Easy Stone Planter DIY

Found this in BHG and think I might try it this weekend. I love the look of hewn stone planters, and this allows you to make your own shape and sizes. Seems pretty easy, the only part that is kind of a bummer is the curing part (30 days), but that is just because I'm so impatient!  Besides planters you can also create garden sculptures.  I'd love to cover some big styrofoam balls and use them in my garden.  Here are the directions...

Make a Hypertufa Trough

     

Taking my craziness outside.

I want this...

and this...

Yup, lots of this...

You get the idea.

But I currently have this ...

A naked barren yard.  We ripped out all the landscaping when we bought it this fall.

Its  an improvement from the big chocolate brownie it used to be...

Kind of killed my love of brown and yellow for a while.

But we bought it because this is at the end of the street...

So now my dilema begins. A clean slate is VERY overwhelming.  We are ripping out the rest of the fence this weekend. (More nakedness)  Now I need a plan. 

I gravitate toward structured English gardens because quite frankly my head is a whirlwind mess all the time.  I have too many projects and ideas spinning so I think I need the structure.  I like balance, things in pairs. (I can't just buy one lamp, has to be a pair... just in case I want to use them on nightstands.) 

I also love coastal cottage gardens too.   This is our fourth house in 5 years.  We have a house disease that has slowly been cured by having children.  Our energy has diminshed,  and we are not moving again until they are out of high school.  While doing this post I went through pictures of all our old houses for landscaping ideas...

We started here pre-kids on the Salem Common.  This is where I met my husband.  We could walk anywhere, anytime. It was fun. But it had no yard.  The Common was basically it.

From there we got pregnant and renovated this carraige house.  It had the Ropes Gardens next door. This was the view from the bedroom...

They were beautiful structured English gardens.  They were inspiring and intimidating.  Got lots of good ideas, but my energy was low with a new baby. Instead I just enjoyed the ones next door. (P.S. If you ever do visit Salem, MA be sure to check them out. Open to the public & a great place to read a book.)

Our last house is right up the street from where we are now. It was cute and cottagey.  Tons of peonies and hydrangea.  It had alot of good landscaping bones already in place.  We added fencing and a pergola, just started to get into the back yard when the current house came along. 

So now I am going to try to merge structured and coastal into a 60's ranch.  I really don't know if it can be done.  I'm afraid I'll have a bastardized ranch on my hands when I'm done.  I'm thinking lots of pea stone, boxwoods, hydrangea.  Maybe a fence.  It might look like this with some funky sculptures thrown in, I'm not quite sure...

I just know my head already hurts.

Hardscape

After looking at numerous houses lately I have been pretty disappointed in the yards. They are either big grass patches in need of major landscaping or landscaped, but not that practical in their layouts. There was one house that I thought was interesting because it was the ideal summer fun house, and here in New England we live for summer. (Its actually getting auctioned off as I write this). The direct backyard had an enormous bluestone patio with a pool AND cabana (love those cabanas!) as well as a large deck and grassy yard for kids to play.

I came across this layout in DESIGN new england and it got me pondering the perfect backyard. I think I'd love to have a large hardscaped are for entertaining, with several niches for sitting, dining, lounging in the sun.... and a pool wouldn't be bad either. Also, grassy patch with a swingset for the kids. Now all i need is to hit Mega Bucks! Oh well, here is my vision board. Add on the previous post as well.

Spring Fever

I know April showers bring May flowers, but I live in New England where spring is often a cruel joke played by Mother Nature. I can see the crocus and daffodils from my windows, but its just too damp and dreary to go out and enjoy. I talk to my sister in Philadelphia and get to hear about her warm wonderful walks and just become increasingly jealous of the folks just one zone south of me. Sorry, I don't mean to complain, but I have been housebound for way too long now. Between Boston's crummy weather and sick children my antsy Spring Fever is starting to show. So here is my Ode to Spring... please come soon... pretty please.

This shot makes me want to sew my curtains into some frocks and yodel.

A few places I wouldn't mind sipping a cocktail...

Images from Veranda, Elle Decor, Great Backyards and House Beautiful.

Sorry if I missed any, these were from my old binder of favs.