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Tag: garden


shades of green pumpkins

17
November

misc pumpkins

I did a couple posts this fall about color and styling of pumpkins.  There is one more color palette I want to mention before we leave this topic!

tower of pumpkins

When styling pumpkins for fall, green is an option we hadn’t really seen in the past.  What fun varieties there are now!  So, in this post, I am offering up some examples of how the color green can be added to pumpkin vignettes!

green striped pumpkin

green and orange pumpkins

Not only are pumpkins offered in a variety of colors, but have you noticed there are pumpkin offerings in softer, muted looking tones?

pile of green pumpkins

pumpkin tower

Of course, a multi-color theme is a styling option as well and incorporating fall flowers is so fun!   And though pumpkins come in a variety of colors, fall flowers, like the colors of the falling leaves, are available in even more!

green squash

No matter your preference, I hope you are having fun with color this fall – whether it be with pumpkins and/or flowers!

bunch of pumpkins

And yes, I know Christmas décor is coming in hot, but it is technically still fall and I like to embrace the fall décor at least until Thanksgiving!

3 green squash

green striped squash

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

squash snakes

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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pumpkin’ to talk about

20
October

outdoor fall decor

Growing up, pumpkins were one shape and one color only.  Today, there is a myriad of varieties of pumpkins/squash that are so far beyond the plain round, orange pumpkin from my childhood!

crates of pumpkins

study in orange

orange in peppers

Of course, there are certainly plenty of styling options staying within the traditional orange color palette, if that is your preference – but so many more choices than just a round orange pumpkin!

bunch of pumpkins

orange striped pumpkins

orange mums

tons of pumpkins

standout pumpkin

The photos here are some fun vignettes I’ve seen this year!

oranges of fall

Are you inspired to put out some pumpkins?

fall in orange

Thanks for stopping by!

squash in fall

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things,

Jackie

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mini pumpkins and faded blooms

14
October

mini pumpkin hydrangea

As the garden starts to fade and all things pumpkin are amped-up, it seems a no-brainer to combine the two!

decorated white boo

I collected some faded garden blooms and some sweet little pine cones from a tree out front to use as baby boo embellishments.

pinecones and mini pumpkin

Little white baby boos are my favorite pumpkins and combining them with items from my yard is a really easy, no-cost way to create some fall decor!

faded blooms mini pumpkin

I hope you are inspired to use some of the items in your yard to create some pretty fall décor for your home or to gift.

boo on blanket

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!

Remember to find pleasure in simple things, Jackie

1 comment » | diy, garden, style

the summer blues…and purples

16
July

hydrangea overview

Yes, white flowers are my favorite flowers.  Sometimes an exception happens.  When I planned and planted the garden at my current home, I kept a very healthy, well-established hydrangea planted by the previous owner.

hydrangeas in bowl

If I had planted one myself, of course, I would have chosen one with a white bloom. The one in my yard is not white.  So, during the summer, there are a burst of blue and purple from this lone, non-white blooming shrub in the garden!

hydrangea petals

There are so many blooms, that no matter how many I cut to display inside or to give away, there still remains a big pop of color in the garden!

purple hydrangea

The photos I am sharing here are the current arrangements in my house – all from the same single hydrangea in my yard.

close up hydrangea

I didn’t have a flower frog large enough for the pretty low container I used (purchased last year at Target) so I improvised with some scotch tape to help keep the blooms in place.   The tall vases I used are vintage.

vases of hydrangeas

My tips for long-lasting indoor hydrangea blooms:

Cut the blooms in the early morning.  Remove as many leaves as possible.  I like to keep a couple leaves just because I like the way they look in an arrangement.  But, because the leaves use water as well as the flowers – the less, the better.  Using scissors or a knife, make one or two vertical cuts in the stem.  Then, use something heavy to smash the bottom of the stem.  Immediately run the stem under hot water.  These steps stop goop on the inside of the stem from clogging in the bottom of the stem which prevents it from absorbing water.  Immediately put the stem into its container of water.  Follow the same process for each stem.

