I've been collecting seashells for as long as I can remember. From east to west, coast to coast, and shore to shore, I always find a treasure to keep, and adore.
Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Creating My Own Paradise, In Paradise

A direct quote from Wikipedia, "In paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but is not necessarily a land of luxury and idleness." I really like this statement. I think it speaks volumes.

In my quest to create tropical surroundings, I feel as if we have finally developed our own little paradise. In my home, and on my grounds, I truly feel at peace, content, happy, and prosperous in many ways.


This area grows more beautiful every day! We are always adding little touches, like the pavers in the center under the table...done! Mulch around the bananas, pineapples, and tomatoes, and my how they have grown since I took this pic a couple of weeks or so ago! It has been a work in progress for years, but really started coming together when the chain link came down, and the white vinyl fence went up.

We are currently working on a pathway from the front gate, thru the side yard between 2 garden areas, with 3 raised beds that hubby made for me. It's not quite finished, but a far cry from where it was, and certainly far better than the blank slate of a yard we started with. We barely had grass, and zero plants.

This area has a looooooong way to go, but progress is being made. I'm guessing maybe a couple more years til it's finished to what we are planning? It's still my Paradise. I'm at peace here playing in my gardens.

This little picket fence area is where my blueberry shrubs are growing! This area is now mulched in also, and looks so cute. The little fence was intended to keeps my furkids out of here...but the mulch and stone pathway is doing it, lol they hate it...or consider it off limits. Which is fine by me :)

The fish pond was moved when the fence changed....It's bigger than it looks, and we've done a little more with it. This was on the other side of the yard, but I still have my pond with waterfall by the front door.

Changes have been made in the front yard, too.


You can tell by these two photos that this was done around the end of January/beginning of Feb. Well, I can lol hubs is wearing long sleeves. Here in Paradise, we enjoy the cooler days as well :)

Hubby does the heavy lifting, and big jobs. I'm the designer, creator of art, and supervisor. I do get my hands in the dirt, I love to plant, and weeding isn't even so bad now that we've about got them under control (a layer of cardboard under the mulch. We tried landscape fabric, and Florida grew right through it!)

I am currently working on garden art. One piece at a time. And you know it's all going to be beachy, tropical, coastal, nautical, with seashells included here and there.

The only change directly in front of the house, and the front door area, was replacing the plants that did freeze, or got frostbitten. They looked terrible!

So, I'm starting over again, and will try to better protect these the next cold season. The others had gotten so big, and were just beautiful. And yes, we did plant the same plants!

I added this beautiful hibiscus about a month ago.


Check out the size of these flowers! And ignore the dog pee by the plant. That's why it was still wrapped in plastic. I know my boys...it was something new, out of place in the screen room. Boys will be boys! Even in Paradise lol.

Now it has a spot to call it's own. and a prettier pot to boot! And....the boys will leave it alone.

Something I've been wanting to do for a long time, like over a year, was to get the Waterlogue app for my Iphone. A couple of months ago I did!

I've had some fun with this!

I took this at the beach last year, when we were glamping in Crystal River. I used this to make my blog header, using the Waterlogue app.


Unfortunately for me, this Kings Crown was alive, so back he went in the water.
It was a really nice one too, look at the crown on it!!! One day I will find more :) I believe in good Karma. And it sure made a pretty blog header!

I'll try to keep a hold on my blogger cap this time. I have another laptop, so it should be better for me. I've been lost without my laptop, and the desktop computer just doesn't do it for me.


I do have a few choices, after all, and this is just a few of the hats I wear...errrr except the first one lol I left it there.

Welcome back to Paradise....

Friday, November 2, 2012

A Little Somethin' Somethin'

Remember on Tuesday when I mentioned my badge reels needed a little somethin' somethin'?

Welllllllll I worked on them, and although they are far from perfect, and need some touch ups, I did give them a little somethin'.





Some seashells and alligator gar scales made some cute flowers. The red ones resemble poinsettias :)

I do have a miss spot....okay, 2 miss spots where I need to go over and apply a touch more triple thick. And my gar scales flecked a couple of specks onto the shell. They really are much cuter in person. I'll be much more careful the next time I work with dyed gar scales!

I have some larger gar scales, and some smaller one's too. They certainly do have a Christmasy look to them. I bought them back in June or July at the shell shop in Treasure Island not having a clue what I would do with them. Maybe a clue, but not much of one :P I also wanted the green, but they were out. I really need the green!

My poinsettia is starting to turn!


I took these pics of it last week, and was looking at it yesterday between my comings and goings, and the bracts are getting larger, and darker! I'll have to get some new pics this weekend.

The bracts of my bougainvillea are amazing this year, as is the entire plant!



This is the biggest and prettiest it's ever been. I have a hard time believing that this was once in a hanging pot in my screenroom.....but I assure you, it was!



I am always amazed with nature, and the beauty that surrounds me :D

This weekend I am taking some time to relax and play!

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

I've been taking a break this week, and enjoying my immediate surroundings!
My flowers are still blooming! The cannas are so tropically pretty!
 This African Lily is one of my favorites. It resembles the Florida native spider lily.
The morning glories are glorious!

and are taking over the fence!

My asparagus ferns are filling out.
and happy enough to bloom!
Did you know asparagus ferns could live outdoors, and bloom?
My orchid has a new blossom after being dormant for the winter.
I love the pretty purple splotchy-ness of this tropical beauty!
My poinsettia is as tall as I am, maybe a little taller, and the African Petunias are spreading from the backyard to the front!
By the time this Poinsettia gets it's red bracts, it will be over the roof line of the house!
Rain lilies are native to Florida, and some people consider them to be a weed.
They even pop up randomly in the yard!
 This section of flowerbed used to be part of the yard.
My white rose is the only bloomer on the south side of the house right now.
I love the sweet smell, and the delicate petals.
My hubby gave this one to me.
Even my waterlily has decided to pop up....
open up, and bloom!

Is everything blooming in your yard, too? I'm still waiting for my Jasmine, and Hibiscus to bloom! What are you waiting for?

Have a wonderful day!

Love,
Del
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