Cuttings and Cloches ~

 With the exception of succulents, in all the years I have been gardening I haven't done much plant propagation, I have sowed lots of flower seeds but made few attempts to start plants from cuttings. This all changed when I wanted some roses to plant around the base of the fountain in the new rondel garden. I knew just the roses I wanted, I already had some in the rear garden, but it is impossible to find more as I can not remember the name of this rose or where I got them. So, I decided to take some cuttings.

To help provide the  cuttings with a good start I needed more cloches and last week I found just the right ones at World Market. 

 I am also trying to propagate some other plants along with the roses, I decided to put them all together on the shelf outside of the kitchen window where I can keep a good eye on how they are doing.

Seeing them all lined up like this reminded me of  a work-yard I visited at a chateau in France. Isn't this  wonderful. There is some serious gardening going on here and of course the gardens were fabulous.

I will never have a use for that many cloches and I certainly don't have such a sumptuous garden but I rather like the way they look and the rose cuttings I that I took earlier seem to have taken. Hooray!

I think I have discovered a new hobby.

Thank you for visiting.

Happy birthday America ~

Wishing you all a wonderful, joyous,

 Fourth of July 2014

Happy Birthday America!

An homage to Versailles ~

I have always wanted a room with a gold ceiling, but I never had the courage to actually attempt it, then when I was making the decorating choices for the powder room I knew this was my chance.

The actual ceiling in this room is just over three feet square, long, long, ago it was converted into a  room out of two closets and the entry to the attic crawl space is here, whatever I did it had to remain accessible.

To finish it off I used cream colored cording between the wallpaper and the ceiling This really works well in older houses where it is difficult to get a clean edge and I think adds a nice detail.

Voila!

At first I tried using metallic gold paint but it really didn't have the richness I was going for, then my brother told me he had some gold leaf, enough to do the whole ceiling!

I sent away for the other supplies I needed...who would know that before applying gold leaf you put down a base coat of bright red paint!

After the base coat dries you paint on the adhesive sizing and then with extreme care lay on the individual sheets of gold leaf brushing it softly into place. It was a time consuming and detailed job, I felt a bit like Michelangelo with my neck bent back in an awkward position. But I got it done and I love it!

Would I attempt this on a larger ceiling, no, but it is perfect in here. I love the way it glows and reflects the light from the new chandelier. My intent was to make this room into a jewel box, having the gold ceiling really adds to the effect.

Now I have my own little imitation of Versailles.

this room is so tiny that it is almost impossible to get a good photo but a least it gives you some idea.

Thank you for visiting, I hope you have a golden day!

Bienvenue à l'été ~

Welcome to summer,

the time for sitting out in the garden and enjoying the long, warm, nights, eating with friends on the deck, and outdoor concerts.

I celebrated the beginning of summer last night by attending the opening concert at the Hollywood Bowl, it was spectacular! The performers were excellent and fireworks ended a wonderful evening.

This morning I am working in the garden, but this evening I plan on sitting  in one of these chairs with a glass of wine and enjoy the view.

The new Rondel garden ~

A few weeks ago I decided to take out the 20x30 foot lawn in the front garden. My main objective was to cut down on water usage but I also wanted to design an area that would blend style-wise with the rest of the garden and not add a lot of maintenance; grass is very easy to maintain. 

It has been a rather large project and now it is finally done.

Hooray!

Here are the results.

 The garden fork, which you see here in the planning stages of the design has become...

 a fountain!

When the weather cools down I will plant pink roses around the fountain base among the herbs and Santa Barbara daises, but for this summer I have planted Vinca which thrives in our summer heat.
I made the iron fence a while back by bending rebar around a tree trunk to make the hoops, I was going to throw them away but I think they look interesting here.

The trickling water makes the loveliest sound and the birds love it.


And the rest of the space, which previously looked like this:

Has now become this, my new rondel garden.

The plants are all very small so there appears to be a lot of gravel but when the Japanese Boxwoods planted around the fountain roundel get larger they will obscure most of the pathway.

I have also planted trailing plants which are still too small to see around the base of the trees and in other places to soften the look of the mulch. Like most projects there is still some tweeking to be done and I think I want to add another small tree, but all together I am satisfied, and the one of the best parts...

...it is all watered by drip irrigation. Good-bye Rainbirds!

Thank you for visiting, come back soon.

A little Molding ~

It never fails to amaze me what a little bit of decorative molding can do.

The cabinet doors in the powder room were horrible, just flat pieces of wood with absolutely nothing to relieve their ugliness.

Because of the strange sizes new doors would have to have been custom made and thus quite pricey. I choose to add molding and see if I could make them acceptable.

I used one inch molding applied around the edge of each door;  Easy to do with my new pin-nailer from Harbor Freight. Total cost for the molding: $10.00.

And this...

became this,

 and this, 

became this.

The new brass hinges and glass knobs also add to their improved appearance but the major difference is  the addition of the molding. 

I am very pleased, such a big change for so little effort and cost. Give it a try sometime.

Thank you for visiting, I hope you have a lovely day.

A busy weekend ~

It looks like it is going to be a very busy weekend!

My local garden center had a sale last night and I picked up some things to plant in the front garden where I recently removed the grass.

Some Gaillardias to soften the edges of the new paths. They perform so well here and add such wonderful spots of color.

Vincas, Santa Barbara Daises, and creeping thyme to plant under the new fountain...I will eventually plants pink roses here but that must wait until the weather cools down.

...Petunias and Alyssum for some pots: I love the scent of Alyssum, I wish they could bottle it.

Yes, I am definitely going to have a busy weekend!

I hope yours is a great one.

Thank you for visiting

Mirror love ~

The little powder room is finally reaching completion. Now for the fun stuff; I really love doing the details.

This is a very small space, in it's former life it was a bedroom closet, but it does have this nice recessed window. I pondered for a while what to do with the space below the window ledge and the long spaces on each side of the window moldings. Mirrors, I thought...I can have mirrors cut to fit, and I did! I love the effect; although they are very small they add  reflective light and sparkle.

  

Installing the chandelier, the vanity skirt, the new glass knobs and I am done!

What's next...the guest bedroom, but more on that later.

Thank you for visiting, 

I hope you have a sparkling day!