Mother's Day 2022 at LaBelle's | Art Glass + Hummingbird Feeder Recipe

 

Hanging Art Glass Hummingbird Feeder

Mother's Day is going to be here before you know it. I love how Mother's Day is a springtime holiday. The season of re-birth is such an appropriate time to celebrate the nurturers, wouldn't you agree?  Mother's Day 2022 at LaBelle's General Store includes some delightful items your Mom will love.  Here we've gathered for your perusal some gorgeous art glass Mother's Day gifts. 

How to Attract Hummingbirds

Your Mom's garden will attract hummingbirds from near and far with one of these vibrant glass hanging hummingbird feeders. With stunning swirled designs, these handblown glass feeders feature a built-in ant moat to keep ants away from the nectar. Simply hang with the metal hook at least 4 feet above the ground from a tree, post or front porch and watch how your colorful hummingbird feeder brings beauty to the yard.   Holding up to 10 fluid ounces of nectar, these glass hummingbird feeders feature a removable stopper with drop feeder.  And here's a little bonus, a simple recipe for Hummingbird Nectar:

Sweet and Simple Nectar Recipe:

Bring 4 cups of filtered water to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add 1 cup of white sugar and stir until dissolved. Wait for the nectar to cool before filling the feeder. Put the feeder in a shady spot - the nectar will quickly spoil if set in direct sunlight daily. Please note, never put honey, gelatin, brown sugar, or artificial sweeteners in a feeder.

Multicolor Glass Hummingbird Feeder

This next glass piece will truly inspire Mom.  Give her garden an upscale yet whimsical spruce up with this Art Glass Speckle Turquoise Bell Chime.  A wooden clapper creates a melodious chime as it rings against the hand crafted speckled glass.  Perfect for her garden or any outdoor space, the bell comes ready to hang on a small shepherd's hook for easy display on a post or tree branch.  All the other moms on the block will envy the chime of this bell as well as its unique turquoise and blue speckled design.

Turquoise Art Glass Bell

Now, feast your eyes on this beautiful fellow:

Solar Powered Fish Art Glass

If you think your Mom needs something a little extra, this next art glass gift idea is absolutely stunning.  Like magic, the beautiful colors in this tropical art glass fish stake are illuminated as soon as the sun sets.  Perfect for any sunny outdoor space that calls for touch of coastal charm and whimsy.  I had no choice but to take one of these gorgeous art glass fish home to my garden and it has brought me so much joy.  Just keep in mind, anything powered by the sun needs up to 6 hours in direct sunlight for best results.

Art Glass Stacked Globes with Metal Frame

Mother's Day is the perfect time to buy Mom something she would probably never buy herself, but you know she would love.  With swirled glass globes, this stacked metal stake will add a striking statement  to Mom's garden. Featuring 5 marbled glass globes, this 47" tall metal and glass stake creates a stunning scene year round. Perfect for any yard, this mesmerizing design is crafted of outdoor-safe metal that won't fade over time. And it's effortless to install, just simply push the stake directly into damp soil for instant display!

Glow in the Dark Garden Stakes

Don't miss out on this great Mother's Day gift idea.  We could not believe how quickly these Glow in the Dark Garden Stakes flew out the door last year!  Luckily we were able to get our hands on more of these lovely butterfly and dragonlfy garden art stakes for 2022.  A new shipment has arrived, but they won't last long!  Currently we are fully stocked with the best variety of butterflies and dragonflies with glow-in-the-dark elements like beads and glass.

Message in a Bottle Glass Sculptures

We cannot forget to show you this fabulous array of glass sculptures that are also making their return for 2022.  Made from beautiful, swirled hand-blown glass, these captivating pieces all contain sand + shells encapsulated within the glass.  We currently have them in a variety of shapes including different sized bottles and orbs.  And I must warn you, these too will not last long, so don't be a slow-poke, get in to visit us soon before these glass + sand sculptures disappear.

FYI, Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8th.   Check our Google listing for current store hours.  See you soon! 

Lovely New Garden Flags for Spring 2022

 

New Hydrangea Garden Flag

'Tis the season!  It's like Christmas around here these days; boxes are everywhere! New goodies are arriving daily and we are swamped in a sea of cardboard and packing paper.  Some of the goodies we've just unwrapped are so perfect for your Springtime outdoor home decor, I just had to share them right away.  

Add Some Sunshine When Skies are Gray

It's time to go from gray to gay!  Let us help you make your home a Spring delight.  This time of year, I'm checking my seedlings every day, so eager for signs of life.  And the same holds true outside in the garden, where tulips are bravely emerging from their dirty depths, and my English Primrose are asserting their stiff-upper lip.  Yet, it's still so monotone outside that I need to add some punches of color to help fill the void.  And that's why I'm so excited about our new Garden Flag selections that have just now arrived. 

