{Garden} Progress update on New Year’s goals

01 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, Maintenance

Tags

HAPPY MAY DAY!

Sometime in early January I posted about my “goals” for the year. I used this word to avoid the utter sense of failure I experience when I’ve set the usual “resolutions” and then dropped the ball within the first month of the new year. This year I was determined to set realistic “goals” for myself and keep them in my thoughts to achieve some measure of success. How did that work out, you ask? Well, it’s only May 1st, but I would give myself a solid B for achieving 2 of the 3 goals so far.

If you’re interested in reading the post visit me HERE, otherwise, here is a bit of proof of my work towards accomplishing at least 1 of the 3 goals. Goal #2. Plans for the Garden :: As I explained in my previous post, I have regularly worked in my garden, but in recent years, only to maintain it. I had really dropped the ball where adding new “bones” to the space was concerned. The pictures I had taken for blog purposes revealed lots of bare spots and some much needed updating. {You really can see your yard, or rooms in your home, more objectively by taking a picture and looking at it}

Our house is stucco on all sides, except for the front where we had stone applied some years ago. I’m sure there are stucco walls that are smooth and somewhat attractive, that is not what we have in our 1968 Southern California tract house. Which is why I’ve have ivy growing on many of the walls. In our side yard there is a particularly large expanse of stucco and the wall happens to get full sun. I had always thought about planting something that could be espaliered. My trusty nursery suggested White Lady Banks rose so I’m giving it a go. Don’t judge Lady Banks just yet. I’ve only planted her this past weekend. But with time, I’ve been promised she’ll grow and will at least break up (figuratively) some of the stucco wall.

I’ve got a David Austin ‘Heritage’ and an Iceberg rose growing in front of Lady Banks, she should enjoy their company while she puts on growth.

Iceberg are so easy and provide the best white blooms nearly 9 months of the year around here.

The other roses in this area of the yard are French Lace

~and~

a Burgundy Simplicity rose. They both put their best face forward in spring, but perform well all summer long.

Last year I discovered that by planting my herbs in pots I could avoid the little slug holes that plagued all of my basil and flat leaf parsley.

The patio bed was revamped a couple of years ago, but even with the Iceberg roses and climbers, Cecile Brunner and Eden, the rest of the bed needed some interest. This spring I was able to buy foxglove in color packs (a smaller, 6-pack of starts). The ‘foxy’ variety will last most of the summer and could be coaxed into blooming again next spring if I could tolerate the stage where they look so sad. They are up and strong and about to burst into a full riot of beauty. (Please pardon the boxwood, they are transplants and have been over hedged. I’m hoping this summer they will recover and be lush and green once again).

The back corner of our yard is deep shade most of the time so in 2011 we decided to throw in the towel on trying to grow grass and instead had our gardener create a pea gravel patio. The corner plants never did much since the trees that create the shade sucked the nutrients from the soil and water was a problem since the soil was filled with roots and little else. We have moved 3 sizable concrete pots to that corner and my hope is to plant them with a Japanese maple, Annabelle hydrangea (Thanks, Keri! Ivy Clad posted the best information on this hydrangea) and possibly a Camellia japonica in white. This is a work in progress so I’ll have to follow up with a future post on my progress.

Under the kitchen bay window, on our patio, we have had 2 large concrete oval pots. Last year I planted white azalea ‘Alaska’ and white ivy geranium…

and this year, the ivy geranium won. The white azalea have been moved to a more suitable spot in the garden and the white ivy geranium are having a party.

The formal garden is still under renovation. It needs plants that can tolerate massive roots from our neighbor’s beautiful Alder tree. I love their tree but it does wreak havoc with the planting beds. I continue to amend the soil and hope for the best. The Sally Holmes climbing rose is happy on the fence and the roses in each of the boxwood framed openings seem fairly happy. I had to replace one of the hybrid teas with a Romantica ‘Bolero’ this past spring. I’m have frequent chats with the rose, encouraging it to grow up big and strong.

The last addition so far is a favorite for Mr. B. I bought and hung a bird feeder. We get a lot of really interesting birds in our yard and Mr. B loves to watch their antics. I hung it outside of our kitchen window and I must confess, it’s been fun to watch the variety of hungry birds.

Have you begun to work in your garden yet? Spring has sure taken its time arriving here in California.

