“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
Proverbs 16:24
If you have been following our Simple + Southern Sunday posts for the past couple of weeks, you have probably seen early hints of spring that are gracing our Appalachian foothills. The Japanese Magnolias have blossomed, forsythia is in bloom, and daffodils are everywhere! We have had a mild winter, and now we are enjoying spring-like temperatures…but I am not complaining! So, with all things spring on my mind, I can’t help but think ahead to beautiful sunny days spent in our backyard garden area! And guess what? It’s time to start planning…annuals, perennials, herbs, and vegetables! It makes me so excited to think of how my garden will grow this year! Join me as we dip into the archives and take a walk back through last year’s garden…and stick around for dinner, alfresco style!
You can see more of our garden here.
Last year was the second season of enjoying our little garden space!
The two story building is most often taken for a guest house, but it is Butch’s workshop and everything else space. There is a smaller storage building behind where we store seasonal decorations and a few items left over from my decorating days.
Butch installed the fence as soon as the garden was established and it has weathered perfectly. A pair of Japanese maples occupy the rear corners of the garden.
The coral drift roses made a beautiful showing last summer.
Foxgloves, zinnias, and lavender filled a space…the zinnias bloomed through fall, and the lavender’s fragrance was amazing!
This alfresco dinner was early last May…the garden wasn’t quite in bloom, but the zoysia was getting its green on!
I love all the shades of green in spring!
The three-wheel bicycle made a 4th of July appearance last year.
Our limelights had huge blooms…I loved the way the sunflowers were trying so hard to stand tall in the pasture behind them.
The second cutting of hay was still in the pasture as I captured a sunflower bud!
Of course, we celebrated the sunflower season with an alfresco dinner.
No, we didn’t grow the watermelon, but I sure enjoy eating them!
Butch insisted that we plant ornamental grasses, I love the texture they add to the garden.
Sunshine Ligustrums provide an interesting yellow-green hue!
As summer progressed, lantana filled the space around the bronze statue. It is actually a fountain, but the hubby said no to a fountain…”too much upkeep!”
We finally had the pergola built for the patio last September. By that time, fall was approaching and we had a two week vacation planned, so this spring I have to get busy making it look and feel like an outside room.
Thanks for joining me as we revisited last year’s garden. Stay tuned as we anticipate and wait patiently to see how my garden will grow!
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Coastal Charm, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Savvy Southern Style, French Country Cottage, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, The Charm of Home, Katherines Corner, Share Your Cup, 21 Rosemary Lane, Love Of Home, Rattlebridge Farm, Rustic & Refined, Celebrate & Decorate
Wow, Pam, I didn’t realize your garden is only two seasons in! It already looks like a mature garden, so lush and beautiful. You & Butch both are going to have your hands FULL with maintenance. Looking forward to the seasons with you and, of course, all the tablescaping.
Rita
Maintenance is definitely time consuming, but we enjoy!
Pam, I enjoyed this review so much! You have the loveliest garden area. I have Garden envy, but I could never do that much work by myself. HH loves to mow, but don’t plant anything in his way! And, he doesn’t enjoy planting or maintaining anything with leaves or flowers. It’s just too big of a job for one person. You know. I’m thrilled to enjoy yours instead! Happy Thursday!
Thanks so much, Kim…it is definitely a lot of work!
What a gorgeous place to enjoy.
Thanks so much, Nancy and Happy Sunday!
Pam, your gardens are beautiful! Last Summer, I so enjoyed seeing them in your posts. I am so ready for the warmer temperatures. We are having an early Spring here in Oklahoma too. It has been a really mild Winter. We recently purchased new patio furniture, and I am so excited to decorate my back patio. I can’t wait! I hope that you enjoy your day, and that you have a wonderful weekend!!!
Shannon, I know you are excited about your new outdoor furniture…can’t wait to see! Happy Sunday!
A beautiful jump start to my day to see your garden. My head is spinning with things I want to implement in my garden. Spring is here I think. It is forecast to be 38 Saturday night but 50’s and 60’s after that. Interesting weather.
You really had a great plan when you planned and implemented your garden. So many areas of color in various times of the year very suitable for backdrops for your tablescapes.
Thanks so much, Bonnie. It requires much work, as you very well know! Happy Sunday!
Every photo in this post makes me smile and I cannot wait until I see how your garden grows! If it’s as beautiful as in previous years, we will all be in for a big treat! (And I love your sweet picket fence!)
Thanks so much, Jeanie!
Your garden rivals the Botanical Gardens Pam, I swear you and Butch have the greenest thumbs I’ve ever seen. What a magical place you have created at your home, I can’t wait to see your pergola in full regalia this summer!
Jenna
Jenna, you are too kind ! I have been a little lazy about getting my plans together for the pergola
So beautiful and very inspiring!
Thanks so much, Deanna!
Que maravilla es tu jardín. La primavera asoma y este año será doblemente hermoso porque vuestro trabajo en el jardín dará sus frutos de belleza y buen disfrute.
