A Secret Garden Tablescape: Welcome to the 195th Tablescape Thursday!

Wow, what a week!  This is turning out to be one of the busiest and most exciting weeks I've had in a while.  My son and his sweetheart were here last night.  We're all in wedding mode since the big day is just 4 days away.  After dinner out we came back home and stayed up late into the night talking.  I miss them terribly and love it when they are here visiting.

As if preparing for a wedding in four days isn't enough, BNOTP is also moving to WordPress sometime in the next few days.  With all that's been going on, I didn't get a chance to create a new table setting this week but I do have a sweet garden tablescape to share.  It's one I spotted on a spring home and garden tour this year.

This house below wasn't on the tour but I just had to capture a few pics of it while on the tour. Isn't it wonderfully romantic with the ivy growing up the front?

The garden was in bloom and it was stunning!

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Kimberly Queen: The Shed-free Fern

Thanks so much for all your input yesterday!  So far, the tall file organizer seems to be leading in the voting.  You all made so many great points about the pros/cons for both the short and the tall.   It is tempting to keep them both as so many folks suggested.

This week I've been working on spiffying up the porch a bit more for spring and summer.  I just discovered a plant I didn't know about before and I immediately knew I had to share it with you in case you were looking for a non-messy fern, too.

Every summer I like to place a big fern on the plant stand that lives behind the chair over there in the corner of the porch.  In this photo from a few summers ago, I filled the corner with a big, bushy Boston fern.  I loved how it looked but man, what a mess it did make.  I kept it watered and periodically placed it in a semi-shady spot on the deck for some sun, but it still dropped leaves all summer and in general made a big mess.  After a while it just didn't look so hot, either.

This year while shopping in a local nursery, I asked for a plant or fern that would work better for this corner.  They recommended a Kimberly Queen fern.  Have you heard of it?   I was told they don't shed and make a mess like Boston ferns do.  Apparently, they hold onto their leaves.  (It's raining here today so these pics are a bit dark.)  Come check Queen Kimberly out.
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One More Garden Seat Post

I know, I know.  I'm beating the garden-seat horse to death.   No, wait...is it a dead, garden-seat horse to death?  Oh, never mind.

When I last left you I had purchased this cute little garden seat for the screened-in porch.  That was the plan.

Well, you know what they say about "best laid plans."   Once I brought it upstairs...
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Waking Up the Porch and Decks for Spring: Welcome to the 168th Metamorphosis Monday!

Preparing the Porch and Decks for Spring: Cleaning and Planting

At the start of this past winter, I decided to try something new.  Instead of tossing the big geranium that lives all summer on the porch, and the three smaller ones visible behind this summer table setting below, I tucked them all away in my garage for the winter.

Amazingly, they lived.  They only needed watering a few times all winter.  I placed them near the windows in the garage so they got a little light, although it wasn't much.  We had a very mild winter here this year, so I'm sure that helped them to winter over.  About a week ago, I brought all the geraniums back out onto the deck.  I placed the three smaller ones back in their stand under the window.  We'll call this our "before" pic for this post.
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Pottery Barn Knock-off: Double Bowl Hurricane Easter Tulip Centerpiece

I've been using a lot of fresh flowers in table settings lately.  Once those cold winter months are behind us, it's such a joy to bring fresh flowers into our homes.  One of my favorite flowers is the tulip.  It's almost impossible to think of spring and not think of beautiful tulips.

Tulips are a wonderful flower to give or receive for a birthday or for Mother's Day.  I've been the happy recipient of tulips on several previous Mother's Day.   Roses are always nice, but tulips are such a delightful surprise, not the same old, same old.

A few months ago I was shopping in Pottery Barn and I came across a vase that really caught my eye.  It was designed with a center vase for flowers and that was surrounded by a larger vase.  It was more or less, a vase within a vase and it opened up lots of possibilities for pretty centerpieces.

I couldn't find a picture of the vase online, but here's a screen shot of two of them being used by a Pottery Barn Floral Designer and Expert Sylist in this Pottery Barn You Tube Video found, HERE.  He calls it a "double bowl hurricane."

