"Pedricks" - The new store at Etsy.com

For those of you who don't know it, the long term goal is to be able to afford the time to paint. I was reserving opening at store at Etsy.com for that day. But then I decided to try and start selling the lavender and lemon verbena wands there as well.

Since it is the purpose of Etsy.com to showcase all kinds of art and handmade items. In fact, you are not allowed to sell items made by someone else!

And now that it is truly winter and I have a few spare moments, I have begun to make little hand painted gift boxes. Finished the first one yesterday, but I need to tweak the process of making a sturdy lining to the box. The paintings are cut out and then layered onto the surface which makes the folding box.

I hope everyone will take a peek at my new store!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Pedricks?ref=pr_profile

Here is the link above.

Gypsy Queen

It's been a while, 'eh!? Computer crashed...... Plus, since it is fall, there has been a great deal of work to do to get ready for winter and get the spring inventory put to bed.

So here is a peak at 'Gypsy Queen' who just bloomed for the first time last week! I have 'Gypsy Prince' and 'Gypsy Baron', now 'Gypsy Queen', and all I need is 'Gypsy Princess'!!

'Gypsy Queen' was hybridized by Bull all the way back in 1865! A few weeks ago, there was a post in the Fuchsia Forum of DavesGarden.com, of an upright fuchsia bush down in southern California which has been documented all of it's life and was planted 111 years ago.

Now that is what I've been talking about! Fuchsias can live for many, many years. Most uprights are not the tender shade plants most people think of when you say "fuchsias." And they are certainly not annuals to be thrown out in the fall like they do in many places :-(

Lavender Wands and Pedrick's Garden

The name of the new Ebay store to help sell the wands is "Lavender Wands and Pedrick's Garden." Since I am not allowed to link it to the wedsite for Pedricks Corner.

Been busy making the wands in every size and color. Just cut what will probably be the last batch of fresh lavender available this year. It is so dry already, that the blossoms were falling off of their stems as I cut them. So most of it will probably just get dried for the sachets.

I hope everyone will take a moment to visit the new Ebay store just to create traffic for me. Now I've got to figure out how to get it show up in the Google list of Ebay stores. So much to learn and so little time!

Today I finally get started on getting the spring inventory cuttings made and planted. The weather is absolutely perfect. Sunny but not hot. They get rooted and start to grow before it gets too cold. But won't grow so much that they are leggy come spring time. Wish me luck! Sometimes they all make it, sometimes they don't. One bad day or a few, can be a disaster.

I tried to put a link here to the Ebay store, but it won't let me. Gotta look into that.

Lavender Wands - A bit of bling!

I just received some new ribbon from Malayasia and I love the gilt edges! A bit of bling for the upcoming holidays. There won't be many of these though. I am running out of fresh lavender and it takes two weeks for this ribbon to get here. There are light blue and burgandy with the gilt edges coming up next.

Lavender Wands

The Navy Blue ribbon arrived and I just love the color! I also really like the red, and I don't usually don't like red in general. So more red ribbon is on it's way. Actually, a "burgandy" ribbon. I am still looking for a true "lavender" ribbon that matches the blossoms on the bush!

All five sizes of lavender wands are now listed on the website. With a range of sizes from 6" to 22".

Mystery of the Vanishing Hummer Food Part 2

I knew I had taken a better video of the swarm of hummingbirds in January of 2009, not exactly clear, as I could use a better camera, but still amazing to me to see them all like that.
Funny thing is, this didn't happen this winter. The migration must have passed me by, because that feeder is kept filled year round and has been for the last 12 years.

Some of the new colors!

Been busy making wands in a rainbow of colors. The really dark one is actually dark blue. More colors are on the way. A Burgundy and a navy blue. And hopefully that mossy green if I can find ribbon in that color. I hope no one minds that the posts have been all about the "Lavender Wands For Sale" for a while now. In order for them to be found, we need to stay focused on them for a while. Thanks to everyone who has been searching the phrase for me and then selecting "Pedricks Corner" from the list of results. Hopefully you also then click on the link to the website on your right here, and go to the page for Lavender Wands in order to reinforce the connection. Much appreciated!

