Secret Florida Garden Hideaway - Spring Project -Photos

It's soo beautiful in Florida this time a year:) and I have been enjoying the weather, working in the garden and completing several spring projects.

So come on in .....

Jimbo (the resident garden kitty:) is

already expecting you at the garden gate.

He thinks he is the family dog, always checking out whatever is happening in the garden.

As you can see, our pink and white, scented Oleanders are all in full bloom.

My gather garden friends know that I have a Secret Garden, basically a hidden from view area of the garden - until you round the corner. To my delight this year the tree has a new branch right by the entrance which adds to the enchantment.

You can't see it? Well, that's the idea - just look around the corner...:)

Here is the newly grown entrance thanks to the golden rain tree branches:)

Of course you can also enter from the front after you completely rounded the corner - I like that too - because you have a full view - this way please ....

Coffee is waiting for you - hope you like cappuccino liqueur coffee cake:)

 In the Secret Garden

 Take your time - enjoy the view - smell the flowers ...

The Secret Garden was one of my spring projects this year.

We put down gravel to control some of the sand and mud issues - 22 yup twenty-two bags of pea gravel. Richard did a nice job putting in edging to keep the gravel confined to our little seating area and I re-used the border stones from another area of the garden, those suckers weigh 25 pounds each. The kid hurt his back so no help there.

 The other addition to the Secret Garden was a small fountain I found on clearance.

Here's Christina on the way to hoist the little fountain in place.

Here it is - splashing away amongst the peace lilies ...

The third Secret Garden project was to exchange and renew the lights, the old ones had lasted well over five years, besides I was ready for something more colorful. Thanks for the Target Card, Gather!

Overhead in the tree canopy - purple bougainvillea, wind-chimes and the new lighting.

 My son commented they reminded him of the beer garden lights in Germany, well, I guess they do look like that - but a party light is a party light - no matter where you live:)

Re-potting, replanting and bringing over this old arch from another part of the garden to support the bougainvillea (which is really an old bookcase without it's a shelves - a hand me down from a friend) brought new life to the Secret Garden. You can tell Jimbo approves.

My one true indulgence was the base of the coffee table, it's a ceramic garden stool they had on sale during the recent garden event at the Home Goods store. I absolutely love it.

The top actually sparkles, must be the glaze they used on it. 

The green gel shamrocks under the glass table top were divine inspiration. I opened up the drawer of the credenza to get out one of those stickies to use to protect your table top, right next to it sat the package of shamrocks I'd forgotten to mail to my little niece.

I smiled and thought about  the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I know I found it when I enter this shady little sanctuary on a hot summer day.

A reminder how lucky we are.

I see the shadow of a butterfly in the bougainvillea overhead - let's go see what kind it is ...

.... look, he brought a hungry friend ...

Enjoy the blue skies this weekend my gather friends ...

It was nice to see you again - until next time ....

Thanks for visiting with me in my Secret Garden!

All images copyright 2009 Rose H. - taken in my garden in March and April of 2009.