Gardens...where all's right with the world...even the weeds!
What you'll find in The Romantic Mom.com
From: Everything I Know I Learned in My Garden
Begin early. But it's never too late to start.
If it doesn't work, try something else.
Life is fragile. Protect it.
Life is enduring. Trust it.
Life is daily. Water it. Weed. it.
Life is indescribably beautiful. Enjoy it and say thank you.
Growth takes time. And while you're waiting, pull a weed.
There's something for everybody-- different blooms for different rooms.
Pruning hurts. Pruning helps you grow.
Sometimes the tiniest flowers smell the sweetest.
To everything there is a season. But know what season you're in.
Dream big. But try not to let ambition turn your joy into drudgery.
Grow what you love. The love will keep it growing.You reap what you sow. But there will be surprises.
By Emlie Barnes from Everything I know I learned in My Garden
How does your garden grow...?
Rendezvous in the Garden...
Fresh Air & Sunshine
Children in the Garden
Garden Art
Garden Projects
The Potting Shed
Outdoor Rooms
Favorite Garden Poems
Favorite Garden Books
Favorite Garden Images
Flower Fotos
Our Suburban Backyard in Texas
For living in suburbia, we were blessed with a really nice spot. And our yard was HUGE by city standards--about 1/4 acre. Sometimes I wonder why we ever left, but then I glance out at mountains and Babycakes and realize why we left.
So this was our yard and one of our first artsy-creative projects that we actually manged to complete. Just don't look TOO closely--at the paint job that is. My hubby did a masterful job on the whole swing set ensemble. The chimney on this side looks alright--on the other side it looks a bit like a giraffe. I borrowed my inspiration from Mary Engelbreit's cottage that shows up in her stuff--not that HER chimney looks like a giraffe!
The Romantic Life, The Romantic Mom - Children in the Garden
It’s no secret that children and gardens just naturally go together. And grow together. The garden is outside in the fresh air, and so much is going on there…
From Everything I know I Learned in My Garden By Emelie Barnes
God has a unique way of bowing our heads and bringing us to our knees—it’s called gardening. In the Bible it’s called ‘toiling the earth,’ although this form of ‘toil’ has so many benefits and is such an affirming, satisfying, and fulfilling kind of toil, that it’s difficult to imagine it as any kind of ‘toil’ at all. The most important thing we can do for children is to get them outdoors. The more inviting we make our outdoor spaces, the more our children will want to be out there. The more time we spend outdoors, the more our children will want to join us. Plant flowers, vegetables, and herbs. Teach them the names of all the various trees, perennials, annuals, bushes, and wild flowers. Hang out bird feeders—don’t forget hummingbird feeders—and make room for bunnies and squirrels, chipmunks and whatever critters come along. If you have some room try raising a few chickens. We have bunnies right now and the children are having a wonderful time with them. This summer we bought a pony and in the not too distant future, we hope to get a few chickens, and perhaps a couple of barn kitties. My ultimate goal is to have some sheep and learn how to spin wool and dye it by hand, but that’s still on the horizon. My friend in the hill country of Texas has several merino sheep now and many people have taken up shepherding in Maine. Some other friends of ours have started raising a small brood turkeys and are considering the idea of getting some pigs which are perfectly suited to clearing their land near the lake. Whatever your needs or preferences, its fun to come up with outdoorsy ways of accomplishing those ends. And children absolutely revel in these country quirky ideas. Our gardens and outdoor spaces don’t have to be the slick replicas we see from “House and Garden” type magazines. They just need to be relaxing with some pretty flowery things to look at, tend, and to enjoy.
But the garden is a safe place to reverse the hardening process, to become conversant with realities that are no less valid for being softer and more beautiful. A garden is a place of tenderness, of freshness, of joy and delight…
From Everything I know I Learned in My GardenBy Emelie Barnes
Building tree houses, play houses, and interesting swings and things to climb on keep children entertained for hours. My husband took a plastic swing and hooked it to a large pully from his tree climbing days to create an “elevator” for the children to raise and lower themselves into their tree house. Now even our youngest can get up and down. Talk about adventures! While in Texas we created our own slides and swing set combination by building it into a playhouse configuration. We happened to find two sheets of plywood left by the previous owners in the shed. They were cut in a shape reminiscent to a house with a chimney coming up the top. Hubby evened up the shape on both sides and then attached them with a curved platform out of two by fours—sort of like an arched bridge. He cut an arched door way below and small arched windows on either side. He then attached two slides at staggered heights (that we salvaged from the neighborhood). He then attached some wooden deck steps from Home Depot on the opposite side from the slides. From this he extended a timber across to hang a couple of swings. I painted it as a cottage with window boxes and a stone chimney in bright colors to pick up all the colors from the plastic toys and slides to give a more pulled together look for all the garish plastic toys scattered about. We then put down some slate stepping stones which led to two plastic playhouses (referred to as “the house and the barn”) and a sandbox nestled in the corner with landscape timbers. They spent fun-filled hours untold in that back yard.
Now in the Maine summer time we put up a tent for more adventures. We also finally planted a garden this year and they love playing “Little House in the Big Woods” with their little farm animals amidst the squashes, beans and cucumbers. There’s nothing like watching the wonder of children in a garden—and no better way to get them wildly enthusiastic about eating their vegetables! A friend of mine had a cabin in Colorado where they kept an authentic teepee complete with soft animal hides and sheepskin rugs. Any type of teepee or covered wagon type thing are great fun, too. When my brother and I were little my mom fastened chicken wire over a board that fit into our wagon. Then she threw a white sheet over the chicken wire to complete our very own prairie schooner. I also have a white wicker set with love seat, table, and two chairs that I bought at a yard sale and set them out under a shade tree where we can relax and watch the horse, bunnies, and children. The girls love using the wicker as the backdrop after putting on dresses with “puffed sleeves,” sun hats, and shawls for playing “Anne of Green Gables at the picnic.” We mowed paths again through the wild flowers and they recently discovered some wild raspberry bushes. Honestly, there’s never a dull moment!
Our Children have grown with the garden; every niche has been nursery, governess, and playmate…Sandy Puckett
Over the years, my garden has sprouted with geraniums, peonies, and roses. But I know, too, that my garden’s harvest includes a child’s wonder, a friend’s laughter, and my husband’s smile. Among its shaded corners, raised beds, and trellis-lined paths,my garden grows love.
From Everything I know I Learned in My Garden By Emelie Barnes
Creating outdoor rooms with tall growing flowers like sunflowers with grassy centers make wonderful hide-aways. Twinkle lights and lanterns, citronella candles and torch lights usher in the evenings. Have outdoor picnics on the grass or an outdoor table as often as possible. Since our summer evenings are cool, we all bundle in blankets and squeeze into the Adirondack chairs on the deck and star gaze at night. While on other nights the children are out zipping around in their pajamas chasing fire flies across the lawn or through the trees. People are doing amazing things with outdoor kitchens, pools, cabanas, outbuildings, decks, porches and lawns. Just focus on seeing it all from the eyes and wonder of a child. It doesn’t have to be spectacular to arrest the imagination of children lost in childhood dreams and adventure.
Wake up!” the garden calls to me—a command so gentle it almost feels like coaxing, like Mama shaking me tenderly after a too-long afternoon nap.
From Everything I know I Learned in My Garden By Emelie Barnes