Lavender Wands For Sale

The two new colors of wands are going to be pale lavender and dark green. Did I mention I made a red one? I am not a big fan of red, but I really like this red one, so that might be a future color as well. I haven't been able to find a light green ribbon that I like yet. A mossy grey green would be really cool. And a pale blue is going to be next for sure!

For those of you who grow lavender like I do, here is proof that if you cut the first blooms off, it will bloom again! Don't treat your lavender like the drought tolerant plant that it is and it will reward you. If in well drained soil, don't let it get dry and feed it every two weeks while it is growing. The second head of blooms will be dried for the sachets.

Lavender Wands

Lavender Wands are back on the website and are listed in four sizes this time. From huge 16" long wands down to cute little 6" wands. This year, I am going to try a few new colors later on. Made one with red ribbon last night and I think it is pretty cool. Next will be pale blue and then a pale mossy green. I will post a new photo when I have a variety of colors to show.

Sahara

'Sahara' starts out purple and then gradually becomes this wonderful reddish orange blend. This is one of the qualities of fuchsias I love the best. How the colors can change so much as the flower opens, that one would even think they were two different varieties if just shown a photo of a flower that had just opened and another of one that was fully open. This one is supposed to be able to get six feet high! There will certainly be photos posted here when it does!!

El Camino

'El Camino' has an unusual corolla in that it's petals, much like 'Comet' seems to have two layers with different colors. A nice compact little upright bush.

Citation

'Citation' has a corolla that is such a brilliant white, I had a very hard time getting a photo that didn't wash out the skirt completely. When it finally opened fully, I was surprised at the flare to it! And was able to get a good shot at last.

Washington Centennial

'Washington Centennial' has a very definite upwards growth pattern! I have no growth info yet on this one, but it looks like it is promising to be a big and tall bush fast.

Astoria

'Astoria' is a bit unusual, at least out of the 209 members of my collection. The leaves have a grey tone to them I have never seen on any other fuchsia. So it's heritage has got me very curious! All I know is that it was introduced in 1960, but not who the hybridizer was! It is a very compact bush with the leaves growing close together along the stems. And they have a bit of a diamond shape to them. Very interesting...gonna be watching this one closely.

Cloverdale Pearl

'Cloverdale Pearl' is from a set of fuchsias all named "Cloverdale" and hybridized by Gadsby in the 1970's. I am hoping to find 'Cloverdale Jewel' next. 'Cloverdale Star' is a nice big bush with simple flowers like these, but with a "Wysteria" blue tone to the corolla.

There! All caught up with my entries to DavesGarden.com!

One of these days I'll be able to get a better digital camera and the quality of my photos will improve dramatically, I hope, ha!

Moody Blues

'Moody Blues' is one fuchsia I really, really wanted as soon as I heard about it this winter when I was pouring over the database at FindThatFuchsia.com for every upright I wanted in my database and eventually in my collection. I love the Moody Blues!! Of course I wanted a flower named after them!

Lady Ann

'Lady Ann' looks like she is going to be an spectacular bush when she gets taller.

Dainty Lady

'Dainty Lady' is one very old fashioned girl! She was hybridized by Lowe in 1878! What a beautiful and simple little flower.

Fuchsia alpestris

'Fuchsia alpestris' is going to become at least a 6 foot high bush. The leaves are very different, not only in their length and shape, but how thick and fleshy they are. Kind of leathery or rubbery, cool! The flower is simple, but that is fine with me, I like the simple ones. And I have heard that hummingbirds prefer the species over the hybrids. It is believed that the hybrids don't produce as much nector.

Satellite

'Satellite' is really cool, don't you think!? Very different! What a surprise I got when this one opened up. Also looks like it is going to be another nicely compacted upright bush.

Super British

'Super British' looks like it is going to be a heat hardy upright fuchsia as most of the ones with orange in the corolla are. It is also going to be a large but dense bush. I bought this one in a one gallon and it had been severly pruned. So I can see thick old branches that had been cut off. Now it is in a five gallon container and we'll see what happens when it takes off!

