A Look at the Garden/Sneak Peak at the Patio

Rain Rain and more rain!  They say April showers bring May flowers.  They are not kidding!  My Garden is growing at record speeds and I can't keep up!  I finally planted half of the vegetable garden this week.  Lowes and Home Depot were both having a sale: 5 veges or herbs for $10.  I bought our favorite peppers, Habanero, Serrano and Jalepeño and also added some basil, mint and parsely.  (FYI-I saw that HD was still running that sale, so Lowes probably is too)

My neighbor caught me pilfering rosemary [for my pasta one night] from a house on the next block and 2 days later there was a rosemary bush on my doorstep.  Ha!  Thanks guys!  I was planning to buy one! Really!

Tomatoes still need to be planted.  Ernesto bought an heirloom tomato plant at our farmers market and I always like to plant grape tomatoes and sun gold cherry tomatoes.  They only thing is that these plants get HUGE and if not properly supported look really messy!  Regular tomato cages can't handle these.  Im not that worried about this, but every year it bothers Ernesto.  

Sooooooo...I have requested (as a Mothers Day gift) that Ernesto help the boys build me a few obelisks to keep these tomatoes in check. These look easy enough to build and the supplies are only $20 each. Done. (I hope!)

My addiction Clematis vines grows.  Literally!  I now have 14 of them around my garden and last week Aldi had them for $5 each.  I picked up 2 more.  How could I not?  Two of them are blooming now and they are just gorgeous!  

Some blue pots are planted.  But since we will be in San Diego next month, I have to leave some open for all the succulents I will be transporting.  You know I don't leave California without my plants!! 

So yes, the garden is looking great!  The backyard is a different story.  One section has been covered up for the past 5 weeks to kill all grass and weeds.  It was so bad, we just wanted to start over.  That area will be tilled this weekend, paying special attention to any remaining weeds.  Afterwards we will be laying new sod! Yeah grass!  On the other side of the yard our patio is more that halfway finished.  

My inspiration?

I have long loved plants growing in between pavers.  We debated pea gravel as opposed to pavers and I love the look but in the end we chose a material that our toddlers can not pick up and throw at each other into the grass.  After I was set on the 24x24 cement pavers, wouldn't you know, I couldn't find them ANYWHERE!  Home Depot and Lowes both dicontinued them, and I called many different places in Atlanta with no luck.  

Let me just say that I am sooooooooo glad mi esposo is handy.  One day he said, "I can make those."     And so he did. 

He got started with a wood mold of two squares, his wheelbarrow and bags of cement.

Due to all the rain we have been getting here, the whole process has moved at a snails pace.  At best, he can only do about 4 squares per day, and those need to dry 24 hours before removing the mold.  Some days we he was not able to work at all due to rain and others he would sneek in one square before scurrying to cover it up before the rain hit.  Needless to say, we have been living with a muddy mess and little space for the boys to play.  Of course they are not ones that mind getting a little dirty.  They have been right there "helping" papi.

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Slowly but surely we are starting to see our patio take shape. And I an LOVING it!!                

We are planning to install a shade sail above the patio, so we can actually sit out there without roasting in the sun.  I am envisioning a lounge type area and Im totally inspired by this patio that Emily Henderson just designed using all Target decor.  God I love Target! 

Right???  Don't you want to come hang out at our house? Ill share a full how to post and reveal once it is finished.  If it ever stops raining!