Summer Garden Tour

Welcome to my little summer garden tour, being hosted by the lovely Tracey of Notes from a Cottage Industry. Tracey, who also hosted last year's garden tour, thought it might be fun this year to "focus on one specific idea, or spot, or project in your outdoor area."

So, with that in mind, I thought I'd focus on a specific idea, mine being using things for purposes other than what they were intended for.

This little birdbath planter rusted so badly that I didn't dare use it as a birdbath any longer for fear of poisoning the birds...

So for the past several years I've been using it in various spots around the yard as a plant pedestal. I usually buy a nice hanging plant, remove the hanger, and plunk it right down on the rusty basin.

This idea works just as well for inexpensive plastic birdbaths that don't hold water anymore...

...due to cracked basins.

This is the cracked birdbath last year, up on the deck...

...but this year it's down on the patio, sporting a hanging fuschia to attract little hummingbirds (oops - still need to removed the hanger!)...

I have no idea what this is, but I call it "the white cage thingy." It's all enclosed so you can't even put anything inside of it - not even a little votive candle. I found it at the dump last year in the "free recycling" area. It consisted of this cage type structure, a long white chain, and a hanger. Conversation that day:

Hubby: Why are you taking that?

Me: I like it.

Hubby: What are you going to do with it?

Me: I don't know.

Hubby: That's why we have so much junk. You're always bringing things home that we don't need.

Me: I know, but it will be fabulous when I figure out what to do with it!

Introducing fabulous #1: The hanger thingy, which has a hook at the top, is perfect for hanging this petunia plant from the girls' old tree house! (See, hubby? I told you I'd figure out something!)

Introducing fabulous #2: I hung the white cage thingy and chain from a mulberry tree branch and then hung a plant from it. I think it looks kind of neat - and you sure can't beat free!!


Speaking of the tree house, I love using old windows around the yard. This one was the perfect size to dress up the "window" area of the old tree house. With a flower box hung underneath, it's a nice little focal point in this corner of our yard.

I also like to hang old windows on our stockade fence...

... with flowerboxes mounted underneath...

It's better than looking at a plain old fence as you go through the garden gate into the backyard, don't you think?

This is the screen feeder outside our dining room window...

We love to feed the birds during the long....

...COLD....

...snowy....


...New England winters...

But for the summer, I thought I'd put the screen feeder to work as a "planter" box (after all, there's plenty of natural food for the birds during the summer months!)... So I set some impatiens flats right on the screen (which should be fine because they're very light weight). As long as I water them daily I'm hoping they'll do just fine!

The same view taken just a few months ago in March 2009... I like the view now soooooooooo much better!!!

Speaking of long, cold New England winters, we lost a major portion of a couple of our trees during an ice storm this past winter... Before the trees were cut up and removed, I told hubby I wanted to keep some branches because I had a project in mind for the summer... (Hubby: Oh no, here we go again)...

So this past weekend we built a very rustic obelisk...

...out of four branches to support a honeysuckle vine we bought a couple of weeks ago (gotta keep those little hummers happy!)....

Right now it looks like a giant unfinished teepee, but hopefully within a few years it will be covered with that beautiful honeysuckle vine!

We staked each of the four branches to the ground with long spikes so it will withstand the strong winds we get sometimes!

And as I've posted about recently, this is the birdcage planter I put together for our deck. If you've read my blog before, you know I have a big thing for birdcages (it goes back to wonderful memories from the 50's of my beautiful Nana and her parakeets)...

So last month, when I spotted this birdcage on the roadside at a yard sale that was just closing down, I knew I'd found the perfect cage for my outdoor garden project! (if you'd like to learn how to make one of your own - and avoid making some of the mistakes I made along the way - click here)...

I love finding fun uses for things, other than what they were intended for! I hope you enjoyed your visit to our little cottage and "garden in the making." It's always a work-in-progress around here!

Now be sure to visit Tracey's garden and all the bloggers giving "garden tours" today!

Happy summer everyone!!!

Donna

Summer porch party...

Well that about says it all!! Thank you, Mr. White Rabbit!

The sweet Rhondi of Rose Colored Glasses is hosting a Summer Porch Party (which actually started yesterday), so be sure to hop over to her blog in a bit to visit her beautiful porch (teaser: it is absolute, total eye candy!!!); you'll also find a list of other all the other bloggers who are having porch parties!

