Remnants

Sensory Garden Skeleton

Long-lasting cut flowers

First, plunge the cut flowers into a sinkful of lukewarm water right after cutting, or better yet bring a container of water out into the garden with you.
Put 2 tablespoons of sugar into the bottom of the vase, add water, and stir to dissolve.
Before: flower with leaves intact.
After: run your fingers along either side of the stem and strip off foliage that will be below the water line.

Recut the stem on the diagonal and place into the vase.

Arrange and enjoy!

My flowers last longer than I like to keep them. I just threw out my last group of cut flowers and they were nowhere near being wilted after two weeks.

Another hint: empty the water in the vase after 5 days, trim another inch off the bottom of the stems and refill with water and a Tbsp. of lemon-lime soda. An easy way to do this without having to rearrange the flowers is to grasp the flowers just above the vase line, pull them out and continue holding while you trim the ends with the other hand.

Here are some of my other Works for me Wednesday Tips (scroll down). For other great tips, head over to Rocks in my Dryer.

Sensory Garden

A Sensory Garden is fun for every child - or the child in each of us. It includes plantings that appeal to each of our senses: Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste, and (done right) even Hearing.

You can plant a mini Sensory Garden using potted plants or you can go all out and plant an entire flowerbed or yard. Typically they are accessible to the diabled as well. My son is in a wheelchair so we have planted everything to be at a height that is easy for him to touch.

Our vegetable garden is raised so that he can help pick the peas and tomatoes. Involve the kids and talk about what you're planting - they will love getting their hands in the soil.

Here is a basic planting list for each of the five senses - my favorites have an asterisk next to them. Many plants can fit into more than one category.

Pictures of our Sensory Garden can be found here

Sight - This is where to include bright colors and annuals are great for this

Snapdragons*

Anemones

Gerber Daisy

Yarrow

Larkspur

Salvia

Carnations

Tulips

Pinwheels - The metallic ones are very eye catching

Petunias

Smell

Fragrant Roses (Blossom Time*, Tiffany,* Fragrant Cloud)

Lavendar* - also calming, when kids get wound up - have them pick some for you

Mock Orange

Hyacinths*

Phlox*

Mints (best grown in a container, they are invasive)

Dill (crush between fingers)

Chammomile (apple scented)

Curry plant

Chocolate Basil or Cosmos

Touch

Lamb's Ear

Fern

Moss

Succulents

Sedums

Water features
Sensitive Plant - very cool, closes when you touch it

Ornamental grasses (some of these can give you a paper cut, choose carefully)

Pebbles

Taste - be careful to plant these together or clearly mark them as edible to avoid accidents

Grape Tomatoes

Thornless Blackberries/Raspberries

Strawberries

Cilantro

Fennel (black licorice taste)

Dill
Nasturiums

Violets

Calendula

Sound

Water fountain (simple or elaborate)

Bells

Aspen trees

Chimes

Bamboo

Grasses
Birds - if you plant berries, they will come

This is a Works For Me Wednesday post. To check out other ideas visit Rocks In My Dryer.

Up to our elbows and down on our knees...

Edited to add more photos throughout. Enjoy!

Stonecrop sedum, yarrow, and carnations...

We have been busily planting Ty's sensory garden in anticipation of his feeling better. We are hoping to get him out there every day and want it to be ready once he's done with treatment and can enjoy it. In a future post, I'll tell more about the plantings and the essential *ingredients* for a Sensory Garden. (And a big thanks to Bree for telling me about this idea).


A bunny's eye view and a mini-tribute to all things Provencal (anyone know how to insert one of those thingies on the c?)

A second attempt at shallow DoF pic (I'm working on it)

A bit of sun and some softness (ala lamb's ear)

A ribbon of sidewalk runs through it

Phlox, wisteria, yarrow, lavendar, vinca, carnations, lilies, lamb's ear, and gnomes oh my!