Thursday, July 14, 2016

FLOWER BEDS AROUND HOUSE, INSPIRATION THURSDAY

Every Thursday, we like to post a picture of something we've found online that inspires us to do something similar at the farm.  
Sort of our own blog bulletin board so that we can eventually look back and, hopefully anyway, recreate it...enjoy!

Flowerbed, image source, Southernlivng.com
OK...the other day, 2nd Man goes "hey, I found something for Inspiration Thursday....do you think we could someday do something like this around the house at the farm?" and then he showed me this picture.

Hmmm...looks amazing, of course, and the farmhouse is kind of "nekkid" (that's NAKED for those of you not from the South, HA!).  I'm not sure we could recreate this in it's entirety, but it's a template for something and that's why we save these pictures.  I like the freeform nature of something like this.  I'm currently started edging around the house and clearing the grass in what could be called "straight and narrow flower beds".  Just a straight line, with landscape timbers along the front, to have straight and long, rectangle flowerbeds around the front and sides of the house.  

We could layer like this in the space, or I could scrap the neat, long flowerbeds in lieu of something curving and seemingly random like this.  We'll see.  

Ain't nothing happening for a few months in this heat, THAT'S for sure, ha!

Be inspired!

14 comments:

  1. very pretty.
    When planning something like this you need to think about plants that require the same water conditions as well as light conditions.
    I think something in curve design is much more appealing than straight lines.
    When it comes time for you to do something like this, talk to a reliable landscaper and they could draw up some plans and make suggestions on what to plant and what not to plant.

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    1. Yep, it probably, no, definitely, would take some planning. Thanks for the vote for curves, I'm thinking that too. Might need to rethink my straight beds. Thanks!!

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  2. I would suggest you look into wildflowers as they won't require a lot of attention. Plant/scatter wildflower seeds in the fall and they should come up in the spring. Mine did great this year and bloomed for quite a while. Some are still blooming while others have made seed heads to drop for next year's blooms.

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    1. Really? Thanks for that suggestion. I always wonder if those sprout and how long they last. Thanks!!!

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  3. Sure does look pretty but because of where we live we can't do this because of some scary snakes and spiders. But that is the price we happily pay for being liberated from northern winters! Geo

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    1. Well there might be some scary snakes and spiders here too. You are so right though, I am not sure I could deal with the harsh Winter. Snakes....ice and snow....snakes...below zero temps....hmmm..... :-)

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  4. Replies
    1. I know you could come up with something that amazing!!

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  5. Go with the curves. Softer and more inviting... The house lines give you all the geometric precision you need.

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    1. Another vote for curves...thanks!!! I will remember that. and you're right, the house lines work!

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  6. HA, coincidence or what, that same pic happens to also be in my inspo folder! My main reason for looking into this sort of garden bed is the dense thickness against the house. Brisbane in Australia probably gets about as hot and humid as where you are, and if you can keep a bit of sun off the side of the house, it does make a huge difference with cooling. Last year, I trained a few passionfruit vines up one section of brickwork, as my daughter's room had a brick, north-facing (the equiv of south facing for you guys) wall, and one badly placed window on the west that catches no breeze. The passionfruit made a lot of difference last Summer keeping her room a lot cooler so she could at least sleep at night, the vines don't mind a good prune back in the cooler weather if I want more sun on her wall in winter, and of course, we get the side benefit of delicious fruit!!

    I've now lined the east side of the house (all concrete slab- I'd love to rip it up, but it is a rental!) with fruit trees in pots and many flower pots, and I'm working on filling in the rest of the north wall with subtropical-suitable, long-lived bean vines (Madagascar bean, lives 7 years, Red Dragon Snake bean, and a Winged Bean) and lots and lots of flowers for the bees. This pic is EXACTLY what I am working towards! But with edibles stuffed within the Cosmos and the Lavender. Can't sacrifice too much growing room to non-edibles. Oh how I envy you your beautiful little farm!!

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    1. Well, how sweet you are to leave such a kind comment. Yep, we are hot and humid here, just crazy in the Summer. Great idea to think of stuff that can cool the house too. Thanks for that suggestion!! I understand about limited space, even at the house we had limited space (this was before we had the farm) and it's one reason we wanted something else.

      Sometimes (especially in the Summer) it's a lot of hot hard work but it's worth it in the end. Thank you again, visit anytime!!!

      p.s. Australia is my dream trip. Not sure how much of the blog you've read but we have three cats (one has passed) and they are Sydney, Brisbane, and Hobart. :-)

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  7. Replies
    1. It is huh? Thanks! Now if we could do half that, it would be great!!!

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