Artists in the Garden at Bowood Farms

Today I am resting up from the Artists in the Garden Event that took place yesterday at Bowood Farms in the Central West End.

Lizzy McPheeters owner of the store was there along with Becky Homan, writer and event planner, Ellen Barrado, horticulturist and many gardeners. I was one of two artists at the store. We had examples of our work and talked about our products. I took my mom with me and we really had a great time. There were a lot of great blooms at the store ready to plant!

Just in case you missed it I uploaded a photo that Ellen Barrado took of me at the event. Visit Bowood Farms website to read more about the events that they have going on this summer.

Rain on the Roses

This Spring we have had so much rain in Missouri. It has been really great for the roses. They are blooming and what a spectacle it is. They are possessing an iridescent quality that I haven't seen in past blooms on the same bushes. I love Jackson and Perkins roses. The two roses above are Jackson and Perkins roses - but the names have escaped my memory since one of them is decades old. I received it from a neighbor. Her husband passed away and was the keeper of the rose bush, it was given to me after he died. The other one I planted twelve years ago when I moved into my home.

On a Personal Note -The Flowery Kind

I started my company Paper Petals Stationery in 2001 simply because I loved stationery. I particularly loved the notes my father gave to me that consisted of a hand painted cover that opened into blank white space. His handwriting decorated the inside of the card with a personal message written just for me. I first started printing my fathers watercolors of flowers, and soon after my own flowery print and pattern designs.

As soon as I launched my company, I was told by many people that I would have to print words on the cover, that the American public didn't enjoy writing according to a vast amount of data collected at the time - even told that I would struggle unless I turned my note cards into greeting cards.

A really great book emerged in 2002 named The Art of the Handwritten Note, by Margaret Shephard. I was so grateful for this book, as were a small handful of other note companies that were trying to make a name for themselves by making creative designs and pushing the handwritten note concept.

I am really proud of my companies accomplishments, selling thousands of note cards and by keeping my families tradition. The Art of the Handwritten Note by Margaret Shepard remains the best modern writing about the subject.

A few years later, the stationery category has surpassed greeting card sales. Now the handwritten pitch seems so trite, but is more worthwhile than ever, far from being lost, and I am happy to be a part of keeping it alive.

June Hutson at Bowood Farms!

Sign up for June Hutson, expert container gardener, classes at Bowood Farms. Bowood Farms is a fantastic urban garden center that is one of our Paper Petals Stationery feature stores and is on our website. Register for June's class at http://www.bowoodfarms.com/

Remember Becky Homan, formerly Garden Editor at the Post Dispatch, she's been busy writing a book and now she's back! Many people in the St. Louis region have missed her, and now she is planning events for Bowood Farms along with launching her new book. Missouri Gardener's Companion. http://www.beckyhoman.com/ The book is geared to help gardeners with the climate concerns of gardening in the region. Her website also features beautiful photographs of gardens planted by Missouri gardeners who rise to the challege and are successful.

Keep the Bowood Farms website as one of your favorites on your browser and don't miss out on any of these amazing events for gardeners or if you just love gardens! Have you been there yet?!

Purple Irises

E J Thias

1924-2008

Watercolor

Purple Irises

Bells are Ringing Spring has Arrived

The Lily of the Valley is blooming in Saint Louis. Blink and you may miss them, walk too fast and you will pass them by. Pluck the flowers from their deep green contrasting leaves and you will hardly be able to see them. Years have passed where I was busy with May shows and didn't take the time to get a close up look at these tiny flowers, this year I promised myself I wouldn't miss them!

If you love the idea of having these little bells ringing in your garden, the pips may be purchased at most garden centers.

Jane's Happy Endings

This past weekend at the Hindsdale Home Show was fun and definitely worthwhile. One of my favorite purchases was Jane Kern Brooks' Happy Endings. She artistically arranges the ends that are cut off of her handmade soaps and sells them in one colorful package. As promised I included a few photos from the home show and products that were at the show.