• About
  • Contact
  • Services

gardens & polka dots

gardens & polka dots

Monthly Archives: February 2014

My Nest

21 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by gardensandpolkadots in Gardens, Interesting, Polka Dots

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Creating, Foraging, Garden Blog, Little Found Treasures, Nest, Out & About, polka dots, Seredipity Garden Designs, Serendipity, Serendipity Garden Design

Last year I visited the fabulous Sydney Flower Market at Flemington. Oh, I love this place and I sure am due for another visit very soon. I bought lovely bunches of flowers which adorned my home for the following week/s, helped a friend choose flowers for her wedding and found myself the cutest little nest made from dried Dodda Vine.

Nest

Dodda Vine also has charming common names such as devil’s guts, devil’s hair, devil’s ringlet, hailweed, hairweed, hellbine, pull-down, strangleweed and witch’s hair. Anything with a common name containing devil, hell or weed makes you stop in your tracks. It comes from the Genus Cuscuta and is a parasite which means it attaches itself to another plant and literally sucks the life out of it draining the host plant of nutrients making it weak, vulnerable and eventually rendering it lifeless. I read a forum in which the author of the post wrote that she had received Dodda Vine on a bunch of flowers (not uncommon) and that it had started to produce roots. STOP! I had fresh Dodda Vine too but I didn’t see any roots being produced, thank goodness. If this is you don’t throw your Donna Vine in the bin, get yourself busy making nests, wreaths and all things doddery before it dries.

Anyway, back to my nest. It is the cutest thing and I originally bought it as an Easter decoration. I planned to put spotted chocolate eggs in it and use it as a table center peice for the Easter period. This didn’t happen because I was unable to find Fairtrade spotted chocolate eggs (better luck this year). I did however find the cutest little family of Fairtrade bunnies that happily made their home in the nest before being consumed.

Easter Nest

I have also used my nest for Autumn and Winter decorating but my favourite has been using it during spring and summer. Summer is without a doubt my favourite season, I love the smells of summer, from sunscreen and salt on a beach towel, to seafood on the beach with a glass of Riesling. I love warm evenings under the stars and diving into the salty water at the beach. I just can’t get enough of it. Over the years I have collected little bits of nature and this year has been no different, a shell here, a beautifully formed leaf there. But this year instead of my little found treasures, also called Polka Dots, being randomly placed around my home and eventually making their way to the garden, I have put them in my nest. So, cute!

Nest and Drift Wood

I have collected my finds on different adventures I have had during Spring and Summer and each piece reminds me of a place I visited and enjoyed or a beautiful day. There are leaves, gum nuts, Kangaroo Paw, feathers, drift wood, shells, dried pods and underneath a teeny tiny scattering of sand. It’s easy to do and I am sure some of you do forage when your out and about. Keeping your eyes peeled for little Polka Dot treasures encourages us to be mindful and present because if you’re distracted and rushing your eyes might just miss something worth capturing.

Nest On The Old Radio

Inside The Nest

Gum Nut in Nest

Nest Foliage

Nest With Draping Foliage

Feather In Nest

I foraged my little Polka Dots from the ground and I cut the Kangaroo Paw from my garden. I didn’t break branches, steal flowers or damage bushland in order to create this beautiful nest. It’s amazing what you can find when you walk with mindfulness.

Until next time.

Carmel

Please Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Green On The Inside

07 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by gardensandpolkadots in Gardens, Interesting, Polka Dots

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Architectural Plants, Flower Arrangments, Foliage Arrangements, Foliage Inside, Garden Blog, Indoor Plants, Monstera, Monstera deliciosa, Serendipity Garden Designs, Stems, using Foliage Inside, Using Plants Inside

I have become a little obsessed with greening up the inside of my home. I am fortunate to live in an apartment that I can see out of, meaning, I don’t have views of my neighbours windows or brick walls. In fact I can see far beyond the boundary of the property down to the sea. Outside my kitchen window I can see yellow paper daisies (Xerochrysum sp.), a small potted Bay Tree (Laurus nobilis) and potted herbs that I rotate during the year depending on what’s flowering in my extensive (potted) garden. Outside my bedroom window is the top of my Fig Tree (Ficus benjamina) and on the fence opposite I have Pink Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum). I have made the most of the spaces and views that I have but I want more. Of course I want more, I live a the city, I want to return to the country!

