Sparkling Garden

Last year at about this time I complained about my Gasping Garden (here) and the relentless heat that went from June into October. This summer has been pleasant, with only a few excessively hot days in August. In fact, it has rained off and on over the past couple of weeks, causing my garden to sing and to sparkle. The result: my succulents have been multiplying when I'm not looking, to the point of overrunning the nursery corner under a lemon tree. Take, for example, my kitchen patio plant table that now looks like a jungle--to my delight.

Just love all that green. The bidet (on the right) has been engulfed. The walls have had a fresh coat of whitewash and I painted all the wrought iron black to get rid of the rust that was eating it away.

The white painted barrel tucked behind the table will host a small tree once the temperatures drop so I can transplant safely.
But, what has me jazzed today is my new plant table in the patio on the opposite side of the house, a result of using up junk from the garage as I clean it out (still an ongoing project). I tried to figure out a way to get rid of some unused gas bottles (we don't have city gas) by making a table base with them and putting a leftover piece of wrought iron fence on top. I was desperate. Then my husband told me he had found a buyer for the bottles (finally). So I went on to this idea:

The boulders came out of a field behind our property. We suspect that there was a Roman house built there as the rocks I collect look very much like the rubble at Uthina (here). Next, leftover floor and wall tiles sit on top of the wrought iron to make a table top:

The lovely, built-in tile benches still require grouting, but are almost finished. I'm particularly fond of my shabby chic shutters on the old wall. My husband rigged up wires then attached bamboo to give shelter, with the intention that the jasmine plants on each side will eventually grow over it. I rounded up some plants:

And then along came some rocks, including the foot rocks. I just LUV those old rocks in all shapes and sizes. Come to think of it, this is a table that would look good in Fred Flinstone's house.

Unfortunately, plastic containers have crept into my garden. I can't seem to make enough mosaic pots. I'm planting everything and anything to keep up with recent high reproduction rates. Indeed, my garden sparkles!