Photos (and most of the work) by Sophia.
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My name is Neil Kramer. Make yourself at home. You can contact me at neilochka on yahoo.
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Recent Posts
Wow! Sophia sure has a green thumb!! She must be pumping Miracle-Gro through her veins.
A wonderful respite! Enjoy! This is a great way to have fun in the park with Sophia all within the privacy of your own patio!
Not-Fainthearted is right, you were probably off smoking pot when they discussed that in 3rd grade science class. And at night the sun is REALLY shaded.
The pigeon story did NOT prepare me for such a lovely sight!! What a fantastic job you did. It reminded me of my mother’s container gardens which is strange because my mother’s gardens never looked like anyone else’s gardens (here in the South). Then it hit me – my mother is a SoCal beach girl! So thanks for sharing the fruits of your hard work with us – and thank you for connecting me with my mother’s childhood. Peace.
I’m crazy about the pink hanging cans on the fence! Those are adorable! The whole garden is quite spectacular, and an amazing amount of work. I’m in awe. You’re lucky to have such a lovely space
all that color made me have a seizure!
actually, i’m quite jealous and the plants are VERY BEAUTIFUL! (HENCE MY USE OF ALL CAPS!)
i would have killed all the plants with a full on spray of my watering hose.
come to think of it, i have.
I came for the patio, but I stayed for the pigeons (and Burt’s song–ICING, baby. ICING).
And hey–I was a “blog crush of the day” once, long ago. Does the list get purged anew every year, or did I defy the homeowner’s association so egregiously as to not be included any more? I knew I should have brought in those flamingos…
Yes, it gets purged every once in a while and then I start over again, which may happen again soon.
Looks like Sophia could have a glittering alternative career as the new Charlie Dimmock, or perhaps even Alan Titchmarsh, both of whom are cult TV gardeners in this neck of the woods!
your patio is fantastic – it makes me a little homesick.
Wow, Neil actually interested in plants???
I *love* the Angel’s Trumpet. I think that’s too tropical for here, but I need to check into it.
I don’t think the earwigs will hurt anything but you might want to pick up some insecticidal soap for the aphids. They can jump.
Nelumbo — We bought some scary-looking pesticide that attaches to the garden hose and sprays the leaves and soil. This is what they recommended at Home Depot for the earwigs, which look like monsters from a 50′s sci-fi movie. Are you saying we SHOULDN’T use this?
neil – your question about sun and shade… yes the “sun moves”… but some plant need more and others need less sun…. its kind of like – you don’t want to water the grass DURING the day because it will just get scortched as the sun hits the wet grass – you want to water it in late evening or REALLY REALLY early in the morning (same as your flowers when it is very hot and dry out)….
as for using pesticides… since you aren’t eating any of your plants (or are you) using chemicals isn’t a BIG deal – but make sure to wash your hands/skin very well afterwards…. some may be cancerous (depends on who you talk to)… a lot of gardeners use them.. a lot don’t…. some use them when they FIRST get started but then once things get setteled they stop and start using natural remedies – ie: kill june bugs by picking them off and dropping them in a bucket of CHEEP beer (not the good stuff – that is just alcohol abuse)….
your best bet – don’t ask at home depot – go to a couple & home/garden shops and get different perspecitves… AND get a few books from the bookstore…
Home use of pesticides may be linked to cancer and Parkinson’s, its not worth the risk and there are plenty of no/low toxic alternative. Especially since the lovely Sophia has already had a bout with cancer.
Check out pesticide.org for alternatives, for example, here is the link about aphids http://www.pesticide.org/aphids.pdf
Gorgeous! Hurrah, hurrah!
mm, i imagine it probably smells very nice on your patio… just the kind of place you want to take your coffee mug and curl up and never ever leave.
Plain Jane — Sophia already knew that about pesticides and cancer, and even asked her doctor. That’s why she wants ME to spray everything outside while she leaves the house for several hours. Of course, I asked her, “What about MY health,” and she said I shouldn’t be concerned. Hmm….
Has Sophia recently taken out a large life insurance policy on you? Hmmm? Makes one wonder.
Sophia, when we first moved in Rob’s colleague gave us a pair of Jade plants – and like the crystal they are supposed to bring healing and protection!
Neil, save the planet, buy a watering can! It’s more fun anyway and you get to control how much water each plant gets (all different).
When flowers wilt, cut them off so the plant takes up less energy to try to make them drop off. Or something like that. The flowers should also bloom more often that way.
You should get some orchids, they are very low-maintenance and hardy and beautiful! (national flower of Singapore
I love the fountain!
Beautiful work…looks fantastic. You can now sip coffee and listen to ABBA in a garden oasis.
Wow! I love plants and little patio gardens! Now all you guys need are one of Laini’s Ladies Garden Ladies stakes in one of those. Hey, will you let Sophia know I am in LA now and would love to see her. I cna’t find her email! and good luck tomorrow night, wish I could go.
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