Sunday, March 3, 2013

Spring Garden 2013, 1




The narcissuses have been blooming for the last couple of weeks.

















Wildflowers cover the fields. 











The apple tree that bloomed in December hangs on tenaciously to its apples. I tried one--they taste terrible. Very bitter. A bitter tree.
I'll trim all the apples off so that it might blossom again soon.
Despite cool, rainy weather, I try to get out in the garden to work. If not, I work on plant containers. I finished three mosaicked containers--two olive oil cans and one paint bucket (in the middle):

I played with different design elements: circles, medallions and stacked squares. Now they need to be planted.
The kitchen patio has become a nursery. 


Succulents are stick-in-the-muds. Just break off a branch and put in wet dirt. So easy. Consequently, every container in sight has been planted, including a couple pairs of old tennis shoes. 



I tried covering a plastic container with bamboo from the garden.

The tie is from my sack of seams that I cut out of flea market clothing. I then turned to 2-liter plastic water bottles cut in half and glued on bamboo. 



Admittedly, they don't have durability, maybe a couple of seasons, but they add interest. 








And sitting on the grass in front of my house--an old toilet and bathtub. A sink will soon join them because a friend decided to remodel her bathroom and she knows I recycle. Man, am I going to have fun! If you should be wondering what I'm going to do, consider my bidet.
Yes, Spring is finally here, my favorite time of year.


NB: Blogger is playing tricks on the font...I give up.

26 comments:

Hilda said...

I love your mosaic planters. Beautiful work. I'm envious of your succulents! I just noticed yesterday that our tulip leaves are making a tentative appearance after a five-inch snowfall last weekend. So sorry about your apples. I'm hoping this year we have a crop of peaches on our tree--it's always a gamble with late freezes. Thanks for all the spring color!

Jodi said...

Oh, what a fun post! Love the bamboo planters, and as always, your mosaics! I thought you were playing with us about the font - oy, blogger is such a pain sometimes, isn't it?

Mary said...

I'm due for a new pair of sneakers, now I know how to use the old ones. Thanks for the ideas!

Norma Schlager said...

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous! We are a long way from planting here in CT, but I can enjoy your garden vicariously. Thanks for sharing.

Donna~~ said...

Your wildflowers and narcissus have me longing for spring! So lovely! Great flower pots--love the succulents--you've a wonderful variety of them.

Ms. said...

Glorious! Yours is the first spring, beyond longing for it, I've had this year. The wealth of materials, and your persistent inventiveness, are such a joy to see. No wonder you cling to this paradise despite the often dangerous whimsy of political twists and turns. You made my Sunday!

Ms. said...

...and the font is fine for me, easy on my old eyes and highly readable.

rtquilter said...

You are amazing, nadia! We only have snowdrops so far here in the frozen north. I am in LOVEnwith your containers. You are one VERY creative woman and I enjoy your posts SOO much!

Nancy said...

Blogger...haha! I was looking for the hidden meaning in the change of font size!!
Your world looks to be Bursting!! It's beautiful.
Years ago I had a succulent that grew roots out of each notch on the leaves. All you had to do was let it sit on a window sill and a new plant would begin. Wish I could remember the name of it!

Mo Crow said...

what a joyful post, full of spring & yet it's autumn here in the Land Down Under so I am feeling affinity with your old apple tree.

Katie said...

Ahhh, the flowers! I can't wait! I love that field of yellow blooms!
And, so clever with the shoes!

ali said...

It's snowing here in New Hampshire today, but I am smiling, looking at your lush garden treasures!

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

I AM sorry about your apples. I hate it when you have a fruit tree that doesn't do what it should, but I love your varied containers of plantings. How very clever of you to use so many different materials to create such beautiful plantings!

Julie Fukuda said...

I'll have to hide this post from my succulents. They will feel quite un-loved in their old crummy pots.

Carole Reid said...

Nadia, you have the best friends!
Your succulents in their gorgeous pots look happy lined up in their nursery (as do the ones above them!) Obviously you have a green thumb!
Take care. xo Carole

Unknown said...

Ah, Nadia, thank you for the walk in your warm and sunny garden. I wonder if you could make apple jelly from the sour apples? xxoo, sus

Rachaeldaisy said...

Thank you for this wonderful post of Spring and inspiration!!

Linda in Arkansas said...

I saw blogger was playing a trick with your font. It's happened to me before too. Love the pictures. So nice and refreshing. Have fun up-cycling. I'm looking forward to seeing what you create.

Michele said...

Your creative planters are wonderful! I should do that with shoes LOL! Beautiful flowers :-) Blogger wasn't nice to me today. It kept putting one picture over to the right no matter what I did!

angela recada said...

I LOVE seeing your garden and all those gorgeous planters! We've had more snow here again, so this post was a welcome sight for me today. :)

Merilyn said...

Your mosaics are quite wonderful, you do a great job with your plants, they make such a great display!!!! Have you thought of stewing your apples or making some sort of apple sauce!!

Minka said...

You've been busy! What fun!

Nancy Bowron said...

Love the mosaics! I also like how you've used that idea in your quilting as well!

ketz said...

It is really dissapointing when you have a fruit tree that doesn't do what it should, but I love your varied containers of plantings.

denver landscape

Gina said...

the mosaics are great ! ...i do mosaics too ... great ideas here ... so nice to have you visit my blog for the first time - via jude's workshop? >>> Gina

Helen Miles said...

I love the mosaic planters and the shoe containers are just great. How come you have not been posting recently?