That Vintage Girl

This summer I had a wonderful opportunity to visit a lavender farm in Ojai, California called Frog Creek Farm .  The farm is open seasonally for a few weeks in early summer to pick bundles of lavender when they are in full bloom. The enchanting aroma of lavender drifts through the air as you walk through the lavender fields.  The farm also has a lovely lavender shop with homemade lavender products for sale.  I was so charmed by the lavender farm that I got inspired to plant some more French and English lavender in my garden.  In addition to being fragrant and beautiful, lavender attract bees and butterflies.      Bundles of lavender. The lavender shop.  Fields of lavender. Many different varieties of lavender too.  Lavender picking supplies include baskets and umbrellas.   Some of my lavender bundles.  The lavender shop on the farm.  Inside the lavender shop. Homemade lavender products for sale.  One of the ...

One of my favorite flowers is the Matilija poppy.  It is native to southern California and blooms in the spring and summer months. It is a wild flower that grows naturally in coastal and desert regions where there is well-drained sandy or gravely soil. It is a very drought-tolerant shrub that loves sunshine and is loved by pollinators. It is also called a tree poppy because its stems can grow up to 8 feet tall!.  But what is most spectacular about this flower is that it produces large four to eight inch scented flowers with white crepe-like petals and a golden center.   The Matilija poppy was collected and scientifically catalogued as Romneya coulteri in the 1830s by Dr. Thomas Coulter, an Irish botanist. In the early 1900s, it was cultivated and introduced to gardeners by Theodore Payne, an English horticulturalist who called it the "Queen of California flowers".  In 1890, the Matilija poppy, California poppy, and Mariposa lily were contenders for the state fl...

Cottage gardens are so enchanting and charming.  The layering of colorful flowers, trees, and shrubs that are blended with rustic pathways and adorned with vintage-style garden decor creates a truly tranquil outdoor haven. They have lovely pathways made from stone, old brick, or pebbled gravel. Some have gates and fences, but they all have outdoor seating. Watering cans, clay pots, and beautifully scrolled wrought iron furniture are essential accessories.  If you have the space, an outdoor potting bench and garden shed will make you an official gardener! I have a small yard that I have slowly transformed into a petite cottage garden.  After a few years of hard work, the garden is finally filling up with flowers and fruit trees I have planted.  The garden is also intertwined with new pathways, a few seating areas,  and adorned with charming vintage garden decor I have collected at thrift stores. It has also become a safe haven for birds, bees, and butterflies!...