Sunday, February 26, 2023

Flowering Bulbs for Vintage Spring Display

When we moved into this house a few years ago, I was so excited to see what kinds of blooming bulbs and perennials might start showing their little green sprouts and beautiful blooms as we approached Spring. Needless to say for such a lovely large yard and landscaping, there were very few flowers or bulbs that showed up. After living here for four years I now know why...




We have a ton of wildlife in the area, which is an older neighborhood with lots of trees, lakes, and large yards. We live just down the street from a walking trail that meanders around the southeast side of town and ends up several miles away in the wooded countryside. We have deer here most of the year, tons of squirrels, chipmunks, birds and of course now, the Canadian geese have found us.




I say all that as an answer as to why we don't have gorgeous mounds of tulips, daffodils, iris and the like. critters. And now, since the geese love to visit multiple times a day I'm not sure about even getting containers planted. Last year was a constant battle with keeping everyone (geese and squirrels) out of the pots. I can't tell you how many times I had to pick up a plant that had been pulled out, and put it back in the container. It was a poor showing for the container planters last year.






These are pics from last year's mini haul to a local nursery to find a few potted bulbs in bloom. (I ended up planting them later in the spring after the blooms had dried up, so we'll see if anything made it through this last winter). I wanted a variety of blooms so I could enjoy them indoors for a few weeks. I needed a way to display them, so I grabbed this wonderful metal basket weave lunch hamper that I had found the previous Christmas on Etsy. I knew it would be perfect for Spring. I kept most of the plants in their original plastic containers, since I knew I'd be planting them in a few weeks. 







I had an early Spring "thing" in my head so some vintage garden goodies came out, too. The old rusty garden gate is a perfect backdrop for this vintage floral display with the antique cardboard suitcase as a base on the old white desk. And a new moss bunny is hanging out in a mini metal wheelbarrow waiting for a nibble.




A couple of grape hyacinths (?) are snuggled into another small wood-look metal lunch basket. Two small pots of angel vine and two more teensy pots of fern, which I think might be a type of maiden hair ferns. There are 3 small pots of daffodils of varied types. One pot has larger blooms and the other two are smaller varieties. White hyacinths which smell amazing. The pink tulips are so adorable; I'm in love... Hope they come back up this Spring.






I have a few packets of seeds and old French seed labels out
 with vintage hand rakes painted green.




Love this new little mossy rabbit. He thinks he smells blooms in the air.




Honestly, I think this whole display could be recreated with faux blooms. I may have to try it with my faux spring flower stash. Clay pots with Styrofoam and moss on top would make them look "real". But... we wouldn't get that fabulous fragrance of the hyacinths though. 
















I imagine a lot of you already have plants coming up. We're having some days of 60 degrees but have a few snow showers forecast for next week. It's a little early for a lot of green outdoors. I just made a quick trip around the front landscaping and it looks like my azaleas maybe didn't make it this winter. We had an extended period of zero temps last Christmas and as yet I'm not seeing anything that looks like new growth. boo hoo. Too soon to see anything on the hydrangeas either. Last year was a debacle with no blooms at all. My fault, because we pruned them back and it was a huge mistake.









Here's another post with the bulbs in a seed box display a week later on the sideboard. I added some "Easter-y" decor and a few vintage pitchers for a little more fun.








Here's a fun display on the farmtable with green transferware.
and some inspiration for St. Patty's day Here and Here.

joining in here:

The House on Silverado,  Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda
All About Home at Common Ground and Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Inspire Me Monday at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia 
 Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch 
  Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life  Home Imagined at the Antique Journey
Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode, Wednesday Link Party at Our Tiny Nest
 Wonderful Wednesday at Eclectic Red Barn
 Centerpiece Wednesday at Karin's Kottage
Share Your Style at French Ethereal,  Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home,  
Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home,  
Home Matters at Southern SunflowersGrace at Home at Imparting Grace
Farmhouse Friday at  County Road 407  Fabulous Friday at WM Design House 
 

12 comments:

  1. Very pretty Debra. I am so ready for Spring! Have a good week. Hugs. Kris

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  2. Thanks Kris, I'm Sooooo ready for spring!!!

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  3. We have the same challenges with critters! This is a gorgeous idea so pretty :)

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  4. Hi Debra- I always love stopping by your blog. You have a talent for putting together some fabulous displays. Your display for flowering bulbs is no exception. I love how you used the vintage containers to "plant" the bulbs. The moss bunny is also darling. Thank you for the inspiration.

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  5. Beautiful, Debra!!! I can smell the flowers from here:)

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  6. Loving and pinning these beautiful ideas, Debra! They have me completely rethinking our container gardens for spring. I can't wait to share this on my Friday From the Front Porch post. They're all gorgeous! Hugs, CoCo

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  7. We lived on a heavily wooded lot. Your best flowering friends are daffodils. Once established they will create drifts over the years. Try to plant different varieties for interest. Wildlife don't eat them because the bulbs are poisonous. After blooms are spent (I) braided the leaves & wound them into rosettes to keep the area neat. The leaves are essential because they become food for the bulbs' bloom next season. Alternatively, I've planted perennials amongst the bulbs that hide the daffodil leaves as they wilt.

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  8. I love this project so much and definitely will be making it this spring!

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  9. Thank you for sharing with us at the To Grandma's house we go Wednesday link party - I'm featuring you on my blog when the next party starts!

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  10. I love your vintage lunch hamper Debra. I chuckle because we have an issue with bunnies eating flowers and such in our neighborhood too. Our neighborhood was created in the 1920's, and is not far from a park. I had no idea deer were eating my Hostas until one morning I was leaving for work, and had to stop in the middle of the street to watch 6 deer in my front yard munching away on my Hostas! I nearly fell over from surprise, then thought oh well, now I know where my plants are going!

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  11. So very pretty Debra. It makes me yearn for spring. I am happy to feature your lovely flowering bulbs for spring at Love Your Creativity. Happy March.

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  12. Debra, it's always a treat when I visit your blog. You are inspiring me to go pull out my metal picnic baskets and load them up with blooming bulbs. Your vignettes are charming.
    Yes, our weather went from 30 to 80, almost overnight. Then it dropped back into the 40s, and now trending up into the 70s and 80s again. I've begun to plant outdoors, fingers crossed I'm not doing this too soon. Mother Nature brought us a severe freeze which took out much of my garden even though I had covered things. It dropped into the teens and stayed for 48 hours. Too much, even with covers.

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