Summer Container Gardening

While the ongoing "Boulevard Transformation Monster Project" is being worked on....I just have to have some beauty and inspiration to help me on with said project. I have two half barrel planters for the back yard. The first is on the south side of the garage, where, next planting season I hope to have a raised bed...since it gets the best full day sunlight.


The second oak barrel is on the west side of the garage, and is part of a 2-3 foot strip border of some flowers (but mostly weeds)! I have reclaimed about half of the area with rock and bark for the time being.


In the front yard, I filled the "tomato" container with a variety of lovelies -- this has been the lushest container, settled in a partially shaded area of the maple tree.

Other containers in the front yard are similar in mix of flowers (petunia, dusty miller, purple and peach verbena, white geranium...


...and, finally, my strawberry planter filled with moss roses and a green plant on top that replaced a short-lived gerbera daisy.

Along the east side of my property is a chain link fence, that I plan to beautify over time ;) This calla lily is being temporarily housed near the fence due to its all-day sunny situation.

My talented and handsome nephew

Better late than never....here is my nephew, Luke, entertaining the family this past Christmas (trouble posting video here ;)

A summer visit

We were blessed to have a visit from my nephew and his family from Colorado this summer. His son is such a cutie! He's playing with toys that were around circa early 1970s














....as is his older sister - enjoying a fudgsickle ;)















Mom, Dad and a Great Aunt and Uncle enjoy the backyard gathering.
















...and a blue-bonneted Montana cousin to the Colorado cuties with another Great Aunt...

Spring Gardening

Here are some photos of my spring container gardening -- lettuce, spinach and cilantro.



Our Montana spring was cold and wet. I relied on starting seeds indoors..when the indoor temps were barely warm enough to germinate. The other first seedlings in the peat pots are broccoli, daisies, and basil. I found out later, as I didn't mark them well as they germinated ;0



I caught the lilacs that grow near my back door....the heighth of my blue spruce tree on the east side of the house...and early leaves on the maple tree to the south in the front yard -- The Honda FIT at the curb was my Cash for Clunkers score from July 2009 -- LOVE it!