Quite similar to Sonya’s Garden, isn’t it? Probably why I love Sonya’s so much, aside from their salad and the vegetable ratatouille and the sweetened sweet potatoes, is their garden. I don’t dream of a big house. I have always wanted a big lawn with a pretty garden and have a relaxing green house like this. I want it screened, as though I love gardens, I am not so excited about the frogs and little insects in there. For now though this is still a dream. So I will focus on the more attainable ones, like get a smaller, more handy digital camera. I looked for sony digital cameras in the mall, but I still haven’t found what I want. Maybe I should stick to what I have right now.

{via http://yvestown.tumblr.com/}

{via http://pinterest.com/pin/11632159/}

Soil and Light Requirements
Herbs do not require a rich soil, but the soil must drain well. A good soil blend is to add equal parts of topsoil, sand and compost. Make sure your plants receive at least 5 hours per day of sunlight.

Watering
Most herbs require about 1-inch of water a week. Others such as lavender, sage, or thyme can get by with less.

Fertilizing
Herbs don’t usually require fertilizer, unless you have remarkably poor soil. One of the benefits of many hardy herbs (such as lavender and rosemary) is they thrive under less than ideal conditions. We use an application of manure in the spring and a dose of compost tea in mid-summer to provide all the extra nutrients they need.

Harvesting
Don’t be afraid to use your herbs! Cutting leaves and stems will make the plants become a lot thicker, fuller and more productive. Harvest early in the morning when essential oils are strongest before the sun warms the leaves, releasing the oils.

Deadheading
Some herbs require deadheading the blooms in order to keep the plant productive. Basil and mint both benefit from having the flowers pinched back before they mature.

Cleaning Up
After the first killing frost in autumn, pull up annual herbs such as basil. In spring, cut back dead stems on perennial herbs like mint. In the spring, prune overgrown herbs by removing about one-third of the plant before new growth begins.

{http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2011/03/gardening-with-herbs-101-where-to-begin.html}

* Use stones or packing peanuts for drainage in the bottom. This will give the roots room to grow, and it will also prevent dampening off from overwatering.

* Fill the container with a mixture of potting soil and compost. Be sure to use new potting soil or old that has been thoroughly mixed and loosened up. Loose dirt allows herb roots to grow quickly and deeply, and this will lend itself to a healthier plant overall.

* Plant herbs and press lightly to secure in the dirt. Water just until soil is moist, and be careful not to overwater. Water in the morning and not at night to prevent dampening off over colder, dark nights.

~via http://organizing.yourway.net/.

~via http://www.pinkofperfection.com/.

I am itching to have our front yard landscaped. We had our small plant box outside landscaped and I liked it. It was affordable, probably because they used smaller plants. I’m sure the price would go up if I’d choose the older, bigger plants.

~via http://justbesplendid.tumblr.com/.

I would love to have these. I would really want to have my very own herb garden. I think I will just be planting basil initially as this is the only herb I frequently use. We do have several projects for our front yard {How I wish canvassing for pool heaters is one of them.}, however I’m not sure if we can squeeze those in since vacation is over. Hopefully, we can do small projects during weekends. I am in no hurry though as we don’t have much budget anyway.

~via http://www.poppytalkhandmade.com/.

Make display frames from scrap wood and celebrate small plants as living art.

~via http://www.sunset.com/.

Sigh. I just can’t get enough of these lovely homes and gardens. I can stay up all night just looking at these photos. And I have been doing so for the past few days, that’s why I never forget to take my vitamins every morning. I badly need that as I have been frequently staying up late. Anyway, I am subscribed to tons of tumblr accounts as I love looking at these pretty home photos. I wanted to keep tab of so many beautiful homes and home ideas, I even created my own tumblr account. And someday, I will have a similar home.

~via http://vintagerosegarden.tumblr.com/.

~via http://vintagerosegarden.tumblr.com/.