I really liked the design of the double bowl hurricane but not so much the $49.  So I decided to try and make my own.

I purchased two vases, one a bit larger than the other.

I found both in a local discount store.  The large vase was just $9.99 and the smaller one was on sale for $5.   You can see in the photo below, the smaller vase fit nicely down inside the larger one leaving about an 1 1/2 inches all the way around.  Before purchasing the vases, I checked to make sure the height of the center vase would work fine with that of the larger vase.  It was just right...not too tall and not too short.

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Beautiful Curbside Transformations on a Budget: Welcome to the 166th Metamorphosis Monday!

Greetings!  Hope you had a fabulous weekend!  I spent most of mine indoors with brief forays onto the porch.  The pollen has been crazy here but we got a little rain two days in a row which seems to have helped calm down the attack of the yellow stuff.

This week, for Metamorphosis Monday, I'm sharing three amazing exterior transformations.  If you are living in a home that's great on the inside but a bit ho-hum on the outside, take heart!  Your run-of-the-mill exterior can achieve car-stopping curb appeal with a few basic changes and a little landscaping.  All it takes is a little vision and a modest budget to get these awesome looks.  Check out these stunning transformations.

Imagine driving by this home...you probably wouldn't give it a second glance, right?
Before:

After:  Take a look at her now!  Wow!  The new additions having the biggest impact are the porch and landscaping.  On closer inspections you'll also notice new shutters, window boxes, an added door from the attic area with a small balcony and deeper eaves with corbels.  I love the new curved stone pathway and white picket fence.  I'd love a look inside to see what they did with the attic space?  I'm guessing it was transformed into either a guest room, a new master suite or perhaps a home office.

Brick ranch homes have so much potential.  This one didn't look bad before but it was pretty nondescript.
Before:

 After: Check her out now!  The biggest change, other than the painted brick, is the addition of a beautiful deck, complete with pergola.  It really transformed the entrance to this home, didn't it?  What an inviting area to welcome friends and family.  The landscaping is pretty awesome, too.
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Tour The Library, Drawing Room and Gardens of the Mount, Home of Edith Wharton

For last week's Tablescape Thursday, I posted some photos Mandy took recently after she toured The Mount, the beautiful home of American novelist, Edith Wharton.  If you missed that post, you'll want to check it out.  The tablescape we viewed was created by Bunny Williams, one of my favorite designers and author of An Affair with a House.

If you aren't familiar with Edith Wharton, here's a bit of info about her from the website for The Mount:

"Edith Wharton (1862-1937) was born into "Old New York," a tightly controlled society that positively discouraged women from achieving anything beyond a proper marriage. Author of The Age of Innocence, Ethan Frome, and The House of Mirth, she wrote over 40 books in 40 years, including authoritative works on architecture and gardens. Essentially self-educated, she was the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (1921); an honorary Doctorate from Yale University (1923); and full membership in the Academy of Arts and Letters (1930). In addition to being a prodigious author, she was a master house builder and gardener."

Mrs. Wharton built her home based on the designs and ideas she outlined in The Decoration of Houses, a book she co-authored with Ogden Codman, Jr. in 1897.

Mandy also shared photos of some of the other rooms she toured while visiting The Mount.  Mandy said, "We also came across the drawing room that was decorated by Charlotte Moss."

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Jan's Beautiful Bottle Tree

A while back I shared some images of a bottle tree I had purchased at the Ballard Designs store in Atlanta.  It was on sale, marked down from $349 to $60.

I've gradually been adding a few bottles to it, including the glass float ball you see on the top. It's still a bit naked...a work in progress. :)
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Debutante Camellias in a Springtime Tablescape: Welcome to the 135th TablescapeThursday!

It was such a gorgeous day here...70's and breezy.




I decided to set this week's tablescape in the breakfast room.




My camellia bush has almost finished blooming. Amazingly the blooms are much deeper and richer in color now than they were a couple of weeks ago. Maybe it's the warm weather we've been having for the past two weeks. I couldn't resist putting together one more table setting with these Debutante camellias before they are all gone for another year.




So come right over here and have a seat. We're celebrating this gorgeous spring day with a springtime table setting.