Crafted from 100% weatherproof polyester to protect them against the elements, our lovely new Garden Flags for Spring 2022 will add the burst of color that's so needed right now.  We always look for garden flags whose artwork is vibrant and connected to Cape Cod in some way.   Pictured above, our new Hydrangea Garden Flag fits the bill and what makes it a show stopper is its texture which is inspired by cotton waffle fabrics.  This beautiful Hydrangea Garden Flag is perfect for anyone who is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 2022 Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival! 

Ranunculus Buffalo Check Welcome Flag

It's a little too cold right now to plant warm-weather flowers, but you still want to add color, right?  You can do it with this beauty!  I've only recently learned about Ranunculus flowers which are one of the first cool flowers to grow, and this gorgeous flag reminds me of those little Spring beauties with its vibrant bouquet on a black and white buffalo check background.  Made of fade-resistant fabric, with tight-detailed stitching, you'll enjoy our flags for years to come.

Dragonfly + Hydrangea Garden Flag

The artwork of Annie LaPoint is featured on this gorgeous Hydrangea + Butterfly Garden Flag and has been heat transferred to sun-blocking polyester textured fabric, offering brilliant color and non-fray durability.  The flag is opaque and does not fade in the sunlight.  Words and artwork are readable from both sides of the flag making it perfect for any spot in the yard.

Flower Basket Bicycle Garden Flag

This beautiful Bicycle Flag features some attractive applique details that make it really stand-out, literally!  Some of the flowers and foliage on the bicycle basket are 3-dimensional, creating an eye-catching flag that will look fun and fanciful in your yard. 

Welcome Home Hydrangeas Garden Flag

Lemon Yellow and Blue are so on trend this year, and this vibrant Hydrangeas and Gingham Garden Flag will add so much life to your yard as you wait for the colors of Spring to explode.  I just love the ultramarine blue mason jars tied together with string and the 3-dimensional applique petals of the Nikko blue hydrangeas of this stunning Cape Cod inspired garden flag.  Click on the picture above to shop for this gorgeous garden flag.

We made sure to make it super-easy for you to come in and pick out a lovely new garden flag with our brand new display and we've also made sure to stock a limited supply of one-piece black metal Garden Flag Stakes so you can level-up your curb appeal in one fell swoop!  Garden flags measure 12.5 x 18 inches.

And here's a sneak of more new home decor!

Dragonfly Welcome Embossed Floor Mat

Big News!

We're opening for the season on Saturday, April 2nd, so be sure to stop in and say 'hi!'.  We've missed you!

Boston Flower Show Inspiration

It's nice to be able to get ourselves over-the-bridge this time of year.  Our winter break is quickly coming to a close and that means all work and no play for the next six months.  So for one last hurrah, nothing could be better for this girl than some Spring-immersion and Boston Flower & Garden Show inspiration.

Very shortly we'll be re-opening our Dennis Port store for the 2017 season which means the next chance we'll get "over the bridge" will probably be at some point in early 2018.  The 2017 Boston Flower & Garden Show is so dazzling, we couldn't just keep these beautiful flower show images to ourselves.  So take a peak at our field trip to the Boston Flower Show, and if you have the time, make a trip of your own over-the-bridge before it all gets too hectic, as Cape Cod comes back to life after its long winter's nap.

Massachusetts Florist Coalition Display by Heimlich Nurseries

Arbors, Wood & Stone

Totally Obsessed with Pergolas

This here is my dream backyard.  I wish I could have boxed the whole thing up an brought it home with me.  And look at that gorgeous pergola with comfy seating and gardens galore!

Another incredible display by Heimlich Nurseries

Fairy House

Now this was a show-stopper.  This incredible Fairy House was made by Maine Stoneworks.  If you look closely at the picture below, you can see our favorite fairy waving to you from inside.  Look at the incredible stonework that went into creating this life-size fairy house.  It's a marvel!

How'd they do that?!  Please tell us, Minuteman High Horticulture Department!

Great backyard design by Oakwoods Landscape Construction, Inc.

I'm planning on planting this pussy willow pansy combo soon!

Check out that grill!  And I love the urn & fern!

Raised beds keep Mr. McGregor happy!

Mr. McGregor

Clever Outdoor Wine Storage!

Pretty Beds

And that's it! We had such a great time at the Boston Flower & Garden Show that we'll definitely see you there next year!

Hopefully Cape Cod will warm up soon so we can all get our hands dirty in the garden.  And come visit our new home and garden department, Cottage Style when we open this Spring.  We'll have lots of pretty things to decorate your home and your garden with.

What are you planning to do to in your garden this year?

