Garden Pots Inside

After planting a few little pots for my garden table on the weekend I have been thinking I might do a few more so that I can bring some inside to put on the table in our lounge room or to place down the centre of the dining table when we have people over for dinner.  I also love how they are placed on the bench in the bathroom I have posted above.  I think it would be a nice idea to find an old rack with perforated shelves {like Brooke's} so that I can store lots of potted up succulents and also my potted bulbs and herbs in the garden near our garden shed.  Lots to do!!

PS.  If anyone is wanting to plant up some of these traditional little terracotta pots, I purchased mine from Bunnings.  I think they were approximately $2.50 per pot.  And if you live in Brisbane and want to purchase some bulbs then head to Bunnings as well.  Bulbs can be a bit tricky to buy here in Brisbane due to them not really liking our climate.   Oh and one more thing, if you want to plant some sweet peas you need to get them in this week if you live here!!  Mine were planted yesterday.  I can't wait to see them grow and flower over the coming weeks.

PPS. I only know these things about when to plant etc. thanks to Merve, Uncle Robbie, my mother, my grandmother and the lovely man at Bunnings who is my new best friend.  What would I do without them!!


image 1 - via delight by design scanned from easy elegance, image 2 - http://brookegiannetti.typepad.com/ {thanks viera}

Garden Ramblings

This is our garden yesterday with the round garden table Harry and I filled

with pots and also our vegetable garden to the left.

If my ramblings about my garden are becoming annoying just take me off your google reader or stop reading because I am thoroughly enjoying the excitement my garden is bringing me and I hope that these posts might inspire you to get your gloves on too.  I am actually quite a highly-strung, stressed-out maniac most of time however, I am finding that my garden is a place where I can relax.  I tend to drift off into another world when I am out there.  So, this is what I got up to on the weekend.

Harry and I planted up 10 little pots with succulents, herbs, pansies and another little plant which I can't remember the name of.  We arranged them on a round wire garden table which I placed near our vegetable garden.  I think this idea is such a great idea for interest in a large garden like ours but also would be wonderful on a verandah in an apartment or in a courtyard in a small garden.  I originally got the idea from a story on Deborah Needleman in Lonny magazine.  I think it was in one of their first issues...

We also started planting up some terracotta pots with Hyacinth bulbs which won't flower now until Spring but we are prepared and I think I might plant a few more this weekend as they will make nice gifts when Spring comes around. We also planted 30 Daffodil bulbs into the garden.  This weekend we will plant the Ranunculus, Freesias and tulips {which are currently in the fridge}.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will like it here in our red soil and will flower in Spring.

On Saturday we spotted 2 capsicum growing in our vegetable garden along with some corn.  We collected a small basket full of beans and cherry tomatoes which I cooked up on Saturday night.  This week we are planting some pretty sweet peas...this is the perfect time here for planting them.

And just to prove that I am making some headway in the garden compare the top photo in this post to this photo above as this is what one area of our garden looked like just before Christmas last year.  What a difference some effort can make and some help from my Uncle Robbie and Merv our lovely 84 year old gardener.  I can't claim all the accolades although if I didn't work I think I might be out there 24-7!

PS...One day she will be painted white but for the meantime we endure the red, green and yellow...xx

My Wonderful Weekend

My plans for a weekend in the garden had to be slightly altered due to the weather.  However, despite the rain I did achieve some gardening goals.  I went to my favourite nursery at Wellington Point yesterday.  If I could put their garden surrounding their nursery onto a truck and deliver it to our house I'd be one happy girl.  I just love wandering around the little pathways through their beautiful established garden. 

My aunty and my grandma {the one I photographed here on the blog last week} dropped in for morning tea this morning.  Aunty Jane brought me these pretty roses from her garden.  I love garden roses.  They are my favourite.

As you can see I did go a little crazy at the nursery.  I love the mix of plants I chose.  I really want to add lots of different colours into our garden.

I can't believe our little Max turned 10 months old yesterday.  He is almost walking.  Time really flies...



This morning my brother Sam and my mum, Harry, Max and I went to the Chandler Markets.  I hadn't been before and was so excited by what they had.  I found some beautiful orchids and fresh flowers and a few little vintage surprises too.



Yesterday I collected this bundle of fresh lettuce, beans and tomatoes from our kitchen garden.  I placed them into a basket and took them down to my mum's house.  Today she and Sam made an amazing salad which you will probably find the recipe for over at Sams' Table this week. 

Weekends at home are my favourite.  I always feel so inspired and rested and ready to go back to work on a Monday when I have been pottering around the house all weekend.

