Farm House Arbor

This rustic, yet quaint arbor is located at the Farm House Museum on the Iowa State University campus.  It was reconstructed from old photographs several years ago and is such a nice addition to the site.  I walk past it often and suddenly felt compelled to share it.  I love the combination of the perfectly constructed bird gates paired with the natural wood structure.

Bright Spots Today

As I was walking through campus yesterday I noticed many of the shrub roses blooming. The top rose is "All the Rage", the middle photo is "Yellow Submarine" and the last is still unknown to me (any thoughts?). All are about three feet tall...and growing in zone 5a. A big thanks to campus staff for helping me identify them.

The Garden Bench

It would be nice to have a garden bench in our yard.  Nothing too fancy, just simple wood. My one rule about benches though...please place them where you'll actually use them. Don't locate them in an obscure flower bed, at the end of a long driveway or on top of a hill that can't be accessed.  Use them to actually sit on, relax for a moment, take a peak around your beautiful garden, then you can get back to weeding. If you want a bench to be multi-functional, also use it as a focal point. 

Image courtesy of Oh Pretty Shiny

Image courtesy of J2 Studios Photography

Image courtesy of Dragonfly Photography

Sweet Peonies

As with everything else in the garden, our peonies are blooming early.  I snuck a few in the house to fill the air with sweet scents.

Sprinkling the Strawberries

A few weeks ago my husband planted our new strawberry patch...with an eager three-year old helper.  I heard it was a fun evening filled with lots of sprinkles.

Children and the Landscape

I've talked quite a bit about how I became enamored with the landscape, but I often look at my children and wonder if they'll make their own special connections.

My 10-year-old daughter and three-year-old son seem to have that initial spark.  They enjoy being outside playing ball, chasing butterflies and climbing trees.  My 13-year-old son never seemed to ignite that spark.  If given the choice, he'll choose inside.  His outside choices revolve around group activities like camping or sports - all good, but he's not usually the initiator.  Are these connections genetic, environmental...a little bit of both?

Image courtesy of Jonas Peterson