The obsession I never knew I had

I had no idea how much I would have loved gardening, if you asked me a few years ago I would have liked the 'idea' of it, & that would be about it.  I have created gardens before with my hubby without a huge amount of success. I put it down to as I was lacking a green thumb! Also the garden was like a chore at one stage.

Something has changed within me the last 2 years, I LOVE being out there & I am always looking at new things I can plant, & tying to read & learn as much as I can. God bless Better Homes and Garden!! I believe the change is because I am home every day, I really want a gorgeous outdoor living space as I spend a lot of time out there with the kids. Also now the kids are getting that bit older so I can spend time pottering around outside. I have recently just painted 8 terracotta pots that sit around my pool. Absolute back breaking work, but so worth it.

So here are some photos of my ever growing, always developing garden space.
By the way I love flowers.

Garden bed #1. 

Recently I planted large garden bed that behind the pool thanks to a very high retaining wall. I adore cottage gardens, as I love flowers, but my house is not victorian or period style so it would look odd I felt. It's very new & kind of modern outside. Instead I am trying to create a 'modern cottage' style, if there is such a thing as one? Lots of flowers planted as blobs of colour. I am hoping eventually as they grow the spaces between each plan are reduces & it's just a whole colour explosion.

I am also a little fond of garden friends. Above is my owl which was supposed to scare those crappy Indian Minor birds, but is useless. My favourite green hat garden gnome. A funky French gnome holding a baguette & the Eiffel tower. I also have a couple of garden fairies for the kids. No garden can be complete without it's fairies.

I also adore my white hanging baskets which are full of gorgeous colours. I love these but at times forget they are there, & I have lost count the amount of times I have hit my head on the darn things!

I just couldn't resist the coloured lanterns. They are solar powered ones I got from Bunnings, & are divine at night, the kids love them. They give off a little party ambience hehehe.

There is my adorable Charlie Bear, he loves to sit by me when I m out there, & also loves to eat the fresh soil as you can see here, around his nose. Yuk!

I am looking forward to getting out there again soon, it's great being in the fresh air & lots of healthy vitamin D. 

If anyone has any knowledge or super garden secrets, let me know I am all ears.