Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Ready and Waiting.....until next year

Photo by Chris Everard

I'm ready and waiting for outdoor planting season, have my hose, my boots, my hat, my gloves, my sunscreen, and .....

Photo by Broomhill at Etsy

....... all my planters ready to be filled. But there's a messy problem this year. I normally do about 30-50 of various sized planters in May for the porches, the veranda, and a gorgeous 15' stretch of window boxes under our dining room window. I don't want my annuals to suffer this year so I will limit the amount and place for impact instead of volume. I usually get asked incredulously "How much did you spend on these flowers this year? and I always reply, "How much did you say your golf membership was this year? Off he goes, quickly I notice.

That's my grass in the bottom right corner of our corner lot. I know you think I am whining when I talk about the road construction that is going to ruin my summer.....and I promise this will be it once and for all. We have a really long driveway that I hose down each week after tending to my planters. I even wash my car all by myself. It's a whole clean-up routine that I do on Sunday mornings while my husband golfs and for some reason I love these sunny and productive outdoor tasks (my neighbors think I'm crazy with the driveway thing). Our newer street is a cul de sac that runs off from an older village road and it does need the work.....I just wish they would come back in October. This is the second year of this disruption. Absolutely no respect for my mental health!

This is my veranda where my fair-skinned spouse and I read the paper, eat meals, drink wine, chat and watch the birds. Many days I work out here, rain or shine, some of my best ideas evolve here on a simple artist pad. It usually does have more colour, but this shot was for a house tour and just slightly ahead of planting season. I have a great teak table with a huge iron mirror now on the far wall. We were going to further gussy it up this year and put in outdoor sofas, a smaller table, lamps, lanterns, a fire pit, an outdoor sound system and lots of colourful potted planters. I have this vision of reading outside at night, mosquitoes don't bother me at all and I love summer evenings, the best part of the day. Right now the constant dust is so thick, we can't possibly use it this year. By the way, those very-affordable sheer drapes are easy to do and machine washable if you have a spot. Even the rain doesn't hurt them and they look so pretty when the wind comes along.

I will just have to visit other outdoor gardens. This one in Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown, DC looks like it's worth the road trip. Gorgeous wisteria. Image from Southern Accents.

Photo by Broomhill at Etsy.

A tranquil park setting here in Canada at Halifax Public Gardens. We usually have geese and goslings, dozens of them in our backyard each spring, with all the disruption they are likely hiding, poor things.

Well, they can't take away my peonies, they are shooting up like crazy this year.
I will enjoy them more than ever. Image from Southern Accents.

Ok, that's it......I'm done whining for the summer.
Anyone need their driveway all spic-and-span every Sunday morning?
Enjoy your planting this next few weeks!

16 comments:

  1. Beautiful post-I live in D.C. and am an avid gardener. Down here I have already been in the garden for 2 months! Please let me know if you ever come to D.C. We could do Dumbarton Oaks and more together. I have even organized a group of D.C. Design bloggers for monthly meetings-this Saturday we have a tea, champagne, and tour at one of our group's members who is an architect. You could meet everyone if you come down.

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  2. Love all you share.
    Just think how lovely everything will be once the construction is done.
    Love to you
    Jeanne

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  3. Oh those peonies. My favorite. Lovely post!

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  4. Your veranda is gorgeous! It must be so beautiful in the summer (without construction to dust it up, that is!).
    http://fab.typepad.com/brunette

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  5. Sande,
    I really enjoyed seeing a glimpse of your life! Sometimes the outdoor tasks really help to balance out the time we spend indoors on the Internet blogging. We need that time of fresh air, renewal, and direct contact with nature. Every evening I look forward to watering my small vegetable garden. Something about planting flowers or gardens and watching them thrive is so satisfying. Your veranda is beautiful and the floating white sheers are the first thing I noticed. I have been wanting to add some to our front porch... I know you must be disappointed about the construction work sabatoging your planting ventures. Try to make the most of what you can do! XO from me. xo from Amelia!

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  6. I love working outside too Sande and I am very naughty when it comes to overspending on my garden. I am an addict and cannot seem to stop!! I understand your frustration with these roadworks completely, xv.

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  7. Oh how I wish I could say I know how you feel -- for me, working outside in any way shape or form is more like a punishment for me. I'm just not an outdoor girl and unfortunately, my yard shows it. So....how about if you come down to Florida and I can let you loose in my yard -- have at it -- all you want!
    Hears hoping your yard is your own again soon,

    Ruth

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  8. Lovely post!
    I have a little sneak peek for you over at my blog today:-)

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  9. What an absolute delight. Lovely and you sitting room is divine.

    Renee xoxo

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  10. Oh Gosh...it's not fair! The sin of it all is, it's part of your Sunday morning and daily rituals! Your geese, birds and goslings have rituals are that are being forced to change as well...no wonder you are upset.
    I understand completely & I am sorry.
    At least those peonies are smiling at you like sunshine~
    XO's

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  11. p.s I forget to tell you... I love your veranda and love peeking into your house! So wonderful~

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  12. So sorry to hear of your construction woes. I remember mine well.
    Enjoy your lovely peonies & rpay for a swift end to the days.
    By the way..I washed my driveway down every Saturday afternoon....that clean blacktop always set the greens of grass off nicely. I embrace your driveway desires.

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  13. Design Cracker said...I absolutely love your blog! I daily get a smile and inspiration. Thanks
    Deborah

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  14. Thank you all for listening to my construction woes....but things are maybe looking up. We think the messy, dusty part might be mostly out of the way so I can possibly proceed with my planters and resume my Sunday morning routines. Funny how certain seasonal tasks are so welcomed, sometimes it's good to have that shown to you. Maybe I was taking my summer outdoor work for granted!

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  15. A reader asked about those sheers on my veranda, so here goes...simply the least expensive sheer fabric fabric (polyester washable) and sew into pinch pleats (with wide spacing) so they are easy to take down for machine washing. We installed Faux Bamboo curtain rods from Target as the resin will hold up to the weather all year long as the rods stay up all year. They are somewhat secluded being on the inside of the veranda. Though I think this idea would also work really well if you have a pergola or any free-standing outdoor structure. I used white sheer, but any colour would work depending on your outdoor colour scheme. I always wanted to try hot pink or orange for a Bollywood feel just for fun. I take them down about every 2 weeks for a quick machine wash, then hang back up to dry. They are literally indestructible as I have had them for 7 years. I pack them away every fall.

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