Surprise Thanksgiving Flowers

My friends and family know that I adore and love flowers in my garden and home.  I am always thrilled to receive a bouquet from the grocery store or  florist especially when unexpected!

My husband's employer had an  appreciation dinner party for their employees and clients on the 50th floor of the Devon Tower, our newest skyscraper in Oklahoma City and it was a beautiful evening.  The views are amazing from that vantage point. 
The architecture and finishes of the building are high end, state of the art  and Oklahoma City has a building
 to be proud of !

The Devon Tower and Chesapeake Arena in the foreground.  We are proud to have the Oklahoma Thunder who play at the arena!   


The Devon Tower lobby and exterior are already decked out for Christmas and the enormous ornaments make a
 bold statement.  



Rotunda

If  you visit Oklahoma City during the holidays you might want to add a trip to the Devon Tower and the Myriad Gardens across the street.  The Christmas light display is beautiful!

The centerpieces for the tables were  dramatic.  (Excuse the clarity of the photos..taken with a phone camera)

We all admired how beautiful the arrangements were and the selection of  flowers.  Tulips, roses, purple hydrangeas, bells of ireland, tiger lilies, spider mums and orchids were combined for a striking bouquet and not the usual fall combinations.    




At the end of  a beautiful evening several of the ladies were offered an arrangement and I was more than happy to receive one to enjoy in my home!

Now I don't need to shop for a Thanksgiving centerpiece as this is gracing my dining room and is quite  stunning!  I love my surprise Thanksgiving flowers!


I am thankful for so much this year!
Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm linking with:

Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays
Marty's Tabletop Tuesdays  
Tootsie's Flaunt your Flowers

Curb Appeal & Second Looks

Do you ever see a house while driving that has so much curb appeal that you either turn around or circle the block to take a second look?  

Well I do!!  We were visiting Solvang, California last month and as we drove towards Alisal Ranch this darling bungalow caught my eye!  I asked Mr. Bloomers to please turn around and park across the street so I could snap a few pictures as I knew I  would want to share!

The house is actually a spa and was closed the day we were there. ( Sad face)  I couldn't help but admire the sweet cottage garden in the front yard.  

The blue trim on this charming little bungalow was so eye-catching and really frames 

this darling home.  I love the porch!

The sidewalk is edged with flowers and leads to a decorated front porch with rocking chairs  and pretty garden items.

I imagine customers really enjoy spending time 

in those rocking chairs. 

The garden was accented with arbors, potted plants and garden art.

Love this bicycle plant holder and the fountain in the background!

What an adorable place to have a spa day...Enchante Cottage Spa....even the name is charming!  I would

have loved to spend some time there being pampered with my best girlfriends!

This year I am freshening up my home's curb appeal  and love getting ideas while traveling or driving through my favorite neighborhoods. 

 When our fence and gate needing replacing a few summers ago I chose a cottage style scalloped topped picket fence with a rose arbor gate.  It was instant curb appeal and we immediately got compliments from our neighbors.  (our old fence was looking pretty worn so anything would have been an improvement)  I am still tweaking the landscaping.  My roses are almost to the top of the arbor and hopefully  this year they will make it to the top.  I planted  blue hydrangeas but they are still small and I may have to add a few more to get the full look I want in front of the fence. 

These climbers are a knockout variety 

and are rebloomers all season.  

(Our backyard a few summers ago)

I spent the afternoon out in my garden today, cleaning out flower beds and planting a few hardy perennials...so therapeutic for me.   Early spring is a great time to take a second look at your home's exterior and  garden areas and add some charm or curb appeal.   We recently replaced our windows and patio and one of our neighbors offered to buy our home... and it's not even up for sale!  Never underestimate the value of a little curb appeal. 

Adding curb appeal doesn't have to be expensive.   A new coat of paint on the front door, potted plants on the porch or a fresh door mat make a welcoming statement and will make you fall in love with your home all over again! 

I am hoping to add a few rockers to my front porch this year...maybe for Mother's Day.  Hopefully Mr. Bloomers is reading this post!

   

My favorite spot in the garden is next to my 

blue hydrangeas.

Nikko Blue Hydrangeas

I'm linking with 

Smiling Sally's Blue Monday

Susan's Outdoor Wednesdays

Tootsie Flaunt your Flowers

and 

Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays

Apple Valley Farm

We have just returned from our California coastal vacation and what a fabulous time we had!  We enjoyed having the opportunity to meet new friends that we met through blogging.  
Their hospitality and
 friendship were truly a blessing! 

I have been yearning for Spring flowers and 
while I still have a couple of months to wait here 
at home, our trip satisfies my need to 
be around bloomers in February.  

Apple Valley Farm is an beautiful place and located in San Luis Obispo.  The gift shop and restaurant are housed in a beautiful Victorian styled lady with an old fashioned porch with gingerbread trim.  Many places to sit and relax welcome you to enjoy the cottage garden and courtyard.

I love this little corner with the garden chess set surrounded by angel trumpets. I'm going to try to grow these this year. 

Don't you love this porch?

Potted bloomers edge the walkways.

 Garden goodies for sale out on the porch.  

Gazebo ...on my wish list!!

Mass plantings of ornamental kale...I can even grow this in Oklahoma!

Fuchsias thrive in the cool coastal climate...I can't grow these in Oklahoma. 

The gift shop is filled with three stories of beautiful home and garden gifts and well worth a visit.  

Angel trumpet flowers looking down at purple lobelia and sweet alyssum.

Even the parking lot is pretty!

There is also an adjoining inn with rooms decorated in country French and English styles... 

and yes... I loved my visit!

I'm linking this week with:

Tootsie's Flaunt your Flowers

Beverly's Pink Saturday

Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays

Garden Wish List

Do you ever make wish lists?  I don't actually write out a list but I do keep a mental wish list.  Spring is still a couple months away and I find myself wishing it was already here.   I've been looking at garden magazines, Pinterest and my own travel pictures for garden inspiration.   

Blue Bird Cottage, Carmel

We are excited as our annual "escape" from winter is just a few weeks away to our favorite places along 

the California coast.

 Pacific Highlands near Carmel

  This trip is always a source of inspiration for my garden.  I enjoy seeing the plant combinations and designs that gardeners create in their spaces and usually find a few things that go on my wish list! 

A visit to Carmel-by- the Sea is always on my 

wish list and I find so much inspiration there! 

Cyclamen in pots can be easily changed 

with the seasons. 

Half Moon Bay is another of

 our  favorite stops along the way. 

   

  Last fall we strolled along Half Moon Bay's historic district with it's quaint shops.  Flowers edged the buildings and store fronts along Main Street.  The town was preparing for their annual Pumpkin Festival so pumpkins were everywhere!

The prettiest potted containers lined the streets and these  favorites and went straight to the top of my wish list!  

Precious bunny topiaries sit as greeters to the entrance of a children's store.  I love the mosaic tile containers and the cute little blue bunny feet! 

Gorgeous hydrangeas at the base of this small tree.

These were outside our hotel entrances. 

I put this on my list too because I love it's simplicity with just  pumpkins at the base.  This was actually taken in Yountville last fall outside of  Napa Style..one of my favorite places to shop in the Napa Valley.  

What's on your garden wish list??  We have plenty of time to dream and plan 

and maybe make a few of our wishes a reality!

I'm joining Susan's Outdoor Wednesday 

 Tootsie's Flaunt Your Flowers  
and 
The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays