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The Greenhouse, Occupied

Tuesday, October 29, 2013





It's just a whole 'nother thing, looking at this house all red and cornsilk yellow. I love it. I love the way it looks against the sky and the landscape. Forest green turns out to be a great accent color (along with cobalt blue) for the red. So the greenhouse, which was already pretty groovy-looking, looks even groovier now.


While the Big Sit was going on, I grabbed Tools, who didn't mind being pulled away from birdwatching. His favorite bird is a fast-rising ring-necked pheasant, anyway. I asked him to come down and look at the sagging roofline on the greenhouse. He recommended a support pole, a floorjack if you will, and even texted me a photo of it from our local Lowe's. My personal tool/gizmo shopper. It's a 7'0" - 7' 4" adjustable pole. You put it in place and crank it up until it's bearing some weight.


I didn't even know there was such a thing as a floorjack. That's what Tools is for. That, giant concrete drills, and decoration.

He arrived at the Big Sit like Knight Rider in a new graphite-gray Corvette, which was most unfortunate, because we had to look at that car all day long, sitting in our driveway, totally outclassing every other vehicle that arrived. It was harrible.




The manifestation of the floorjack. It's smack in the middle of the floorspace, which is taking some getting used to, but the greenhouse no longer looks swaybacked, like an elderly horse. And I like the color!


Now that's a nice topline. Much better. I'm also diggin' the ketchup and mustard color scheme of the house. Bill pointed that out. At first I was most chagrined, then embraced it.


 Inside, Salivia greggii "Desert Blaze" is blooming like mad! It survived transplanting and repotting without even so much as a shrug or dropped leaf. May it keep going. I'd love to carry it over the winter, since I'd been looking for it for about a decade without success, and found it at a farmer's market in Brunswick, Maine this summer.
This is one of my favorite plants, an icy bright variegation on a theme. In the foreground is a small red mandevilla that just had to come in when it got nippy. And the beautiful lacy-leaved vine in the corner is pink jasmine. I cannot wait until it blooms. It grew and grew all summer with nary a blossom. I think I see tiny buds...mmmm.



Geraniums "Frank Headley" and "Happy Thought Pink."


I keep trying to get a shot of the golden arbor vitae that does it justice. I'll have to wait for sun.


Every once in a great while, there is sun.

And when there is I scat up to the towertop to have a look-see. For those who wonder what it's like up there... looking north



 looking east

and looking south



and looking west as the sun drains away.




13 comments:

Cheers!

Very, very good use of "harrible." I approve.

Think red and cornsilk yellow instead of ketchup and mustanrd. The color scheme is indeed beautiful. I love the Greenhouse and would be in hog heaven if I had one similar. But your wonderful view "up top" is absolutely breathtaking. I would find it hard to come down and do the mundane things like house cleaning. Enjoy your blog and especially Chet Baker.

Nice! Words and photos for the soul. And nah, not ketchup colored at all. Maybe Rockwell red and cornsilk. Enjoy! Love the last photo.

I love both the transformation of your homestead and the obvious joy you are taking in it. Both are uplifting!

okay I'm getting jealous. Mostly because we're due for one of those "oh, what do you mean, that new kitchen from 1984 is falling apart?" renovations, but it ain't gonna happen til next summer. The After party is so much more pleasant than all the before crap: planning, getting permits, getting out of the way, being not crabby when everything takes 50% longer than you'd hoped. Love love love the ketchup and mustard theme. Love the colors against the sky and the landscape, love the new spaces,and especially the friends with know-how who just jack up your greenhouse and away you go. Enjoy your lovely realm, dear JZ, from within and without, through big windows and from on high!

xoHodge

Posted by KH Macomber October 29, 2013 at 8:52 AM

Your home is so beautiful and I love how joyfully nature-loving it is. So full of life for people, plants and critters. The red pole in your greenhouse is a pretty color. I looks to me like it is asking for something to vine up it so that it really fits in. What a view you have. Great post. I really enjoyed it.

Paprika and turmeric.
Chilli and saffron.
Cayenne and dijon.

I just popped by to get warm.

There was an article in the paper today about a greenhouse that takes your plants in for the winter.
Cost is $35 to $300 for the season.
They get everything from geraniums to palm trees.
They water, prune and talk to your plants.
Now that's marketing.

If Bill's ketchup is that shade of red, he needs to throw it out, not eat it. The house is definitely Antique Barn red and Cornsilk yellow, and fits right in with your lovely property. I am Spring Grass green with envy, though...I want the bird tower...and the greenhouse...and the house...and the property...heck, can I just have your life when you're done with it? No hurry, though!

Posted by A.S. Maxwell October 30, 2013 at 11:34 AM

Julie, I love your tower views. I went out to see what color the foliage is turning this week in Kansas. Lots of yellows and oranges, with some reds and purples. Rather unusual because most years the wind blows the leaves off before they can change! Found a very confused forsythia. On one colorful limb I discovered a handful of yellow blossoms! Looks like I'm not the only one eager for spring!

Same here, Murr's comment.

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