancing even. All-white gardens are quite the rage in certain circles, and, with my adoration of blue flowers, I’ve been oh-so tempted to create an all-blue fantasy.
But I think the reality would be far less satisfying than the dream. Recently, a fellow gardener who shares my love of blue said that if she had her druthers, some day she’d plant a garden of blues Read the rest of this entry »
Flowers can bring tidings of comfort, and joy
Morning glory's fleeting flowers last just hours, but sunrise brings a new crop.
I should probably wait until we get to know one another better before I start going on about how gardens are a meditation on Life, and yes, I mean life with a capital “L” (smile). Still, it’s pretty difficult not to see concepts small and large — like growth, reinvention, death and rebirth — rooted in even the most modest of gardens.
Perhaps this accounts for why flowers, given at such joyous occasions as birthdays and anniversaries, are also what we reach for when Read the rest of this entry »
One garden, four delights: color, fragrance, texture and taste
Yellow Nasturtium (against purple Morning Glory) has edible leaves and flowers.
Sensory overload. It’s one of a garden’s most enchanting promises. And, indeed, it’s what likely contributes to a garden’s universal appeal. The vibrant colors, the delicate fragrances, the varied textures and wonderful flavors all stimulate the senses. I try to reflect each of these aspects in my small outdoor space. Here’s how I’ll introduce them:
Color: My palette — which plays off my interior color scheme — consists of yellows, greens, blues and oranges. I’m using some selections that have performed well for me in the past as a base, and Read the rest of this entry »
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