Roses are red, pots are blue
I never used to like primary colors all that much. I’ve always thought they were, well, too obviously cheery, too forced. I typically prefer muted and earth tones for just about everything…my clothes, my decor, etc. etc. But over the last year or so I have become enamored with bright blues and reds. I don’t really know why…
This weekend I was stricken with red and blue fever and I decided that my garden area needed some cosmetic enhancement. So I took several of my old drab pots that I use for growing tomatoes and peppers and painted them blue and red. I also started to paint my tomato cages blue but after finishing 2 of them I decided that was too much of a pain in the keister, and silver is beautiful too.
I took a couple of pics after I finished my handiwork and something struck me: my garden is REALLY cluttered. I mean, I pretty much have to climb over plants, walk the border of my raised beds and otherwise contort myself into strange positions just to reach everything. I don’t think anyone who has practiced yoga for less than 2 years would even be able to maneuver in my garden. I have to hang over the fence to harvest my squash and squat over the butterfly weed to get to the peas! I am going to assign partial blame for this sad situation on my husband, who is still cleaving to his green suburban dreams of lush lawns and so only allots a certain portion of yard for my eco-endeavors (although with each successive year I claim more space!) but mostly the fault is mine. If I had the entire yard to myself it would probably be just as cluttered with a zillion plants, watering cans, “found” yard art, weeds (gasp!) and other sundry items. Although sometimes I wish that I had one of those magazine cover-ready gardens filled with immaculately maintained beds and wrought-iron trellises, the truth is that isn’t who I am. I am a bean-tepee-constructed-from-bamboo-I filched-from-a-stand-on-the-side-of-the-road kind of gardener. And that’s ok by me. Apparently I am a bright blue and red kind of gardener now, too!
Your red and blue pots are so colorful. I love bright color in my gardens. Recently I have bought several brightly colored tomato cages I also use to restrain some of my taller perennials.
Dear Bethany, I LOVE your brightly coloured pots. I have painted pots for years and have found that they raise the status of inexpensive terracotta pots to another level. Just a further thought – have you tried painting stripes on your pots. I once did, in my eyes, a very successful two-tone cream combination but it did take a long time to get the masking tape exactly right.
Well, you’ll be proud to know that you are finally rubbing off on me. Ean and I were given our first tomato plants today by a neighbor with overflowing abundance in his backyard garden. We are excited to plant them and see how things go. We have talked about building a little raised bed and trying a vegetable garden if we can keep these alive. I have even been on the lookout for some neat garden/yard art. (Gasp!) Don’t tell my HOA. I almost bought a flamingo, but talked myself out if it. A mooning gnome may be just what I need though.
Hi Keewee, it seems we are color kindred spirits!
Edith, I love the idea of stripes, I am going to have to try that one day when I am feeling very patient!
And Melissa, I can’t wait to help you guys start a garden when I come home! PS Go for the flamingo!