Tag: garden

Honor Roll (The Gardens and Patios Edition)
- House of Hipsters and Jojotastic both just finished up their patio makeovers, and now I’m inspired to get outside and do a bit of sprucing up! I’ve worked on the front porch before, but there are two small porches in the back that could use a little love too.
- Looking again at Jenna Lyons’ garden, a lot of the magic was in the photography but man does that overhead shot continue to inspire.
- Are you doing the 31 Day Flower Drawing Challenge?
  “It will only take a lily bit of time to become an expert at flower drawing.” (Gotta love the pun-filled intro video!)
- Where did I read about climbing hydrangeas recently, was it Martha Stewart Living? I was at Jayson Home yesterday looking at the plants, and they said people have been buying them like crazy this year. I wanted to pick up a plant or two, but I should probably make a plan first.
  Those foxgloves though! Too bad they’re so toxic because they would look amazing in front of my house.
- I’m currently rereading my copy of Charlotte Moss’ Garden Inspirations, and Bunny Williams’ On Garden Style is next. Any gardening books I should add to my list?
- You know what I want? I want a garden planner kind of like those anatomy books for kids with the transparent overlays of the body where you can peel away the layers of skin, muscle, organs, and blood vessels until you’re left with the skeleton. I want to see full-sized plants, suited for our garden zone and sun exposure, that I can layer together so I can figure this whole thing out. I had high hopes for the BHG Garden Planner but it’s not actually all that practical. Is there a book, kit, site, or app like this that you would recommend?
May 13, 2016
Getting Outside to Explore in the Garden

Sponsored by Mrs. Meyer’s

This is what the garden looked like on the day we bought the house, in late August of last year. Almost no grass (there’s a small patch out front), but plenty of greenery.

Aside from the snow we had last week, spring is pretty much here (yay!). Trees don’t start getting their buds until now in Chicago though, and the earliest spring flowers and plants are just starting to push their way up through the soil. After we raked our yard, we were left with a few patches of green shoots and a whole lot of dirt.

Oh, and antique objects, likely collected from flea markets. A spinning stone wheel, upon which we can sharpen our broadsword? Check. Antique washing machines? Yep, we’ve got a couple. Old street signs, spotlights, and various child impaling artifacts? Check, check, and check!

Some of it is cool. Some is dangerous. We’ll have to pare down.

We were out there all weekend, cleaning up the front and back yards. The kids loved to help, which basically consisted of them digging holes. (Great job, guys!) We got good and dirty playing and exploring outside, and then the kids fell asleep.

Ha! I wish we still got naps out of them sometimes. Nah, we finished up outside and then went in to wash our hands and get cleaned up before dinner. Lemon Verbena is our usual soap, but when I switched to Basil, Eleanor actually commented on it (“something smells yummy!“).

Switching gears to talk about that sink for a second… Have you lived with double taps before? Some people can’t stand using them, but I don’t mind at all. You just have to get used to using a stopper, and then it’s no big deal. And the antique sink here is my favorite because not only is it adorable, it’s an inch or two lower than usual and the height feels really good. Maybe it’s not so great for taller folk, but I love it and the kids can wash their hands without needing a step stool.

But back to the garden. We’ve heard from neighbors that the previous owners spent a lot of time outside, tending to the garden. There are mature boxwood hedges, peonies, roses, hydrangeas, various hostas, several trees and bushes, and at least three types of vines. I know enough to recognize some of it, but the rest will be a surprise. It will be interesting to see what pops up throughout the spring and summer!

One more shot from last year…

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April 22, 2014
First Barbecue of the Summer

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Yesterday for lunch, we barbecued for the first time this year. It was so good we grilled again for dinner! This was the scene.

Ah, those leaf plates. I’ve had them for years and I still love them. It was Brandon’s idea to add them to the table, and a good one at that, though somewhat surprising (because he hates them!).

We need to get out there and clean up the garden. I ignored it last year (excuse: I had a baby and a toddler), and this year things are bad out there. It is, however, much easier to overlook the garden being overgrown and overtaken by weeds if your peonies are in bloom.

A patterned tablecloth probably helps too. This is the same one I used for Eleanor’s birthday party, but I think I like it outside even better.

My family always used paper plates and plastic cups and cutlery outside, but I like to use our regular dishware. We do use plastic/melamine plates and cups sometimes (we did for dinner yesterday), but I still like those better than disposables. Plus the wind doesn’t toss a real plate like it does a paper one.

How do you set the table outside? I like to set out stacks of plates too, and let everyone help themselves, buffet-style.

Eleanor was so excited about being able to eat outside. I think we all were.

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May 21, 2012
Peonies

I haven’t done much to the garden since my initial effort in 2008, but it has rewarded my neglect by growing with wild abandon. It’s really not such a bad thing.

The Backyard, September 2008

The Backyard, June 2011

The peonies used to be out front. There were four of them when we moved in, but they weren’t getting enough sun so I decided to move them to the back. In the process, the four peonies accidentally became 12, but forging ahead, we planted all 12. Now, for about five days each June, my garden bursts with peonies. My favorite flower.

I would love to make some changes and additions to the yard, but that’s pretty low in my priorities right now. Enjoying the garden though, that ranks quite a bit higher.

June 9, 2011
Our Eastern Redbud is Dying

Only a third of the tree has leaves. It was a birthday present from Brandon in 2008, and I wanted to see it grow to full-size. So sad!

Brandon thinks it can be saved, but I’m less hopeful. There are deep fissures on the trunk in several places. The neighbor said that I should just chop off the dead parts and keep the rest of the tree, but I think that would look awful. No more awful than the jungle of weeds beneath the tree, but theoretically I can get rid of those. You know, if I actually had time these days to garden.

Maybe it caught some sort of tree disease from my other neighbor’s dying redbud? She has one against the fence that used to shade my egg chair.

The Backyard, 2008

It hasn’t been doing very well for the last couple of years. (The bush next to the egg chair however, that is thriving. Along with more weeds.)

The Backyard, 2011 (The egg chair’s cushions are in the wash.)

Do you think we can save it? I want to replace it with a different tree as soon as possible if it’s a lost cause.

June 1, 2011
Pom Pom Peony Support

I have a million peony bushes in the backyard (well, twelve or so), but I think the one nearest the egg chair might qualify for special treatment with this support cage from Terrain.

May 16, 2011