Since it is waaaaaay too HOT to work in the garden, I have been spending my ‘garden’ time searching my way through all the local thrift shops for items that have long been on my ‘idea’ list. Not too long ago I was able to find the bike for my bicycle garden for $5.00…seen here.

This week I was able to snag a Hibachi grill that has been on my list….for $3.00.

This is my plan:

A few weeks ago I also found the insides to a tool chest…which I have been searching for at a reasonable price. Found it 1/2 price at a thrift store for $1.00.

This is my plan (thanks to my BFF who had no idea I wanted to build a fairy garden and sent me ALL the fixins – and a gift card for Hobby Lobby to get more – for my birthday.)  She sent a clay saucer to build it in…but after my shopping spree at HL (where the miniatures were 50% off) I needed a bigger container and thought…I have just the one!

The plan is:

And although this has nothing to do with gardening….I did find this gem and the dishes at local thrift shops….I have been drooling over Brenda’s for months now and finally just happened on one for $4.00. The plates were twenty-five cents.

Okay, time to make pancakes for supper. Yum.

Fresh from the garden

To a little slice of heaven

To table…or rather…to my ‘happy place’ out in the garden to sit and enjoy God’s provisions. Yum.

First tomato of the season.

Looking forward to that fresh tomato sandwich for lunch!!!

Can you believe that I found this bromeliad for $1.50 on the reduced rack at Lowes????? It actually looked this healthy!!!

And what garden isn’t complete without the resident Doxie mouching off the butterflies water bowl.

I am a big fan of garden blogs and today I thought that I would participate in Tootsie Time’s Friday Meme:

Flaunt Your Flowers

Here are just a few flowers from this morning’s stroll through my backyard garden:

A newly purchased Bacopa

A  new favorite this year….Million Bells

Mexican Sage makes it’s home in my new herb garden

Hoping to see some butterflies land on this Bulbine

A beautiful Dianthus lines the walkway

My ever faithful Geranium

Still experimenting with Cosmos..can’t wait to see how it grows

And there are just a few shots of my garden this morning that I wanted to share with those of you who have walked beside me on this journey of wanting to be “being a gardener“.

Time to get ready to meet fellow blogger Cheryl!!!!!!!  We have known each other since 2006 but have never met in person…we will meeting for an early dinner today and I am beyond excited!!!!

On March 6, 2008 I wrote the following:

In between being a wife and mother, a counselor and a professor, an ‘unschooling’ mom and wanna be photographer….

I am thinking of adding ‘master gardener’ to the mix.

Have I completely lost my mind?????

Maybe not, ’cause here is what I was thinking….you can’t think if you have lost your mind, right? RIGHT?????

As spring approaches the ‘gardening’ bug has bitten me where I have no common sense.

After filling all my other obligations today (you really do not want to peek at my appointment book…it will frighten you)…I am going to begin that garden……

Fast Forward November 2010……

and so here we are in the fall months of 2010 and I am so proud of how I have been able to make the dream of  ”having a garden” come true. Not only do I have one garden but several….and not just flower gardens…but vegetable gardens also…time to get the notebook out for 2011 and begin to dream again!!

and I have always wanted one of these…………

and I have always wanted Jasmine by a window…..and I found these for “buy one get one” they are right outside the living room window…..

and so here is my “winter garden”…..you can see the covered “spring garden” in the above photo behind the jasmine pots

Have spent the past few weekends getting all the gardens “ready for winter”….

and so there you have it….dreams really can come true….it takes a “just go for it” spirit…some cow manure….and an industrial size bottle of  extra strength Tylenol…now to get planning for spring.

See how my In Real Life garden grows…………

My very first Hibiscus. I am a proud Momma.

My very first attempt at a container butterfly garden. I created two of them.

And into each garden a snake must slither…and leave his skin behind. Ewwwww.

My Topsy Turvy Cherry Tomatoes are bountiful.

More of my Topsy Turvy clusters.

First crop of cherry tomatoes ready for a salad.

This is my Red Sweet Pepper….hmmmmm…..looks green to me and ready to pick. What do you think????

My beautiful paper white day lilies donated last year by my mother in law.

My first Milkweed purchase for my butterfly garden.

And that new hybrid day lily. I love.love.love day lilies!!! They are so easy to grow, bloom frequently and they come back in abundance the following year.

How does your garden grow???

See how my garden grows…………

Marigolds that are hanging along the fence line.

Amaryllis that were graciously donated last year by my mother-in-law and have bloomed out beautifully this year.

My favorite flower ~ the Geranium.

Penta ~ it survives the Florida summers and blooms well into December and comes back every year.

Trailing Geranium ~ it is almost like a hanging plant. Lovely.

First tomato of the season ~ Yee Haw!!!!!

Sweet Red Pepper beginning to bloom ~ FINALLY!

Yellow Squash in bloom ~ should see some squash in the next few weeks!!!

I gave in to peer pressure and decided to try the Topsy Turvy Tomato ~ so far it is growing very – very – fast. No tomatoes yet though.

Purslane ~ a good ground cover but I have it in a hanging planter.

Forgot to take a photo of my Sweet Yellow Pepper ~ it is almost ready to bloom. Yum.

How does your garden grow???

I haven’t just been virtual farming my friends….and I have proof.

Before:

Side entrance into the back yard

After:

Weed cover is down!!! As soon as we have some disposable $$$ lava rocks will go in here.

Before:

Back garden on the side of the sun room (lanai).

After:

This is work I did this morning.

Work in progress:

For other garden projects click here.