Showing posts with label Patio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patio. Show all posts

1.29.2014

How does your garden grow?...

We have a small yard- both front and back.  I purposely used plants that were zero to little maintenance, because I do not fancy myself a gardener.  I love to read about others gardens, especially these two blogs:  The Polished Pebble and Velvet & Linen   Those women have green hands!  I say hands, because you would have to have more than just one green digit to create such lovely gardens.

I have a green digit.  Maybe more like a green pinky.  I've kept my Bonsai green and growing this year, so I am encouraged to tackle some more difficult garden dwellers outside.  I can say that now when it's less than 50 degrees outside, but come summer in 100 plus temps?...

We've had success using Vincas, Blue Daze and Lantana.  I'm going to stick with those for annual flowers.  I do have one bed in the back that is kidney shaped and home to our Crepe Myrtle.   I have lavender seeds that I plan on putting in that bed to see what happens.  I think a pink Myrtle surrounded by a bed of soft lavender would be lovely.  My pinky may have other opinions...






My indoor herb garden lasted about a month.  I relocated the herbs to a large pot on the back porch.  They seem happier there.  



This bed was designed so that all I really need to change out is the annuals.  These were last year's Vincas, which grew to a crazy size... I'll probably repeat those this spring since they are so hearty.



The back beds are small.  This is the bed that has the Myrtle....so I am thinking of just scattering some lavender seeds and seeing what happens...


This is the bed in the opposite corner of the yard.  It has a butterfly bush and two lilly plants...


 I adore vintage watering cans and pick them up when I see them.  Antiques that have aged patina and are useful in the garden...







I'm also going to bring back potted Hydrangeas on the patio.  I love these giant balls of flowers, and they seem to do best when given well drained soil and partial sun.  The patio is the only place I've been able to grow them in our Texas climate.




I'd like to add some garden art or sculptures at some point.  This little girl sits in my parents garden...


I think something like this is more my style though...



These are Texas Bluebonnets- Our state flower.  I adore these in the spring and you can see them by the sides of major highways and blanketing fields all over Texas.



I'm thinking of throwing these seeds in pots as well to give the patio some bright pops of blue for spring.

I am also thinking about adding a pallet to the wall to plant some succulents in.  This was one I spotted while in Australia last summer...



What flowers have you doing some spring dreaming?  I love to hear what other folks are able to plant in their neck of the woods!

7.27.2013

Something blue...

Yesterday I added this little table from Attic Dust to the back porch and an outdoor lamp from Lowe's...



Also, yesterday my mom handed these down to me- my Grandmother's handkerchiefs.   The lace and detail on these is just lovely- and the red one?  Sports a G for her last name- same initial as mine.  Love.


7.25.2013

The potting table evolution...

Years upon years ago my mother bought me this lovely little kitchen butcher block... It started out with a creamy white base and butcher block top...and since our kitchen has an island I moved it outside to someday turn it into a potting table.

I have painted it.  A. Lot.

No idea what I was thinking here...

I liked this look so much better.
This past weekend Travis quick built me a shelf/hutch for it to put my vintage watering cans, pots, and odds & ends on...


Yes, I painted it again.  This time going with more of the grey that I love.

new sisal area rug from Lowe's also helped to freshen the space a bit...

I even moved an old chippy door that had been sitting in my living room to the back porch...

I'm on the lookout for a chippy coffee table and maybe an interesting piece as a little side table.  Nothing matchy matchy, and definitely in the shabby/rustic look I love.

9.22.2012

Our patio...

I have never posted much about our patio.

Or where our cottage sits.

It's a subdivision....nothing out of the ordinary....except for this:


Our house backs up to a green space that has a man-made "pond".  Hence the Little Cottage on the Pond.

We also have an open green space to the left of us....so only neighbors on one side (and they are lovely, quiet folks like us!)

It's one of the main reasons we chose this lot.

We have not done much to dress it up....

Pineapple plant that refuses to produce a pineapple...