Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Dear Santa...

How have you been? We Girls at The Haunted Gardens have been extra good this year! We are hoping your Holiday is not too stressful.
We have made a list of things we'd like for Christmas this year. And even included pictures. And shopping will be easy (in case your elves can't make the items) because all the items can be found in one spot! What on Earth catalog. Click here to go to their webpage. And because we have been so good, we are hoping that we might find one (or maybe two) of the following items under our tree this Christmas. (Remember there are four of us!)
Please give our regards to Mrs. Claus, the elves and all the reindeer.

Best Wishes,
The Haunted Gardens Caretakers

Bat Weathervane
Sunbathing Alien Statues
Flamingo Skellys
Dragon Sculpture

Hanging Copper Bats


Gnome Skellys
Fungus Peepers
Bookworm with Solar Powered Light

Ogre Heads



Monday, October 18, 2010

A Pumpkin Flower


Why carve a pumpkin with a regular, old scary face when you can can carve a FLOWER?

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Well it is about a haunted garden

but not actually a haunted garden.

The imagery in the poem is lovely.  Thanks to The Gallows blog for letting me re post this.  The blog features all sorts of creepy poem posts, one of my favorites.

HAUNTED


by Louis Untermeyer


Between the moss and stone

The lonely lilies rise;

Wasted and overgrown

The tangled garden lies.

Weeds climb about the stoop

And clutch the crumbling walls;

The drowsy grasses droop—

The night wind falls.



The place is like a wood;

No sign is there to tell

Where rose and iris stood

That once she loved so well.

Where phlox and asters grew,

A leafless thornbush stands,

And shrubs that never knew

Her tender hands....



Over the broken fence

The moonbeams trail their shrouds;

Their tattered cerements

Cling to the gauzy clouds,

In ribbons frayed and thin—

And startled by the light

Silence shrinks deeper in

The depths of night.



Useless lie spades and rakes;

Rust's on the garden-tools.

Yet, where the moonlight makes

Nebulous silver pools

A ghostly shape is cast—

Something unseen has stirred....

Was it a breeze that passed?

Was it a bird?



Dead roses lift their heads

Out of a grassy tomb;

From ruined pansy-beds

A thousand pansies bloom.

The gate is opened wide—

The garden that has been

Now blossoms like a bride....

Who entered in?

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Roses in the graveyard

roses still blooming in the yard. Pink is a nice contrast to all the gray props :)
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Friday, October 1, 2010

Happy October!



I thought this was slightly humorous. From Monster Jokes and Riddles by Norman Bridwell 1972 scholastic. Have a Monstrously wicked October everyone! If you can't read it click the image to enlarge.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Sassy Sassafras



If you were a tree what kind of tree would you be?
I'd be a Sassafras. The Sassafras is an aromatic delight to the senses! The leaves, roots and branches have a wonderful and sweet aroma when crushed. The roots were once used as the original source of root beer. The leaves come in three shapes: footballs, mittens and ghosts. Everything about this tree screams Fall! It's a little early for leaves here to be changing but they are!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Spider Lilies

Spider Lilies

The spider lilies (Lycoris radiata ) are blooming again.

Also known as hurricane lily—it blooms during hurricane season—Lycoris radiata
stands, like a resting flamingo, on a long, bare stem. Ours are just
gorgeous this year and we have hundreds of bulbs, I think its time to split some
of them up and replant them! Hope you enjoy the video!



Friday, August 20, 2010

Let a JOL Warm Your Yard


 Are you needing a Chiminea for your yard? Check out this Ghastly Gourd!! Wouldn't he make a nice addition to a yard? He's not only fun to look at but he'd keep your hands (or tooshy) warm as well! These Jack-O-Lantern themed Chimineas are also available with Goofy or Smiling Faces. And they come in Luminary size!  Click here for more info! 

Thursday, August 12, 2010

No technically "in my garden"

But it was on the property, and it was amazing to behold. This was on my antena this past weekend.  I just love dragonflies!  Thank you Dawn for grabbing my camera and snapping this picture.

