DECORATING YOUR FRONT DOOR AREA

I rather like the swag on this door. Although I'm not sure I am the swag or wreath type, I can see this for the Holidays. Since I have down time now before we start the fall garden, and I have already picked all I plan on picking and freezing, from the current garden, I am turning my attention to other things, like my front entrance. I'm not sure exactly how I want to decorate my front entrance. I want to change it up, and add some new things, but I want the look to be tasteful. I think you can get away with a lot of things near the front door such as stepping stones, railings, planters and wind chimes if you coordinate all of the styles and colors so they go together well.

I have some hanging baskets and a bird feeder. I have flowers and plants, but I need a new porch light. I want to make an address sign too. I like unusual mail boxes, and I have one somewhere out in my shed. I don't get my mail in it, I just like it. It is a vintage style box. So how many of these things do I use? I think five or six is probably enough. I saw a home the other day that had one tall green topiary on each side and a matching mat in front of the door with a nice green wreath on the door. It looked simple and nice. All in green with an eggplant color on the door.

I have one especially large pot, that was given to me by my brother in law. It is just as pretty inside as it is outside so I never know if you are supposed to put a plant in it or not. It came with it's own stand, which I love. So this will stay. I have a couple of chairs which I would like to replace with a glider instead. I have a two tier, little wire plant holder that holds 6 medium size pots. This is where I usually put my pansies in the spring. Since I have just a simple white porch with white posts and railings and steps with banisters on either side with a plain glass door, I can use whatever colors I like. My floor is a pale to medium gray.

I think it would make a great challenge. Have every one put up a picture of their front entrance. I don't know how you do these challenges so I will leave this up to those who run this type of challenge. I would love to see how other gardeners use plants and flowers around their front entrance.

RAISING CANE

I planted Cane in this pot at least ten years ago. I have never watered it, fed it or even praised it and yet it grows and grows. The pot is really small now for it's size but I figure it is doing so good, why bother it. Billy said it was cracking on the side a little, so I will just wait and let it come out when it is ready.

I have no idea what it is. I just call it cane. It starts out white in early Spring and then turns to a pretty stripe by Summer. It dies back after the first freeze and comes back every Spring. And like most of my plants, it never gets prettied up. The reason this one doesn't, has to do with the fire ants who made their bed in there. I know I should put poison and get rid of them but what if they decided to go somewhere else then. At least I know where they are and they seem happy and have hung out their "Home Sweet Home" sign. I think they keep the soil aerated. I am of the school that if it isn't broke, don't fix it, so I leave it alone. And every year,,there it is in all it's glory.

I planted blanket flowers around it and a spiller over the edge, which is long gone now, when it was a much smaller plant. It is a thriller, filler, spiller, gone hay wire. LOL

BETTER HOMES AND GARDEN

Look what I found on the Better Homes and Garden website. I know most of you probably know about this site or may even get the magazine but have you looked at the site lately. They have a lot of things to spike your interest. I love this idea in the photo. Find a wire wastebasket of preferred height at a home store. Lightly line it with peat moss, then fill the remaining area with potting soil. Top it off with your desired plants. Here, white delphiniums look great next to a doorway.

Check out these quick videos from Better Homes And Gardens too. Starting with, "make your own stepping stones"...hanging baskets, vine suupports, etc. Each one is about a minute and a half. I think you will enjoy them.

Mini videos

PAMPAS GRASS BITTERSWEET LOVE AFFAIR

Stock photo of plumes
My Pampas Grass is not in full bloom right now and I wanted you to see why I keep the big green monster.
When we moved here, we bought two lots that were separated by huge mounds of Pampas Grass, right down the middle and gradually we have it down to one clump in the middle, up front and one on the corner that I rescued from the middle and planted on the corner. People who plant this sometimes regret it! Clumps get extremely large and thick, blades contain sharp cutting edges, and it takes a stick of dynamite to remove it! But having said that, when you see it in bloom, it is spectacular and it will bloom for three months. So I think it is worth growing, if you have the room. It will get 12 ft high, I think ours is taller than that, and it will spread 6 to 8 ft around. Right now, ours is a big green clump, and I wonder why we keep it until I see the big creamy plumes.

I fight to keep the ones we have left. Billy hates them with a passion. They are very hard to keep neat looking because to tell you the truth, it is a painful job, so it doesn't get done too often. I gave a lot of them away to my recycle group. They came and dug it out. They were happy and I was happy! It was a good deal for both of us. I wanted the space and they wanted plants. All who came, left with several big clumps. This is very old Pampas Grass, planted in the sixties, so it should have done really well for them.

EASY AND CHEAP WAY TO GET MORE PLANTS

No, that pic is not out of focus, it is totally out of focus ..LOL

I was just browsing some websites today and ran across this helpful information on cuttings. I thought I would share it with you. Some of you, no doubt know this but since new gardeners are born every day, it might be useful for some. The cuttings above are sweet potato vine and a Malunggay or Moringa tree. There is a post on this tree in an earlier post.

Did you know there are 5 types of cuttings?

Leaf cuttings
Hardwood cuttings
Semi ripe cuttings
Softwood cuttings
Root cuttings

Read more here:

Plants from cuttings