Tag: The Secret Garden

Spring Comes Early to Cedar Creek Lake

~ Trenda
Adorably, lovely Robins, petaled tulip cups, white blossomed splays of Bridal Wreath, deep violet blooms flocking Redbud trees, lovely Hyacinths, Lady Banks Roses spilling over onto our lawn, and delicate white bells of Lily of the Valley.  The list I started in my last blog of spring harbingers continues to lengthen as Spring here on Cedar Creek Lake appears to be in full bloom!  Would you like to take a tour around our neighborhood and see all the spring beauty? Hop on our golf cart and let’s go!  No need for jackets, it’s 80 degrees here, on this last day of February.  (:

“Deep violet blooms flocking Redbud trees” … this beautiful tree is our own and drapes over our side gate.

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This gorgeous white rosebush, the Lady Banks Rose is seen less often then the variety with yellow roses.  My white Lady Banks is a cherished birthday present that Richard gave me a number of years ago and is … “spilling over onto our lawn.”

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And one last sighting before we pull out of our driveway … this striking Chinese Fringe Plant or Loropetalum.  We have quite a few of these beautiful evergreen bushes in our front and backyard and love the color of their foliage, their fragrance and the color of their fringe-y flowers.  Interesting Note:  Some of these bushes in their natural habitats … China, Japan, and the Himalayas are over 100 years old and over 35 feet tall!

chinese-fringeAll right, we’re off!  First stop … The Secret Garden.  The first time our daughter saw this forgotten garden she was only 9 years old.  In excitement she breathlessly told me, “Mommy, I found the Secret Garden!” (:  We’ve called it “The Secret Garden” ever since.  ❤  These yellow roses rambling over a beautiful wrought iron fence are the more common variety of the Lady Banks Rose … and still reflect the hands that once planted and cared for them.

img_0770  Gorgeous grape-like clusters of Wisteria dangle from the tangled vines within “The Secret Garden.”
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No time to dally, the sun is already beginning it’s descent!  Look at this darling little stream surrounded by “Easter grass” and a sprinkling of white wildflowers.  It’s just the right size for a Daddy and Mama Mallard Duck we’ve seen paddling about in their own private wading pool!  Spring cuteness!  (:

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I felt like I had been given a gift when I “captured” this shaft of sunlight peeking through the tangle of this thick wild Carolina Jasmine.

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Look what I saw as our golf cart whizzed by!  Lily of the Valley, also known as Muguet du Bois … one of my favorite little flowers with their dainty cups that look like they came straight from fairyland!  I also love this enchanting flower because of the scripture in Song of Solomon 2:1 that says … “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”  Another interesting fact:  It is tradition in France on May 1st, May Day, to offer a sprig of Lily-of-the-Valley to loved ones.  This tradition was supposed to have begun on May 1st, 1561 when King Charles IX of France was presented with a bunch of Lily-of-the-Valley flowers as a token of luck and prosperity for the coming year.  King Charles “took a shine” to this idea and began the custom of presenting Lily-of-the-Valley flowers to the ladies of his court each year on May 1st. (:

duolily-of-the-valleyAzalea Majestic’s bright magenta buds, blossoms and green foliage contrast beautifully with the texture of the rough landscaping bark.

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Last sighting of our spring harbinger’s for the day … wild Carolina Jasmine overgrowing a fence looks beautiful in the golden sunset and under the still bare limbs of February trees.

sundownIt’s time to head home.  Hope you are enjoying some beautiful weather where you are, even if it is only February!  If you are still in the “throes of winter” … I hope these pictures will remind you that Spring is “right around the corner” and soon you will be seeing “adorably lovely Robins” showing off in your own backyard! (:

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From my cottage to yours  ~  Trenda

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I’m delighted that you read my blog today!  I’d love to hear from you! Please write any comments or questions you may have in the COMMENT section.

Part 2 of … Feathering the Nest by Trenda

In Part 1 of “Feathering the Nest” I asked … “What do you enjoy collecting?  Whatever your passion is, use those items to decorate and “cozy up” your home.” 
The most frequent question I have been asked, over my years of decorating is …  “How should I decorate my home?”  Decorate your home with the things you love!  For those of you that “need a little help” figuring out what you love in decorating or what you like to collect, that’s what I want to help you discover, today.  

