Hydrangea Heaven

I am currently in Hydrangea Heaven at my house. I love them for so many reasons. There is such a range of colors, they bloom from now well into the Fall, and they are, frankly, pretty easy to care for all season.

I just love this pale periwinkle color that only comes with the first blush of the blooms. These same blossoms will be a much stronger cornflower blue in just a few days. You can even see it happening in the background of this picture.

This is actually two different bushes on the side of my house. The right one is the prettiest, creamy white in early Summer and will turn a fabulous champagne pink in the late Summer and into Fall. The one on the left turns cranberry and sage later in the season.

This is my hardiest, most faithful hydrangea and it sits at my front door. For 10 years it bloomed all season, no matter what, until last year. We had a late frost and a late, heavy snow fall in 2009, so I am sure that was a factor, but I was crushed.

I was determined to get more than the six blossoms I got last year....How am I doing? I did not cut this bush back in the Fall like I normally do, so I think that did the trick. (I will have to this Fall or I won't be able to see out of my windows.)

I almost lost this one last year, but I didn't pull it and look how it is doing! It will be a bold, fuchsia pink all Summer.

This was my very first Hydrangea and it always does great. It is bright white at first and then turns solid apple green. Just beautiful.

This barely pink one sits next to my side door. The plant is about three times the size it was last year and has so many blooms to come.

This was an Easter plant that was given to me years ago and I decided to plant it. It has never had one bloom since it was planted, but this year I have dozens coming. We will have to see what color it is when it finally comes out.

This was my birthday present this year from my sweet father, thanks Dad! He planted it outside of my screened-in porch (from where I am typing this right now) and I am trying to keep it the pale blueish lavender it was when I got it. I sprinkle my coffee grounds each morning per the suggestion of the garden shop from which we purchased it. We will see......

So I already have cut blossoms in vases in my house and I am a happy girl.

Cheers,

BBS

all images are mine, enjoy!

A Peek Inside My Humble Abode

Since the Color story from The Plain Dealer ran on Thursday, I have had tons of very sweet requests to show pictures from my home. Here is my Living Room with its pear green walls. I shouldn't admit this, but I just couldn't find the right shade of green in all of my paint decks and all of my sources, so I mixed it myself.

Here is one of the pair of bookcases I had custom built to flank my arched doorway. I love bookcases and was thrilled when I was able to add them last year. I think they really finish the room.

The chair on the left is a Mackenzie-Childs that my friend Megan talked me into purchasing on a whim in Chicago years ago and I have never regretted it. I love it. The wicker chair used to be the rocker in my Nursery and I had the cushion recovered with the fabric to match my valances.

My Dining Room wallpaper is a sand colored tone-on-tone damask and the window treatments are the same cornflower blue and lime green toile fabric as the Living Room. The furniture I inherited from my grandparents and I have it filled with the white bone china I got from them as well. (It really is nice to be an only child, sometimes)

I love Venetian mirrors and I have always loved this one of my parents. When I was little I used to make up stories about how the unusual shapes ended up in the mirror.

My bedroom. (It almost never looks like this, by the way) It is the most calm room in my house and I love it. Very peaceful to me.

Oh Oliver! He really did try to get in EVERY shot I took. I finally gave in and let him up on the bed.

This side panel is my favorite part of my room. It is cream interlined silk with contrast buttons, banding, and ties. They are so luxurious and soft.

A close up of the contrasting buttons and banding and the goblet pleat I used for the header.

My dresser and mirror. (Note reflection of Ollie and his stuffed pig in the mirror)

This dresser was my mother's when she was growing up. It was natural pine that had turned orange with the years. When I re-decorated my bedroom a few years ago, I decided the piece needed some freshening up. I had one of my painters finish the base in a robins egg blue and the top in an oatmeal color. I love how it turned out.



Well, there is a look at my home. I hope you enjoyed it.

Happy Weekend!

Cheers,

BBS


all images belong to me.