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Garden, Home & Party

Tag Archives: plans

Thoughts of spring…really?

12 Wednesday Jan 2011

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Maintenance

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Gardening, plans

Note:  My site has moved to a new server…it had crashed Monday and wonderful, Son #1 was able to fix it yesterday.  I apologize for being unavailable.  Thank you for coming by for a visit.

Any of my friends and family will tell you that I don’t especially love summer.  Spring is wonderful if it’s not too hot, but generally speaking, I prefer cooler temps.  I love sunshine but I want the temperature to remain in the mid-seventies as opposed to the baking hot temperatures that accompany most summer months.

Brabourne Farms image

I’d like to work on my garden bench and surrounds so that it more resembles this than the ‘catch-all’ that it is…{add it to the list}

I definitely want to add more hydrangea to my garden.  I would like to add white and maybe blue, which will turn pink if you don’t add some additive to the soil (I purchase this from the garden shop but I have a friend that just put’s a couple of nails in the ground.

I have a little man-made (by me) dry river bed that could use some attention, maybe a few plants that thrive in and around rock.

The exception we experienced this year and last is that we had a very unseasonably cool summer followed by what I believe weather experts are declaring the wettest and possibly coldest late fall/winter for some time.  Maybe that’s why my daydreaming has involved visions of what I’d like to do to the garden as soon as it’s warm enough.

Note:  Some might consider us Southern California folks real wimps when it comes to weather, and we usually just want perfect weather! Is that really too much to ask?{smile}

I lost all of my lavender in the rains (my planting areas resembled small ponds during much of the time). So I am definitely going to plant more French lavender this coming spring.

Diamond Creek Vineyard, Calistoga --via Garden DesignI’d also like to take out a couple of rose bushes that aren’t holding their own and replace them with something great for cutting and bringing indoors.  {Suggestions welcome!}

Besides wanting my yard to look good, my goal is to be able to do more harvesting of my own flowers and greens to make bouquets…

photo by Michael Kraus via Garden Design

There are step-by-step directions on how to create an arrangement similar to this HERE.

There are some wonderful mail order sources (probably more than I’m even aware of).  Here are 5 unique sites as recommended by Garden Design:

  • Moss Acres
  • Tiny Treasures
  • Simply Succulents
  • Annie’s Annuals & Perennials

Images except where indicated via Garden Design

So, is it just me?  Are you tempted to have thoughts of spring gardens once Christmas is put away?

Planning ~ Dreaming

27 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Renovating

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

building, plans, remodeling

plan – 1.  to devise a scheme for doing, making or arranging  2.  to have in mind as a project or purpose;   dream – a fond hope or aspiration

Cart before the horse…I’m always dreaming of the next “thing” (code for project) I’d like to do to my home.  The project list is long and money (money being the horse in this whole cart horse scenario)  is usually the only hiccup in starting on that project, but that doesn’t stop me.  I’m forever thinking of things I’d like to do to our home.  I know some you must feel the same way—when you love doing something it occupies your thoughts more often than not, right?

Oh yeah, this is on the list as well---I've even talked to a friend who is a contractor and he said it wouldn't be that difficult to build!

That said, I was reminded recently how dreaming it is only the first step in the process, duh.

Carol and Barry, good friends of ours, recently did a major remodeling job on their home.  It took months of working with an architect to determine how the exterior of the home would change, to how each room within the new space would work.  Carol is an exercise buddy and know how much time and energy went into the planning process for her remodel, but it was only the tip of the iceberg.

I'd love a little playhouse in the back yard. Image via House Beautiful

As the construction began there were additional details and decisions that had to be made—what kind of hardware for the cabinetry, appliances for the kitchen, flooring, paint color, tile selection, marble/granite, finish on the floors, carpet (where used), lighting and on and on.

The learning curve is very steep on a major remodel, kind of like the learning curve on planning a wedding—there are always things that come up that are somewhat unexpected.

Love the wood walls. Image via KML Design

A recent guest blog on one of my favorite sites, Velvet & Linen, was given by Interior Designer Gwen Driscoll and it addressed this very topic.  She said that she feels the most important part of her work with a client is A MASTER PLAN.  Read her feature HERE.

…and my point you ask?  I believe that dreaming about the next big project could be very helpful if and when that lottery money arrives (no, I don’t actually buy lottery tickets but maybe I should).   I’ll have some of the planning done and be better equipped to remodel that guest bathroom that is currently in a sad state to be sure!

I've priced vanities, mirrors, wall sconces and hardware for this bathroom...now all I need is the money, easy-peasy!

Note:  I’m happy to report that my friend’s house is close to being finished and I believe it’s going to be amazing.  I hope to talk her into a few pics for my blog!

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