I’m linked to: The Polohouse {Favorites on the First}~and~

Savvy Southern Style {Wow us Wednesdays}

~and~ Stone Gable {Tutorials Tips and Tidbits}

~and~ Ricki Jill at Art @ Home: My Happy List

In two weeks, May 15th, I’m hosting my very first Linky party. I’m celebrating all things SPRING! I hope you’ll join me with your favorite things about this season…your gardening tips and projects, the touches you add to your home as the weather warms and your favorite recipes, table settings and entertaining ideas for SPRING, or really just anything you’d like to post. I hope you’ll join me, I think we’ll have fun.

{Home, Garden} Flower arranging, in a vase or in the garden

20 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, House and Home

≈ 18 Comments

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Spring flowers

{1}

Those of us that enjoy our gardens, especially in the U.S., are still anticipating the full glory of spring. I thought I’d provide you with a little inspiration by sharing some pretty flower arrangements for you to enjoy. Some are simple and some are elaborate, all are beautiful [i.m.h.o].

{2}

…come along, through the magical gate that will place us squarely in spring on the other side…

{3}

Where can I find fuchsia’s this color?

{4}

wouldn’t I love a hedge of hydrangea like this…

{5}

and ranunculus this color?

{6}

{7}

Oh, how I wish I lived where lilacs would grow.

{8}

{9}

{10}

This color (below) is one of Ina Garten’s favorites…

{11}

{12}

{13}

{14}

I’m not sure what kind of bulb this is but it’s pretty even before it blooms.

{15}

Spring’s bounty, flowering branches, pussy willow and some kind of seed pod.

{16}

And for my final floral contestant…possibly a wedding prop, dancing in one direction, dining in the other. Either way, I love the rusty old bicycle used for the flowers.

{17}

Source: 1-13, Tumblr Fresh as a Daisy; 14, Tumblr A Gift Wrapped Life; 15, Tumblr Love French Bulldogs; 16-17, Tumblr Looking for Rainbows in the Moonlight

Spring will be here (in the U.S.) any time now, in fact we’ve been teased with some warm days. Wait for it, it will give us all a lift of spirits and a new level of energy. ♥ Karen

I’m joining Savvy Southern Style for her Wow Us Wednesday and on Thursday, Stone Gable, Tutorials Tips and Tidbits

{Garden} Keeping bees happy and other gardening pursuits

20 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, Maintenance

≈ 21 Comments

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Bees

Pilgrims brought the first honeybees to America. There were honeybees in California by 1820.

I’ve been busy as a bee in my garden…planning and planting. (It was one of my New Year goals)

{tumblr ~ fresh as a daisy}

After ignoring my front yard during the month of December and most of January, I decided it was time to clean up a few things. My gardener had pruned the roses and I usually do a little detailing to make sure they are trimmed properly.

{Bethany House ~ Winter, 2011}

Working in the garden relaxes me and makes me happy. This past weekend the work inspired me to start making plans for the plants I want to install (as part of my New Year’s “goals”) and I came up with a list that I’ll order/pick up at the nursery and plant sometime between now and the end of March.

{Bethany House ~ backyard fence}

For now I’ve planted some infrastructure for the planting beds, behind the boxwood in the front yard are…

‘Alaska’ azalea, a lovely white blooming plant that should grow fairly fast in this part-sun location to cover the valves for the sprinklers.

~and~

phygelius ‘Passionate Pink’, a smallish, upright fuchsia. Bees and hummingbirds alike love this plant and the one below…

~and~

Spanish lavender, this will give me a little soft color around the white Iceberg shrub roses.

That plan instigated more thought about the back yard. I started thinking about plants and bees. I know, it does seem a little strange, but I would love to have the time and space to raise bees. I don’t have the time at this juncture but like my desire for a chicken coop, maybe some day.

I hope to move some planters around in the back yard and replace a rose or two. I purchased some seed in hopes that I can try my hand at growing ‘forget-me-nots’ and some Asian poppy seed to scatter.

{Forget-Me-Nots}

Meanwhile, I’ll have to search for a straw bee skep to tide me over…

{Country Cottage Primitives}

There will be more garden coverage this year…stay tuned. Like last year, hopefully, Olivia will help me with the watering when she visits this summer.

{August 2012}

Note: We have a constant stream of bee and hummingbird visitors in our yard. I think some of my new plants will be gourmet nectar to both.

