IT ALL BEGAN IN A GARDEN

          Okay, super corny title, but I have been spending an awful lot of time in the garden lately. Let me begin in the backyard garden, so that I can show you these galvanized planters that I picked up at a yard sale this morning for 50 cents each. The magpie in me could not resist the silvery bargains, and I knew that they would become post toppers in the potagerie the minute I saw them. The planters will be filled with vinca vines and portulaca...something I would have finished up this afternoon, but it is currently pouring outside. I also thought they were a perfect reason to join Beth at Gypsy Fish Journal for Silver Sunday.

              My husband and I were running errands this morning, first to the farmers market, and then to the Highlands to my favorite fish store. As we turned onto the street, a new view greeted us...some people in the Highlands are cultivating a community garden.
Lucky for me, I ran into the right person to get the story on this very newly formed community garden. The lovely Maureen, who started this endeavor with her husband bought the property and offered up a garden plot for free to people who wanted to take part. Even the fellows at the VFW across the street have a garden growing. She told me all about the little plots, some specifically veggie oriented and some that are very artistic. They were erecting a large gazebo in the middle , while we stood there and chatted. I will go back and take more pictures when the plants really take off in a few weeks.

             Speaking of community gardens, I spent quite a bit of time in our own community garden taking pictures this weekend.  I chatted with neighbors who share some of the plots and know a great deal of the history of this garden as they have been doing this longer than we have....and we have been gardening here for more than 15 years!
The lettuce rows are particularly lovely, enticing Flopsey, Mopsey, and Cottontail...not to mention Peter! This year the majority of the gardens are clad in mesh netting that is reaching up to the sky...six to eight feet I think, to try to keep the deer out. Last year was a fight, and in our plot, the deer were the winners, shearing across the green beans and leaving tiny little green stalks, so this year we are prepared for battle. The rows of corn and beans are looking good, 
and you can see baby peppers on this plant. For me, this is all about anticipation....from seed to food....exciting!!!

             I am linking this post to Little Red House for Mosaic Monday, and Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday, and of course Smiling Sally for Blue Monday. Just in case I did not get enough blue in this post, I leave you with the image of a vintage Cellini Craft hammered aluminum vase filled with blue and white hydrangea. It currently graces the mantle in our living room...oh how I love those summertime gardens.

♥, Susan

   


 
   

                

 

Comments

[Allison]

Great garden - I never would have thought to use the zinc pots on the posts. Nice find!
Dropping by from Met Monday, 18ft island kitchen.

Allison
Atticmag

[Stephanie Lynn]

I just adore your fenced in garden. The planters look right a home on top the posts. What a great find! Hope you have a wonderful week! Enjoy! Stephanie Lynn

[Vee]

Fifty cents? Wow! They're going to be beautiful. Community gardens are such a neat concept. One of the churches in our area offers one and things are really starting to grow. The blue and white hydrangeas were made for that vase...delightful!

[Kelee Katillac]

Love the community concept and great buy!

[Terri Steffes]

Gorgeous! I love the community garden idea.

[A Garden of Threads]

The veggie garden is looking so yummy, I hope you have better luck this year out smarting the deer.

[Snap]

Love the galvanized pots you found. The community gardens are wonderful!

[Karen - The Graphics Fairy]

What a cute garden! Your galvanized pots add just the right touch! I love the community garden concept too, such a wonderful idea.

[mary]

Omigosh, community gardens are so wonderful! What a terrific way to meet the neighbors, grow some veggies or create a space of beauty... LOVE your galvanized planters, too! :)

[Shirley Corwin]

Wonderful buy on the planters! I love the community gardens. And I really love your little fence around your garden!

[Laurie]

I love the community garden plots, and your planters look perfect on the posts - such a great bargain!

[Bobbi Ann Cook]

Hi, wonderful garden mosaics! Thank you so much for sharing this! I hope that you have a lovely new week!
Hugs...
Bobbi

[Debbie]

Community gardens are so wonderful, not only do you get to use your green thumb but also meet wonderful people.

[Shelia]

What a great little fenced in garden you have! I'm sure you're enjoying working there. I love your pretty blooms in the silver piece.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

[Pat]

Your gardens are both doing so well, Susan! We are lucky to be having such good weather this spring, and hopefully lots of sunshine as summer approaches.

