Daily Stitching and Hosta

 I did a variation on one of last weeks's squares and several versions of a new one, all from that book I mentioned last week, Zakka Embroidery.

This one took me the better part of an afternoon because I did the flowers all in satin stitch.  Too much time for a little square

                                   Same design but using just lazy daisy stitch for the flowers.

Lazy daisy stitch flowers filled in with two straight stitches. Much faster than the satin stitch and just as effective.

                              More of the same, but losing the stems and leaves and adding more flowers.

I live in a condo complex with town houses and stand-alone houses. I have a stand-alone, the best of both worlds because I can garden if I want to, but the association takes care of all the lawn work, hedge trimming etc. The houses come landscaped across the front and around the corners. I wanted the garden to extend along one side and around to the back where I have my deck and I do a lot of container gardening.

After I moved in 20 years ago I had someone put in a garden for me. For the first time ever, someone else did the digging and planting. It was great. However over the years most of the perennials petered out and for the last few years I kept saying that I wanted to do it over and this year I did. 

I planted a wide variety of Hosta, big ones, small ones, yellowish, blueish, green and striped. Wavy and smooth, cupped and flat.The variety in the nurseries is endless. I know that these will grow and spread and I will eventually have to do some dividing but for now they are quite carefree and I do like the look. They are candy for deer and I know I will have to spray them regularly. 

Hosta have long been a subject for fiber artist, Elaine Quehl, and I am lucky to own one of her pieces, a

 12" x 12" made for the SAQA auction several years ago. It resides happily in a hallway with other original art.

                                                                               Detail

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.