THE ANATOMY OF A FLOWER POT

For me the 4th of July is summer's midpoint! By now my veggie garden is in full producing mode and my patio flowers in the big pot are dazzling! They are happy and vigorous and loving summer life!

Last week I shared our new PATIO.

Since then, I have had lots of questions about what I plant in those big patio pots...so I'm showing and telling the anatomy of a flower pot!

For decades and decades I have planted over a dozen summer patio and porch pots every year.

Last year I found a wonderful local greenhouse called PERFECT POTS. Not only are the ladies at PP so nice and helpful...they also have beautiful plants! Plants that are not your everyday garden variety!

But what I love about PERFECT POTS is that I can go to their greenhouse and have a consultation with one of the garden professionals about what I should put in my pots. 

They take notes, they show me flowers, they ask questions about sunlight and watering schedules! They listen to my ideas and must-haves!

But here's the best, best part! They will come and pick up my pots, plant them and deliver them right back to my home!

The cost for the transportation is $10.00... and there is no charge to plant the pots... just the cost of the plants themselves and any dirt needed.

I did pay a couple of dollars for plant food and to have them bug proofed! That's it!

I have always prided myself on being a do-it-yourselfer... but I am also smart enough to know a good thing... no, a great fabulous thing!

And this service at Perfect Pots is a great, fabulous thing! A great smart bargain-of-a-thing!

My criteria for the patio pots was bright color and lots of blooms. I wanted sweet potato vine, lantana, geraniums and salvia in each pot. I also wanted flowers that would last all summer long!

And here's what the ladies at Perfect Pots paired with my requests...

LOVE this color combo...

Lantana is one of my favorite summer flowers!

There was also coleus, spider plant, creeping Jenny, ficus grass, million kiss begonias and I few more I could not identify in the mix!

I did do some planting of my own...

Like the mint in pots on my patio. Isn't this a fun cart... from Decor Steals.

Mint and basil and parsley are summer herbs I can't be without!

The biggest planting project this year was my kitchen herb garden.

If you missed that post click HERE

I also planted Everbloom Hydrangeas on my front porch again...

I think the hydrangeas are going to be a front porch signature bloom! Their big moppy blue heads work so well with the grey limestone facade of StoneGable!

Look for a post later this week about other things planted on the front porch!

It's not to late to plant a few more pots... and plants in my area are on sale! Hmmmm, I think I need one more pot of flowers for the table on my porch!

Remember to

I'm partying at
WOW US WEDNESDAY

ON THE MENU WEEK OF JUNE 30, 2014

Are you ready for July 4th... fireworks... picnics... family... and a day to celebrate our great nation!
We are celebrating with all the above! StoneGable will host friends and family for a weekend of fun patriotic activities and lots of great food!

Remember to take a few minutes to thank God for America and to pray His blessing on our country!



Today's the last day to enter the StoneGable/TIKI Brand Giveaway... see details at the end of this post.


Now here's what's ON THE MENU...

MONDAY

Grilled Sausage And Peppers

PASTA SALAD IN A JAR

Grilled Asparagus

TUESDAY

ZUCCHINI LATKA

Garden Tomatoes

WEDNESDAY~ FAMILY DINNER NIGHT

GRANDMA LOBIANCO'S MEATBALLS 

Spaghetti

CAESAR SALAD

Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches... upcoming Friday's post

THURSDAY

SALMON PINWHEELS

CAPRESE SALAD

FRIDAY

KILLER FAJITAS

Refried Beans

SATURDAY~ JULY 4TH PICNIC

Hamburgers

Gourmet Hot Dogs

Fixins'

NANI'S POTATO SALAD

BERRY CRISP IN A JAR

SUNDAY

TOMATO ZUCCHINI AND RICOTTA TARTLET

ARUGULA SALAD WITH SHAVED PARMESAN, PINE NUTS WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

OTHER RECIPES ON THE MENU THIS WEEK...

BREADSTICK CINNAMON ROLLS

PEACH DUMPLINGS



LAST CHANCE!

Last day to enter the StoneGable/TIKI Brand giveaway! Great prizes!



ANTIGUA FIRE SCULPTURE~ 30 inches tall

2 ISLAND KING TIKI TORCHES

To enter click  HERE

STONEGABLE FEATURED AT TOWN AND COUNTRY

Today I'm being featured at TOWN AND COUNTRY LIVING. Jennifer has a magazine worthy home full of farmhouse appeal! 

Town and Country Living is one of my favorite blogs written by an very sweet lady!!!

