Spring Projects - Painting-Decorating-Gardening - Photo Essay

Spring is my favorite time of year and this year I've tackled a lot of changes in my garden. Enough for at least five more photo essays - so stay tuned my gather friends.

Signs of Spring - seen last weekend - St. Petersburg, FL

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For one thing, I decided it was time to finally spruce up the entrance and try to establish the beginnings of a front entrance garden.

My new garden flag at the entrance ...

The front door was a disgrace. A little elbow grease and about seven coats of primer and paint later our front door looks happy in turquoise.

Here are a couple of "before" shots so you can appreciate what I had to deal with:

  I used one of those hand sanders that look like a sponge and has medium and fine sandpaper on each side. 

Inspired by a teal blue Adirondack chair I found at a discount store for only nineteen bucks the transformation to bright turquoise began.

Nothing like a new doormat, an old blue wine bottle and a red geranium in a terra cotta pot to cheer up a tired old entry. 

Looking the other way - at first I tried a lantern by the door, but the red geranium looks way better there - don't you agree?

I loved the color of the chairs on sight.

A couple of comfy cushions, a chartreuse sweet potato vine (from a cutting a friend gave me), a blue sun plant stake picked up for a buck at the dollar store. Don't do like I did and buy five more in different colors, because they are sooo cheap:)

On the other hand - what the heck - go for it - at least it's not fattening and it should last at least one season in our climate.

... notice the warning sign, "Attack Cat on Duty" which our neighbor left on our doorstep after he got scratched by Jimbo one day:).

Wrought iron garden furniture is no match for the Florida humidity, but I placed a glass top from an old table on it to keep it from disintegrating too soon.

Wish you could inhale the scent of the white flowers (called stock) they exude a spicy pleasant oriental perfume. 

The blue Lobelias are planted in a cup and saucer planter, if you look close you can see the yellow cup handle.

The birdies on the window sill were a Valentine gift from a friend.

Last years garden flag welcomes our guests.

Sweetly scented, like honey/vanilla, white alyssum and .....

Lavender pink impatiens in the shadier corner below.

... pretty pink snap dragons brighten the dark corner at the end of the porch.

A blue rusty:) lantern and a few wind chimes - one can never have enough wind chimes:) complete the new porch decor .....

... except - for doing something with this awful concrete slab. Paint or tile? I haven't decided yet, that will be my next project.

Of course you need a focal point to look at while you hang out on the porch with something refreshing.

So I re-potted one of my old geraniums and put it on a pedestal. The pedestal was a gift from a friend and I keep using it in different parts of the garden for years.

 Along the fence - Richard transplanted several different types of lilies which were languishing under a bush and had stopped blooming in a different part of the garden. They look like they like their new home.

The gazing ball was a discount store find. I've been looking for two years for the right one, once I realized I would never get around to doing a mosaic on the three bowling balls I picked up at the Salvation Army:)

I had the pedestal for the gazing ball for three years already and when I brought home this gazing ball I could no longer find the stand - at first anyway:)

Y'all never have those conundrums, right?:)

In between our two gates, I placed my happy cat planter with some petunias, another gift from a friend to give the small bed a little pizazz.

 .....- oh, and I liked the tulip windmills for some extra spring color.

 Yes, there's a critter - an anole, sitting on the kitty - up top:)

I left plenty of space for the African daisies. They will grow into a nice size small bush and bloom practically all year around in our climate. I chose some orange impatiens (three for 99 cents at the local Home Depot), because the tree out front bears orange flowers.  

I also moved some of my palms and other potted plants into this area, but I'll wait to show you some of those pics until the palms have grown some new palm fronds. I cut them all back so they can rejuvenate - the leaves get all brown and chewed up from time to time.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of close ups of the potted plants and the wild fern that grew in our tree.

The palm fronds are just beginning to grow back ....

White Salvia.

The wild fern ... 

I always loved images of "The green man" and hung up this plaque on the wall by the front door. It will pop a lot more, once the house is painted.

 A golden yellow - ochre, like Sherrie's theme in the Rainbow Connection challenge this week.

Here's a side perspective ...

..... and one last shot

with the attack cat - our Jimbo kitty - posing for his gather fans:)

Thanks for looking in and visiting my garden - it was my pleasure:)

Now, how about something cool and refreshing?

All images copyright 2009 by Rose H. - taken in my garden today and yesterday.