(click any photos to enlarge)

So welcome to my little porch (which is, in reality, a little deck off the family room of our split level "cottage"). Let me give you a quick tour before we sit down to eat..

First let me turn on the fountain. I love to hear the sound of running water when I'm out here on the deck. Oh, and that's basil growing in the wicker planter next to the fountain (I snipped some a bit earlier to use in our salad). This corner of the deck overlooks the back yard (a work in progress... it's gone from a 21' above ground pool to a crater to a garden-in-the-making over the past few years!)... And just look at that beautiful hanging fuschia! Maybe we'll see a hummingbird or two while we're out here...

The flowers inside my birdcage planter are doing great! (Here is the original "how to make a birdcage planter" post)...

This corner of the deck faces the girls' old tree house. Even though it doesn't get used anymore, it brings back great memories of when the girls were younger. And look at that - another fuschia for the hummingbirds!

I just moved the feeder to this corner the other night. I think they'll like this area. I love it when the hummingbirds visit while we're out here.

Isn't this a pretty plant stand? It's old and rusty - exactly as I found it several years ago at a junktique shop...

It sits in the corner near the house, right next to a very old carpenter's bench.

Oh how I wish the clematis on the front gate arbor was blooming, but it's not quite ready. My banner photo will give you a good idea of what it will look like in a few weeks.

We painted the plant stands this weekend (they rust very badly every summer, and not the pretty 'charming' rust - TOTAL rust)... And this morning I filled them with flowers - just in time for your visit!

Oh, good, the spinach squares are ready...

...so let's head over to the table.

I thought this vintage robin's egg blue tablecloth with pink roses would be nice for a summer porch party!

Sit whereever you'd like and we'll get started on our early supper...

I hope you like blueberry iced tea. I love serving beverages in these oversized mugs (my "assorted mug" collection - from The Christmas Tree Shop, of course!).

We'll start with a simple salad... romaine lettuce, Roma tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh snipped basil.

I hope you like spinach! I made spinach squares using this simple recipe I found on-line (although I skipped the Parmesian cheese at the end)... And don't the lemon squares that Amanda made look good? Bon appetit, everyone!

Thank you for taking the time to visit. We should definitely do this again sometime. And I'm so glad we had a beautiful day here in New England - just for you!!

Donna

And the winner is.....

... Can you believe I'm a day late announcing my winner? Oh my gosh, with Pink Saturday I completely forgot!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, drum roll.......... The winner of my giveaway is........



Di, The Blue Ridge Gal!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!



She is the winner of my giveaway, which was part of the 3rd Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway hosted by Kim of Twice Remembered, One Woman's Cottage Life.

I'll get in touch with you, Di, to make arrangements to mail off the apron of your choice and the other goodies to you!

And thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway... I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Donna

A vintage hankie Pink Saturday celebration!

Happy birthday to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound!!! She is celebrating her one year "Pink Saturday" birthday anniversary today and you must visit her blog to join in on all the pink fun! (Not to mention she has the most fabulous pink cake recipe that looks oh-so-good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)


I have a very special Pink Saturday item to share today... It's a beautiful vintage hankie that I won in a giveaway late last year from sweet Nancy of My Crafty Little Page!


I was able to choose between a kitten or a puppy hankie, and the minute I saw the puppy I knew which one I wanted!


The hankie has a delicate scalloped border and is adorned with pansies. And the puppy reminded me so much of our sweet little Gizzy Girl, who we lost in March of last year.


She had blonde fur, big fluffy ears, and gorgeous brown eyes, just like the puppy on the hankie.


The hankie is the most gorgeous shade of peachy pink....


(I don't know why it looks yellow in this photo!)


I tried it out in several locations...


...before deciding to use it on the white tray that sits on an end table in our living room... I've also toyed with the idea of framing it so I can hang it somehwere.


Here's a photo of little Gizzy on the sofa, right next to where the hankie is sitting. (This was taken in her later years after she'd had one eye removed due to an infection, was blind in her remaining eye, and was getting insulin shots 2x a day... but look at the smile on her little face. She was a happy little troll dog until the day she left us.)


Having this little hankie displayed so prominently...


...is such a sweet reminder of our little angel.

So thank you, Nancy, for this beautiful hankie... And thank you, Beverly, for another great Pink Saturday!!!

Donna