“Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul,

“Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delight the heart. And they both take practice.”, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

I gave this flower eyes, so he kind of looks like a blue bat or a blue fox. He's actually an edible flower.

Here's a link to someone's page on flickr, that shows you what the plant looks like with a wider angle lens.

This is a wide angle of the type of flower that it is:
www.flickr.com/photos/mpudi/3281969103/

"My colors are blush and bashful!" ~Shelby (Steel Magnolias)

I'm not exactly sure how magnolias got associated with the South, but it probably had something to do with the movie "Steel Magnolias." It seems that magnolias really enjoy the California sunshine, and all over my neighborhood, they're blooming. The flowers are quite delicate and beautiful. The magnolia pictured, goes by two names, known as a "Japanese Magnolia," or a "Saucer Magnolia." It adds so much beauty to a spring landscape, and is a sure favorite with many gardeners adoring flowering trees.

Look at what's blooming in my garden!

...and for a brief moment, the weatherman thought it might snow in L.A., but it didn't. I did read that daffodil's love cool weather though.

Cheers to Spring, it's on it's way!

I planted wildflowers seeds in my garden. I touched up the blank spots in my yard with grass seed, dirt and fertilizer. I planted new roses. Now my back hurts, for real! I suppose I was surely working.

Live with Gratitude

Gratitude is our most direct line to God and the angels. If we take the time, no matter how crazy and troubled we feel, we can find something to be thankful for. ~ Terry Lynn Taylor, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

Gratitude is our most direct line to God and the angels. If we take the time, no matter how crazy and troubled we feel, we can find something to be thankful for. ~ Terry Lynn Taylor

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

Here's a little music to accompany this poinsettia. It's Elvis, who I think is the rockin King of Christmas music!

Merry' Christmas Baby ~ Elvis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtjY3X-8JVE

Indian Hawthorn

Indian Hawthorn, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

Plumbago

Plumbago, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

I've been paying lots of attention to the plumbago, lining the walking trails in my Southern California neighborhood lately. It has delicate blue flowers, and creates a stunning ground cover.

Need a delicate hedge in your shade garden? Look no further.



This South African native comes in shades of light blue and white. Butterflies flock to this delicate beauty. This perennial plant is just wonderful, blooming from spring through fall.



I found an article on Dave's Garden with ratings about this plant. Enjoy.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/414/

Mexican Marigolds

Mexican Marigolds, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

Meet my favorite California fall flower, the Mexican Marigold. I first discovered this plant while visiting "The Living Desert" in Palm Springs. They sell their plants near the exit, and I wanted a plant that would thrive in a California Garden. They told me this plant was a wonderful, flowering plant, and that it was a California native.

Interestingly, a Mexican friend told me this flower is used in Mexican funerals, and he's not particularly fond of it because he associates it with death.

For me, I associate it will fall color, a wonderful fragrance, and a strong, sturdy, California plant. If you love this shade of harvest yellow, this plant may be an instant favorite for you.

A Stunning Two-Toned Dahlia

A Two-Toned Dahlia, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

Stop by the garden of a true gardener, and you never know what might sneak up and surprise you. I've passed a rose garden for months, telling myself to stop by and photograph those amazing roses. I finally did it today. While I was poking through the roses, I found, what appeared to be the last dahlia of this season. It was starting to droop, but I've personally never met such a gorgeous dahlia in person. Meet this two-toned beauty, and if I find the dahlia's name, I'll post it.

Pretty & Pink Geranium

Pretty & Pink, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

This has to be one of the easiest plants to care for on Earth.

One of the most memorable flower articles I ever read was on geraniums, by the Martha Stewart Living Magazine. You can find the article here.

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/geraniums