A gentle rain is falling as I write this. We need it. It has been extraordinarily dry here, with much less rain than is the norm. There have been ongoing burn bans and a couple of forest fires not far from us. One of those fires was caused by someone burning brush in spite of the ban. I guess he thought the rules didn’t apply to him. Don’t get me started.
So I welcome the rain.
I’ve been adding pots and plants to the Funky Patio and the porch. I love this Pink Ivy Geranium and I’ve used it for a couple of summers now. It takes me right back to my friend Kathy’s little cottage at the beach in San Diego. She had this growing everywhere in her garden. That little cottage was magical – Kathy was ahead of her time in her decorating style. All of those blogger/decorators who think the current trend of white and cream interiors with natural elements is a new thing? Not on your life. Kathy was doing it well over twenty years ago. She rented a little cottage and she made each beadboard nook and cranny into a little treasure – all on a budget and all with some ingenious DIY on her part. She covered cushions in linen and cotton duck. I can still see it now. I loved that place. In fact, I stayed with her when I first moved out to San Diego until I could move into my apartment. And that little cottage of Kathy’s was where I first met Don.
So this Ivy Geranium is little homage to Kathy and the beach and theater gatherings at her little cottage.
Hens and Chicks on the Funky Patio Bench.
Sweet potato vine in the galvanized planter.
Along with some pink scaevola, which is the same plant I use every year for the hanging pots on the porch.
I bought two of them this year and they’re gorgeous. They’re a little pricey for me, but here’s the thing, they last all summer long and into the fall. I don’t have to replace the plants in mid-summer. So, they end up saving me money and I’m all about thrifty gardening because I have to be.
Everything you see in the garden beds was purchased a bit at a time over the nine summers I’ve been gardening here at the cottage. (We’re starting the tenth summer this year.) No landscapers, no garden designers. For better or worse, it’s just me and a very limited budget. It took lots and lots of patience. But, oh my, it was and is so rewarding!
I am equally as thrifty about the annuals I add to the porch and patio.
There are six places I can hang pots on the porch – six openings framed by the posts. Last year, I had only two hanging plants. This year, I have six. I purchased the two purple scaevola. I fill the rest of the pots myself. The pots themselves have been saved from year to year. This year, I bought a flat of impatiens. I already have the overwintered impatiens, which saves me a lot of money from year to year. The new flat of impatiens I use to fill a few little pots here and there, but mostly I use them for the hanging pots on the shady side of the porch. They will fill out beautifully and last through the summer.
This year, Don accompanied me to the nursery (that usually doesn’t happen but he’s developing a real love for the gardens and is much more observant about what’s popping up here and there than he used to be) and his eye hit on a beautiful hanging plant with deep red geraniums. We couldn’t afford another expensive arrangement, so I grabbed a small inexpensive pot of the same geraniums and plopped them in a hanging pot that I had on hand.
Don never asks for anything special in the gardens. He leaves all of that up to me. This year he asked for two things. I wanted to make sure he had his geraniums. He also fell in love with a little plant called Mexican Mint Agastache and asked if I could add it to the garden. Of course.
It’s coming together, slowly but surely.
I’m very, very careful about each year’s gardening expenses, so much so that last year I didn’t buy mulch in order to save money. That was a mistake that I won’t repeat again. Yikes, Claudia, what were you thinking?
Mulch was purchased this year, along with the flat of impatiens, a couple of hanging plants, a few small potted plants, and some morning glory and zinnia seeds. That’s it.
Oh, and some bee balm, which had to be purchased because I mistakenly yanked all of the bee balm out of the garden.
Yes, you read that right. I thought it was some invasive mint (it smelled like mint) and yanked it. It wasn’t until a few weeks later when I realized I wasn’t seeing any bee balm come out of the ground that I learned that it is part of the mint family. I was so mad at myself! That bee balm had been in the garden for at least eight years. I felt sick to my stomach. It was as if I’d harmed a friend. And I had. Again, what was I thinking?
