Got outside and did a bit of spring cleaning this weekend.ย I wasn’t very diligent with fall clean up, so we still had a lot of old growth hanging around from last year. Things were looking quite drab and dead, however, underneath all of that old growth we have a variety of spring greens emerging. [Read more…] about Backyard Spring Cleaning
A cause for celebration! In late spring, tulip blooms create quite a scene, rows and rows of vibrant colors bring people together for the annual Tulip Time Festival. A short drive north of Chicago you can find Holland, Michigan, host of over 5 million tulips growing all around town.ย [Read more…] about Tulip Time Festival – Holland Michigan
April arrived once again and that means Turning Moss has been kicking for one full year! Happy Birthday Turning Moss! This year has been full of learning and shaping the path. While the trail is relatively clear, lush mounds of green mosses and spring flowers are filling in, ushering us forward. Let’s take a look back and peek ahead… [Read more…] about Turning Moss Celebrates One Year
March marks the official start of spring. Here in Chicago, we generally still get quite a mixture of weather conditions throughout the month, but there is no denying that spring is pushing through. Very early on we begin to see little purple and yellow flowers popping up. The Crocus flowers are always the first to appear in our yard every year and they don’t seem to have a problem taking on the harsh storms of March. [Read more…] about March’s Yard
Last week my Mom and I visited the Oak Park Conservatory. It had been over a decade since the last time I was there and it was a lot of fun to go back with her. [Read more…] about Oak Park Conservatory
Stapeia gigantea, commonly called Giant Toad Plant, is a cactus like plant native to south eastern Africa. The greens of the Toad Plant have four angled deep ribs with toothed edges. They are clump-forming and can grow up to 8 inches long. The 5 petal star shaped flowers are pale yellow with thin red wrinkles, covered in a fuzzy hairs. These giant flowers can grow up to 12 inches wide and emit a deathly carrion odor. [Read more…] about Stapeia Gigantea – Giant Toad Plant
In the midwest, January doesn’t always feel like a very lively month, at least not in the outdoor garden department. The fall leaves have dried out and plants from last season are sadly drooping under the cold and wet blanket of winter. We are in the thick of hibernation season, but that doesn’t mean that things have completely shut down in the plant world. In fact, this January has been unusually mild and rainy. When I stepped outside to capture these images, I was without a coat wearing sandals, comfortably enjoying the sun and observing the state of the yard. This is not the same January I have grown up to know in the midwest. It’s a little strange that we are seeing some very early signals from spring already, some colorful sites in a generally gray time of year. [Read more…] about January’s Yard
The Diamond Maidenhair Fern ‘Adiantum trapeziforme’ is one of over 200 varieties of Maidenhair ferns. The diamond shaped fronds are quite large compared to others in their family, it is also often regarded at the Giant Maidenhair. The lacy foliage cascades from dark brown to black stems with bright apple green trapezoidal leaves unfurling with scalloped edges. [Read more…] about Diamond Maidenhair Fern