Even on the grayest of days in the spring it seems like I find another sign of spring each time I go outside. Earlier in the day I went to a craft store with my sister, it was almost as tempting as a nursery. But since I knew that I would never actually do the crafts, even though they looked so easy, I managed to find a couple of things for the garden. It's funny that I can find garden related items almost anywhere! When I got home I went out to hang my new star which I'm hoping will patina on it's own.
Then I nailed my new birdhouse to a fence post.
While out there I found that the weeping cherry tree is very close to blooming. We planted this tree about 10 years ago and it was the skinniest little thing. It was supposed to be pink and was for a few years but over time the flowers are now mostly pale pink to white. Any idea why this would happen? It's an ornamental cherry, but it produces the tiniest cherries you've ever seen and the birds seem to love them.
My ornamental strawberry (fragaria) 'Lipstick' also has blooms on it. This flower looks a bit faded, but they will be deep pink and produce little strawberries which are edible. I find this to be a great groundcover. It blooms from April to September and we do get lots of berries on ours. We don't eat them mostly because it's by the sidewalk and I don't trust that a dog or cat hasn't been in there.
On my way to the backyard I found that my daughter had built a new fairy house of moss and bark. I can't believe how pretty it is, she has planted this whiskey barrel completely on her own. There is a small Japanese maple towards the back of it. I think it is 'Bloodgood'. If you can believe it I found this for $5 at a local nursery several years ago. She has golden creeping jenny and lamium planted in here as well. This planter is in mostly shade below our neighbors cedar trees.
I noticed she had dug up a few bulbs and added them as well, although they aren't blooming yet.
Sure signs of spring when you see the flowers of cherries, strawberries and signs of fairies!
Everything is looking beautiful in your yard. Our weeping cherry tree's blooms are opening now too. We have a lot of creeping jenny also. It is always SO green in the spring! Hope you enjoy the day.
ReplyDeleteHey, love that Texas star you hung and the birdhouse too. two of my very favorite things.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Oh her little fairy house is wonderful! Creative little mind at work. Love it!
ReplyDeleteCatherine ~ Love your star and if it's made of copper it will have a lovely patina after awhile out in the weather. Your birdhouse makes a wonderful addition to your gardens as well. Your cherry blooms are sweet looking as is the strawberry bloom. Your daughter's fairy house is really neat. How wonderful that you and she share a love of gardening.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
I purchased bush cherries one time thinking I was going to have normal size cherries. They are not. The second year I discovered that with a lot of patience in picking, that they could be mashed for their juice and we make the greatest cherry jelly, but sadly no cherry pie.
ReplyDeleteWe also planted a cherry bush...mainly for the birds. Love the new additions to your garden. Your daughter has done a great job!
ReplyDeleteLove your daughters fairy house!!! What a fantastic idea, and it's great that she just did it! She must love pottering around the garden as well!!!
ReplyDeleteYour post has got me all excited about my strawberries now!!! Can't wait to see their pretty flowers for the 1st time!!!
Thanks for your comments on my last post - its really appreciated, and we hope hat we never have to go through a day of horror like yesterday ever again!!!!
Linzi x x x
Does your daughter have some Cicely Mary Barker's fairy figurines?
ReplyDeleteCan you loan your daughter to me so she can build a fairy house in my garden too? That is an awesome house! Great job! And I sure like the cherry blossoms too.
ReplyDeleteHooray for more and more signs of spring! I like your craft store additions. I appreciate that others can make the effort and turn out something lovely, but I'm not much of a doer in that area myself. Hope the star does get a patina, I love that copper green thing. Wonderful fairy house! Great the way she used moss, the fairies will be very comfy. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've a budding style maker in the making.
ReplyDeleteI really like your bird house.
Rob
Love that bird house. Don't it make you feel good to place items just for God's little creature. We enjoy them so much.
ReplyDeleteYea! Spring! This was fun to read, we're all in the Anticipation mode! :-) Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the 'fairy house' idea! Your daughter is so creative!
