The rain let up by this morning, but the first spring flea market was washed out anyway. Not even a few die hard guys under the train trestle. I was very disappointed. This has been a red letter date, circled on my mental calender since the last flea market ended at Christmas. Three whole months of waiting! I even went to the bank and got---CASH, lol. But no. And the thrift shop was sparse too.
An alternative plan was required, because it is important to get out and be optimistic on these grey cold days of spring. I went to a big garden show with my friends.
This is the real world nursery where, in Nelson DeMille's best seller Gold Coast, our hero makes the acquaintance of the bad guy, as they mull over lawn improvement products. Right here. Cool.
My friends want to redo their small back garden. A two or three year plan. They are very partial to tropical looks, a style in which this garden center excels.
Feel like a tropical resort! Not hardy in our zone so very expensive to redo each year. But that's up to them, I'm just the advisor.
We bought them some elephant ears bulbs, to get their plan started....
Lots of wonderful unusual lillies and dahlias. These all do well in a seaside garden.
Beautful handblown glass orbs. Note to self to come back next year at Christmas, for my collection.
I am more of a country garden person, not that I have a yard or space to really garden. Just sand and scrub for me. I love hydrangeas though. They're hardy at the beach.
Some deck planter ideas...
Love the foxgloves. Must have!
Oh and a pond! Like my parents had. My dad had Mr. Frogge and his family instead of koi, though.
I love the current gardening idea of mixing vegetables and herbs right into the flower beds or planters.
Adorable spring/ Easter small basket arrangements. Lots of ideas, easy to make....
Isn't this so perfect for spring holiday tables?
more....
This is really neat, and if it was a nicer year weather-wise I might do this in a small way: blooming purple heather, like my dad grew year round in Cape Cod. With lots of cut pussy willow branches tucked in.
love
lizzy
gone to the beach..........
PS a few bloggy notes: Blogger has restored the function that allows me to respond to your comments right here! And then I believe they're forwarded on to your inbox. Very cool, so if you do leave comment, check back.
Also my ability to enlarge my photos for you is back and working. Plus you can still click any photo to enlarge to full screen / slide show, so please try that too.
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Oooh, pretty flowers! And lots to comment on for me today, lol. I haven't been to a garden show in years but used to go. Unfortunately, here they have them too early - like February - so can't buy and plant things. Although one greenhouse used to see geranium seedlings, tiny things (1"), for like $.10 each - if you could keep them alive until time to plant them out they were a huge bargain.
ReplyDeleteYou should check back mid-summer for the glass globes. You might get lucky and find them on clearance/sale before they start restocking for fall and winter.
At least the elephant ears and lilies should come up every year in your friends' garden. Dahlias might need to be dug up so they don't freeze, though.
Can tell the koi pond is a demo! Koi will eat the plants - you usually won't see any plants growing in or overhanging a koi pond. I saw a BIG pond of koi and they kept even the weeping willow trimmed exactly an inch above the water!
Foxgloves are gorgeous but don't forget they're very poisonous! Take care if you grow them.
My neighbor in VA had mixed veggies and flowers in his beds 20-odd years ago. He was very good - you had to really look to find his veggies and his beds always looked nice.
It's still too early here to plant much except pansies, but I'm hoping to get some bright flowers planted in my flower bed this year! Thanks for sharing all the pictures!
HI! I m glad you enjoyed the show! It was so beautiful, but as you emntioned, it is to cold this year for March/ April planting.
DeleteWe had *snow* when I woke up this AM.
Oh my, just beautiful. Sounds like a fun day. It's amazing how you can put almost anything in a basket and it is beyond adorable.
ReplyDeleteSnow??? Really, that's just adding insult to injury. Well, that HAS to be the end of it.
Thank you for sharing your day.
--Kelley
I love the baskets of spring flowers. You re right, they just all look adorable. I plan to make a version for my doorstep, when it s not quite so cold....[no daffs in june tho?]
DeleteBe sure to post a pic of it when you do.
DeleteKelley
It's so funny how others often seek out what we hardly see hardly notice when we're surrounded by them.
ReplyDeleteTropical flowers grow every few inches here, of course.
The thing that -does- amaze me is orchids growing out in the open. I had a dear friend in California who kept a greenhouse just so he could raise orchids.
I do miss my rose garden of many years ago and daffodils.Not enough to move back to California, though.
Thank you for the beautiful colors. I've got to get out my quilting material and "touch" the colors.
Take care and thanks again for your wonderful posts.
Hunter
Hi! I know you mean tropical orchids which I loved seeing when I was in Hawaii...ut interestingly, orchids grow wild all over the continetal US as well as Hi. A friend of mine found some of a rare pink kind growing in the scecret dunes near N Truro, Cape Cod MA.
Deletehttp://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/65642.html
And! Supposedly now there are palm trees that will survive our normal winters. Glad my friends hadn t bought one yet, bec this winter was far too cold.
l