Small and white, clean and bright…
Look at me posting on a more regular basis, again! Hooray! Hope to keep this up and get things back into a normal-ish routine with regular garden-y and home related updates. And on that note, check it out…no more blue house!
So these are just camera phone photos, sorry about that. The rose that is photo-bombing the foreground is Mme Ernest Calvat. This is just the first coat of primer you’re looking at, but the final color will still be white (Farrow & Ball ‘All White’ if you’re curious.) Once it’s completed, the trellises will get put up to support the climbing roses…
…and there will be gingerbread! When neighbors and other folks would ask us what color we were planning on painting the house (and some even wondered why were weren’t keeping the blue but trust me when I tell you it was terrible in person) my answer was always white, white, white. I wanted it to look like a tiny wedding cake, you know? It’s clean and simple and a great backdrop for the garden, I think. The shed is a different story, it’s going to be painted the Farrow & Ball ‘Railings’ color of our raised beds which I hope will allow it to recede into the landscape a bit more. Two more days of painting and thankfully the weather has been beautiful. We’re watching that snow storm they’re predicting for the weekend and I’m hoping it’s not too bad.
While the painters were at it, I spent a bit of time in this area of the garden edging out and expanding the beds. I’m getting pretty sick of hoarding, cutting and messing about with cardboard, I’ll be honest. That’s a weird statement, but you know what I mean. I’ll be glad when these beds are just done already!
Hope you’re all having a great week!
Hi Laurie! I’m so glad you posted your painted house. I’m not on social media, so when I saw the start of the painting on instagram, I was really wanting to post, “show us an update, please”! I like the white on white on white scenario and the trim looks really nice. I was sorta wondering why you were painting it as well, thinking it looked charming and cottage-y in blue. I do love the blue raised beds. Am seeing a lot of the dark blues and white combo’s for interiors and really like the look and feel of it. So exciting!
I also wanted to let you know, the sweet pea seeds you sent me last May grew last summer, but only flowered a bit in the fall, as I think I was late in starting. However, I had some seeds leftover and started them about 3 wks ago inside, put together a makeshift greenhouse with a clear plastic heavy duty garment bag and milk crate which I promptly moved them to and they are doing great! A few more days and I should be able to pinch them and plant them out by the end of the month. I take them out of the “greenhouse” on most days to get the breeze and cold, and shade them from this crazy heat we had last week. So anyway, wanted to say thank you again for the seeds, and encouragement to try them!
Hugs to Lucy. She has the sweetest little face! I too am glad she has the screened in porch to safely enjoy the sounds and the feels of the outdoors. It choked me up seeing that post : )
Happy Gardening!
Hi Ann! That is so exciting about your sweet peas! I’m so tickled that you saved the next generation of seeds and I hope you get lots and lots of flowers this spring. 🙂
Thank you for your encouragement on the house paint, too. The original blue paint was in really, REALLY bad shape. Chipped and wood rot galore. It looked much better in photos with the background blurred out. 😉 Funny, those raised beds keep showing up as blue in my photos but they’re really more of an off-black/graphite color. Glad it still looks good, though, haha!
I will give hugs to Lucy for you. She’s sitting right here, actually. She’s our darling kitty and we’re so lucky to have her. Happy gardening to you, too!
I love all the details of the gingerbread, it’s going to look wonderful! Do you use a foot stepping edger or a gas powered one ?
I need to get on that too! 🙂
Thanks Jen!
I use this edging knife. It sees a LOT of use in the spring! 😉
Hi Laurie! I’ll be interested to see your rose trellises. I have some climbers that are attempting to pull down the old chicken house and I need inspiration!
Hi Jane! We purchased ours from Gardener’s Supply. They’re made of teak, and if left unfinished, will turn a grey color. 🙂
PS: You can see how they look in this old post. When we moved, we brought the trellis with us!
Wow – you guys have done so much work – it looks great. The house color really brightens things up – perfect back drop for your garden. When you post your property it reminds me of the book The Layered Garden by David Culp. Have you read that book before? You might enjoy seeing how he layered his Brandywine Garden in PA. The books has so many incredible ideas – check it out when you get a chance, I think you’d enjoy it. Have a great weekend!
Hi Cole! I just image-searched this book you recommended and holy cats what an amazing garden! I’m definitely getting that book, it looks like the inspiration I need. 🙂 Thank you…you always have the best recommendations!
What loveliness already! It’s so exciting watching everything transform!
Thanks Anne!
SO CUTE!! Beautiful, and so much work. Thank for showing us your progress!
I’m glad you like it!
SO beautiful! Cottages are just supposed to be white. You must show us how it looks with the gingerbread. A little white wedding cake, for sure! If your town has a garden tour, you should be on the list. I am doing the cardboard thing this week, too. Progress is slow with a little gardening slipped in between rain showers.
I agree…cottages should be cheerful colors, definitely! I don’t think our town has a garden tour but that would be very fun…although most of the properties here are wooded. We’re one of the few with a garden! Isn’t the cardboard thing just the best/worst? I’m totally over it. But it does get the job done and quickly I suppose. Hope you get some sunny days so you can finish your project! 🙂