So Don insisted we go buy some bee balm the next day.
An added expense due to my momentary insanity.
Anyway. It’s taken nine summers to get the gardens to the point they are now. A few plants at a time. A little bit of money at a time. Now, I almost never add plants to the garden beds because they’re nicely full of perennials. (Unless I yank something by mistake, that is.)
Mulch, a few pots of annuals, some seeds. That’s doable for two freelancers. And knowing I did it all on a budget – very slowly, with no quick fixes – makes me proud.
Happy Saturday.
Very nice! Love your gardens and porch!
Thank you, Susan!
I love our bee balm but it gets powdery mildew so easily! This year I had fungicide early so I sprayed it when it just started coming up, and again a week or so ago. When it gets big it takes too much spray. I’m hoping that will prevent most of it. The black-eyed-susans have intermingled with it, which is nice because they bloom just as the bee balm is ending. I do cut some of the spent bee balm flowers and it blooms again to a smaller degree. Hummingbirds love the bee balm.
They sure do love bee balm!
I think that you have made such a great garden and taking your time and doing it on a budget also makes it even more special to you and Don. Sweet Potato Vine is something I love and need to buy one this year for sure. Wishing you a good weekend.
Linda
The chartreuse color of sweet potato vine is so cool!
Your gardens are welcoming a visitor to sit and enjoy.
I have never grown bee balm, but I might have t try it.
My one major purchase for this year will be a Honeysuckle Vine. I hope. I found one but the nursery wanted $25 for it and it looked half dead. I am good at killing plants myself so I didn’t need one that was sickly before I brought it home.
What do you use for mulch?
I use shredded bark. I know it’s not for everyone but I like it in black.
You have created a beautiful outdoor room, Claudia.
Thank you, Wendy.
I’m proud of you, too…for staying on budget. Everything looks wonderful. I got a little carried away this year, because I have no will power. Oh well…we’ll skip a few meals! I totally get having to have certain flowers….like Don’s geraniums…I have to have them too, in certain pots. Otherwise, it might not feel like our home. Enjoy the rain showers…it’s supposed to rain here as well! ;)
It’s so easy to get carried away! I am tempted by everything!
You are both comforting me and inspiring me, Claudia. We moved into our new house last month and because we went over budget, there are very few dollars for landscaping. For this gardener, it is nearly excruciating to have little but bare hard-pan and rocks out there. Patience, patience, budget, budget, and more patience! Hopefully we can til in some compost, then I’ll put out a plea for divisions and starts from my local peeps. :)
That’s a good way to get starter plants, Dori. We moved in here at the end of August 2005, so I couldn’t do anything at all for almost a year! I remember being very frustrated!
Claudia, in my area (greater Houston, Tx) if you go to Lowe’s garden area, way in the back they have a clearance section. $5, $3, and $1 plants. The majority are just fine, just a little spindly and beat up. That’s how I add to my garden.
Great idea! I’ll check it out next time I’m at Lowe’s.
Your gardens look lovely … that’s one nice thing about being in a climate where you get snow and rain — green gardens! Here in Arizona it’s a bit of a challenge but we keep experimenting. Not fond of cactus so I’ve found that asparagus ferns grow like crazy here — we have three big ones that have lasted over the years and have become a nesting place for our family of quail who are here year round. Mama is sitting on a nest with 10 eggs right now. And vinca seems to love the heat as well and gives us a bit of color. I find many of my plants on the “distressed plant table” at Lowes for a buck or two and have fun seeing if they can be revived. Actually, most of them do very well; and if one doesn’t, it’s no big deal. We’ll try again.
I love asparagus ferns! I miss having one….hmmm.
At this time of year, having a budget in a garden store/nursery is just a very good solid idea. Otherwise, it’s so easy to get carried away. I once came home with 4 different kinds of mint for my window sill – chocolate, lemon, grapefruit and standard mint. No room for my regulars – basil, rosemary, thyme. Had to put them out on my covered porch, which faces south and where, I’m glad to say, they did even better than the windowsill. PS – Don has great taste – geraniums are one of my favorites too and look well just about everywhere. You two have a great weekend. :>)
He does have great taste, Janet!
