April Showers Brought Summer Flowers

I hope you’ve had a grand spring and summer this year! I think our summer here in central Ohio has been GREAT! It seems like we usually go from a few beautiful spring days right into the dog days of summer with temps in the 80s and 90s and humidity in the same range—that means a lot of inside time, though the sunshine (which is limited in Ohio during the winter months) makes a huge difference in our spirits!

Our summer flowers are so happy right now that they’re perfect for photographing. I’ve always had a keen interest in photography, and this year I’ve spent quite a bit of time building a portfolio, with an eye toward sharing them with you, and for creating a line of greeting cards to sell online and at shops. (And BTW, if any of you can share information with me on cost-effective printing sources, papers you like for cards, shops I might approach (and how to approach them/possible arrangements) I would truly appreciate it! Thanks in advance!)

So this post will be picture-heavy…a sharing post of some of the materials for my cards. I hope you enjoy it!

This is the red, white, and blue basket in my favorite (and very rustic) twig chair.

One consistent theme that you’ll see is contrasts: jagged and smooth; soft and edgy; fragile and strong—Mother Nature at her truest.

The rusty nail adds such harsh and lovely texture to the split wood and soft blooms.

More rusty nails and soft blossoms.

If you’ve been visiting me for a while you know I’m nuts about hydrangeas, and last year’s purchase of Endless Summer is bringing me such joy. A mere $7 at the end of the season for such returning beauty!

This is the plant of hopes—a dwarf weigela that I hope will attract hummingbirds, new to our garden this year.

I bought these darling pansies in early spring for our Easter table, and when they started to look a little sad in the egg shells where I’d had them, I planted them in this stone pot. They are so happy there!

Blue salvia

Oh, I can’t wait! The purple coneflowers are about to BURST…

…as are the PeeGee hydrangeas! I especially love these, because they bloomed just in time for our Chickadee Baby Love’s baptism reception we held at our home five years ago. Now, every year when they bloom they remind me of that happy occasion! You can see a re-do of that day HERE.

The pots in the backyard are also happy with the cooler days we’ve had, nestled in the shade of the big white birch.

The blue salvia in the pot by the birch is also quite happy!

This is last year’s Calliope—remember when I rooted them in the Ball jars, fearful that I wouldn’t find them again this year? (You can read about rooting them HERE.) It worked like a charm, but this year I’m going to just bring them all inside and carry them over until next year, because I’m crazy about their color and texture.

The wrought-iron wall basket adorns an otherwise bare wall above our vintage wood picnic table (that’s another story/another post!). In years past the flowers haven’t been as happy as they are this year, now that I figured out that by poking holes in the [limited amount of] dirt allows the plants to get the water they need! Success!

The begonias try to steal the show, but the blue/purple miniature petunias (I think that’s what they are!) and ivy bring a great contrast to vie for center stage.

Remember Brushstrokes? Another of last year’s faves that I was able to find once again this spring at the firemen’s Mother’s Day flower sale. (You might recall that I propagated these too, but the plant met its demise when we set it outside in early spring and forgot it overnight. :(  )  Look at all the buds!! It’s going to be bursting with blooms soon!

The berry cart in the front yard, offset by Brushstrokes, is overflowing. Do you think this will make a pretty greeting card?

Pansies, also survivors from spring, are still gracing the front porch.

Cement bunnies seem pretty happy among the lamb’s ear…I think it could be called bunny ears!

Well, that’s a sampling of my photography for what I hope will be a new line of blank greeting cards. What do you think? I’d love to hear!! Either comment below or email me directly! I can’t wait to hear from you!

How’s your garden coming this year? Has it blossomed beyond your expectations, or is it requiring strong determination on your part? Sometimes they do that, I know! I’ll wish for many blooms all around you! Thanks for visiting! ~Zuni

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow me (I promise to follow back), and please—Pin away and follow me on Pinterest too! Thank you!!

Here’s where I’ll be having fun and joining others in their creativity this week; I hope you’ll visit these great parties!

Fabulously Creative Fridays at http://www.jenniferrizzo.com/

Design it Friday at http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/

Friday Party Junk at http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/

Friday at Redoux Interiors at http://www.redouxinteriors.com/

Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Home Sweet Home Fridays at http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Thrifty Things Friday at http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/

Simply Sweet Fridays at http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/

Fridays at Imparting Grace at http://www.impartinggrace.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Saturdays at http://piecedpastimes.blogspot.com/

Spotlight Saturdays at http://www.classyclutter.net/

Saturdays at Be Different, Act Normal at http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/

Sunday Showcase at http://www.bystephanielynn.com/

Sunday at It’s Overflowing at http://www.itsoverflowing.com/

Sunday Creative Home and Garden Hop at http://creativehomeexpressions.blogspot.com/

Sundays at The Tablescaper: http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com

Metamorphosis Monday at  http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Masterpiece Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com

Tuesdays at Our Home at http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/

Tuesdays at The Scoop at http://www.stonegableblog.com

Tuesday’s Treasures http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

Inspire Me Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Cuisine Kathleen at http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Wow Us Wednesdays at http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/

Wednesday DIY by Design Party at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/

Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Thursdays at http://www.impartinggrace.com/

From my nest to yours~

Zuni