Tulips, Planting Annuals, and a bear... Late Spring 2021

              Planters

Hello Everybody!  I've begun planting my annuals.  In this planter I've got some Supertunia Royal Velvet, Really Red Supertunias, two yellow marigolds and a spike planted.

 

I've got a Two tone orange Dahlia, a Prince Tut, Corkscrew Rush and a Creeping Jenny planted in here.

 

 

Here I've got some Rockin' Blue Suede Shoes Salvia and Diamond Snow Euphoriba.  These salvia will get quite tall (30") so this will be interesting to see how it turns out.  These were magnets for the hummingbirds last year so I'm excited to have them again.

 

I've got two Calliope Medium Scarlet Geraniums, two Limoncello Supertunias and a Prince Tut grass here.  I'll update in a month or so as to how these are all looking.

 

This planter has a Sunfinity Sunflower centered and is surrounded by Sunrise Rose Lantana.  Should be real pretty once the sunflowers start flowering!  This type of sunflower branches out and get's quite full rather than a single stem.

 

 

Tulips!

Tulips!  These have been blooming nearly two weeks!  They are called Keizerskroon circa 1750!  (Grand Duc or Emperors Crown) They've really made a good show and I can see why they've been around for so long!  There are soft yellow daffodils and purple hyacinths also which smells so good!

 

This was a mixed package of tulips I ordered.  They've all so pretty and came out and bloomed together which is perfect!

 

 

This one's like a rose!

 

These pink tulips really made their mark!  

 

This is how they started.

 

I think these were called Pink Impression 

Back to Planters

 

 In this terracotta planter I've put two geraniums, one a Calliope Medium Deep Rose' a hot pink and the other a Patriot Watermelon which is the red/orange color.  I planted two Wojo's Gem Vinca vines and two Superbena Stormburst (light purple) plants.

 

 This planter got a real vibrant mix.  Centered is a Canna Lily that will be yellow, a blue/white lobelia and a Hot Pink Calibrachoa.

 

More annuals to plant!

 

I'm going to try these Coleus around the hosta hill and fountain area.  I always plant impatiens there but I thought it might be fun to switch up a bit! 

Got my large galvanized planter filled up! 

 

 

I've got pink Senorita Rosalita Cleome in the center which will get quite tall. Verbea called Vanessa Bicolor Purple, Superbells Honeyberry on the left side and white Calibrocha on the right side. 

 

Next to it we inserted the shepards hook through the middle of the pot and I've planted New Guinea impatiens called Blushing Crimson all around the top of the planter.

 

On the shepards hooks I've got a pair of hanging baskets with Techno Upright Dark Blue Lobelia, Silver Nickel Vine Dichondra and in the center (which isn't blooming yet) is a Sonic Deep Purple New Guina Impatiens.

 

This one has Diamond Snow Euphobira, and two double Red impatiens by D.S.Cole, a Creeping Jenny and one white Browallia

BEAR-  We had a little excitement for a couple of nights.  A bear visited our bird feeder and climbed the post and knocked everything off.                                                           

 

You can see his claw marks at the bottom of the post.

 

Look at the white post, there's a bear climbing up on it!

I'm told he's a younger one, probably a year old.  At this time of year they are looking for quick food since their main sources of berries and such aren't available yet.  In 32 years that we've lived here this has never happened!

I'm attaching a video we caught on our trail-cam but I don't know if it will work the way I did it.

Well that's all for now!

A Topiary here a Cheese Board there….

Spot anything new?  

It's actually an old piece.  Dan and I were going through our storage area to take out some things to donate along with some furniture pieces to go to a re-sale shop.  I had forgotten about this topiary piece I've had for a long time. 

It's a great piece and only because of various changes I've made in the kitchen area over the years it became displaced and then forgotten about.  It's made to look like it has flowering garlic growing in it which makes it a great accent for a kitchen area.  I put it in my shower and gave it a good rinse then used a fan to quickly dry it.  

