$667 Later (Ouch!) and How Well Did the Geraniums and Foxtail Fern Winter Over?

Happy Weekend! How is your weekend going? The last few days here have been all about getting back to where I was before the recent lightning storm. I have a new modem, compliments of my cable company. I had to purchase new computer speakers to replace the Yamaha speakers I've been using for 25+ years--they no longer worked after the strike. And $509.68 later, my garage door opener is working again. … [Read more...]


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A Hike to Possum Creek & Can You Identify the Vegetables Growing in the Garden?

Welcome to the 654th Metamorphosis Monday! Since I'm currently visiting with family, I don't have a Before and After to share from home. So how about a hike to Possum Creek today? My son, dil, and grandsons love going for long walks and hikes and I love it, too. This is the bag I always use when we head out. Last night we walk to a restaurant that's around 1-1/2 miles from the house and this was the bag … [Read more...]


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Create Wonderful Outdoor Spaces for Dining in the Garden

Welcome to the 560th Tablescape Thursday! A few days ago I took you into a wonderful garden that was part of the Secret Gardens of Avondale tour a friend and I enjoyed a few weekends ago. There was one particular garden that really stood out for me. In addition to having a wonderful screened-in summer house...   ...and lots of little outdoor seating areas perfect for … [Read more...]


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A Few Porch Updates & A Garden Seat Makeover

Welcome to the 493rd Metamorphosis Monday! Did you go out of town for the July 4th week? This past week always seems like a big week for travel. This weekend has been a productive one for me as I've worked on a few things I've been putting off for a while. One chore I had been procrastinating on was giving the wicker seating group a good cleaning. I've had the two chairs and the settee (all made of … [Read more...]


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A Bottle Tree for Every Season & Holiday

Recently I shared a few photos of my deck as I was cleaning it for summer. In that post I also shared a picture of the bottle tree that lives on my deck. I received quite a few questions and emails about the tree asking where I found it. I tried to answer everyone's questions but if I missed any, you'll find more information about the tree and where I purchased it in this previous post: Bottle Tree … [Read more...]


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Dharuma Hydrangea, A Low-Growing Hydrangea That Loves the Sun

Back in the summer of 2014, I planted a few flowers around my mailbox including a Dharuma Hydrangea that was supposed to do well in full sun and be low-growing. I didn't want a big shrub in this spot since space was limited. Do you see it there, just behind the mailbox?   Here's a photo of it a few weeks after it was first planted.   As I was leaving to go someplace one evening … [Read more...]


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Planting Tulips and Violas & A Little Christmas Table Shopping

Welcome to the 408th Metamorphosis Monday! Yesterday I cut and brought in the last of the Limelight Hydrangea blossoms. Can you believe this hydrangea was still producing new blooms! The temps have been dipping toward the freezing point each night, so I knew these last few flowers were about to be gone. Limelight Hydrangeas truly are amazing, giving blooms throughout summer all the way into fall. … [Read more...]


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Periwinkle Blue for a Whimsical Potting Bench

Welcome to the 386th Metamorphosis Monday! When I ordered this potting bench, I had plans to give it a few coats of marine varnish. (Potting Bench can be found here: Potting Bench.) But somewhere along the way I changed my mind and decided to have a little fun with it. I wanted to paint it, but what color? I searched online for painted potting benches and found a lot of cute ones, but still didn't see a … [Read more...]


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How I Plant Trees and Shrubs in Georgia’s Red Clay Soil

Recently someone asked in a comment if I had written a post showing my process for planting shrubs. I was thinking about that today and remembered that I had written a post about 1-1/2 years ago that showed how I planted some Leyland Cypress trees in my back yard. I figured a refresher is never a bad idea, so hope you find this post helpful. I don't have the best luck with keeping indoor plants alive, … [Read more...]


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A New Addition To The Garden: Copper Roof Dovecote

One of my favorite things to do each spring is to go on the spring garden tours in my area. I love a garden tour every bit as much as I love a great home tour. Over the years while on garden tours, I would often come across these big, beautiful birdhouses. Eventually, I asked someone and found out they were dovecotes. The ones I saw and loved the most were by a company called, Lazy Hill. When I added on … [Read more...]


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In The BNOTP Library: The Scented Room

One of most favorite authors is Barbara Milo Ohrbach, all her books are wonderful. Todays book from the BNOTP library is one that will appeal to anyone who loves gardening and crafting, or just enjoys the beauty and fragrance of flowers.   In the BNOTP Library: The Scented Room Author: Barbara Milo Ohrbach 3 Things I Like About This Book: Barbara describes the purpose of this book … [Read more...]


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In The BNOTP Library: Roses For The Scented Room

If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you may remember when I made rose-scented sugar and shared the recipe here on the blog. The book I'm sharing today is where I found that special recipe.     In the BNOTP Library: Roses for the Scented Room: Beautiful Ideas for Entertaining, Gift-giving and the Home Author: Barbara Milo Ohrbach   3 Things I Like About This … [Read more...]


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In The BNOTP Library: Legends In The Garden

November may not be the best time of the year to talk gardening books but today when I came across this one tucked inside the secretary that lives in my bedroom, I didn't want to wait all the way until next spring to share this delightful book. Besides, the love of gardening doesn't fade away with the change of the seasons or a drop in the temperature, right? Wintertime is planning time and time spent … [Read more...]


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In The BNOTP Library: The Well-Placed Weed

This morning I took you on a tour of Ryan Gainey's beautiful garden in Atlanta. The book I'm sharing today takes you back into Ryan's garden for a much more in-depth look, as well as into his cottage-style home for a look at how he sets the table for a dinner party.   In the BNOTP Library: The Well-Placed Weed: The Bountiful Garden of Ryan Gainey Author: Ryan Gainey Hardcover: 176 … [Read more...]


