Green Thumb Gardening Day

Welcome to

Green Thumb Gardening Day

here at The Blessed Nest!

Today in honor of Easter I thought I'd share about one of my favorite trees in the garden:

The Dogwood Tree

The Dogwood is a lovely Spring-flowering tree!

It is said to be a symbol of Easter because the petals form the shape of a cross, the outer edge of each petal shows the nail hole brown with rust and stained with red, and the center is a reminder of the crown of thorns so that all who see it will remember.

The Flowering Dogwood Tree (cornus florida -- the latin name) is much loved for the beautiful displays of Spring flowers. Technically what we think of as the "flower petals" are actually bracts, while the tiny interior greenish-yellowish center is actually the flower!

The Flowering Dogwood is beautiful in all seasons though, with lovely flowers of either white or pink decorating the tree in Springtime, to the green leaves of Summer, reddish leaves and red fruits for the wildlife appear to give extra color in Autumn and into Winter, while the shape of the twisted branches and pretty form of the tree also gives Winter interest.

This tree is also wonderful for attracting wildlife to your yard, like birds! Birds and squirrels love to eat the red "fruit" in the fall & winter!

The Dogwood grows best in Hardiness Zones 5-9, with full sun in the Northern areas and partial sun in the hotter South.


I pray that everyone has a very
Happy Easter!!!!!


Now, it's time to link up and share YOUR:
Gardening Photos, Easter bouquets, Kids at A Backyard Egg Hunt, Front Door Pots, Tiny Green Shoots Coming Up in the Garden, Inspiration Photos, Plans, & Daydreams, etc.....

Green Thumb Gardening Day Party!!!

Welcome to the very first

Green Thumb Gardening Day Party!!!

I'm so glad to have y'all here!

If you think that you have a "black thumb" and are just no good at gardening, well then, think again, my friend! :)

Our Green Thumb Gardening series is designed with you in mind.

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Alright, my darling decorating friends :),
did you know that you can use those amazing decorating skills when gardening?

It's true! Just like you have a "shell" of a room that you begin with in decorating before adding in the furniture & accessories, the garden also has a "shell" that you must begin with first.

This "shell" or structure of the garden is what you would concentrate on first, before planting any other plants!

This would include such things as:
A fence, hedge, walkways, deck/patio, arbor, garden shed, existing large trees, perimeter of property, etc.

{above photos: The Blessed Nest - My last Garden in North Carolina}

This garden room (above) clearly shows the "shell". The fence and garden shed were placed, then I'm guessing that pathways and garden beds were designed, then the plants and accessories came last.

Sometimes it's just the existing trees and plant life that form the "walls" of a garden, no fence needed!

This outdoor dining patio is lovely, isn't it?!! This separate "room" in the garden has the structure of the stone patio, the arbor, grass pathway, and tree canopy overhead. The other plants just fill in and accentuate!

This entry gate is beautiful, it reminds me of the garden gates on Nantucket.
What a statement to make as the entrance point to your garden!

{above 4 photos: Country Living}

Love the little informal garden rooms here...

The tall hedge is the border of this garden, with a row of hydrangea and other perennials in front for color and form.

{above 2 photos: Martha Stewart .com}

Later in our Green Thumb Gardening series I'll share how else Decorating skills can be put to good use in the Garden for a beautiful Garden space!!!


Now...
I'd love to have you link up for our Party today! :)

Share your favorite Garden pictures from this year or last year, front door pots or wreath, plants or flowers in the house, gardening tips, veggies, inspiration photos, etc.!

Just remember to link to your specific blog post, and grab the Green Thumb Gardening button up top to link back to The Blessed Nest. Also, be sure to visit & leave a little comment on the others' links too to share in the linky love!!!

Easter Decorating Inspiration & Party Reminder!

Ahh, Spring! What a joyous time of year to celebrate!

I love how the earth springs back to life after a sleepy Winter, with daffodils and tulips peeking up out of the ground, and birds returning to fill the air with their song!

It always seems like the new life of Spring symbolizes the new Life found in Jesus as we celebrate Easter!

:)

We will have family visiting us for Easter this year, and I found some lovely inspiration photos to share with you for fun...

So cheerful & fresh! LOVE this!

Tulips are a favorite Springtime flower of mine -- they look so pretty tucked in the Easter baskets like little eggs!

Who knew chocolate could look so elegant? :)
This would be so lovely on a sideboard or as a table centerpiece.

SO SO SO pretty! *sigh!* A "nest" full of flowers!!!