I will have to tell you the story of my last garden tour....it involved Hal (Halloween Cat) and group of garden tour visitors....and a dragon fly.

Let me think of the best way to tell that tale. :)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Lillies and apples

Just a quick look at what is blooming the Frog Queen's garden this week. 

I just love all kinds of lilies (Casablanca - white and Stargazer - pink...not sure about the yellow ones) and I got a new columnar apple tree this year...looks like I might get a few apples!


Monday, August 9, 2010

The pumpkin garden

in the graveyard.

Last year I got this wild idea to put one of my skeletons in the graveyard.  I just left him there and the pumpkins that I left there rotted and went to seed.  So we have skeleton in the graveyard version 2.

Hoping for more cute Sugar Pie pumpkins for October....although they are flowering a bit late.  Cross fingers!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Moon Vines and more.....

Our favorite Halloween Flower is the Moon vine!
This year we have planted them in several places!
They have begun their climb along the deck railing,
where we already have our clear lights strung.
Orange lights will be added soon!


More with Morning Glories mixed in!



We also love using Coleus for borders!
One of the prettiest colors is this orange one!


Countdown to Halloween has begun!!!

Friday, July 30, 2010

They're Here!



I have two and need only one more to make my little monsters happy at Halloween! Maybe the Great Pumpkin will shine down on my garden and give me just one more! I'll keep you posted.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

So, I tore the

heck out of my garden a few weeks ago....very few plants were spared and those that were.....looked mighty terrified.



I don't think I can get a shovel near them again with out them sobbing.

I think the lupins are trying to dig there way out and into the neighbors yard....cowards! :D

Poor remaining plants. I told them if they behave I promise not to dig them up until next year. I don't think they believe me. :)

Now...to plant all my new purchases!!!

Corpsing in the garden

We had our first ever "corpsing" class this last Saturday in the Graveyard - our good friend and fantastic photographer Marci took pictures. Loving gardens as she does she snapped this picture of one of the students through my hanging flower baskets.

Made me smile, so I had to share.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

My Haunted Veggies



Well my pumpkins are doing pretty well. The scarecrows don't really work. The deer don't seem to mind them. The rest of our veggies are on the deck. Keeps the most critters away!

Friday, July 2, 2010

The Cemetery Lily

When a person speaks of a Cemetery Lily, an image of a Calla Lily usually comes to mind. But in The South, the term Cemetery Lily refers to a Crinum Lily.


The Crinum belongs to the Amaryllis family. It can withstand drought, poor soil, scorching heat and the native Swamp Crinum Lily even enjoys soggy soil. Yet, despite what Mother Nature (and Man) throws at it, this hardy bulb will provide years and years of blooms. The Crinum will have long strap-like leaves with multiple blooms borne on a stalk. The blooms are quite fragrant, especially as evening draws nigh.


Crinum originally migrated to America via ships arriving from South Africa and other tropical areas. It adapted well to the Southern climate and was planted around homesteads and grave sites. Today, these Crinum can still be seen blooming.


There was a surge in popularity in the 1920s and again in the 1950s, with many new varieties being bred. Preferring hardiness zones 8-10, some Crinum will survive to zone 5-6 with mulch. All Crinum can be grown in a pot if enough room for bulbs and roots are provided. For more info go to The Bulb Society .

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Who's Yo Daddy?


DNA is now a part of our every day lives thanks to TV shows like "CSI".  And finding out who our relatives are has become even more popular thanks to shows like "Who Do You Think You Are?" 
(Or was that The Maury Povich Show?)

Well, the plant world is not being left out. Plants are now being classified by their DNA rather than their appearance. This is the result of a 10 year collaborative effort by taxonomists from around the world - the APG III (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group) Project.

And the results are amazing! Indian Pipe is related to the Azalea and Sycamores are kin to the Protea.

But then, aren't we always amazed at who we're related to??

