Dappled Day

Oh, it was good. A very good Tuesday. I got my yard all set up for summertime. I believe you are familiar with the evening view from that chair on the right.

The past four days in Portland have been beyond gorgeous. In the 70s and sunny, not a cloud in the sky. All over the city, people came outside to see the sunshine. Our neighborhood was a beehive of yard-fussing activity — from behind every fence I could hear washing, building, digging, watering. I wandered in and out of several nurseries and garden centers throughout the weekend and it was so much fun to be out there with everyone, feeling so happy to be planting at last. Everyone was happy. I felt a mandate from Mother Nature to dig a bit, plant a bit, and then just sit and appreciate it all until late into the evening on each day. My mind unwound itself like a fiddlehead fern, and stretched.

This yard is small — maybe 25 feet deep and about 40 feet across at the most, not counting the garage and driveway — and quite tightly packed into the tree-lined yet truly urban neighborhood. The houses are very tight. Four other houses border our property, and on the east our neighbor's house is literally 12 feet from ours. If that. When I first moved here, I was not used to all of these tall, very opaque fences, but now I get it, I guess. Everyone wants a bit of peace and quiet and privacy, and this is the type of place where people are frequently in their yards, so you see (and hear) everything. Everybody gets along just fine, but you need that private space. It's a busy city.

Last year our neighbors behind us built a new fence. Thank you, neighbors! We had some scrappy shrubs along the old falling-down fence that got taken out. Right now everything is brown, in every direction. This year we've planted nine hydrangea bushes — very small! — along the new back fence. They're cream- and lilac-colored mopheads, and should grow to about 4'  to 6'. I put my new willow teepee thing around one, just for fun and to give things some height back there. I also put three climbing hydrangeas against the big brown garage wall. They take a while to get going, but then they go whoosh. And they are one of the few things that will climb without support and in shade.

The yard is more hardscape than herbscape right now, but I have to remember that it's all just beginning to grow. I found that round table in someone's driveway while I was riding my bike (car's still in the shop). It had a broken leg, and a "FREE" sign on it. I rushed home and called Andy and gave him the address and asked him to stop by with the truck on his way home from work much later that night — for eight hours I sat crossing my fingers and hoping no one else would find it first! No one did. Score. I put an old half of a cinder block under it and it was the perfect height, so I didn't even have to fix it. Andy was very skeptical so I have naturally reminded him about how awesome my alley table is every day since we got it.

On Saturday, one of the things I did was run around all over the yards (front and back) and collect up all of the pots I have been collecting over the years, and I emptied and cleaned them out They now hold my herb garden and potatoes (I planted four in four different pots — the white ones that look empty) and one cape mallow called 'Very Cranberry'.

Orange mint, sage, parsley, cilantro. In the others I think there is more sage, more parsley, dill, oregano, rosemary, another rosemary, thyme. And a couple of extra fuschias. I'm going to see if the shade plants or the sun plants do better in each location.

Fuschia windowsill right outside my studio.

I've planted everything in the kitchen garden now! We mixed lots of compost into the square, and fertilized with Dr. Earth's Organic 5. Then I planted cut-and-come-again lettuce, spinach, broccoli, garlic, leeks, Napa cabbage, runner beans, peas (I stuck a section of our old wire fencing up along the wall for them to climb), and nasturtiums. Almost the minute I was done planting yesterday, I heard the UPS truck coming down the road (I'm like Pavlov's dog with that thing — I hear the engine from blocks away and I drop whatever I'm doing and rush to the front yard, panting). Sure enough, it was for me — my willow edging. Yay!

The willow is my big splurge this year — besides the plants, it's the only new thing. Well, I did get a new hose and sprayer nozzle thing. I have 30 feet of willow fencing that is going to be wired to the (chain-link) fence and the driveway gate, as well. I put the little loops on top of the edging with some old willow sticks I had from Garden Fever when it used to be Poppybox. Not sure if they still have loose willow there anymore, but they do have a LOT of willow stuff there (it's hard to find here in Portland). More nasturtiums will go on the outside of the edging, between the edging and the rocks/sidewalk. I was going to go with strawberries but it's just too tight with the sidewalk and the hose and the dog, so I think just flowers are best on that side of the edging, and the strawberries will go into pots. I think I might get a bale of hay and mulch everything too. I love the smell of hay. Reminds me of my horseback-riding days.

I really think Mr. MacGregor would be proud!!!

I have a thing for willow.

And this pot, apparently. I painted several of my terra cotta pots with yogurt a couple of years ago. For a long time, they didn't look any different than they had when they were new. Then all of a sudden this year: Patina! It worked.

The light is just crazy dramatic back here. I think this was around 3:30 or 4 p.m. I'll take more photos of the details when it's less shadowy. I love it like this, though. It adds another layer of interest to everything. Just look at this tree shadow:

Isn't that cool?

The cats love the new table. There's a little bottom level they take turns curling up on. (And by "take turns" I mean "punch each other in the face until one or the other leaves.")

