Where Does Your Garden Grow?

I love this guide from Sunset on small space gardening. It's helping me to think outside of the window box and inspiring me to get my hands dirty. Have a great weekend! I hope you get to spend it outside.

Gardening Gear for Mom

I'm not ashamed to admit that plants and gardening supplies are a Mother's Day go-to gift for me. Because I live in an apartment, I feel like I have the right to say, "Here, Mom. Now get out in your yard and get to work! And also, I love you."

[found here: dried flower arrangement; speckled planter; seed packets; garden labels; mini lawn flamingo; gardening gloves; pruner; low planter; watercolor herb planter; terrarium hanging plants; garden hose; air plant]

Garden and Glass

While in Seattle, Jonah and I paid a visit to Chihuly Garden and Glass. It's an indoor and outdoor exhibition featuring Dale Chihuly's colorful, playful, breathtaking glass work. I loved seeing the pieces mingled with flowers and plant life. And the centerpiece of the exhibition, a glass house with an enormous suspended sculpture and the Space Needle overhead, is one of my new favorite things in Seattle.

Speaking of favorite things from Seattle, today is Jonah's birthday! Happy Birthday to the cutest, funniest, best guy I know. Party like you mean it!

[Jonah pic courtesy of Reams Photo]

Hey Mister

Do you know about plant misters? I think I've seen them in movies with like crazy, old ladies in housecoats misting their plants all day. I don't know what movie this could possibly be, but it sure does sound like a classic, doesn't it? Anyway, they're for gently watering houseplants or things like orchids, succulents and terrariums. They have an old-fashioned charm about them, and they're cute enough to leave out alongside your plants or on a shelf. Much better than the squirt bottle I use ... while wearing a housecoat.

[spotted here: vintage mister; brass mister; clear glass mister; blue glass mister; milk glass mister; glass mister]

Bird Housing

These adorable birdhouses, designed to look like retro trailers, are handmade by a husband and wife team in Oregon. Each one comes with a personalized license plate, and yes, birds actually do live in them. I know if I were a bird, I'd definitely pick the cutest, quirkiest birdhouse.

And check out this round-up of bird nests I came across. Some of them are so beautiful!

Yard Games

Croquet is typically my lawn game of choice, but giant Connect Four, Jenga, Twister and Scrabble would be too fun to resist. When I was in the third grade, I played Jenga against a family friend of ours who is a surgeon. She, thankfully, ended up winning, but the match went on so long, I still consider myself a Jenga champion. It's all in the tiny fingers, which would probably not come in handy for giant backyard Jenga.

[spotted here: 1, 2, 3, 4]

Planted

I'm seeing if my thumbs have gotten any greener since the last time I brought a plant home. I'm still traumatized by the fact I turned this sweet little plant into a rotting heap. We'll see how it goes with succulents. Right now, I'm erring on the side of not watering rather than over-watering. Anybody have tips on growing succulents? Do they enjoy words of affirmation? Because I do think they're the cutest.

Ivy League

I'm always drawn to ivy on a building. There's something so romantic about it. Do you like it, or do you think it's a sure sign of a crazy old lady inside? You know, a real Miss Havisham type.

[spotted here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Air Plants

 

To Hold is an Etsy shop that sells air plants and all kinds of adorable containers to put them in. I think I'd even be able to keep these plants alive. No dirt required. It's like magic.

Enjoying the Sunset

Sometimes I feel like a girl without a country -- or a state, I should say. It's particularly evident when issues of Southern Living, New York Magazine and Sunset arrive in my mailbox simultaneously.

Sunset is a magazine I fell hard for while living in Seattle. It's all about beautiful living in the western U.S. and despite the fact that I've returned to my home coast (the eastern one), I can still appreciate the decor, gardens, getaways and recipes available to those on the other side of the country.

Sunset's countdown to spring made me particularly giddy, and now I'm daydreaming about hiking amidst wildflowers, indulging in seasonal desserts, painting with a bright color and making a fresh-from-the-garden salad in my home away from home away from home.

Grand Planter

Aren't these planters magical and so perfect for a grand outdoor party? I mean if these things were around in the 1920s, they would have been mentioned in The Great Gatsby.

Friendly Flowers

I love this sleek vase full of friendly yellow flowers from flores del sol. The arrangement features about 200 preserved yellow craspedia, also called billy buttons, billy balls, Australian bachelor buttons and drumstick flowers. They would be a fun alternative to Easter lilies or make a great Mother's Day bouquet if you have a cool mom.

Stick a Pin in It

For the last few weeks, I've been drawn to a display of these plants at Whole Foods, so I finally decided to bring one home with me. It's called a pincushion plant, and isn't it just the friendliest little guy you've ever seen? I think it would make a great housewarming gift.

I really hope I don't kill him.

Garden Utensils

I landed on an Etsy shop today called Monkeys Always Look, which offers the cutest combination of kitchen and garden. What first caught my eye were these charming garden markers made from antique silverware. The pieces are made to order and can say whatever you like. You can even choose whether you want a spoon or a fork. The rest of the shop features a variety of succulents in containers like bowls, teacups and other vintage-looking dishes, making them perfect for a sunny windowsill in the kitchen.