This started out in my head as a breakfast table...hence, the cereal bowl. But some how I think it kind of morphed into a brunch/lunch when I brought out these vintage ruby flash glasses. We'll just call the cereal bowl a fruit bowl, instead.




I came across these cute dragonfly napkin rings last summer and was disappointed to discover Pier 1 only had two. They even checked their other stores for me and there were none to be found. I bought the two they had thinking at least I could use them for "dinner for two."




I was so surprised when I stopped by Pier 1 this past winter and they had gotten bunches more in.




When I was there a few weeks ago buying the chair you can see HERE for my Pottery Barn office transformation, they still had some left. Just sayin' in case they steal your heart like they did mine. :) I know, I'm a terrible enabler...I admit it. ;)




Cereal/fruit bowl is "Melina" by Villeroy and Boch and it's one of the china patterns I use as my everyday china.




Cabbage salad plates (or they could be our dinner plate) are Bordallo Pinheiro. Found these at HomeGoods and Ross.




The dinner plate (or we could use it as a charger for this place setting) is "Butler's Pantry Gourmet" by Lenox.




Flatware is from HomeGoods.




To create my centerpiece, I used two pedestals, one flat and one bowl shaped.




Camellias are "Debutante" and are from my garden.




I couldn't resist sharing lots of pics of these pretties...they were just so beautiful today.







They are a much deeper pink today than they were in THIS post. It has to be the warmer weather we've been having.



A birds-eye view...




Thanks for stopping by for our brunch.




Looking forward to viewing your beautiful tablescapes!



Resources:
Dinner Plate: Lenox, Butler's Pantry, Gourmet, 2-3 years ago
Salad Plate: Bordallo Pinheiro, two years ago
Bowl: Villeroy and Boch, Melina, 20+ years ago
Stemware: Vintage, found antiquing
Flatware: HomeGoods
Beaded Dragonfly Napkin Rings: Pier 1, a few months ago
Flowers: From the garden



Please Read:
If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on your post name. Then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar at the top, into the "url" box for the picture linky. You'll also need to put your e-mail address in, but don't worry, it will not be visible to anyone.

If you'd like to use the Tablescape Thursday logo button in your post, just copy and paste it to your computer and upload it to your post as you would any photo. Or, just grab the html code you'll find under the "Join a Party" heading at the top of this blog.

Please, link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday, thus increasing visits for all participants.

Please, don't add your post name/blog name in ALL CAPS...it tends to create big spaces between the rows of links. Thanks!

Let's try something fun today! Please visit the person who linked before you and after you...that way everyone will get some visits. Hope you'll visit more, of course. :-)


Little Reminder: Thank-you for linking back to this post so the regular visitors to your blog will find all your fellow Blogger's posts linked here for this Tablescape Thursday. Don't forget to use your permalink. : )

Paradise in Blogland

Y'all, Phyllis from Around the House has been holding out on us! I've got the goods on her now, though. Phyllis spends her days blogging in a beautiful paradise and it's right in her own backyard. Come along for a little garden tour...and try to not be as jealous as I am! ;)


What a gorgeous way to use a fountain!




Let's go for a stroll in her lush garden.







This waterfall must sound heavenly on a hot summer's day.




So pretty! Now, I've been saving the best for last. You might want to sit down for this! :)




Pool party at Phyllis's house! Phyllis, you don't mind if a few thousand of your closest blogging friends drop by for a dip, do you? ;) Now I ask, would you ever leave this spot? This is where you'd find me all the live long day. :)

Phyllis, thanks for sharing your beautiful backyard paradise! Tina =^..^= is living the good life!


See you this evening for Tablescape Thursday.

Beautiful Camellias

My camellia bush was positively covered in buds before the week-long winter storm hit in January. It made me sad to see them all ruined. This past week we had some warmer than normal temps and once again the camellia is covered in buds...some just beginning to open.





Camellias look as if they should have a scent, but they do not...or at least the camellias I've seen do not. They come in quite an array of colors...all beautiful. Mine are a really dainty, sweet pink.