I just changed this corner arrangement a couple of weeks ago as seen "here" and the black etagere was on the right.  Then the old water pump planter was moved over to right corner but now the topiary sits there.  I may have to switch this back for the winter but we like it this way so I'll see.  It depends greatly on how comfortable the space is once I bring the Christmas Cactus back in.  My Christmas Cactus does so well in this window area I hate to screw it up and move it somewhere else.  

I put the asparagus fern in the baskets lying at the bottom of the little table.

I also found this cheese board at Pier 1 to set on top of the little table.  That black just absorbs anything I put on top so I like something to break it up.

I couldn't get my camera to focus on the edge very well but you can make out the design fairly well.

The little flying pig is my kitchen mascot so he's usually around somewhere!  I remember when I found this topiary at Ethan Allen I loved the pewter finished stand that it came with.  

I'm loving how it brought in some height.  I had a half notion to order a 2nd etagere to go where the topiary is now but I definitely had to think about it and now this has come back into play so I'm glad I didn't do anything else.  The empty plant stand by the glass doors is waiting for the Christmas Cactus that is outdoors to come back in.  

Shopping my house and re-using things I already have is one of my favorite things to do!

As the "About Me" says on the sidebar of my blog says:  

"I enjoy redefining interior spaces by moving things around and reusing decorative things already found in the home."

  

I have a cute DIY project a friend of my created for her son's wedding.

I'll show that next!

Joining:

Dishing It & Digging It 

Metamorphosis Monday 

Water Pump Plant Stand

Dan's father created this combination water pump plant stand for his mother a long time ago.  It's a combination of salvaged metal parts that he always had laying about and the water pump may well have been from his mother's childhood home.  I'm estimating he put it together for her in the mid to late 70's.  It moved around in their home many times with various plants and the last time we visited her at the farm she insisted I take it with me.

The dark green wasn't going to work for me so Dan wanted to clean it before it got a new paint job.  He found a total of 7 different colors on it.  We have a small sandblaster that he did some of the clean up with and sanded the rest.  I wanted to be able to read the wording on the pump again.

Barnes Mfg. Co. Mansfield Ohio

1900-1929

After it was painted we gave it a few days to harden off before bringing it in.

Dan estimates the water pump to be 80 to 100 years old.

I really didn't think I wanted it when his mom offered it but I'm glad I took it and gave it a new life with us.  She's having issues because of dementia now and has to be in assisted living.  I'll always think of her as the years go by because of it.

I set the plant on top and it fits right in the top saucer area perfectly but I am nervous the plant is going to get knocked over so I moved the plant stand over near the other door.  This plant has always done well here so I put it back on a shorter stand for now.

Joining:

Dishing It &. Digging It 

Painting Planted Pots

Well- in typical fashion I decided after I planted this faux watering can I decided I wanted it painted blue to go with some of my pottery.

This little watering can planter was only one year old but the paint was badly faded. 

I had the can on the right (Brilliant Blue) but wanted it a little deeper to be more like cobalt blue. The little "Short Cuts" can (Forever Blue) was spotted while browsing at the hardware store and I thought it was the closest I was going to come to cobalt blue.  It's really small and didn't go far.

I wrapped the plant with a grocery bag to help tuck the plant in and then some cardboard finished it off and it was ready for paint.  A quick shot of paint and I was committed!

Since we had a lot more of the brilliant blue we chose to cover it with that for a good base.

Dan likes to paint so I'm always glad to have him do this part.  Though the Brilliant Blue looked good it wasn't quite the color I wanted yet.

Here it is painted with the final coat of Forever Blue.  In the shade it looks pretty dark but in all actuality it's just what I wanted. 

It does look like cobalt blue doesn't it!  Yay!

You can almost see the blue pot down below- the plant is covering it up quite a bit now.  

The deck is the next thing to spruce up. We are behind on projects!

Sorry about the low grade pictures- used my cell phone instead of the real camera.

Now with my other blue pots I feel I have a theme going!  I know it's a small no biggie project but it made me happy since I stare at it from the kitchen and it was bugging me!  

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Dishing It & Digging It
Metamorphosis Monday
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