I think my favorite part of the pic above is the industrial looking wire basket they used!

A miniature Spring backyard! Kids would love to make this decoration!

You know I adore anything to do with birds! So lovely!!

{above photos: marthastewart.com}

What a pretty centerpiece this would be! I know we all love a great idea using a cloche!!

Simple & Sweet

Monograms & Jellybeans -- Love this idea!!

{above 3 photos: BHG.com}

Hope you were as inspired by these photos as I was!
:)


And DON'T FORGET:

Tomorrow (Saturday) is my very first Green Thumb Gardening Linky Party!

So, pleeeeease show up & link up for me, 'kay?!!!

Show off what's peeking up in your garden this Spring, or how your garden looked last year...a bouquet of flowers in your home...a garden project....playhouse....porch or patio...container plantings...birds or animals visiting your yard...tips or hints...front door wreath...flower photos...games the family plays in the backyard...design ideas...curb appeal...

Pretty much anything goes! :)

I'll set up the Linky later tonight!

Let's get set to have fun & get some Gardening Inspiration!!!!!


Question for Today: How are you decorating for Easter??

Green Thumb Gardening Day

Do you feel like you have a "Black Thumb" when it comes to having plants or a garden?
Well, no longer! I'm here to tell you that You Can Do It --Grow that "Green Thumb"-- And most importantly, have FUN learning to Garden!!!

:)

That's why I started our new Gardening series on Saturdays, now known as:
Green Thumb Gardening
@ The Blessed Nest

I'll be sharing lots of simple & fun tips for you!

Easy hints, inspiration photos, design help, and more!


We'll also be starting a Linky party Next Saturday March 27th!!!

Come on over here to The Blessed Nest and link up your gardening pics & projects.

It can be ANYTHING gardening related.....
flowers peeking up in Spring, pics from last year, pots by the front door, your favorite plant/flower, container garden, plans & ideas for this year, a project to decorate the garden, your kids' treehouse/playhouse, photos asking for help, your cute new garden apron, a visit to a local botanical garden, veggies you're planting, even some Spring flowers making the inside of your house all pretty!

Link up next Saturday Mar. 27th and let's share!!! Sound fun? :)

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Ok, here's a garden planning tip I'll share with you today.....

This is a picture of my backyard. Notice anything? Nope? Well, you're right -- there's nothing as far as plants or flowers or shrubs there to notice {LOL}!

What is more subtle in the pic above, and what you should notice in your own garden as you plan, is the amount of Sun vs. Shade that your garden receives.

This is just one thing to take into account before purchasing any plants.

How do you do this?

Let's take a look here:

(Thanks to photo software I suddenly have a little perennial {A} (plants that come back every year) border!)

Make note of where the full sun, partly sunny, full shade, partly shady spots in the garden are.

Let me caution you that while you can do this now in Spring, things change from season to season. Don't just look at the ground when you're planning, look UP too!

Take a look at {B} in the pic above. Trees start out in Spring with little leafy buds, then have leaves all over them in the Summer, and in Fall the leaves are falling off again......in other words, as the seasons change, the light and Sun vs. Shade in your garden changes too. Keep it in mind as you plan your garden spaces.

So, a plant that needs full sun and blooms in the Spring {hint: the tag on the plant will tell you the amount of sun it needs, the time of growth/bloom, as well as other info.} would do just fine planted under a tree because the tree leaves aren't grown out yet. But a plant that needs full sun and blooms in the hot Summertime would not do well placed under that same tree, 'cause now it's all cool and shady under there with the full canopy of leaves!


When I was planning this post, I saw something really cool on my friend's blog & she allowed me to share it with you!

Amanda from Serenity Now did a wonderful post recently about how to make a drawn plan for Sun vs. Shade. So easy, and so clever! She's sweet & awesome & has a really wonderful blog too! :) Take a look here and check out the pic from Amanda below...


Amanda says, "I am learning that planning is essential to gardening." Right on! That is SO true!

Checking the amount of Sun vs. Shade in your garden is one easy way to plan & ensure that you're on the road to a successful & beautiful Garden!

:)

Garden Seeds

I was so pleased to get a little package in the mail yesterday from Hometown Seeds. They sent me some Survival Seeds as well as some lovely flower seeds! I'll really enjoy using them in our new garden this year! Can't wait! Thank you, Hometown Seeds :)!!

Happy Garden Planning &

I hope you'll join us all next week for the Linky party! Come on back now, ya hear?!!!

