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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~~ How I Found My Style -- French Country ~~

It happened all at once and quite unexpectedly. 

I found it.

My style.

French Country.

So, how did I find it?
Was it in a quaint French market?

No. But I want that basket!

Did I find it in a rocky vineyard in Provence?

Nope but I do love French wine.

Maybe I found it riding a vintage bicycle through the French countryside.

No, but that would have been so much fun.

Here's where I did find it. 

I was staying in a lovely 19th century stone mas (a traditional Provencal farmhouse)
in the little village of Saint Remy-de-Provence. 

Even the mas's name sounded beautiful: Le Mas des Carassins.

After a day of touring the historical sites of Avignon . . .

 and shopping in the antique mecca of L'Isle-Sur-la-Sorque . . .

and visiting the Saint Paul Asylum where Van Gogh was treated
and where he painted many of his masterpieces,

 I returned to the mas to get ready for dinner.

And then, it happened.

I wandered into the spacious dining room and it smacked me right in the face.

Everything in the room was white. 

And soft. 

And warm.

Relaxed and elegant at the same time.

How did they do that?

White tablecloths on round tables, sheer white curtains lifting up in the breeze of the 

open French doors, creamy white dishes, white candles in crystal candelabras and, 

oh my, the old wooden buffet, the curvy chairs, the massive stone fireplace, the waiters' aprons. 

Everything. White.

Love.
It was as if moonlight had been captured in a room. 

Like French angels had descended on this room and bathed it in their luminous white light. 

I know, I know. Sounds like a flowery exaggeration, but that's how it felt.

I'd always loved antiques and things with patina. Crusty, chippy things with a history. 

But I'd never realized there was a name for that style.

Then, in that magical room in the South of France, I knew.
I'd found my style. 

French Country.

Simple. Comfortable. Elegant. 

Suddenly, I felt like I'd come home.

Here's my version of French Country in my own dining room.
Can you tell the source of my inspiration?

I brought French Country home with me to the foot of the Rockies.
Turns out, I knew my style all along and now I know its name.

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (for free) at the top right of this page.


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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, 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

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My Garden Visits -- Weather or Not !

Whether I visit my garden or not is always up to the weather!

Last week, we were hit hard with a spring blizzard. 

It started snowing during the early hours 

and didn't slow down until 16 inches of the white fluffy stuff had dumped on us.
It was beautiful but I worried about my plants.

The week before we had enjoyed 70 degree weather with sunny blue skies. 

I thought we had seen the last of winter but Mother Nature fooled me again.

I should have listened to the Canada geese as they glided across the sky in a big "V"
above my garden. Aren't they supposed to head south before winter?
Guess they knew winter weather was still headed our way
and they were hightailing it out of Dodge.

Now, a few days later, most of the snow has melted and it's a soggy mess. 

I wonder if the perennials I had just cut back survived 

and if the Wichita Blue Junipers that had been plastered flat on the ground will spring back up.
This tree in a nearby park wasn't so lucky. 

A few years ago we had an unseasonable hard freeze 

that killed many shrubs and fruit trees in Denver. 

We lost an ornamental plum and our big crabapple tree's blossoms got nipped and turned brown. 

Which meant no blooms. Not one. So sad.

But the tree seemed to have recovered this year and was filled with tight rosy buds on each limb.
I hope the buds will bloom when it warms up.

Will everything come back with renewed vigor? 

I try to remember that struggles often make us stronger. 

Still, I'm almost afraid to look.


Linking with:
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How to Blend French Country and Farmhouse Styles

Farmhouse style isn't so very different from French Country style. 

They are, after all, both in the country, both easy and casual, 

and both feature gently used furniture and accessories. 

So how do you blend the two? It's easy.

These two styles are interchangeable in many ways so it's easy to mesh them.

My living and dining areas are more French Country
with a light and airy feel, comfortable seating, natural wood tones and old mirrors.

Still, there's some Farmhouse style apparent in the dining room
with a mantle that was rescued from a pre-Civil War farmhouse
and a chippy storage cabinet.

My kitchen and sunroom have even more of a Farmhouse feel with 

painted furniture, vintage accessories and a scattering of farm animals.

Here are some specific ideas to bring the two styles together in your home.

Open Shelving

Both styles feature open shelves in the kitchen, but if you don't have room for them

you can remove a cabinet door, paint your cabinets a creamy color and
display your favorite ironstone pitchers. 

