I am just back from the beach and I thought I would stop by to wish you a very happy holiday weekend (for those of you outside of the US, it’s Memorial Day here, a day that we share our gratitude and respect for our beloved troops).   I hope your long weekend (if you had one) was relaxing and wonderful. Mine was…and there is one thing specifically that I want to share with you…

Today as I prepped for a beach side BBQ I stopped into my local Aubuchon Hardware store and on a whim bought this portable BBQ…

And now I am a complete evangelist for the thing.  It folds completely flat — and when folded it is only slightly bigger than a laptop.  It is so utterly simple and perfect. This thing is the bomb. My charcoal lit so easily, it folds so flat, my burgers were perfect and it didn’t even burn my hands when I folded it because it magically cooled down the moment I dumped the red hot coals.  If you live an outdoor, camping or tailgating type of life, you need one.  You can get your own Portable Charcoal Grill from Amazon for less than $50….but if you are lucky like me, you might be able to find one at your local hardware store for $16.99. It’s totally worth it either way….the amazon one comes with a carrying bag that mine did not, but you gotta love a bargain and it really still is a deal for $50.

I’ll be back tomorrow with all the regular stuff.

I am quite excited to play around with, and really dig in to a new website called Your Garden Show.  This site is poised to be the face book answer for gardeners. It allows you to upload images and videos of your garden to share with gardening friends.  Launched this month, it already has quite a few gardens that you can peruse for inspiration and ideas or to meet new garden friends.

I am looking forward to continuing to build out my own profile and share my garden projects.  I am wondering if this could help me communicate with my clients….perhaps sharing thoughts about their gardens as they progress, grow and mature….not sure, but looking forward to giving it a try.

I love featuring garden makeovers like this sometimes….it’s not an expensive update, it is simply the result of pruning, clearing, maintaining and planting a little patch of grass and a few containers.  Totally Achievable.

I spent a year in NW6 where this garden is…I was pregnant (which I hated) and we lived in a flat (which I also hated) that overlooked a garden very similar to this….

If only my land lady could have spent a couple days with Living Gardens (who did this work) and spruced up the place….sometimes it’s more about what you take out than what you put in.

Imagining the future potential of a space and what it will look like after an upgrade is something most people struggle with.  It’s why designers are hired and it is why drawing skills are really important.   I have used a number of techniques from drawing over images, Axonometric drawings, mood boards, Sketch-up, and free hand sketches..but I haven’t exactly done the photoshop makeover, have you? I have seen others do it with odd ball software products that they bought at the hardware store, but have never thought the results were interesting.  But Angela over at Cottage Magpie took this technique to a new level and has inspired me to take another look at this option as a possible tool.

Pretty good I think. I am intrigued by how she make the plants in the bed on the left look layered.  And making everything have the right perspective must have been a struggle.  Do you use any tools to create this type of rendering?  What are they, and what do you think of them?

I am slammed (did I already mention that?) so this is the last post for today…..sorry…I wish I could sit here in the Air conditioned office but….the phone is ringing and I need to hit the road….

Anyway….quickly sharing this with you…

Do I need to sing it’s praises or are they obvious?….(rain barrel that isn’t ugly….comes with hose for watering….and you can plant the top…..AND…it’s available from Home Depot (of all places).)

Piles of Apple Crates (still in use by the orchard) live across the road from my house….I love the way they look.  It something about their time worn quality and their continued ability to do the job they are meant for.   An orchard on the other side of the world (Victoria, Australia) is recognizing the value of these boxes and is selling them for vegetable gardening….for cheap.  If you are in Australia….check them out…or if like me, you live near an orchard, perhaps you might want to inquire about a reuse project…

More information at The Little Veggie Patch Company.