This is week 3 of the One Room Challenge. I am a guest participant and chose my back porch and yard for my challenge. For those of you who don’t know, this event was created to challenge designers to do the work in their own homes, which is so often neglected. Read more about it here. There are 20 designers who were chosen to participate in the challenge and 300 plus guest designers. Read the blogs from other participants here .
Plant planning
Last week, (read about it) while the walkway was being laid, I also planned and ordered my plants for the garden from the wholesale native nursery I buy from. Not everything I ordered is native but I do try to incorporate a lot of feeders in my yard. I love those butterflies, birds and bees.
I am an organic gardener and ask that you please consider that all the pesticides you spray or have sprayed in your yard can have an effect on beneficial insects. I had an indoor outdoor cat die a horrible death years ago because my neighbors had a chemical company spray their yard every week. What you use in your garden affects more than just your garden.
We have a lawn because our Homeowners association demands that but if I had a choice I would have only a ground cover and plants. It is my goal to steadily decrease the lawn in the back but leave just enough for the Mushroom and the dog to play. To me, a lawn is a waste of water.
I wrote two blogs on plants (Unusual shade plants and plants for butterflies birds and bees). Most of the plants I used are the ones I talked about.
My choices
Choices are always based on availability.
Here is my list:
Blue Porterweed
Purple Salvia Guaranitica
Plectranthus
Stokes aster
Giant Ligularia
White Marsh Mallow
Persian shield
Australian Violet
Suwanee bluegrass
Daylilies
Agapanthus – Lily of the Nile
Hardy Calathea
Southern shield fern
Blue mist Eupatorium
Indigofera
Fruit cocktail Shrimp Plant
Lemon Balm
California Alocasia (Elephant Ear)
I also picked up an Elephant Ear with dark leaves at my local box store.
Mac Fadden’s Lace Fern
Japanese Beech Fern
Stokesia Peachies Pink – Stokes Aster
Red Miniata Salvia
A reminder..
Before
Now
My new lookout or is it outlook?
After the walkway and the flowerbeds were done I decided to move my Seasonal Living Helter Skelter vase to the flowerbed to use as a focal point. Its beauty and color is very pleasing to my eye. You can also see Seasonal Living’s beautiful magazine here. There are so many beautiful items available from this company. Below I chose a few of their colorful ceramic items.
The following items contain affiliate links. On your purchase, at no cost to you, I will make a small commission.
1 LED floor lamp 2 English Planter 3 Cube Planters 4 Accent table
Tile dilemma
Of course the tile that I wanted for my porch was not available for immediate shipping. I opted instead for a beautiful tile from Bati Orient with generous sponsorship from Bati Orient and Johnny and Laura Flora from Beyondfloors.net in Webster Texas,
Here is the tile woohoo! I am so excited. The colors in the tile are turquoise, dark green, grey and off white. My porch and I can’t wait!!!
What’s happening this week?
This week I will be working on my planters. Some of them do not look good anymore because some plants have outgrown their pots.
I am already loving my back yard more!
Oh my goodness, Ilse! What a difference already!! I’m with you on the grass being an unnecessary waste of water – in addition to that it is a major challenge to keep it looking decent. Mine is horrid. I’ve let the back go to moss since it is all shade and trees and I love that. I wish I had the energy and wherewithall to garden – I so appreciate the result, just not the work! I need to marry a nice landscape architect LOL.
You can always garden piece by piece. I usually do that but this time I have motivation to do it all at once!
Hi Ilse ~ It’s looking so beautiful! I bet the *mushroom* -aka your son -will really enjoy being out here with his friends come this fall, when it’s cooler. I am looking forward to visiting it (and you) in person, soon! I’m so glad that Laura was able to help you out with the beautiful tile, too. It’s so pretty!
And, of course, I love seeing Seasonal Living’s gorgeous HELTER SKELTER vase in these images. It adds such a vibrant pop of color to your garden!
Thank you for all you do Leslie!
Yes Always add COLOR! Can’t wait to follow along on your patio space 👏
This is wonderful. I’m having a hard tim keeping my flowers alive since we had snow here in NJ 2 weeks ago. Yours look beautiful!
This looks so fun! Makes me want to take on my yard!
This looks like its going to be just fabulous! Can’t wait to see more.
Looks so peaceful! I can’t wait to see the tile go in!
This is going to be such a special oasis for your family. I can’t wait to see the end results!
Thank you Linda! I am excited!
So pretty! And I love that tile.
So beautiful, colorful but peaceful. It is coming together wonderfully so far!!
I’m really looking forward to seeing all of your plants and of course, the finished space.
It’s really coming along! Love that blue against the dark mulch with the greenery.
WOW Ilse, this is amazing!! I am living through you because I haven’t had a minute to work on my garden but I really want to. I don’t blame you for putting that gorgeous blue Seasonal Living container out there to see. It looks so beautiful with all your pretty flowers. And the tile youre getting is going to look spectacular!! You have already inspired me to try and tackle our backyard next spring 2021! Beautiful job!
Thank you Deborah. Nothing like a challenge to make me get something done!
Ilse – From your African friend…..I am loving the impact of the helter skelter….it’s amazing how it pops and with your lovely hibiscus in the foreground. Looking forward to watching this space as you develop it further. Looks fabulous, love the tie to the floor tile 🙂 – As a small suggestion…take a look at our INDA torches to see if there’s something there to possibly add to your helter skelter? can’t wait to see this grow. Thank you so much
Gary thanks so much. I love the apple green INDA floor lamp and have it on my list. Thank you!