The Little Black Dress in the Garden

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

The Garden's Little Black Dress

The Little Black Dress for the Garden

Here is my latest addition to my backyard garden.  It's a cute little black garden bench.  In my mind, it's the equivalent to the little black dress for all ladies. 

Another view of the Garden Bench

My Mother gave it to me last week as an early birthday gift.  My birthday is in July - about three weeks away - but, she knew I was looking for one and happened upon this one, and you know the rest.  She bought it for me.

Close up view of the Little Black Garden Bench

You can never go wrong with a little black dress and that goes for the garden too!   

 

Gayla

 



 



Jeanne - a Jewel of a Gardener - a Jewel of a Person

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

Her garden is breathtakingly beautiful.  It's like walking in a true Southern garden you expect to see in Charleston, SC.  Take a stroll through her garden and you're walking from one garden room to another, with anticipation of what will be at the next turn or gate.  It's truly spectacular.  Sitting in her screened in porch with a glass of ice water, with freshly squeezed lime juice, this morning was indeed a delight and a great way to start my day...

This morning I visited a friend from my Garden Club Council days.  Jeanne hired me as the Executive Director for the Little Rock Council of Garden Clubs (LRCGC) years ago.  After about seven years there, I moved on and we sort of lost touch.  We would run into each other in Kroger or a local restaurant, but we didn't talk on the telephone or have lunch, etc.  Her garden was open to the public as part of the Garden Tour this year - just a couple weekends ago.  That's the Little Rock Council of Garden Clubs, Inc. annual Spring Garden Tour held each year in June - the organization's yearly major fundraiser. 

 
The focal point in Jeanne's garden
 

Jeanne was the President of the small non profit organization and a leader indeed she is.  I recently ran into her at the Neighborhood Market.  She was talking on her cell phone so I just smiled and walked on.  I miss Jeanne and after seeing her, she was on my mind a lot the following week or so. 

 

When someone is on your mind, I think that's a sign that you need to give that person a call and catch up.  So, earlier in the week, that's exactly what I did.  We picked up chatting as though there hadn't been a 6 or 7 year span of time missing between our chats.  I am always entertained by Jeanne's stories - usually very Southern Charleston type garden stories - or very Southern inspired entertaining she loves to do - as well as some wonderful Greek dinners she hosts.

Jeanne and her husband, Dan

During my association with Jeanne and the LRCGC, I was inspired to be proud of being from the South - living in Arkansas - and my Southern ways and ideas.  She was always an inspiration for me to take ownership of the things and ideas I loved and cherished. I never felt an apology was warranted for being who I am.  I doubt Jeanne ever realized it - but, that's what I took from her during my time seeing her often and talking with her almost daily. 

 

After seeing her garden this morning - a true garden -- well, my little start of gardening in my backyard is kind of a joke.  I am not even sure you can call what I've been working on a garden.  Frankly, when I got back home I was a little thrown off with all the hard work I've done.  I don't want to embarrass myself for NOT putting together anything remotely as wonderful as what Jeanne had created in her yard. 

Then I realized - hey - this is my yard - this is my garden - this is my sweat and tears - my back breaking and wobbly legs which put my garden together.  So what if I don't have perfectly designed garden spaces aka garden rooms.  Heck, I have one big open room. Isn't that what everyone wants these days in a home -  big open floorplans?  Or, perhaps it's a loft!  My garden could be a loft garden where a big open floorplan offers a feeling of openness with defined areas for specific purposes.  Yeah, that's it!    My backyard garden is one big open floorplan instead of individual winding garden rooms with anticipation of what's around the next turn, path, or gate. 

Whew, now I feel better.  Afterall, didn't Jeanne inspire me to take ownership of who I am and not apologize for the things I like?  Yeah, she did!   She even made me appreciate ivy a little more.  She had ivy everywhere - but, don't be fooled.  She didn't have common ivy - she has a collection of ivy - golden child ivy, baby ivy, algerian ivy, crows feet ivy, and curly ivy, just to mention a few.  So, my hat's off to Jeanne for the fabulous true Southern garden she has proudly created.  And, a big cheers to me for the big open floorplan I've created in my backyard too!  Maybe someday I'll be motivated to create garden rooms, but for now, I'm delighted to putter in my garden great room / family room / whatever you want to call it.  For me, it's becoming an enjoyable space. 