How to Grow Hydrangeas

If you want to know How to Grow Hydrangeas you've come to the right place.  Hydrangeas are Cape Cod's unofficial flower.  In fact, Cape Cod is hosting its inaugural Hydrangea Festival this year.  So it's no wonder, when people buy a home on Cape Cod one of the first things they do is buy a Hydrangea bush.  I'd imagine there's probably an unspoken list of things you need to buy for your new Cape house...

"Everything You Need for Your Cape Cod Cottage:"

1.  Hydrangeas

Provided we don't have any global cooling events, Hydrangeas grow with vigor and verve on Cape Cod.  Hydrangeas love our soil and temperature conditions and we can't complain when they keep us well supplied with an abundance of blooms for floral arrangements almost all summer long.

Cape Cod Hydrangea Foundation Planting

2.  Starfish

In addition to hydrangea bouquets cut right from your own garden, every Cape Cod cottage needs a selection of starfish to sit upon the window panes.  You can stand them on the window ledges of the front facing rooms or add them to a stunning view from a coastal kitchen.  Place them in a glass jar or scatter them across a table.  Starfish also look coastal chic in the sidelights of front entry doors.

Cape Cod Kitchen: Hydrangeas & Starfish

3.  Signs

Houses on Cape Cod often feature traditional quarterboards with distinctive names.  That has lead to the popularity of signs that show how much you love your Cape House.  (You wouldn't have moved here if you didn't, but a little reinforcement never hurt anyone.)  This great Cape Cod Enjoy! Sign has a handy peg in the back that lets you stand it on a shelf, or you can hang it on the wall.  Take it with you when you leave for the winter and you can be reminded of Cape Cod all year long...

Growing Your Own Hydrangeas

Now that you have everything you need for your Cape Cod cottage, you can start playing with and multiplying your hydrangeas.  The first thing you need to do is take cuttings from a Hydrangea Bush.  I would heartily recommend you use cuttings from a bush on your own property, a hydrangea that shows a propensity for the soil in your yard.  It is also not recommended that you take cuttings from someone else's hydrangeas unless you don't mind interacting with the local police.

Grab your hydrangea cuttings and these simple tools.

We actually had some Hydrangea Heisters hit a number of Cape Cod homes and pilfering their hydrangea blossoms to sell to the flower markets for $8 a stem.  Yes, hydrangeas were wholesaling for $8 a stem about 15 years ago!  I'm not sure what they go for now, but back then thieves were cashing in on the blooms of unsuspecting Cape Cod cottage owners.  So, take my advice, only use cuttings from your own hydrangea bushes or ask permission before you clip.

I grew some cuttings in my strawberry patch and got strawberry colored blooms...

The Easy Way to Grow Hydrangeas

1. Clip 9"-12" Long Cuttings

• In July, while my favorite Hulkamania Hydrangeas (not a real variety--mine are just huge) were blooming, I took 5 Stem Top Cuttings.  I looked for stems without flowers, on newer wood. Nice green shoots seem to work the best.
• Clip 9"- 12" cuttings to allow for at least 4 inches for inserting into the ground. Pull off any lower leaves but be sure to leave at least 2 pairs at the top of the stem.  Cut the bottom leaves in half as seen below.  (Not sure why, but I think I read somewhere that this is helpful to stimulate new growth...)

2. Find a Good Spot to Plant Cuttings

• I knew I wanted to get these hydrangeas started right into my garden's soil (why mess around with containers?), so I cleared an area around the outer edge of my raised beds.  The method to my madness was such: if someone (Joe) should take the time to water his vegetable garden, my hydrangea babies would (at least) get some of the overflow...
• I seem to have the best luck with hydrangeas that get full sun in the morning and shade in the the afternoon, something to take into consideration.
• Use a pencil to make a hole in the ground for each stem envisioning the future shape of your hydrangea bush...  

This is how they looked after a month...

3.  Dip Bottom Tips into Rooting Hormone & Plant

• Take your cuttings and dip the bottoms into a jar of rooting hormone. I purchased rooting hormone at my local garden center, Hart Farm.
• Gently insert the stems into each pencil hole, then fill in the dirt and press down...
• I gave them a good drink, and said, "sayonara girls, grow happy"... And that's it!

They survived the Fall and Winter and made it to Spring!

Honestly, I didn't have anything else to do with their upbringing.  I barely have enough time to do laundry, vacuum, or eat anything besides ice cream during the summer months, so no, I really didn't take very good care of my hydrangea babies that summer.  And that's why I am so amazed how easy it is to grow your own hydrangeas!  After several years, look at how they have grown:

So what do you think?  Will you take some cuttings and grown your own Hydrangeas?  Have you tried any other ways to grow Hydrangeas?  We'd love to hear your thoughts.