tiffin unboxed

Spring Garden - Roses

The final featured spring plant is the magical rose, my very favorite. These perennials, symbols of love and beauty, have been cultivated for thousands of years and come in hundreds of varieties.


The roses in my garden are strictly old school - large, fragrant and pure. They smell intoxicatingly sweet and last more than a week once cut and put into vases.

They symmetry of this perfect white rose blows my mind. The photo is un-retouched.


Roses are a favorite photography subject for me due to the vibrant colors and daily changes in shape and state of bloom.


This particular compact rosebud grows in a lovely, dusty red color of which the camera does not do justice.


When the rose reaches its full corolla, it looks like a painting.


This multicolored rose also blooms in a gold bud, a color I've never seen. Pink spots fleck the edges of the bud.


When it blooms, it partially turns lavender. One can still see the pistils and stamens at the center of these roses, something you don't see in modern greenhouse hybrid varieties.


As this beauty begins to fade, it turns yet a deeper lavender.


Yellow roses convey a cheerful note and always have been dear to me.


This rose opens up to resemble a tissue paper flower that you have to almost touch to believe it's real. It's very dense with petals.


It's been said thousands of times, but in closing nothing but William Shakespeare's immortal words, through Juliet, can summarize a rose's splendor:

Spring Garden - Edibles

So I've often heard that tomatoes are the gardener's gateway drug. As a child I used to eat tomatoes like apples. And even now just can't get enough of them.



Years of hesitation passed, because I didn't want to deal with the critters and pests that come with growing produce.




However, about 3 years ago I made the transition from just flowers to tomatoes. And with a summer salad of tomatoes like these, why not?

I plant marigolds around them to deter pests, the organic way.




Because of all the rain and overcast days, this year's crop definitely displayed quality over quantity.



This spring I also branched out to the more exotic and started a bitter melon vine, a tropical vine wildly popular in Asia. I grew up eating these veges regularly..

The yard has plenty of buzzing bees, so quite a few flowers got successfully pollinated through no effort of my own.




As well as bearing one of my favorite vegetables, the leaves and plant are quite graceful.



I'm just waiting for these darlings to grow.



This spring I attempted two types of eggplants - Japanese and Rosa Bianca (from seeds).

Eggplants are hands down my favorite vegetable due to their versatility.


It began with a delicate lavender bloom.


Which grew to flower.


Then a tiny eggplant began growing.


It's almost ready for picking.




Most of the time I grow Thai chili peppers to satisfy my cravings for heat. However, this Spring I also planted Serranno chilies, which pack a lot of heat, but not as much as the Thai chilies.




Squash blossoms are a favorite cooking ingredient for me. Both the blossoms and the large zucchinis are as easy to grow as tomatoes and very prolific.

There are other vegetable and fruit plants in progress now, so stay tuned for future updates.

More Spring Garden Blooms

Somehow summer is here, but I'm still celebrating spring. I took photos of what's in bloom all spring and decided to do a series on the plants in the garden. The goal is 1 post per day or more.



This is a new bloom from seed. I currently don't remember what it was so it shall remain a mystery.


Even during construction at home, flower vines are popping up out of cracks in the concrete, in a neglected area of the yard.


Irises grown from bulbs.




This gorgeous burgundy pelargonium grows these tiny flowers, then forms a cluster.




Two colors of Black Eyed Susans appeared on my first post on spring blooms, but they are cute enough for an encore.


The daisy tree continues it's growth and remains full of flowers and buds.


Even in a shady spot.


This new asparagus foxtail fern adorns the deck. A friend told me they survive no matter what. My plants rarely get neglected but the sturdy ones are much appreciated.


The verbena usually likes full sun, yet they are also thriving in a diffused light spot.


I love, love, love California Poppies. They rarely survive being transplanted so I've grown mine from seed.


Bees are almost always buzzing around these basil flowers. And I welcome them so they can pollinate other plants.


This little chocolate sunflower bloomed in no time.


I thought sunflowers were a 1-flower deal, but 3 offshoot little ones grew around it.


Mexican sage, one of my new loves. They attract hummingbirds.


And the velvety flowers are great for cutting and putting into vases.


Two Sea Thrifts recently went into the ground. I have a strange fascination for pom pom shaped things, and these upright flowers are so sweet.


The first hibiscus grew on this tiny plant. We often take them for granted. This is my tribute to Hawaii, one of my favorite places on earth.

Stay tuned for more themed garden posts. This was a warm up.

Spring Garden Blooms

People say we have no seasons in Southern California. While we don't get many weather extremes, we definitely have a bounty of plants in bloom throughout the year.

March 21st was the first day of spring. Since then I've been noticing tiny buds, blooms and sprouts all over my garden. Here are some for you to also enjoy.

rosa bianca eggplant sprouting from seed

There is joy in watching plants grow from the ground up. Part of the satisfaction of gardening for me is to watch a plant grow from seed or clippings, then eventually bloom.

double tuberose sprouting from bulb

pumelo blossom

lemon blossom

lemon growing (lower right)

tiny grapes

lavender

blooming daisies