patio and reclaimed wood planter box

I completed a small patio with natural flagging and sand base. As we excavated the area it was clear we had alot of really nice top soil...which when we designed and bid the job we were going to haul and dispose of ... (usually in another garden , as I hate to waste anything) but as it piled there I thought ... this could actually be something... how to use this ...and voila ... a planter box was built... with some new wood(left over from another project) and reclaimed pieces (from the customers own stock) we whipped together this box around the pile of dirt...check it out in these pictures

summer 2011 #2

summer 2011

this has certainly been a quick summer ...it seems as if it just began and all of a sudden it is August... we have been maintaining gardens, they always seem to grow so quickly between visits. This season we had some record breaking rains, or amount of rains... In July we had more than 10 inches of rain for the month and it has continued into the beginning of August. The rains are unusual for Chicago in that they produce a lot of rain in a short time and lots of lightning... they are more tropical in feel than the mid west...anyway ... this has made for some very humid weather, and soggy working conditions. held up a few times for installations this past month we hope to have those new projects finished soon and pictures following... in the mean time here are some summer pictures ...enjoy and thanks for checking in...

topiary ducks

These cute ducky topiary...installed today ...anyone want some ...all sorts of topiary available ... can't wait for the plants to sprout out of them ...

New Moon in May

I have not posted in a few weeks...well since the full moon ... of course this time of the season it is busy ..but we ended the month of April with the most rain in that month in something like 140 years...it did rain what seemed like every day ... we have had a few days of good dry weather ..but the temps are cool ... last night it was about 40 degrees in the city center .. my little starts and plants that I have out are startled... I know I have been pushing it a bit , but I need to oplant at home when I get the chance... I love the spring months ... it is warmer ... and the trees are greening and flowers are popping up everywhere ... seems the color is in stark contrast to the grey winter... I like to cut flowers in the garden and bring them into the home... I think it makes for a smile... I start early when I prune shrubs and trees bringing in the the branches and forcing them ... and recently I picked tulips from my garden in central Illinois... there we are a few weeks ahead...and this month when I go the lilacs will be blooming ... here are pics of my tulips and a lonely pasque flower that I could not pick yet but love it because it is such an early bloomer...oh and some hyacinth, perfect spring scent.

full moon april 17 2011

I was was about 3 hours south and west of Chicago yesterday , the day was a bit warmer the flowers were a few weeks ahead of us ... I love the spring flowers and it is so nice to see some color in the garden ...even the lowly dandelion with its bright yellow petals yelling look at me look at me ..even the ever hated creeping charlie and it's promising purple flowers quietly taking over the rest of the world in your garden... but my favorite "weed" is the violet I love the nodding little hat like flowers ..purple, lavender and white....

April Moon

Sunday, April 17—The Full Pink Moon
This Moon is also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon. Pink refers to wild ground phlox, usually in bloom around this time.

Historically, Native Americans living in what is now the northern and eastern United States kept track of the seasons by giving a distinctive name to each full Moon. With some variations, the same Moon names were used throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.
this reproduced from the old farmer's almanac

april 7, 2011

New project today ... all cleaned up for the spring and ready to show ...