common ground : yard work

Sunday, May 19, 2013

What's Growing On...

Between the late Spring and snow in early May, to the every other week out of town doctor visit trips for hubby, I'm way behind in getting plants potted and the deck and outdoors spiffed up. I was able to get a few containers put together for the deck this week, but it's been slow going. (so many of you have asked how he's doing and it's also been "slow going", but he's making improvement little by little. Thank you all so much for asking, and for your prayers)

I was able to winter one of my mint plants, and after cutting back the unusable winter growth, I'm just now getting some new leaves. I use mint every day in my green tea and lemonade or my new favorite Crystal Light Mojito, club soda, fresh lime and mint. So easy, tastes like it's alcoholic cousin, no calories, and creates a party in your mouth!

(angel vine)

My small urns are planted with variegated Impatiens...

always a favorite, and so easy.

We recently gave our humongous gas grill to our daughter and her husband. I'd never liked using it; I swear I could taste the "gas" on the steaks. (they don't notice it.) The deck is now 3 times as large without that eyesore taking up so much space, and we're on the hunt for a smaller charcoal grill. One that actually produces a great tasting meal.

These are a couple of the new containers filled with Million Bells, Geraniums, and Verbena. I winter my Geraniums, but this year when we were gone for a week with my hubby's surgery, they became a salad bar for the rabbits...nibbled down to the stubbs. So getting them back will take a while.

In the front yard, Iris are blooming. I transplanted them from my m-i-l about 5 years ago, and they've not been much on blooms, but this year I have some beautiful ones.

I'm also having Peony blooms for the first year,

but the ants are loving them too.

A Knockout Rose that creates a little secret sanctuary for the bird bath.

The robins love it, and have a great time flopping, chirping, and cooling off.

This rose bush has gone nuts this year.

A few just potted red Geraniums with "soon to be trailing"
Verbena next to the garage.

And more Impatiens in the twin urns on the front steps.

It looks pretty bare out here without color,

hopefully, the Impatiens will add some soon.

(If the brick looks wonky, it's because I "cloned" out the house number plaque)

Last year this Hydrangea was all but dead. The drought and temps in the low 100's almost everyday caused it to wilt and killed the blooms. It was so disheartening. No matter how much I watered it, the bush just couldn't take the heat. But I started treating it with coffee grounds, and it rallied late in the season.

Now, it's covered in little immature blooms...

and I'm so excited.

This may be it's year!!

joining in with these parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

The Scoop at Cedar-Hill Ranch

A Stroll Thru Life

Knick of Time

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Savvy Southern Style

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend,

xoxo,

Friday, March 30, 2012

Vintage Inspiration # 81 RePurposed Garden Cart

I've always loved Creeping Phlox in the Spring. The purples, lavenders, pinks and whites spilling over rock walls and borders have always been a favorite, but something I never had any luck with. Maybe they didn't get enough water, maybe they had too much hot sun, who knows, I've tried many times, just never could get them to flourish...until now.

I planted this old garden cart last year with phlox, some daffodils and a couple of pots of hyacinths. I'd seen one of these filled at Spring Creek Tea Room on the porch, and the glorious color of delicate blooms came back year after year.