Yep, you read that right…funny how Design and DIY inspiration can strike you at any time, anywhere…in this case for me at McDonalds!
Here is what I see in the drive through at McDonalds. I have been guilty way too much lately as Buttercup and I crave their Strawberry Banana smoothies way more often than I would like to admit. So every time I sat in the drive through line I would see this pot tipped over spilling out faux water.
I thought to myself…I can do that! So the other day
I got my smoothie and drove across the street to the local nursery in search of a pot and some flowers. The sales guy that helped me said that McDonalds actually purchased their gardening supplies from there so I was in luck that they had the exact same pots available. I won’t tell you how much I spent on it though, let’s just pretend I got a GREAT deal on it!
I got my smoothie and drove across the street to the local nursery in search of a pot and some flowers. The sales guy that helped me said that McDonalds actually purchased their gardening supplies from there so I was in luck that they had the exact same pots available. I won’t tell you how much I spent on it though, let’s just pretend I got a GREAT deal on it!
I don’t have any Before and After pics of the process but let me tell you that it has been a long HOT dry summer and our yard is suffering! It doesn’t help that I have to sneak to water it since my hubby works in the water industry and loves to conserve, conserve, conserve! Lots of dry patches and holes from little critters that are not happy that we invaded their space. We wake up to this armadillo habitat every morning…UGHHHH! We fill up the holes, he makes new ones…
So for two days I got to work early in the morning before the kiddos woke up and again in the evening. It its the only time of day the heat is bearable, and who decides to plant in these conditions?…this girl here! I can foresee lots of sneaking the sprinklers watering in my near future.
And here is my version of the McDonalds Design Inspiration!
These faux water plants tend to spread so I planted them far enough away in hopes that it will behave and look like it is spilling out.
Look at all of that DIRT! Our front yard is huge and the only grassy part is up by the house. This area has been ignored I guess from the previous homeowner so I decided to spruce it up a bit. Digging those holes were not easy, my 40-something year old body’s aches and pains are reminding me of that this morning. Luckily my fingertips are spared so I can type this post!
I had to start with a heavy pic ax to loosen up the dirt and then a large shovel. I dug the holes twice the diameter size of the plant bases and filled with good fertilized soil and said a little prayer that they would survive.I have to share with you Psalm 25:5-6
As I was planting I kept thinking of the greenery/water overflowing from the pot and was reminded of how blessed I feel lately as found in excerpts from this verse…
As I was planting I kept thinking of the greenery/water overflowing from the pot and was reminded of how blessed I feel lately as found in excerpts from this verse…
I purchased the Bottle Brush, Blue Daze, the dirt and the mulch but the other plants I already had in other beds and transplanted them. Many plants up by the house were too overcrowded so hopefully they will be able to breathe a bit more out in the open in their new spots. The rocks were dug out of a firepit that was located up near where you see the picnic table. With a burn ban in effect right now I decided to dismantle it and use the rocks in my landscaping instead.
Overcrowded plants:
We will definitely have a variety of colors once the plants are established and blooming.
Mexican Heather:
Blue Daze:
Last night when I was planting I didn’t see many blooms but this morning when I was watering there were some more beautiful tiny blue flowers appearing. I love the way it looks like water cascading out of the pot. I cannot wait until they grow just a bit bigger and spread to the inside of the pot. I think it will be so cute!
I also cannot wait to see all of the other colors in bloom!
It is such a rewarding hobby, I can see why people are so addicted to tending their gardens!
And finally, while I was working on my planting, Buttercup was in another part of our yard working on hers. She found this little patch of weeds and built her own flower bed around it. I think she did a great job! I may just have to go buy her another Strawberry Banana Smoothie!
Maybe in the Spring we can plant more grass.
Now off to go take some BIG doses of Motrin to relieve this muscle pain. No more manual labor for awhile…haha, for a few days at least! We have a kid fort to reassemble! It’s been laying in pieces since the day we moved in here!
So where do YOU find YOUR design inspiration?
Any odd places?
So you never ever ever miss a post and other random ramblings, I would love for you to follow along:
I love it! Inspiration is always around us if we're open to seeing it, I'm glad your strawberry banana smoothie habit paid off in at least one good way! Was the pot whole and you buried part of it or is it broken so it sits flat on the ground? Now I'll be looking for one too!
Definitely! Everywhere I go I think about the design and what I would copy, what I would change, etc. Beautiful flowers and I love that pot! Great job!
Love it! I did something similar with a pot that broke. Sure beats throwing it away.
Love your plantings and the pot. Good luck with getting a lot of pretty color. I just finished digging up a huge bed of chives that had taken over and landscaped it with fresh plants. Looks so good to see something blooming. Just hope the deer will leave everything alone.
Enjoy.
Audrey Z.
That looks Mac-TASTIC! 🙂 And I needed that verse tonight. Thanks!
XOXO,
Meredith
Love this post, Tami. The new pot and water flowers look great in that flower bed. I can just picture it when all of the plants are mature and fully grown.
I love gardening too, but you're a better woman than me. I gave up once the summer temps set in.
Love Buttercups little patch of garden too…so sweet.
wow it looks awesome, I wish I could do yard work, I loved it, but my body says no, also love Buttercups little garden !!!!!
Paula
This is fabulous!!! I absolutely love where you got your inspiration – you just never know where or when it will strike! It all looks just beautiful and I love the Blue Daze! Thanks so much for sharing and pinning – have a fantastic week! 🙂
Tammy, I just love the places you find your inspiration…LOL! Your garden looks beautiful!
xoxo
Denyse
Ok, this is SO fun, Tami! You just don't know where we will find inspiration and I love this.
Pinned! xoxo
– Claire
Your garden pot looks great!! It's perfect where it is and that "Blue Daze" is a good choice for it. I liked that "Mexican Heather" too, we don't have any of that here (too bad)!
How beautiful Tami! Looks like you have a green thumb too…sigh!~
Such a super cute idea!! Love that Blue Daze, too! So pretty!
That is so cool! I will take inspiration from anywhere that I can get it 🙂 I will have to remember this for my next yard!
Absolutely gorgeous. HUGE GREEN THUMB AWARD!!!
I have to sneak water too. My husband is in the water industry too and getting him to water enough the only thing we fight over. He acts like the water has to come right out of his veins. We have no water restrictions at this time. I an in charge of the back yard which looks pretty good even after our extended heat wave. In the front yard where he is in change half of the plants are dying and the lawn has big bare spots int it.
I also tried to create the water spilling from a pot. It looked cute at first but I used lobelia and they just could not handle the heat. I am trying to come up with a fall blooming plant to use.
Traci