creative jewish mom

Cyclamen In Bloom For Over Five Months, Wow!

Cyclamen are native to Israel, and a seasonal favorite that is so easy to care for and gives so much more in return! I purchased two cyclamen plants from nursery in Maalot at the end of October, and now five MONTHS later they are still in full bloom with many buds still to open! That is truly amazing, and I wish I had purchased four plants......maybe next year? This year it doesn't look like we'll be doing much summer traveling, if at all, so once the plants stop blooming I will put them in a larger pot and continue to water them and hope to see them re-bloom next year. I'll keep you posted!

A few weeks ago I shared with you photos of all the cyclamen plants in bloom around town, but i didn't get around to sharing the two cyclamen gracing the table next to my front door! Most of those that I shared with you receive sun, so I'm assuming those will not last as long as mine which are in total shade. I do have a few more tips, so keep on reading!

Cyclamen Blooms Non-Stop All Winter In Northern Israel

I bought two pots of cyclamen, a large white variety and a smaller variegated pink variety in October, and just as the nursery promised, they have been blooming non-stop! Cyclamen are native to Northern Israel, and I have seen them blooming out nature not far from our home, so they are especially beloved and a part of Israeli culture. Every year in the late fall the nurseries and flower shops put rows of cyclamen outside, and those who are in the know buy at least a few pots. I have had cyclamen in the past, but acquired them later in the season, so I wasn't nearly as impressed as I've been this year. It is truly amazing how a few little pots of flowers can bring so much joy, right? And while I had planned on photographing my plants, I saw more impressive plantings of cyclamen yesterday when I ventured out with my camera, so I'll be sharing that with you here. Enjoy! And keep this post in mind next October!

Såpnejlika Soapwort Flowers Bloom In Varmdo Sweden

One of the many delights of our travels in Sweden were all the lovely flowers in bloom and especially many that were new to me. Suddenly all the Swedish flower prints and wallpaper that i love made sense! So of course I have many many photographs of all the lovely flowers in bloom that I hope to use as inspiration for my own floral prints, and to inspire you as well, either to grow some or to paint some!

For starters, on our first stop in Sweden in Ramsdalen, in the Archipelagos of Stockholm, there was a large patch of lovely pinkish white flowers on long stalks that made quite a lovely impression in front of our rental cottage, and seemed to be quite hardy. I was very curious to know what these flowers were, so when my own little search failed I emailed the kind owner and they also had to do their own search, which was fortunately successful! These flowers are Sapnejlika, Soapwort, a name that comes from the traditional use of the leaves of the plant as a gentle nature soap! Sure wish I had know that while we were there, I would have tried it! Soapwort might be a great choice for your garden, but do read more about this species before actually committing to it, as it is unfortunately an invasive plant, which on the other hand is why it is doing so well in this spot!

Purple Cone flowers Bloom In Sweden

With Fall just around the corner, you may not be thinking about your garden, unless of course you live in Australia or the Southern Hemispere, or Florida or Southern California, then again, if you love gardening anytime is a good time to plan the blooms you'd like to grow! So, dear readers, most of us know about cone flowers, or Echinacea, but sometimes a reminder is a great thing, so let me remind you, these flowers look amazing, especially a whole bunch of them, and they are drought resistant and just all around great. They do seem to attract a lot of bees though, so keep that in mind.

I took these photos on our recent trip to Sweden (lots and lots more about that to come) at one of the cottages we rented, and there was a nice bed of cone flowers encircling a tall flag pole in the middle of a huge lawn. The scale of the cone flowers (they are largish) was perfect and the splash of color was just lovely. So do give it some thought, and I will as well! Many years ago I did add some cone flower seeds to my container garden with little success, so maybe next time I need to start them in flats, I have a good feeling next year is the time, can't wait! And now, enjoy the rest of my photos, which are great inspiration for some floral paintings as well, note to self!

Look Down: Beauty On The Garden Floor

This week I've been posting all things party, so this natural confetti seemed just right. I love bougainvillea, and truthfully while some may be annoyed by all the falling petals, I happen to think that they look gorgeous, and especially when they are a variety of colors! Here bougainvillea petals are mixed with fallen purple Jacaranda flowers, and the effect is in my opinion just dreamy! If I were to blow this photo up it could be amazing wall art, right? I just might do that, or this could be great inspiration for an abstract painting, Either way, don't forget to look down when you are in the garden, as you may miss something beautiful! I just noticed a little weed that has made its way into the next photo, see if you can find it.........For a look at the Jacaranda trees check out my post here, for a look at the bougainvillea vines check out my post here.

