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Cynthia

DIY Projects Living Arrangements

DIY FREE Fresh Greens Wreath

Cover-Photo-650x280

I recently completed a tutorial over on the “Home & Garden Club” blog (where all my blogging mojo is going these days) on how to create a FREE Fresh Greens Wreath using plant materials from around your own yard.  Though I work for a botanical garden, the VAST majority of the greens used in my wreath were gathered in my own yard.  There is no way I was going to risk the wrath of our Garden Manager by having my…

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DIY Blogger House

Hanging-Daybed-Swing

I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the DIY Blogger House as the landscape design professional for the home and I managed to slip a few “DIY” style projects in as well.  I’ve had an amazing summer filled with wonderful projects but haven’t had much time to spare blogging here on my personal blog.  I WILL get back to it- been too busy doing fun projects to find time to blog about said projects! Here at least- I’ve been…

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feature Local Events

Jordan Valley Home & Garden Club- History

Conservation Garden Park Education Center

I have wanted to start a ‘Garden Club’ here locally for more than a decade.  I had the great opportunity of providing staff support to the Sandy Garden Club many years ago when I was fresh out of college and working as a City employee in Community Development. My positive experiences with that Club sparked a great interest in creating a club in my neighborhood when the time was right.  Then there were 3 kids in 3 years.  And trying to…

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Garden Tours Local Events Vegetable Gardening

Mt. Olympus Community Garden Dedication

The pergola structure Paul got donated and constructed by Zwick Construction

Over the last year an a half I’ve been privileged to be involved with the design and implementation of Salt Lake County’s newest community garden, Mt. Olympus Community Gardens in Holladay.  My involvement began  by meeting with the group to discuss the feasibility of the Garden and to create a basic design plan for the for the Garden layout.  A wonderful County Councilwoman, Jani Iwamoto, initiated the project to solve two problems- to make use of a weedy patch of…

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DIY Projects Landscape Design

Plantation Shutter Planter- Easy Version

Finshed Shutter Planter horiz

After I created the original “Plant”ation Shutter Planter I SWORE I would never undertake a project like that again (might have sworn WHILE undertaking it too)! Sewing custom pockets from felt, burlap, faux moss netting and weed barrier fabric was a nightmare!  By the time I finished it, I REALLY wished I hadn’t donated it to the Conservation Garden Park Gala for the auction- after all that work, I wanted to keep it! However, I recently discovered an amazing product…

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DIY Projects Indoor Gardening Outside Inside

Terrarium Basics

fake bug in terrarium

As promised, a quick post about how to create a terrarium.  The ‘quick’ part isn’t because I am not taking time to write out the details but rather because it’s so simple that a great deal of details are not required.  You will need a follow a few basic steps to create a terrarium: Container.  This can be any size and may be as simple as the popular mason jars or you can fancy it up with glass apothecary jars.  I…

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Garden Tours Local Events

Oh, SNAP!

Thanksgiving Point Idea Garden

After a totally wild weekend, I am back from the SNAP! Creativity Conference. What an exhausting but wonderful couple of days! I have promised to get a post up about terrarium basics and will try and make that happen tomorrow. Between the SNAP! Conference, a local political convention over the weekend (at which my friend, Mia, was nominated to be the Republican candidate for US Congress), and Earth Day Activities which were celebrated Monday, I’ve been a little overwhelmed! I’ll…

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Celebrating Seasons DIY Projects Indoor Gardening Outside Inside

Outside Inside: Living Arrangements NOT Houseplants

Hyacinths Feature

 As I’ve mentioned a number of times before, I am NOT a houseplant person. However, I do  enjoy having living plants in my interior environment. What’s the difference? A ‘houseplant’ is   intended to live year in and year out inside your home, growing larger and leggier every season until you finally divide it to multiple containers and have even more to take care of.  The longer a plant lives in your home in this manner, the MORE guilt you feel…

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Gardener Profiles Media Uncategorized

“Joy in The Garden”

Joy in the Studio

I am excited to say that I’ll be joining my gardening friend, Joy Bossi, of “Joy in the Garden” on her radio show for a few minutes during the next couple of Saturdays. Joy has been a HUGE proponent of Conservation Garden Park and has specifically helped me at a time when I really needed it- she helped launch the “Education Committee” for the Garden that I chaired back in the days before I became an employee. Now that we…

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A “Near Death Experience”- Seedling Style

Seedlings 1 week after transplanting up to pony packs. They are MUCH happier in a bigger home.

Actually, for some of my unique heirloom tomatoes and ALL of my baby bell pepper seedlings, it WAS a death experience. Sorry little guys! I approached this ‘seed season’ with far more gusto than usual. After 20 years of growing seeds in my window sills or under lights in the basement I now have access to a REAL greenhouse at work. And not just any greenhouse, but a state-of-the-art facility that has every bell and whistle! Or at least it’s…

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