Farla's Flower Garden of Alphabet Verse

In winter, I look for indoor activities, away from home, that allow me to breathe in fresh air, as I transition from house to car to parking lot to building. One of my destinations is a community center where I joined a writers’ circle. Some members of this group are storytellers, others write poetry in free verse or iambic pentameter. One member, Margie Golick, is a talented, humorous, poet. She wrote the following as a birthday present for a friend. Astute gardeners, who might find exception to some of her botanical facts, should note that this writer’s expertise lies in rhyming couplets.

Flower Facts for Farla by Margie Golick 

Seeding, weeding, digging, hoeing; Like the Energizer Bunny, Farla keeps on growing.

In every single garden bed; Nature’s secrets A to Z.

AnemoneAloe, anemone, astilbe; We’re your friends and always will be.

BegoniaBluebells, buttercups, begonia; But you’re in your garden when we try to phone ya.

Campanula portenschlagianaCampanula, core-opsis; No time for a movie – Just read a synopsis.

Dahlia Mary's Jomanda Dandelion, daffodil, dahlia, daisy; No one would dare to call you lazy.

Echinacea Mama MiaEchinacea, edelweiss; A garden is a healthy vice.

FuchsiaFuchsia, foxglove, forget-me-not; (Unless they find you growing pot)

GerberaGerbera, gentian, and geranium; Guarantee a youthful cranium.

Fall HyancinthusHyacinth, heather, hollyhock; Hold you steady as a rock.

Iris versicolorImpatiens, ipomoea, iris; Impenetrable by any virus.

JasmineJack–in-the-pulpit, jonquil, jasmine; For sure you’ll never be a has-been.

KelpKeep your garden mulched with kelp; You’ll find this is a lot of help.

Mountain laurelNeed to patch a lover’s quarrel? Try lilac, lemon mint or laurel.

MimosaEverything will be hunky-dory; With mimosa, marigold, morning glory.

NasturtiumNarcissus, nasturtium, nightshade, nettle; Put a little in your kettle.

OleanderJust a whiff of oleander; Women flirt and men philander.

Shirley poppyRemember to think outside the box; With peony, poppy, petunia, phlox.

QuinceAnd always reserve a little space; For growing quince and Queen Anne’s lace.

Oso easy strawberry crush roseRosemary, rhododendron, rose; These will banish all your woes.                                                                                                            

Snapdragon frosty lavenderSalvia, snapdragon, sunflower, sedum; Got 'em, got ‘em, got ‘em, need ‘em.

TrilliumTiger lily, tulips, trilliums; Will bring you fortunes by the milliums.

Ulex europaeusYour beds will never be unruly; With ulex, ugni, and uhule.

VioletVenus fly trap, vio-let; Will also keep you out of debt.

Wisteria blutentraubenWeigela, wisteria, water lily; Keep you warm when the day is chilly.

XeranthemumXeranthemum if you want variety; Will bring you welcome notoriety.

YarrowWith yarrow, yucca, yam, and yew; You will never catch the flu.

Zinnia cherry double zaharaFrom Vancouver east to West Virginia; These facts hold true and I’ll be Zinnia.  

Flowers of Volunteer Park Conservatory; a book review

Flowers of Volunteer Park Conservatory, blooming month by month. Sara L. Chapman, published by Book Publishers Network

I belong to a community of over 3,000 garden writers where members are encouraged to evaluate each other’s work, by assigning votes to pleasing blog posts. The number of visitors each one receives also determines a member’s popularity. Ever since the creation of this garden community, almost four years ago, the most popular blogs, have been those offering spectacular photographs of flowers. Every day, talented photobloggers enchant their followers with close-ups of plants, otherwise impossible to appreciate with the naked eye.

When I first glanced at the first few pages of Ms. Chapman’s book, I realized that she, too, understands the power of the flower close up; immediately, I was blown away by her work. This visually entertaining book is a photographic phenomenon. – vivid colorful close-ups of flowers and plants, each page more beautiful than the next, and each featuring a plant at its zenith.

A hidden gem of Seattle, Washington’s park system, Volunteer Park Conservatory is one of the last Victorian glass conservatories in the U.S.  This historic venue is comprised of five houses: the Palm House displaying an incredible orchid collection; the Seasonal house with an ever-changing show of flowers in spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the Cactus House containing intriguing cacti, succulents, and flowers, the Fern House with tropical and carnivorous plants; and the Bromeliad House home to pineapple plants, air plants, and other exotic flowers.

The intention of the author has been to create a miniature coffee table book to share her personal view of the flowers as they change throughout the year. This work, based upon twelve monthly visits, showcases at their peak, magnificent, rare flowers and extraordinary foliage gathered from around the world.

Throughout the year, each of the houses is in a continuous state of flux, as extraordinary specimens are put on display when they come into bloom or bear unusual fruit. The conservatory is known also for its signature blend of perfect horticultural techniques with world- class, creative plant combinations. Inserted skillfully between the showpiece plants are complimentary foliage to enhance and create a seamless display. The result is a year-round, fluid, horticultural journey through five diverse bioregions. Ms. Chapman has artfully captured it all with this publication.

This reviewer cannot emphasize enough the intense pleasure conveyed by each group of seasonal pages. The images are so powerful, that admiring more than a few at a time might be overwhelming. Like a fine brandy, the contents of this photographic essay should be sipped slowly - a little bit at a time. The quality of the illustrations is so great that a reader can feel the healing beauty of the plants simply by admiring their photographs.

Award-winning nature photographer Sara L. Chapman is also a graphic designer, photoblogger, and gardener. Like Monet, she gardens to have good photo subjects. This book, offered both in hardcover and paperback, is available from Amazon.com or may be purchased directly from the author at http://www.lovethatimage.com/