Thursday

Garden of Earthly Delights: Planning and Inspiration

Hello my dear friends! Spring and gardening have been on my mind so very much lately. I have been spending far too much time planning and researching ;) ideas for our tiny little garden/patio areas....and ohhh the pretty ideas I've discovered!


Here are a few that have me smitten...


perhaps concrete pavers with grass/sod inserted to make this charming checkerboard pattern? Wish I had room for a little garden shed like this one!




This idea is one for my dad's house...picket fencing is such a charming yet classic way to enclose a garden on a larger piece of property.



I seem to be drawn to board dividers...stepping stones and gravel!



More pavers...love them...plus cabbages in front of a raised bed...we may have room for something like this...pretty...simple...edible...that's not too much to ask.



This garden bed is thrown in for pure fantasy...definitely no room at our house and not really my dad's style...perhaps for those of you with more land than I!?!



More raised beds and gravel (love the square trellis/cage)!




Forgive me for adding just a little more fantasy! The roof on this little shed is charmingly alive!



Now this idea looks much like a fantasy but is really quite practical...vertical gardening to make the most of a small space...using a discarded pallet...brilliant!!!



Another small space gardening idea...for those old canoes or kayaks cluttering the garage...turn it into a vegetable and/or herb garden! So charming and such a creative recycling idea!



Speaking of creative recycling...old chandeliers can be quite easily converted to hanging planters like this...useful for small patio and/or balcony gardens as well!



Oops...how did this gorgeous image get in here???



And for reallly small gardens...how about these tiny succulents planted in hollowed~out wine corks...magnets on the back make them perfect for seed starting in small spaces...and not just the refrigerator...I was thinking of making some of these as vertical seed starters and putting them outside on our metal etege'.



Last and...literally...least are these old thimbles planted with moss...for those of us with especially tiny gardens!


With a storm coming in today...and expected to last throughout the weekend...I suppose I'll be doing more garden research than actual digging this weekend! Wishing a good and happy weekend to you!


Sending love and good thoughts to all, as always.


Warmly,


Tracey and Family x0x



Images: Pinterest.com


21 comments:

La Table De Nana said...

What beautiful ideas..from the checkerboard..to the cork thimbles..and roof garden..I think I love every idea.
I wish you many gardening pleasures~
Thank you for the inspirations..

Scrappy quilter said...

Tracey, such lovely gardens to dream about. We still have lots of snow...won't be gardening until well into the middle of May and no flowers until first of June. Hugs

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

LTDNana...I'm so happy you are enjoying these ideas as much as I! I really loved your little Easter goodie bags...you are a genius!
Love,
Tracey
x0x

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

Hi Carol...so glad to share my own garden dreams with you my kind friend! I have to say that your quilt projects are absolutely lovely, you always inspire me to action and give food for thought.
Love,
Tracey
x0x

Anonymous said...

Tracey such wonderful inspiration photos!! I need to get some books out and start looking for ideas for my garden. I had such little time last year for gardening and this year looks so busy already too- but I must make time - I love puttering in the dirt!

The wood pallet idea is such a great idea- and so frugal too!

bee blessed
mary

Lorrie said...

Gorgeous garden ideas, Tracey. I'm hoping to get out there this weekend. Since we put in our fence we have a whole yard that I can garden in without worrying about deer eating everything!

Divine Theatre said...

I am so glad you found me! I am your newest, happy follower!
I cannot WAIT to get out and dig in the dirt! WooHOO!

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

So glad you enjoyed these too Mary Ellen! Your garden last year was so pretty and productive...I can only imagine how amazing it'd be if you had more time!
Love and hugs to you!
Warmly,
Tracey
x0x
P.S. Loved your post regarding the Oregon visit!

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

Lorrie, I am so looking forward to seeing your garden this year (via your blog :)! I don't know what I'd do if I had deer to contend with, we live in the city and yet raccoons are a terrible problem as they try to dig up so many of my herbs etc. I think it may be the homemade plant foods I'm giving them. I also just found out that eggshells in the garden attract raccoons as well. That would explain why my little seedlings planted in egg shells were so popular with those furry creatures last year! Perhaps I'll peel off the shells before transplanting???
Love,
Tracey
x0x

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

Dearest Divine Theatre...I'm so glad you came over to visit! Your inside transformations are so charming...just can't wait to see what you do with your "dirt"!!!
Love,
Tracey
x0x

June said...

