Ckickens in the garden (picture heavy!)

I think like most quilters/cross stitchers/sewers/crafters I love flowers and gardens. I love the shapes, the colors, the million shades of green - they all make me happy! Several years ago I decided that I wanted a garden in my back yard so I got my husband to dig out some bushes and turn over a patch of dirt. The rest was up to me. The dirt we have here is about 99% clay and I knew nothing would grow unless I improved the soil. I have no idea how many 30 lb. bags of soil and compost I dragged to the backyard but it was worth it. I concentrated on perennials and wanted a sort of wild English garden look and I think I have it - although some would say it is getting to be a jungle out there, I like the craziness of it. Here are some pics I took last week. I'm big on daylilies - all that yellow and orange.














Here are my newest garden additions - polka dot chickens!!




I got these at Joanns months ago (there was still snow on the ground when I snapped them up). It has taken waaaay too long to get them into the garden because I wanted to spray them with polyurethane before exposed them to the elements. I read somewhere that this is extend the life of these crazy guys. So last Saturday when I was spray painting the metal baskets I gave them several coats of poly. I need to remember to take them inside in the fall and give them a few more coats before returning them next year.

Hope you enjoy the pictures - I have some more I want to show of cool flower displays I've seen locally. There is a cute little house not far from mine with a wonderful English garden look and the flower boxes full of petunias in the Sycamore area are simply stunning. I'm going picture taking this weekend so look for new garden pics next week.

Happy stitching and gardening!

carol fun