Do you have plans for your garden this year? I know some of you are still shivering from winter’s cold but you and I both know it will be spring before we know it!

I’m over at Savvy Southern Style, drop by for a visit and Art @ Home sharing things that make me happy.

{GHP} 2013, a New Year

03 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, Misc, Party Planning, Travel

≈ 13 Comments

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NY Goals

This is my 400th post. When I started in 2007 I barely knew how to post my words, let alone images. I’ve met some wonderful blog friends and been inspired by more of you than I can even name, or place on my blog roll. Thank you for stopping by and for any and all comments, it always tickles me to hear from you!

I’m not a huge fan of resolutions but I am obsessed with lists. What is it for some of us? There is something so satisfying about making a list, [and checking it twice?] maybe it’s a Santa thing.

So I’ve decided to start with a short list of things to do in the first quarter of the new year…wait, is this the same thing as a resolution? No, I think not. It’s more of a list of goals for life. A list of things I’d like to do that I’ve talked about but not accomplished with regularity. A simple list, really. A list to enrich daily, weekly and monthly life. Not a “cure world hunger” kind of list but one to enrich our (Mr. B. and me) lives. I’ve always maintained that if you want me to do something, put it on the list, I’ll get it done.

1. More local, weekend field trips with Mr. B or girlfriends. This is one of those items that I’ve talked about, but so far, haven’t achieved. I confess the inspiration came from our newest addition to the family, Sarah, my youngest son’s lovely wife (of 1 month). She is forever planning little getaways for the two of them to California festivals and fairs. They don’t even have to involve overnight stays, but when there’s a fair or festival that interests them, they often go. I want to do more of that in this new year.

{I believe Kevin and Sarah went to this festival and it sounded like they had fun. I know I got an olive tree sapling out of their visit}

{My girlfriends and I wanted to attend Remnants of the Past last fall, but the wedding kept me from wanting to loose a weekend, so we promised ourselves we’d go in 2013}

2. Plans for the garden. I’m a garden enthusiast, but I find lately (the last 3 years) I’ve kept the garden maintained but not actively planned for new shrubs, trees, or perennials for any area in the garden. I’ve been mostly keeping things trimmed, soil turned and all plants fertilized but have failed to plant the garden of lavender I’ve wanted to grow, or change out some rose bushes that simply don’t do as well as they should in a given spot. I’ve only maintained. I want to change this status quo in the garden. I may even try my hand at planting some annuals from seed this year.

{I need to change a couple of the roses in the knot garden. My hybrid tea, ‘Pearl’ isn’t doing that well and I could use a red rose. I’m thinking of Mr. Lincoln or a Romantica Rose. I need to check out my options soon so that when they come to the nursery I can buy what I want}

{Mr. Lincoln}

{The pink jasmine is lovely in the spring but I’d like to plant an additional vine that would bloom when the pink jasmine has completed its cycle}

{This image from Ivy Clad is what I strive for where my boxwoods are planted…the inside planting space needs more plants, plan to be determined}

I have wanted a fountain for the side yard for years. I’ve had fountains in other spaces out doors, but they can’t really be heard from the rooms we spend the most time in, kitchen, library and family room. I’ve also chosen fountains in the past that offer a sound similar to a little boy using the lavatory…not the gentle fall of water droplets that I long to hear. I’ve been told a two-tiered fountain is what I need.

Trish of trouvais fame posted this image of her lavender garden a year or so ago. I decided to plant lavender where I felt it would get plenty of sun and hoped to reap the benefits of the beautiful scented plant and flowers. Unfortunately, I got started late and 2 of the plants died. I will re-attempt this planting again this spring. Isn’t this image beautiful?!

3. Entertaining more in 2013. There was a time when we enjoyed having friends in for dinner at least twice a month. I think my taking a full time job in corporate America in 2005 was when the pattern changed. Now I find myself thinking, next month I’ll have __________ [fill in the blank] over for dinner. Unfortunately I’ve been dropping the ball and “next month” has become next year in many instances. I am going to make an effort to have good friends over for dinner more often in 2013. By the way, I read that some hate the term “entertain” due to the formality it conjures up in our minds. I do enjoy the creativity of setting the table, determining the menu and planning for all of that, but we rarely do what I would consider “formal” entertaining. Most of our friends offer, and I accept their offer, to bring some small portion of the meal. It works well and I find it shares some of the work. That said, I am not above buying some great appetizer that is nearly made for me, or a bakery-purchased dessert.