Who knows, I might even plant some ivy again - but, if I do, you can bet it will be 'fancy' ivy!  :)

Gayla



From My Garden to Yours ...

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

From my garden to yours .... or rather from your garden to mine.  
 

Revamping my backyard this year has allowed me to renew friendships from my Garden Club Council days.  I feel very lucky to have these wonderful Garden Club ladies to call.  All you have to do is call and say "I've been doing a little gardening and what do you think about so and so or such and such?"  Their knowledge and expertise are unbeatable.  Their generosity and kindness even better and their willingness to share that knowledge and offer suggestions tops it off. 

 

You can count on ending the conversation with an invitation to get a cutting of this or that to plant in your garden too.  I can't think of a better way to really put a heart into the garden than plant something a friend shared with you. Every time you look at it and recall where it came from, there's a nice thought that runs through your mind and a smile that follows.

 

My Mother has given me a lot of cuttings from her landscaping, from hostas to liriope.  My neighbor, Erma, shared cuttings from some of her plants - she is also a garden club lady.  This week, a half dozen or so friends, all garden club ladies, either invited me to come see their personal gardens for ideas or offered me cuttings from their garden to plant in mine.  This morning I drove to Maumelle to get cuttings from one of them.  Tomorrow morning a coffee date with another to dig up a few things and Friday morning a coffee date to visit a spectacular garden.  How lucky am I? 

A week full of visits with garden club ladies...it's going to be a great week catching up with these ladies. 
Gayla

P.S. - yes, when my garden is mature, you're welcome to cuttings -  Just ask!



 

 

 



Alvin and Theodore's fine dining experience...

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

 

Alvin and Theodore must have had a big celebration dinner! 

You know that I adore my two little chipmunks, Alvin and Theodore, living in the rock pile at the back fence.  I see their little tunnel openings, here and there, in my yard.  I don't disturb them - make sure I leave them alone.  Afterall, I indeed want them to outrun the neighborhood cat that often sits in my backyard, like a statute, just waiting to pounce.  These little tunnels are their escape routes, I think! 

 

 

In the mornings, I often sit out on the patio drinking my coffee, and Alvin or Theodore will often scurry by my chair on their way across the yard. They surprisingly get quite close to me - but, maybe we have ESP and they know they're safe with me.

Blooms about a week ago!

A couple days ago as I sat watching a dove get a drink from the birdbath and the robins fighting with one another, my eyes glanced down to admire my little impatiens which, a few days prior, had nice little blooms. 

Now!  :(

OH NO!!! WHAT HAPPENED?  What on earth is wrong with this?  How could it go from being so pretty to looking like this!  Hmmmm, Oh dear, I think Alvin and Theodore had a very nice dinner!  Well, little guys, I sure hope your tummy is full and you surely can sleep well!

Sevin dust??? idk, will see!





Coleuses Looking Mighty Fine!

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

The coleuses growing in a pot on my patio are doing so well!  I love them! They're looking mighty fine, I think. 

 

The photo on the left is about a month or so ago - photo on the right is as of this morning!  I love the big leaves and the variegated deep purple to chartreuse green colors too!

 

Oh dear, surely my thumb isn't turning green!  No way, think it's just all that nice food, water, and attention they're getting these days. :)  I think I'd better enjoy it while I can - it will soon be too hot to sit outside very much.

 

Another view of coleuses this morning.

 

 

 

Just a Swingin'

The Gayla Pink Apple

After all the backyard revamping going on the past couple months and now along comes this...The new "A" frame swing! 

We did it - assembly completed - It's ready for swingin'

If you know me very well - an "A" frame swing in my backyard - uhhh, NO and a big N O!   But, it's true! 

Well heck, why not?  I wanted a place to sit and look towards the house to enjoy all my hard labor and new plantings.   Sitting on the patio, looking towards the back fence, well, it's not as pretty as sitting at the back and looking towards the house where all the landscaping and gardening was done. 