preparing hydrangea

I hope I have inspired you to bring some outdoor blooms inside!  If you don’t have any flowers in your yard, Trader Joes has very affordable prices for cut flowers!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great weekend!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on the summer blues…and purples | diy, garden

philadelphia flower show 2022

24
June

philly flower show fave

I have been to the Philadelphia Flower Show in years past.  Hailed as the world’s longest-running and largest indoor show in the country, it is hard for any flower lover not to visit at least once in their life!

The gazebo at fdr

But I have never been to the Philadelphia Flower Show since COVID.  And since COVID, there has been one huge change to the show – it moved outdoors from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

pavillion orchids

Because of the change, I was especially excited to visit the show this year – my first with the outdoor venue.

orange at the pavillion

sky at fdr

The site for the show since COVID has been FDR Park – a 348-acre park located in South Philadelphia along the Delaware River.

orchids for days

The venue turned out to be really great – even though the day my daughter and I chose to attend was a 94-degree day!  Yes, it certainly was hot, but we found some nice breezes and some shady spots to rest.

orchids over water

The food and drink options were fabulous with many great seating areas available.  We chose to have a snack in the boat house which provided a shady spot with a picturesque view of the river.

pavillion at fdr

orchids philly flower show

Though I prefer white flowers over multi-colored and I am not particularly an orchid fan, the flower installation in the gazebo overlooking the river was my favorite!  A profusion of multi-colored flowers, predominately orchids, dazzled in the space.  The photos I share here are all from this installation.

roses at fdr

My daughter and I hadn’t been to Philadelphia in quite a few years and we had many stops on our list!  I am glad we included the flower show as one of our stops because it really was enjoyable – particularly because it was held outdoors.

pavillion orchid display

urn at FDR park

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fabulous weekend!

philly flower orchids

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

1 comment » | garden, style, travel

early gardening

13
May

white bleeding heart

May is the time for gardening…and, it is the time when my creative spirit moves from the indoors to the outdoors.  Typically, in this part of Connecticut, Mother’s Day is the ‘all clear’ for frost scares and it is on for planting annuals!

This time of year is so fun – using free time to visit nurseries to hunt for the perfect garden additions, adding plants to the garden, and planting annuals in containers.  For me, this includes searching for the new and unusual in white plants/flowers.  (If you follow this blog, you know I have what I call a ‘virgin’ garden – all the flowers bloom in whites!)

planted watering can

My garden is off to a great start!  It looks as though all my plants are doing well – the established and the new!

I am starting off the season with just a couple of planted containers.  I redesigned the basket by my front door with some spring annuals and planted in my grandma’s watering can.

planted basket

A small start, but one that brings me great joy!

I hope you find happiness in a pretty plant that you walk by each day or a visit to a local garden store!

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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fall chair planter diy

24
September

closeup plants for fall

An unwanted chair is the perfect piece to use as a fall planter!  While everyone else is decorating with cornhusks and scarecrows, use an old chair to create a unique vessel for some pretty fall flowers.

before chair planter

You don’t need much…an old chair with an upholstered seat, some old screening, a staple gun, and some potting soil.

chair planter steps collage

The seat is removed and screening is stapled in its place.  Handling the screening requires a lot of caution – it can be sharp.  Thick gloves to protect your hands from cuts are probably a good idea.  If you don’t have any old screening, you can buy some at Home Depot.  They sell thin screening that comes in a roll that is very inexpensive.  I bought some and cut it with regular scissors.  I cut a square larger than the square I needed because I allowed for space for soil.  I used a staple gun to staple the screening around the frame of the chair.

replace chair seat with screening

After the screening was secure, I painted the chair.  You can leave your chair as is or paint it in any manner you desire.  I used Annie Sloan Coco chalk paint I had left from another project and then added some dark wax.  (A bright pink chair with pink flowers would be fun for October – breast cancer awareness month!)

