All through our years (37 ) of marriage – we have planted flowers and landscaping. In our home today – we await Spring with a eye to the beauty of FLOWER’S !
View of the back with our two Tower Gardens – bird bath and replanted Geranium’s from previous years. And to the left a portable pot of POTATO’S a first foe me.
Our first step every early Spring is preparing our two Tower Gardens for the growing season – April thru end of October. We also have one inside the garage with grow lights so we are eating fresh produce – November thru end of March – making our fresh produce growing year around.
Patio with flower ” Bicycle ” we purchase years ago at a garden show !
Yesterday – we went to Home Depot – to select different flowers and then potted them and placed in the patio. EXTRA BENEFIT unknown to us at check out – the man said – sign up for credit card today and receive $70.00 off your purchase – DEAL ! We payed $20.00 – rest was a credit and as soon as we got home – paid the credit card off !
One of two flower boxes on the walled in patio.
The flower boxes will be much bigger as the season progress’s. We try a different theme every year – Sherry picks the theme – my duty is ” It is not for me to question why – but for me to do or die ” !!
In a marriage – good motto to live by !
We found this flower pot holder in the trash years ago and reclaimed it – I painted it a couple days ago.
Always like sitting by flowers when sipping my coffee – the cushions we take in if it is going to rain.A stand alone pot holder which I repainted a couple days ago.
85 % of our plants that are in the beds – come back each year – so mostly – only a few do we purchase to plant in them – geraniums – we pull every year and put them in a bucket and hang from the ceiling – cleaning them up in the Spring and replant them – saving 90 % of them !
One of many flowering bushes we have that come out each year.
The twin bush that was shown before – on each end of the fence.
Front step on the porch.
This year we tried one more thing – Potato’s – we planted eight – five among our strawberry patch ( every year we pulled them in the Fall from the Tower Garden – and stuck them in the ground on the side of the house – 12 to 15 quarts last year ) and three more in a portable container – this is a first for me – not sure what to expect but they already are 16 inches high !
One of the beds out front with just the two planted flowers – rest come back every year along with our deep red – pink and light pink roses.
The beds in the front have a combination of colors Spring – Summer and Fall . Reds – pinks – yellows -purples – whites and many off shades. I also have planted Crepe Myrtles ( 3 of them ) that bloom late May and continue until late Fall – a deep ruby red !
All in all – Spring plantings are my favorite time of year -one that continues until the harsh cold of Fall and Winter.
Living life to the plus includes for me sights of Spring – Summer and Fall. I do not like the cold – ice and snow !
Eating healthy from our Tower Gardens ( even edible flowers) and enjoying nature in bloom – bringing a calm – for me lower blood pressure !
Everything in mid October is blooming!The colors are just beautiful!
It takes me back to my childhood – Spring – Summer
in NWPA!
Mild climate then and flowers blooming!
Flowering bush – and potted trees!
Barefoot Landing? Well almost – sitting enjoying the sights and sounds!
Sherry – mid October and the decorations are out!
This tine of year I have always favored
crisp air – decorations – Fall is here!
But the beauty of Summer remains!Fall decorations from Summer pastThe noise of a water fountain – solitude of quiet thinking!The beauty of Sun flowers – hay and pumpkins!Reds – greens fading to yellow
Finally – it would be warm all day – mid ’70’s – bright sunshine
Time to get outside after all the rain and cold days!
Even though we have had to stay inside from our walks
The rain has left the lawn thick and lush!
I have now mowed at least a half dozen times – seems like every 4 days
except when it rains and then I sneak it in between showers!
The side yard has really filled in – that has been my problem area
I also started two years ago – putting lime pellets down
in the fall time!
One of the outdoor Tower Gardens – the other is in the enclosed patio
It has been cold at night – high 30’s to mid 40’s –
yet with all the rain and peaks of sunshine – it is growing!
We decided this year LESS IS MORE in planting flowers!
99 % of the greens you see – flower and come up each year
except the green bushes !
So we decided to POT this year with flowers
with three or four in the flower beds
and the rest in the enclosed patio.
It takes me 60 minutes with a push lawn mower
trimming included and weed whacker
to mow the lawn
a few people tell me they no longer do this
but I enjoy it !
It is a form of exercise for me – almost 5000 steps!
And I get the feeling of something I have created
and see the results of all that I have planted in the 14 years!
All of this I have planted by hand and cultivated.
I only wish this bush would look like this all summer
but – after it blooms it loses it petals
and new leaves are formed along with getting larger.
The grass is so soft and spongy like
almost as if you are walking on a carpet.
I have a lawn company called Bio-Turf
for four years now –
and they do a terrific job.
Six different times they come to the house each year
and do all the spreading – plugging – and seeding and lime spreading
VERY HAPPY WITH THEM!
The pot to the right is all MINT and you can smell it as you walk up the bank the enclosed brick area is my strawberries and last year and this year my Potato’s
Our first rose of the year – with many more to come
they will bloom – go away and later in the summer bloom again
The three Swedish horses that Maddy – Ella and Sarah made for us
We walk – we eat healthy – but the mental part is also important !
Our roses out front
A healthy body also has to have a healthy mind – at least mine does !
So – when we moved into our house thirteen years ago –
I started digging up – replanting – moving – shrubs – putting in trees
( 3 Crepe Myrtles ) and numerous rose bushes – flowers that came back year after year.
Crepe Myrtle out front
I had to dig these trees on my hands and knees – being so many rocks ! With that being said – when they bloom a bright ruby red – I just love them – and it all was worth it !
Ninety five per cent comes back
Flowers and color do a lot for my mind and peaceful thoughts.
But – as you get older – weeding kills your back – at least mine !
So – this year – I bought the mulch from the boy scouts – and actually paid them to spread it around – 25 bags !
It was well worth it and half the cost of anyone else.
Flowers and flags
These roses will bloom off and on until Fall – most everything in the beds comes up each year.
Walking home – when coming in sight of the house- gives me a great calming thought – seems like any stress just goes away –
and that is for my mental being.
Front steps and door
Sherry always plants the planters around the house – in back -the patio and the front porch.
So – when people visit – the visual of flowers – the welcome mat – sitting on the front porch or in the enclosed patio – brings calm – that is why we do it .
The back patio and Tower Gardens
Each year – in the back – we plant flowers and the Tower Gardens –
which provide our vegetables daily.
In front of these are the other two Crepe Myrtles that I hand planted – all the trees and bushes here I also planted.
Yesterday’s harvest from our strawberry patch
We also grow our own strawberry’s – enough to provide us each morning for breakfast while they last.
Living a healthy lifestyle – to reduce stress – we plant – we grow and produce vibrant colors all Spring – Summer and Fall.
We actually grow even in Winter inside our garage.
For a stress relief – try flowers – smell them – watch them grow –
I 