I love it here.

Comments

[Amy jo]

sigh. your yarden is lovely. yeah for sun in portland!

[Jamie H]

oh so lovely! thank you for posting more pictures and giving me some inspiration for my own yard. love the doggie basket bed!

[trish]

ooh, I'm so jealous of your beautiful yard! I'm glad you are getting to enjoy the weather.

[AmyKortuem]

I love your alley table! Every year my town hosts "clean-up days," when we can put all our junk on the curb for free pick-up. The residents treat it as a huge swap meet. My recent scores from "The Curb" are: two adorable vintage metal lawn chairs with cute cushions, a rickety white trellis, a rusty ole metal lawnmower (that still works just fine) and some very sweet little yellow window screens. I say, "GO ALLEYS AND CURBS!"

Maybe you should get a trailer for your bike, in case of future alley-finds? hee hee hee!

[Sarah]

Your yard is so welcoming and comfy! I love your little pup curled up in its basket too.
Please send some of that warmth down to Atlanta. We can't seem to get above 65 this week!

[Sues]

Soo beautiful and I'm a bit jealous!! I LOVE living right in the city, but this makes me want to move away a little bit and have a nice yard for summer. I want the best of both worlds!

[Penny]

Hi Alicia, It's the way you "say" it and place your beauties that make everything so appealing---here in Pa., we usually stick a few of the "stinkish" marigolds aroung the perimeter of a garden--supposed to keep the mosquitos away---love your blog.

[Rebekah]

There is nothing quite like loving YOUR space, is there? A spot to exhale. Can I come sit a spell?

[CashmereLibrarian]

Wow, that looks great! We still have a few more weeks here in Illinois until we can get digging...can't wait!

[melanie]

I would *so* love to bring over a big pitcher of my famous Texas Sweet Tea and relax in your backyard with you! I absolutely love it! :)

[jenn]

Alicia,
I'm a long time reader and have maybe commented a time or two...but how could I NOT comment on such a GORGEOUS garden! The table (I'd already clicked on the pic to enlarge it, trying to get a better view before I read further down and learned where you'd found it!) is fabulous! Amazing. LOVE the patina on the pots. You're such creative inspiration to me! Thanks for sharing! Wish I could sip a latte out there and watch the sun come up!

[Nicole]

Wow! looks great! I love all the herbs. Maybe I'll try growing herbs again?...Have a good day!

[susan]

It's gorgeous and I am envious - very envious. Both of your secluded, private little Eden & of your mild, temperate climate. Thanks for the photos.

[Sarah]

Love the pup sleeping in the basket! Too cute.

[Nicole Simmons]

i can hear your excitement through your writing. so much fun. i think i say this every time i comment, but i miss home (ptown) SO much. out of all the blogs that i read from women based in portland you make me yearn for home. the rain, the smell of summer (its better there because is such a long, wet wait)...you capture it well.

thanks for writing and helping me remember why i love home so much.

[vintagekitchenkitsch]

Awww. I saw the "Dill" tongue depressor label and could see Andy go into super spy mode (please hum spy music for mood) and surreptitiously misplace a few into his pockets to bring home to his lady love. We use cheap paint stir sticks around here. : )

[Amy]

Looks beautiful! Work well done! We are do for some really warm nice weather here in the North East coming this Friday. Can't wait. Non stop outside. This is what spring is all about. Anticipation!!

[Natalie]

"I love it here."
The entire post is love...
You are like a bird in spring feathering her beloved nest.

[Shelley (Pink House)]

Thanks for the nice photos! I'm longing to plant and get our outdoor living going, but have to wait for the frost day here. I couldn't even start seeds until we get back from San Francisco trip next week...something to look forward to. thanks for inspiration!

[Virginia]

So inspiring...
I love the exterior paint color, too. Is it new? What color is it?

[The Antidote]

I don't blame you!

[Jaye]

Thanks for sharing your joy!

[Kristina]

There is so much for me to love and to comment about in this post, I hardly know where to begin! I absolutely agree about willow fence. There's something so quaint and cottagey about it. Someday I'd love to try making my own, doesn't that sound like a fun project? Great pots, I'll have to try the yogurt thing. Wonderful score on the table, too. I always make room for nasturtiums among my vegetables-- their petals tossed with some lettuce in a salad are a touch of pretty I can't live without. And I love the smell of hay, too. For me, it's a reminder of childhood when I would grab an old sheet and run across the road to our neighbor's hay which had just been raked into windrows, and I'd flop on the fresh hay and stick my nose down and smeeelll... oh, so wonderful.

[Marsha]

What a wonderful spot and even Clover has a basket to lay in. Now you understand the saying about fences and neighbors. :o)

[Rose]

Oh man I know the feeling of loving your yard that much. I have spent so much time cleaning my yard and making it a fun place for my kids.

Your yard is lovely!

Three cheers for Spring!