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Joan Ambu

Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Windy Afternoon

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read797 views

I have kept busy in the garden lately, building plant support, planting and transplanting.
The plants are healthy, thriving and more Hummingbirds are visiting my gardens. My lone surviving evergreen vine and climber Pink Jasmine is covered in pink buds and delicate fragrant white flowers.

Have you tried Jasmine Tea? It is said to be efficient against coughs, sore throats and weight loss. Jasmine Tea can help relieve headaches, balance fluids in the body, regulate blood circulation and arterial tension. Jasmine Essential Oil is used for massaging and in treating dry, brittle, or dehydrated skin. Click here to read about Jasmine’s many benefits.

For best results, grow your Jasmine in full sun.

Pink Jasmine Flowers.
Pink Jasmine Flowers.

My Gaura Lindheimeri plants are hosts of the Caterpillars of the White-lined Sphinx (Hummingbird Moth).

Caterpillar on Gaura Lindheimeri.
Caterpillar on Gaura Lindheimeri.

Just beginning to bloom in my backyard is the Dwarf Myrtle (Myrtus Compacta); a deer resistant and evergreen shrub with delicate creamy-white flowers. The foliage and stems exude a pleasant scent when crushed.

Dwarf Myrtle.
Dwarf Myrtle.

While cleaning my Tipsy Pots Plant Tower, I found a dead Spider trapped in its own web.

Dead Spider.
Dead Spider in its web.

It’s a lovely day today and I am grateful for the Wind which is keeping us cool during hot days like today.

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Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Yellow Garden Flowers

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read783 views

With temperatures soaring, our High Desert Plants seem to be at their best.
As I wan­dered around my backyard garden this morning, I noticed various shades of Yellow Flowers.

Bee Pollinating French Broom.
Bee Pollinating French Broom.

How could I miss the fragrant flower of Miniature Rose “Thanks To Sue” and its eye-catching delicate apricot petals?

Miniature Rose "Thanks To Sue."
Miniature Rose “Thanks To Sue.”
Miniature Rose "Del Sol."
Miniature Rose “Del Sol.”
Golden Orange Miniature Rose.
Golden Orange Miniature Rose.

The Stella D’Oro Daylilies have burst with vibrant yellow blooms.

Stella D’Oro Daylily.
Stella D’Oro Daylily.

With weeds out of sight and temperatures rising, I don’t spend as much time gar­den­ing as I used to. I spend time plan­ning, designing, mov­ing furniture and plants to new loca­tions as well as watching the plants grow. I still have a long way to go with my gardens, but for now, I am content with .

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Kids Craft Children Education DIY: Projects

DIY: Ocean Diorama

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read3K views

For their last month of school, the first graders project is taking the students to the Ocean waters. The kids were asked to allow their imagination go wild and create their own Ocean scene in a box.

Ocean Diorama Project.
Ocean Diorama Project.

Materials/Tools Needed

  • Cardboard
  • Hand drawn scenes
  • Blue Construction Papers
  • Scissors
  • Synthetic Plants
  • Stones
  • Fish cutout (from drawings or Magazine)
  • Card stock
  • Markers
  • Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
  • Fishing Wire

Step by Steps:

  • Decide on the shape of box you want.
  • For background, draw a scene on a blue construction paper, cut it out then glue inside box.
  • Draw Sea creatures on paper, cardboard or simply cut out shapes out of magazines.
  • Use fishing wire to make free-floating fish by taping them to the top of the box and the body of the fish.
  • Hot glue the stones and synthetic plants on the floor of the diorama.

It was another fun project which my Son completed with the assistance of his Father and Sister.

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Ground Squirrel Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Squirrels Damage on Yucca

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read1.2K views

It’s been a while since I last shared my thoughts on this blog. So much has happened around here. Mother’s day has come and gone and the weather is getting hotter here in the High Desert of California.

Things have been looking up around my gardens until last week when I started finding damaged plants around my property. I read a while back that one of the main reasons why Squirrels and other rodents are damaging the Shrubs and Trees is because they are looking for water. In this case they are targeting the moisture found in the sap of Trees. Most damages occur during drought conditions.

Squirrel damage on Yucca.
Squirrel damage on Pendula Yucca.

I am very thankful that the plant wasn’t completely destroyed and I can still save it. I may not find the idea of wrapping every single plant with chicken wire, but for my sanity and my plants health, it just might be the right thing to do until I have a permanent solution. Click here to learn about other Problems associated with Yucca Plants.

Full Moon over Mountains.
Full Moon over Mountains.

We enjoyed spending time outdoors today building garden Planters, conversing, transplanting seedlings, watching the Sunset and the full Moon rise over our beautiful High Desert Mountains.

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