My Creative Blog [Search results for gardens] 

I wish I could tell you this post was about my gardens but to be honest I'm just not that industrious. Between family, home and job I don't have that kind of time let alone these gardens are much too formal for my humble dwelling. These are highlights from Stan and Cheri Frye's stunning Edwardian garden, a local garden that I was fortunate enough to visit last weekend.

One of the lower ponds at the bottom of the gardens facing up with the main house barely visible on the right and the guesthouse in the center.
The Frye's gardens occupy four properties, on 12 acres with 40 garden areas, all on a rocky hillside with an elevation change of 110'. The gardens are linked together by lawn, mulch, pebbles, and granite stone paths. New Hampshire is called the granite state so we have no shortage of this material, ask anyone who has tried to garden here. You'll see from the pictures that there's a repetitive use of boxwood, evergreen, yew, holly, hosta and hydrangea to add a sense of unity.

The garden rooms surrounding the main house are kept formal as seen in this garden with a reflecting pool, statuary, urns and clipped boxwood.
As you wandered down from the first terraced area you come upon a 300-foot allee, a French word meaning a walkway lined with trees or tall shrubs, of pollarded sycamore trees. Pollarding of trees means to cut the branches back to the trunk in the spring to promote dense heads of foliage and to control the trees height. New growth on these trees can be as much as six feet per year. The tree branches are trained to grow to the north and south leaving the pathway open.

The 300-foot Allee with sycamore trees surrounded by pachysandra, a shade loving ground cover growing to eight inches.

At one end of the Allee you come upon a large urn called 'Pope's Urn', named after Alexander Pope, who was considered one of the greatest English poets of the 1700's and is visible from the back deck of the main house. At the other far end is a cottage and Stan's office. Can you imagine the tough commute he has walking down that allee each morning to his office? Torture!

In the geometric garden, boxwood is clipped into spheres to mimic the round architectural balls. While a lead boy balancing on a sphere gets sprayed in a small pool. Just look at that fabulous collection of antique garden ornaments and use of granite stone.

Here's a great idea, an arbor made out of nothing more than rebar tied together. Planted on each corner are Japanese maples that have their branches tied to the rebar to create a canopy. A laid stone flooring and voile, you have a stunning area out of the sun for a picnic.
I hope you've enjoyed a little of the garden tour and you go away with a few ideas of your own. Me, while the temperatures wavier in the three-digit area and dangerously close to my whining point, I think I'll go sit on the air conditioner and contemplate how the husband has over pollarded our tree and the deer have made a tasty snack out of my hosta!

In the pristine Languedoc area of south-western France, considered by many to be more desirable and less touristy than Provence, midway between the towns of Montpelier and Perpignan lies a beautiful wine-growing estate. Nestled amidst nature, the Ch'teau Les Les Carrasses welcomes you into a holiday home where modernity meets tradition.

Steeped in history, the Ch'teau was built in 1886 by well Bordelaisarchitect Louis Garros on the foundations of a rest stop on the pilgrimage route of Saint-Jacques de Compostela.

The properties has it's authentic character, contemporary design
centred around a series of courtyards connected by an avenue lined with shady trees. The chateau, winery and cellars, houses farm workers, forge, stables, the granary, the mansion and the gardener's cottage.

Each of these buildings have been transformed into individual private residences in keeping with their original design, proportions and textures, most with private gardens and many with swimming pools as well.

8 acres of gardens, woods and 'garrigue' await discovery — a treasure trove that includes enormous palms and other thriving specimen trees and shrubs, a gorgeous basin that is home to sleepy koi, an orchard, vegetable garden and olive grove. Dotted throughout the estate are surprising features ' a loveseat hanging from a tree, a flash of contemporary art, nesting boxes and the Ch'teau's 'secret gardens'.

Images: lescarrasses.com

T his time of year, I'm reminded of the other part of our farmhouse renovation....the yard. The above picture shows what the side of the house looks like today...

....this is what it looked like after the contractors left. Due to new electrical, plumbing and water lines, and grading new elevations around the entire house, we were left with a sea of dirt and gravel.
So we had to start from scratch. The yard landscaping was a project we hadn't anticipated when we set forth on our farmhouse renovation and is one that is taking time to complete.
Last summer, we put in a picket fence, front walk and stairs, and dining patio....these tasks alone took the entire summer to complete!

Here's the what the front of the house looks like today. The picket fence offers a coziness to the area around our house. We also wanted to define the area of our property that would be for gardens (inside the fence), from the part that would be more natural and simple (outside the fence).

This is what the front of the house looked like when the contractors left.

This is what the outdoor dining patio looks like today.

This is what it looked like after the contractors left. Once again, Mr. Engineer (Hubby) used all his know-how to design and build a retaining wall, level floor and two sets of stairs.

This is what our 'backyard' looked like just before we went through the renovation. The edge of the 'lawn' previously dropped off a couple of feet past the old deck (which was torn down during the remodel due to rot). The fill we had excavated from the front of the house was hauled out back to extend the lawn area.

This is what it looks like today. We planted over sixty (back breaking work!) White Simplicity hedge roses along the entire perimeter of the lawn. We have yet to rebuild the deck/balcony (this comes off from the french door in the living room)....as we're trying to enjoy summer this time around instead of always working on the house. Also, we're still deciding on some of the design elements of the balcony. I'll do a separate post on that soon.
So that's what we've done so far.
Landscape design is something I love but is not something I know. I've always loved gardens, especially old country gardens, and I love old houses with hedges and a sense of outdoor coziness. But exactly how to create that with a blank canvas completely stifled me.
Then last fall I came across Tara Dillard's beautiful blog and was overjoyed to discover that she did long distance consults! After sending her dozens of photographs of the yard, and discussing ideas over a few phone calls, she created a beautiful landscape design plan for our property.
It was just what I needed....professional vision. The plans will evolve over time, as money and time permit, but it feels really, really wonderful to have a plan. Tara's amazing gift for creating beautiful landscapes is something I truly admire. I feel quite honored and very happy that her vision will be expressed here on our property.
As we progress with our landscape projects, I'll be sure to keep you updated!

St. Petersburg, former Leningrad, was founded by Tsar Peter I of Russia on May 27, 1703. It was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years, until the Russian Revolution in 1917.

The city is considered to be the most Western inspired of Russia and by the Russians often referred to as The Northern Capital.

St. Petersburg is home to The Hermitage, the largest art museum in the world, featuring interiors of the former imperial residence and a vast collection of art. It was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and open to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display, comprise nearly 3 million items, including the largest collection of paintings in the world.

Other famous cultural sites are The Mariinsky Opera, The Ballet Theatre and The Imperial palace and park ensemble at Peterhof.

There are several gardens to see in St. Petersburg. Here's some of them.

The Alexander Garden was laid out in 1872-1874 over what had been Admiralty Square, to a design by the landscape gardener Eduard Regel, as part of the celebrations of the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Peter the Great. The Garden was formally opened in 1874 in the presence of Alexander II, who agreed to having the Garden named after him.

The Botanical Garden is one of the oldest Botanical Gardens in the country. The Garden was founded in 1714 by order of Peter the Great as the Apothecary's Garden, and soon became a centre for horticultural research that was the equal of any other in Europe in terms of the importance and size of its collection. Originally the Apothecary's Garden focused mainly on growing medicinal herbs, but soon people began bringing saplings and seeds of rare and exotic plants — for which a greenhouse was specially built.

The Catherine Garden is the unofficial name for the public garden in front of the Alexandriinsky Theater, between the Theater and Nevsky Prospect. The Garden was laid out in the 1820s to a design by Carlo Rossi, and the statue of Catherine the Great which dominates it and from which it takes its name was erected in 1873. From late spring to early fall — and sometimes into winter — local artists sit on the sidewalk outside the Catherine Garden exhibiting and selling their work and offering to draw portraits of passers-by.

The Summer Garden is located where the Fontanka River flows out of the Neva River. It was founded in 1704 by order of Peter the Great, who was personally involved in planning it, and is laid out according to strict geometrical principles. The Summer Garden is home to marble statues acquired from Europe especially for Russia's new capital, and also to rare flowers and plants, as well as fountains. It was a traditional location for courtly life outside the palace, and balls were held here by the nobility, who also enjoyed simply taking the air in the Garden.

Moscow Victory Park is located in the south of St. Petersburg on Moskovsky Prospect. It was founded in 1945 to mark the Allied victory in World War II over Nazi Germany. The Park, which spreads over 68 hectares, is home to more than 100 types of tree and bush, and includes elements of formal and landscape planning, being decorated with ponds, canals, avenues, and flower gardens.

The Tauride Garden was laid out in 1783-1789 on the estate of Grigory Potemkin behind the Tauride Palace from which it took its name. Potemkin was one of Catherine the Great's favourites (and lover, allegedly), and the Empress gave Potemkin the land and the title of Prince of Tauridia for his services in conquering ancient Tauridia (now the Crimean Peninsula). The Tauride Garden was landscaped in true Romantic style, designed to imitate nature, with ponds and canals and picturesque rolling landscape. Trees and shrubs were brought in especially from England.

And just for the fun of it, here are a few more photos of St. Petersburg.

We were absolutely thrilled when we were contacted by the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown- the team that plans the amazing Bucks County Designer House & Gardens. My mom and I have been huge fans for a long time, and {before kids} made a point to visit the home every year. I mean, what's better than being told that you're allowed to snoop in someone else's house?! The BCDHG is a fundraiser to support the Doylestown Hospital that combines gorgeous, old homes in Bucks County and fabulous designers from the area. Designers submit ideas for the rooms they'd like to design in a specially chosen Bucks County home, and the best ones are chosen by the committee. This year's home is unbelieveably gorgeous, with loads of character and charm.

Isn't it beautiful? And this doesn't even showcase the grounds! Love it. Anyway, the lovely ladies on the committee asked Monica and me to run two seminars, and of course, we agreed! We're so excited to be doing one seminar on Upcycling (duh! What else?) and the other on Accessorizing like a Pro. The seminars are included in the price of admission, so there's no excuse for all you design enthusiasts!We'd LOVE to flood the Designer House with as many RHBC fans as possible, so be sure to check out the calendar of events for more information and details. Plus, there's nothing more fun than meetingour readers in real life, so you'd be making us really happy.; )
Will YOU be coming out to support us?

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I know, pansies? Everyone always thinks of mums as the go-to Fall flower. I love them too, but I was looking for some fall decor inspiration and came across the idea from Miracle-Gro's Find beauty in the Fall website to use pansies as an aternative way to add fall color to my front porch. I love that pansies are a little unexpected and not your typical Fall gardening staple. You know I'm not much of a gardener, so I'm sticking with container gardens. Just take a look at these beauties I found while searching on Pinterest:

Google Images

I love these colors against the blue door, just like I happen to have right now.

Southern Living This one is my absolute favorite. I love these tiered planters with burnt orange pansies, decorative grasses and ivy. I think I now have an excuse to give Monica's easy DIY planters a try.: )

Finally, this one is adorable, and if you stop by this Fall, you might just see one of these babies sitting pretty on my porch:

Wave Rave I don't know much about actual in-ground gardening, but I do know that container gardens require really good and thorough care. For my summer planters, I used Miracle-Gro potting mix that takes care of all the hard work of feeding my plants for several months. Since pansies can withstand frost, that means my planters will look good until Thanksgiving!

I'm so anxious to get my front porch ready for Fall! You can find lots more ideas and inspiration on the Miracle-Gro Facebook page. Have you ever used pansies in your Fall decorating? Have I given you enough reason to try?; )

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Downtown with only two streets
I thought I'd tell you how we came to be living in an 18th century house in the country. My husband Rick and I were living in NYC and had been searching the suburbs for 5 ' years looking for the perfect antique house to no avail. We had quite the list of wants and weren't willing to settle. After one particularly disappointing day my husband brightened up and said time to go farther out and made a call to an old childhood friend who was in real estate.

Autumn in Our Town
An hour later our fax machine started humming away spitting out house listing after house listing, talk about excitement! The house listings were in Rick's childhood hometown up in New Hampshire and one house in particular caught both our attention and Rick couldn't figure out why it seemed so familiar so time to take a drive up and have a look.

Front of House at first meeting
Rick had driven up alone to see the house and called that night telling me I needed to hop on a plane and get up to NH pronto, he had found our dream home. Meeting our home for the first time took a bit of imagination to envision what it could look like when brought back to life. Upon arrival to our house you couldn't see it sitting up on the side of the mountain from the road since the front forest was so over grown. But once up the drive there she was'''a cape built in 1790 sitting looking very blank and forlorn just waiting for someone to love her.

Side yard looking into the back
The property was blank! No shrubs around the house, no gardens, no nothing except what Mother Nature planted. Those 'shrubs' you see at the back of the house were actually invasive weeds called Japanese knot weed or bamboo and were next to impossible to kill off.

Back of house

The property in general was an absolute mess! The side field weeds had grown part way into the side yard and calling them weeds was putting it mildly. There were huge wild rose bushes the size of a vehicle, poisonous sumac trees and giant weeds taller then a man. The only way around that mess was walking around on the road because you couldn't go through it.

Rick told me while we were touring what we termed 'the mess' that he finally knew why this house seemed so familiar, it was his old pediatricians house. My husband was born and raised right down the road from this house, talk about going full circle. Another surprise from our realtor, the old gal is buried right out back on the tier. I guess she really loved this house!

Yes, as far as you can see this is our mess!

The interior turned out to be as dismal as the outside, the whole house had white walls, not semi flat painted white walls but the white of primer paint. Yes, you read that right, everything was painted with primer white paint! While almost every trim throughout the entire house was painted that strange blue/green. Take it from me people white is not neutral it's shockingly bright!

We had seen our house on a rainy day so found out first hand that the roof needed help since it was raining on the first floor of a two story house. See the rain coming down the window shade? It's was flowing steadily from the ceiling as well. Despite the fact we were going to need a bulldozer and every surface in the house needed help the structural bones of the house were perfect and ready to stand for another 200 years.

Front forest after we cleaned and thinned it out
We found everything we wanted in a property and house even if it was going to take a very strong back and many years to put right. So after nearly six years of searching we took the plunge and bought our home. Welcome to our dream!

Today, those of us in PA enjoyed an early taste of summer! So, in honor of the beautiful weather, we're going to talk gardening! Ok, don't tune out on me yet… there are some cool things about gardening even if you're not"into it"…

Longwood Gardens My mother in law has an amazing green thumb, so anything I've learned is from her. I don't have extensive knowledge, but I've found plants that work for me and that I can manage… all that translates to "plants that are very hard to kill and can deal with being ignored!" Before I share some of my favorites and some recommendations, we need a little primer on plants. Annuals are plants that don't come back year after year… you have to buy them annually. Perennials come back year after year (AKA plants that Eric thinks are nice and practical!) Yes, that seems a little basic, but come on, most people confuse the two all the time!
Now for my favorites… Grasses- these perennials are wonderful as space fillers. They're inexpensive, indestructible, and grow like crazy. My favorite type is Maidenhair Grass (Miscanthus). They come in a variety of sizes and are nice and green all spring and summer.

In the fall they get these pretty wispy thingies (again, not very exact with my names!)

They also come in a variety of colors. I've bought this deep red before and it looks great in the fall.

Vinca- These annuals are my #1 favorite flower and my go-to flower for most beds and here's why… These flowers don't need a thing from me! They love full-sun, and thrive during a drought and heat wave. That's essential for me because, I spend full-sun, heatwave days by the pool, not watering my flowers!

They totally spread and fill out an area so nicely. Vinca = instant garden!

They're awesome for hanging baskets and again need little to no water. I rarely, if ever, water ones in the ground, but might water my baskets weekly or every ten days.

Now most people use Impatiens (which btw I thought were impatience until about 2 minutes ago!) but, the reason I prefer vinca is that impatiens need TLC. They need a lot of water throughout a drought and can stand the heat, but only with care. The two look so similar, that the easy peasy flower gets my vote for sure! These are impatiens- can you tell much of a difference?

Sunflowers- who doesn't love a sunflower? We go a little crazy with our sunflowers and try out tons of different varieties. My kiddos' favorite is the Mammoth Sunflower because it's enormous! Look at this random, adorable couple and their sunflower. They really do get this big!

Sunflowers don't have a super long bloom time, but if you stager your planting- plant a handful in the same area each week- you'll have a longer bloom season. This was the border of our backyard at the old house prior to full bloom.

Did you know they come in oodles of colors and so many of them have awesome fall tones? They bloom towards the end of the summer and get me all excited for my favorite season! This little fella was from our 2009 gardening.

Final note on sunflowers- they're super easy to plant and a great one to have the kids help you with! Can't mess it up!
New Favorite: Wildflowers- Thanks to Laura from Piggy Toes Photography in Norton, MA I'm hooked on wildflowers. I'm more of a clean lines, symetrical decorator and gardener, but was totally inspired by some of her pictures to enter the world of wildflowers. Who wouldn't want this amazing backdrop for photos right in their own yard! It was this picture of her son Atticus that made me contact her and find out more about these awesome flowers. Seriously Adorable!

These are super cute and will be making an appearance in our new yard. The company Laura suggested was American Meadows and I've already ordered three bags to plant in the next few weeks.

Although I'm partial to the cutie in the diaper, they're also great for more formal shots like this one from an engagement session. If you're in the MA area, make sure you check out Laura's website for great photography at excellent prices.

I can't wait to share pics of my kiddos in our wildflowers this summer!
Cosmos- While cosmos kind of fall under the"wildflowers" category, I've been using them for years. They're a bit more"wild" looking and unrully than I'd prefer, but they're awesome for cutting and really are pretty.

They come in so many colors and they also come in a variety of heights (learned the hard way when I had mammoth plants that all needed to be staked and still looked a bit sad.)

They're just so pretty and make beautiful arrangements that last for a while.

If you think you recognize them from somewhere… it could be from the AC Expressway in New Jersey. They're planted for miles between the highway and they're so pretty all summer on our drives to the beach!

So, I don't have any really amazing gardening tips for you, other than to find something that works for you and that you actually enjoy. If I planted things that needed daily attention it wouldn't be fun for me and they'd all end up dead!
So in honor of spring weather, and of the fact my husband sent me to Lowes tonight to buy this (my first ever John Deer purchase- I was a fish out of water) enjoy the warm weather and start thinking about what you might create outside this year.

I can be honest… I want an awesome mudroom. I can also be honest that I don't need an awesome mudroom right now, but I did need to do something about the organizational mess that was our coat closet. Life has a lot of wants vs. needs, and sometimes I can get the two confused, but luckily my hubs is very good at reminding me of the difference.: ) Since the awesome mudroom is low on the budget totem pole, I had finally had enough and did an impulsive closet redo… Here's the Mess — In the kids' defense they had a hard time reaching the to hang their coats, but really they were just MESSY!

Library books, cleaning supplies, camera accessories, beach towels (for snowy boots)- seriously in need of some organization!

I pulled out all the junk… it was a whole lot of junk…

I had bought these hooks for the kids bathroom, but since I had them on hand, I just decided to use them… did I mention this was impulsive? The cute, pantsless toddler is optional, but makes the project more exciting if you're up for a challenge.

And lest you think that these DIY projects are all cute and blog-pretty… look at my hallway mid project! Cal enjoyed the umbrella for a while and it kept him from being under my feet!

Added coats and backpacks. Yes, I have 4 kids, but only 3 are in school, so we went with those for now.

Library books in basket up top, toddler jackets and extra jackets hung, baskets for hats and gloves etc. Impulsive project done, and one super-happy husband on hand (he's a big fan of organization!)

You might notice that there aren't any shoes in the closet. We have another, non-glamorous system for that…

These are just over-the-door shoe holders that we nailed onto the studs. Not pretty, not amazing, but really works for us and all of our shoes!
Time for a little more honesty… I did have all these great, creative ideas for how this closet could be super-cute. Painted walls. Vinyl kids' names. Coordinated hangers. Matching Baskets. BUT, again it came down to Want vs. Need . I might be learning something here… So, I'm being patient on my pretty little mudroom, but a girl can dream… This is just a sneak peek of the Mudroom Tour we'll be going on tomorrow…

Better Homes and Gardens

I adore beautiful gardens! Frustrating enough I have no knowledge what so ever how to make one of my own. I guess I'll simply have to buy a  ton of books and go from there. My wish is to have a part of the garden dedicated to wild growing flowers of all kind. It's just so beautiful. And it doesn't need tending, haha.

New to the blog? This is Part 2 of a series on my discovery to creating a home that is comfortable and stylish. I find that thinking about the places I've been that have really impacted me and that I fell in love with, helps me discern what styles I want to incorporate in my home. Each place has a certain feel that I would love to capture at home. To read Part 1, click here.

Have you ever been to Nantucket? (Sigh) It's probably my favorite place on the planet, other than my bed, and I think about it often. It is an island off the coast of Massachusetts that has a distinct New England feel. It's a combination of classic/preppy and casual/coastal. The homes on the island don't go for sale very often because they are passed down through generations, but when they do, they cost a pretty penny. Worth every bit, I'm sure.

Source: superstock.com via Jessica on Pinterest
I remember riding my bike right past this little, rose-covered gem with a white picket fence. Dreamy.

Source: inspireddecorating.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
The towns (and there are only 2 on the island, I think) has great cobblestone walkways throughout.

Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest
If I could wake up in this room every morning, I'd be a happy woman. Lots of neutral tones, but the wooden bed and brick step add warmth and depth. And oh, the gallery wall and french doors leave me breathless. I get like that sometimes over rooms. No big deal. {Ahem}

Source: etsy.com via Jessica on Pinterest
I love this painting. I'm already trying to figure out how to recreate one for cheap. More on that later.: )

Source: cottages-gardens.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Source: chameleon-interiors.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest
Cedar shingles are so elegant and classic. They start out a light tan, and then as they weather, turn into that gorgeous, moody gray.

Source: inspiracionline.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Source: brightboldbeautiful.blogspot.com via Natasha on Pinterest
Of course, you have to enjoy a good, old-fashioned lobster bake when on the island, and who wouldn't want to do that in this adorable space? Aren't those red and orange stools fabulous? And the chandeliers are awesome too, and are totally an easy DIY project!

Source: canvas.landsend.com via Susie on Pinterest
Even this outfit screams"Nantucket" and, if I could, I would wear that every day of my life. Yes, even for my kid's weddings, in case you were wondering.

Source: traditionalhome.com via Natasha on Pinterest
So cozy. I adore the faded blues and tans, and the fabric on that pillow.

Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest
So, hopefully, now you understand my love for all things Nantucket. Stay tuned for Part 3 later this week!

It's good to be back from vacation. Happy Monday, everyone!

S o far, I've only planted a small handful of bulbs in the yard. Every year I say that I will plant hundreds, yet every year slips by me. This year....

Hopefully, this post will inspire me to follow through. There's nothing lovelier than the elegant welcome of these lovely ladies at our gate. This variety is from Van Bloem Gardens and is called 'Triumph.'

I've mentioned it before… we love to have people over. One thing we loved about our new house from the start, was the large dining room. However, we soon realized that to buy a BIG table you need a BIG budget. We shopped and shopped and eventually settled on a table with all the style we wanted, a decent price tag, but we compromised on the size.

About a week after getting the table I had buyer's regret and tried to return it. No, soup… 7 day return policy. We kept it another month or so and finally I decided to call it a loss and sell it on Craig's list. Today we sold it to an awesome family and I'm left with this… back to square one…

Here are a few tables that I love, sans the pricetags…

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn

Restoration Hardware

Restoration Hardware Although, these tables still aren't long enough for me. I think I need to give the Duggars a call, because I want something like this… (okay, maybe not that long!)

The next idea was to purchase a conference table. Yup, you read it correctly. A super modern approach with an awesome price.

While is option is still"on the table" (sorry,couldn't resist!) I'm not totally sold. So, here's my most recent plan… I'm making a Dining Room Table!
Thanks to Ana White's blog post I really think I might be able to pull this off! This is a table that another reader made herself and it was her first woodworking project as well. She blogged about it here, and the best part is that the total cost was under $200! Amazing!

These plans look simple enough right???

Thankfully, I have some talented people in my life that I will definitely be talking to for advice and instruction along the way. I am so excited to get started and plan on starting it this weekend! I also think I might go with these chairs from Better Homes and Gardens because they're only $39.99 each and I want about 14 of them!

So, am I crazy? Have you ever attempted something totally outside of your comfort zone?

While perusing the Internet looking for a certain antique item for my new kitchen I remembered Michael Trapp Antiques and web site Here. While browsing his pages I had a look at his profile and was very surprised to find a little box right below his picture. Michael Trapp is a garden and interior designer extraordinaire, theatrical designer, antiques dealer, and trendsetter, who is well known on the east coast, is selling his amazing home in Sharon, Connecticut.

View of the house before renovation
Perched on the edge of a cliff with spectacular views of the Berkshires foothills sat an unassuming 3000 square foot bungalow style house that Michael purchased for $365,000 in 2003 and set about creating a little magic.

View of the house after renovation with landscaping, stonewalls, steps and cobblestone walkway. Notice the color of the house and trim.

View of the dining room, notice the wall color, with a 19th century Spanish chandelier, the teak chairs are sold on his web site. The dining room and living room face out to the deck so the windows and French doors were all elongated to capture the view.

The antique French limestone table base and the fabulous 18th century flooring from Burgundy are all available on Michaels' web site.

The 900 square foot deck that runs the length of the house brings those captivating views home! This picture was obviously taken in the fall since the leaves are changing. Now do you understand why someone with so much talent bought such a house?

The living room is outfitted with eight dead birch trees, while an unusual decorating statement inside they would have been worse outside for a garden designer. Upon arriving for the front yard Michael found they were diseased and dying so he brought them inside. The living room is bigger in height then width so he needed something to make the scale more human like without blocking the light coming inside.

The other side of the living room noticed how Michael used black paint to mimic wainscoting on the lower half of the walls. He has another variety of tree hanging above the large clam shell, an orange tree. I love all the antique frames on the wall, sometimes they make more of a statement empty.

The master bath is tiled with late 19th/early 20th Century Spanish glazed concrete tile that are available on Michaels' site in three different colors. The sinks are all carved stone.

In the bedroom, a pre-Rafaelita painting of St. Sebastian is framed on either side with finials from a Samuel McIntire house. You can see Michaels' love of antique architectural pieces in the side tables and throughout the house.

The floors are all inlaid 18th century French Terra cotta tiles from Burgundy all outlined with bands of dark stained wood.
Michael was able to open the house up and bring the light and outside in blurring the line between the two. If you're interested in seeing a wonderful slide show featuring this house go Here.
If you're interested in seeing Michaels' shop with attached gardens and house go Cote de Texas Joni did a wonderful spread not to be believed.
Oh, if you're interested I did buy my new kitchen a little something from Michaels' shop here....

a 16th century Italian wine vessel
Happy Shopping!

Sofiero Palace and Gardens in Helsingborg has been named 'Europe's Best Park 2010', becoming the first Swedish park to receive the prestigious award. And by looking at these beautiful pictures it's not hard to understand the choice.

In 1865, Swedish Crown Prince and Princess Oscar and Sophia built the summer castle Sophie-Ro. In 1905 the newlywed Gustaf Adolf and Margareta was given the castle as a wedding gift and Margareta created with great pleasure the garden. Her parents, who owned the castle Bagshot, in England were both interested in gardening and her father who several times visited Japan brought back plants and inspiration, which affected Margareta's gardening interest.

When Gustaf Adolf died in 1973, he left Sofiero to Helsingborg city and today the garden is a blossoming oasis, with exhibitions, activities and arrangements. In the garden there are approximately 10 000 Rhododendron bushes of 300 different sorts and equal many hybrids. Sofiero has northern Europe's largest collection of Rhododendron.

Pin Brooch crafted from vintage English scenic transferware, antique silver finish
I'm always happy to wake up to find that a kind artist has featured my work in their treasury. I found the colors of this one to be quite attractive! http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4bf617ddafe66d9169686bdb/sunset-over-butterfly-gardens
Update: Happy to find this treasury on the front page of Etsy on 5/22/10!

When I last posted about our carriage barn our contractors were just starting to frame out for the windows here. They also had to add new studs since the old ones weren't sixteen inches on center and carpenter ants and water had taken a toll on two sides of the building. Then it was a simple matter of sheathing so they could start to button this place up for winter.

Our contractors waited until all the other windows had been framed out before they would cut and frame for the half round window as their small way of torturing me. I'll admit I became a bit of a pest about framing out for that window but I just wanted to see! Just look how that half window is the crowning touch on the upper wall!

Inside looking out, look at that view looking out among the forest, it's like our own personal tree house! And the half round window fits perfectly up among the eave. It sits right on the main beam and goes right up to the rafters, it pays to measure!

Back side of the carriage barn and our contractor Rich who thought he was running the job site but lets be realistic as to who was running this job'lol, yes we butted heads a few times. You see that concrete slope along the bottom edge that was to direct the water away from the barn. They encased the sills under there as well. This barrier stops all water from leaking into the downstairs part of the barn. They placed drainage everywhere behind the barn since the mountain slopes down towards our barn. You see that opening behind Richs' back....

That would be this opening where a pair of French doors are going. This was where the original barn doors were located and leads out to this....

An old logging road that goes up into the forest, this whole back area used to be open pasture land and you can see from the size of the trees they aren't all that old. It has stonewalls on either side but as you can see there on the right part of the stonewall has been shoved about by the shifting of the mountain. Look how straight that left wall is, amazing they could do that over 200 years ago.