I’ve come a long way baby, I no longer feel the need to keep everything perfect and formal. I enjoy buying some of the meal, like a yummy appetizer from Bristol Farms or Trader Joe’s and then cooking the rest of the meal, or even letting some of the guests bring something. Either way, Mr. B and I truly do enjoy the quality time spent with friends and family over a meal in the comfort of our home (or that of a friend).

Love the white table setting and surroundings (above).

This was a table set for a dinner for a friend with a May birthday. It reflects the upcoming spring (when this picture was taken), but my point in including it was to show you the centerpiece. It’s a planter I pulled from the atrium and added a few English daisy. It’s fun to mix up the centerpieces with cut flowers, fruit or potted plants. This doesn’t have to be difficult or costly. Fixing food for friends and then sharing it is the goal.

(Below) I love the stone items that are part of this table. So classic.

{Annelle Primos}

For the above dinner I used a silver tray as the centerpiece and added a vase of simple flowers from the market. I used my chargers instead of a table cloth or place mats…easy and casual.

Some even mix the country feel of a picnic style table with beautiful candelabras and flowers for a dinner setting that is appealing and yet, not stuffy.

{Charlotte Moss}

So that’s it, these are my goals for 2013. Not too ambitious, therefore conceivably attainable, right? Did you set any goals or make any resolutions for this year?

{Garden} Birdsong in the garden

18 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, House and Home, Outdoor living

≈ 18 Comments

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birds in the garden

I’ve talked about angels in the garden and thought I’d share a few bird tales, for good measure.

{John James Audubon}

We mostly avoid pesticides of any kind in our yard and are rewarded with plenty of bird sightings. We’ve had brightly colored birds, and even enjoyed a wren family that moved into a bird house in the garden. They returned later that same year and raised a second family. Unfortunately the post that held their home rotted and we’ve not replaced it, so we haven’t seen them lately. There are several birds that use our bath facilities and we thoroughly enjoy seeing them nibbling unwanted insects off the roses.

Unfortunately we have crows hanging around the neighborhood as well, none in our back yard but they definitely perch on the light post in front of our house. My only objection to them is their predatory habits where baby birds are concerned.

The hummingbirds are plentiful and mainly enjoy the lavender, Penstemon and Lakeview Jasmine tree we have in the knot garden.

{The Angelonia attracts hummingbirds}

As I’ve mentioned before, I really don’t want to get too heavy handed with the garden art as our yard is really compact and Hubby has commented he doesn’t want our home to start resembling the cliché for “old” folk’s homes. But a little metal bird here and there sort of makes up for the brevity of the visits we experience with the real thing.

As I was looking at plant lists that attract birds it turns out, quite by accident, that we have several plants that naturally entice birds into the garden. Here is a very partial list: Oakleaf hydrangea, privet ‘ligustrom’, gaura, columbine, boxwood and lots of trees.

{This variety of lavender, ‘goodwin creek’ attracts hummingbirds and butterflies}

{The Lakeview Jasmine tree is in the upper right corner of this photograph, it’s hard to see due to the espaliered star jasmine}

I particularly enjoy rusty birds…

We may be shopping for new digs for our little wren family, what do you think of these?

{Dovecote}

~or~

{Songbird House}

Does your yard attract birds? I know some of you live in regions that probably have such amazing birds. Maybe I need to get some binoculars and a book on birds!

I’m over at Tracie’s Garden Party, stop by for a visit.

{Garden} Angels in the garden

11 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, House and Home, Outdoor living

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

summer living

I’ve never wanted to go overboard with any one item in the yard. I like collections but my yard is small and I didn’t want it to become cluttered with garden art. Then, the other day while strolling through the yard I noticed I have more than a couple of angels and a few birds in the garden art department.

Hopefully, they aren’t too blatantly obvious but more a natural accent and fairly subtle.

So how did this happen, you’re asking? It started innocently enough with this plaque given to me by my friend Carla in honor of my grandmother’s passing. I’ve always liked it and it’s gotten nice and mossy on the wall in the back yard, surrounded by ivy.

