I could sit for hours inside the US Botanical Garden and just inhale the beauty and magnificence nature affords us. Last weekend I headed over but before I even made my way inside the landscaping at the entrance stopped me in my tracks. It was so simple yet captivating.
The entire garden was brimming with flowers and foliage in green and purple. The greens ranged from a dark, muted green gray to a vibrant yellow green. The purples were in the range from
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I just returned home from my first visit to Charleston, South Carolina- or as I like to now call it ” the best quaffed city in the United States”.
All I can say is- wow! The belles and beaus of this southern gem sure know how to make an exterior style statement! (after all how could I not fall in love with a city that has a street nicknamed “rainbow row”!)
Being a huge fan of all things garden, I took off on a dreary, gray New York morning with great expectations of landing in a warmer, more colorful land.
Charleston, in the midst of it’s spring blooming glory, did not disappoint. (more…)
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In my search for simple yet sophisticated courtyard designs I found this courtyard garden designed by Topher Delaney for a home in San Francisco.
This very sleek design caught my eye because although it is an adult only space (maybe a bit too ‘kid unfriendly’ for my lifestyle) I am drawn to the beauty in its simplicity. Plus I loved the use of blue light to highlight the edge.
See a slide show of the Zen garden.
Interesting how the more immersed I get in my creative endeavors the more I desire uncomplicated and very clean surroundings. Do you ever feel the same?
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Adding a few metallic items gives your home pizazz, both inside and out.
Julie looks at what can make your home shine…
…and your garden sparkle
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There is nothing like hyacinths for a burst of color and sweet fragrance to chase away the memories of winter and make room for fresh thoughts of spring.
Masses of star-faced bells come in a range of colors including deep purple, red, pink, orange, white, and many more beautiful colors.
Dutch hyacinths are the most popular. Put a few in pots near your patio door or at nose level on a wall or deck and enjoy not only the color, but also the scent, every time you pass them.
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The popularity of chocolate brown continues in fashion and the home, but who would have anticipated the growing popularity of brown as a color for flowers?
One savvy couple from Washington state bet that brown plants and flowers would catch on.
Marie and Bill of the Chocolate Flower Farm combined Bill’s love of chocolate with Marie’s love of gardening to develop a unique niche in the world of gardening with their unusual chocolate brown flowers.
Other flower fanciers have also found brown intriguing. An article in The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that “Plenty of chocolate cravings were aroused at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, London’s influential showcase of landscape design and plant trends.
One of the most popular gardens was the bronze medal-winning Roald Dahl Foundation Chocolate Garden, inspired by Dahl’s classic book (and upcoming movie) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Like the black plant craze ignited by Karen Platt of England a few years back, rich brown plants are capturing the fancy of flower connoisseurs everywhere and growers are beginning to make dark chocolate flowers and plants available to florists.
Dark flowers add drama to a garden or floral arrangement. Combine that with the appeal of chocolate and who can resist these unusual blooms?
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One of my favorite summer escapes is to sit on my deck among containers and hanging baskets brimming with plants and flowers in varying colors and textures.
Of course, getting the plants to the deck and planting them can be a bit of a chore.
So even though I enjoy the results, sometimes I need a bit of motivation to get me started and having a few fun tools to use is just the boost I need to get going.
Pulling on a pair of orange polka dot gardening gloves from Hable Construction will make cultivating more enjoyable and more fashionable.
Grabbing an ergonomically designed soil scoop from CreateAGarden in a coordinated color will also do the trick. The patented spoon-shaped blade with a sharply pointed tip and serrated edges can dig holes, make furrows, weed, cut roots, even open soil bags.
Of course, what caught my attention first was the brightly colored grip material around the handle, but the unique design is what eventually sold me on this item.
If these tools don’t help you to find your own inspiration, you might want to just browse over to Hable Construction’s decorating section and select a dozen floral pillows to surround yourself with, instead. I promise, with these beauties, there is no digging or watering required.
Okay, just sharing about these neat gardening tools has gotten me in the mood to get started, so I’m off to the nursery.
Photos of pillows and gardening gloves from Hable Construction website.
Photo of garden scoop from CreateAGarden website.
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