Brighter up the bedside table with some greenery.

I brightened up my bedside table with some greenery. @SerendipityDSGN

But back to ‘greening up the inside’. I have the usual indoor plant suspects, Peace Lily (Spathiphylum wallisii), Heart-Leaf Phillodendron (Phillodendron sp.) and Jade // Money Plant (Crassula ovata). But I also love arrangements of flowers (you already know this) and greenery to adorn various spots in my home. One of my favourites, due to its glossy green leaves and sculptural qualities is the leaf of the Monstera deliciosa. Most of us know this plant from our childhoods. It was undoubtedly in a garden somewhere around our neighbourhoods, taking over the garden and smothering anything planted underneath. Most owners of this plant, especially those with small city blocks want it removed yesterday, but when it is put to good use, you may just be able to keep it (slightly) contained. There is one on the shady side of my building and I love to cut stems off it to display in my home. I just cut a stem or two, put some water in a suitable vessel, pop the stem in the vessel and place the vessel someone in my home -easy! Alternatively you could have a small specimen growing in a pot – hmmm, now that’s a great idea! If you have one growing in your garden or know someone that does, you should be cutting stems to decorate your home too.

If this is not enough to get you motivated have a look at the pictures that I have gathered to inspire you.

Monstera leaf - perfection!

Monstera leaf – perfection!

Out of control or in proportion?

Out of control or in proportion?

Neat and compact

Neat and compact

Monstera stems, two is perfect

Monstera stems, two is perfect

Monstera, keeping it simple

Monstera, keeping it simple

A green sculpture

A green sculpture

Mix it up to make an impression

Mix it up to make an impression

Monstera Xl

The round, grey pot is perfect

Monstera can be pretty too!

Monstera can be pretty too!

Monstera, perfect for the center of a large dinning table

Monstera, perfect for the center of a large dinning table

It's big and it's bold!

It’s big and it’s bold!

So, are you inspired? Your head should be swirling with ideas and green possibilities. Remember, the sky is the limit, only your imagination can stop you.

Until next time.

Carmel

Images; Mallie + Posh // Brankmk*// Denher // Blog Lovin

Pinterest //Solanacee // Home NineMSN // Bobbye Wolfe

Habitually Chic // Inside Out Mag // Inside Inside

Please Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Follow Gardens and Polka Dots

Terranora NSW
0403 667 165

@SerendipityDSGN

This sweet Kindness Advent Calendar made it's way to its destination this week. A little late but still filled with love, kindness, fun daily tasks and Christmas cheer
Spots are filling fast at this wonderful preschool in Bilambil. Big A will finish there in a few weeks and little A is starting in 2021. We only have fabulous things to say about it. So if you're looking for a preschool in the Tweed area get in quick!
And slowly our house comes alive for Christmas with hand picked flowers from our garden
Horse appreciation 🐎 at the farmers market this morning

Follow Serendipity Garden Designs

Follow Serendipity Garden Designs

Recent Posts

  • To Market To Market, Flower Market That Is!
  • Exotic Inspiration – Morocco
  • Botanical Illustrations
  • Neglected, Rejected, 2nd Hand Plants
  • Autumn In The Gardens
  • Tibouchina
  • Garden – Paddington Reservoir
  • Bush Walking – Fitzroy Falls
  • Going Potty!
  • My Nest
  • Green On The Inside
  • Happy Australia Day!
  • Australian Natives
  • It Looks Like Dutch To Me!
  • My Word

Archives

©Gardens & Polka Dots

Permission is required should you wish to use any of my photographs for publications, print and/or websites. Where my images are used on blogs please give credit and link back to my site. Images that I have sourced to use on this blog have been credited to the best of my knowledge, however, if I am incorrect please advise me. Thank you!

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel

 
Loading Comments...
Comment
    ×
    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
    Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
    To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
    %d bloggers like this: