Garden PIc Wednesday: Gardenias & Trip

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Last week I was out of town---my friend, Megan and I drove down to Disney World. We spent 4 days there and Galaxy's Edge was our favorite place. So much so, we weathered rain to go back there in the evening to ride "Rise of the Resistance" a second time. Definitely, dusk when all the planet town's lights come on was best. The "Rise of the Resistance" is an experience: you're part a group of new Rebel recruits trying to flee their base, but are captured by Imperials and tractor-beamed aboard their ship, threatened with interrogation, then rescued by the Republic---and that's all before even the actual ride part begins!




Gardenia's are in season, so that's Today's Garden Pic:
This particular Gardenia has large blossoms about 4 inches across and the air near them is fragrance with their spicy Clove like scent.
 



When Gardenia's are in bloom, I like to make arrangements with them and bring their fragrance indoors:
Gardenia's have heavy heads, so they're droopy in a vase and work best around the bottom of a bouquet. Gardenia leaves make for pretty greenery, though, and the criss-cross of Gardenia stems inside the vase hold the Gladiola's upright in the center. I also added a couple stems of Dusty Miller for color contrast. (I used to be a Floral Designer) 
For vasing purposes, the trick with Gardenia's is to snip ONLY unopened blossoms that are showing enough white you can tell they'll open the next day--this way you get the longest bloom out of them.
This also lets you get them before the tiny little insects that love Gardenia's can get in the flowers. (thrips they're called) Completely harmless; they are part of the circle of life, but I prefer not to bring them into the house. 




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