We spend a lot of time near the back steps to our home. It’s a cozy spot, sheltered from the wind, and private, even on our small lot.
The first of two steps are wide, accommodating several large pots. The pots once housed a hodgepodge of plants, but an unrelenting pest problem led me to clear them out and start over a few years ago
Any excuse to visit a nursery, eh?
I disposed of the pest-laden plants, refreshed the soil, and transplanted a runaway succulent.
The white flowering azalea fills a pot of its own. The other two azaleas are surrounded by bellflowers. I was aiming for what designers call the “thrill, fill, and spill” of container gardens. The azaleas fill and thrill leaving the Serbian bellflowers campanula to spill over the edge. I won’t be winning any prizes in a garden show, but I enjoy the results.
Azaleas are great patio plants. They have shallow roots and prefer living under a tree, or in our case, the eaves of the house. I was stunned to learn that they can live for fifty years!
The succulent grew at an alarmingly rate, looping up, then down, then back up again. It started as a wee plant in what used to be a fountain. With little information to be gleaned from the nursery’s small plant marker I assumed it would remain small. In no time, it required a pot of its own, then a trellis, and a few hooks attached to the house. I eventually reshaped it to a more manageable size, and the plant continues to thrive.
I love this quiet corner of our garden. We’ve been eating lunch outside during this warm spell, and we’ll spend more time there as the days grow longer. One by one, the resident felines wander out to join us. It’s our little oasis, sorely needed during these trying times. It fosters contentment all around.
Gardening Nirvana 
It is a lovely spot Alys, especially for sitting and feeling safe and shielded from neighbours and the world! 😉 Your azaleas look so healthy… confirmation for me that they should not be grown in our climate. They can often be seen in gardens here, and never look particularly happy. Your succulent is out to explore the world… what an ambitious plant! Have a good day Alys. Am enjoying these posts immensely. 😃
LikeLike
We have an azalea I was given in a pot when I finished consulting with an adoption agency about 20 years ago. It has travelled with me to various addresses and now has a permanent home in our soil here. From what you say it should see us out 🙂
LikeLike
Wow, Derrick! It’s fun to have a plant along for all your various moves. Good for you!
I have a fern in the garden, purchased at a now-defunct garden center for seventy-nine cents. It started out on my nightstand in my apartment in 1988. It lives in our soil. I like the idea of a plant “seeing us out.” You made me smile.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
that’s lovely. Thank you for sharing
LikeLike
Thank you, Dawn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your cats are so dang cute!
LikeLike
We adore them one and all. Thank you.
LikeLike
A lovely little oasis. I love the fact there is a plant called ‘Dr. Seuss’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you.
By the way, I made that up, but that’s between you and me. 😉 Long live ‘Dr. Seuss.’
LikeLike
And me! I actually googled Dr Seuss plant after reading your post, but didn’t come across anything as divinely inspired as your match!! I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the Dr Seuss plant and found it impossible to commit to any purchase when I went to a garden centre yesterday – everything on offer seemed so… predictable!
LikeLike
I’m smiling away hear. First of all, you cracked me up with your impression of everything in the garden centre as “predictable.” I made up the term Dr. Seuss Plant and had included it in my original post. I deleted it thinking it didn’t add to the tale. I *should* find out the name of that succulent though. I sometimes seluth on the internet or in my Western Garden book, but I miss going to nurseries and getting professional help.
LikeLiked by 1 person
PS I can’t find your blog or website under http://www.sew2pro.com. Are you posting?
LikeLike
No more, I’m afraid. I am no longer making clothes (though that might change if I’m out and about more in the future and get inspiration). Thanks for checking 🙂 ! I love your blog and it’s one of the few I read regularly, though I don’t comment often.
LikeLike
Thank you! I’m so happy to have you along as a regular reader. I appreciate your wonderful feedback. So many of us are living in casual clothes these days. It’s hard to feel inspired to sew clothes you can’t wear. Do you enjoy other types of sewing? When my son was young, I went through a teddy bear period. I sewed three different versions until he eventually lost interest. It was a lot of fun. I’ve also made a few cat “beds” or pads from scraps for a local rescue group.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Teddy bears sound great (boys are difficult to satisfy with sewing projects!). I’ve sewn quite a few face masks this last year, including for friends who then donated to charity. I’m quite chuffed to see these still worn months later. We moved recently so I will at some point have to make lots of curtains, but with the shops closed for so long, it’s been difficult to get the fabrics. xx
LikeLike
A beautiful, peaceful oasis. I,too, would want to spend as much time there as the weather allowed. Nice for your feline friends, too.
LikeLike
We had dinner outdoors tonight. We’ve had temps nearly 25 degrees above normal. It was 90 today, when a typical temp is 66. Crazy!
LikeLike
Oh, gosh!
LikeLike
I’m so envious of your gardening ability. There is an azalea in my terrace that has never done well. I may dig it out and put it somewhere more protected. I’ve tried feeding it well but it doesn’t seem to help. The tree trimmers tromped a lot of my plants so I’m going up today to see how much damage they did. They are so young and tried so hard so I said nothing. Your back yard is the oasis I long to create. Just so peaceful and of course your fuzzy family that adds so much pleasure. Off to work now. 😉 I’m inspired.
LikeLike
Oh, dear. I’m sorry to hear about the plants being trampled. It does seem inevitable. We had our fence repaired last summer and the plants are still recovering in a few places. I often put off making the call for some repairs knowing the garden will suffer. I hope you had a good day of trimming and weeding. Please let me know if you move the azalea and have better luck.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always find good information on this site: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/azalea/azaleas-noteworthy-shrubs-for-any-garden.htm
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. I’ll check it out.
LikeLike
Your patio is so gorgeous. I’m envious of the tile, we can’t do tile here. The steps are like a pretty stage for all your fab pots to share the spotlight. Will your Azalea’s bloom all summer ? The photo of Tessa made me laugh. Jim’s taken photos of Blossom surfing on the poof next to his desk. She loves that thing. It’s sure nice that the days are getting longer, more time to enjoy your fab yard 💓
LikeLike
Thank you, dear Boomdee! I’ve learned so much about the differences in gardens since following your blog all those years ago. I hope one day you’ll have the chance to visit around spring.
I like that expression “during on the poof.” That’s what it looks like! She loves that poof and so does Lindy. Mouse is the only one who ignores it, in favor of the small kitty condo on the patio.
LikeLiked by 1 person
PS: the azaleas flower for three or four weeks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like that Dr. Suess succulent requires regular doses of ‘tough love!’ 😉
Tessa is such a princess. 🙂
LikeLike
LOL. I wasn’t sure how much pruning it would handle, but “Dr. Seuss” has proved to be quite resilient.
Tessa *is* a princess. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am loving these posts about your garden, Alys. Being introduced to the amazing Dr Seuss was fun. He is quite the fella! I also love how the cats are such an important part of your garden too. enjoy the tranquility that your oasis brings. 💜
LikeLike
It is truly a charming spot, Alys, and I think “oasis” is the perfect description. We have always enjoyed our garden and patio space, but after this year, I think we’ve bonded in a very special way. I have many more potted plants than I did a year ago. 🙂
LikeLike
Azaelas and succulents. Happiness!
LikeLike
Agreed!
LikeLike