Home … the perfect nest

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In Part 1 of “Feathering the Nest” I asked … “What do you enjoy collecting?  Whatever your passion is, use those items to decorate and “cozy up” your home.” 

The most frequent question I have been asked, over my years of decorating is …  “How should I decorate my home?”  Decorate your home with the things you love!  For those of you that “need a little help” figuring out what you love in decorating or what you like to collect, that’s what I want to help you discover, today.  

 A cheery welcome gleams from the lamplight reflected in the large mirror over the fireplace and again in the mirrored frame of the bird picture.  A bright green bird looks stunning, placed next to the contrasting blue and white porcelains.    

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“What do you love to collect?”  Just think what gives you a little “thrill” whenever you see that item sitting on the shelf of your favorite store or sitting in a darkened display in an antique store.  Sometimes it’s buried under a pile of “store jumble” or it’s the last item hanging on a peg, in just the color you needed!

The muted colors of this pheasant blend perfectly with my collection of loved,  worn and faded antique books.

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Whenever you see your particular “eye candy” your pace quickens, even though you remind yourself not to get too excited as you “unearth” your treasure, all the while you are hoping “it is” what you “think it is!”

These are the things you love and that you are passionate about … and what you should decorate your home with!  It may be lots of different things.  For me it’s violins, birds, feathers, bird nests, bird cages, squirrels, acorns, pencils made from branches, books, antique flower frogs … just to name a few! (;

Beatrix Potter’s “Peter Rabbit” is opened displaying the beautiful illustrations that are fitting with the garden paraphernalia I have scattered about the desk.  The little water bucket and watering can look charming holding pencils and paintbrushes instead of the “expected” flower arrangement, they usually hold.  Also fitting with  the theme of gardens, I’ve placed 2 of my antique flower frogs; one for propping the book page open, the other … just for keeping the other “frog” company! (:PicCollage[367].png

Or … you may like collecting items that follow a theme … anything associated with birds, vintage  garden tools and signs, a nautical theme, or beach themes.

This little table holds a twig lamp and all things bird-y and dear to me … a miniature and ornate cloche shelters a blown glass hummingbird that belonged to my precious sister, long-since “graduated” to heaven … a special teacup and saucer that were once my grandfather and grandmother’s that I’ve tucked a tiny nest into with a little hummingbird hovering above … and a plump, mercury glass bird, nestled between them.  Look at that beautiful, midnight twilight gleaming beyond the window!

PicCollage.pngDo you have a passion for collecting items that are a particular color?  Do you find yourself irresistibly drawn and buying collectibles and items in the perfect shade of peacock blue or sunny yellow?  Use those items you have in matching colors and group them together to make an impact and visual point of interest. 

This collection on my desk is unified in color and theme.  A chartreuse green watering can is filled with pencils and paintbrushes … another “impromptu” pencil cup is really a flower planter and is also chartreuse green.  The little frame beyond with bird houses is colored, again, in chartreuse green and complimentary shades of plum, a sweet gift from our beloved daughter that says … “A mother’s love is what makes a house a home.”PicCollage.pngSee how I unified different collectibles in my bookcase by using chartreuse green repeatedly … chartreuse green watering cans … book jackets … mossy rocks … planter … and little water pail.

An etched glass jar holds a collection of ferns and mossy rocks  and maintains the garden theme while evoking the mood displayed on the book jacket, “The Secret Garden.”  A large silver acorn and a mercury glass mushroom are all part of the magic in a “secret garden” and who else do you think resides there? … a couple of Frog Prince, of course! (:

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When you use and incorporate the items you love in decorating, your home will begin to be the haven you desire and will have the “cozy” feeling you’re longing to create.  Why? … because your home will be filled with the things you love and the collectibles that make you happy and reflect “your taste.”  A home you’ll love coming home to!

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Look how the textures of the hydrangea, the filigree on the planter, and the scrolling on the word ‘TRUST’ all compliment each other and make this arrangement visually interesting with the use of texture.PicCollage[386].png

Thank you so much for spending some time with me today!  I’d love to hear from you and I am truly delighted, reading what you have to say.  Please leave a comment, below.  Don’t be alarmed when your comment doesn’t post, immediately.  Word Press makes sure each post I send or that I receive hasn’t any SPAM attached … “it’s a good thing!” (:

From my cottage to yours  ~  Trenda

 

 

 

 

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