Beadboard and Glass Jars

Adding some white beadboard as a backsplash 

and some vintage glass jars for storage add texture and functionality.
Both of these ideas could work for either style.

French-inspired Faucet and Farm Sink

You can switch out an old faucet for a pretty French Country look and 

hope to someday have a beautiful farmhouse sink! The best of both worlds!

Keep Utensils Accessible

Using ironstone pitchers to hold silverware also works for either style.

Bring Home the Cows

Add some farmyard animals here and there to bring country into your space

like this picture of a calf in my kitchen painted by a young Amish girl
whose job it was to care for the newborn calves.

You could also feature a few little cow creamers, 

some old, some new, in a rustic white shelf.

Another fave farm animal is, no surprise here, the rooster (and chicken).

You don't want to go overboard with roosters but a few here and there definitely make a statement.
A rooster plate on the wall, a chicken timer, a few chicks on top of the fridge, 

or some paintings of roosters make the kitchen feel homey. 

Sparkle with Vintage Accessories

Old baskets and mirrors, vintage cutting boards, rusted enamelware, crocks, 

weathered boxes, paintings and vintage fabrics like grain sacks or old tablecloths

can all be part of your French Country/Farmhouse style.

Go All Out with Farmhouse Pretties

My sunroom/breakfast room used to be primarily southwestern but I'm gradually
transforming it to incorporate Farmhouse style. You can do this too by adding
a weathered farm table, painted furniture, and rustic accessories.

An old red and white stepladder, a Nebraska license plate, some Mason jars, vintage tins,
an old pump, and a touch of metal all bring Farmhouse elements to this room.

Make it Cozy

Nothing says French Country Farmhouse like a fireplace.
If you don't have a wood-burning fireplace, you can install a cast iron gas stove
or a thick area rug to warm the room.
Add some comfortable chairs that look out at the garden.

 I hope these suggestions help you bring that informal French Country/Farmhouse spirit 

into your home, whether you just add a little cow creamer to your kitchen 

or go "whole hog" with a big rustic cupboard filled with vintage ironstone.


Sharing with:  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, Bella Rosa Antiques, Elizabeth and Co.,
Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, A Delightsome Life, The Vintage Nest, Poofing the Pillows, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Shabby Art Boutique, The Cottage Market

My Garden Visits . . . The Beginning

I've been thinking about expanding my French Country blog from once to twice a week. 

I'll still write about French Country decor on Fridays;

this will be my first post about my garden. 

I hope you'll stop by each Tuesday for a visit on My Garden Visits.

(Can you spot the little visitor in my garden below?)

I like to think of gardening as an extension of my creative spirit in my home. 

It spills out the French door onto the patio and into the garden 

like my yard-sale treasures tumble into my home on weekends. 

It's that same creative urge that speaks to me in the plant nursery and says, "Take me home."

I may start out with a plan for my garden but then that spirit taps me on the shoulder 

and whispers, "Why not try something different?" 

And so I dig out a butterfly bush and move it to another spot. 

It will get more sun there, I tell myself, fingers crossed it will survive the move.

That garden spirit whispering in my ear is my father. 

My love of gardening came from my Dad 

even though I didn't recognize it until much later after he was gone.

It's hard to picture him now without seeing him kneeling in the dirt, 

a grin on his tan face, as he holds a fresh baby eggplant. 

Like a new father, he is proud of what he's produced. 

I can just hear him shout, "Hey, look what I made!"

My father died on Good Friday fourteen years ago. 

Maybe that's why my thoughts turn to him this time of year and I invite him for a garden visit. 

His gentle presence is always with me in the garden, letting me know he's proud of me 

for the woman I've become and for my stewardship of all living things in my garden.

I didn't know I'd become a gardener (my sister inherited the green thumb) 

but somehow that latent love of the earth burst forth in me 

like spring bulbs pushing up through the wet, soggy ground. 

And over the years, it's become a bit of an obsession, giving me purpose and rebirth each year. 

Now, as spring approaches and the ground warms, I kneel in my garden and say, 

"Hey Dad, look what I made!"

P.S.

Thanks to everyone who checked in on me during the
Great Denver Blizzard four days into Spring.
Yes, we were smack in the middle of it and got about 16 inches!
But no broken limbs (in the trees or on the body)!
Now, if I could just find my plants.

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