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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

My View Is Just As Important As Curb Appeal


Our yellow house has many windows and I plant flowers with that in mind.  
My view is always a consideration.

  I helped a sweet friend of mine select plants from a local nursery last Thursday. She bought me this popcorn viburnum and a catmint plant for helping her. I am excited to have both of these plants. The viburnum is in my view from the deck.


  This is a faux copper urn another sweet friend sold to me for next to nothing with the catmint planted in it. Catmint is invasive and that is why I put it in a planter. It will have purple blossoms later. This planter is in my view when I drive into the driveway or walk in the gravel road we live on.


 I seldom share the front of the yellow house because it is rather plain but the salvia has started blooming and I adore it's spiky blooms. Salvia is a winning perennial for me and blooms from now until winter. That is getting my money out of a plant. I cut back all my perennials in February and that helps them bloom in the spring. I see that view of the front steps every time I drive into the driveway. I keep pots of succulents on each step and a little birdbath.


These iris were transplanted from our old house to the yellow house last year. I planted them in the side yard.


 This is my view from the den door where I sit and blog. The curvy gravel road has our yellow house and four other houses on it but they are spaced well apart. I garden for my view. I want to see beautiful flowers when I look out the doors, windows, and deck, of our house. Curb appeal is important but so is my view. 




Gardening brings me peace and I feel close to God in my backyard flower garden and yard. There is nothing like the feel of sunshine on my face and dirt on my fingers. The satisfaction of spying a new bloom from my kitchen window is worth all the work.




What is your gardening philosophy?
Olive

38 comments:

  1. I could not agree with you more. :)

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  2. You are absolutely correct, Olive. Thanks for sharing this!

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  3. Some lovely flower images Olive with those gorgeous bronze coloured backings. Which is your favourite house - the old house or the yellow house? From the photo I saw last week of the yellow house, it looks very attractive not plain at all.

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    1. The yellow house is my favorite because I plant flowers here. The old house has old old trees and it is difficult to plant anything without a large tiller. The yellow house is where we will live full time eventually as the old house is a money pit and difficult to maintain.

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  4. Here in the desert, my plan for planting is survival. I love to have color around my home....but I have to keep it simple...cuz, my hubby isn't into yard work.

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  5. It's the details that make life interesting and fun. Smart of you to consider your view!

    My gardening philosophy? Plant things I can chop down, pick and cut to cover with silver spray paint at Christmas!!!

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  6. Oh I so wish there were more plants that would survive our desert heat. I do love to have beautiful flowers to look at. Hugs, Marty

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  7. I agree Olive..our view from inside is more important to me than any other.....what is that flower in the next to last picture? is it some kind of magnolia? pretty....
    Love, Mona

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  8. i love yellow iris. is that a magnolia? or? awesome blooms. so colorful. you have a gorgeous yard. such fun!! ( :

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  9. Me too. Our weather has suddenly improved and it's lovely. Been working in my poly tunnel all afternoon.

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  10. All of the flowers are beautiful! I really love the yellow iris-enjoy:@)

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  11. The view is so important. I love looking out my living room windows to my palm tree and colorful flowers and this week, every time I walk to the garage, I see my beautiful yellow ranuculas all puffy and sweet. I smile each time I see them.

    Your views are wonderful and you sweet dog reminds me of ours.

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  12. These are just wonderful photos of your beautiful garden! Nice to see something so lovely today.

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  13. I agree Olive, our view from the inside out is just as important as our curb appeal! Your gardens look lovely!

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  14. That's something I hadn't even thought of. In your case with such a private lot, you really should plant where you'll enjoy them the most. You have some beautiful flowers to look at.

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  15. Why waste the good stuff on curb appeal? I like your philosophy better.

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  16. So true, shame to have a lovely garden and only see it from the curb! Your flowers look beautiful!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  17. I agree with your "view on views"! That's why I have window boxes and pots on my patio.

    Question: We planted salvia 2 years ago and it bloomed nicely that first year but we got nothing but foliage last year. Do they need any special attention?

    My philosophy? Patience!

    XO,
    Jane

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  18. I have no philosophy, but I've always been like you, I want to see it from "my" view too. Since our move I have done zero gardening, but my landlady was an expert gardener and I am enjoying the surprises (to me) that have been popping up all this spring. Ann

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  19. Yes you do have beautiful views Olive! Well planned. I enjoyed all your flower photographs. Love your island between the pines......

    ~Emily
    The French Hutch

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  20. Hello Olive,

    So nice stopping by to visit with you! First time here and I have enjoyed scrolling through your posts :) Lovely photos and vignettes of your view!

    Kindly, Lorraine

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  21. As I read your words, I thought immediately of this song. I too feel close to God
    In the Garden . . .

    I come to the garden alone
    while the dew is still on the roses
    and the voice I hear
    falling on my ear,
    the son of God discloses.

    And he walks with me, and he talks with me,
    and he tells me I am his own;
    And the joy we share as we tarry there,
    none other has ever known.

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    1. I know this hymn quite well. Thank you for reminding me of the sweet verses.

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  22. You have a wonderful view, Olive! The view from my window is more important to me than the curb appeal.

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  23. You have beautiful views from your windows, Olive. Your perennials are looking so pretty already.
    Mary Alice

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  24. I love both curb appeal view and lovely views out my windows. Are you living in two houses right now?

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    1. Yes, we have an old antebellum house and the yellow house which is featured in this blog.

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  25. I definitely agree with your philosophy. One should have a lovely garden view out of EVERY window in your home. Your photos are gorgeous, as usual!

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  26. I sure do agree!
    I can't say I've been very successful, though!
    We have too many droughts and I drop the ball on
    watering. Out the kitchen window, I can see a near garden
    of Oak Leaf Hydrangea and a small magnolia with a couple
    different kinds of daffodils under them. Beyond that in the
    back of the yard we have a row of alternating pink and white
    dogwoods.
    thanks for the bluebell lesson! I like the wild ones best by far.
    and my email address is pcovington270@bellsouth.net

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  27. You have some gorgeous garden views Olive. I love the view of the gravel road. It looks so peaceful.

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  28. There's a saying that says "I feel closer to God in a garden than anywhere else on earth." I love it how you have YOUR views all planned out like that.

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  29. You have a lovely view of glorious flowers, Olive. Must be a delight to always look at them.....Christine

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  30. Hey Olive; Your yard is absolutely Gorgous!!! Your pictures make me wish that I were sitting with you sipping a glass of tea!!!
    I personally think that it is important to be surrounded with Beautiful things which you Love at all times. Thank-You for sharing. Take Care :-)

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  31. Like you, I love to garden and see what's blooming, attracting birds, etc. when I look out my windows. The last couple of weekends here in NC have afforded me time to be out in the yard planting, mulching, etc. It's a great stress reliever!

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  32. Good Afternoon Olive, There are some lovely plants in your garden. Salvia is such a pretty plant and such a lovely colour. I adore Viburnum aswell, I have a pom pom version, which is very similar to yours, maybe you call yours popcorn and we call ours pom pom. I am keeping my fingers crossed as we are being told by the weatherman that we are going to have some warm weather this weekend. I will finally be able to get into the garden to do some weeding and planting.
    Best Wishes
    Daphne

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  33. I so agree. Oh how I envy you that curvy tree lined drive. I had my dad build a planter right in front of my kitchen window years ago and it is planted for me when I am at the kitchen sink doing dishes.

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I adore your comments. They are like finding unexpected chocolates. olive