Chalkboard Pots

Now this is a summer project I can handle...DIY chalkboard pots. I think the chalkboard would add a welcome *pizazz* to my herb garden, what do you think?

After cruising chalkboard images, I'm officially inspired! Now all I need is chalkboard paint!

image1/apartment.therapy

image2/julieannart

image3/bsquaredesign

image3/doityourself

Planting Season

I've been using my time off to get lots of projects done around the house, including planting! I ventured to the local nursery yesterday and picked up some new, fragrant herbs; mint, lavender, and basil.

Now I've got quite the little herb garden. Adding these new 3 to my already blooming rosemary, thyme, and sage. Excited to put my new herbs to use in my cooking!

Potted Pudding

On my week off school, I'm looking forward to checking many things off my to-do list including hitting up the nursery for some spring flowers and herbs to pot and plants to brighten my window boxes. While blog browsing to select my plants du jour, up I came across Martha's edible potted puddings. These adorable desserts are cleverly disguised as seedlings. Chocolate mint pudding topped with cookie crumb "dirt" and flowering herbs. What an appropriate treat for a Spring garden party!

images/marthastewart

Yard at Work

My boyfriend and I have been hard at work trying to make sense of our yard. Upon purchasing the house, I inherited a few lovely pre-existing trees/shrubs; a large camellia tree, several lilac bushes, and a handful of wild rose bushes. Nice, right?

So when it came time to add some bounty to the yard, I thought I had a decent flower knowledge upon entering the nursery....WRONG! My knowledge was paltry, as I realized I could barely identify half the herbs... In a nutshell, my first time to the plant store was very overwhelming. I slowly pushed my cart through the endless rows of sun plants, shade plants, perennials, etc. Even with a salesperson helping me, it was a lot of information to absorb in one fell swoop.

Finally, after frantically calling my boyfriend and having him google the plants I liked while at work, I selected a few that fit the profile to survive a Seattle fall and winter. So, to our yard we recently added the following: some green grassy plants, a daphne, and a few Pieris fire and ice plants. I admit, I've never had an especially green thumb but they're looking good so far...

image/fiddlesticksandfunnygirls

Green Thumb

I'm so proud of my newly acquired green thumb. In the past I haven't had great success with plants thriving. Yet since my new house boasts several window boxes I've become a gardening guru - okay...well maybe not a guru, but I'm working on it! So far, I've planted poppies, sedums, a few succulent varieties, and herbs: thyme, oregano, rosemary, and sage. I was so proud of my window boxes I even made my best friends go outside and thoroughly admire and appreciate my hard work (they were not amused).

Are you into gardening? What are your favorite plants: I'm a newbie so any recommendations are helpful and encouraged!

Sweet Succulents

Can you tell I've got a thing for succulents? I forgot to mention, I made a trip to my local nursery last week and picked up a handful of lovely little succulents for my window boxes in addition to some other pretties like herbs and pansies.

Seattle's "faux Spring" has lent us some warm weather which allowed me to plant these little guys earlier than usual, since they're typically not a cold weather plant. Now I'm just hoping they live to see Spring. Anyone have any experience planting succulents?

via/erineverafter

Martha's Peony Party

Leave it to Miss Martha Stewart to think up this festive solstice soirée - a peony party! A twist on your average garden party - I'm envious of Martha's peonies, they are simply lovely. Wish I'd been invited!

images/marthablog

Garden Delight

When I think of a watering can, I picture a yellow plastic bucket stashed beside a coiled garden hose. However apparently times have changed, and this little piggy here, is indeed a copper watering can from Smith & Hawken.

With all of the effort my mom has recently invested into her backyard, I thought it only fitting that I celebrate her success with an eye-catching watering can that can only serve to enhance the thriving flora and fauna she's already cultivated. I had hoped there'd be a frog watering can, but the options were limited to pigs, roosters, and squirrels. The squirrel is definitely noteworthy, he was my runner-up.images/smith&hawken