Secret Garden-- In the Dining Room

I believe I’d mentioned last week that not only was I having my best friend from First Grade coming to visit over the Fourth of July weekend, but also that she had recently gotten married. And since it had been a quiet, simple wedding, I thought it would be nice to make the décor extra-special and festive.

But rather than go the Traditional Wedding route, with all the typical bells and… well… whistles, I thought I’d extend the outdoors inside into an English Garden Party theme-- appropriate for the Fourth, but girly enough for a post-wedding celebration.

Many of the items were garden-oriented decor I brought inside for the occasion-- like this little gazing ball, which became the centerpiece for my mantle decor.

New to the occasion were these happy chintz paper lanterns from the Victorian Paper Company.

Instead of using standard streamers, I thought it would be fun to use ribbon and swags of silk hydrangeas and morning glories to trim the mantle, mirror, doorways and light fixture.

For the table setting, I decided on a plastic Shabby Chic picnic tablecloth I’d picked up a few years ago at Target. And I brought out my new pink Depression glass-styled plates I’ve been collecting at thrift stores and rummage sales this last year.

The chair covers are actually Shabby Chic tablecloths (also from Target) which I’ve tucked and secured in the back with a vintage pin. I do love my dining chairs, but I thought the dark wood wasn’t as appropriate for a shiny-bright garden celebration, and the Shabby Chic floral would be.

By way of a gift for my friend, I thought it might be nice to start her off in her married life with a good scrapbook-- she’ll undoubtedly have a lot of lovely memories she’ll likely want to preserve, and it seemed that setting her up with a full-blown scrapbooking kit would be a pleasant, positive way to begin things.

Nothing more fun than giving someone all that they’d need to embark on an exciting new craft!

And for those of you who already scrapbook, you know: wow, are there a lot of wonderful papers and stickers to choose from! Each one seemed nicer than the next, and deciding really wasn’t easy. I went a bit vintage garden with my choice, and also tried not to make it so girly and frou-frou that her husband would tire of seeing it.

Well, gang-- I apologize that this week’s blog is so short. I’ve been running all over tarnation the last five days (Upper AND Lower Tarnation to be specific :-)

We took in a new exhibit at Phipps Conservatory...

We went on antiquing adventures in East Liverpool, and Columbiana, Ohio...

We even blew up some zombies at Dave & Busters... (No photos of the zombie eradication-- I KNOW you’re disappointed about that one...)

So with all that, I’m a bit weary, and must bid you farewell. But definitely come back next week when I plan to take you on a bit of a house tour, and you’ll get a chance to see some of the rooms in my home (”Waterhouse”) that you’ve never gotten to see before!

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Field Trip!: Floral Meets Fable at Phipps Conservatory

Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, exhibits dazzling flora year-round, so it's always worth the time to wander through their gardens. The peaceful atmosphere and beauty alone can provide gardening inspiration and a mini-vacation from hectic life.

But a recent Phipps show, "Mystical Beasts," showcased a twist on topiary tradition. And if you've read about my garden, you know I am a gal who loves a good topiary. So today, come with me and we'll explore a world of magic and whimsy...

These are not your average lollipop trees.

Step off the bus... Venture through the doors... And there before your eyes is one of the most revered and elusive of mythic beasts-- the unicorn. This is one of the more traditional topiaries we'll be seeing today.


Topiaries usually come in one of two types: a tree or shrub cut-to-shape, or a wire form upon which plants like ivy wind around to flesh out the form. And--

Oh no! I think we've disturbed it. Shhhh... let's move on to the next room...

YIKES! It's a dragon archway with heads at either end! Based on those teeth and that smoke coming out of THIS mouth, I do believe this must be a case of two heads NOT being better than one-- not for our health, anyway. If we dare inspect it more closely, we can see this dragon had been fit together on a wire form... Then the eyes were...

The eyes, er, look kinda... hungry... don't they?...

Here's some nice plant food for you, Beastie. That's it: Miracle Gro, yum-yum.

(...Let's pick up the pace just a bit, shall we?)

Most of the creatures you'll see here are a clever combination of sculptural objects and greenery, so they're not all technically topiary design. But, honestly, how often do you see a candy-colored snake having a sip?

A centaur with more bark than bite?...

And a misting Medusa?...

The room here below is the one I always find most inspirational for my own gardening design. This little English formal garden has varying looks throughout the year.

As you see it here in autumn during our magical Mystical Beasts tour, it's lush and untamed, like the layout has overgrown. The colors, too, feature cooler looking blues, greens and purples than usual.

Because this: this is what the same room looked like in Spring. The low hedgerows, trimmed appearance, statuary and symmetry are all elements you expect to see in formal gardens.

Well, let's take one last look around and make sure we didn't miss anything important here at Phipps and--

Oh NO! The hideous Hydra!...

(Er, and an attacking plant, too.)

...Run away! Run away! Back on the bus!...

Everyone make it? Phew! So much for peace and tranquility.

Go and have a nice lie-down, and I'll see you next week.