Patio Time

My poor little patio has not gotten any TLC in over a year. Weeds are taking over and if your one of my beloved plants that survived the past year count yourself lucky.

This weekend I spend a little time in the garden and I was amazed at the colors and smells. We are getting a new fence this month after an entire section completely fell over. We were hoping it would last us a few more months but it will be so nice to have a new pretty fence.

I took some before pictures so we could see the transformation!!!! But before the new fence goes up I wanted to share some of the other new life happening in the courtyard.....

Japanese Maple starting to change colors

Bleeding Heart - I thought this beauty was dead, all winter it was nothing but a dead twig but it came back to life and looks wonderful.

Agapanthus starting to open up. These are my favorite flowers, the are so hardy and I love its foliage. I alternated white, blue, and purple. I can not wait till they all open and bloom.

Last but not least my Jasmine vine climbing up the side of the house. I put it right by the front door and the smell is heavenly. I love the way it is creeping across the window.

Now we wait till the big strong men come with my cedar wood to build me a new fence!!!!

Patio Drapes - Yes Please...

A friend of mine asked me the other day what I thought of curtains outside. Without any hesitation I said YES!!! I love the cozy intimate feel it brings to a patio and they can actually become pretty useful. You can use them to block the sun or add a bit of privacy to your outdoor space.

My only suggestion was to make sure and use a fabric that is durable or made for the outdoors. While a nice interior fabric will look great chances are it won't last very long or hold up in the outside elements.

Here is some inspiration for my friend to help get her dear husband on board with the whole idea of hanging drapes in the patio room......

I know this is totally unrealistic but just to die for....

Even Pottery Barn is on the outside tract...

Pottery Barn

Alright lets get real. If you really want the husband on board you have got to look for ways to save the old Benjamin Franklins. Finding a cheaper way to experiment with curtains outside is a must, because lets be honest - who really has the money to throw outside. If I had a covered patio that was screaming for drapes I would find myself looking in the paint section at Home Depot for some drop cloths that are cheap, durable, and already hemmed. Ten bucks for a large panel - yes sir $10 buck a roos. Get a long metal pole (maybe from the fence section) to mount it to the patio. I tell you for around $100 bucks you could get a fabulous looking elegant patio......

Here are drop cloth drapes from the Letter Cottage blog....

Who would have thunk it!!!! Drop cloths??? Really.

Sigh - I want a covered patio now!!!

Evergreen Of The Month

Her official name is Magnoliaceae Michelia Figo, I refer to her as my little Banana Magnolia!!! She has become one of my favorite evergreens in our courtyard (partly because she hides my huge hunk a metal called the a/c unit).

The flowers have this sweet ripe banana, juicy fruit gum, apple like fragrance that is delightful. I swear depending on the time of the day it smells different.

It's an old southern plant and everyone I talk to says "yea my grandmother had one of those in her yard."

It's early spring and the plant is full of buds and blooming!!

I love this plant.

I hope she likes her new home in our courtyard.

Please don't die on me baby!!!!

Nature Calls

We spent a good part of our long weekend working on a stone pebble pathway in the courtyard. We are almost finished and I am dreaming of the day when the flowers are overflowing onto the pathway like the pictures below from HGTV.

A Single Rose

I wanted to introduce you to my newest member of my flower family. It's called the Peggy Martin Rose, also know as the rose that survived Hurricane Katrina. Anyone who can survive 10 feet of salt water for 2 weeks has a special place in my garden.

My little antique rose bush is very special to me because we both survived that horrid storm. Today I saw the first little bud about to bloom, it made my heart happy, it reminded me to always be hopeful. I can not wait to post beautiful pictures of my own like the ones below.

"What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise" -Oscar Wilde

Image via Southern Living click here to read the entire story.

And thanks Carolyn - truly the perfect gift!!!

Project Progress Update

We are making lots of progress in our courtyard. We planted a few plants and they are thriving, it is a huge source of relaxation for me to come home from work, pour my glass of wine, water the plants, and just sit.

