the rear yard...

I can't believe it's Friday already...and Memorial Day weekend, no way!

We are going to a family BBQ on Sunday but will be home puttering around the house the rest of the weekend.  I've started redoing a nightstand that I found at Goodwill for $9.00.  The sanding is finished and it's ready for primer.  I just haven't decided on a color yet.  I think it's going in my sunroom which hasn't been decorated since we moved in.  It's been the resident junk room...I've been nagging, er...encouraging my husband to clear all his stuff out so I can get busy.  While I wasn't looking he did just that and would you believe it's still pretty full!  Hmmm...I guess it's my turn. 

I found some great fabric at a local thrift store with a soft teal, a happy green, yellows and orange, I was ready to buy it but I put it back...I wasn't quite sure it that was the direction I wanted to go but I can't stop thinking about it...I hope I don't regret it.  Maybe I'll stop and take another look on my way home today.  I'll post pictures when I'm finished.

I don't think I've shared pictures of the rear garden...It is still under construction but I think it's going to be one of the most peaceful places in the yard.  This little gold planter was my mother in laws.  I have it sitting out on this old stump with some water for the lizards and such.  They love to sunbathe out here... 

We had three beautiful, old California Ash trees growing when we first moved in.  Unfortunately they were directly under the electric wires and every year the electric company would come by and whack them back.  We finally gave in and had the two directly under the lines taken out.  My husband planted three fern trees to replace them and provide some additional privacy but they have a ways to go. 

The two beautiful hydrangea were a gift from my sister in law.  I put them in pots because I have had such a hard time finding out where they will be most happy.  They seem to like it tucked back in here so I will leave them alone for now. 

This Japanese tea house was here when we moved in...I like the tranquil feeling it gives, so it stayed.

We have some miniature ivy as a ground cover and I wanted to add some flowers for color so I snuggled in some small clay pots and planted impatiens just to add a little pop.  If you look closely you'll see them in some of the pictures.  It has worked out wonderfully.

We inherited this beautiful pond from the previous owners.  We added the Koi shortly after moving in...

I'm hoping to bring back pictures of a couple a gardens I will be enjoying on Sunday...family, the outdoors and BBQ...What could be better? 

"Through Christ you have come to trust in God.  And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.  You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters.  Love each  other deeply with all your heart."

Thank you all for the kind and encouraging words on my last post...

Blessings,

Patty

I've linked up with Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday...

my cottage rose garden...

You know I'm a cottage kinda girl

and that holds true of my roses as well...

I wish I had neat well manicured roses to share but alas...

I pop them in where ever the sun shines brightly...

and the empty spot in the ground is big enough to dig a hole in...

I wish I kept accurate records and could tell you what each of their proper names are...

but as I've said before they are simply named after people in my life...

This miniature white is Gloria Jean...it was given to my dear mother in law before her passing.  It started out in a little 4 inch pot but now is at least two feet wide and three feet high.  A non stop bloomer, just like she was...

This white floribunda is Esther...named after my mom who just fell in love with strong fragrance of it.  I have searched for it at every nursery I go to but have yet to find one for her...

Take this gorgeous, profuse, yellow rose...this is Emily.

This miniature yellow is Elsa...

and this is sweet Laura...

This miniature red was a gift to my grandson Andrew in the hospital at his birth...

 I have a beautiful pink tea rose named after my sister in law Shelly...

A hot orange rose named after my daughter Jessica...

And this stubborn yellow is Annie...

Call them what you want...

Plant them where you will...

I just can't get enough of them...

How about you? 

Blessings,

Patty

Today I've linked up to Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday...

My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday...

Dipity Road Friday Finding Beauty...

Home is Where My Story Begins Home and Family Friday...

springtime pots...

I thought I'd show you how my pots are doing since I last showed them to you a couple of weeks ago...

All the spring freshness has exploded and has just about peaked...

This is such a perfect time in a Southern California garden...

The weather is in the high 70's, low 80's...

We've had a little bit of rain just about every week this spring...

My herb garden is starting to spill over which means I better start pulling out some recipes and snipping it a bit...

I love this teacup pot...

These violas have been this beautiful since December.  I've trimmed them back a couple of times and they just keep rewarding me...

I know it's not in a pot but I had to share this beautiful coreopsis...It was just a four inch pot last year and look at it now.  The Shasta daisies are right behind it...

Did someone say summer garden?  Ha...Ha...

I have a feeling it will be here sooner than we think.

Next friday I'll share the roses...just wish you could smell them, too.

Blessings,

Patty

I've linked up with Tootsie Time for Fertlizer Fridays...

side border...

My nice orderly, symmetrical loving husband had a beautiful idea for the side border that runs along our driveway.

He ripped out the tangled mess of old shrubs and rosebushes that were way past their prime.

His idea was to plant a neat row of these prolific white iceberg tree roses.

Now you know I just couldn't let all that nicely turned over soil go untouched.

so last fall I sowed some cosmo and zinnia seeds...

and they grew tall and beautiful...

and he loved them...

if you look closely their beautiful seedlings are returning already...

so this spring when the pansies, allysum and dianthus went in, he didn't fuss too much...

In fact, his only concern is that they're still so small...

I just may convert him yet.

Have a beautiful, sunny weekend,

Patty

I've linked up to Tootsietime, Fertilizer Friday...

hodge podge...

Please don't expect any ryhme or reason to this post...

I went out back and started snapping pictures of my rear perennial bed...

It's really just a hodge podge but I wanted to share it before I start editing it back some.

Right now everything is just a beautiful tangled mess...

the azaleas have just about finished blooming and now the foxglove have started reaching for the sky.  I need to divide the hardy geranium but I don't have the heart just yet...same with this leggy penstemon, it needs a good whacking...

While I wasn't looking my husband pulled out some over grown licorice plant which made room for some sweet lambs ear.

This Santa Barbara daisy is mixing well with this scabiosa pincushion flower...

and with this columbine...

This is last year's foxglove and a few new reseeds...

This mum has been trimmed to the ground a few times and it just keeps coming back...

I know some people find it annoying,  but I just love sweet alyssum...it can pop up wherever it wants in my garden.  The sweet smell and dainty white flowers just make me smile and it mixes well with anything including this charming dianthus.

I have several of these grocery store mini rose bushes in the garden.  They have all been named after the person who gifted it to me or the reason it was given.  This little pink Laura rose is one of my favorites.  It's flowers open nice and full and it just keeps reblooming. 

These peruvian lillies are just about ready to bloom...

I love how these little daisies are bullying these big rocks for their place in the garden.

This weeping pine was here when we moved in...I am learning to appreciate it's uniqueness and love the statement it makes in the middle of the garden.

I almost wish I hadn't taken these pictures...now I'm more attached then ever.  I guess I'll have to call in reinforcements, who only see the tangled mess and don't see the beauty. 

Wish me luck,

Patty

I'm linked up to Fertilizer Friday's...

front perennial border...

I'm linked up today to Fertilizer Friday...

I had such a good time sneaking into my front perennial border this morning while the neighborhood slept. 

It's where I've been spending the majority of my time the last couple of weekends.  It seems that the blessing of two nearly 60 year old California Ash trees has it's disadvantages. 

leaves...

and seed pods...

both leave about a million little reminders that need to be either raked or pulled...

They're still worth it...

the structure and shade they provide can't be beat.

The rose bushes are full of buds...

these little dianthus are such hard workers...it seems they bloom 12 months of the year...

I put in a few new delphinium  and a couple of six packs of larkspur,,,

I can't wait to show you what it looks like in another month when everything fills in...

I hope you'll check back.

Digging in the dirt,

Patty