Thinking spring...

I've been rethinking our front flower beds.  I am going to blame the sun coming out today and temps feeling a bit spring like here in Texas.  Of course it will be going down to 30 degrees tonight, but for now I'm thinking spring gardening...

Last month the herbs were relocated from the beds to the new window box.  They look pretty sad at the moment, but I think they will be very happy in their new home come spring...

The end plants are butterfly bushes.  They are looking pretty skimpy right now too.  We didn't realize how little direct sunlight the front of the Tudor gets, so we may need to rethink to more of an evergreen- I adore Bridal Wreath...

Once the pansies are finished for the season I will put a low lying juniper in between each of the tiny boxwoods. That way I only need to pop some perineals in the front corners near the door...

junipers

 I'm liking the lemon cypress in the container.  The pansies may not make it, but I can fill it with potato vine or another plant that likes the shade...

So that is where my head is at the moment....in the dirt ;)

Cottage garden...

Our little house is pretty simple, so I like the gardens and porch to be the same.  Most of the furniture is thrifted, found or made and that suits us just fine.  Instead of flower beds that wrap the house and yard, we have two simple corner beds and a porch of various potted plants with an herb garden.

Travis just finished up laying the slate on the porch this past weekend...

Yesterday we he got out into the beds and did a bit of sprucing along with hanging the feeder/planter.

A trip to Home Depot to gather a few plants...

Even for Texas, the recent weather was rough.  I was so excited to go outside and see these blooms on our Meyer lemon trees.  Hopefully they will produce some lemons this year!

This is the back corner bed on the right side.  It has a hummingbird bush and a couple of Iris'.  We just trimmed it out with a few pink and blue flowering plants...

In the opposite corner bed is our pink Crepe Myrtle.  Travis planted some bulbs a while back and they are starting to come up...

We also added a few seed patches of lavender and chives...

 Under the Crepe Myrtle is our memory rock for George & Gracie.  They died after ingesting part of a Sago Palm.  Those plants are very popular in our area, but also toxic.  We had no idea or we never would have had one in our yard.  Putting them down was one of the most painful things my husband and I have ever had to do.  I cried for months.

The mint still peeks up here and there.  I pretty much let it run amuck.  You never know when you may want a snip for a recipe or lemonade...

Then there are the patio pots.  I am a garden in a pot kinda gal.  Low mess and little fuss...

That's what's going on out back.   It was so lovely to spend the day outside- even if I was just doing a lot of pointing out to Travis where things needed to go and taking pictures ;)

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!