I'm in the garden...

If you're looking for me this weekend I will be in the garden...not looking quite as glamorous as the lady above!  I can't wait to get stuck into some planting...I'm thinking daisies...lots of daisies.

Have a great one.
x

image via party tights, photographer unknown             

Ebb and Flow of Life.

Yesterday, I kept pondering the quote, "Whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should".  It helped, I also unglued myself from the news and spent some time with my son, potting up some new plants we recently purchased.  I bought my first Meyer Lemon tree and have had it in my home for the past few days, the fragrance from the blossoms is magnificent.  I cooked chicken and broccoli, a recipe I found over at Annie's Eats and it was delish.  So what I am trying to say is, "Keep calm and carry on".  I made a donation, said many prayers, added a link on my blog for Japan.  Now, I just need to be the best me I can be and do what I do, because that is what makes the world go round.  I spent some time (5 to 10 minuets) at the home of Sting and his wife, Trudie while I was pondering the Universe.  A beautiful Tuscan farm near Florence, that over looks the Valdarno Superiore valley.  Breath taking.  Enjoy, Heidi

 Wisteria vining up the arbors, star jasmine growing on the walls and agapanthus blooming all around, these plants are easy and beautiful.

 Italian cypress tress, box woods and lavender were everywhere. (easy plants for Texas as well)

                                                     List of things to do: Learn to play chess.

                                Check out the old olive trees in the back.  Olive trees grow very well in Texas too

and..... several hundreds perhaps thousands have been planted on the farms around Burton. (where I live)

                                        This view reminds me of the Claire Valley in South Australia. 

Oh yeah, this is Italy.

                                                        Dining Al Fresco.

The perfect pool, the perfect view.  I think all I need is a Sangria.

All images via Architectural Digest.

The S.A. Crowd & Home on Sunday

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I must apologise as I didn't get a chance to post before I left for Adelaide a few days ago.  I am working on a house in Dulwich which is such a beautiful area in lovely Adelaide.  Whilst visiting I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with The S.A. Crowd - Kimberlee from Brown Button, Emma from White & Wander, Kate from Polka Dot Pantry, Pippa from Tres Dodgeois and Alex from French Navy Stationery.  What a lovely group of positive, happy, inspiring, funny, encouraging and creative girls.  We had a fantastic dinner at Sparrow Kitchen & Bar on Friday night and then went out and hit the Antique shops on Saturday together.  I was amazed by Adelaide's history, wonderful food, pretty tree-lined streets, old stone houses and fantastic Antique shops.  It really is a place worth visiting and I can't wait to head back down there mid-year to catch up with the girls again.

After such a busy few days away, today I loved being at home.  I spent the day with my boys pottering around the house and the garden.  We recently put in a kitchen garden or Potager as the French call them.  Our lettuce is growing beautifully.  I picked one today to make a salad with tonight along with our tomatoes which just seem to be sprouting up everywhere in our garden.  Although all of this rain we've had has done some horrible things to our state, our garden is just so green and full of flowers which I have been picking and placing in vases in the house.  There really isn't anything which makes me happier than arranging flowers from my own garden to place around our house...simple pleasures!!

xx
Anna

Wish List

                A Rose covered chicken coop, filled with chickens. Found Here


A garden full of all my favorite flowers & organic veggies.  Found Here


A pretty hammock to lie under a giant shade tree and read or nap.
Found Here


This wicker basket that is big enough for an ice chest, from Ikea to keep my drinks cold and look pretty at the same time.    Found Here


This bicycle to ride around with my husband and little boy, plus save some gas and save the planet.
Found Here


This Thing-a-ma-jiggy to cut wood for my outdoor living room fireplace.
Found Here

                                                                     Country Living


Found Here.   This little number to where while I swim....

                                      Here                     Austin Patterson Disston

or Here

Desire to Inspire

or maybe, Here

Oh look!!!  There I am,  just kidding.  I got a bit carried away.
Image via Vanity Fair and that is the beautiful Kirsten Dunst.

Portals

There seems to be a magical force that draws you in, curiosity.  The child within gets very excited at the sight of a portal.  The imagination starts to run wild with magical thoughts. 
How romantic.  Enjoy, Heidi


Found Here


Unknown Source


Found Here


Unknown Source



The Dark Hedges, Ireland           Found Here


Ireland        Found Here


Found Here

Found here

The Romantic Country Life.

                                     Found Here

               Found Here

                              Found Here

                  Found Here


                         Found Here


              Sorry, no origin.


                           elle Decor

                           Found Here

                  Found Here

                         Found Here