Dariway

'Dariway' is a cute little number! I think it is going to be another dense medium sized bush. Some varieties get leggy right away, others like this one get bushy right away. Remember, all of these are new to me and it is often not possible to find information about their growth habits. Which is the main reason for not entering that information here. So I hope people will visit DavesGarden.com and the PlantFiles there. As every fuchsia I add here has already been added there. And if I do have information about the fuchsia, that info has been posted there.

F. campos-portoi

'F. campos-portoi' is in the same Section as the F. magellanica's, the Quelusia Section. It is going to become a large bush. And I believe the hummingbirds are going to go crazy over this one. They fight over who gets to drink last from the F. lycioides which are similiar in having masses of little red and purple flowers. This species is headed straight for the sky with stronger upright branches than the magellanica's.

Treasure

'Treasure' is very well named. I love the colors on this one. So far, it looks like it is going to be one of the nicely rounded upright bushes with naturally dense growth.

Crescendo

'Crescendo' is a bit unusual! I bet they named it for what appears to be a second skirt. Which isn't apparent when the bud first opens up, but gradually drops down "crescendo!" as the flower developes. The colors on this one, are described as "Turkey Red with Peony Purple."

Gartenmeister Bonstedt

'Gartenmeister Bonstedt' is one upright hardy fuchsia I was determined NOT to grow. I really didn't like it. But it has grown on me, ha, ha! Many people know what a truly hardy bush this one is. Summer heat and winter cold. It can freeze to ground level, but if the base of the plant and it's roots are protected, it will come right back up in the spring. So I have it now, along with some 'Leather Ferns' that have been protecting it's base for years. The one in the photo is from a cutting I took last year and then neglected. It lived anyway though! And now I am taking good care of them. I like orange, in small amounts or in hints of orange, along with other shades. This one is a bit too orange for me.....

Dancing Stars

'Dancing Stars' believe it or not, is going to be at least a three to four foot high bush when it is mature. The Northwest Fuchsia Society lists it as both a winter hardy and a heat hardy fuchsia. And I know the hummingbirds and bees are going to love it. People like those big puffy flowers, but those are hard for the bees and hummingbirds to access and rarely have anything to offer the hummingbirds. So they tend to frequent the simpler flowers the most. The blue flower in this photo, for comparison, is a 'Forget-Me-Not'. It is going to be a interesting turn of events when this bush is large enough for a bed of 'Forget-Me-Nots' beneath it!

Army Nurse

'Army Nurse' has the most beautiful shade of double blue skirt. Many fuchsias with blue corolla's fade to reds as they age. Especially those that start out with more of a purple tinge. This is one that holds closer to blue, so it is going to be a favorite of mine. That is 'Autumn Orange' sneaking into the photo there.

Cotton Candy

'Cotton Candy' is a nice pink blushed double. Gonna post a few real quick here to catch up.

Fuseedia

'Fuseedia' is a mix of fuchsia seed that was developed to market fuchsia as annuals. Which is sad because they are long lived perennials. Even these cute little bushes can live for many years. This seed mix can produce a rainbow of colors. I just lucked out on getting my favorite combo, blue and white! I am delighted with this one.

And you may notice, the entries now will not be in an alphabetical order for some time. I will be echoing the entries I make into the PlantFiles of DavesGarden each day.

Aintree

'Aintree' is one of the recent additions to my collection which brought the total to 205! There are a few which remain to be properly identified, as they came in the form of cuttings from friends. Sometimes I won't be able to give much information on the varieties I post because I can't find any information about them and they are new to me. 'Aintree' looks like it is going to have a growth pattern similar to 'Ain't She Sweet' and 'Sylvia Barker'. In other words, over time and with pruning, they will grow large. If allowed to grow into their own form, they will be mounding bushes with some branches going straight up. Which is why they are not hanging basket types.

