Summer 2008 Inspiration-February

"Summer 2008 Inspiration" Hosted by Shady at
Does Everything Grow Better in my Neighbors Yard


"February - Did you add and/or create any decorative, whimsical items for your gardens in 2008?
Please share! Can you give credit to anyone?"


This meme is a easy post for anyone !
Who doesn't have some decorations in their garden ?


Love my new garden items and can't seem to part with any of the old.

The New

This child is a artsy item pick up at a garden accent shop and it's now
temporary location guards my house.
I saw him a few times at the garden mart before the final decision was made to take him home.



Kept looking at this metal table at Pier One...just had to have it!
One thing nice about garden decorations you can move them around
'till you find just the RIGHT spot for them.
Just don't know where that's at yet!!!!


Got a couple of urns this past summer.
Do hope they survive for years to come.


This sun god holds some fond memories of our vacation in Texas.
I believe he'll last forever.


The Old

Poor little duck is sooo weathered and old but I can't part with him.
I picked him up at Big Lots years ago and he has watched the backyard garden
go through so many changes. I know this duck is silly looking but he's a good reminder that I shouldn't take everything so seriously.


Love this hummingbird wind chime which was a gift from my sister to my mother.
It's hung over some of Mom's favorite spring bulbs.
I think of it as her personal part of the garden.


I wonder how long this heart will last outside...it has it's own personal memories.



Can you tell me what THESE items are ?
I remember , but you may be too young !
I treasure them both and will never part with them.

Summer 2008 Inspiration

"Summer 2008 Inspiration" (January)Hosted by Shady at
Does Everything Grow Better in my Neighbors Yard

"January - What does your "2009 Wish List" look like? Is there anything there you plan to purchase and/or grow because of your 2008 Summer Inspiration (or even last Winter)? Please tell us about it!"




I've been inspired by just about everyone for one reason or another.
But for new plants in 2009,I just had to put a limit to it !
Will be trying some new flowers from seed after reading about many of Cameron's favorite plants/flowers that are in her garden.
Her discriptions,stories and photo's have me sold !
Take a look at the list of "Topics" on her blog at Defining Your Home if you haven't looked already.
My selections for seeds are Agastache, Nepeta x faassenii and Gaillardia.
Couldn't find all the exact one's Cameron grew,except for a few.
Since I decided to stay with Parks seeds(not plants),and not hop all over the place like I usually do,it did limit my selection.
Of course I've been known to buy more seeds untill mid April.
Also trying to keep the cost of shipping and handling down by ordering from one source. We'll see if I stick to that. :)
I think this selection is a good start.

Can't forget my plan on getting some rose bushes thanks to Katarina at Roses and Stuff.
Never seen so many beautiful roses in my life. Her photos are amazing !
My first attempt is just to try some hybrid roses.
Have to see what the garden marts have to offer before I make my selection.
Will have an expanded sunny bed planned for 2009 which will support full sun plants so roses and others are on the menu.
The reason I never had any before is mostly do to the lack of sun, but also thought of them as troublesome. Maybe I was wrong !!

As far as the seeds go....
have started more than this in past years.....but it became overwhelming to deadhead everything. This reduced selection should be easier to maintain.
All seeds are started indoors around mid March under lights.
Will post how we grow plants from seed in a few weeks.

This year should be very interesting !


The Seeds
Agastache Purple Pygmy-info
Agastache rupestris-info
Nepeta x faassenii Felix-info
Cosmos sulphureus Campus Mix-info
Gaillardia x grandiflora Painter's Palette-info




A surprise from Kim and Victoria at Living and gardening in Idaho.
I'm very thankful for the seeds they sent me and can't wait to see the results !

Helianthus annuus Teddy Bear Sunflower-info
Ricinus communis Red Castor Bean-info




Also have to start my Cardinal Climbers and Hyacinth Beans which I've saved seeds for.
Hyacinth Bean for privacy and Cardinal Climber for the Hummers.


Cardinal Climber


Hyacinth Bean

Summer 2008 Inspiration (December)

"Summer 2008 Inspiration" (December)Hosted by Shady at
Does Everything Grow Better in my Neighbors Yard



The inspirations are never-ending. They come in all aspects of life.
This is a "2 for 1" post.... December(hardscape)inspiration post AND October(garden visits).


Can't speak of any hardscape done (or plan to do) but think I can get away with sharing with you something I plan on trying... using cement called "hypertufa troughs". As said before, yours truly does NOT follow instructions very well !!!
...
These are just samples(not mine) of hypertufa projects from "EFIL DOOG" and gardenprimitives.


So glad I found this inspiration by Frances at Faire Garden who did a wonderful post on "Troughs Recycled".
She made herself some really cool garden troughs and even tells you how to do them.
It's a must see ! She's sooo creative !
Have seen it done on "Gardening by the Yard" but never knew anyone who actually made any.

Marine at Roses and Lilacs, also an interesting blogger, has an idea for a birdbaths using the same material. The post is called From PC's to Birdbaths. What a great idea !!
Hmmmm ...wonder what else you can make with this material.




This is just a glimpse from garden tours/visits.
I want to have it all but will settle for creating one new bed next year with the inspiration from these gardens tours. And of course my fellow garden bloggers !
If you'd like to see more... visit labels "Garden Tours".





















Buffalo,Ny Gardenwalk by Carl

Summer 2008 Inspiration (November)

"Summer 2008 Inspiration" (November)Hosted by Shady at
Does Everything Grow Better in my Neighbors Yard


Well it's almost winter and our growing season has come to an end.
So now what?
It's a good time to reflect and plan for next season and here's an idea/meme to help keep the season alive and give thanks.

Once or twice a month 'till the season starts up again, Shady has a meme that can be a lot of fun called "Summer 2008 Inspiration".

October - Have you a visited a gardening friend (blogger or otherwise)who inspired you this past season (2008)? Tell us all about it!
(I believe this can be substituted for another month)

November - Have you planted anything during the 2008 growing season that you can credit to another gardener (blogger or otherwise)? Tell us all about it!

December - What about your hardscape? Did you do any landscaping that you might credit to a fellow gardener (blogger or otherwise)? Tell us all about it!

January - What does your "2009 Wish List" look like? Is there anything there you plan to purchase and/or grow because of your 2008 Summer Inspiration? Please tell us about it!

February - Did you add and/or create any decorative, whimsical items for your gardens in 2008? Please share! Can you give credit to anyone?

March - Will you be doing any early seeding? Will you be making any special landscaping plans for the upcoming season? Please share.

April - Thank you for participating. Anything else you'd like to share before we all get busy with our 2009 gardening??? :-)



Since I didn't start blogging 'till this past summer I'll be jumping ahead to what is January's meme. I don't think Shady will mind.
I never follow instructions very well :)

"Summer 2008 Inspiration"

November




Cameron at Defining Your Home inspired me to grow more varieties of salvia.
Her selection of salvia has to be the largest I've ever seen.
I haven't decided what kinds of salvia I will grow yet.
I believe most will be annuals in my particular zone (7a) which is fine with me.
If you visit her,you'll see what I mean.



Katarina at Roses and Stuff also inspired me to grow roses (which I've never done).
She must be the queen of roses.
My first rose choice is not one of her favorite varieties.
I'm thinking about "knock out" roses which should be a good,easy start for a first-timer.
Maybe later I'll be trying one of her vast varieties.

Sorry, had to make some recent changes to above post.