A Mediterranean Style Garden With Arches Of Bougainvillea

Ever drooled over those photos from Greece and Morocco showing bright magenta bougainvillea growing up a white wall next to a blue door? Yes, me too, and the good news is that bougainvillea, and even more specifically the magenta bougainvillea grows really well in our mountain town here in Northern Israel. There are at least four colors of bougainvillea: magenta, deep coral, light orange and white, but apparently the magenta strain in the hardiest, especially important if you live in a location like mine that does get snow occassionally, and of course also important if you are planning to grow bougainvillea in a container, in which case it is less protected from dipping temperatures.

Okay, now back to those visions of climbing magenta bouganvillea. Six or so years ago I was called upon to design a garden in my neighborhood and I came up with a good solution for an awkward overhang— make it into a Spanish style arcade by building arches which give the overhang a reason for existing design wise. It turned out that my visions of stone arches did not fit the budget, so I decided to simply add columns and give the impression of arches by growing bougainvillea up the columns and across the openings. Then I realized that I could add iron arches to help the bougainvillea grow in an arch, and thus this arcade of bougainvillea was born. When I went to the nursery in the Fall of that year to buy bougainvillea plants, they promised me that that vines were all magenta blooms, and come spring it was quite a surprise to find this garden full or white, orange, coral and magenta, as though I had planned it. Truthfully the combination of colors is also lovely, and I'll just have to do those arches of magenta elsewhere, hmmm that gives me an idea for my own garden.....Before you go and put up iron arches for your bougainvillea, there are a few really important things to consider, so lets take a closer look.

Jacaranda Trees In Bloom In Northern Israel!

With this year's long winter and lots of rain, the Jacaranda trees are I believe blooming a bit later that usual, but this is okay, as the trees all over our town in Northern Israel were in full bloom for the Jewish holiday of Shavuos, which was just perfect! When I designed a large semi-public garden just down the street Jacaranda trees were on my list of must includes, and now that the trees have matured a bit, they look amazing peeking over the stone garden wall, especially when full of purple blooms. The trees were planted in a oblong patch of dirt that was left untouched when we poured the concrete for the patio floor, and thus we had to plant trees that were on the small side. Folks at first thought the trees were a bit too small, and it is true, they were, but now 6 years or so later they are looking great and will still get bigger. You do save quite a bit of money purchasing trees when you opt for younger and smaller, so do keep that in mind, as well as the fact that the little tree you've planted will some day be a big tree!

Blooming trees are such a joy, so if you have the space, do add some to your life! And if you are planning a Mediterranean garden, Jarcaranda is a must on your list!  Keep on reading to learn more about the Jacaranda and see a few more lovely photos!

Four Easy Care Flowering Plants For Your Sub-Tropical or Zone 5/6/7 Container Garden!

After a long winter in Northern Israel, and a bit of a slow start in the Spring due to more rainfall than usual, my somewhat neglected (or shall we say low-maintenance?) container garden is now coming alive with gorgeous blooms! Somewhat of a miracle though likely thanks to husband's recent interest in watering our botanical friends, thankfully. Here are four tried and true plants that bloom year after year here in my sub-tropical/zone 6 climate of Northern Israel, which includes frost and some freezes now and again. Container gardening is such a pleasure and a lovely way to
bring greenery into your life even if, like me, you don't have any earth. Trees can be grown in large containers, and while many plants don't thrive in containers, many do and with some patience you can turn any patio or outdoor space into a lovely garden. So, lets take a look at four plants how in bloom in my garden, and maybe you'll consider some of them for your own space.

Essential Tips For Creating A Family-Friendly Garden

Pride Of Madeira with its huge cones of purple flowers grows effortlessly in Northern Israel. 

Israel has a large variety of plants: the country's cities and suburbs are amass with flowers which attract all kinds of wildlife with no less than 2600 varieties and over 135 types of butterflies! In order to do our own part in preserving our amazing wealth of flora and fauna, spending time and effort in our own gardens will ensure that we embrace wildlife while also creating a beautiful environment for the family to enjoy. Whether you’d love to grow geraniums in your garden, prefer to grow your own food or would like to create a fun play area for the kids, designing a family friendly garden can benefit everyone, young and old. Here’s some ideas to help you get started, and enjoy the gardening journey for many years to come.

Lantana In Bloom Is Stunning And Drought Tolerant

I have a soft spot for Lantana, the plant which is characterized by balls of colorful flowers that are made up of clusters of the sweetest little flowers you've ever seen. And so earlier this week when I was out and about with my camera one morning, I just had to capture a few shots of these beauties........ to share with you and to remind myself to plant a bunch in a garden that I've designed and landscaped, as well as in my own container garden. The wonderful thing about lantana is that it comes in intense reds and oranges, as well as in a color combo of light pinks and peaches altogether on one bush, which is quite sweet, and that it can be a small trailing plant, a low bush, or even something that grows more like a vine, supporting itself on other plants and reaching as high as 7 feet or so! Take a look at my photos, and get inspired to make lantana a part of your life!