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 A quick porch clean-up update.  I didn't take proper "before" pictures, well because this wasn't a plan and who wants pictures of their mess?  

When I moved the couch out, so MUCH had blown back there - leaves, spiders, lots of cobwebs.  *Ivan and Sophia designing a lovely manzanita branch with various air plants.  Some air plants I had inside (incredibly neglected during the summer when my focus is definitely OUTSIDE).  And a few of the bigger healthier specimens from Casper's garden in Oakland.  I haven't had the pleasure of visiting Casper's garden, but through Ivan & Sophia it is just a phone call away.  I really look forward to it.  Casper's garden was featured (if I'm not mistaken) on Succulents and More blog in November, 2020.    I'm thankful for the gift through their friendship with him!

All of this spurred a cleaning frenzy of the porch.  After dragging everything off the porch and  hanging the staghorn ferns that were remounted by Ivan & Sophia.  I knew everything deserved a refresh and I did a cleaning/degreasing of the concrete floor.  Here I'm washing away the first semi transparent stain I tried.  I thought it would be a lovely brown, no it was brick RED and more like paint.  Not good with the navy - bad, bad bad.
After a consultation with Olivia, my 2nd daughter who is home from college, she immediately picked "Cattail" as the correct color.  Two coats later and I think it feels nice and freshened. And worthy of the new staghorn ferns gracing the walls!  Not a huge change I guess, but it feels like a nice spring clean all around.


Close-up on the air plants.  I do have a hose pot on the way to hide the orange hose.  

From Casper's garden.

The fern mounted on the palm branch is a favorite.  I like how it wraps around the corner.


I need to shop for a new doormat, and a small table for packages. 



*From Sophia the next day, during a walk in Berkeley she spotted a different kind of porch makeover.  


Also, this happened.  In the 2 minutes I walked around the house to go in the back door.  I decided to keep it.
I mean, it's in the name.  
Hope everyone is staying cool, what kind of projects do you have going on?  Or are you in the midst of the summer heat and letting things lay low?

Comments

  1. Kris PetersonJuly 27, 2023 at 10:30 AM

    Your patio refresh looks marvelous, tz. The paw prints are a nice touch too ;) I did something similar with Tillandsias wired to a branch in my lath house and I still love it (even if I forget to mist it as often as I should).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJuly 28, 2023 at 8:50 AM

      Oh, your lath house is a perfect home. I'll need to move these inside during the colder months, I imagine Dec-Feb? Thank you!

      Delete
  2. danger gardenJuly 28, 2023 at 10:07 AM

    Excellent porch makeover!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJuly 28, 2023 at 11:54 AM

      Thank you, a cleaning always feels so good. Now if I could just make myself do the inside.

      Delete
  3. Beth at PlantPostingsJuly 28, 2023 at 12:27 PM

    That's a big project. The seating areas look comfy and the plants are awesome. I cleaned the front porch in a similar way recently, but I really need to tackle the back screened porch. One of these days...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenJuly 28, 2023 at 2:54 PM

      I feel you, this may be the only tidy area in or out right now!

      Delete

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