Still have a long list of things to do but it is starting to look nice. I bought some outdoor fabric to make cushions for the chairs, we need an umbrella to shield the table from the sun, move my BBQ pit, power wash the cement, tackle the space around the AC unit, and most importantly watch the plant grow and grow and grow.

I love before and after pictures so here you go:

Before.......

During......

After.....

Here are a few of my favorite little babies growing strong in the courtyard. We also planted a Persian Lime Tree, lots of Herbs, Jasmine to cover the electrical junk, a Peggy Martin Antique Rose, Sweet Olive Bush, and a few Camellias.

Passion Flower.....

Hydrangea.....

Roma Tomatoes.....

New light fixtures.....

Create Myrtles......

Zebra Plant.....

Green Space

Every year I plant fresh herbs, and they are all in full growth!!! So much so that I can not use them up fast enough. My basil is starting to flower so I had to cut it back and put it to use. My favorite recipe is a fresh homemade pesto sauce.

Fresh Basil Pesto

1 cup fresh Basil Leaves (packed)

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup Pine Nuts

1 medium Garlic Clove, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Add basil, pine nuts, and garlic and pulse a few times in a food processor. Slowly add the olive oil until blended. Add the grated cheese, salt and pepper and pulse again until blended.

The possibilities are endless for the use of pesto sauce. Serve with any pasta, with steamed zucchini or squash, with baguettes, on bake potatoes, with chicken. I love mixing a little mayo and making a spread for sandwiches.

Here are a few more herbs growing strong.......

Mint around my lime tree

Parsley

My fountain that needs fixing.

Blooms Away

My daisies are blooming.

After a full blown war with the weeds in the courtyard I am happy to report back to you that I have won the war. The weeds had taken up residents here for many years and believe you me they were not going down without a fight. We pulled them all out and 2 weeks later they were back stronger and bigger than ever. I invested in roundup and that knocked a few of them on their feet, but still weeds. I think after months (and months) of putting up a fight they just finally had enough and the weeds are all gone.

We have big plans for the courtyard but its going to be put together one little piece at a time. Our first project is new light fixtures, but for now I will leave you with some beautiful, sunny pictures of my favorite little flower growing in the courtyard.

My yellow babies....

I know they look fake they are so perfect, but I promise those little beauties are soaking up the sun in our little courtyard today!!!

I also planted a Confederate Jasmine right by the front door (can not wait till it starts to bloom and smell) and a passion flower to climb the fence. I will post pictures the second I see a bloom.

On a sad note we had to say goodbye to our gigantic bouganvilla who did not survive the cold cold winter we had this year. Boo hoo - she was a beauty and will be missed.

Picture Perfect: Courtyards

We are taking it outside today. Here in South Louisiana we are still experiencing summer like weather with the temperature at 77 degrees, but we are expecting a bit of a cool front this weekend. Once all the rain has passed I am looking forward to playing outside. I have been anxiously waiting for my camellias to bloom and all the ideas and possibilities of what could become of the garden is exciting.  Here is some inspiration, I just wish that I had these beautiful courtyards to play in this weekend. 

Courtyard of Ty Larkins attorney here in Baton Rouge 

(image via Cote de Texas)

I love the entry walk way covered in foliage and that beautiful pergola.

(Image from Southern Living Magazine)

I love these chairs and all the shade. A great book and an early morning 

cup of coffee or late afternoon glass of wine would be perfect to start or end the day. 

Waving the White Flag

Last month I declared war on the weeds in the courtyard. I have spent hours pulling them all out just to see them rear their ugly heads a week later. It is fall in South Louisiana which finally gives us a break from the summer heat and slightly enjoyable evenings outside. So I wanted those weeds gone and it was roundup to the rescue. Yes, that was a month ago and three rounds of treatment later I think I have won the war, fingers crossed. This weekend I gave the patio furniture a fresh coat of paint, pulled the dead weeds out, picked up some fresh dirt, three beautiful shi-shi camellias, lavender, and here is the beginning of our patio makeover. 

Before: 

After: 

Last night I had dreams of beautiful hydrangeas, vines, a large umbrella, cushioned seats, bar-b-que pit, stained concrete, water fountain, and all the shade loving plants that will soon live in my new favorite space.