Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Something I Really Like - Easy on the Eye

Otherwise known as ... a front porch full of plants!
Our front porch is more of a courtyard really. It has a brick wall which separates it from the street and our front windows provide a lovely view of the empty fountain and ... old bench ... and ... bricks.

I have meant to plant it in the way of the New Orleans courtyards. What stopped me is that I was waiting for some extra money.

After over 10 years of waiting I finally figured out there is never extra money for plants and pots so I turned to my new favorite technique: amortizing purchases.

It worked for the new TV ("if we keep this TV for 20 years, we're crazy not to make this investment!).

It worked too for these plant which I finally gave in and bought a few weeks ago. Hannah went with me and, knowing my nurturing style, would cry in triumph "No deadheading required!" or "Water weekly in case of drought conditions!" or "Easy care plant!" as she drew my attention to the various selections.

She was also careful to look for butterfly attracting plants and we have already seen a few adventurers on the porch. It turns out I have a liking for native plants ... which helps on keeping them alive.

Among our treasures:
  • African Iris (this was our big ticket item)
  • Herbs: Genoese basil, Thai basil, thyme, rosemary, sage (this reminds her of my mother's house and garden), cilantro
  • Balloon flowers (blue)
  • Coneflowers (purple) ... this smells heavenly
  • Echinacea (an orangey-yellow type called Harvest Moon)
  • Lobelia
  • Some sort of vine-ish plant which I should be able to train to grow over the wall and will be covered with white flowers
It completely transforms the view from the living room, as you might imagine, and I am only sorry I didn't get the amortizing thing 10 years ago when we moved in.

Ah well, onward and upward!

5 comments:

  1. Tante Leonie6/29/10, 2:14 PM

    It sounds gorgeous, Julie!

    Are these plants also bee-attracters?
    (I *love* bees, but alas, living in a city without a terrace or balcony to put posies on ...)

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  2. I believe they are and I also LOVE bees, especially those giant bumblebees.

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  3. Best wishes on your new garden. I have done a lot of digging and transplanting this year, and am eying a particularly shady/grass-less area of the yard for hostas. I sympathize with your pocketbook dilemma.

    Here are some suggestions for future forays:

    1. Check the library or local calendar for garden club events and giveaways. Many times they hold fundraisers just using their surplus. Last year, I bought some violets for the front yard - just 25 cents each.

    2. Ask neighbors and friends to save you some bulbs in the fall. Two hostas, all the oregano, several irises, and the majority of the daylilies in my garden were given to me by gardeners in Bible study, in art class, and at family reunions.

    This fall, I'm giving the neighbors some crocus and Fleur-de-lis bulbs.

    Happy gardening!

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  4. What great ideas Miss Jean ... thank you for the tips!

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  5. I just dug up the hostas from my flowerbeds. They are gone, gone, gone. I would have given them away.

    There is always someone giving away black-eyed susans or lambs' ear. They are like kittens: you should never pay for them!

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