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Tuesday, July 9, 2019

A Simple Centerpiece for the Garden Room


It's been fun seeing the shrubs, plants and flowers that have emerged here at the new place this Spring and Summer. Mid Spring, I was so excited to see a row of Forsythia at the back of the property line, and even though they were pruned to within an inch of their lives they are now becoming full and giving us a little more privacy.




Bright fuchsia Azaleas at the front of the house came later and were ablaze with color for several weeks. They are huge and I don't think they'll be able to be integrated with the new landscaping, but I'm going to replace them with smaller azalea plants. Lillies are about to bloom along the front sidewalk, a monster Knockout Rose bush is under our bedroom window, and way more giant Hostas than anyone could possibly want are dotted throughout the back landscape of the house.




But the several Hydrangea bushes have held my detailed inspection every few days.



These big woody stems with large blooms are what I assume to be Oak Leaf Hydrangeas. I have been planning on cutting some for awhile and just haven't gotten around to it. Live plants and blooms in the house always attract attention from a certain big kitty girl who nudges and nips and chews and generally won't leave them alone. We'll see how this goes.




I have these simple stems in one of my old wooden ice cream buckets here on the Garden Room table. I admire people who can cut stems from the yard and artfully arrange them like an Impressionist painting. I don't find it that easy, but honestly I just tried to get them to stay put since they're a little top heavy. 




When they first started blooming they were bright white, and now have transformed to a soft lovely shade of dusty mauve, with a variety of pinks along the way. I may have waited too long, but they are still so pretty, and maturing as the Summer moves along.




For the last 5 years I haven't had a place to put out bird feeders or a good place for us to sit and relax in the shade. So I put out my first feeder this weekend. We've had showers almost every day, so today we sat outside on the covered porch and listened to the rain and the birds that were still active. I was hoping we'd have a few chipmunks here since it's an older neighborhood with mature landscaping, and sure enough, we have at least 2 different "families" that come out to nose around. I know some people consider them pests, but to me they are adorable, comical, and squeezable... says the little girl that had hamsters and a pet white rat. 

Hope you had a great holiday weekend. Ours was quiet and we just spent time doing small things that we haven't had opportunity to do in a long long time. Smelling the rain and watching the birds, and thinking ahead. Things are good.



joining in here:

 Celebrate Your Story at Celebrate and Decorate
Happiness is Homemade at Blue Sky at Home
Dishing It and Digging It at Angie at the Freckled Rose  
Tips and Tutorials at Home Stories A to Z
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Homestyle Gathering at Serving Up Southern  
Keep in Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles 
 Talk of the Town at Knick of Time
Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode 
Share Your Style at French Ethereal 
 Style Showcase at Shabby Fufu  
Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home
 Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur 
Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Grace at Home at Imparting Grace
Farmhouse Friday at The Painted Hinge


13 comments:

  1. Hi Debra, I love the oversized centerpiece. I need to do this! It looks great! Have a great Monday! laura

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  2. Loving your white bucket, and sigh...your hydrangeas---which I have had no luck with at all. Perfect for a summer bouquet!

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  3. Yes. They are oak leaf hydrangeas. I don't think you clipped them too late. You can clip them while they are that dusty mauve color and they'll dry perfectly. Sadly, I got busy and let too many of mine turn brown. I'll have to live with the few that I've got dried for this year. It was great reading about your new yard. How fun to have surprise blooms pop out. I love your centerpiece. I hope the cat leaves it alone.

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  4. Love your decorating in your new home! So thankful that your health is doing well and you are enjoying decorating and arranging your new surroundings. God is faithful and so good!

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    1. thankyou so much Veronica! yes, my health has been improving and I'm really enjoying getting things homey here. Thanks for taking a minute to leave a note!

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  5. Hi Debra!
    Your centerpiece is beautiful, and love the white bucket! The arrangement makes such a statement on your table. Thanks for sharing at Homestyle Gathering!
    >>> Kim

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  6. This is my kind of centerpiece Debra. Love it and pinning!

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  7. So fun to listen to the wildlife on you porch, Debra! And your centerpiece is lovely! Thanks for sharing at TTA!

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  8. So glad to hear that things are good, Debra! I love everything about that centerpiece! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm. xo Kathleen

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  9. I adore that ice cream bucket centerpiece!

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  10. Awww, I love chipmunks!!! Debra, I'm glad you shared this post at last week's Share Your Style so I can share it at #216 this week. :) I think these hydrangeas are lovely... <3

    Happy summer to you,
    Barb :)

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  11. Congrats Debra you were featured by me at last week's Vintage Charm #191! Hope to see you at Vintage Charm #192 today! xo Kathleen

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  12. Hello Debra -- just wanted you to know that I have chosen this post as our July Feature of the Month for tomorrow's party -- Vintage Charm #194. Congrats! xo Kathleen

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