Monday, January 7, 2013

Dreaming of the garden

One of the best things I ever find waiting in my mailbox in winter is a new garden catalog. So far, I've received catalogs from Totally Tomatoes, John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, and Daddy passed along his Burpee catalog as well. This is some of my favorite reading material in the cold, gray days of winter—and it's just so lovely to be reminded that spring is just around the corner. This year, I think I'm going to concentrate on teatime herbs since I seem to have better luck with them than some of the flowers I've tried to grow.

Of course half the fun of working in the garden is accessorizing the garden, so I was quite happy when several friends and family gave me garden goodies with a tea theme as Christmas gifts. My friend Deberah got our mutual friend and garden club member, Charlotte, to make this great teacup bird feeder, which is somehow glued and mounted on top of a glass vase. I've had a similar piece before and erected it in the garden using some of the bamboo which grows so abundantly near our creek. I'll be doing that again this year, I hope!

Deberah joked that she had a "glue theme" with my gift this year, because she also gave me a pedestal plate she made herself using a candlestick and a rose design plate she found at Goodwill. I love this—and because it's clear in color, I know I will get lots of use from it!

Deberah also carried out her "glue theme" with this rose-design piece she found on Etsy. You can use it this way or turn it upside down. I will probably use it both ways as the years go by. Pretty!

I was already dreaming of my 2013 tea garden when my friend Susan gave me these windchimes. Perfect!

Then my friend Liz gave me a "tea set" that I am already envisioning planted with moss. I spotted a pretty patch of moss out in the yard just the other day, and I can just picture that pretty green color peeking through the wire of this set.

Then on Christmas day, my mom said, "If you have one of these already, feel free to take it back to Hobby Lobby." I didn't bother to tell her that in fact I did have one, because I think I rather like the idea of having two, and in different colors. Are any of you thinking about the garden just yet? I'd love to know what seeds you'll be planting this year!

15 comments:

  1. Dear Angela,
    You must be the easiest person to shop for! You can see how people enjoy shopping for you. More fun things to use in the new year.
    Happy dreaming, Ruthie

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  2. Cute tea things, and I love the wind chime! I'm off for a week to Mexico so I'll miss your posts.
    Judith

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  3. I have the exact same garden catalogs! Lifts my spirits on gray
    days looking at the colorful photos !

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  4. Thanks for sharing all your fun new items! I may have to see if our local Hobby Lobby still has those wind chimes in stock.

    It was neat seeing that you get Baker Creek's seed catalog. We live near there and have played music as a family band at several of their garden festivals in past years.

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  5. Isn't it fun when your friends know what you like? I think teapot windchimes in two different colors are delightful! Lots of fun gifts. Happy garden planning!

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  6. yes, I've started looking through the seed catalogs.
    also looking forward to ordering baby chicks this spring

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  7. Aren't seed catalogs fun? I don't have 4 sq inches of garden space but I love looking at the catalogs. I think the wind chimes are my favorite of all your garden goodies. I bet they even chime differently too. Enjoy...and send us all extra sunshine please.

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  8. Love the tea set windchimes. Can they be found in the northeast states? Thinking of my garden already too, but veggies is the topic LOL Jackie C

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  9. I'm terrible with plants, but I'm hoping to try growing some herbs this year. I'm thinking about mint, basil, rosemary and cilantro.

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  10. Love the idea of a glue theme. Love it all. Great blog. Thank you.

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  11. Can't wait to see what your garden grows this year.
    We were talking about our garden at supper tonight. I don't have good luck with seeds, so will wait for plants at the local green house.

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  12. Not sure what seeds yet. My husband gets a huge pile of garden catalogs and he makes the list, then I revise his list. Laughing.

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  13. Hi Gorgeous! It's so nice to be visiting you again... my blog hiatus is over. And I think I'll enjoy that cup of tea you got there with some of my scones! Mmmmm! I absolutely love your wind chime - that is so clever. Lurve~

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  14. I will be anxiously awaiting photos of your 2013 garden.

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  15. Great gifts, Angela! Good luck with your gardening this year, Joanie

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