Picket Fence Planter Update

Here's another update on my Picket Fence Planter. At the very least, I am happy they are growing and enjoying our kitchen porch. The trailing variegated vinca is doing nicely and and the white "Snow Crystals" alyssum is flourishing. I will need to rethink the spike plants. I like them and they add interest, but they are distracting in this planter. I am definitely not doing the wax begonias again and the impatiens aren't really doing anything for me. The metal pig watering can was a *must have* addition.

Mr. Toad

Each morning, I sit outside on our small kitchen porch while the dogs run and play in the yard and I revel in God's handiwork as I watch my flowers and veggies grow and bloom.  I tend to each garden spot, flower bed, and planter.

As I was checking on the Hedgehogs & Crocks, I went to remove what I thought was a dead leaf.  As my eyes adjusted, I realized it was a baby toad.  He was no bigger than a quarter!

How he got there, I don't know.  I guess I really don't care... I am just tickled that he is my guest.

Tinted Pentas & Zinnias

I recently downloaded the trial version of Adobe Photoshop CS5 and have been playing with it, trying to learn it as I go along... there is no manual or instructor with a trial version. With the help of AdobeTV and a few tutorial videos (some watched over and over in full screen mode until I finally understood what they were saying), I was able to turn a color picture into black & white and add color tinting just where I wanted it. The text addition was simple, but another thing learned none-the-less.

Hedgehogs & Crocks

I have a thing for hedgehogs. I'm not sure where it started, but it's alive and well today. I added them to my original Crock Planters display and thought it made a cute display.

The latest addition is this ceramic hedgehog planter. I picked it up at a large nursery just north of us. They were closing down for their summer break the following weekend and all pottery was 20% off. When I saw it, I just knew I had to have it and I immediately knew more Hens & Chicks would go right along with his pointy exterior.

Crock Planters

The leftover spike, begonia, impatiens and alyssum were not doing well in the small crock so I replaced them with Hens & Chicks. I don't know what exactly it is about Hens & Chicks, but they make me smile! I replanted the leftover flowers in the Picket Fence Planter and it is chock full and looking great!

My friend, -B-, graciously planted Creeping Jenny in the big crock and gave it to me. She said it didn't match her stuff... but it matches mine perfectly! Thanks, -B-!!!

My husband had the piece of slate laying around and I painted the crows and sunflowers on it (names have been blurred to protect the innocent! LOL).

I love this corner of the porch!

First of the Season

I am very happy to present our first vine ripened cherry tomato of the 2011 growing season!

This is just one of the many babies growing in our cherry tomato hanging basket purchased at our favorite Amish greenhouse for only $8! With multiple plants in the basket, I have some trailing over the side and some trellised up (if that's not a word, it is now!) the hanging supports.

I am so excited about this basket I'm itching to drive out there yet again and buy another one. When I was there a few days ago they only had 2 left.

Picket Fence Planter - Week 2

Success... but next year I'll pick different flowers. Ones with more color, ones with different heights. And NO WAX BEGONIAS! Double impatiens, dragon wing begonias... but no wax begonias! Other than that, the rain has added much needed moisture and this part sun/part shade planter is loving it!

As I mentioned in my first Picket Fence Planter post, the remaining flowers were planted in a crock I purchased from an auction. The crock does not have drainage holes, so I gathered rocks from around our property to put in the bottom.

Again, I'd choose different flowers, but for now I'm anxious to see if the rocks solve the drainage issue.

Since all this began, I have discovered Creeping Jenny... a trailing green plant perfect for planters and ground covers. What makes this find even better: one of my very good friends is named Jenny! I guess you'd have to know her to realize how funny this actually is!

We have had so much rain over the past week; the Lamppost Flower Bed is patiently waiting...

Picket Fence Planter

 

The Picket Fence Planter was our first garden project of 2011!

The planter was a gift from my husband a few years ago. I just love that thing! All of the plants were purchased (for next to nothing!) at one of the nearby Amish greenhouses:

2 Spike plants

2 Trailing variegated vinca

3 White "Snow Crystals" alyssum (from 6 pack)

3 "Super Olympia" mix begonia (from 4 pack)

4 Impatiens (from 6 pack)

The remaining flowers, and a 3rd spike plant, will be planted in an old brown glazed crock purchased from an auction. It will be a great accent in another corner of the porch. The flowers I originally bought for this planter turned out to be sun-loving and would not have been happy here on the covered porch. So, instantly I have a second project (or is that now a third project?)... a Lamppost Flower Bed!