pansies

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:59:51 +0000

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Landscape Designs – Rich Hanna and Dr. Dawn Torre, 44 First Street

admin — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:35:13 +0000

Rich Hanna is the president of Westminster Nursery and Garden Center in West Hempstead. Dawn Torre is a gynecologist in town and she met Hanna at Westminster while shopping for flowers one day. Originally Hanna and Torre studied everything at Old Westbury Gardens, which is an inspiration to all gardeners. In addition they used a landscape designer connected with Westminster named Patrick J. Duffe. He is a certified nursery professional. The Hannas/Torres have a pretty front yard with a red and white color theme using white-flowered weeping crepe myrtle, red begonias and copper beech trees, complete with a “garden goddess” statuary. As pretty as the front yard is, the backyard is even more special. “Before and after is dramatic,” Torre said. “It’s hard to believe that in the backyard there was originally one lone blue spruce tree.”

Src. http://gardencity.patch.com/articles/gardens-of-garden-city-2011#photo-7436028

Holidays

admin — Mon, 02 May 2011 22:42:05 +0000

Meteorological winter is the season having the shortest days and the lowest average temperatures, which have the coldest weather. This corresponds to the months of December, January and February in the Northern Hemisphere, and June, July and August in the Southern Hemisphere. The coldest average temperatures of the season are typically experienced in January in the Northern hemisphere and in June or July in the Southern hemisphere. Nighttime predominates the winter season, and in some regions it has the highest rate of precipitation as well as prolonged dampness because of permanent snow cover or high precipitation rates coupled with low temperatures, precluding evaporation. Blizzards often develop and cause many transportation delays. A rare meteorological phenomenon encountered during winter is ice fog, which comprises ice crystals suspended in the air; it occurs only at very low temperatures. Accumulations of snow and ice are mostly associated with winter in the Northern Hemisphere, due to the large land masses there. In the Southern Hemisphere, the more maritime climate and the relative lack of land south makes the winters milder; thus, snow and ice are less common in inhabited regions of the Southern Hemisphere. In this region, snow occurs every year in elevated regions such as the Andes, the Great Dividing Range in Australia, and the mountains of New Zealand, and also occurs in the southerly Patagonia region of South America. Snow occurs year-round in Antarctica.

Astronomically, the winter solstice, being the day of the year which has fewest hours of daylight, ought to be the middle of the season, but seasonal lag means that the coldest period normally follows the solstice by a few weeks. In the USA (and sometimes in Britain) the season is regarded as beginning at the solstice and ending on the following equinox Ñ in the Northern Hemisphere, depending on the year, this corresponds to the period between 21 or 22 December and 20 or 21 March. In the UK, meteorologists consider winter to be the three coldest months of December, January and February. In Scandinavia, winter traditionally begins on 14 October and ends on the last day of February. In many countries in the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, winter begins on 1 June and ends on 31 August. In Celtic nations such as Ireland (using the Irish calendar) and in Scandinavia, the winter solstice is traditionally considered as midwinter, with the winter season beginning 1 November, on All Hallows, or Samhain. Winter ends and spring begins on Imbolc, or Candlemas, which is 1 or 2 February . This system of seasons is based on the length of days exclusively. (The three-month period of the shortest days and weakest solar radiation occurs during November, December, and January in the Northern Hemisphere and May through July in the Southern Hemisphere.) Also, many mainland European countries tend to recognize Martinmas or St. Martin’s Day (11 November), as the first calendar day of winter. The day falls at midpoint between the old Julian equinox and solstice dates. Also, Valentine’s Day (14 February) is recognized by some countries as heralding the first rites of spring, such as flowers blooming. The three-month period associated with the coldest average temperatures typically begins somewhere in late November or early December in the Northern Hemisphere and lasts through late February or early March. This “thermological winter” is earlier than the solstice delimited definition, but later than the daylight (Celtic) definition. Depending on seasonal lag, this period will vary between climatic regions. Cultural influences such as Christmas creep may have led to the winter season being perceived as beginning earlier in recent years, although high latitude countries like Canada and Russia are usually well into their real winters before the December solstice.

How to Care for your Flowers

admin — Mon, 02 May 2011 22:23:00 +0000

How can I make my flowers last longer?
Certain varieties of cut flowers last longer than others. Carnations, for example, can remain vibrant for long periods. Roses have a shorter vase life, but are prized for their special and delicate beauty. When buying flowers, be sure to ask your florist how long you should expect your arrangement to last. Whatever variety you choose, a little TLC will go a long way to keep your blooms looking fresh longer. Here are a few handy tips that can help add days to their beauty!

Essentials for your flowers
Keep them in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit; 18 to 22 degrees Celsius), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, direct drafts from a ceiling fans, and the tops of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, causing flowers to dehydrate.)

When your flowers arrive in wet foam
Keep the floral foam soaked in water containing floral food provided by your florist. Be sure to follow the directions on the package.

When your flowers are arranged in water
Keep the vase filled with water containing floral food provided by your florist. Be sure to follow the directions on the package. If the solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely. If possible, recut the stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife.

Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water will promote bacterial growth that can harm the flowers. When your flowers have woody stems and branches (such as Quince, Forsythia, or Lilac) Cut the stem with sharp pruning shears. Place in warm water containing fresh floral food to promote flower opening.

What is floral food and why use it?
Floral food is a combination of additives that help to nourish the flowers and discourage bacteria from growing in the water. It is one of the best—and easiest—ways to extend the life of your flowers. It is very important to follow the directions on the package correctly. Improperly mixed floral food can do more harm than good.