I cut some to bring inside. I placed them in a bowl, allowing them to float atop the water.




Growing up in the south, this is the way I always saw camellias displayed once they were cut and brought inside.




I placed them here in the entry so I could see them today each time I passed by...




If you grow camellias in your garden/yard, what's your favorite way to display this wonderful flower once you bring it inside? Do you put them in a vase like I did HERE in my bedroom post, or do you prefer to float them in a bowl as I did today?

A Dovecote in the Garden Landscape

A Dovecote in the Garden Landscape:

Recently, I posted about a kind soul who came to my "rescue." That post contained lots of photos of the large dovecote in my perennial garden that runs along my driveway. I received several e-mails from readers asking for more information about this bird house and where I found it.

My interest in a dovecote for my garden came from years of going on garden tours. Often, while on the tours, I would come across these huge, beautiful dovecotes, and each time they captured my heart. But once I'd go home and price them...I would forget the idea of owning one. I could never understand why they were so expensive.




Over the years, to satisfy my desire for a dovecote, I bought smaller birdhouses similar in design, and always, after just 2-3 years they totally fell apart...just rotted away. Four years ago, I added a screened-in porch and a front porch to my home. Since the front porch completely transformed the front of my home, I decided to spruce up the large perennial garden along my driveway with a real dove cote. The brand I had always seen on the garden tours was Lazy Hill. I could always tell because the Lazy Hill dovecotes have a small, copper plaque along the bottom of the house. I had been told many times by gardeners that they held up and lasted for years and years. After my experience with the knockoffs falling apart, I was ready for the real thing.




The Lazy Hill dove cotes are really meant to be a focal point in the garden, a decorative feature...but don't tell the bluebirds who nest in mine year after year. :)




The roof of the Lazy Hill dovecote is cedar so it naturally grays to a lovely patina. At Christmastime, the dovecote in my garden gets a wreath. I love having this bird house in my front yard because I enjoy seeing it each time I return home. Four years later, I have to say, it has been one of the best investments I've ever made for my garden landscape.



When I bought mine, I priced them locally and online. The best price I could find was from Wildlife Cottage, a seller on eBay. I think he's still on eBay...or at least he was last time I checked. The dovecote comes with mounting brackets and I used those to attach it to a 4 x 4 pressured treated post I purchased from Home Depot. I pre-drilled the holes into the post because those posts are hard as rocks. Then I just used the long screws that came with the house to mount it to the post. I painted the post with the same exterior paint that had been used to paint the front porch.

Here's a photo from Wikipedia showing actual doves inhabiting a dovecote. Each cavity houses one pair of doves. Doves are supposed to make wonderful pets, according to what I read online. Interesting! It sounds like there's a fair amount to do though, to keep them safe.




Dovecotes have a fascinating history dating all the way back to Roman days. You can read all about them HERE and see pictures of quite a few HERE. Though many have disappeared over the years, during the 17th Century England had over 26,000 dovecotes on the grounds of monasteries and manor houses. Doves at that time were considered a food source, for both the eggs and the birds themselves. Dovecotes like the one below in Sussex England, often housed 500+ doves!




They were built in lots of different designs/styles. This dovecote is in a commune, Colombier at Manoir d'Ango in France.




My dovecote is around 4 years old and it still looks the same today as the day I installed it in the garden...except for the graying of the cedar roof. If you didn't want the roof to gray, I would think you could treat it with a stain or whatever is recommended for a cedar home. I personally opted to let it gray since I like that slightly aged look.

In late winter, I clean out the old nests and my tool of choice is really high tech...a coat hanger. ;) The directions at the Lazy Hill site say the roof comes off for cleaning, but I've never tried removing it since the coat hanger technique works so well. My house is made of wood but I noticed online, they are now made of "solid cellular vinyl" for durability.



Hope this information is helpful. I do recommend the Lazy Hill brand dovecote since mine has held up so well. My bluebirds would definitely give it a thumbs wings up. ;)



Tablescape Thursday:
Scroll on down to view some absolutely gorgeous tablescapes that were linked for this week's Tablescape Thursday!

Links available in this post:
Front Porch
Screened-in Porch