My Garden Visits -- Spring Fever on the French Country Patio

Symptoms:  Excitement, fatigue, restlessness, body aches, impatience, joy.

Diagnosis:  Spring Fever!

Treatment:  Two aspirin and REST.

Ha! Like that's going to happen. Well, maybe the aspirin.

 I'll try to remember it in between rearranging patio furniture, moving the bird bath,
digging out the river biscuit path, pulling weeds, and removing the old twig fence.

For me, planning is as much fun as planting.

My dream this season is to give my small patio space more of a French Country feeling

and I've been going non-stop to try to create it. 

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Imagine a Paris balcony drenched in flowers

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or an intimate courtyard in Provence under a vine-covered pergola.
Sigh.

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My patio was pretty enough but it didn't have that "frenchy" feeling I wanted.
I knew I couldn't completely recreate this private patio overlooking a limestone village in France
but I could try to give my patio some French soul.

So I got to work.

I attached a six foot trellis panel to my wooden privacy fence and 

wired on a metal window box that will hold flowers at eye level.
(You'll have to use your imagination here.

I'll do another post on the patio when it's warm enough for flowers.)

Next I attached a thrift store mirror to the trellis.
Turned on a diagonal, its lines echo the shape of the trellis. 

It appears that you're looking through a hole in the fence into a secret garden.

On each side of the trellis I hung a straw and metal planter basket 

that will hold herbs or flowers or trailing sweet potato vine.

Two big pots will hold tall narrow Junipers or trimmed Boxwood, giving the patio a European feel.

Where there was once a cottagey twig fence, a rusty metal divider now edges the patio. 

And a small clay planter (an alley find) filled with pansies rests on the flagstone.
Thank goodness for pansies, one hardy flower that can take the cold nights.

Flanking the planter is a concrete cherub and a pair of black metal lanterns.

We also moved a wall fountain to the back side of the house where it can be seen 

and heard from anywhere in the yard or in the sunroom with the windows open.

Should I plant a vine to climb around the fountain? Or flowers underneath?

Seating consists of a white bistro set, a small wooden garden bench 

and a long bench constructed from a painter's scaffolding. 

Imagine new cushions, a white tablecloth, and string lights on the patio to complete the look.

Is my dream of a French-inspired patio actually coming true?

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Hey, a girl can dream.

I hope you'll come back in a few weeks to see the finished patio with flowers and pretty linens.

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
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Linking with:  Bella Rosa Antiques, Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs Olson, The Vintage Nest, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Poofing the Pillows, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, The Cottage Market, Shabby Fu Fu, Thoughts from Alice, Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings-the heart of your home, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life