Thanks so much for all your kind and supportive comments about the roof garden. Caroline read them all last night – I saw her at her desk, reading the blog on her laptop – and she was quite pleased. Since her house was just published in a magazine, she’s been basking in the glow of all the publicity. I think she’s quite proud of the way it looks.

I know I am.

I can’t remember the name of this day lily, but I have several of them growing in the side garden. This year, they’re super tall and gorgeous. I’ll have to check my plant labels, which are stashed away in my garden journal.

I see purple flowers emerging on the liatris (also in the side garden.)

White day lilies – blooming in the… you guessed it… side garden.

We have a theme for today’s post.

All of the garden beds look rather exuberant at the moment. The plants are lush, somewhat out of control in a good way, and colorful. The endless rain we had this spring and early summer has paid off in more blooms than I can ever remember in the almost ten years we’ve lived here.

I just love the midsummer when my gardens are at their peak.

Heavenly.

And also in the side garden.

Several of you asked about future dollhouse projects. Even though all the major elements have been finished for Hummingbird Cottage, I’ll still be tweaking and adding things. There are little details that are dancing about in my head: towel racks, toilet paper holders, a shelf for the Roseville Pottery, an easy chair for the studio, lamps….

However, this week has been a creative one for me (and isn’t that the nicest feeling?) which always seems to generate more creative ideas and I have two projects in mind. One I’ve already mentioned; a smaller Chautauqua-like cottage. The other project idea came to me this week and I can’t wait to get started on it. But it’s a secret, so I’ll have share details with you on the sly. It involves someone who lives with me and that person, though he doesn’t read the blog every day, does stop in now and then. More will be revealed. Think one room: music, hideaway, instruments, recording, retreat/studio.

Can’t wait to get started!

Edited to add: Just found out that one of the victims of the horrific shootings in Chattanooga was the nephew of my dear lifelong friend Debbie. Words fail me. Such pain, such a senseless killing. When will it end?

Happy Friday.

Okay, my friends, it’s tour time!

This roof garden is not completely finished. I have to add the hanging plants. I have a few other ideas swirling around in my brain. Mini flowers and pots are not cheap, so I’ll add more as funds allow.

In no particular order, here are some photos (and there are quite a few, so settle in for Caroline’s Roof Garden – The Tour.)

The hedges arrived in the mail yesterday. They’re just what I wanted and something I see in the big city quite frequently. After all, Caroline needs some privacy.

A planter at the ready. (Purchased last year at Chautauqua Miniatures.)

Caroline can’t believe what a difference the hedges make – she remarked that she could now sunbathe in total privacy.

A cool drink, anyone?

Caroline likes to grow things.

(I got the flowers from Miniatures.com, the succulents were from a faux plant that I took apart. I  found it at Michael’s. The picket fence planter boxes were found at Chautauqua Miniatures. Pea gravel, which is really ballast, found at Train Sets Only.)

Planter and potted plants from Chautauqua Miniatures, watering can, hedges, and large French pot from Miniatures.com.

Chair and ottoman, as well as the pillows, are from Chautauqua Miniatures. The magazine, I believe, was a gift from my friend Norma.

And now, Claudia climbs on a chair for the aerial view:

This gives you a nice look at the skylight. (All information about sources for the potting shed can be found here.)

Oh my goodness. I love this little space, which provides more living space for Caroline in the spring, summer and fall.

Pot and flowers from Miniatures.com – purchased separately, but don’t they go nicely together?

Table and chairs from Chautauqua Miniatures, pitcher and glasses were given to me by a friend (I’m having trouble remembering exactly who that was, so if it was you, let me know! I just heard from her, it was Sharon! Thank you, Sharon.) and the banner was part of a swap.

Boo really likes it up there. He can bark at the birds and listen to all the sounds of the city. (Boo came from Chautauqua Miniatures.)

The roof top garden and potting shed.

I love the hedges, but the dark green and the black wrought iron railing sort of blend into each other.

See?

I’m contemplating switching out the black wrought iron for the same item in white. I painted a piece that I had in my stash to see how it would look.

I think it provides more definition to that area. The trim and the hedge don’t become one big dark blob. I can always switch it back to the black if I decide to eliminate the hedges, but I really like them so I don’t see that happening anytime soon!

When Don came home late yesterday afternoon and I did a sort of Ta-dah! reveal, he said he wanted to be able to hang out there. We contemplated miniaturizing ourselves and going for it, but we soon realized that Caroline wouldn’t like that. Big thumbs up from Don, and he also mentioned again how much he loves the red floor in the potting shed.

I’m thinking I need a climbing plant of some sort on the side of the potting shed. Maybe another raised bed. And more plants. But for now…I think we’ve got a pretty nifty roof garden.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

I’d love to open things up again for general dollhouse questions. I started a little series about that and haven’t written an additional post as of yet. So if you have questions, leave them in the comments section, or if you’d rather, email them to me.

 

Happy Thursday.

Thank you, little moth, for staying on the spirea for quite a long time. I enjoyed taking lots of pictures of you.

I also saw our friend, the Hummingbird Moth, flitting around the geraniums. And there’s been a steady stream of visitors to the birdbath. The temps have been quite warm and humid and they need some relief! Even the bees take a little drink from the birdbath. It’s the neighborhood pool.

I’d have loved to take some pictures of the frolicking birds with my telephoto lens, but alas, I don’t have one. Plans to buy one were scotched in favor of paying my dentist! There must be priorities, after all.

Starting my Christmas list right now.

It rained last night and we’re due for storms today. I’m anxiously awaiting a package from miniatures.com containing two hedges for the dollhouse roof. I thought it would be here yesterday, but no such luck! I’m terribly impatient when I’m waiting for a package – are you? If it isn’t here by the time I think it should be; well, it isn’t pretty.

I’m also anxiously awaiting my copies of American Miniaturist, so I can see Hummingbird Cottage’s spread in the August issue. Caroline is also experiencing some impatience. She wants to see her house in print!

I’m reminded of this print that we have on our bathroom wall:

It’s actually a card Don gave me long ago because it reminded him of Scout and Riley. It’s entitled “Waiting for Postie.” Very British.

That’s me at the moment – I’m waiting for postie.

Sneak peeks:

I have to say that I’m loving the ‘pea gravel’ more and more. Though it was a pain in the ass to execute, I think it looks great.

I’m already thinking about my next project, which will have to be on the smaller side. Mockingbird Hill Cottage is definitely on the smaller side, which means there’s only so much display space. Even thought I don’t want to admit it in the midst of all this summer splendidness, winter isn’t that far off, and winter is the perfect time to work on a new dollhouse.

Ideas, ideas – I’ve got a lot of them.

Happy Wednesday.