Thursday, July 18, 2019

Evenings On The Deck

My favorite part of the day is when my long day in the office is over and I can head back home to my sweet country house. 

I often laugh at the expression "The Lazy Days Of Summer" as my summers are quite the opposite. My job is in high gear and the garden and property upkeep demand all my spare time. 

Lazy days? In what lifetime? 

First thing I do when I get home is to let the babies out. Poor sweet angels have been cooped up all day, and they need some time to run and play. I grab their favorite toy (Chuck It) and we head to the back garden to play for a while. 

Then it's time to start the rest of the evening routine....dinner, cleanup, feed the pups, take the laundry in....but when all those tasks are behind me, it's my time to relax....finally! 

In the summer months that means, more often than not, that I head out to my deck. 

 
And why wouldn't I? I have created a haven out there, and I truly love spending time in my little paradise. I putter around, deadheading plants, listening to the sounds of the evening and feeling the cool country breezes, enjoying my little piece of heaven.


I have mentioned many times in the past the importance of using white flowers in an area where you spend time in the evenings. 


White flowers simply glow in the waning light, making spending evenings on the deck even more magical!


I use a mix of white flowers to add interest....Wave Petunias, Cosmos, Geraniums, Impatiens, Sweet Peas, Moonflower Vine, Lilies, and Nicotiana. 


I use more white on my deck than anywhere else in my garden, simply because that's really where I spend the majority of my time in the evenings. 


In addition to white flowers, my other rule of thumb for a deck garden is to surround yourself with flowers that release their fragrance in the evenings. 

Nicotiana is not a terribly showy flower, but it more than makes up for it with the heady scent it release once the sun is low in the sky. 


That purple Nicotiana plant is to the left of my swing, directly next to where I sit when I finally relax.....or where I lie down when I'm really settling in!  There are more Nicotiana plants scattered throughout the plantings on the deck, to truly surround myself in their heady fragrance.


On the right side of the swing is this grouping, which includes more white flowers plus incredibly fragrant deep blue Petunias. 

Did you know that white Petunias have little or no scent, but the deep blue ones are heavily perfumed? Again, they release their musky perfume more intensely at night, so I use a lot of this deep blue Petunia in my deck garden. 


Those two large planters on the left also have those deep blue Petunias, as does the hanging basket on the right. 

We had a gathering around the fire pit recently, and my daughter's boyfriend kept looking around trying to find out where the heavenly aroma was coming from - he thought it was the bouquet of Peonies I had on one of the end tables, but it was not....it was the blue Petunias! 


Paired with white Nicotiana and white Cosmos, it's a perfect combination for a country style deck garden! 


I used a lot of Cosmos in my planters this year....I just adore them, and they are SOOOO easy to grow from seed, giving me HUGE impact for very little cost. 


Their happy little bobbing flowers greet me as I leave the garage and head up the stairs to the deck at the end of a long day. 


One important thing to remember about Cosmos is to deadhead regularly. If you don't they will put all their energy into producing seed pods, rather than producing flowers. But if you keep them deadheaded, they will flower to beat the band, through the hottest, steamiest summer months! I keep a spare pair of scissors out on the deck, and putter around snipping off their faded flowers daily, and they are rewarding me mightily with abundant blooms. 


Between my many containers full of fragrant flowers, my herb boxes, my strawberry plants, and my fig tree I truly feel as if I've created a true gardener's haven on my deck.  Add some string lights, a few candles, and my citronella incense and I am in heaven.

I am very blessed to live in a quiet, peaceful spot, with ample property to call my own. I love the fact that my property backs up to acres and acres of woodland, and that I have gardens galore. 

But someday, when I'm not able to care for that much property any longer, I know I can create a beautiful container garden on a deck or balcony to satisfy my gardening urge. 

No matter how limited your space, there are ways to surround yourself with beauty, both indoors and out. 

What are your favorite plants to surround your seating area with? Do you plant a garden with a focus on evening beauty? 

48 comments:

  1. I love your home and garden. I want so much to do more to ours, but we are planning to sell in a couple of years so only doing what we have to. We are looking for some land to put a house on, but that is getting harder to find than I thought.

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    1. Oh that would be nice, Betty - a custom house would be amazing, where you get to incorporate all you've learned from your many years of living in houses into one perfect-for-you house! Good luck with your search!

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    2. You certainly have created a garden haven with alot of love and work. The Cosmos are beautiful and I would love to grow them. Constant deadheading may be an issue for me with the humidity.