Tracie you have certainly inspired me with this post!!! The first picture is so doable isn't it? I love the slabs and sod together. I really want to try this idea. I have a large space here and would love to have less grass and more garden.
I went back and read some of your recent posts, and I wanted to tell you how much I love how you painted that gorgeous wardrobe and your stair railing. What a beautiful end result...oh, to have stairs...sigh...
sending hugs

Bettyann said...

Thank you Tracey for the lovely pictures...oh my so darling..love the moss in the thimble and who would have thought of seedlings in a cork !!! Spring is my most favorite time of the year..I have a very small townhouse garden, packed wiwth bulbs, roses, herbs..I just planted Scarlet runner beans...they climb over the trellis...enjoy your garden...

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

I have just been looking at your garden photos June and now I have a sever case of land envy...sooo lovely!!! So looking forward to seeing this season's roses on hour gorgeous blog!
Love,
Tracey
xox

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

Hi Bettyann! I would just LOVE to
see your little garden!!! Possibly to "borrow" some of your small space ideas ;))) Hope you'll be posting pics this spring/summer! Thanks so much for the kind words my friend (as always ).
Love and hugs!
Tracey xox

Christy said...

What lovely and clever ideas! I'm smitten by the thimbles. How adorable!! Thanks for sharing these. :)

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

Hi Christy! I thought twice about including the thimbles and the corks but they were just so charming I HAD to include them...I had a feeling you guys would like them as much as I do!
Love,
Tracey
x0x

Rachel R. said...

Beautiful!

I'm reading Frugal Luxuries (the book) now, and really benefiting from it. "Aesthetics" is not an area I'm inherently strong in (I tend to be overly practical) so I need practical help to make things beautiful, and your book is doing that for me. :)

I found you here in my attempt to track you down to ask a question. In the book, you mention The Children's Encyclopedia, a set that your brother bought when you were younger. I am very intrigued by this and wondered if you are able to offer more specifics (publisher or publication date or something)? A search for "children's encyclopedia" pulls up a pretty broad range of book sets!

Solange Honorato said...

Hi Tracey,I found wonderful creative recycling.
I also like the roof. All ideas are fantastic!

Feliz Páscoa! Beijos

Teresa said...

All lovely ideas.. but I really love the kayak and the chandelier idea!!!

Bettyann said...

Hope you had a very Happy Easter..ours was crazy as Mom broke her hip and is in the hospital recouperating..take care..

kalanicut said...

I love the vertical gardening idea. I may need to incorporate that into my balcony garden. I could grow quite a few edible delights that way. Thanks for all the beautiful garden inspiration. Would be great for my herb garden. We have container garden tomatoes on the vine already that we should start harvesting in the next couple of weeks. Crazy.

The original "FRUGAL LUXURIES" ~ Based on the books by Tracey McBride ~ Established 1993

A warm Thank You to all kind souls and kindred spirits who generously take the time to leave a comment...your encouragement, trust and support are deeply appreciated...please know that we read each and every message and will respond as time allows.

~~~

Frugal Luxuries
is a registered trademark.


~~~


"FRUGAL LUXURIES: Simple Pleasures to Enhance Your Life and Comfort Your Soul" was written by Tracey McBride and published by Bantam Books, NY, in 1997. It was the first of its genre to synergize the elements of simplicity, frugality and gracious living.

After more than a decade, FRUGAL LUXURIES has never been out of print and is now more relevant than ever.

"It's our hope that a new generation, faced with a teetering economy, will also find this information helpful and enlightening."



Sending Good Thought to Our Special Band of Kind and Kindred Souls!

Frugal Luxuries Book I

Frugal Luxuries by the Seasons Book II

    follow me on Twitter

    Blog Archive

    Site Counter