Summer Containers Pt. 1

Needing an escape from the cold and all this
white stuff outdoors it is time to revisit last summer's
containers and make plans for this spring.




I am always looking for different containers to
plant flowers in or display them
on my visits to flea markets, yard sales, etc.
I will also enjoy looking for new ideas and
containers at the Central Ohio Home and Garden
Show which starts at the end of this month.




I have two tipsy pot displays in my garden beds.
They are both in shady areas so they are usually
filled with impatiens to brighten up the shady beds
where color is sometimes hard to find.



This one was so full by the end of summer that the
pots were all but hidden until the deers ate them in
late Fall.




An old foot tub filled with ugly orange pelargonium's.
They will not be back this summer since orange is not
a favorite color of mine.




A Salvation Army store find was this wooden tool
carrier. It is really a Boyd's Bear holder and says

such on the back side but turned around who can tell.

A new bright paint covering might be in order for the
tote box this spring.

Teapots make lovely flower pots.




An old coal bucket I have had around for years.
I think the bottom may not last this summer.





Don't throw away those old pitcher and bowl
sets. This $2.00 one makes a pretty flower pot.
Plant the pitcher and the bowl.




An old bird cage maybe.




Broken pots even have a place in the beds.




An old kettle.




Window Boxes.




An old washtub.





I built a small window box to put on the back of
the potting bench I built a few years ago.

An old ladder whether short or tall makes a
wonderful pot holder for the shade or sun.



These are just a few of my flower containers from
last summer and I hope it will give you some ideas
for flower containers. Anything that holds dirt is
a future flower pot.




Since the blooms are far and in between now
why not make a posting of your flower containers
of the past.



Happy Gardening Everyone!

Hunkering Down

The birds have been hunkering down, puffing out
their feathers and gorging themselves.
When I see the bird's feasting at the feeders as though
there will be no food for tomorrow I know the
snow is still going to continue or a new round is
coming. It is tough watching them trying to feed
with the strong winds and the snow coming in sideways.
The Junco's , Cardinals, Sparrows, Titmice, Woodpeckers
and Nuthatches have been the main feeders thus far,
but as the cold continues and the snow is piling up
there are bound to be new types of birds coming in to fed.
So keep those feeders filled and the fresh water out.







After all of the Christmas decorations are down, usually
that means the next day or two around here, I decorate
the front porch for winter.







The Christmas wreaths come down and a wreath of
sparkling ice crystals and lights go up.





Here in Ohio you decorate for every season and any
little ole thing it seems. So I decorate for the winter
just to brighten things up for the gray days of winter.

The small prime tree comes out of the crock
and sticks that have been spray painted white
and seed lights are added.
The Christmas swags and flowers are replaced with
snowmen.
Whoops, I think that one little snowman is a little
crooked. LOL! What you see after the pictures are taken.





This corner of the front porch now is all bright
and sparkling on a cold winter night.
I am not sure the 'Winter Welcome' sign is exactly
truthful on my part though, you all are welcome
but as far as winter I could live without it.
I think there was a horrible mistake made -- years ago
and I was really suppose to have been born on some
tropical island.






The sled stays out with the skates upon it but the
Christmas greenery and ribbons are gone.
Miniature lights and another sign brighten this
corner of the porch.
The sign reads 'Let it Snow'.
Last winter someone coming up onto the porch
and turned this sign over. Guess they had had enough
of the snow and thought this would stop it . LOL!
The way it has settled in this winter I may go out and
take the stupid sign down myself.

A Sparkly Winter Day to You All!

Backwood's Festival 2009

Saturday was a beautiful day here in the Ohio.
The sun was shining bright and with temperatures
in the upper 80's it was a perfect day to visit the
Backwood's Festival near Thornville.





I vow never going again on a Saturday because
the 60 acre festival was packed out with visitors.
There were ingenious crafts for everyone and
Autumn decor in abundance.



I did not get any pictures of the crafts this time
around but there were some of the regulars and a
new clever ideas.



There were Mums, pumpkins, Indian corn, and
gourds for sell at great prices.
Since I did not get many new pictures because
a lot of the crafter's had "No Pictures" signs posted,
I will go into the archives and post the pictures of the
regular crafts and items that were there again.



Talk about Pumpkins.



Flower Rooting containers.



Talk about recycling soda cans. Aren't they gorgeous?



Recycled crafty birdfeeders and glass flowers.
The glass flowers they had for this year were
even prettier.



Fairy Gardens made from hypertufa.
I want one so badly ;-).



And hypertufa Toadstools.



A section was dedicated to early American re-en-actors.
An a giant corn maze.
And food to tempt everyone. All of the trails led
back to the middle where the food was.
Live Bluegrass bands to entertain.
All in al lit was a great day and loads of fun.

Scentimental Tuesday

Named 'Scentimental Rose' it looks like peppermint
candy to the eye.

This is a real catnap. The stray cat that hangs around here
think I built the potting bench just for her.

Happy Gardening Everyone!

Clematis " Silver Moon"

One of my clematis vines is in full bloom now.
It is called 'Silver Moon'.



The colors are more of a soft shade of lavender which
looks almost gray in the sunlight. So I guess that is
where the silver reference comes from.
I like it because it does very well in shady areas of
which I have a lot of around here.

The iris are still blooming wonderfully and these look
like little soldiers all lined up.



Foam Flower 'Spring Symphony' tiarella is also still
blooming with its feathery blooms.



Since the weather has decided to warm up again the
morning was spent cleaning and revamping my small
pump pond. I wanted warmer weather before I started
playing in the water especially since I am now trying to
get over a sinus infection. I hate getting old! Seems I am
slowly falling apart these days :-)



The heavy pump just about wore me out moving it and
painting it. I have to admit I rolled it around more than
lifting the thing.Got a new liner put in and a new light for it
and got the rocks around it rearranged again. It looks so
much better (cleaner) after all of the gunk I took from it.



As you can see my Rhododendron's are now in full
bloom. They have grown so large over the years that I
am going to have to trim them this fall.The lavender
one is against the house and is now rubbing the siding
on the house.

Plans for tomorrow since the frost is gone is to get the
my tomatoes and some containers filled.
The geraniums that were over wintered are doing very
well now and just need a few flowers to fill in around
them.
The outdoor furniture will need to be brought out of the
shed and scrubbed down.

Happy Gardening Everyone!!