      We have had so much torrential rain and humidity our flowers aren't growing well. It's a shame I look forward to them.

      You have a gift with gardening and it shows. What's your secret? Your hard work has paid off

      Enjoy every minute

      Cindy

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    3. Thank you Cindy! What's my secret? I guess perseverance and hard work!! My Petunias are looking a bit bedraggled this week with all the rain we got, but they will bounce back....we are in for some serious heat for the next few days, yikes!! Glad we put the a/c in the window this week!

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  2. I would be spending my evenings out on the deck, too - it's so beautiful! I love Cosmos - one of my favorite flowers. I have them growing in Zippo's memorial garden. I don't use scissors to deadhead - I just pick dead buds off with my fingers! I think those of us who have looong, hard winters truly appreciate these warm summer nights. Oh, a question for you: how do your doggies make it all day not being let outside to do their business?

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    1. I use scissors now because a few of the varieties of Cosmos I planted do not do well with just yanking off the spent flowers - they fight me, and I ended up pulling off a huge branch on one! So....now it's scissors. At least on the deck....when I'm wandering around the gardens I don't have them with me, so I do the best I can with my hands.

      As for the doggies, my old girl can't make it any time at all without doing her business, so I have them contained in my daughter's room downstairs while I'm at work....or at night when I'm in bed....and I put down pee pads for them. Good thing I put down those Pergo floors a couple of years ago, that's for sure!! :)

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  3. Your deck is heavenly and I love those white cosmos. I've never really thought much about planting white for evenings, but it is so true! We tend to be inside when it's dark, but I'm thinking of putting in a couple of perennials in an area I could see from our big living room window. We have a huge rock out in "the back 40" that Pete has promised to move there for me. I'm thinking now I'll add some white annuals so I'll be able to see it in the evenings. I have a couple of hanging globe solar lights out there already. Thanks for the ideas!

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    1. That would be wonderful, Sue, and those globe lights will reflect off the white flowers in the evenings!

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  4. You are so right about white flowers in the twilight! I've never planted cosmos, but you may be convincing me to give them a try. -Jenn

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    1. Oh yes, Jenn, add them to your list to try for next year - they are one of my favorite flowers!!

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  5. I love the lights you have around your deck space, so inviting in evening with the flowers blooming too. I hope it cools off nicely to sit outside. We've been warmer than usual, but it is pleasant in the early morning and after the sun goes down. Mountain living is wonderful!

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    1. It truly is wonderful, Carole, you are so right! We are in for a few really hot days, and then hopefully things will cool off once again. This heat will force me inside....I guess I'll get some more inside chores done!

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  6. Your deck looks so relaxing. I don't have any plants on my back deck, but do have red geraniums on my front porch.

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    1. My deck is so huge I can't imagine it without plants, it would look completely naked, Penny! I have always had planters on my decks, but really got into creating a 'deck garden' a number of years back when I was renting the 2nd floor of a house, with a huge wraparound deck. I created a haven just like this on that deck, and it nurtured my gardener's spirit, even though I didn't have a proper garden. I found I really loved surrounding my deck swing and seating with flowers, and have done so ever since!

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  7. I used to grow nicotiana but it is poisonous to dogs. You probably already knew that and your dogs leave it be. You are so right! It is vitally important to have these peaceful places to unwind with nature and flowers.
    Brenda

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    1. I actually did not know that, Brenda, but my dogs don't touch my plants anyway so I'm not worried. The only thing they ever eat is the odd bit of grass from the back garden....Molly grabs a tuft when she's running around playing (weirdo!!) and Monkey will eat some when her tummy is upset.

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  8. Oh Debbie you have created such a lovely space to unwind in in the evenings. I love it.

    Happy Summer ~ FlowerLady

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    1. I truly adore my deck, Lorraine, and it's the perfect place to unwind. It also has two gates that lock, so it's like a giant playpen for the pups - even better!!

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  9. Goodness that absolutely beautiful! What a precious place to have.

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    1. Thank you!! I love it out there, I am so fortunate to have that lovely space!!

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  10. Hi Deb,
    With your job being in high gear now I think it is great that you have your outside sanctuary to relax and enjoy after long days at work. I bet the sounds and the fresh air is so lovely. Happy Friday.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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    1. It usually is, Kris, but like much of the country we are stuck in this nasty heat wave too - I'll be hiding in A/C this weekend it seems!!! Hope all is going well with your move!