Her kitchen makes me swoon!  Head over to see what she Jennifer put together about StoneGable and visit me at her CHARMING HOME SERIES

And don't forget... today's the last day to enter the StoneGable/Tiki Brand Giveaway! Great prizes!!!
Click HERE to enter!

EASY JULY 4TH DECOR

Independence Day is right around the corner! I like to give a little decor nod to this All-American holiday without changing a lot of my decor, spending half the day decorating or braking the bank!

Here's an easy way to show a little decor patriotism and do it in under 5 minutes...

I made a little coffee table vignette using red, white and blue.

I used a cobalt blue piece of pottery and picked Annabelle hydrangeas from around the front porch.

Don't you love their fluffy factor?

Then I filled a pitcher with small flags. Some were tea stained.   The trick is to fill it up!

I put the hydrangeas and flags all in a seagrass tray stacking books along with them.

That's it! Not everything has to be a big deal or a lot of work! It took me just a few minutes to put together... and gives my family room a nice festive feel!

Where could you put an easy little July 4th vignette?

Remember 

Don't forget to enter the

 StoneGable/ TIKI Brand Giveaway!

One lucky StoneGable reader will win ...

1 Antigua Fire Sculpture (30 inches tall)

2 Island  King Torches

Click HERE to enter!

PATIO REVEAL AND GIVEAWAY

This summer has been unusually beautiful! Sunny, slightly breezy and not humid! We could not have picked a better year to build a new patio.  

Once a week we have "family dinner night". So, the family is gathered and we are having iced tea and a few hors d'oeures before dinner. It's the perfect time to share our new patio.

Here's what the old patio looked like ...

This is the best picture I could find of the old patio... It was taken last year at Chris and Abby's Northern Country Wedding Reception. 

Let's just say it was just a tad bigger than a postage stamp!

And here is how it looks now...

We gathered on the patio at 6:00 to spend an evening of family fun. Music, dinner, ladder ball and dogs! Lots of happy, rambunctious of dogs!!!

Jacqueline and Jonathan and their pup Barron...  

They came up from DC for a few days. Oh, my heart is full when my house is full!

Christopher and Abby and their boy Beau... and Scamp! He loves to photo bomb!

 Chris is sporting his pre-surgery beard. Mama is NOT a fan! But, he is facing a very major surgery in the beginning of July so whatever gets him psyched up for it is okay with me. We could use all the prayers you can send! More on that in a week or so.

And my Mom and Jim...

My sweet mother and step-father live 5 miles from us and winter  in San Antonio. They are here (WHERE THEY BELONG) for the summer!

The big question once the patio was completed was ... how do I dress up and furnish such a big space?

I'm still thinking that question through...Do I want an outdoor living room... or keep it nice and casual?

It will take a season or two of living in the space to know exactly how I want to decorate this area.

Right now I have the patio set up "bistro style". Little square tables with market umbrellas and lots of pots with flowers and TIKI ® BRAND  FLAME AND SOLAR TORCHES.

The pots make a nice barrier between the upper level and the lower fire pit. And the TIKI BRAND TORCHES make such a strong visual statement. 

When the Flame and Solar Torches are not lit, the solar activated top gives off a very pretty flame-like glow.  So every night we have a soft glow dotting the patio.

It's really something to see!

The kind people at TIKI BRAND have provided me with some beautiful TIKI BRAND PRODUCTS to give away.

See the bottom of this post for the details.

Tonight we lit the FLAME AND SOLAR TORCHES for ambiance and to keep away the bugs. The torches are filled with TIKI CITRONELLA TORCH FUEL. 

I love the idea of having little gathering places to read and eat and talk on the patio. 

Right now we have mesh tables and chairs on the patio. They are light enough to easily move and put together as one long table when it's time for dinner!

Bobby grilled steaks on his smoker/grill! They were so delicious!

I hope you liked our family dinner night and our new patio! Come join us again... we always have room at the table for one or two more!

Now, let's talk GIVEAWAY!!!!

The very nice folks at TIKI BRAND are giving away 

1 ANTIGUA FIRE SCULPTURE (about 30 inches tall)

AND

2 ISLAND KING TIKI TORCHES

to one lucky StoneGable reader! The prize value is $119.97.

All you have to do is leave a comment or like TIKI BRAND PRODUCTS on facebook or like StoneGable on Facebook!

You can also follow TIKI BRAND on PINTEREST. They have great ideas for outdoor entertaining!

Thanks, so much TIKI BRAND PRODUCTS.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will end Sunday June 30th at 12:00 pm.

I have been compensated for this post. But all of the opinions are mine.


Remember to

I'm partying at
WOW US WEDNESDAY