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Scenes From The Garden Of Ryan Gainey

This past spring on Mother's Day weekend, a friend and I went on the Atlanta Botanical's "Gardens for Connoisseurs" garden tour. One garden I always love seeing and look forward to each year is the garden of Ryan Gainey. His garden has been on the tour every year for the past 20+ years! Ryan Gainey with his dogs via Ryan Gainey dot com   This year I heard rumors this would be his last year … [Read more...]


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Here We Go Again!

I'm in serious landscaping mode again and I may have bitten off more than I can chew. That's usually my modus operandi, dive in head first and when it appears I'm in over my head, start digging my way out. Only this time I'm just plain digging! :) Before we get to the digging, I am busting to share some absolutely adorable stuff I found in a local nursery this weekend. I love shopping at a Pike Nursery … [Read more...]


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In The BNOTP Library: The Garden Room

I love gardening books but my most favorite gardening books of all are the ones that combine gardening with interior design. The book I'm sharing today does this beautifully. It features the garden rooms of some of my fave designers, including Bunny Williams.   In the BNOTP Library: The Garden Room: Bringing Nature Indoors Author: Timothy Mawson Hardcover: 176 pages Book size: 10.5 x 8 x … [Read more...]


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In The BNOTP Library: P. Allen Smith’s Living In The Garden Home

After taking you along on a wonderful garden tour this morning in this post: Breathtaking Garden From The Gardens For Connoisseurs Tour, I thought I'd share another one of my fave gardening books. I have quite a few gardening books but when I was going through them, trying to choose one to share, I kept going back to a book by one of my favorite gardeners, P. Allen Smith. This is the 3rd one of his … [Read more...]


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A Breathtaking Garden From The “Gardens for Connoisseurs” Tour

This year on Mother's Day weekend, a friend and I went on a garden tour that we've been going on together for years: the Atlanta Botanical Garden's, Gardens for Connoisseurs tour. It's always an amazing tour with around 12 gardens and some are absolutely spectacular! During all the years I've been attending this tour, I've been through some absolutely amazing gardens, some belonging to folks whose names … [Read more...]


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How To Keep Squirrels Away From Flowers & A Hungry Visitor

I am cautiously optimistic I've found the cure for keeping the pesky squirrels living in my backyard out of my flowers here on the deck. This may even save my hibiscus from being denuded as it has been in past years.   The last two years I've been putting Knock-out Roses in the tall urns under the pergola but after two years of having them prick my shoulders and arms with their thorns as I … [Read more...]


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In The BNOTP Library: P. Allen Smith’s Container Gardens

I love container gardening during the summer months because it let's you grow your fave flowers where you can really see and enjoy them, right on your porch, patio, balcony or deck. After this morning's post filled with lots of container gardening, I thought I'd share a book I've had for a while on this subject. It's another one by one of my favorite authors...can you guess who?   In the … [Read more...]


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In The BNOTP Library: P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home

I used to love watching P. Allen Smith when he was on TV. He may still be on TV, does anyone know? Many years ago when he was the speaker at a spring garden tour in Macon, Georgia, I drove down with a friend to attend the tour and hear him speak. I was so impressed with how down-to-earth and nice he was. Over the years I've purchase a number of his books and the one I'm sharing today is my favorite because … [Read more...]


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In the BNOTP Library: Garden Room Style

I have a thing for conservatories, greenhouses and any room where you can bring the outdoors in. The cover of the book I'm sharing from the BNOTP library today, drew me in and it was not a disappointment. The rooms inside are just as beautiful, some even more so! In the BNOTP Library: Garden Room Style Author: Peter Marston Published: Rizzoli (September 15, 1998) Hardcover: 160 pages Book size: … [Read more...]


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Wildlife Visitors to the Autumn Garden

My friend Bonnie lives in one of the most beautiful areas of the country, the state of Oregon. She and hubby Leon have a lovely home surrounded by the most amazing gardens. They share it with some real characters, too! There's Pearl who loves to remove to the top off the bird feeder and carry it as far away as possible in an effort to keep Leon from placing it back on the feeder.   She … [Read more...]


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Landscape Renovation: Big Changes and Ready for the Sod

Things are starting to happen quickly now with the front landscape renovation. The stump grinder guy didn't make it out yesterday but he is on his way now as I type this. Then the slate will be clean for the sod installation on Tuesday. Yipee! Last week I drove by a few of the lawns installed by the company I've chosen to install my sod.  I've decided to go with Zeon Zoysia.  I like what I've read online … [Read more...]


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A Dovecote in the Garden

A Dovecote in the Garden Landscape Recently, I posted about a kind soul who came to my "rescue." That post contained lots of photos of the large dovecote in my perennial garden that runs along my driveway. I received several e-mails from readers asking for more information about this bird house and where I found it. My interest in a dovecote for my garden came from years of going on garden tours. Often, … [Read more...]


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Growing Orchids

My sweet son sent me this beautiful orchid for my birthday last week. The enclosed card said he thought I would enjoy having it near my computer during the day while I work. He knows me well. I've never had much luck keeping orchids alive. All you fabulous orchid growers out there...anything special I should know? I'm a little worried about it being inside a container that doesn't have a drainage … [Read more...]


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Dreaming of the Outdoors

Ok, I know it's cold and you don't really want to venture outdoors a whole lot right now. After all, it's still January...or is it?  In Blogland it can be summer anytime we want. Just think of Blogland as a magical time machine. Ok, get your garden clogs or tennis shoes on...whatever you like to wear when you're out puttering around in the yard. Let's go see what's blooming in my garden on this Outdoor … [Read more...]


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