Pages

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Country Cottage Garden Display

I've said many times how much I love a good tabletop or flat surface to be able to dress up with a little vintage vignette. I've had this smallish white antique desk for years, and it's the perfect size to tuck in an odd space or use as an end table. For the last several years (and houses) it's been in my office holding a lamp. At this house it's sort of moved around without purpose, but has ended up in the Garden Room doing miscellaneous plant duty. But lately it's been bare, and that's hard for me to see a bare tabletop. 








The only thing better than a small table is for that desk/table to have some sort of a "back" to it. You know... a shelf, a wall, a door. Something to have as a bit of a backdrop so that you can build your vignette upward. In the past I've had an old door that gave me something solid to work with for a backdrop. But my old door is outside on the back porch giving a back to the potting bench shelf.

Plus the fact that I don't want to block any sunlight out here...


(my fave old door on the back porch)



So I had to go looking for something else to use.
Something garden-y and vintage and preferably see-through.




When I'm needing a little inspiration I turn to my old pics and posts and search through Pinterest for ideas and inspiration. One of my favorite boards is part of my back to basics roots with Vintage Markets and Displays. Those pins never fail to give me ideas for my holiday and seasonal decor. Since this is the Garden Room I also searched for ideas for garden decor and potting benches. Guess what I came across? I only had to look as far as my stash on the back porch.






I scratched my head a bit and came up with putting this old gate
that had been outside on the porch behind my little white desk.
Instantly, the petite desk took on a bigger presence
and the chippy/rusty wiring gave me a place to hang a print.






I've had this old metal gate for years and have used it at multiple booth spaces which gave me a fun place to hang smaller pieces and vintage prints to sell. I needed to give it a little extra height behind the desk, so I sat it on top of an old wine crate then leaned it up against the window frame. Since the roll up shade is on the inside of the frame, the gate didn't interfere with rolling it up.







I can't find a signature on this old print, 
but it's such a sweet cottage-y scene
and that old chippy frame works perfectly.




I think I found this white wire door basket at a garage sale
who knows when. (years ago)
I haven't used it much, but here it is...
 just perfect for these dried (and a few silk) hydrangeas.
I lined the interior of the wire mesh with a moss sheet.





One of my white totes is holding a springy little plant,
seed packets, and a few clay pots.
(those are mini gardening tools,
about the size for a big baby doll.)









I gave up on trying to keep the dried hydrangea petals intact...
so I just went with the mess.





The little illustrated book is Cottage Gardener
by Jackie Bennett.








The deep freeze that most of us went through back in February
has impacted the buds on my hydrangeas bushes and roses.
(anyone else notice this?)
Days of below zero weather caused there to be much fewer blooms
and my azaleas only had a few blooms this year. 
Last year they were covered; this year only a few blooms
toward the base of the bushes.




I was able to get a few containers planted last week,
so hopefully I'll have some pics when we have a nice day.
I also have some health news to share with you all.
I've been putting it off a little, 
but I hope to get back with you this weekend.

16 comments:

  1. It is lovely! Thank you for continued inspirations... I have been following for YEARS now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks so much for leaving a note. Happy Wednesday!

      Delete
  2. Love this Debra. Pretty cute. Love that old gate. Happy Wednesday. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have a desk like this which is sitting in my conservatory with a dolls house on top for my Granddaughter ... I just can't bring myself to get rid of it... when my Granddaughter grows more and has lost interest in the dolls house I would love it to look just like yours... stunning flower display you have made and the gate is simply perfect... LOVE IT...

    ReplyDelete
  4. The gate is really perfect -- I like that it lets the light through and everything in your vignette is so very pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I absolutely love this vignette! I really want a fence like that. Been on the look out for a long while now. You did a great job. Love the print, too! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm. xo Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
  6. That chippy white gate is spectacular with the old fashioned, rusty, wire on the front! Love, love love it! Beautiful vignette, once again!

    Hugs,
    Tee

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love it. Those old gates are so fun.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love the way you've used the metal gate in your design. Just the sort of decoration I like.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love this, Debra. That gate sets off the desk perfectly. Thanks for sharing with us at the TFT party. Hope you're feeling well!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love your vignette and the old garden gate made the perfect backdrop. Thanks for sharing on Wonderful Wednesday

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sometimes messy makes vignette like these even more lovely! visiting from Wonderful Wed blog hop

    ReplyDelete
  12. And semi formal is the combination of the above two. Usually it is the built structures such as retaining walls, paths and steps that are formal and the informal element is the plant material which is allowed to spill over them, softening their hard outlines. mantenimientos de jardines precios

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from you. Feel free to comment, big or small. Be sure and leave your name and blog if commenting under anonymous. Thanks friends