So, an "A" frame swing ???? - not my first choice of style, but a swing itself was of interest - just unsure what type of swing.  I didn't find anything I liked better.  So, I kept coming back to the "A" frame.  Okay - let's do it!   I think it is just plain ole cute!  And, by adding a couple Adirondack chairs, the seating area out there is complete.  Who knew I'd be a swingin' in my old age.  :)

Just a swingin' - do you know the song?   The cowboy singing about swinging - just a swingin'.  Oh, by the way, I am not married to a cowboy -- but I grew up with cowboys.  I'm not a cowgirl either.  I am definitely a girly girl!  I prefer high heels, dresses, and the latest fashion over wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, stetson hats and belt buckles big as your hand.  My dad, uncle, and cousins are cowboys though!  Gotta love cowboys too.  For those of you that know the tune - Swingin' - Charlotte might not be swingin' in my swing - but, I will definitely be hearing that little tune in my head as I push off and lift my feet from the ground...JUST A SWINGIN'.

YES, I'M JUST A SWINGIN'
Gayla



 

 



Welcome Slope Hosta aka Hosta Hill

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

I said I was finished revamping the backyard, and although I finished my major project overhaul, somehow I just kept puttering here and there.  My major renovation was done on the upper level of the backyard.  A nice nightmare of a small hill or large slope divides the two levels.  And a set of brick steps divide the hill/slope.   I refer to these two sections as Slope Ivy and Slope Myrtle. 

 

Slope Ivy was covered in overgrown ivy and growing up the brick on the house.  I hated the stuff.  I went on a rampage to remove the ivy by its' roots.  I lost - that stuff is still there.  She will poke her head up through the soil, smiling at me, sooner or later.  I'm ready for her too - with another round of roundup!  My sprayer is just waiting for her!  About ten years ago, Slope Ivy was planted with azaleas and daffodils.  I came home one day and the azaleas had been pulled out of the ground and were gone! That's when Miss Ivy took over. 

 

Slope Myrtle is twice as large as Slope Ivy and two crepe myrtles - which can't bloom due to the shade - sit proudly on this slope.  I tell the two girls they are pretty without blooms - just don't die on me.  The rest of Slope Myrtle was covered in weeds chest high.  Never fear Myrtle, I'm here to get rid of those horrible weeds bugging you pretty girls.  DONE!

 

Slope Ivy and Slope Myrtle were sitting proudly with just dirt - which becomes mud when it rains - and so it never ends...

 

Now what do I do?

 

Well, as little as possible.  I am not in the mood to overhaul these two slopes, but I got it started, so I've got to do something - I can't just leave them like this.  Just get them presentable.  Hostas! Yes, I love hostas, they do well in the shade.  Great idea - so,  I planted hostas over the entire Slope Myrtle.  Fifty hostas planted!  Try getting a grip with your feet on a large slope bending over to plant fifty - yes fifty - hostas and see how you feel when you're fnished. 

 

I love hostas!  These are baby size plants and as they grow I will need to move some of them in order for them to grow to maturity.  There's a nice variety of hostas.  The standard green, a variegated green with white edge; variegated white with green edge; and the blue hosta all gladly join my Slope Myrtle.  Hmmmmm, I may need to rename the area Slope Hosta.  Never fear, Myrtle will not mind at all.  They were tired of carrying the burden of that slope anyway.  Welcome Slope Hosta or Hosta Hill - whichever you like best.

 

Now what to do for Slope Ivy.  I don't know...still pondering! 

 

 

 



Casey's Begonias -- They've grown so much!

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

Casey's begonias have grown sooooo much!

Photo taken this morning!

 They are almost filling up the converted planter!



Begonias about  4 weeks ago!

 

I know I am not the only person who has pretty begonias.  I am assuming I am not the only person who has planters and things in memory of their beloved pets.  I do hope I am not the only person who loves to share with their friends when you feel good about it.  This planter just makes me feel good!  It makes me smile to look at it and think how much Casey would love to roam around it and do her thing. :)

Planter on the day it was planted

~~~

My little hydrangea has a couple of nice blooms this morning too! 

Oh my, I hate it when people have to show me every little bloom as though they are the only person with a pretty flower!  Forgive me, please. 

 

Enjoying the small stuff today,

Gayla