summer officially here!

NwMtGardener

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I got my water feature set up on the patio today, which means it's officially summer to me!! Made a trip to the garden store "just" to get potting soil to repot some things...I did pretty good, escaped with only 4 small plants!! A licorice something, a sweet potato vine, chocolate mint and a coleus, because they're so beautiful. Here are some pics of everything spruced up.

The shady corner of the patio - our garage has a little room off the back, my garden shed, and I like to tuck a lot of plants in the shade there, along with my tiny water feature.
8229_patio_1.jpg


The little pond has a bubbler to keep mosquitoes away.
8229_water_feature.jpg


My new herbs, with the regular garden in the background.
8229_patio_2.jpg


I also made dandelion lavender jelly this week, another sure sign of summer! I had these dandelions in the freezer for a month or so, till I had time to get around to making the jelly.
8229_dandelion_jelly.jpg


And here's a new addition to our house, a pantry nook! We completed this project over memorial weekend, we removed an old window that looked from our dining room into the utility room and furnace! The shelves are awesome, deep enough to hold all my huge pots and larger kitchen stuff like blenders, and TONS of canned goods, and my seeds and cookbooks. Now I just need to get to work canning!! This has been such a nice addition, before I used to keep all this stuff in the utility room itself...well the furnace is dirty and everything would get covered in dust and grime!! So much work to wash everything before I could use it. This is awesome! Also cut a lot of lavender recently, which is drying over the shelves.
8229_new_pantry.jpg
 

digitS'

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Wonderful, Heather! Very nice weather, eh?!

Everything looks so "homey" -- with just the right touch of efficiency; i.e. that industrial strength Montana mosquito-getter, sitting beside your pond :cool:.

Is your "licorice something" a licorice mint?

Steve
 

NwMtGardener

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Had to go get the tag for the licorice thing - it says Petite licorice, Helichrysum petiolare, and it's very pretty, viney, a pale dusty grey color. You can see it hanging in the 3rd picture, underneath the red pot...it's not very clear, here's a closer pic of it.

8229_licorice_plant.jpg


I put the sweet potato vine in the basket above it, I cant wait till they cascade down over each other, I think it will look pretty cool!
8229_licorice_plant_2.jpg
 

thistlebloom

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That licorice vine and sweet potato vine are going to be a great combination Heather. The leaf shapes are nice and contrasty too! :)

I love that pantry nook you created, I went back an d took another look, and it's huge! What a handy addition that is to your kitchen, and it took zero floor space too. Even better!
 

baymule

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Your little herb nook looks so homey, grab a cup of coffee and set a spell. I love your pantry make over! It is so fresh and clean looking, you have it organized so well. Summertime!! :weee
 

lesa

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Love it all! I especially like the window that you have hanging as a decoration... always a favorite of mine! That pantry really will be life changing for you. I finally added a few extra cupboards in our little breakfast nook. I kept my big pots and gadgets up in the attic. What a pain- sometimes I chose to make something else for dinner, because I was too lazy to go in the attic to get what I needed! I hope you enjoy many happy hours sitting in your little shady spot.
 

journey11

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Your porch looks very charming and inviting, Heather. And I am soooo jealous of your lovely pantry shelf! Good work! :thumbsup
 

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