Fresh From the Garden....A Closer Look

I have been living vicariously through all the beautiful garden posts and blog parties all summer, not participating in any of them as yet. I have shown bits and pieces of my garden but not the full picture.

Why??

My garden is not growing well!

We had a terrible drought that left our lawn brown and crunchy and the only thing growing now is the crab grass.

The flowers have been pretty crabby too.

But then my perspective changed when I scrolled through Jann's Up Close and Personal with July Blooms post over at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson. She and some other lovely ladies are hosting a Garden Party that you can link up to.

Inspired to finally do a garden post I grabbed my camera and went outside to take some fresh pictures, up close. I managed to find some that are doing just fine.

One plant that did not fail me is my favorite orange Daylily. I tried to buy more at several garden stores but was told they are too common to sell. I was tempted to dig some up on the side of the road where they grow in abundance, but decided I like my freedom more ;-)

My fairy garden in a bird bath is doing just fine, being in and out of the shade most of the day.

The Impatiens seem to like their spot in this old rusty floral vase.

I mix in a lot of different decorative things in my garden and these wooden mushrooms are my newest edition. I got them at a great garden shop in Port Hope, Canada. They will never fade!

I had to have this heavy plaster swan when I saw her at an estate sale. The pink Impatiens love riding on her back.

I did have red Impatiens in this bicycle basket but the squirrels stole one of them so I just let the Sweet Potato vine take over.

New to me is this Umbrella plant that I fell in love with and had to add to my garden this year.

More Impatiens amongst the Hostas….

My middle garden is over run with Black Eyed Susan's right now, which is fine with me. I decided to grow a pot of Spearmint this year and it is getting huge. The cute white elephant water can is a yard sale find.

I got tired of the ground cover that is choking out my Bee Balm and other flowers at the far end of this garden. With my granddaughter Cassidy's help, we pulled a lot of it out. I decided to take my chances and plant some Perennials now instead of waiting till Fall. This Coneflower is not in the ground yet but will go on this end along with yellow Coreopsis and Lavender.

I never thought these Lilies would bloom but they all are and they are huge.

The garden doesn't look so bad when you get up close to the flowers. Editing the pictures helps a lot!

Thanks Jann for the inspiration!

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these fun blog parties:

Garden Party
Anything Goes Pink Saturday
Home Sweet Home
Over the Moon Link Party
Gardens Galore

Crazy for Succulents - A Few Projects Done!

I have been just crazy for succulents and it all started when I indulged myself in planting them last year. You may remember these pictures from last summer....


I found whatever I could around the house and garage to plant them in. We planted large and small succulents in an old vintage Radio Flyer wagon for my husband's garden....

I planted a few different varieties in a large birdbath....

There are petite succulents in my fairy garden....

Some Hens and Chicks dug from a friend's garden in an old galvanized pan....

This year is no different. I will be re-planting the wagon, the birdbath, and the fairy garden with new succulents. The advice I got via the internet on how to winter them over failed miserably.

I hope to find a good variety at good prices at our local public market. They have Flower Days the whole Memorial Day weekend, so we will be there.

In the meantime, I decided to "cheat" a little to make a wreath and planter for my front porch. Michael's craft stores have a nice selection of faux succulents in all kinds of varieties, sizes and colors. Right now they are 40% off too!

I have had this vintage chicken feeder for awhile. I bought it to resell but can't bring myself to do it yet. So glad I didn't! I saw a picture of my project on Pinterest, I think, and knew that is what I wanted to do with it.

Off to Michael's to get some faux succulents....



These faux succulents are unique in that they are attached to a plastic backing...

I just cut them each off of the plastic grid and left a piece of the plastic on to stick in the dirt.

To help make my project believable, I added some potting soil all around the feeder...





Then it was just a matter of sticking the succulents in the dirt and arranging them to my liking.

It goes so well with my new wreath filled with faux succulents...

I found the wreath at a pricey gift shop nearby, so I paid way too much for it. I had to have it! It is made of rusty metal flower pots. I found three of the faux succulents at a Salvation Army store and the other three at Michael's. It hangs on my chippy vintage window.

It makes a nice vignette and it is something different than last year's porch décor.

I never plan to redo my decorating every year, it just happens that way! Really! I find something I love and it replaces the thing I loved and had to have last year.

I know I am not the only one that does that. C'mon fess up!

Anyways, I keep all my décor items from year to year and that is another problem for another post!

On to the side porch. It got some new decor too.

I subscribe to Magnolia Market's newsletter and Joanna offered some free printables to download. They are so cute, so I downloaded them without knowing what I would do with them.

I have no before pictures, just the afters.....

My husband printed them on nice card stock. I bought some $3 white frames at Walmart and painted them English Ivy Green. Because I was too lazy to sand or prime them first, it took three coats!

Learn from my laziness.

Aren't they cute? They are watercolors of potted plants with their names in script.

Of course I had no wall space to hang them so I used a beam. Why not?

The full view.....





We are just getting started on Summer weather in Upstate NY and the porch's and yard and gardens are starting to come together. After I get all my succulents and annuals planted I will just sit back in that Papasan chair there and relax for the summer.

Yeah, right! Scroll back up to where I say I never PLAN to redo my decorating, and you can get an idea of what I'll be up to!!

It's all good and it's all fun.

Happy Summer!!

AnnMarie xoxo

I'll be linking up to these fun blog parties.....

Vintage Charm Party

Share Your Cup

No Rules Weekend Blog Party

Home Sweet Home

Anything Goes Pink Saturday

Happiness is Homemade

Cooking & Crafting with J & J

Share Your Style Link Party



Dad's Garden

My husband Frank's garden has been a work in progress for the last couple of years. It started with this great sign I found on Etsy.

Followed by the Lion statues, the authentic, vintage local fire hydrant and the superhero stepping stones.

Year after year he has wanted to put some funky, exotic plants in but it is a part shade, part sunny spot and nothing did well or lasted year to year.

Finally, this year I decided to go for it for Father's Day and get him a bunch of succulents. I did some research and found that for our area, it is best to plant them in a container and then move it inside for over the winter. We went together and chose those that would like our sunny/shady spot.

I woke up one morning thinking about what to use for a container that he would like, would fit in the spot and work well with the succulents. Then it hit me! What better "container" than the vintage red Radio Flyer wagon he used to pull our little boy in around the neighborhood. A perfect Father/Son memory for Dad's garden. The little boy is now almost 18 and just graduated from high school!





We tried it in the garden and thought it looked great. Then we got to work and drilled some holes in the bottom for drainage. That didn't hurt me too much because the wagon was already so rusty and beat up from sitting all these years.

With some Miracle Gro potting soil and a few rocks from our yard, we designed the garden together with some really funky succulents.

For now, we are leaving the patch of oregano to the left, the mums on either side and the ferns and Mock Orange Blossom tree behind. it. Originally Frank wanted to plant something in front of the wagon but we decided it would take away from the look. We took his two super hero stepping stones and created a path to the wagon garden. It wasn't until I was editing the pictures that I realized we had created a face!

Some close ups......



He couldn't resist putting a superhero figurine or two in the garden. I call it Kitschy, but it reflects who he is and what he likes!

Some long views....



Now, if I can keep him from putting too many plastic toys and superhero's in there, it is a cute garden that fits right in with the rest of my gardens!

Are you still planting gardens?

AnnMarie xoxo


I am linking up with these great blog parties:


You're Gonna Love It Link Party
Share Your Cup
Simple and Sweet Friday
Home Sweet Home
Vintage Charm
Thoughts of Home
Five Star Frou Frou
Happiness is Homemade
June Garden Party