Summerland Homes & Gardens

Evening in the Garden

I love spending time in my garden at the end of the day. The heat has subsided and the harsh daytime shadows have diminished. It's a great time to photograph blooms. My garden was a bit neglected while I was away for the month, but I've been giving it lots of TLC since my return and the flowers have been responding to my nuturing. These pics of the foxgloves and peonies were taken in June before I left.

I planted these 2 foxglove plants two years ago in the spring. When I brought them home from the nursery they were already blooming. Foxgloves can be tricky- some gardeners will tell you to treat them as annuals, while others consider them biannuals. You'll also find gardeners who say their foxgloves return year after year. So...I kept my fingers crossed and hoped they would return the following spring, but sadly they didn't. So imagine my surprise when they popped up this year! I almost pulled them out of the garden in early spring, thinking they were weeds! But they gave me these beautiful blooms. Let's see what happens next year...

Absolutely gorgeous peonies...they leave me speechless!

Catmint blooming with geranium and creeping jenny.

And what's blooming now...

Summersweet

Annabelle hydrangeas

I love the colors on this coleus mixed with the begonias.

Zinnias...great for cut flowers.

Black Eyed Susans with Autumn Joy Sedum

Beautiful hydrangeas with hostas and impatients.

Hostas in the shade.

We have two mandevilla plants that are growing up our side porch and giving us lots of blooms.

Wispy Russian Sage

Phlox along our picket fence.

Summerland Homes & Gardens can help you make your garden beautiful!

Enjoy the day!

An afternoon in Concord (Part 2)

I hadn't been to Concord in about two years, so what a treat it was to discover a new shop (Well, new to me), Jack + Toba. Store owner Suzy Adler Watters said she's been in business a year and 9 months. The bright red door caught my eye...

...and the chalk writing on the stairs enticed us upward.

Her shop is filled with antiques and new items, industrial metal pieces, linen dish towels, and cotton throw rugs, just to name a few!

The Laundress soaps fill this handsome armoire.

My mom loved this vintage gate, but wasn't sure how she would get it on the plane home!

Metal storage baskets can hold anything and everything!

These wooden fish sculptures (below) are by Maine artist Peter J. Koster. I think I need to get one for Ryan's bedroom. How cute are they?!?

Suzy (who is SO friendly and sweet!) also carries unique vintage clothing. This delicate embroidered baby dress and lineup of shoes are irresistible!

And what about these preppy Forage bowies for father and son?

I loved the muted colors on these European bed linens...perfect for summer!

Take a trip to Jack + Toba...I promise you won't be disappointed! The store is full of personality, just like it's owner!

www.jackandtoba.com

17 Walden Street, Concord

978.369.4060

An afternoon in Concord, Massachusetts

Last Friday my mom and I drove up to Concord, MA. I love Concord- a quintessential New England town, full of history, beautiful homes and a lovely town center. They also have a thriving small business community. Four of my favorite shops are Nesting on Main, The Cottage, Comina, and a new one…Jack + Toba. (I’ll be blogging on each of them in the next week or two). After a yummy chicken salad with pineapple curry wrap for lunch at Main Street Market & Café, we headed upstairs to “Nesting on Main”.

This lovely shop is a visual treat, filled with antiques, vintage and found objects along with some new mixed in.

Each of the rooms features charming vignettes, many natured themed.

The carefully curated items almost make you feel like you’re in a museum, and I found myself circling around the shop several times to make sure I didn’t miss anything! Take a peek…