I have neglected this blog for too long! Now that I am trying to add a variety a day to the PlantFiles as DavesGarden.com again, I will also try to add the same one here. Plus I need to continue the entries of the full sized bushes!

I Forgot!

Would you believe I have been so crazy busy 24/7 that I completely forgot about my blog!? I did! But things are beginning to calm down now and I have tons of photos to post of new additions to the collection.

Which currently stands at 197 varieties!!

Plus, right about the time of my last post, Pedricks Corner made it onto the Top 30 list of the Garden Watchdog at DavesGarden.com!!

That is a major accomplishment. The Garden Watchdog is a list of over 7,100 plant nurseries.

I am so very, very honored.

And although I cannot use the company name or website at EBay. I am thrilled to have earned my first yellow star there for positive feedback from customers.

2010 has been a very good first year for Pedricks Corner and I am truly grateful. :-)

Quasar - Bush

'Quasar' is often grown in hanging baskets, but I prefer it as an upright. It creates a mounding shrub which contrasts well with all of the giants I've got growing this year! Even 'Vinegar Joe' is surprising me with it's height. Many of the uprights I added to the collection last year, which I purchase in little 2" bands, are taking off like rockets this spring. I had transplanted almost all of them into five gallon containers by fall of last year, just in time for winter. Most of them barely made it to the rim of their containers. Now those same ones are making me decide who needs to go into 15 gallon containers first! 'Sundial', 'Convention 2004', 'Ain't She Sweet', and 'Lottie Hobby' will be followed closely by 'Sylvia Barker', 'Margery Blake', and 'Carmen Maria'.

I admit this photo of 'Quasar' is from last year. But it is doing just as well this year and is currently covered with big white flower buds. When those pop open, I will certainly be taking a new photo!

Preston Guild - Bush

'Preston Guild' is amazing me this spring! It has never grown so tall before or even grown so emphatically skywards! For the first several years, I had it growing next to a fence and it never did very well in the shade there. It was with some concern that I moved what I considered to be a weak stemmed plant, out into the full sun. But the full sun seems to be exactly what this guy wanted. This photo was taken this morning 5/1/2010.

Northway - Bush

'Northway' is one of the smaller upright fuchsias I hope will become popular. It has such cheary colors. This photo doesn't do it justice. There was a run in with a gopher which almost killed it and it is now recovering nicely in a container. As soon as it begins to bloom like this again, I'll take a better photo. Like 'Delta's Parade' this one is a trouper which can bloom year round in some zones like this one, zone 9b. Even when we have freezes and hail, these two don't skip a beat. And like 'Marin Glow' and 'Black Prince', it stays relatively small and compact. A nice contrast to the taller ones.

Mrs. J. D. Fredricks - Bush

'Mrs. J. D. Fredricks' is one of the first varieties I went in search of when I began my collection. This one can get allot taller than the information out there will lead you to believe. It can get much taller than just three feet over the years as it developes a trunk. My original was broken and doesn't reflect how big it ought to have gotten by now. But it is recovering very well and this photo is of a group of one gallons I've planted from the cuttings I made a year ago. They are already two feet tall. I also cut a bunch of these branches and made a floral arrangement of them to post in the fuchsia forum at DavesGarden.com As fuchsias make great and long lasting additions to floral arrangements!

Mood Indigo - Bush

'Mood Indigo' is just blowing my socks off this spring! I am waiting to take a new photo of it as a bush until it begins to bloom again. In the meanwhile, let me tell you, it is putting out new shoots as big around as my thumb! It is headed for the sky in a big way! I had no idea it could do that. This one was a bush in my yard for a couple of years and never really did much. But in it's defense, I must mention that my entire yard is hard pan clay. In the summer when it dries out after the winter, a pix-axe will just bounce off of it. So over the years, while it is still workable after a winter of soaking rains, I have worked hundreds of bags of steer manure into it. And I have built up beds using concrete building cinder blocks as walls. I plant herbs and strawberries in the holes! The original 'Mood Indigo' was in a relaively shallow area. The ground had not been worked down very far and then a gopher ate out the entire root system one spring. I thought I had lost it entirely. Except that I had made a few cuttings.... And now, just two years later, I have several which are much larger than the original. I love the colors on this fower and I can't wait to show you what it looks like in full bloom later on.