The other end of our barn facing out onto our backyard and as you can see our contractors have really made a mess of our yard, it goes clear around the house! The bottom half is where mister mans' workshop is located.

Looking out on the end shown above. The annex is located on the left over where the window is leaning against the wall.

Look at the view from that end looking out onto our backyard and forest. We're really very blessed to be surrounded by so much natural beauty.

The window above also faces out to our old barn area in the backyard, here you can see the entire foundation that the barn used to sit upon. Unfortunately the animal barn was struck by lightening at the turn of the 20^th century and burned to the ground. We plan on having that area cleaned up and graded for gardens.

After they sheathed that end and as you can see mister man is building another granite stonewall for his shop. That hanging wood frame is the frame for a window. This end had a lot of carpenter ant damage, similar to termites but the stone will stop those ants since they won't climb and can't penetrate stone.

Our carriage barn all sheathed and ready for the windows, two sets of barn doors need to be built for the lower front of the barn and then clapboard and it'll be set for winter. I can't wait to show you in my next post how the windows look!

L ast fall I planted our first tulip bulbs in the yard. The variety is called 'Triumph' and came from Van Bloem Gardens.

It was pure joy to watch her rise up from the spring ground and say hello. I think even dear Hubby said hello back.

This fall, I'm going to make a point of getting many more bulbs to plant around the yard because there's nothing quite sweeter than to see that little sleeping bulb come up in the spring and blossom into a beautiful flower.
Happy weekend dear friends. xo

If you are a Bucks County native, chances are that you already visit Tabora Farm & Orchards regularly. However, I’ve met too many people who have never heard of this gem of a store. Located near Peace Valley park, Tabora is truly a Bucks County experience. Both Monica and I agree that this is a great place, but I’m not joking when I say that this is my FAVORITE little store in our area. As soon as you walk in, the delicious smells take over. They have a gourmet deli, an awesome bakery (they made my wedding cake!), a little gift store, and they recently opened their own wine cellar.

Every season offers a new reason to visit Tabora. In the fall, you can pick apples, taste and purchase their unbelievable apple cider, and get gourds, pumpkins and mums to decorate your porch.

In the Spring and Summer, they have tables and adirondack chairs placed next to their orchards where you can enjoy your lunch, and concerts in the evenings in the gardens out back. My must-have item from the deli is the egg salad sandwich on pumpernickel bread with horseradish mayonnaise. To die for! C1 and Hunky love the homemade cider donuts (if you can get them warm, you wont' regret it!) You don’t want to miss this great store.

Also, I had to include this adorable picture of Monica's son Kaden on a class field trip to Tabora Farm.

It’s Friday, so why not make a trip there this weekend and see what we're talking about! 

This is a sponsored post written by us on behalf of The Home Depot- We're so thrilled to have the chance to partner with one of our CWTS sponsors! I'll keep it real right from the start… as much as I try, I don't have a super green thumb. I did last week when I was painting my piano green, but that's not quite the same I suppose. When our friends at The Home Depot asked if we'd like to try our hand at creating a vertical garden, I jumped at the opportunity! Last month, I talked about how I joined the The Home Depot Garden Club and saw so many cool projects and ideas. If you missed the post, you can check it out here- they also have a $5.00 coupon-Score! So, after combing through the site, and looking on The Garden Club board on Pinterest I decided to make a vertical garden. I think they look super cool and I've never tried using my carpentry skills with my lack of gardening skills. Here's what I'm hoping to make… Of course with my own fun twist!

(Hover over the image below… it's like magic!)

Vertical gardens are all the rage this season! I've seen so many cool ones made out of everything from shoe organizers to soda bottles. Here are some of the awesome ones I've seen on Pinterest… Apartment Therapy

Pallet Vertical Garden

Boundless

I'm headed to The Home Depot this week to get all of my materials, but I have to decide a few things beforehand.
1- What flowers do you think I should add to my vertical garden?
2- What color scheme should I go for?
3- How should I add my own fun spin to the style?

I'd love to hear your input! Next week I'll share my building plans and materials- you can build one right along with me. It'll be like a DIY long distance relationship!

It’s home improvement time, and The Home Depot has everything you need to #DigIn for Spring. No matter what projects you want to tackle, they have great values on all you need. They’re ready to help you with renovation ideas and expert advice too! Get over $300 in email exclusive savings each year, sneak peeks on new products, monthly lawn & garden ideas for your region and access to The Home Depot’s gardening experts.