summer Archives - Linda Nelson

SUMMER GARDEN PROJECTS

July 23, 2018

Well, Hello! It’s been such a long, long time since I’ve checked in with the blogging world. This work season has been busier than busy, and project requests just keep coming in. It’s all good. Anyway, I’ve stolen a brief moment to update you on some happenings at the createaerie.

First off, Stampington & Co. was so kind to include my “sandy” little creation in their recent Somerset Life publication. Yay!

©Linda Nelson 2018

Now, let’s take a quick stroll around the property.

©Linda Nelson 2018

I made a little horseshoe crab garden!

©Linda Nelson 2018

There’s a funny little story to this gangly little hibiscus pictured below. I was plant shopping at one of my vendors early in the summer, and a four strand braided hibiscus “tree” was sitting on the checkout counter. Now, a braided hibiscus is not exactly my cup of tea, but what sold me was the fact that the one opened bloom was pure white. How refreshing, especially when most hibiscus are offered in the typical red, pink, peach and yellow colors. So, I purchased it for myself. Well, I almost gagged when the other buds opened and what I now had was a braided multi-colored atrocity. What nursery growers in their right minds would do such a thing? I certainly wasn’t going to have the likes of that growing in my flower pot, so I pruned out the three strands that didn’t have white flowers and this is what I was left with. At least I know that all the flowers will be white.

©Linda Nelson 2018

Sicilian squash is so much fun to grow. My roadside find trellis, a weight-lifting frame, is doing its job holding this monster up!

©Linda Nelson 2018

Cucumbers are super easy to grow and are one of the few vegetables that can be grown successfully in part shade. You can also grow them in pots!

©Linda Nelson 2018

Let’s move on to projects.

Do you ever want something you know you’ll probably not use often enough to justify the acquisition, but you just have to have it anyway? I’ve been fantasizing about soaking my tired body in an outdoor tub after a long, hard day at work. I’d be surrounded by blooms, birds and butterflies as I soothed myself in a warm bath sprinkled with lavender buds and epsom salt. It’s not likely that I’ll actually take the time out to do it, but this roadside find was a dream-come-true that I couldn’t pass up.

©Linda Nelson 2018

Yep, it’s cast iron, and took myself, a friend and the flagging down of a young, strong passerby to get it into the bed of my truck. Thank goodness I own a tree cart; it was the only way to transport it to the back yard after sliding off the truck. I hope to have my fantasy outdoor spa project completed before the summer is over. We’ll see.

Remember my septic tank fiasco of summer 2016? If not, click here to update yourself so you’ll understand what this next project is all about.

Lifting up half of my backyard plant material to accommodate a new septic system had all but brought me to tears. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. Then came the toil and labor of reconfiguring and replanting, and a design dilemma… what to do about the cesspool cover area in the middle of my planting bed. I lightheartedly sought some enlightenment from a Feng Shui gardening book, only to be disheartened by all the septic system placement “rules”. Being the resourceful, solution trooper that I am, I came up with an idea that would maintain the aesthetic as well as good chi.

©Linda Nelson 2018

The once problematic septic site is now being transformed into a peaceful, purposeful and visually pleasing designation for mentally “eliminating” all negative thoughts down the drain. I sh!t you not. How’s that for a solution?

I do hope all you bloggers and blog readers are enjoying the warmth, sunshine and activities of summer….. and getting creative!

SUMMER GARDEN PROJECTS Read More »

NEIGHBORLY PLANTINGS AND A PEAK INTO MY LIVING ROOM

October 6, 2016

I was delighted when my neighbors asked me to revamp their front foundation shrub border last month. They purchased this house several years ago, inheriting the contractor-esque plantings installed when it was built.

Here’s what the front border looked like for quite a few years.

©Linda Nelson 2016

This is what it looks like now! It’s an easy care planting that will produce splashes of flowering color, perfect for these occupants’ getaway retreat from NYC’s hustle and bustle.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Yes, it looks a bit “fresh cut out of the barber shop”, but the newly planted material will relax, fill out and naturalize within a season or so.

Isn’t this Carex ‘everillo’ absolutely gorgeous? It’s electric!

