garden ideas

Fixing Up an Old Farmhouse Garden

/ inkspeare

Following up on the previous blogpost about sprucing up the front entrance. Although there is much more we would like to do with the entrance area as far as adding more color with plantings, it has proven to be a bit challenging due to being a shaded area; however, we have managed to transform it from a messy and unruly, full of weeds area, to a rest area with a little bench, a few plantings and garden decor, as well as solar lights. It has taken some time and effort, but I am loving the result so far. One thing that I needed to add to this area was a sign with the name of our home, Black Crow Cottage. My husband recycled and repainted an old metal sign that I thought had no more life to it, and I was able to use it in a new way. I am so glad he did. It adds charm and sweetness to the entrance.

Black Crow Cottage was named after the many crows that live and nest here. I love them. Photo by M.A.D.

The front area of the property was covered in tall grass and some overgrown bushes intertwined that we had to remove. I was able to plant some free trees from The Arbor Day Foundation and after a few years they have grown well and are beautiful. To get the trees, I sent a small donation, and they sent me 10 dormant trees suitable for my area. Here is their website – Arbor Day Foundation. When I first saw the dormant trees, I did not know what to expect, and I thought these were dead sticks. After reading the instructions, I learned that these sticks were actually dormant trees that would come to life when planted properly. I planted them and watered them for the first two years, and they are lovely now. Of the five planted, I only lost one, the Dogwood tree. I gave five to my sister, which she planted in her previous home. The Crape Myrtle was the first one to bloom and the fastest to grow. The other grew at a slower pace, but steady. This year, the Hawthorn bloomed for the first time, and so did the Redbud tree. The Lilac bush has not bloom yet, but I read that it might take 5-6 years for it to bloom. Here is a picture of these lovely trees.

From left to right: Hawthorn, Lilac, and Crape Myrtle. The tiny tree closest to the red-light post is a small Christmas tree that I planted last Christmas. (Photo by M.A.D.)
This lovely Redbud surprised me this year by blooming allover before putting out its leaves. Photo by M.A.D.

For those new to this website, here is a picture of the front entrance area when we first bought the place.

This was the front entrance before, when we first saw the place. The driveway was completely covered. It was a real mess that required vision, and the grass was very tall, up to my hips. (Photo by M.A.D.)

I wish to be able to see these trees when they become majestic and full grown. It will take years, but I am willing to wait. I hope you enjoyed this update.

Fixing Up an Old Farmhouse – The Front Entrance Area

/ inkspeare / 3 Comments

There are a few farmhouse projects that have been on hold, but we managed to complete one, sprucing up and beautifying a bit the front entrance to the property. This area used to be overgrown grass and weeds. Although we want to continue improving it by adding a few more plants, we will have to select plantings that do well in the shade. So far, the ones we selected have been thriving. It is a challenge to add color to this area because most flowering plants like the sun.

My husband built a simple bench with recycled wood, and we added a few plants around it that will continue to grow. A few recycled tiles were placed in front of it. We added mulch and a few solar lights, stones, and garden decor. We also added a solar light post. (Photo by M.A.D.)
The view from the opposite side. We used logs from the fallen pine trees to delineate the area and keep the leaves from blowing all over the place.

I am very happy with how the garden has been growing and developing over the past few years. It keeps growing stronger and seems to be established. Here is a picture of a lovely floral arrangement I made from its offerings. Eventually, I would like to develop a small rose garden.

Roses from the garden (photo by M.A.D.)

Nature heals the soul. Even the simple things in nature bring joy and peace in our hearts.

Photo by M.A.D.

Hope you enjoyed reading about this latest project.

Love and Light

Restoring Old Garden Sculptures

/ inkspeare / 2 Comments

It was a rainy day, nothing to be done outside. It was the perfect day to tackle a chore that had been put aside for some time – bringing back to life old garden sculptures. People tend to discard garden sculptures because paint has faded over time or the elements have taken a toll on these; however, with a little effort these can be brought back to life. We purchased a few garden sculptures over 15 years ago for our previous home, and when we moved we took them with us to the farmhouse. Although I love the weathered look of garden sculptures my husband likes a more clean and painted look, so he took on the task on a rainy day, and I joined in the effort. We sat on the porch, enjoyed the sound of the rain in the old tin roof, and painted away. A cup of hot chocolate made the task more enjoyable.

It doesn’t take much effort, other than dust them off and make sure the sculptures are not wet, or at least almost dry, but we had put the job aside for years, and because I like the weathered old look there was no rush; however I have to say that these really look good painted. After painting them, we sprayed a light layer of clear coat to protect the paint. The paint and clear coat will help the sculptures last longer, and also prevent the concrete from eroding faster. Here are a few pictures of the project.

Before – In the process of painting these two bunny sculptures.
After – The bunnies look beautiful now. The pots in the back are filled with two tiny evergreens I found around the property. On the opposite side, there are two more. They will grow to resemble Christmas trees.
This one has grown fast; it was barely three inches when planted.
I liked the old patina on this cement pot, but the birds were not noticeable anymore, so we decided to bring back the original color of these birds and leave the old patina just be.

We have a few more sculptures to restore to beauty. Old things are lovely, and can be made lovelier with a bit of effort.