Marin Glow - Bush

'Marin Glow' makes a nice compact sturdy bush about two feet high or so. Another nice one to mix up the heights in a collection. Some of the smaller varieties can be a bit "lax" in the strength of their short branches, but not 'Marin Glow.' It has a definite upward growth pattern and is one of my favorites in the front yard.

A Second Look at Magellanica

I also wanted to mention that this same form comes in other colors. Fuchsia magellanica is a standard red and purple. I will have that one soon. Right now they are just tiny little starts.

Here is a second view of the bush F. magellanica molinae.

Magellanica molinae - Bush

'Magellanica molinae,' like 'F. lycioides', is a fuchsia species not a hybrid. And like 'Lycioides', it can get really big. The first time I saw it, was as a bush that went up to the second story of a house in Capitola, California. The one I have in my collection is over 12 years old and would be much bigger right now if it hadn't been used as a jungle gym for my teenage cats when they were learning to climb. I had to severely prune it back afterwards to reform it. They broke branches that were two inches across!! Besides it being the main hang out of resting hummingbirds, I love the huge numbers of cascading little flowers with just a hint of blue in their corolla. The bark has interest as well. It has an outer layer which is flaky and very different from other barks. At least I know that no matter how much damage the kittens did, I could count on this one to produce new shoots at least six feet tall in the spring. Rivaling any new cane a rose could put out. They also make great additions to floral arrangements. That is a vase of cut 'Magellanica molinae' I use as my photo id for this blog! I am also using a row of them as a future hedge to provide shade for new fuchsia starts. I had heard about fuchsias being used as hedges and it is going very well so far. I'll post photos of it when it has gotten a bit taller and filled in more.

Lycioides - Bush

'Lycioides' is a species with it's own Section in the categories fuchsia species are seperated into. And it is the only variety in Section Kierschlegeria! It can get very big if allowed to and produces thousands of these little red flowers in bunches all along it's branches. Especially if grown in good soil and in an area where the roots will be cool but the foliage gets plenty of full sun. The flowers are followed by little black currant sized berries which taste a bit like a cross between raisins and figs when they are ripe. But this doesn't mean it isn't still blooming, because in some areas, like zone 9, it is always in bloom. This is the one the hummingbirds visit the most, especially just before it gets dark. Like a good snack before bed time. I plan on planting a hedge of these, just as I have down with F. magellanica. Because of three qualities. Their ability to grow tall, the small leaves which will lend themselves well to creating a dense wall, and the small flowers which will fill in that dense wall. I'll be certain to post photos of the results both here and at DavesGarden. And my website of course ;-)

Iced Champagne - Bush

'Iced Champagne' is one of the medium sized bushes. Not one the rapid ones needing allot of room right away, nor one of the much slower ones which may take a couple of years to fill in a space. Normally, I don't go for white flowers, as any form of damage seems to jump out at you. But this one has taken me by surprise. It is hard to tell in my photograph, but this white has a slightly creamy pink tone to it. I'll try to produce a better photo by this summer. This bush was among those which sustained some damage due to freezing this winter. It is growing out of it very well, but won't be ready for a photo shoot for a bit longer. One big project this coming fall, will be to re-arrange the collection so that varieties which are more sensitive to freezing temperatures will all be together and can receive a higher level of protection than their sturdier relatives. Many in my collection received no protection at all and are currently covered with flowers! 'Iced Champagne' is definately worth the effort!

Gypsy Prince - Bush

'Gypsy Prince' is another one of the few which grace my small front yard. Right beside the walkway that leads to the house. It blooms year round here on the central coast of California. Even during freezes that damaged others nearby. I even took some Christmas photos of big round red blossoms because they reminded me of ornaments! It is not one of the faster growing upright bushes. But it has attained a nice height and I don't have to prune it, so this is a good thing. It also has thick and sturdy branches to hold up the big blossoms it produces. Only one wayward branch is currently being tied to a temporary post until it redirects itself.

