#SpringGarden | Valentina Expressions

Spring, Beauty and Books: Colleen Chesebro

Spring in California is magnificent. On the same day, one can go to the beach and in an hour or two, one can reach the mountain to ski on fluffy snow. It sounds rather tiring, but a lot of wealthy people in this area live exactly like that. The weather is always very comfortable, not too warm, not too cold, it’s always Spring even in the winter. Heavy coats and heavy garments are not part of our wardrobe. I forgot what it is to live in cold weather. I look at my garden and feel like a parent watching the kids growing year after year. I see how it has grown from seeds, how time and my various moods have changed it and how much food it has produced for me. I feel so proud, a city girl like me has shaped a non-descriptive, anonymous yard into a beautiful garden.

Author Colleen Chesebro has a different Spring.
“Here in Michigan, it seems like we are in our third or fourth winter. Most days are sunny, but the biting wind makes it hard to enjoy the sunshine. Occasionally, southerly winds caress me with warmth, which is spring’s way of flirting—like a pretty girl who doesn’t realize her own beauty. Those warm days help me forget all the cold days.

Much of the snow has melted and last year’s spent leaves litter our front yard. I’ve spent some time thinking about what I will plant in front of our house this year. So far, I know I’ll plant flowering bushes (hydrangeas, come to mind) after the old maple tree stump is removed and I can enrich the soil.

After the maple tree—what will I plant out front?

Spring, inside the house, blooms in unexpected places. My Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter cactus blooms on a southerly facing windowsill.”

Spring sunshine brings blooms
pale blooms bask
in sun’s afterglow—
spring awaits
© Colleen M. Chesebro

Are you ready to learn how to craft Japanese and American poetry? Consider this book the first step on your journey to learning the basics of how to craft syllabic poetry. Inside, you will discover many new forms, syllable combinations, and interpretations of the different Japanese and American forms and structures of haiku, senryu, haiga, tanka, renga/solo renga, gogyohka, haibun, tanka prose, the cinquain, and its variations, Etheree, nonet, and shadorma poetry.

So… what are you waiting for? Let’s craft syllabic poetry together!

I’ve done the work of researching these syllabic forms for you. Word Craft: Prose & Poetry is available as an Ebook and a Print book. mybook.to/WordCraftProsePoetry Let’s write syllabic poetry together! ❤

Blog: https://wordcraftpoetry.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColleenChesebro

Your teaching sounds very much like art, much success to you.

Stay tuned for the next feature on Tuesday. Allow me timidly to advertise my books.

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a blogger of many years. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking and travel. Get a copy of her books here: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

A Tango In The Garden | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

Lately, I have listened to the music of Miguel Del Aguila, a new exploration between contemporary classical chamber music and Latin popular folks styles, played mostly with a clarinet. His music has been my inspiration in creating a Valentine’s garden this year, where I want to find a new style of warm and descriptive passion of love through tropical plants, succulent plants and colorful flowers. To achieve that and to get colors that sing at me, I want to reproduce the colors of the Argentinean homes, colors put together without any rules. However, this is still February, days are short and in most places cold too, not much grows in this month, but if I want to enjoy flowers in a few months from now I must plant the kind of dancing beauty now in February. Planting beautiful flowers early allows more growth time for a healthy root system.
(Photo: La Boca Buenos Aires)

Sweet Alyssum can be planted in February in a sunny spot; this species likes not soggy soil, blooms in pink, purple and white. It is a fragrant flower.
Sweet Pea flowers are good to plant a month before the last frost date. Place a net over the seeds to protect them from birds and snails. They are very colorful and can be used for cutting to bring inside the home.
Marigold or Calendula is an annual plant, good to plant in February, but it will bloom in June and up to the next frost. It blooms in yellow, orange, apricot and cream.
Euphorbia, graceful curving stems with loads of tiny flowers blooms in February. Not all colors are available at the same time, consult with your nursery.
Gentiana, a long-lasting trumpet-shaped flowers with straight stems.

I like my February to be bursting in colors with tulips, narcissus, daffodils, crocus and freesia, therefore I made sure these bulbs were in the ground no later than November and now they really sing at me!

In warmer climate zones plant Strawflowers in the family of daisy flowers. They produce yellow, red, pink, orange or white flowers with papery petals. The cut flowers dry well and they do well in flower arrangements. Like petunia and verbena, Strawflower likes lots of sunlight, but protect them from any February frosts. These are flowers that grow and bloom profusely if planted in February, and they continue to look great until late May.

February is a time to do a variety of chores in the garden: harvest winter crops before they bolt; begin to divide perennials; plant bare root roses and fruit trees; continue planting cool season vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce, onions.

I wanted to share some of the ideas I have for my Valentine’s garden, hopefully they will be good for your garden too, but whatever you choose to do, remember to add music in your garden as if you are directing an orchestra, do that by using colors freely and not in a structured palette. Music is one thing flowers and plants like very much. On the other hand, you can connect music speakers concealed in fake rocks made of resins, light weight, easy to carry and play that Tango music around your plants. They will reward you with beauty.

Miguel Del Aguila says “life without music would be an error”, I agree. After you plan a Valentine’s garden, take your love for a twirl of Tango. Happy Valentine’s day.

As the professional who is always ready, I shall be prompt and ready to help you with any of your needs, whether it will be decorating, designing, remodeling, or planning your outdoor rooms. Place your name in the box below, leave a comment and I will answer you in within 24 hours. Ciao,
Valentina
www.Valentinadesigns.com

Copyright © 2011 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola is an interior designer, in business since 1990. She helps people realizing their dream spaces in homes, offices, interiors and exteriors.
She will guide clients in planning gardens with design concepts, selecting hardscapes, plants and accessories. No land assessment.
Check out her books on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w