For 15 minutes, I’ve been listening to someone

trying to break in my back door.

Clanking, rattling, thuds, spitting, hissing,

Forgot I was boiling eggs and nearly ran the pot dry.

Not my house but I did take the picture. It’s from my Wilmington NC collection as are most of cool old houses on my site.

Kitties make walkways more friendly

This street has it all. It has a brick sidewalk, attractive plantings, beautiful homes, and mature trees. You know this took several generations of people planning and caring about how it will/would be for them and those who pass on the street. I wish this sort of thing was mandatory. I don’t mean to make a person go beyond their money and means—but everyone can keep a welcome yard. I think a pathway is one of the most important features. Don’t you?

Straight or winding? The above brick paved walkway is winding—- which I think leads your eye from one side of the garden to the other. The owners made the walkway stand out by planting liriope down the sides. It makes a subtle contrast.

That walkway above is slightly off center. That’s clever cause the door is off center to the left. Nice balance.

With a curved path, you look to the end first and then work your way back.

This home is so confident that it can split the sidewalk and dare you to look beyond.

Mossy green paths with a bit of the basketweave showing is perfectly attractive.

Maybe we’d all be in shape if this was our choice of pathways.

Before modern plumbing, the well was a treasured functional part of the landscaping. It was important to show it off properly. Some folks didn’t have a well and would have to go to the town’s approved public well.

I love the curves, the interrupted mixed brick, and the size. Some would call this a patio but what gives it away as a wide path would be that it draws you around the center planting and invites you continue walking beyond the inner circle. See the walkways that come off the main square? I would imagine that those 4 little bushes were probably vegetables or herbs back in the 1800’s when this home was built.

There are lots of ways to build a path or walkway and you’ll have to decide what suits your personality, lifestyle, home architecture, and needs.

Now this straight path needs no other explanation.

The Porch Is Ready For Sit ‘N’

I worked all day yesterday to recover the front porch cushions and make throw pillows to match. I bartered for this chicken fabric long time ago. I made the containers for the front of a fabric store and she gave me some pretty fabric in return. I want to paint the pots yellow.

We are out here several times a day and almost every evening rain or shine. There is ceiling fan to help stir the air on the muggiest of days like today. I’m sure to take a rest from gardening and get a glass of sweet tea. Some days I bring my laptop out and chit chat from the swing.

All the cushions come off easily for washing. I don’t like to sit on dirty or mildewed cushions. Mildew hasn’t been a problem the last two years cause of the drought but this year is a whole new ballgame. We’ve had more rain than sunshine. Today it’s really humid and a perfect set up for mildew. I can nip that in the bud with a good trip to the washing machine. I like my stuff to smell good anyway.

Here is one of my Bee Balms, the Lo and Behold Blue Chip buddleia that is one of my all time favorite shrubs from Proven Winners. It’s a dwarf that will never grow any taller than what you see. But oh the blooms it puts out. A butterfly magnet. I’ve also got Coconut Lime Coneflower there too.

As a reminder to some, I planted my gardens later this year. I work my annuals hard and I wanted them to last longer. They kept fizzling out on me before the season was done which can be November around here. Now it’s all starting to bloom nicely and perfectly timed for a long season of enjoyment.

Cameron wrote about this monarda not long ago if you care to get technical about it. She’s the techy expert. I’ll just plan on going over to her blog and seeing what’s she writing about so I can steal all her hard work. It’s called Raspberry Wine.

I like it with Coconut Lime Echinacea.

Blooming its little fool head off. You know I’m going to divide this next season and have loads more. It stands out the most in my garden.

Blue Satin Rose of Sharon by PW growing as a neighbor to the monarda

And a phlox

Life is so grand from a good old southern porch!

Just sitting out here swatting flies and swapping lies Hugs to everyone. Ok, I’m really going outside now. I’ve got about 30 plants to get in the ground. I’ll need some tea of course.

The Estate at Fair Oaks

If you have one million seventy-five thousand dollars, you can own this painted brick traditional southern home. It looks old but is brand new. I appreciate that the new trend is to look old. I want to see this sort of thing repeated in all price range neighborhoods. There is something so welcoming and inviting about the old southern homes.