Wow, I haven't posted since last Wednesday! Pedricks Corner just received it's 40th positive review in the Garden Watchdog at DavesGarden.com! I am very hopeful for this year!

Gordon's China Rose - Bush

'Gordon's China Rose' is a small leaved compact bush which will probably attain some height over the years with pruning. And this will be my goal. Meanwhile, it has a wonderful little double blossom on it and fits nicely in between another bush much like it 'Dollar Princess' and the much larger 'Mood Indigo.'

This time of year, the garden is gearing up to go full throttle and I am also hunting down new varieties to add to the collection. Which is currently at 148 varieties! I am specifically looking for the older cultivars which were hybridized here in the states prior to the 1950's. It seems like many of those are going to be hard to find.

To facilitate this search, I have created a searchable database with over 1500 upright varieties in it and as much information on each one as I could find. You will be able to search by sepal or corolla or height or year of introduction, etc! The new website to access this database is named "AListOfFuchsias.info." As that is all it will be, information for us fuchsia fanatics!

In other words, more often than not, for the time being, I may not be able to post here everyday. When the new website it up and running, I'll post a link to it here.

Garden News - Bush

'Garden News' is still a small bush in this photo, but I have several and one is four times this size now. As soon as it begins to bloom again after being trimmed this winter, I will post a new photo. I am not really into pink. But this one has peachy tones that I like. And who can resist a whole bush covered with these? None of them sustained any damage this winter or last summer. I trimmed the largest one so I could root some new cuttings of it. The others are all in bloom right now. The flowers tend to become a bit smaller when grown out in the full sun. I don't mind this, as I prefer smaller flowers anyway. And although the flowers are smaller out in the full sun, you get more of them!!

Foxgrove Wood - Bush

'Foxgrove Wood' is now a large bush almost five feet high. Mine is about three years old now and it had been pruned on the sides to keep it going upwards. And the effort was well worth it. This one would make a great formed hedge! I am growing a hedge of F. magellanica mollinae which will be featured later this year. And now I am thinking of doing another with 'Foxgrove Wood' as I love these little flowers it produces so abundantly. When grown out in the sun, it is very vigorous and heads straight upwards!

Duchess of Albany - Bush

'Duchess of Albany' is hands down, one of my new favorites! A gorgeous bush when in full bloom! It needs a bit of pruning to keep it going in a more upwards direction than sideways, but it is well worth the effort. It is a vigorous grower which has now handled two winters with freezes that damaged others nearby, but not it. And this will be it's third summer in a large container out in the full sun most of the day. Some of the older and larger specimens in my collection do get some afternoon shade from the fruit trees if they are in the front yard. Otherwise, it would be necessary to either re-pot them, or keep them pruned within the means of their containers. A basic rule of thumb is that you ought not to allow a plant to get larger than it's container. Especially a plant out in the sun. Or it will not be possible for the plant to have a root system large enough to cope with the heat and sun. The 'Duchess of Albany' also has unusual foliage for a fuchsia, I am wondering who her parents are! The leaves are a bit thicker and fleshier than most fuchsia leaves, and a lighter green than most others. Just makes this one stand out even more!

Dollar Princess - Bush

'Dollar Princess' makes a nice compact bush with double blossoms. Not the big double blossoms, but not as small as 'Delta's Parade' or 'Gordon's China Rose' for example. The colors on this blossom are remarkable though. It will take some pruning to achieve more height. Meanwhile, though, it is another good one to consider for filling in those areas where you don't need height and/or a large container.

Delta's Parade - Bush

'Delta's Parade' is always going to be a special upright to me because it can truly be described as always in bloom. This one has been in my collection for three years now and I have never seen it without at least a few flowers on it. Even after freezes that burned others, this one has never been damaged. Like it's kin, 'Delta's Groom', 'Delta's Parade' is a study in purple! And the smaller sized double blossoms are the best in my book.