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

A Goddess in the Garden



This is a shot of Aphrodite Frittillary resting on some Lime Oregano. When it's wings are open this beauty is Orange and Black. The Oregano is an ornamental I don't cook with this kind. I love the color! I've been tucking this in between my rock beds and this year it's looking wonderful.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Husband compared it

to taking an etch-a-sketch and shaking it to what I did to one of our gardens.

This is the first of many posts showing the rebuild of my gated flower garden in the back yard that has eight plots all about 3 feet deep and 10 feet wide, with gravel down the middle and in between the beds. I planted in or around 2000 or 2001. The idea very much inspired by the garden in the movie Practical Magic.

Last year I completely ignored this garden in order to get props finished for Halloween. And the year before....well, I let it slide more than I should have. So this year I knew that I really had to tear up a big chuck of the invasive perennials dead roses (I think the daises choked them.....daises are evil that way :D )


This project is a whole lot easier to do when husband comes along and digs them up rather than me spending 20 minutes trying to get one plant out....he can remove most everything in one of beds in a few minutes. So he was out there on one of the sunny days (we have had a few) and dug up most of the garden.


Now you might say...you should have given some of these away - I would have if all my gardener friends did not already have a yard full of this stuff from my previous "giveaway parties" :D


We tore out:
  • A butterfly bush tree (really, it was about 6 inches around)
    several other butterfly bushes volunteers (there is a reason they are not allowed in to be sold in our area anymore)

  • A way too friendly Cape Fusicha that not only took over the bed it was planted in....but at least three other beds and I could tell by the way it looked at me when it saw the shovel, that it was on its way across the street to the neighbors garden

  • Purple Coneflower - lots of purple coneflower - also very friendly and made home in just about every bed in the garden.

  • Shasta Daisies...again another plant that had managed to take over an entire bed or two

  • Fever Few......I remember reading once that fever few is important for safe travel charms.....I believe them...all you have to do is plant one small bit and pretty soon it will cover your property to keep you from leaving.....which I guess is helping you travel safe since you cannot leave your house anymore :)

  • Grape Hyacinth - I am sure I will never be done pulling that out of the yard

  • Tickseed - I left one small plant in the garden....and I am keeping an eye on it....well, maybe both eyes :)

  • Some very sad Blaze climbing roses that never really did much climbing

  • Very neglected lavender, that looked like it had been trotted upon by a giant....but it did smell lovely when I dug it up :)

  • Mint....my mortal enemy, but very important for mojitos....and after a few of those...I don't care so much that it has taken over the yard again :)

  • Many, many volunteer cherry tree starts.....note to the twin cherry trees that flag my vegetable garden...your days are numbered. :)

  • Then we pulled out several walnut and hazelnut tree starts along with moving some tulips from the veggie beds back into the garden....I know the squirrels thought they were being helpful :)

Pictures of the garden after the tear out on the next post.

I have been buying, native or at least zone friendly and less invasive plants for the garden! More pictures of my progress to follow.

Frog Queen

Friday, June 4, 2010

Invasive Species Alert

I think that all of us should be aware of this very aggressive invasive species, and especially those of us who have Faerie Gardens!




Wishing everyone a great weekend!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Daylilies and Bee Balm

This is the time of year when we have hundreds of daylilies blooming. In just about every color you can imagine from yellow to orange to red to pinks to purples. We have the Common Tawny Daylily planted in borders around several trees and flower beds. We also have a hundred or more hybrid daylilies. The flowers of most species open at sunrise and wither at sunset, possibly replaced by another one on the same stem the next day. If only the oranges and purples were still blooming in the fall what a beautiful display it would be for the Halloween garden but their blooming will have ceased by then. So we also plant dozens of marigolds, orange daisies, orange and white impatiens, verbena and Bee Balm. We thought we would share just a few of our beauties with you!




Bee balm is an herbaceous member of the mint family. It is commonly grown in gardens and can be found along roadsides and in fields across the United States. Bee balm is also known as bergamont or horsemint. Bees, hummingbirds and butterflies are strongly attracted to the aroma and colorful flowers of the plant, hence the name bee balm. more