new arbor

hubby has been busy at work

 he built this to fill in a space where we had a bush removed



we planted white climbing eden roses

i especially like the x feature

i love it that hubby is soo handy!

backyard update

we have been hard at work making something of our bare backyard.

we planted along this brick wall that looks like what I refer to as the prison wall

{ not that I have been in prison or ever been to one}

we planted four of these white bougainvillea plants.

the flowers are papery white with pinkish tones, just beautiful!

we also planted two eden rose climbers. I cant wait to see them bloom.

this is the side of my house where we experimented and planted iceberg roses.

so far these guys have not messed with them,

 they are to busy messing with each other.

we have more work to do… but I am happy with the progress….


 edit: this is what the patio area looks like now, almost a month later
i luv luv luv the way the bouganvillea is growing

can't wait for the climbing eden roses to start blooming

and do you see the arbor peeking over the wall..hubby built that
 we just planted climbing eden roses there too....

what a difference

succulents {a love affair}

just a little inspiration, there are so many varieties.
 went to wal-mart and came home with a few of the echevaria type.
i can't help it, i am drawn to them.
can't wait to plant them.

backyard dreamin'

Spring has definitely sprung here in California.

we are enjoying great weather in the 70's.

My roses are off the hook blooming.

{silly me to do all that worrying about the pruning}

 they have never looked better.

hubby and i have been busy working on the backyard,

 we have lived in our home for over 10 years.

when we first married we were just starting out and did not do a thing to the backyard but water the grass. I did have a few potted geraniums, and whatever plants we inherited from the previous owner.

when we got doggy number 1 things plants slowly started to disappear including all the roses that we planted in the patio planter.

1 geranium and a hydrangea managed to survive the massacre {the super curious boxer} and now they reside in my front garden, doing really well.

we planted some white iceberg roses

i love that they grow abundantly and are nice and full bushes

they look great in borders.

{this is not a picture of my garden, rather an image of how i hope mine will look in the future}

hubby just bought some hydrangeas to plant along a north facing border that does not get a lot of sunlight.  i can't wait to do more planting back there.
i will be posting some pictures soon
{as soon as i learn to use my new camera that hubby got me for mother's day}

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i received the pottery barn outdoor spaces catalog today.

here are a few of my favorite spaces



i love the look of furniture outdoors

these futons look so comfy for having an outdoor movie night



i just love the idea of having an outdoor fireplace
i am hoping that we can work one into the backyard plans.

i am left so inspired to get my backyard summer ready for hubby, kids, doggies and i to enjoy

I can't wait for summer!
i am counting the days

pictures via Pottery Barn

backyard dreams

finally on spring break....{long sigh}

for some time i have been wanting to plant and fix up or back yard.

it is really bare thanks to these two fellows...

correction, mainly to dog 1, my boxer

he seems to have an affinity for roses...rose bush roots that is!

don't let that cute face fool you..{i do love him soo though}

but nothing green lasts in the back yard

so we really haven't planted anything back there since that is his domain.

 this year we have decided to try again.

a few years ago we planted an iceberg rose tree to see how it faired.

no luck, it was down for the count in less than a week.

and now we have added doggy #2

a rambunctious brown boston terrier

i think he will do fine with the plantings

it is doggy #1 i am worried about

hubby planted a rose bush in one of the planters as a test yesterday

i am hoping the new rose bush survives

for now i will continue dreaming of a new backyard with beautiful plantings

my very own garden oasis...we'll see how it fares

day trip

today hubby took us on a trip to the rose farm in ontario, ca.

we've been here many times to purchase roses for the garden.

the boys love coming because there are many chickens and roosters roaming through the roses.

i love roses, maybe it is because my mom loves roses and i grew to love them too.

i typically only buy white or light pink roses because they go with my garden color scheme

but today i was drawn to the bright colorful roses.

 

the boys had lots of fun chasing the chickens and looking for the cats that roam the grounds.

 they have a great selection of rose trees.

the prices are very reasonable, definitely worth the drive.

 i came home with this beauty called "classic woman".

  number one was excited to find a feather.

 i also bought this for my garden.

 i like religious statues.

  the deer in the neighboring property

 a rowdy goose wondering what we were doing

we had a great time smelling the flowers and so did the boys.

Guerrero Rose Farm is located at

2110 South Euclid Avenue

Ontario, CA 91762

909-988-0015

ladybugs

last week i purchased ladybugs for some organic pest control.

 the boys and i released them in the garden.

it was fun to see the boys get so excited.

 the following morning i went out to the garden to see if they were still there

 and this is what we found

the ladies were busy at work eating all the aphids

number one was happy to find them in the garden and on his hand.

i have lots of these hanging around the house.

i would love to say they are butterflies but i believe they are moths

not so pretty as the butterflies,

for now i will leave them be.

gardening

went to Armstrongs with my sister Marisa,

we had a lot of fun looking at the plants.

 Lately i have been diggin' {no pun intended}the succulents

i saw one of these and loved it

my sister and I agreed that we should make one

i guess i am a wreath kinda girl

the succulent wreath will have to go on my to do list.

i bought some more foxglove and a white delphinuim to plant in some of the bare areas of the rose beds.

I like the height they give in the garden.

the roses have finally started to sprout foliage,

after the trimming I was worried that they would be bare and not grow back.

i am relieved to see new buds.

and i also bought some ladybugs to release into the garden this evening

for some organic pest control.

love the ladies.

the boys will be excited to set them free.

something exciting about having a three day weekend,

i feel my creative juices flowing.

enjoy!

My Garden Friends

Here are a few of my garden friends. I took some pictures of my garden even though it does not look great at this time of year. I have a 3 day weekend so I am going to take advantage and  prune some of my roses {hopefully I will get to all of them} so I can get wonderful blooms this year.

Enjoy some of my garden menagerie friends... I love a touch of whimsy.

Mr. Hedgy, he is just visiting my garden. He will soon reside @ Forest Lawn at my nephew Christopher’s gravesite.  I know he will love him, I already do!

Mr. Owl, lately I have been diggin owls of all kinds. I found him at one of my favorite five: Home Goods, luv that place!

Mr. Bunny, he’s been living in my garden for many years. He was the first of my menagerie{as my hubby calls it}. I just love him- the bunny, and hubby too!

isn’t he adorable. When the gerbera daisies grow, it  looks like he is gazing at them.

All my friends keep me company when I am gardening. I love looking at them.

Hope you enjoyed them too.