©Linda Nelson 2016

Okay, now let’s walk back over to my yard.

I snapped this photo of the walkway to my back yard last week. I think that despite it being early autumn, things here still look fresh and tidy.

©Linda Nelson 2016

My home’s front entry doesn’t lend itself to creating that wow factor. It can easily looked cluttered and out of balance if I’m not careful and selective; however, I do what I can to make it inviting. I like to keep select summer annuals for as long as possible, as many reawaken and brilliantly bloom when the chilly evenings roll in. I don’t exactly decorate for Halloween. Instead, I slowly phase out the summery things and phase in a look that will carry me through late fall.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Okay, let’s take a quick peak inside. I placed some “suggestive autumn-esque” things about. Again, not Halloween, but subtle, yet playful seasonal accents. I must apologize in advance with regard to the color quality and such. The interior of my home is very difficult to photograph; it’s either too dark in the morning or too washed out from the sunlight in the afternoon.

This is my front door tussie-mussie.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Here’s my rope wreath…. chillin’ with St. Joseph.

©Linda Nelson 2016

See…. the look is warm, friendly and transitional. And a little kitschy 🙂

©Linda Nelson 2016

Don’t mind the withering floral bouquet.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Okay, so maybe this hand evokes a bit of Halloween creepiness. Long ago I dated a gentleman that made creepy fired clay creations. This is what’s left of him.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Here’s one of my old windows that I repurposed.

©Linda Nelson 2016

And here’s my cat, who will turn sixteen years old one month from now. Isn’t he handsome? I think so.

©Linda Nelson 2016

I hope you enjoyed hanging out in my neighbor’s front yard, in my living room……. and think my cat is handsome!

NEIGHBORLY PLANTINGS AND A PEAK INTO MY LIVING ROOM Read More »

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

August 16, 2016

I sure hope the dog days of summer has either reached its tail end, or its last leg. I’m so over this hot, sticky, weather. Matter of fact, I was over it when it all started. How about you?

Some unexpected events disrupted my blog posting flow this summer, and I just wasn’t driven enough to not let them get in my way. Perhaps with having signed on to participate in a local craft fair this coming October, I’ll have some creative content to share with you in the near future. I also skimped on photographing the many container plantings I did for my clients, except for a few –

©Linda Nelson 2016

This little shed garden redo was a fun project. I snuck in some cucumber seeds under the trellis, which took off very nicely, and which I thought, added to the overall humble charm.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Look what I spotted growing in my yard! I don’t know what species of mushroom they are, but aren’t they fabulous? Nature’s way of decorating…… I love it!

I printed out a draft image on plain paper, then doodled over it. It will get stashed in my box of patterns and templates for later use.

I thought the lichen growing on the bark of this pine tree was rather interesting. With the image rotated a quarter turn, it resembles a mountainside, does it not?

Well, that’s all for now. I long for those cool, crisp perfect sleeping weather evenings. Don’t you?

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Read More »

MEET SOME OF MY CLIENTS!

August 14, 2015

Just kidding. But, you’re welcome to meet some of the blooming handiwork I created for them.

I usually make it a point to photograph most of my seasonal work, though some years, such as this one, I struggle to set aside the time. I did, however, manage to capture some images.

I love working with colossal-sized containers, such as this golden glazed urn. An advantage to large containers is that the soil temperature and moisture level is maintained for a longer period of time, thus preventing wet/dry extremes.

The ocean is just a stone’s throw from this home. Very few annuals are tucked into (purple scaevola in the foreground)this colorful perennial seascape I designed for my client.

Here again, big urns are just so easy to work with.

This dark red Rudbeckia has been blooming non-stop throughout the summer. It’s the first year I am using it, and will do so in the future. It’s a keeper.

This poolside vegetable garden is providing my client with sweet-like-sugar cherry tomatoes, perfect slicing cucumbers, bountiful bush beans and a nice selection of culinary herbs.

A cheery, playful home requires cheery, playful plantings.

Everyone who enters this home is greeted with a cool, colorful and crisp welcome, which is ideal for tempering the sweltering summer heat….. even if just visually.

That’s all for now, folks.

MEET SOME OF MY CLIENTS! Read More »