MAKING Mondays.....Children's Garden

Happy Mother's Day to all you out there!  We have been working on a little children's garden out back...here's what's happening....


we painted our old fence posts today...

I repurposed my old garden buckets and filled them with cement to hold the posts....

Their little space connects to our veggie plot

buried the buckets and began laying out annuals (Verbena Boniariensis and Salvia black and blue) between the posts....

added some stumps from my parents house for sitting and a pallet for a bridge entering the garden...

Things left to do....

paint the back sides of the posts

make some hooks for our watering cans

plant more annuals between our posts

add some blue stones (shiny as requested from my bean girls) to represent water in-between our bridge slats

have the beans make their pots of annuals that they will be responsible for this summer

So there you have it!  A little spot for the beans to be in the garden.  And I just wanted to say I'm a bit behind with my blog reading but will be around to check in with everyone today!!  Have a great start to your week friends!!!  And happy growing!!!  

simple one potted plants for the patio....

Our little sunken in patio area is going to get some major attention this spring.  It's a small space right off the family room but I have yet to touch it.  I've been inspired by simple one potted plants for this particular space.  

Here are a couple of inspiration photos that I've been referring to when thinking about our little space.....

via-gardenista

 via-nannagy.wordpress.com

Simple plants I'm considering for pots in the shadier areas of the patio....

Lily of the Valley

via-gardenista

Oxalis Fireglow

a long lasting annual here in zone 5

Let's Dance Starlight Hydrangea 

(Hydrangea macrophylla Lynn) compact

via-waysidegardens

I'm sure I'll throw some hostas in the mix as I have a hosta farm on the side yard.  Cheap and free is good for me!

Wishing you all a wonderful Valentine's Day tomorrow! 

may there be a little more love in the world

via-therinddiaries.com

thinking ahead...garden solutions 2015

When we finished the deck last month we were left with a gap between the house and the deck.  We left a space because we have a window well there and we did not want to cover it up.

There are several design dilemmas when looking at this space.  The first is the drop off when walking out the door.  Though the drop is only about 10 inches I want to place a planter there for safety and visual interest.  The container will not only act as a boundary but will be a great location for kitchen herbs.


The next dilemma is what to plant here.  Being a gardener who lives on a city plot I don't want to waste any space.  Looking at this little area we have about 3 feet between the deck and the house.  Here are the options I thought would work for the space....

1.   Climbing roses (first choice)
2.   Tall perennials...this could be a fun mosaic of wild in a contained area
3.   Flowering shrubs
4.   My tomato plants...which don't do anything for winter interest



Here is where we are now...

This is where I could take it with a trellis to create height against the house...

There will be some space left under the window for plantings if I go ahead with the trellis.

Jennifer from Three Dogs in a Garden wrote about Rosa "Jasmina" which I thought would make a nice specimen.  I like that it is disease resistant while also having great size and form.

Rosa 'Jasmina': A climbing rose with long-lasting pastel pink roses that deepen to mauve in the centre.  This rose has disease resistant foliage and can reach a height of around 8'.

This winter I hope to target most of the areas in my garden to give myself a head start before spring. 

 What would you vote to plant in this little space???

Happy Making, Baking, and Growing Friends!!!

Here is to a wonderful November!

A Collection...

Just a collection of all the bits and bobs happening in these parts!

The pit is almost finished!  The water issues in this space have been plenty.  We are just elated to be close to the finish line. 

We discovered once we started digging that the pipes for drainage under the slab were all broken.  One main pipe was wrapped in siding from our house which would explain some things!!!

We recycled some of the concrete to make the steps and walkway.  This space now connects to the upper area off the kitchen and was reduced in size to be used as a small sitting area.

My wonderful husband wheeled 12 yards of dirt back here to fill in this massive pit the day before my daughter's birthday party.   Do you see all of the new space for plants!?!  

Off the kitchen is where I had some of my veggies. 

Now we have a deck for a table.

Big bean is now 5!

For her party I wanted some color for the center of the table so I filled a vase with water and water balloons.  A fun and bright display!

 Apple picking and baking this weekend.  

Cortland apples

Mom's Apple Crisp...

Cut-6 large apples into small pieces
Mix-with 1/2 cup sugar and one tsp cinnamon
Spread into 9 by 13 glass baking dish

For the crumble
Mix-6 tbs of softened butter with 3/4 cup of flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt
Sprinkle on top of the apples

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

raspberries are coming in

a happy pot of asters from my mom

I went with simple planters this year for the front porch.  Pumpkins and sticks!  

The simple things are the sweetest things!
Wishing everyone a lovely new week!

MAKING Mondays.....a bit like fall

Well, it's not officially fall yet but you would never know it by the temperatures we have been having in these parts!  It has been chilly!!!!  The slow cooker has been running and homemade bread is back in the oven baking.  On days like these I like to sit back and listen to a bit of this...

And when I'm not listening to a bit of that I like to start adding touches of the season to cozy up our little home.  I had seen some Halloween villages in some magazines and thought it would be cute if I made my own for above the coat hooks.  Just black construction paper and tape.

I have a thing for plaid!  After I sewed this pillow my son helped me stuff it and he is so very proud of it!

My fondness for vintage bird prints comes from my grandma.  I was able to track some down HERE for a reasonable price and then just framed them up for the mantle.

And the backyard construction is making progress! Have a look out the kitchen window.....

Not done but we have somewhere to sit now!  

Happy making, baking, and growing friends!  

projects...

So while we are waiting for the backyard stuff  to get finished up (still waiting on the permit) I have been working on little projects here and there.   The state of the backyard has left us with a lot of mud but that doesn't stop the beans from using the space......enter mud and fence posts!

But we have been visiting parks when it gets really muddy.  Here is one of our local parks that is still loaded with summer color thanks to an impressive use of annuals......

On the home front things are busy so creating comes when the beans are doing projects or when I have some time at night.  I finished my first crochet project.  I have SO much to learn but am inspired to continue with classes to keep learning new techniques.

I have been using my old drapes to make ornaments...

pinecones from the garden to make giant acorns for fall...

and a scarf to keep the beans warm this winter....

Wishing you all a wonderful week!
Happy creating friends!