Next angel to move in was this fountain, which is no longer a fountain but a planter. A friend of mine owned a great little shop on Balboa Island and she gave me this fountain for a “friendly” price. The sound of the fountain forced me to plant it instead of keeping it as a fountain. The sound of the steady stream of water wasn’t the soothing trickle I’d hoped for…more like a little boy peeing.

The fountain/planter is now planted with white impatiens and sweet potato vine, I’m thinking I need to go back to pink impatiens and fern.

This little angel caught my eye because I could see her sitting on my garden bench. My gardener broke her neck by accident one time, but we were able to give her epoxy surgery and repair her.

Above is her newest home in the formal garden, below is where she used to sit in the side yard.

This next angel is something I picked up in Rosarito Beach, Mexico…what was I thinking?…I’m really getting carried away with angels but these were all bought over a period of 25 years.

This door knocker was a gift, I’ve hung it on the patio post and looking at this photograph it’s kind of creepy looking. She looks mad and her eyes definitely frighten me.

I’m going to show you some birds next week…bet you can’t wait!

P.S. I also know that a dear friend (who shall not be named) hates angel statues. Fortunately she is still my friend.

I’m visiting Fishtail Cottage Garden Party, stop by for some great garden inspiration.

{Garden} Boxwood Basics

19 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, Outdoor living, Uncategorized

≈ 13 Comments

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Boxwood

As some of you may know from reading my posts {thank you!} I am a staunch anglophile. My first trip to England took place in 1985 and I fell in love with all things British. We’ve vacationed in the country many times since.

English Cottage ~ love the boxwood and urns.

So when it came to landscaping my smallish yard I knew I wanted it to reflect, on a much smaller scale, an English cottage garden.

We’ve been in our house 30 years, and only now am I beginning to see the image I’ve had in my mind for all these years. What’s taken you so long you may ask? In short, life, children and sometimes funding. ♥

We had a wooden swing set in the yard during the kids “formative” years and it had plenty of use, then we’ve had baseball practice, soccer practice, a sandbox [don’t try to plant a cottage garden near a sandbox, trust me on this one] and dogs to somewhat stall or hinder me.

I’ve trained a row of English ivy along the stone border in the back yard.

The hedge of boxwoods around the patio were transplants from another area of the yard, they are still recovering, but all in all have survived and are showing signs of new growth.

On the side yard I’ve started a hedge of Texas privet (ligustrom) to cover the neighbor’s wall, in front is a low hedge of Japanese boxwood.

In any event, even while my garden business was thriving, I chipped away at areas of the yard and got most of the boxwood (Buxus microphylla japonica) hedges going. The great thing about boxwood hedges in Southern California is the fact that they are pretty easy to grow and require only reasonable amounts of water. I buy the variety that stands up to cool temperatures, even though we don’t get frost where I live. I still have lost the occasional boxwood but in many cases they will fill in where the loss occurs, or I simply buy a 1-gallon replacement.

via Jennings & Gates ~ don’t you love this picture of boxwood with white Crepe Myrtle planted in each section, and the fabulous fountain in the center?

via Atlanta Home and Garden

When my roses are in bloom the formal garden shines.

Here are a few easy tips to keep your boxwood happy:

They prefer well-drained soil

When trimming boxwood be sure to remove all cuttings. If you don’t clean up trimmings you can create an environment for fungus which can cause the plant to die.
Exposure: Full sun or light shade

Carla’s garden…my friend always inspires me.

Dunham Classic American House ~ the boxwood breaks up the expanse of brick leading to the entrance of this lovely home.

via Nest Egg ~ this New Orleans business used boxwood in the planter and as an architectural accent with the rounded hedge spaced between classic boxwood.

Side note: I’ve always been a huge fan of gardening, proof follows. We lived in Texas for 2 years, when my mom came to visit we bought these crazy overalls as we prepared to plant the yard. My orange overalls made me look like an escaped prisoner…LOL! Hubby took the picture to imply I made my mom work during her visit…which was true, in part. 🙂 Can you see our toddler son in the image, still in his footed jammies?

Do you like the “formality” of boxwood?

