Photos of ideas 3: Happy topiary

I apologize for the truly wretched quality of this picture, but I can't resist sharing it:

Do you see the little topiary bear, his arms raised as if he's jumping for joy, tucked back in the middle of all the other shrubs? This is a picture of the growing field of a nursery in Japan that sells shrubs, most of which have been sculpted into some shape or the other. I love this particular image because it reminds me to be a little fun and silly in the garden. Too often I get so obsessed with creating the "perfect" design I forget to be a little goofy. I need to tuck more joyous bears in my garden this year.

Photos of ideas 2: Rainlilies

This is a picture of yard of a house I walked past in Shikoku, Japan while visiting my friend Reiko's family:

Like so many Japanese gardens, this one is full of graceful, understated beauty. The rain lilies (Zephyranthes) dotted randomly in the grass, the simple stepping stones... I love it. This photo inspires me to rethink my "lawn" areas. I've never been a big lawn person, but this is the sort of lawn I do like -- simple green background to randomly dot flowers in. But how do you do that practically? What about mowing? I'm not sure how they manage it in this yard, but I'm trying to make a space for this sort of look by replacing part of my grass with moss. I'm also considering replacing my grass in sunnier areas with a dwarf blue grass, or maybe short "no mow" fine fescue both from High Country Gardens. Without the need for mowing, I could mix all sorts of bulbs and small perennials into my lawn...

Wednesday Links

Loree, of Danger Garden, is growing an agave. In her car. Yes, as in INSIDE her car. Proof, finally, that I am NOT the biggest plant nerd in the world.

The always excellent Jeff Gillman muses about the relative toxicity of caffeine and 2,4-D herbicide.

Seeds in the City bids goodbye to their dead bee hive... They've had a sad series of posts about the death of the hive, and it is keeping me on the fence about getting a hive for myself. But if clearly, they have no regrets... should I? Shouldn't I? Bees? No bees? Maybe next year? I can't decide.

Biofortified shares a terrific comic about the dreadful inaccuracy with which the term "organic" is used. For science nerds only.

Gardening Asylum posts about the excellent and very under-appreciated Corydalis lutea.