ReplyDeleteAnd the star...I have a similar one I brought back from Cape Cod (seems they're everywhere there) and haven't decided where to put mine. It looks great on your fence...do you mind if I borrow the idea from you? :)
Mildred - I saw your cherry blooms today, they are so pretty!
ReplyDeleteDebbie - For some reason I'm really attracted to things with stars and birds on them.
Dirt Princess - Is she talented? I love seeing what she comes up with.
Flower Lady - I think the rain should give the star a quick start on the patina today :) It's great that my daughter enjoys being out with me, so many of her friends have no interest in being outside at all.
L.D. Burgus - My daughter has occasionally picked the tiny cherries and made cherry juice to paint outside with. That be a lot of work to collect enough for jelly!
Darla - It ended up being a plus with the cherries it attracts more birds to our garden that way!
Linzi - I bet it won't be too long before your strawberries are blooming. I think they're such pretty flowers. Glad your BF was okay!
Lanny - We do have one, and I would like to get her book too. They are so cute.
Tina - Well if we make out to Tennessee one day I'm sure she love to!
Karen - I've learned that if I buy craft supplies they will still be in the bag a year later, I have many random items from things I thought I would make.
Great use of all the moss we have now wasn't it?
Rob - Well, she does want to be an architect (at least for now). She definitely likes to design things!
Becca - It sure does! Maybe someone will want to use it for their home this spring!
Boy I hit publish too fast! Don't mind all of my grammatical errors on the comment replies :)
ReplyDeleteAerie-el - She's got a couple of others throughout the yard. I think they are so cute.
I'm sure I copied the star idea from someone else. I like how it looks with the wood behind it (even though the fence is in need of being replaced!)
Looks like your daughter has a very strong creative streak! What a great fairy hangout!
ReplyDeleteI love the fairy house! Well done and the design is spot on for fitting in. She has an eye for design for sure!
ReplyDelete-Heather
We have just about the same amount of Spring here too. I love the fairie garden. That's really sweet that she can imagination in such a way. Tell her she can see them if she's real still and listens carefully.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely fairy house!
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was very young we were encouraged to make miniature gardens, and that was such fun. I'm convinced that doing these kind of creative and imaginative things at an early age instils a love and appreciation of nature and gardens for all of one's life.
Tessa - She is very creative and has a style all her own!
ReplyDeleteHeather - She's been happy to hear all these nice comments about her fairy house.
Anna - A couple of years ago she would swear fairies had been in our garden. I hope she never stops believing :)
Phoenix C - I think you're right. I think it does help people to appreciate all that's around them and how important it is to take care of nature.
Love the fairy house and I can't believe you got a Japanese maple for $5.00. How lucky!!!
ReplyDeleteit all looks so spring!!!! love this post!
ReplyDeleteI like all your new additions Catherine although I have to say, I can't resist the craft stuff at the craft stores!! I'm hopelessly addicted to it as well as gardening! LOVE, love, love your daughter's fairy house. It's so perfect. Like something you might actually find in the woods...
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine, oh my goodness, the fairy house and gardens your daughter made is just wondrous! She did a fabulous job. The mossy siding is brilliant too. Everywhere looks like spring at your place, or what you are showing us anyway. :-) I am thinking about those littel strawberries for my strawberry jar, if they can be kept properly watered. Yours are a wonderful color, and love the name, Lipstick!
ReplyDeleteFrances
Susie - Thanks!
ReplyDeleteTootsie - It's starting to seem like it's actually here!
Kathleen - I wish I would take the time to do crafts, there are so many great things to make. I just get impatient when it doesn't turn out the way I imagined.
Frances - It really is looking springy. I just love seeing all the new leaves and buds out there! She makes her fairy houses out of all sorts of things, this was the first one I saw made of moss and we have lots to use in our yard now!
Your ornamental strawberry is the second one I've seen today, and they remind me of hellebores. They are pretty!
ReplyDeleteI know I left a comment on this post but can't see it, so I'm just letting you know I visited.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter's fairy house is so creative. She's going to be a gardener for sure :)
Lucky you to have a weeping cherry. I'm sure it's going to be glorious when those buds open.