Garden Table

This picture was taken in mid- March.

We had just begun what we thought was a two week shelter in place.

The weather was pretty nice and I decided to work on the backyard. 

Little did I know that we would be home for months and our backyard/gardening/outside spaces and time spent there would be so important to us.

The table base was on my donate pile but we couldn't take it anywhere and I had crazily not purchased a wrought iron bar cart at a thrift store a few days earlier because it was priced more than I wanted to go. Not that much more (but it was gone when I went back the next morning which was the day before we began our shelter-in-place order.) 

After I came home I realized how perfect it would have been by the fire pit. 

So I decided to "temporarily" use this iron table base, a piece of outdoor plywood we had on hand and some green spray paint I also had on hand to create a serving table/plant display area. I was going to use it until I could get back out to thrift stores and find a great cart like the one I let get away. 

Little did I know that I still wouldn't be thrifting regularly 5 months later!

I was inspired by this fabulous table full of plants and lanterns curated by John Roselli

and this vignette from Harolds Finishing Touches. 

Both great inspiration feeds.

Obviously my little set up was far more humble :)

But it flourished. Here it is in late May (Above)

The concrete elephant was purchased on a road trip to SC with my parents a couple of years ago. The faux bamboo mirror frame is plastic so it can take the weather. 

I had the baskets and the urn with a topiary form in it. 

Being unable to go to the Nursery for plants made me especially thankful for plants I wintered over and for my perennials that I was able to divide and use to fill planters with. I divided some perennial ferns and Creeping Jenny ( I love that plant) that were starting to come back to fill my pots. 

(We eventually picked up plants at curbside that we had ordered in advance but our choices were limited. This resulted in a much more colorful palette of blooms than I usually have. We embraced the mixture and the surprises when plants bloomed!)

Here it is in July. (Below) The plants are huge. I put a stump underneath and a couple of urns to one side.

The block and the pea gravel right in front of the table are the edge of our fire pit circle and the table backs up to the back of our screened porch.

 

You can't even see the elephant or the mirror anymore :)

Below you can see how handy it will be for trays of drink 

and S'mores fixins' when we sit around the firepit.

As it cools off and we use the firepit more I will replace the fading annuals with a mum and leave more room on the table for the trays.

But for right now we are enjoying the remaining Summer blooms and how much everything grew and blossomed.

Before and After:

      

How did your garden grow this Summer?

You can see other spots in our backyard/garden here and here.