You can see the inside of the home HERE

That painted brick gives a plantation feel and the white keeps the home cool by reflecting the light instead of absorbing it. This home has such a pretty view out the front. I would have added a big front porch for rocking chairs wouldn’t you?

It does have a very pretty back porch. The kitchen and family room open to this area. There is a paved patio and 3 car garage under the porch. The home is over 5,500 square feet.

I think it’s really pretty don’t you?

The homes in the Fair Oaks neighborhood are part of an estate called the Blumenthal Home property. It was a Jewish senior living care facility started in the early 1960’s. The massive home still sits at the end of a lane leading in to the Fair Oaks community. The Blumenthal home was purchased and restored. It is a private residence today.

A new facility for the seniors was built in a neighboring town and the Blumenthal organization has used monies from the sale of the home toward grants to help care for the elderly.

Haint Blue Color Formula

The blue above is what I refer to as Haint Blue, a color that is traditionally used on porch celilings throughout the south and starting to catch on up North. I have finally tracked down an expert on this color. I hope this will help many of you who are trying to achieve the historical color.

Funcolors, a expert in her field of color consulting, has written an article on Haint Blue. You can read it HERE

She also has an article HERE

Sherwin Williams site has an article HERE on blue porch ceilings.

She has those color samples available and will help you figure out the right shade based on historical homes that have this Haint Blue. Haint Blue is more of a term that originated in the South when folks thought it drove away evil spirits called haints. There isn’t an official color called Haint Blue and Funcolors explains the reason. So don’t be fooled in to accepting a substitution—go over and visit Funcolor’s article so you can be as historically correct as possible.

The article by Funcolors gives an in depth look at the color and history behind it. She has provided examples and studied the color from their original sources. So if you are looking for a color consultant or just curious about the color Haint Blue, take a look at her article.

I also wrote a post about it and here is the LINK. I show Haint Blue on several porch ceilings. But here are a few for you to look at and notice the different shades of blue that have been used—anywhere from a true blue to an aqua.

Interesting what you get in to when choosing Haint Blue so be careful and be correct. All of these are beautiful but not all are the traditional Haint Blue. Your paint store will have a 100 different formulas for Haint Blue. It’s best you read Funcolor’s article.

You can find these houses on my sidebar under Impressive Entryways and Wilmington. Thanks for stopping by and please leave me a reply if this was helpful. I have so many people come by searching for Haint Blue since I did my first article. I wish you the best as I know it’s important to get it just the right color. You can also see my big porch on my sidebar under—A Craftsman Home.

In to the garden of Elizabeth Lawrence

Elizabeth Lawrence is my hero. She was a pioneer in her field. She was the first woman to graduate from North Carolina State University with a degree in landscape design. Please go with me and tour her gardens through the eyes and thoughts of Flowergardengirl.

In The Neighborhood of Clarkson and Lawrence

No One Gardens Alone: A Life of Elizabeth Lawrence written by Emily Herring Wilson is my recent purchase. I could not resist it as I toured the gardens of Elizabeth Lawrence in Charlotte, North Carolina. I visited a childhood friend this weekend. She ask what I would like to do and was delighted when she agreed to tour the gardens of Elizabeth Lawrence and Elizabeth Clarkson. Two avid gardeners who lived on the same street in Myers Park in the beautiful town of Charotte, North Carolina.

Please join me for a trip down Ridgewood Avenue and see some of the homes both new and old that belong to the neighbors of these two pioneering women. Over the next three days, I’ll be writing about the gardens of Miss. Lawrence and Mrs. Clarkson. Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson set up a foundation called Wing Haven which owns and maintains both the homes. You can not imagine how much I enjoyed my visit to both gardens with only a few houses of separation. My goodness what their neighbors must have thought. And a surprise–they weren’t the only famous gardeners on Ridgewood Avenue in Charlotte, North Carolina.

When Plant Placement Says Wow

When Heavenly Bamboo or Nandina is placed just right, the sun will create magic with the new growth. This was done perfectly and shows how light can add to your landscape. Before you plant a single shrub or flower, consider how it will look as the shadows and sun play across its presence.

It is toxic to cats if they eat the berries. Humans should not eat the berries either as it will make you very sick. It can be considered invasive because it grows fast and spreads.

NC State Hort info on the plant