Gardening, Inside & Out

Though my schedule has been really full lately, I have allowed myself 30 minutes each day to do something in the garden.  Since I sold the large bird’s nest that sat atop this pedestal last weekend, it was time to find something new to top it.  Mom had been telling me for awhile to get rid of that nest, and to make her especially happy I went out this morning and bought several bunches of peonies, her favorite pink. The painting is 1920’s Dutch, charming with chickens roaming in the foreground.  The pedestal is French via New York City, another piece I have had for ages.  I never tire of it, though you can’t see the four sides and all the carvings below.  I love this serene little corner, and I put it on my Pinterest this morning.  Visit me HERE if you haven’t seen my boards yet.

On the other side of the dining room, I cleaned the buffet and placed another bouquet of peonies.  The French sterling tea pot is used daily; it’s here each day after breakfast.

I potted all the white hydrangeas from the Remnants booth in a large pot near the kitchen.  And in the alcove, I potted several pink and white hydrangeas, also from Trader Joes.  You can just see the tip of the soupiere from Paris, which I put in the center of the dining table.

I love fresh flowers in the house.  I would have them in every room if I could….

Just outside the dining room, the bottlebrush is almost finished blooming, and the 30 foot high hedge of honeysuckle is full of dozens and dozens of hummingbirds. 

The stone walls and brick pavers are covered in the braches from the bougainvillea intertwined in the high hedge. They fill the large Indian grinding stone, making a pretty arrangement of stone and flowers.

And nearby the magnolia champaca is blooming; it is a heavenly and very strong fragrance.  This blossom is just getting ready to spread out. 

This past week I dug up and fed the citrus trees with several feet of amendment and topped it all with thick layer of mulch.  The roots will hopefully stay cool now for summer.

Other areas of the garden are hearty and need little care and just a little water.  I wish I knew someone getting married this weekend; the Madagascar jasmine so prized by florists is perfect and in long tendrils.

And the tomatoes I planted near the kitchen door three weeks ago have taken off, now that they have settled in.  The stone dog holds my garden hat when it’s not with me.  And oh, if only I could get a terrier to pose…in a second Honey is off looking for a cricket or lizard. After getting very wet as I watered the tomatoes.  Something for everyone in our garden.

I used to plant a large tomato patch in the lower garden, but this year I opted for these three pots, each planted with three varieties of easy tomatoes: cherry, plum, Patio and my absolute favorite, San Marzano.  I can water these daily and they get a good four-five hours of sunlight and also the heat radiated off the house.

So far so good, this summer season.  I’m busy mulching and replanting and settling everyone in for the hot months of summer and fall.

Enjoy your weekend, and hope you find some time to garden just a little bit~