Out the Back

Often when I walk up or down my back street and catch sight of the flowers on top of my wall, it literally makes my heart leap with happiness. I swear it's a physical thing, a jolt of pure pleasure that flutters my heart then lands softly in the pit of my stomach.

My pots of cheap and cheerful summer annuals are really looking great I have to say. I've had those plastic green planters for many years, since before Little Man was born (so more than 12 years) and they have just about held it together this year although are broken and badly cracked in places. I've decided that next year it'll be time to replace them with some more big terracotta pots to go with the five already there. Those are old too, but still going good, they look better as they age.

I pottered about out the back here today, hanging out all the freshly washed shirts to dry, then deadheading my flowers and sweeping up a bit.

These straggly marigolds are still flowering well, their hardiness really surprises me and makes me happy. Those of you who've been visiting for a while may remember me planting the seeds into an old metal colander (two years ago), they just seem to survive and keep going year after year.

I re-potted Little B's pumpkin vine today too, I've been meaning to do it for weeks. I didn't have any spare pots so I've planted it straight into a full bag of compost (with drainage holes spiked all around the base) which I hope will do the trick. We love watching this vine grow and Little B is so proud of it. I don't expect it'll produce any pumpkins (we were too late planting it I think), but really that's beside the point. Watching the growth of those huge leaves is enough of a pleasure.

Just recently I confess I've been suffering from a little bit of Garden Envy. You know how it is when you kind of wish that you had something more out the back? Something bigger, greener, more room, better views, that kind of thing. We've been visiting friends and relatives lately who have houses with proper gardens, sitting out amidst their greenery and taking in their pleasant open vistas, admiring their carefully tended lawns, flower beds, trees and shrubs. Wishing just a little bit that we had a vegetable plot, some decking, a lawn, a summer house, a view.

And then I come home and reconnect with my teeny back yard and fall in love with it all over again, with the ease of it (just a watering can and a little bit of deadheading), and the cosy simplicity of it. I must keep remembering how lucky I am to have this modest back yard (we once lived in a second floor flat with no outside space at all), and to appreciate all the pleasure that it gives us.

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♥...more little snippets from the Attic...♥

Geranium Love

Five Daily Happies

Autumn Colour

Monday Moments

Comments

[Chelsy]

I live in a city and I take care of the back yard of the apartment building where I live. I have my little garden there! Lovely post! :)

[Mishelle]

Lovely garden! There is always a way! :) Thanks for sharing!

[Cathy]

Your pictures bring such beauty to my day!

[Jeannie D]

Let me just say whenever I'm feeling a bit down or the weather is gloomy I just visit Attic24 and am immediately cheered by all the lovely, vibrant colors and blog posts. You never disappoint, Lucy! And as for no view? Seriously? You need to spend more time looking out the "Attic" window, M'Dear! It's breathtaking! :)

[Linda Packer]

Hi Lucy
I have had a go at the neat ripple pattern. I cracked it. Thank you for the easy to follow pattern. Now your back yard is fab. Did you grow all the lovely colourful plants from seed? I just love the variation in colour, typical of you Lucy,to create interest in the colours you put together. You inspire me every time I look at Attic24. (I hope my last blog reach you) Linda Packer Marazion Cornwall

[Jools Morgan-Jones]

Lucy, did you see this week's Gardener's World? Monty Don showed how to plant up terracotta pots (like the ones on your wall) with layers of bulbs to flower from early spring right through to may, and to top them with winter flowering violas/pansies for colour now. I instantly thought of you and this post!

[Mary]

Beautiful!

I have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award. The link is: http://dodgyzebra.wordpress.com/2014/09/21/one-lovely-blog-award/

Have a fabulous day
x Mary

[ghemulet]

Just love your garden and i bet that the feeling you have when you see the flowers from the street are in the heart of every passerby
Nice meeting you...it-s the first time that i read your log...Can't get enough...
Hugs

[yazar oku]

thanks for shared :))

[Linda Packer]

Hi Lucy,

not sure if my last comment has made its way to you. I responded to the raindrop blog. Not to worry, I have been admiring your back garden. I too have a small courtyard for my front garden and the plants you have and the colours have inspired me to have a go at planting annuals for next year rather than just perenials. The colours seem to be very vibrant just like your personality. Thank you for sharing with all of us.

