Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Flowers & My Organic Garden

Hello, friends!

We finally did some yard work and have the front yard looking just about as good as it will all summer.


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The Front of the House



Lawn mowed, new wood chips laid down, and flowers planted!



I went to a greenhouse with family a few weekends back for some flowers to decorate our front stoop. I really love all the flowers that I picked out. I don't really have any fixed opinions on flowers and don't know a lot about them in general. I'm starting to be interested now though. Our house was so well landscaped with perennials when we moved in that all the hard work has already been done for us. 



 I'll be able to re-use this welcome planter every year. Love it!


This is my first attempt ever at putting together a flower arrangement in a planter. How did I do?! I like it.







We still need a new mailbox though...it's on the long "to do" list for the summer.


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The Backyard Garden

If you've been following along on my Facebook page you already know that we planted a garden this year. I've hesitated to show any pictures in case the whole thing doesn't work out but some of the vegetables are thriving. Crookneck squash, pumpkin, mini-pumpkin, spaghetti squash, summer squash, zucchini, green pepper, & green beans. 

Others are not doing so well ~ I'm not holding out a lot of hope for the carrots, lettuce, broccoli, and cauliflower. Something is eating up the tomatoes as well. I'm trying to have this garden be as organic as possible. 

I will take any and all suggestions to get rid of ants! They are all over the garden. I'm going to try sprinkling cinnamon all over the garden next. I tried baking powder first (I poured circles around each plant as I read that ants won't cross over the powder to get to the plants). I think that's what killed the tomato plants. That or the ants. Any and all suggestions and advice is welcome! 



The amount of tomatoes that I planted is just ridiculous! Very few are thriving which is what I was worried about and why I planted so many.


Just a few days later and look how much all the plants grew!


I have cherry tomatoes in a planter by our back patio. I want to see if container planting will work a little better for the tomatoes. 


I have lavender planted in one large pot and a kitchen herb garden assortment in the second large pot with parsley, cilantro, basil, & chives. The small black and white pot has more basil in it. I can't wait to be able to go out to our patio and just grab herbs for cooking this summer!


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Baby Girl 

A few of you have asked to see some more current photos of Miss Olivia. Here are some of my favorites from the last few months. She will be one this month on the 18th! Time is just flying by!!

Easter ~




In the front yard enjoying the outdoors ~ 



An evening at the beach ~






Wish me luck as I continue to learn how to care for an organic garden. 
Enjoy spring, everybody!

Have a wonderful day!

Love,



Linking with ~

Ginger Snap Crafts - Wow Me Wednesday

5 comments:

The Polka Dot Closet said...

Your house looks adorable, you were lucky with all of plantings you inherited. Now, gardening, I am a big fat zero on that. You put so much work into it, oh I hope someone can help you with the ant problem......Ok the garden is not growing, but your adorable daughter is...Wow, one year already!

Carol

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

I wish I had some suggestions for the ants, Jamie, but I never came across that problem. I use Borax around the outside of our home to keep the ants out, but I don't think that would work well near your veggies.

Olivia looks absolutely adorable! She is just too cute and all smiles in those pictures. I can't believe she will be a year already!

Laurel Stephens said...

Olivia is so CUTE! What a doll! I can't believe she's going to be turning one, and I'm glad you posted some photos so we can watch her grow too. Your house looks so nice, Jamie. Your entry flowers are just charming. We have the same mailbox, I think. I think I know what your tomato problem is. They're too tiny. It's like offering an appetizer to whatever is eating them; one bite and it's gone! I'd go back to the garden store and buy some small tomato plants and give that a try. Then, hopefully, they'll grow faster than the bugs can eat them. Those squash are going to be winners!! Look at them go! Gardening is an adventure. I'm so glad you found a liking for it!

The Charm of Home said...

It is so rewarding to grow a garden. I have grown one for years now. Some have been better than others. Your little girl is a doll!
Sherry

Shabby Sweet Tea said...

I love your garden! It's so big. That would be hard to do here with the clay we have. We built a raised garden along the side of our house. We have lots of great veggies and herbs. Perfect for making baby food. I plan to write a blog post on it one day soon:) Hugs!