The Frugal Garden: Dooryard Garden Update

 A Dooryard garden is an easily accessible garden space, just outside a doorway, for easy harvesting of herbs, flowers and sometimes vegetables.  Mine is by my front door, so I work to keep it visually pleasing.

I keep a seed starting area inside my house and every week I replace dying plants with new seedlings.  If I do have a blank area, I keep a variety of attractive pots planted and move them into the empty space.

Here are my dooryard garden at the beginning of the growing season and now when most of the plants are maturing.

Experiment with the plants that you use for cooking and with your favorite flowers.  Two of the larger pots contain hot peppers, one yellow and one red.  Both are attractive and tasty.

God bless,

Pam

Frugal Little Flower Arrangements

I don't have a garden dedicated to cutting flowers, but I do like to bring cut flowers from the garden inside for special, little flower arrangements.  This harkens back to my days at the Waldorf school when I would substitute for the kindergarten assistants.  We would walk in the field behind the school cutting wild flowers, weeds and interesting leaves to create small arrangements to decorate the childrens' snack tables.

Using small vases, purchased in thrift stores, and random foraging finds we created truly charming flower arrangements.  This is such an easy thing to do, just give up any thought of creating designer looks and allow the natural beauty to shine.

Find a small vase at a thrift store or at online stores such as  Ikea or Chinaberry.  Look for inexpensive vases that are made to display one to several flowers.

Picture This Beauty From Ikea With Three Daisies

I like to fill my vase with water, grab my scissors, then head into the garden to harvest flowers and leaves.  Having my vase in the garden with me allows me to see my arrangement grow flower by flower and allows me to harvest just the flowers I need.

Soon I have little arrangements on the bedside tables, in my kitchen window and in the bathroom.  Any place that makes me happy.  These arrangements are for private viewing and need only give pleasure to my family.

A Grouping Of Vases From Chinaberry

When using small vases you can make a more powerful visual by grouping vases with different types of flowers.  Or you can use just one perfect little vase to display the flower brought in to you by your children.

One Perfect Vase From Chinaberry

Have fun with your arrangements.  Simple flowers from your own garden and both beautiful and frugal.

God bless,
Pam