summer forever

there's something really lovely about the overgrown greenness of late summer. everything is filled in and climbing everywhere...

my neighbor's climbing vines are coming over the wall (free plants!).  i think these are clematis? 

the climbing hydrangea is hanging in there, despite its scale infection. the polka-dots are so hardy and cute (and cheap). 

i'm growing a baby fiddle leaf fig. it's thriving! but i'm a little concerned about it transitioning to the indoors. i hear it's finicky. (not sure what that other gorgeous tropic thing is, but it'll have to come inside too.)

still willa's favorite corner. she spent hours sunning herself there this morning. 

julie brought me all these terra cotta pots. all lined up for the next planting season...

where i read the sunday paper and ponder an alternate career as a gardner. but first i put out the cushions, which i was too lazy to do for this photo.

summertime

this is what summertime looks like around here, at least on weekends. during the week, there's still construction in our neighbor's yard, so all the cushions get put away and it's pretty dusty out.  let's start with the patch of fake grass...

looks good, doesn't it? hhh had a lot of doubts, but he's a convert now. :)

this is the shady part of the yard. there are ferns, hydrangea, a rubber plant, and some ivy. 

a tall planter with coleus and korean feather grass.

all the furniture is from ikea. it's pretty beat-up but is definitely good value.

the climbing hydrangea is fighting a scale infestation in the corner. scale is really gross. :(

this is how the yard was arranged for hhh's birthday bbq a few weeks back. there some small pots of thyme and polka dots on the table.

another view of the picnic table area.

willa enjoys the fake grass too. she loves how warm it gets. 

any excuse for flowers

there was a party, so there are more flowers. 

more of my favorites.

polka dot plants. these are so easy and only $1.50 per pint!