Jun 4, 2014

Spring Garden Tour 2014


Spring is just whizzing by here at The North End Loft. The weather has been wonderful, and I've been enjoying a lot of outdoor time the past few weeks. I'm touring our spring garden today in honor of the June Garden Party over at Elizabeth & Co. 

 Won't you please join me?


Can you spot the elephant in the room? (Garden room, that is.) I almost cut the port-a-potty behind our fence out of this photo, but I thought you might get a kick out of it. Our contractor had it tucked into our trash can space off the alley for the duration of our master suite remodel. It adds that special je ne sait quoi to the garden, don't you think?
 

My sun collection hangs on the fence in this peaceful corner of our yard.
 

Chubby Buddha was a gift from my sweet nephew and his wife.
 

I love getting garden art for Mother's Day because I can enjoy it outside right away after the long winter. This gazing ball supported by three frogs was a gift one year from my husband. 
 

Another unexpected visitor to the yard this spring is the clawfoot tub from our remodel. Hopefully, it will be finding a new owner via craigslist soon. If not, I just may plant flowers in it! The irises really put on a pretty show this year, and the day lilies are getting set to explode with yellow blossoms soon.
 

My husband's garden gnome keeps the jasmine company. I have two big pots of jasmine on the deck, and the scent perfumes the whole yard and family room when the windows are open.
  

When we lost our old pale pink rose that grew up the side of our shed to disease last year, we decided to replace it with a more vividly colored one called Joseph's Coat. I can't wait for it to fill the trellis again in a couple of years.


Last year I planted a little four-inch sage plant in the garden, and this spring I transplanted it to a thirteen-inch pot on the deck. It gave us a gorgeous two-foot tall mounded showing of purple blossoms for weeks and is just now starting to fade. 


The lavender I planted last year is doing great so far.
 

Summer fun is just around the corner! (You can learn how to make this cute 
summer fun plaque here.)
 

Around the side of our yard is our brand new cutting garden. We're still growing tomatoes here among the flowers, but we'll be buying the rest of our fresh produce at our wonderful downtown Capital City Farmer's Market. Hopefully, we'll be enjoying fresh cut flowers all summer.
  

There are two bird nests nearby, and the birds sit on our trellis and serenade us. To thank them I tucked a thrift store pie plate full of water between the flowers for their bathing pleasure. 


Our side yard was spectacular this spring with the clematis and honeysuckle climbing up the trellis and blooming together as the hostas unfolded their huge leaves.


Another Mother's Day gift from my husband this year was two beautiful fuchsias.
  
 

The honeysuckle is reaching for an old chippy window frame hanging on the trellis.


Dollar store sunbursts decorate the fence. The more weathered and gray our fence boards become over the years, the more we like them.
 

A bunny peeks out from the raspberries in a whiskey barrel. 


I'm not sharing our front garden yet because the front porch is piled high with lumber for the remodel and not quite as tour-worthy as port-a-potties and clawfoot tubs. I just had to share our new front porch trellis rose, though. We had a pale pink rose here also, but it grew and grew and grew with no end in sight! When I read that we could expect it to be twenty-five feet tall eventually, we gave up trying to keep it tidy on our little trellis and replaced it with this Iceberg Rose variety that should only grow about ten feet tall. In a few years we'll have a beautiful rose covered porch again. 


As our tour comes to an end, old Tucker gets a shout-out for being so patient and such good company while I've been taking photos in the garden today.

Gardening, like keeping house, is never ending. Especially in a little urban garden where every square foot is precious, we're always changing things around to make it just right. 

It's our labor of love.

I'm so glad you joined me for a tour of our little garden, and I hope you find some time to putter in your own special place today.
 


Let's party!


24 comments:

  1. Very pretty, Laurel! I love how you have even made sure to have the side yard looking pretty. I love the clematis. I had one in our yard at the old house that was growing up a birdhouse post along with a very fragrant pink rose. I've got much less to deal with here in our condo, but am able to add some things. Last year I added a rose bush and the year before that three hydrangea bushes. I'm looking to add a lilac bush in but am waiting to see where I will be able to plant it.

