Tuesday, June 30, 2009

exterior decorating: urn planting

last week, i was spending time on the east coast helping my mom recover from a total knee replacement - part of that help involved me having free reign when it came to the outdoor plantings. i had a lot of fun and i hope it helped my mom out too. so now she can continue with her recovery and enjoy having all of her urns custom planted by me. some of the urns i just filled with these amazing coleus i found.



but there are two fairly large urns that flank the backyard and are very ornate so i wanted to do something a little bit different for these. i thought they needed something that would downplay the formality of the urns, but compliment their structure. i also wanted something that would bloom all season long. the answer - plants of various heights and colors that also "flower" at different times. i played around at the garden center with a few ideas-







in between the raindrops i was able to put the plantings together. i ended up using a feather grass which is that tall green grass in the back and also a crimson grass which gets lovely tufts on the top in the late summer. i found a gorgeous dark purple salvia that will get fairly tall and i though complimented the patina on the urns nicely. there is a bit of dusty miller in there for some silvery contrast and then the small green plant in the front that unfortunately had no tag on it, so i have no idea what it is but i loved the texture and lemony green color. if anyone knows what it is let me know.








the cottage at cottage farm


well here goes, my first post on the cottagelog. i thought that it should be a little insight into where i am coming from and so i am going to post pics of the first space that i ever remember being inspired by. the cottage at cottage farm.
my great-grand parents immigrated to worcester, ma. from sweden and bought a farm. it was named cottage farm because of its numerous cottage-like outbuildings built to house animals. 4 generations later the little sheeps' cottage is still being used and the farm is still a small but working one and the rose bush gets more and more beautiful each year. as a child i used to fantasize about making this space into a little place of my own and 20 years later im still fantasizing about making spaces my own. i am on apartment number 4 and with no plans to buy anytime soon this blog will inevitably be part reality and part fantasy but really whats so bad about that??
i currently live in san francisco where i am attending a grad program at the san francisco art institute for an mfa in photography. while i pursue my degree, i am living in a 150 sq foot studio apt with my boyfriend. i love the domestic space and all the lovely things associated with it including the comfort to express yourself. my goal for this blog will be to do just that, through posts and explorations of all things domestic and otherwise inspiring.
im excited and i hope you are too to follow my escapades as i embark on this little adventure.

and now as promised the cottage!








enjoy your tuesday!