Saying Good-bye to Year of the Horse

The Chinese New Year begins February 19/15, welcoming in the Year of the Sheep.  Happy New Year!!!!

Bridal Fantasy 2015

Floral:

Fashion:

And now the cakes:

Tables:

Pretties:

#BridalFantasy2015  #weddingideas #weddingcakes #weddingflowers

Greenland Garden Centre Embraces the Tropics With Their New Indoor Garden

Mid to late January and through February you can take a short drive to Sherwood Park to visit the tropics at Greenland Garden Centre.

Family owned, Greenland Garden Centre has made a tradition of installing a large garden space each winter following the take down of the famous Christmas store.  This year one of the business partners, a different partner from the previous couple of years, decided to take the garden in a new direction and it is a beautiful relaxing oasis of a success!  With soft music playing in the background, one can take a seat at one of a few bistro tables nearby and just soak in the tropics.  No sunscreen necessary.  It's the perfect break from the cold winter and you don't need a plane ticket either!

Visit last year's garden Greenland Inspiration which featured an Asian inspired garden.

Top Four Gardening Trends for 2015

-

Urban agriculture and small space gardening example

• Urban Agriculture

Grow your own

Small Space Gardening

-vertical gardening
-dwarf plants

-square foot gardening

Fairy Garden

Terrariums and Miniatures

Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

• 
  

-miniatures i.e. the fairy garden
-terrariums
-bonsais

Unusual and Carefree Plants

-low maintenance
-unusual specimens

Recently Frank Ferragine appeared on Cityline to discuss garden trends for 2015.  This is a brief summary of his ideas combined with my photos.  What do you think of the trends?  Will you be trying any of them?

Happy New Year to All of You Living the Gardening Life!!

Propagating houseplants - Canadian Gardening

Propagating houseplants - Canadian Gardening

Christmas Eve/ Sarajevo

Edmonton in December is Unseasonably Warm

graphic from Global Edmonton Facebook page

Tuesday we reached a high of almost 13 degrees Celsius while at the International Airport it was 10.2 Celsius and Grand Prairie was 9.6 Celsius.  It's been a long time since we were this warm in December as you can tell from the graphic.  I apologize for the left margin cut off.  Not sure what happened but suffice it to say...technology!  

Is December warmer or colder than usual where you live?  

November snowfall

 I have to remember to spritz my swag with water to keep it from drying out since it has yet to freeze to sustain it whole.  It has melted so much (remember the snowfall we had in November?) that now the walks are icy treacherous.  

I'm participating in a cookie exchange this weekend with the kids and attending Candlelight Christmas Saturday evening.  I've wanted to participate in a cookie exchange for a while and now that the kids are grown it seems an opportune time and they all seem keen on it.  

Candlelight Christmas 2013

Not much decorating has been done here yet but soon we must find a fresh cut tree for the living room and maybe a poinsettia. Have you decorated for Christmas?  Real tree or artificial?  Do you display collections at Christmas like nativities, nutcrackers (me), villages? 

#recordtemperatures  #CandlelightChristmas

Light the Legislature in Christmas Splendour

I Went for the Sauerkraut

I've been craving sauerkraut for weeks, really!  I loved it as a child but since I am the only one in the family who will eat it, I rarely buy it.  Well, the craving wouldn't go away so I headed to a local greenhouse whose owner makes her own and sells it on site.  While picking out my sauerkraut, I also grabbed some Pfeffernusse Cookies and Dominoes.  Of course, I had to check out their Christmas market, photos of which I will share for you to enjoy as well.

There are still at least two greenhouses I must visit before Christmas.  I hope you'll return for a virtual tour!!