Can't Wait For Spring??

If you're anything like me, then you can't wait for Spring to arrive! What better way to cure the Winter Doldrums than to add a burst of color and life to your home with potted flowers?!!

It's as simple as going to your nearest grocery (or even home improvement) store and picking up a few gorgeous, potted blooms. Look for flowers that still have some unopened buds left on them for a longer bloom time in your home. Follow the directions for watering, sit back & enjoy!!!



Even a "Black Thumb" gardener could easily take care of these lovely orchids!

I purchased them at my local home improvement center. They're called "Just Add Ice" orchids, and you do just that -- they get watered once a week (here it's on Sundays) with just 3 ice cubes. How easy is that! Can't over or under water these with such an easy system!






Tulips, hyacinths, orchids, daffodils, paperwhites....they are all beautiful! What do you like?

Here is some more lovely inspiration:

{photo: Country Living}

What a gorgeous potting area! Love all of the vintage goodness in this picture!
This would be beautiful in a sunroom or an enclosed porch.
Don't even get me started on the framed bird prints!

{photo: Country Living}

Makes me want to sit here with a cup of tea and a book full of gardening inspiration!
Can't wait to start planning my new garden!

{photo: Country Living}

Pastel colored flowers in weathered old pots, combined with broken, aged statuary....
....gorgeous!!!

One pot is lovely......but grouped in 3's or 5's -- WOW!!!

{photo: Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center}

How cute is this???
Need I say more?!

{photo: Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center}

Wrap some old canvas or burlap around your pots and tie with some ribbon or jute string.
Rustic and elegant at the same time!

So, go out and treat yourself and your family to some (early!) beautiful Spring blooms! They'll last so much longer than a bouquet of cut flowers, and it'll definitely put a smile on your face for weeks to come!

Good-bye Winter Blues.........Hello, Spring Blooms! :)

ps...If you haven't checked out my post from yesterday, I could really use some Disney advice! Thanks :)!!

The Winter Garden

My love affair with gardening began when we bought our very first house. The cheery, bright red geraniums that the previous owners had planted immediately tugged at my sentimental heartstrings, and our little fixer-upper felt so "homey" right away. I was smitten!

Since then, I have designed, hard-scaped, and landscaped all of my home's gardens, with Hubby and I doing all of the work ourselves. This spring I'll be ripping out and re-designing garden #4!

I am so passionate about gardening now! I've learned a lot along the way, and would like to share some of my gardening knowledge here with you at The Blessed Nest.




Let's start at the very beginning....
....ok, not at the beginning, but how about where we are right now.
Smack dab in the middle of Winter.
What? You don't think there's much to do with the garden in Wintertime?!

Actually, Wintertime is the perfect time to really study your garden.
There's so much to see! Or, then again, maybe there isn't.
Most people plan their garden for gorgeous blooms in the Spring and Summer, but
give nary a thought to the bare, Winter months!

If you'd like to have some beautiful interest in your own Winter Garden, here are some things that you can do:

• Add trees with beautiful shape. The bare branches become like a living sculpture!

• Some trees and plants have lovely bark that either peels attractively (birch trees, for example) or has a pretty color.

• Some plants have colorful berries and seedheads that also may feed local wildlife, plus give you lots of bird sightings!

• Tall grasses can take center stage this time of year, even covered with some snow.
  

• Evergreen trees and shrubs add year-round life, color and texture, things that are often missing in Northern winter gardens.

• The architectural framework of your garden is most important. Things like: fences, potting sheds, stone or brick edging, bird houses, bird baths, benches, & arbors, for example, will give your garden year-round structure and interest.

{This is my old garden in NC. Notice how this little seating area looks in late Spring:}

{and how the same area looks in Winter:}

Thanks to the fence, stone path, bench, evergreens, pretty branches of the rose bushes, and bird feeder (cropped out of winter pic, but it's there!) this seating area looks just as charming covered in snow as it does with blooming flowers surrounding it!

This section of my garden wasn't left bare, there was several things I purposely added there for year-round interest!

If you want to start small this Winter & make a big impact,
then how about planting some evergreen branches, long bare branches & colorful berries in a pot near your front door? Or add one in the back yard where you can see it from a window!


Take notes of your garden now and when Spring comes, you'll know what changes you'd like to add in to make your garden look beautiful all year long!!

I think I'll begin a little weekly series. What do you think? Even if you think you have a "black thumb" now, you can learn some easy & fun things along the way!