[Anne Marie]

Your yard is beautiful. If you have garden envy, get a small allotment! I think you might miss you lovely house if you left it.

Hope to see you at Yarndale.

[Chris W.]

I love seeing the pictures you post of your garden, how you've transformed a bare stone and concrete space into a warm and inviting haven of color and love. It makes me smile, and gives me hope that I can also, somehow, transform my bland space into somewhere exciting to be. Thank you!

[Ipukris]

What about gardening in containers? Check pics in google :D

[Mickie]

Lucy,
I love your back garden space. You have given it a life of its own and the flowers are just beautiful. All the colors are lovely with the rustic background of the stone wall. Even though I have 45 acres of land, I love sitting on my patio enjoying my pots of annuals. I would love having a cup of tea with you in your back yard.
Mickie, Indiana USA

[Bev Drake]

Hi Lucy , we are leaving for Europe tomorrow for three weeks . I did send an email on Monday with the dates 23 & 24 October as suggestions. Just wondering if it reached you. Sorry to be a bother. Bev

[Julie Blackmore]

Lucy your little backyard is getting better with age.... just beautiful.... it didn't used to be so grand lol...

[lee]

what a lovely retreat to have in your very own back yard...

[CathieJ]

Your flower garden is so pretty. I love putting flowers in pots. Yours are really lasting beautifully.

[Lynne Gill]

I know JUST that feeling, Lucy, when you catch a glimpse of some casual greenery with a spray of lovely colour, or a certain arrangement of pots. We have a small-ish garden, with a little green house, a patio and a herb garden and a tiny lawn and some borders. I/m no gardener - I just do the herbs - but I dram of a whitewashed little courtyard, lots of pots, and some veggies in grow-bags. believe me, your little yard is lovely, don't be in a hurry to "upgrade" to bigger things!

[Ali Dufty]

Your little oasis is a delight :)) perfect and manageable .This wonderful Indian Summer is helping keep some decent colour too. Lovely stuff !!

[Kim domingue]

Hi! I'm Kim from Louisiana in the USA. I stumbled upon your blog quite by accident and ended up meandering through it for quite a while. I would love to follow your blog but every time I hit subscribe, I am taken to a page filled with computer language, numbers and symbols. I'm fairly sure that's not where I'm supposed to be sent to. I would be delighted if you could put me on your subscriber list from your end. Thank you in advance and I so look forward to seeing you in my gmail box!

[Kate]

Big is not always better. I love your little garden. You have packed so much beauty into a small space. I wish I could send Little B one of the humongous pumpkins we grew this year.

[Sara]

Container gardening is the best! Yours is beautiful. What lovely colors.

[Ingeborg Groth]

This is the first time I ever entered into a blog conversation, but I feel like throwing in a word here. I would like to vote against terracotta to replace your plastic planters. I'm aware that this sounds silly. Terracotta is a wonderful material, no doubt. But I think I would feel as if dressing up a wonderful everyday & near-to-my-heart place, and not leaving it the freedom to look worn or shabby in some spots. I don't mean this dreadful 'shabby chic' trend. It's more a vote for the presence and simplicity of real life, which includes real shabby plastic planters and which almost never is neat or chic.
But maybe I'm just crazy, so feel free to ignore it.
And thank you for your wonderful blog, Lucy! I've only recently discovered it, and you have given me many jolly hours since.

[aliceinthemiddle]

I, too, am a patio container gardener and I'll experience garden envy when I see other's large plots and yards. But that all fades away when I am in a huge rush in the morning and all I have to do to make sure my tomatoes are watered is open my back door and do a quick spray with the hose. Large gardens take large commitments of time and energy. I bet you are so happy when you can just sit outside with your crocheting and a coffee, enjoying your lovely little space. Don't have the words to express just how much I love and enjoy your blog. You are a ray of English Sunshine and one of my biggest inspirations. :)