I’m over at Fishtail Cottage enjoying her garden party and

Stone Gable for her Tutorial Tips and Tidbits

{Garden} Breakfast outdoors

29 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Food, Gardens, Outdoor living, Recipes, Simple Meals for the Avid Cook

≈ 7 Comments

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cinnamon roll cake

I know I’m not alone in wanting to enjoy every possible minute outdoors before it gets too hot. So I plan to make an extra effort to announce to Hubby in advance that we’re going to be enjoying breakfast on the patio. {He responds so much better to change with advance notice}

To go along with dining outdoors, which always feel special, I’m sharing a recipe I found on a relatively new (to me) blog site. Pine Cones and Acorns is written by Elizabeth and she recently posted a recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cake. It is just what the title implies…the yummy goodness of a rich, buttery cinnamon roll in an easy, make-ahead, cake. That with a cup of steaming hot coffee and a bit of half and half and I’m in heaven.

Note: For original recipe visit the link above or below. I halved the recipe since I knew I was baking for 2 and I didn’t want to be forced to eat all of it and thereby gain 5 lbs. As a result, I cooked it in a loaf pan and baked it the night before. I glazed it the morning I served it. It was delicious!

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Recipe adapted from Pine Cones and Acorns

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/8 tps salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tb. butter, melted

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 T flour

1 1/2 Tb cinnamon

nuts (optional)

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1-2 Tb milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions for cake: With an electric mixer or stand-up mixer, mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in 2 T melted butter. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan pan.

Directions for cinnamon mixture that goes in cake before baked: In a large bowl, mix the 1 stick of softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts (optional) until well combined. Drop evenly over cake batter by the tablespoon and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out nearly clean from center.

Directions for Glaze: Place powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Serve warm or (if you prepare it the night before) at room temperature.

But wait, there’s more, with this recipe I’m including some lovely outdoor dining tablescapes, compliments of hours of on-line searching by moi!

I realize that the images are showing tables with multiple place settings but I trust you can gather some inspiration and set your table for however many folks you are serving.

Don’t you love the little rock on each napkin to hold them if there’s a strong breeze? I also like the small galvanized cup holding a plant. You can get creative and informal outdoors, I say the more rustic the better.

I’ve always liked the idea of using throws when dining outdoors. I’ve even seen them priced so reasonably online.

How lucky are these people (below). I would love to have a body of water in my backyard to dine by. A stream, a lake, a pond…any of those would rock my world.

I really need to update my photo portfolio of my own patio table. This is the table we still use, but these are the “killer chairs” and now we have Kooboo wicker chairs.

Here’s the new chairs. Very comfy and relaxing.

A fireplace would be nice on a chilly morning, don’t you agree?

{via}

Do you have an outdoor dining space?

I’m visiting Fishtail Cottage for her garden party.

{Garden} Appreciating nature, my fine feathered friends

24 Thursday May 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Gardens, Misc

≈ 9 Comments

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Nature, nests

We’re off to Austin to do our first solo gig as babysitters for our sweet granddaughter. I’ve put a few posts in the queue and I’ll be back mid-week next week. Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

xo, Karen

As we head towards a long weekend, hopefully for everyone, I thought you might have time to enjoy nature…it can be as simple as appreciating the sunset each evening, admiring the lake you may be skiing on, being thankful for the beach or the fabulous scents of pine while hiking or taking a relaxing walk in the forest, or you can observe with wonder the work of our fine feathered friends…

While reading the Sunday paper a couple of weeks ago an news article caught my eye due in part to the beautiful watercolor drawings associated with the feature. The piece, titled “A family’s strong nesting instinct” by Liesl Bradner, told of a family living in Ohio in the mid-1800’s and of their appreciation and love of the “natural world”. Genevieve “Gennie” Jones would ride with her country doctor father to visit patients and her father would discuss nature. This father-daughter practice ultimately resulted in the making of a book titled “America’s Other Audubon”. The fascinating story can be found HERE.

Smithsonian Institution Libraries on Display

…and all of the plates from the book can be viewed HERE.

Smithsonian Institution Libraries on Display

I realize it may seem as though I’m overly focused on birds lately, but I must admit, I do love watching them during these warmer months. They enrich the garden with their singing and chirping and hopefully they are devouring some of the insects that eat too freely of my flowers. 🙂

Smithsonian Institution Libraries on Display

I found a nest in our Cecile Brunner rose last fall…the birds had nested when the rose was filled with blossoms and leaves. I left it in hopes it would provide materials for another bird family.

