Tuesday, March 11, 2014

The Maple Hill Hop 21


Maple Hill Hop

Welcome back to 
The Maple Hill Hop,
where we share what's happening outside our doors.



This week's Hop finds us visiting a fellow gardener.
Eileen lives in nearby Lake Wales
and nurtures an amazing garden in a suburban neighborhood.


Looks like a typical Florida home, right?




This Green Thumb is far from typical.
I love how she repurposes throughout her garden.
These are colorful plastic coffee cans hosting onions.




Her creative use of wine bottles to edge the front bed is brilliant!





Don't you just love how it adds flow and a bit of whimsy?
The sparkle from the bottles glistening in the sun is a real eye-catcher.




Several front beds contain edibles as well as ornamental beauties.




Asparagus and marigolds share space, among others.




The backyard is composed of several smaller gardens.
As well as furnishing food for herself and others,
Eileen provides the appropriate host and nectar plants
for butterflies in her backyard.



A number of fruit trees provide a centerpiece for surrounding crops.
Apple, avocado and citrus are among the varieties tended here.
Circular plantings echo the fluidity of the front yard bed.




This fig tree is ready for spring!
Eileen employs the direct compost method.
She digs a hole and over the course of a few days
adds food scraps, then fills it in with soil.



Tomatoes can be found in a number of areas.
Again, check out the repurposed container here.
She amusingly calls herself a "scrapper".








It's understandable why Eileen prefers to stay close to home.
Who would want to leave this paradise?








This pineapple will no doubt be savored,
as it has taken a couple of years to develop fruit.
They are SO worth the wait!




Each pot's contents is designated by a tag.
No surprises about what's been sown.







Peppers just yearning to be stuffed.
Eileen believes in sharing her bounty
and often contributes her excess to friends and neighbors.
Gardeners are truly a generous lot.



You can tell that each part of this garden is loved.




Light-weight plastic mesh is used to deter critters
(including her cat) from traipsing on edibles.
Here she is growing onions.



The backyard boasts a care-free ground cover.
This is mimosa which is drought-tolerant and Florida-friendly.
Perennial peanut is another undemanding creeper
used in place of a conventional lawn.
The bonus is that the flowers on the perennial peanut are edible!


mimosa

These sweet pink pom-poms spring up 
through the lush, verdant undergrowth.








What a wonderful way to spend a bit of time.
It's always a treat to discover how others use their ingenuity in the garden.
Eileen has carved out an oasis in suburbia.
Here, she cultivates food, flora and friendship.
What a wonderful combination.

"Hopes are planted in friendship's garden 
where dreams blossom into priceless treasures."
-Source Unknown







13 comments:

  1. Daisy, your friend Eileen has really developed her gardens. They are wonderful to visit through your pictures. I really like how she has repurposed all the different throw away things with creativity to improve the looks of her gardens.

    We finally got a nice warm day here with the temperature rising up to 74 degrees. It was a torturous day for me because the garden soil was still frozen solid. I just soooo want to be digging in the dirt this Spring. Hopefully in a couple weeks that will begin.

    Have a great garden visiting day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congrats on warmer weather! I know you'll be diggin' in soon!

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  2. What a neat garden! I love how she repurposes everyday items to use in her garden space. So cool :)

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  3. Eileen has really used her space and resources wisely. I so enjoyed the tour of her gardens through your lens. It's always so fun & educating to visit another garden. Happy gardening, Meems

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Enjoying others' gardens is a real treat. Glad you stopped by!

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  4. I love this post! Sure wish she was my neighbor . . . :-)

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  5. What fantastic ideas! Such a beautiful property. :)

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  6. Replies
    1. It's one of my favorite things about her garden. ;0D

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