[lynne @lynnesgiftsfromtheheart]

You certainly found some treasures. Your garden is looking great. I love the silver piece full of your beautiful blooms..
hugs ~lynne~

[Rebecca]

Great find! A community garden is so AwEsOmE! Thanks for sharing. Happy Mosaic Monday.

Back Porch Blessings,
Rebecca

[Eileen]

The community garden is a great idea! Wonderful photos, have a great week!

[georgiapeachez]

Loved all that juicy garden news and those 50cent planters! What a bargain. xo, suzy

[Rettabug]

I love your summertime garden shots, too! Such abundance & the promise of more to come, too.
Cool silver planters!
We've had a plot in our community garden for years but with DH's ♥ attack this past Dec., we gave it up. :( We still have lots of tomatoes & peppers planted around the house, though. Its just enough for us to take care of easily.

[kath]

What an amazing deal on those great pots! Your garden looks amazing. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'll be back. kath

[Laura Ingalls Gunn]

This is a truly wonderful transformation. So creative and clever!

[Sally]

What a bountiful garden, Susan! I love hydrangeas, especially blue ones. Thanks. Happy Blue Monday.

[Sheila]

Susan, I love that aluminum vase with the hydrangeas. So pretty! And how neat is your garden, girl! WOW! And those galvanized planters. Super neat!

I have a little warning about vinca. I was having trouble getting some of it started a few summers ago. It kept dying. Apparently, vinca gets fungus if it gets too wet so be careful with that. It doesn't like to be over-watered, but you probably know that already. All of the vinca we planted recently bit the dust. I ahd someone watering for me while I was out of town, and I think they went overboard. ;-) I hope yours does better!

Happy Blue Monday...

XO,

Sheila :-)

[susan ericson]

Thanks Sheila...good advice about the vinca. I figure that it will get more sun and dry out more in those planters, and the portulaca that I planted with it also likes full sun and not a lot of water, so we will see. I will post more pictures. Have a great day.
♥, Susan

[Joyce]

50 cents is a great deal for the pots on the posts. We have a community garden here on Hilton Head and on the weekend they sell the produce. Such a great way to spend the week gardening and then helping out the community with sales of the fresh veggies and fruits and flowers.
Joyce

[Susan]

Your garden looks great! Love the galvanized pots. They are perfect post toppers. Can't wait to see them once you have plants in them.

[REGINA]

How fun and wonderful.
Have a great week Susan.

http://regina-myfavorite.blogspot.com/2010/06/independence-day.html

[coloradolady]

Looks like you have really been busy! Great looking garden. Happy Blue Monday.

[Claudia@DipityRoad]

What a great group of mosaics.

Being in the garden gets us relaxed and close with what we love.

I am anxiously waiting on your next bountious photos... Im sure it will be great.

If you get a minute ...stop by us at Friday Finding beauty... you would fit in perfectly!

[Sherry]

Community gardens are a wonderful thing. We gardened at a friends years ago when we had no space and it was a blessing to us and our children.

[Sarah]

Great idea to put the zinc pots on the fence posts! Your garden looks healthy!
Happy Flag Day! ~ Sarah

[Sue]

How wonderful to have a community garden. I don't know of any in our community. We don't have the space in our neighborhood for something like this...so we just have our tiny area of tomatoes, peppers and herbs in the backyard.

[Lori E]

A great looking garden, all of them. I like the eclectic mix and odd bits in a garden. It makes them less formal and more fun.

[Pondside]

I'd have bought those shiny planters too. I look forward to a mosaic showing them dripping with Vinca!

[jeanne]

Hi Susan, your garden is a beautiful work in progress. Your progressive photos are sooo good. The results are worth all the hard work. It is a wonderful feeling when the results are so lovely. Your bouquet of hydrangeas is so pretty. I love them because they last for such a long time in a vase.

Happy gardening Susan. I am going out to my lily garden right now to pull weeds. UGH!

Hugs, Jeanne

[Molly]

Your garden is looking fabulous! I wish I could get mine in but it's been raining too much.

[Anni]

I saw your blue colours alright, but I absolutely adore the gazebo - I want that in my garden!!!