garden Archives - Page 3 of 8 - Linda Nelson

GARDEN WOES

June 26, 2016

Good golly, it’s been over two months since my last post, a hiatus I just couldn’t skirt. It’s been an exceptionally busy work season for me, and the only thing happening in front of the computer screen has been email correspondence with clients, family and friends.

I thought I would take a moment to share with you just another thing on my plate that I must fit into my schedule – lifting up an entire garden bed on the side of my house. See the photo just below? That’s my collapsing cesspool. And, the photo below that one…. under that view runs the waste line from the house that empties into the cesspool.

©Linda Nelson 2016

It even runs thru my vegetable garden – constructed raised beds and deer fencing installed less than two years ago.

So, I’ve elected to have a whole new septic system installed on the opposite end of my property, where I’ll only have to lift this garden bed, the gorgeous Dwarf Hinoki Cypress, and remove the rock wall, pine tree and smoke bush just behind it…… so that heavy equipment can have access to the site and also make deep ruts in my lawn. Ugh.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Lifting plants and deconstructing my garden bed at the onset of summer…… I am both overwhelmed and heartsick.

On a lighter note, look at the lovely poppies that reseeded themselves from last year…..

©Linda Nelson 2016

my favorite, big leafy hosta which has set some nice, strong flower buds………

©Linda Nelson 2016

and my trusty-faithful Nikko Blue hydrangea, who never fails me with regard to flower production.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Did I mention that I’m in the middle of having new windows installed in my home, and that I will be hosting a guest for a week come next Friday? This blogging hiatus may continue a little while longer.

Until next post…………

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ONCE “UPOD” A NUTTY TIME…..

October 27, 2015

there were lovely flowers in a garden…….

and they smiled bright the whole summer through.

©Linda Nelson 2015

When autumn made its debut the flowers faded away………

leaving behind not only memories, but pods encapsulating the promise of new life.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Then along came Linda, who had her own agenda, and rewrote the script.

With a gesture of entitlement and pruners in hand, she plucked and robbed them of their dignity……

dressed them in paint……

and cast them in roles as, “…..decorative baubles, delighting my eyes and adorning my home.”

©Linda Nelson 2015

After that, she headed for the pantry to indignify other contenders, like year-old forgotten walnuts stashed as far back in the pantry as could be. “Silly nuts,” she exclaimed, “you weren’t meant to be eaten, you were meant to be repurposed!”

She slathered the nuts with layers of gesso tinted in various colors. After the paint dried she lightly sanded them down to reveal the colored layers.

©Linda Nelson 2015

But, Linda wasn’t yet satisfied. She felt these nuts had more potential than simply sitting pretty in a bowl. The “aha” moment surfaced, and she got busy……

©Linda Nelson 2015

….. busy making little napkin rings, perfect for adorning a Thanksgiving table setting.

What’s the moral of this story?

Never hold back your nutty ideas!

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WINGING IT AGAIN

October 26, 2015

I made another visit to Wing Cottage in Clinton Corners, New York, this past weekend. My friend has been renting this jewel of a getaway cottage for the past few years, and I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying it quite a few times now.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Clinton Corners and its neighboring rural towns in the Duchess County region of New York, are just delightful to visit. My friend and I usually poke around in local shops, patron a fabulous eat spot or two, and just tool around to take in the countryside scenery. My soul is replenished and my cares and woes briefly put aside when I’m there; this visit was no different.

The property at Wing is now bathed in autumn’s color palette, but not in any way less lovely than during the summer.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Pictured below are some things I scoffed up for a song at a barn sale we visited. I tend to gravitate towards items that can do double duty. The mini muffin pan, for example, can serve as a bud vase tray, be used to make concrete/hypertufa molds, house odds and ends in one of my drawers or be hung on the wall, as is. I could even use it to bake mini muffins in, but that’s not likely. The little strainer will either cradle one of my succulent plants or get filled with birdseed and placed out on my patio table for my feathered friends.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Isn’t that kitschy little bird feeder adorable? How can it not be, costing just fifty cents! The white cabinet is destined for my office or bedroom, but not before a little makeover.

In addition to our afternoon excursion, I spent a bit of time reworking the property’s flower garden, which was humbly created by a previous owner, eventually neglected and long overdue for some attention. I’ll resume this project next spring and look forward to sharing with you the outcome of its editing.

©Linda Nelson 2015

The vegetable garden has all but closed shop for the season; the remnants of morning glory vines and sunflowers are just reminders of how cheery it looked this past summer.

©Linda Nelson 2015

And, I can’t conclude this post without sharing my friend’s boyfriend’s simplified renditions of works by Andy Goldsworthy…….

Every so often one needs to be taken under wing; this one suits me just fine.

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THE NESTING INSTINCT

October 6, 2015

I don’t know about you, but when we get bouts of consecutive rainy days I go right into craft, clean and purge mode. Nope, one does not need to be an expectant mother to take on the nesting instinct. In addition to hormones, rainy days and the change of seasons can trigger it, too. I’ll bet that many of you can identify. Anyway, after some tidying, laundering, scrubbing and tossing, I broke out my crafting paraphernalia.

To start, I whipped up two decorative pumpkins, one from a remnant piece of plush velour, the other from a zebra print upholstery fabric sample. These diva-worthy pumpkins are for my friend; she loves glitz and glamour. I think she’ll love these, too.

I also began production of select items I designed, which will be offered for sale at our town’s local(and fabulous!) garden center come November. If you happen to live near the east end of Long Island, NY, or will be visiting the area this coming holiday season, be sure to visit Lynch’s Garden Center.

Aren’t these mushrooms darling? They’re perfect for fairy garden aficionados or anyone who appreciates the cross-pollination of the natural with the surreal.

Yes, I will be making my painted pine cones, too. And, lots of them!

They’ll be available in ornament form………..

as well as clutched in little, one-of-a-kind handmade nests. Did you know that finding a bird’s nest in a selected Christmas tree was once symbolic of luck and good fortune? This traditional belief is said to have originated in Iceland or Germany. However, I don’t think one needs to be a traditionalist, nor from one of these countries, to appreciate such a “lucky” find, or to simply see the beauty of a perfectly nestled nest amongst tinsel, garland and baubles.

There you have it.

I’ve been creative.

What about you?

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