My new potting table

I'd said a few weeks ago in another post that it's almost time to plant. Spring is here and sometimes in north GA we can plant then or in early April but it's best, says the wise green thumbs, to wait until the second week of April. And indeed, we do have a threat of frost tonight and tomorrow.

I changed my patio configuration again. I never was satisfied with the pots being on the outside of the table. They do get in the way of foot traffic I'd hoped they would make a nice defined border between the walkway and the sitting area, but it just looked weird.

My catalyst for changing it again was that a dear friend gave me a potting table! I put the watering can in it, which I love because I never had a spot to put it before and I always thought it looked funny just sitting next to the door, orphaned. Here is how my area looks now:

I moved the red pot and the pot with the blue bulb in it back to the house next to the one with spider plant & ivy. This week the temperatures were perfect, upper 60s and low 70s but on the patio in the sun it felt wonderfully warm. I spent some happy hours out there reading and having lunch, and watching the birds.

I bought some impatiens seeds to plant in some of the pots and also by the dogwood tree. The Dollar Store was out of bird seed but I'll get some next time. Monday when I go back to school I'll swing by the plant place in Danielsville and get a few already grown ones and some flowers too.

I really love this time of year. The next time (aside from Saturdays) I'll have time to sit out there will be when school ends in May. I am starting to really like my little outdoor nook.

Almost time to plant!

Today is the official opening of the local Farmer's Market. It has been open for a few weeks but today is the big opening. It's been warm here lately and it got me in mind to do some container gardening again.

I used to do a lot of container pots on my deck when I was in Maine. I actually spent a lot of time and money arranging my outdoor habitation, which is funny, because it is so cold for so much of the year. At my apartment on the second floor there was a deck off the living room. The landlords lived underneath me and used the patio under the deck like a gazebo for shade. I liked the sun so I made use of the outdoor space. I bought plants in their pots at a good garden store. But all the furniture came from the dump. We had a good dump and you were allowed to pick. The table, the folding trellis, the wicker chair, wicker table, barrel, and the plant holders all were dump-picked. The plants were expensive enough! I bought them all full grown and the pots too.

Then I moved to Georgia and my apartment was again on the second floor. The deck was not as large as the deck in Maine but it was solid and new and I decorated it with plants.

And even the lobby and the very steep stairs coming up-

After about a year, I moved to the apartment I've been in now for nearly 9 years. There is no deck but there is a patio. I am on the first floor. However, I lost interest. I think it's because there were so many pretty bushes and flowers all around.

Pathetic, right?

After a few years of just not doing much with potted plants, I am getting the urge again. I made a big change outside. A big change. I moved the table. That's right, you heard me. I moved it from between the ell to just in front of my door. In so doing, it hides the pots which had been lined up along the front wall, so I moved them out along the curve of the walkway. It nicely defines the space.

My plan is to get soil and seeds weekend after next when the threat of frost is all gone, and plant. We'll see how it goes. It might be too awkward to have the plants there or it might work out. I know I like the table and chair in that spot because it gets more sun. It's kind of hard to dress up concrete but I'll do my best!

Memorial Day weekend plans

It is the long weekend for many people. But for me, It marks the beginning of summer break. Our school year ended today and I plan to kick back and relax, as I mentioned in a previous blog entry. I also plan to plant my pots with flowers, and the teacher with whom I worked part of this year gave me some seeds. I'll be planting nasturtium, zinnias, and morning glories. The Morning Glories I will train to go up the wrought iron and over the awning to the front door. It makes a nice canopy.

There were some changes to the shrubbery and landscaping by my front door from last year. I noted these in a blog entry last week. The changes are: the five o'clock flower plant, the rose bush, and the grass are all gone. They have been replaced with concrete. I will have my work cut out for me to pretty it up. I got the pots out and lined them up, ready for planting on Tuesday. I also have a bunch of round polished granite half cylinders that I'll use to make a border. Some of them will be used to put the posts on so they will be at different eye levels, for interest. As least, that is what the home landscaping shows say to do.

Looks kind of bleak, doesn't it?

Below are two gorgeous sunflowers along with greenery a dearly beloved friend sent to me on the last day of school. The flowers arrived in a bright yellow tissue paper tied with a yellow plaid ribbon. It was quite a happy surprise to receive these, and they are cherished.

(They got squashed in the classroom moving furntiture and then in my hot car while I went grocery shopping, They were assuredly perkier when they arrived at school!)

This is the mama blue jay hopping mad and squawking at me while I got out my pots and lined them up. Chill out, mom, it's SUMMER!!!!!!!!!