Lazy summer days in the garden

It has been a lazy summer, we are staying mostly home and we are enjoying our garden as much as we can. I try to find a little time to work on the garden in the evening after work and after the little one goes to bed.

We are harvesting beautiful and delicious tomatoes. For lunch I made myself a fresh tomato salad with basil just a little bit of olive oil. It was perfect. 

Let me show you in pictures how days are here in our Philadelphia backyard. 

Tomatoes

Pretty zinnias

Giant sunflowers

We had a lot of concord grapes

A mix in our planters

Hollihocks

Bird bath and a garden fairy

Garden fairy 

The last of our peaches. We had so much I wasn't ready. I mostly ate them fresh and baked a couple crumbles ( mixed with blackberries ... delicious )

What about you ?

What is happening in your gardens ?

Pedestals and plinths in the garden

As promised, I am here to talk about my love for pedestals and plinths in the garden. Adding just a few of these to your landscape can add character, height, structure, texture and originality.

I find a variety of heights in any scene, both indoor and out, is very pleasing to the eye. Giving a pot or planter, a lantern or concrete statue a little lift up to a place all of it's own can make a dramatic difference in a garden vignette.

Many of the plinths in my garden were foraged or found. It's fun to think outside of the box and make pedestals out of something you already have.  Search around your garage or shed and you will be sure to give a new life to something that's been laying around or even broken. Upside down pots, a log or stump, a broken birdbath all make lovely little perches to showcase your favorite things.

Create a cluster of plinths in all different shapes and sizes or showcase something big and bold to make a statement in the garden.

Below you will find some of my favorites.

A cluster of plants by my back door sit on various pedestals such as upside down pots, stumps and logs offering a variety of height and texture.

 A frog friend perches on top of a broken terra-cotta pot back by our grill.

 A pot of succulents sits upon a foraged tree stump on the patio.

 A bird feeder turned candle holder placed atop an upside down faux bois planter.

 A sailboat sun dial afloat in a birdbath.

 A frog birdbath nestled inside a concrete plinth next to our rabbit hutch.

 A toadstool atop a freshly cut stump greets everyone onto the patio.

 A hand me down urn on top of a concrete plinth against our chimney gives this shady area some height and bright color.

A trash picked broken birdbath stand turned upside down creates a platform for a fairy house made by Chris.

A cluster of larger pots softens a corner of the patio  The larger pot behind sits upon a three legged tree stump while the smaller pot in front sits upon an upside down planter.

Pansies, peanuts, pears and pots. Oh and eggs!

 I love this time of year when I no longer have to depend on store bought flowers. Making little bouquets from the garden to scatter about around the house brings me joy.

I will now always grow kohlrabi in my planters each spring. I love it's beautiful, purple ribbed, upright leaf amongst pansies and trailing vines. And what a fun surprise to look down to find it's hidden, bright purple bulb.

I have always wanted to grow peanuts and am trying them this year in a container. They prefer a light well drained soil so I thought they may do well in a pot. These guys won't be ready until September. 

I have been unhappy with my window box plantings over the last few years. I have tried many different varieties of plants (many of which prefer sun) with disappointing results. This year I decided to keep it simple and plant a few tried and true shade lovers, begonias, licorice vine and Tradescantia.  Everything seems very happy in it's shady spot.

 Our dwarf Bartlet pear tree is one happy camper this year. Last season it did not produce a single fruit. This year there are over 50 pears!

 

I like to incorporate at least one perennial into each of my pots. Since they come back every year, it saves a bit of money on annuals and if they outgrow the pot into the garden they go!  This pot got a purple leaf Heuchera (Coral Bells). I love how it looks paired with the licorice vine, purple sweet potato vine, begonia and pansies. It gives a little height to the arrangement.

After a very long winter of no eggs our girls are laying daily. Since I eat an omelette almost every morning and my sage is in full bloom,  I can't wait to try Annabelle's recipe.

Joy in the Garden

 I wandered around my garden today and realized just how many things are bringing me joy out there!

The fig tree that I bought this winter as a houseplant (but wasn't very happy) is now coming back to life as it takes a summer vacation outdoors.
We had our flowering cherries pruned back this spring which has allowed for much more light to filter in to the side of our house (which was pretty much full shade). The plants are filling in and my window boxes have never been happier!
There is a sea of sunshine blooming bright in my front hillside garden. Coreopsis is such a happy plant.
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Curly kale growing in harmony amongst the Lambs Ear.
 A robust crop of Horseradish to be harvested this fall.
The first of the gooseberry harvest.
A Black Eyed Susan vine finds it's way.
The living roof atop the bunny hutch is lush and beautiful full of succulents and herbs.
The Yarrow has begun to bloom.
And the purple bush beans are flowering.

What is bringing you joy in your garden?

Easy Peasy Trellises

With a small property but a big desire to grow a large variety of plants, I need to be creative with my space. Growing plants vertically, especially the vining type is a great way to utilize space. Trellises get plants up off of the ground preventing rot as well as being nibbled on by insects and creatures plus you’ll get help from bug-eating birds that use trellises as hunting perches.

Disease problems are minimized because plants receive better air circulation. Harvesting is easy and crops stay cleaner because they are suspended above the soil surface.

This year I am growing as many cucumbers as possible since it is a favorite in our home. Not only do I love the look of edibles growing in harmony with my ornamentals but I love how the trellises create height, texture and a sculptural presence in the garden.

The trellises shown above are very simple to make and affordable too. With just a few pieces of lattice found at your local garden or hardware store and some wire you can have a handmade trellis in a matter of minutes.

My pieces of trellis were cut to 40"X20" and wired together at the top to create an A-frame structure.

I placed one in the back garden in part shade and one up front in full afternoon sun. It's a race to see who will win and produce the first cucumber of the season!

Props in the Garden

Mother nature creates some of the most beautiful vignettes in the garden. In the wild, little scenes  can happen all on their own but sometimes it's fun to assist when it's in your own backyard. Although a garden is usually composed primarily of plants, adding "props" to your landscape can add character, height, structure, texture and originality.

Over the years I have accumulated all sorts of props. Pots, statues, baskets,  birdhouses, trellises, tree stumps, branches, tools, bamboo, stone and wood have all played a part in my garden's tale.

Many things I have acquired from the woods. Some I have bought or made. Some were gifted and some found on the side of the road in the trash.

As the garden grows and it's scene changes throughout the season, I like to help it's storyline along by moving things around here or there. Just like my home, my garden is forever in flux. I am always re-arranging.

So I urge you to play director in your garden. Walk through and listen to it's story.  Add a few props and give it a costume change now and again.  And most importantly sit back and enjoy the show!