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  11. Your deck is beautiful, especially with those lights.

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    1. Thank you!! I have had those lights for about 10 years or so now, they're great - every spring I replace any bulbs as needed, and they are good as new once more!

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  12. Your garden is outstanding. I know it's a ton to work to cultivate, but man oh man, it's amazing. And I never really thought about white flowers, I generally choose bright colored blooms, but now I need them!! Enjoy the weekend!,

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    1. You definitely need white flowers, Kim, especially around your sweet pond!!

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  13. That lighting is perfect! Love it!
    Lisa

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    1. It's fun, isn't it, Lisa? I have it on a little remote in my kitchen I can turn on before I head out!

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  14. This is the time of the year when I start planning next year's garden. I have made note to include more white flowers. This is a haven, indeed!

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  15. Your deck is lovely, and you've done a beautiful job creating your special haven. I love my deck, too, but I must say, I've learned a couple of things from this post. Next year, I will plant white flowers; and be sure to plant some more fragrant blooms (I do have some of the deep blue petunias, but not enough!). And I keep saying I'll add lights but I haven't yet. Now, if I could only keep the squirrels and chipmunks out of my planters, and the mosquitoes away, it would be perfect!

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    1. Same here, Amy - the squirrels and chipmunks destroy the planters early in the season, but at this time of year they have given up. As for the mosquitoes....I find the citronella incense helps - I will usually light it near my swing a little while before I actually sit down, while I'm puttering around deadheading and such....by the time I sit the mosquitoes are pretty much gone!

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  16. Dbbbie, With your busy life, a relaxing deck with flowers is just what you need at the end of a day. I always enjoy your post about home, yards, flowers, deck, it looks like a perfect place to unwind at the end of a day or weekends. We are having a heat wave in the south, just like many areas of the country. It is challenging to keep my plants alive, takes lots of watering. Weather predictions are for cooler weather this week, and we look forward to enjoy some time outdoors. Hope you enjoy your summer.

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    1. Hi Theresa - yes we had an awful heat wave here also, believe it or not, and it just broke last night - what a relief to run around the house opening windows again, and feeling those fresh mountain breezes!!! Rain today, but I'll take it over that intense heat!

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  17. Debbie you have one of the prettiest decks I've ever seen! I enjoy so much seeing all your pretty flowers and the ways you arrange them around the deck etc. What a lovely and peaceful place you've created with all your hard work! Do mosquitoes bother y'all up there?? We have to sit with a fan directly on us in the evenings on our porches or the mosquitoes will eat us alive down here in the South! LOL We turn the fans on, burn the citronellas, and keep socks on our feet! haha haha LOL

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    1. I often have socks on my feet, Debbi - but that's for when I'm running around the gardens, to keep the ticks from crawling up my legs. I tuck my pants into the socks, it's a really sexy look, ha ha!!

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  18. So pretty Debbie. I love your sweet spot of heaven, where you can relax for a bit. I like the lights too. Blessings to you, xoxo, Susie

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    1. Thank you, Susie - I need more time out there, my job is so busy right now I feel a bit worn out....it's the same every summer!

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  19. Your deck is gorgeous and you've made it such an inviting space! I would never want to come inside!! Love and hugs sweet friend!

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    1. I do have that problem, Benita....I'm thinking we may dine alfresco this evening, as it's a lovely day!

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  20. You haven't posted in awhile....just checking to see if you're ok? Hope so! I just saw your reply to my comment on this post and I'm laughing.....you do the sock trick too! ha ha LOL and yes, I tuck mine in too when I am gardening or on the porch too. LOL HEY IT WORKS! LOL

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    1. I'm ok Debbi, thank you for checking....I'm just insanely busy...I've uploaded photos over a week ago and still can't get the time to edit them or write a post!!

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  21. I need to find more time in the day to relax. I have pots of succulents I love but they are not nearly as pretty as flowers. I just kill everything else. haha. I rarely sit on my patio because the neighbors dogs bark at us the whole time. I usually get settled down around 9pm in my recliner and watch a movie or something.
    Lisa

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    1. Oh, that would be annoying, Lisa, you poor thing! I can't imagine not having my outside time....I crave it.

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  22. That is so gorgeous and inviting!

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    1. Thank you, Sandi...our season is winding down up here, but I'll keep the flowers going as long as I can!

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