Dolores
How wonderful is your garden. Spring looms and this year will be doubly beautiful because your work in the garden will bear its fruits of beauty and good enjoyment.
Dolores
Querida Dolores, el jardín requiere mucho trabajo, ¡pero disfrutamos los frutos de nuestro trabajo! Deseándole un feliz domingo, Pam
Dearest Dolores, the garden requires much work, but we do enjoy the fruits of our labor! Wishing you a Happy Sunday, Pam
Lovely. Simply stunning garden. I loved the pictures it was as if I was looking through a window to the garden. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Suzie. We enjoy our garden, but it does require a lot of work!
Ok!how did you do it! SPECTACULAR !! Love ou must of had a professional ?
We did hire a professional to lay out the garden and install the foundational plantings. Thanks so much and have a wonderful Sunday!
Your property and gardens are absolutely gorgeous….I always look forward to Spring to see the magnificence of the flowers and how they bring such beauty and happiness to you and others, like me! Have a great day Pam!!!
Thanks Shirley and Happy Weekend!
Such beautiful garden! I love the variety of plants and grasses. How do you water? In ground water system? I am ready for the Spring and Summer flowers in the garden! Thanks for letting us see your beautiful garden last year. I love gardening myself.
Thanks so much, Nancy…gardening is challenging, but also rewarding!
Hello, what a lovely garden you have had, and I imagine this years will be amazing also! You must have a green thumb LOL
Blessings, started following you on IG
Roxy
How you all must enjoy this beautiful setting when all is lush and blooming. I suspect that it is showing signs of life now that the worst part of winter is behind, at least that’s what we hope.
Yes, our garden is showing some life! It was 80 degrees on Friday and we have frost this morning. It has been an unusually mild winter!
Your garden is gorgeous. Would love to visit and sit and look at your beautiful flowers.
Carol, I would love for you to visit. Wishing you a beautiful week!
What a beautiful garden you have!
Thanks so much, Roseann…wishing you a joy-filled week!
How beautiful is your garden. Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home.
Thanks so much Sherry!
Pam, I love your garden! I am chomping at the bits to get out in mine. Not quite yet. 🙂 Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Gardening is hard work, but it has its rewards!
What a stunning garden, you have much to be proud of. And a husband who actually wants to garden…how lucky! I know the joys and the works of a big garden as I am an avid gardener too. My Small House Homestead garden is a blowsy, natural-looking country homestead garden (filled with dryland perennials due to our sandy, lean oak Savanah soil and lots of ornamental grasses too-so showy!) I am curious to know what are your biggest garden challenges? Have you written about those? I’ll jump on your site and check now. Here in SW Michigan our challenges are too little rain, sandy difficult soil, deer and Japanese beetles.) Donna at the Small House Big Sky Homestead. http://smallhousebigskyhomestead.wordpress.com
Donna, thanks so much for your visit. Our biggest challenge last year was a severe drought hit our area, the worst I ever remember. We installed a sprinkler system, but still had to water mostly by hand. We have a large deer population that roams in the wooded area behind our twenty acres. They did not bother the garden last summer, but food became so scarce they came in the winter and nibbled on a few things. I am afraid they will be back when everything comes to life!
Thanks for your reply. I think our challenge as gardeners is to figure out ways to work with whatever Mother Nature and Global Warming sends our way. To stop the deer we use a system of green metal stakes and bird netting around our highly edible shrubs that we install in the fall and remove in the spring. Its quite a lot of effort but it works to protect my bugs and blooms. It sounds like your gardening challenges are similar to mine. I knew when I began to garden here that my soil is very lean and that we were in a 8 year drought, so I planted “dryland” plants and that have served me well these past15 years. (Then of course we had 4 years of flooding and we lost $1,000 of dollars of plant and shrubs. Sigh.) Also I amend and mulch my beds very heavily with bark chips. Regarding the lack of rain, we bought 4, 275 gallon food safe totes and installed them on the back side of our pole barn. Total cost about $250.00. The spring rains that we do have rolls off the metal roof and into these totes via eves and gutters. I admit it isn’t pretty but it is oh so functional. Last summer (our dry time) I pretty much watered my garden that water, a hose, gravity feed and the water from these totes. You can find the details of this project on my homestead blog, if interested. I think we gardeners will have to be more and more creative as our weather patterns change as the climate changes too. Your garden is certainly beautiful and i enjoyed reading about your project.
Donna at The Small House Homestead
http://smallhousebigskyhomestead.wordpress.com
Hi Pam, hopping by to let you know that you will be featured at SYC this week.
hugs,
Jann
Oh thanks so much, Jann…I am so excited!
After watching the snow come down for the last hour these pictures are a sight for sore eyes!
Oh wow, you are getting snow…it was 77 degrees this afternoon with strong storms!
I don’t doubt that your garden this year will be just as spectacular. Loved seeing last years beauty!
Sarah, I hope to add some new plants this year!