What sweet memories of Kathy’s cottage, ivy geraniums and Don!
By the way, I got a suspicious email in my Spam from you. I knew it wasn’t you but wanted to let you know.
Judy
Oh, those idiots that hack copy the list and keep sending out emails. Sorry! I changed my password long ago and have 2 step verification, so it’s not a new hack. Thanks, Judy.
I found some seeds I had stashed from last year- well at least they said packaged for 2014 on them. My grandaughter and I spent one afternoon spreading them here and there. She loves the garden!
I didn’t know if they’d come up- but they did! Now we’ll see if they bloom. Two small packets were Morning Glories– they’ve come up! I’m crossing my fingers for flowers. They will cover the compost box / fence nicely.
Your funky patio intrigues me.
I love all your plantings.
Very rewarding.
Very rewarding indeed! Love that you found seeds. I have to plant mine yet – maybe on Monday as I have to go to Hartford tomorrow.
Oh No..not the bee balm..and they were so pretty…geraniums are a must here too..last year I filled a planter with a beautiful lavender colored geranium..I hope I can find it again..I looked up Don’s Mexican Mint Agastache online..wow..I think I might look for some too..I agree with the ladies telling you to look at Lowe’s for their markdowns..I buy a lot of plants that way every year and revive them Claudia..it’s a big savings..We are waiting for the rain/thunderstorms to arrive here today..Have a safe trip tomorrow..
We have rain today – not a whole lot of it – and it’s really humid!
The flowers are so pretty. When I was laid off last May I was lucky enough this year to find a part time seasonal job with Plant Partners. The company supplies the Lowes near me with all the plant material. There are so many pretty flowers. I just want to bring home car loads. My husband and I have started the veggie garden. I told him the other day…just think how much we could plant if we had at least an acre! We are in a townhouse now but some day maybe there will be more. So glad Don is getting into gardening. I always say gardening is good for the soul. Have fun!!
Hugs
Oh, that would be a lot of temptation, Nancy!
You are right – gardening is definitely good for the soul.
We worked out in the gardens all day today. I am exhausted. But, what fun!! I have seen some amazing colors in petunias this year as well as in coleus. I could just go up & down the aisles and add one of everything I see. So hard to hold back!! Safe travels tomorrow!!
Very hard to hold back! I completely understand!
Another plant you might consider is the coleus. Easy to overwinter in the house and you can easily start new ones by stem cuttings in water. You can start a lot of new ones each year. Plus the variety of colors is fantastic. I also love scaevola. I use them in my bench planter. Like you have said they last until frost. We are very dry here also. Burn bans all over the state. There has been a lot of fires due to the dryness. Your plants all look healthy. Don will be so happy wih his plants. Isn’t it nice that he is getting involved now. I am so lucky that Jeff enjoys gardening. Or no way would we have the beds we have!
I like Don’s growing awareness of the gardens. It’s not that he hasn’t appreciated them – he has – but now he’s actively following the changes in the garden and choosing his own plants! Will wonders never cease?
Well, you SHOULD feel proud because from the vantage of the lovely stone/brick(?) porch, looking out across that lawn, it’s just all so lovely and WHAT a diff photo than your one(s) of months ago when the world was white. To me, it’s so drastic, because I’m just so not used to the strong change of seasons being that I’m in SoCal where we were always subtle…and, now, just a one-season (nightmare) place…although we DID get a spot of rain on Thursday afternoon and, oh boy, did we work hard to capture every last raindrop. You’ve got a funky patio? We’ve got a funky rain-collection system my husband rigged, so that we very nearly catch every drop of rain off the roof, better than a gutter system, although we look weird with our flexible ‘hosing’ dangling off the shingles into large barrels. I love his resourcefulness, though!
I love that – you need a rain collection system in water-challenged Southern California! Good for you!