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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

A Garden Story, Chapter Three

Accessorizing the Garden

My collection of garden ornaments has been growing slowly over the past few years. Every so often, I see one that just seems to belong in my garden and then I must have it.

I first saw this plaque on my trip to Whitehorse in 2006. It was my last day there, and I'd already done plenty of souvenir shopping. I wanted to bring it home, it appealed to my sense of whimsy, it fit in so well with my other garden ornaments...But it was quite heavy and I was concerned about lugging it all the way home. So, reluctantly, I walked away.

Last spring, browsing around a local store, I found another one. This time there was no hesitation. Disclaimer: This is actually a photo I took last year, because I didn't think to do a closeup again this year. But it's in the same spot this year, by the front step under the rhododendron.

This is not the first ornament I added to my collection, but I'm starting with this one because, to me, it seems like an invitation to explore the garden.

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This one may be a little hard to see. It was found at one of the stalls in the Saint John City Market. I think it was before I even had a garden. But I liked it. My parents were visiting for the weekend and we were being touristy and shopping around.

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These next two came from the SuperStore, though not the same year.

The first one is sitting by my little Bog Rosemary plant. I got this plant I think four years ago now. I saw it at a garden center, then I went home and looked it up (forget the exact name of it now - Blue Ice Bog Rosemary? Something like that. It gets pink flowers). According to what I found, it should survive the winter here so I went back and got it. After the first winter, I thought it might be dead. But I left it alone and started seeing little bits of green here and there. I pruned it, fertilized it, and gave it some time to see what would happen. It's been looking better and better every year, so I'm glad I decided to give it a chance.

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In the background here, you can see 3 trellises close together. I wasn't sure whether I was going to get my vegetable patch or not this year, and I was determined I was going to plant something, so I have 3 little sugar snap pea plants growing in my flower garden.

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And this one from another little Saint John shop. I love her wings!

Back behind her, you can see one of two little lanterns (the second is under the other forsythia bush, in one of yesterday's photos). They came from a dollar store, I had three but sadly I broke one. In the past I have used them on the deck with candles, but this year I decided to put them in the garden.

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Last summer my parents came for a visit and we went to King's Landing Historical Settlement. In the gift shop I found this little bird bath. I saw in when we first got there, and I thought "This belongs in my garden." I thought about it for the afternoon, while we toured around, and on the way out I decided to buy it.

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And I am now realizing I forgot one, probably because it is sitting on the hearth by the fireplace. I am not going to take it outside today, because it's pouring down rain. But you can see it here. Looking back at those pics, which are from last year, I can certainly see how much some things have grown and bushed out. Guess that's why I didn't think much about pruning last year - things really grew like crazy this year!

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Daily Record
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Weight: 143.4

BF: Muffin & Coffee
Lunch: Corn & Black Bean Salad, cottage cheese
Snack: grapes, yogurt & granola
Supper: Multigrain breaded Tilapia filets, salad, fries

Workout: Weights

4 comments:

Unknown said...

What beautiful ornaments! I really like how things are tying together nicely. :)

Unknown said...

You have such a lovely garden!

Crissy Rae said...

your ornaments looked great..they really add to the gardens.

the Bag Lady said...

I love that plaque - and are there really fairies at the bottom of your garden?