Bloomin' Sunday

Mum's Dogwood

Happy Mother's Day to all my Dandelion House Moms! 

 These beautiful blooms from my mother in law's 60 year old Dogwood tree.

My hubby cuts a few branches from this tree every year  for his mother and me on Mother's Day. To me these blooms are so much more meaningful than any hot house grown roses from across the country or another country for that matter. Although, I wouldn't turn em down if they came knockin at my door! :) I've never met a flower I didn't like.

She also has a huge white lilac bush out behind her farmhouse. 

I altered this image in Picasa just for fun but I wanted you to see how neat they look in a this cut glass pitcher...It's tall and sturdy enough to hold several small branches loaded with blooms and provides enough water to keep the arrangement looking fresh for at 4 or five days.

This arrangement is much cooler... ( in temperature ) White dogwood blossoms and tiny apple-blossoms set off the deep purple lilac and the cobalt blue vase grounds the composition so you can marvel at each tiny blossom. Can I just tell you that the smell is out a this world!!!

Don't be afraid to go snip your spring blooming trees and shrubs. They make  the most wild  looking arrangements.

I hope you're all enjoying a day of love and rest with your families... 

I think I'm ready for my nap! 

 

Garden Dreams for 2011

While Winter does it's magic on the soil and sleeping plants outside I'm dreaming away inside about all the garden projects I hope to start and finish come spring and summer. 

I'm not sure if this farmgirl is day dreaming or just plain exhausted. Just look at the poor girl with her tattered dress and long face. That's no way to go into a new season of Gardening now is it?  I know it's a stretch, but for the sake of this post lets pretend she's day dreaming shall we? 

High on my list (a carry over from last years wish list ) is to add a few section's of picket fence to both sides of the front of our house with a garden gate for some cottage charm.
But, a picket fence looks naked without plants billowing from all sides of it so we'll want to add some tried and true cottage favorites.

Hydrangea, and Roses will get us off to a good start!

We'll add to our small flock of  back yard Chickens which has dwindled down to 3 from the original 8 we brought home from the feed store 5 years ago. 

 As chickens age they lay less eggs. We love having fresh eggs on hand for cooking. 

And we'll expand the run so they have a little more leg room to get at all those good bugs and nutrients.

And we'll expand our veggie garden area by adding raised beds towards the front of the house where they'll get the most sunlight throughout the day. 

We'll will pick up where we left off on our Council Ring stone patio and rock wall 

made from recycled granite slab pieces from my husbands dumpster diving excursions. I'll do a full post on this project when it's finished! It's top on our list of outdoor creative recycling projects! 

This outdoor space is where we'll go for that " camping " in the back yard feeling and 

where my container herb garden will grow! This project is underway and at the moment, under snow too.
It waits with all of the other garden dreams for 2011.

Where do you get your Garden inspirations ?
I check out books from the library all winter long and subscribe to English Garden for classic design ideas and Mary Jane's Farm for the best organic resources.

Blog land has become my new go to place when I need a quick fix for garden inspiration and that's why I entered the World Garden Carnival 2011!
( current topic is Garden Resolutions for 2011 ) 


What a fun way to meet new bloggers and share garden ideas. I bet some of them are signed up for this carnival. 

Play along and share your garden resolutions too!

Happy Garden Dreams,
Deborah Jean