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  2. Your outdoor gardens are just as pretty as the inside of your house, Laurel! And your plants all look so healthy, too. Thanks for the garden tour!

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  3. Oh Laurel, the outside of your home is as pretty as the inside! Love it, thank for taking us on a mini tour. Love your little buddha, I've been eyeing something similar at Pier 1, hope it goes on sale soon. :-)

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  4. So beautiful, Laurel! I'm trying to remember that we have to be frugal and maybe one day we will have such a lovely yard with so many cute items. It takes years to slowly build a collection with cute items you truly love. It's all so pretty and homey in every spot of your yard. There's something very special about a home that's welcoming inside and outside! I love the chippy window frame. So many pretty flowers to name so I won't even try. Thanks for the help with the tomato issue! Wish we lived closer. :) ~ Jamie

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  5. LOVE that shot of the lavender with the sun barely shining through. I love your sun collection too. Have you thought of also using your old tub as a container for ice and drinks for when guests come or you have a party? It would be lovely with garden vignettes too.
    Brenda

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  6. Wow, everything looks so lush and full already! You've done such a wonderful job of layering colors and textures and adding fun garden elements for interest. I love the idea of a cutting garden and mixing veggies and flowers is always fun. Mmmm, I can almost smell the jasmine. I lust love touring your garden Laurel! And hey, I think that tub would look pretty fabulous filled with flowers!

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  7. Laurel, everything looks so pretty and healthy! I LOVE the tub in the yard - I sure hope you incorporate into your gardening - or use it at parties - I know you could do something wonderful with it !!!!! Thanks for sharing!
    Susan

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  8. What a great yard. I planted a lavender plant this Spring. I had one years, but for some reason it didn't come back this year. I enjoyed my visit!

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  9. Laurel, your garden looks so beautiful! I wish ours would look like that. Until we finish all the updates, it is like a work zone out there and I just want green grass and flowers. LOL Enjoy your beautiful space!

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  10. What a great yard! I love it all!! especially Tucker :)

    xox

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  11. I like your garden. I think I would plant some flowers in the tub or make it a pond. Love the pot a lot. That's what my son used to call them.

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  12. Hi Laurel, Love your garden and thank you for sharing the tour. Your flowers and fun details are inspiring. Love the old tub!!
    Tucker looks so patient watching you take photos. He is a beauty!!
    XO

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  13. It's all very lovely there...I enjoyed the tour and want to pet Tucker before I leave :)

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  14. What a beautiful garden. Thanks for sharing!

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  15. Oh my goodness! Everything looks wonderful.

    And yes, you need to plant flowers in the clawfoot tub. I would love to have one.

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  16. Beautiful garden Laurel! :) Thanks for sharing all your lovelies with us, including old tucker! what a sweetie!

    gail

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  17. Beautiful pictures of y our garden Laurel and Tucker looks quite relaxed.

    Cynthia

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  18. Oh what a gorgeous Garden! Love your puppy....Thank you for sharing your gorgeous pictures.

    Carol

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  19. Hi Laurel - nice to meet you! I found your blog through another blog (their blog roll). Your back yard and gardens are so pretty; I really enjoyed the tour. I'll be adding your blog to my blog roll (favorites!). I hope you'll come by and visit my blog, too.

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  20. Your garden is gorgeous (as I knew it would be!). Love the lavender - I still need to get mine planted. Love your cutting garden idea, too. My grandmother always had a cutting garden ... I don't know why I didn't think to have one myself. I've got some space ... I suppose it's not too late to make that addition. Thanks for the inspiration, Laurel!

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  21. Thanks for the fun tour... your joy is apparent in all you do and share here...

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  22. That was a nice tour! LOL on the port-a-potty! Love the picture of the lavender. I need a rose that will grow more prolifically on my arbor- my big problem is the amount of sun it can get. You have lots of pretty blooms!

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  23. How lucky you are to have your very own port-a-potty! ;) Despite that, your garden is beautiful.

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  24. love all your garden goodies! I think I need that sign that says "Always on Tap Cold Beer"! so cute! Appreciate you linking up this post to Fishtail Cottage's garden party this week! oxox

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