Once the chair finish is completed, the fun part begins!  Pick out an assortment of plants that you want to plant in your chair – I like visiting a local nursery for some small varieties.  I knew I wanted a tall purple grass as the main plant!  I also added a couple pumpkins, not that I expect them to last long – the squirrels make short work of them at my house!

fall chair planter

A chair certainly is a fun alternative to a barrel or other common fall planter and it can be used for many years to come!  Use your annual junk pick up to find a good candidate for your planter!

pumpkin stack

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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touring broken arrow nursery

23
July

georgia plume butterfly clouds

If it seems like I travel all over my state of Connecticut to visit gardens – I do!

broken arrow entrance

What could be better on a Sunday morning than taking a tour of a nursery!  This trip is to Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden where they specialize in rare and unusual plants.

hydrangea

There is no charge to enjoy a morning tour walking through the property with an extremely knowledgeable staff member.  It is a great opportunity, not only to see what is growing on the nursery property, but also to learn more about growing in Connecticut as well as discuss any personal gardening concerns with an expert.

raindrops

tree with white blooms

I definitely left the nursery with a heightened knowledge of trees and plants in my area and, because of my addiction with all things white, an obsession with this particular plant!

beauty berry

Also, love this Georgia Plume Tree!

a georgia plume tree

georgia plume tree with butterfly

Visiting a local nursery or taking a trip to a public garden (You know how I love Longwood Gardens!) is a wonderful field trip to take this summer and a super way to enjoy the outdoors!

jurassic leaves

I hope you are inspired to visit one this summer!

bird house at broken arow

Thanks for stopping by!

tree above

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on touring broken arrow nursery | garden, inspiration

getting your just desserts

16
July

lunch at terrain cafe

Isn’t it feeling great that things are starting to get a little bit back to normal?  Getting together with the people we love, of course, is the best part!  When getting together at a fabulous place – all the better!

That was my luck recently when I was treated to lunch at one of my favorite places – Terrain.

white lavendar

There is so much to love about Terrain Café…the bread baked in a flower pot and served with herbed butter, seasonal salad selections like grilled peach and strawberry spinach, or the inventive summer beverage selection.

And, of course, a special dessert because having lunch at Terrain Café always calls for a dessert splurge!

cafe at Terrain

For desserts, like everything else on the menu, a seasonal selection is offered.

terrain dessert menu

Wouldn’t you like to try every single one?!  My favorite dessert is the terrarium dessert created by Terrain Café and served in a Weck jar.  Not only is it on point in theme, but it tastes absolutely delectable!

spoonful of goodness

Sadly, not everyone has a Terrain Café nearby, but everyone can take some special time with special people to enjoy their ‘just desserts.’

terrarium close up

I hope I am inspiring you to do just that!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fabulous weekend!

finished dessert

Remember to take pleasure in simple things…like eating a fabulous dessert al fresco with your besties!  xo Jackie

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virgin garden

25
June

white cosmos

I love white flowers.

virgin garden collage

When I planned my current landscape, I planned for only white flower varieties.  June has been a fabulous month for me because all my new plants proved successful – everything I planted survived!  What a great feeling!

vintage watering can

Today I am sharing some of my favorite of the current blooms!  Look at the fabulous bloom on this  Little Henry!

Little Henry Collage

owl garden statue

If you notice a little bit of pink in the mix, that is a slip up from when I bought annuals marked as white before they were in bloom!

mermaid and flowers

virgin garden in bloom

I still have a couple of white varieties on my list that I haven’t been able to find!  Do you have any favorite white garden flower varieties to recommend?

birdbath collage

Thanks for stopping by!  It is wonderful gardening weather!  Have a fabulous weekend!

stone wall in hosta garden

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

1 comment » | garden, inspiration

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