{Note: Please ignore the saw fly holes in the leaves, I’m working on the problem}

We have lots of hummingbirds in our garden, they especially love the Mexican sage and lavender. We often think they arrive on cue, it almost seems they are asking us to keep it down, they are dining.

{via}

I have posted about the wren family* that lived in a decorative bird house in our garden, raised a family, sent them to flight school and returned a couple of months later to raise their second set of twins.

{via}

Meanwhile, my roses are now finished with their first bloom cycle. Here are a few of the examples of the best of the lot during the initial spring bloom.

French Lace~ Hybrid Tea Rose

Iceberg Rose ~ considered by some to be “common” but they sure bloom a ton almost all year in Southern California.

This was a no-name rose I picked up at Lowe’s but the yellow is so pretty and the petals so plentiful, I really like it.

This (below) setting must be high rent for birds, so lush and green and peaceful.

{via}

I guess there might be birds that would truly appreciate this little house in the dead of winter! Brrrr!

{via}

I enjoy seeing the use of nature’s best as decorative accessory in a home. If you can’t find nests in and around your yard, {and please make sure the owner is finished with the next before taking possession!} there are hobby shops that sell some realistic imitations.

{via}

And, while I’m on the topic of appreciating nature, while in Austin last month the in-laws took me to a restaurant in San Marcos, just outside of Austin, where this 100+ year old oak tree greets all who visit. Majestic!

San Marcos, Texas

How’s nature in your region? Do you have birds or other creatures visiting your yard this time of year? I love hearing from you!

Have a wonderful Memorial Day, take a minute to be thankful we live in a nation that has been kept safe thanks to those that fight and sometime fall for our freedom.

*By the way, if you click the link to my story about the wren family we housed in our birdhouse, please note that this was my earliest days of blogging and I wasn’t sure how to put an image into the post, so one post has the image of the wren house and one post has the story. 🙂 Oh how far we’ve come.

I’m joining the Garden Party at Fishtail Cottage, have a look.

{Garden} Spring planting and the knot garden

08 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens, Maintenance, Outdoor living

≈ 27 Comments

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Knot garden

I’ve been busy in the garden this past month. The season makes it easy to want to be working the soil and planting new annual flowers you’ve missed seeing during the fall and winter months.

We have a relatively smallish backyard in our home of 30 years. About 10 years ago I happened to be on a home tour of several homes in Newport Beach, California. One of the homes we visited on the tour backed to Newport Bay and the tiny, postage sized yard had a knot garden. I wasted no time, I cleared an area of my yard and planted almost 200 Japanese boxwood’s (believe it or not, I planted each and every one myself; I was younger and more energetic 10 years ago!). 🙂

Inspiration for knot/formal garden dreamers…

I had purchased a sundial from Smith & Hawkins a few years before (boy, do I miss that retail store) and that became the center for my garden. I selected roses (Romantica Roses: Guy de Maupassant and Eden; Hybrid Teas: St. Patrick’s and Pearl) for the center of each boxwood corner and have been happy with it each time I visit the yard. Each year I work on the outer edges of my formal space. Our neighbor has a wonderful, old Alder tree and the roots invade my yard so it’s a bit of a challenge to keep plants happy in this root ridden area. I did plant a Sally Holmes rose that puts on a great show each spring, but even Iceberg planted along the edges seem to struggle a bit.

You can see my neighbor’s alder tree. She always asks if we want her to take it out since she knows of the roots that it sends out…I always say “NO”. I’m a huge supporter of trees and plenty of them. The red flowering tree is a bottle brush. When the kids were little we called it the ‘bee tree’…when its in bloom like this all you have to do is walk nearby and you hear it buzz. No, none of us have allergies to bees and no, we’ve never been stung by our bottle brush bees.

I call my garden a knot garden, but it really isn’t a knot garden, formal garden maybe, the boxwood’s would need to interlink to be a knot garden.

(Above) is a photo of part of our patio, the window is my kitchen bay window.

(Below) is a close up of the Sally Holmes climbing rose.

Sally has a ‘waverly sage’ salvia in front of her…it’s not in bloom yet but will be shortly.

I’ve trained the star jasmine on a wired geometric grid. Sorry for the overexposed photograph. Below is my hydrangea…I wanted to grow them all around the edges but alas, all but this one threw in the towel.