Name: Sandra
Location: Carroll Gardens
Size: Stoop size
Favorite Resource: GRDN, Gowanus Nursery and Mazzone's Hardware
Pitch:
"I'm very proud to present to you the 2006 edition of my humble Carroll Garden's stoop garden. The third time's the charm, apparently, as it's taken me three summers to finally(!) pull together a successful, healthy container garden--and I'm a proud mama! In summer's past, I went strictly on aesthetics; cavalierly ignoring 'extraneous details' like soil preferences and light requirements.... " [More below]
"Things always looked good the first month or so, but July heat would set in and pffffffffft! Pots of limp, unidentifiable greens everywhere! So this year I chose wisely, embracing 'part sun/part shade', and everything looks happy. Lots of vines, ornamental sweet potato and vinca, mixed with coleus, celosia, geraniums, petunias and New Guinea impatiens. (There's something so tropical about the dark leaves and bright blooms of the impatiens that I'm loving this year, especially paired with chocolate and lime-colored potato vines.) Also in the mix, one beautiful dahlia. My dad has grown dahlias in his garden for as long as I can remember and I'm equally smitten. And despite the failures of past sun-loving blooms, I *am* nurturing one experiment: morning glory seeds, which are currently sprouting in a pot at the top of the stairs. With any luck and love and coaxing, they'll find their way up, around and all over the railing. [crosses fingers]
I grew up with a huge yard that was always exploding with flowers. While city-living has certainly transformed my perception of gardening, I love working the terracotta and brownstone for all they're worth!
= ) Sandra"
very impressive. they really look professionally grown. a treat to the eye, but are any of them fragrant?
I love it, because it's so simple.
So pretty! Especially the orange flower in that last close-up. Do you have to take all the pots inside at night? I'd be worried about someone swiping them!
This may sound stupid, but are you ever worried someone is going to steal them? When I was a renter I lived on Union Street in CG and had a great stoop and had some pumpkins stolen, but I guess there is a smash factor with pumpkins...
But this is lovely...oh, how I miss the summer days of my old stoop. Great for people watching.
A Stoop to be proud of!!
The color combinations make me so happy! And could there be a more beautiful dahlia?!! Your neighbors are blessed to have such a lovely stoop to pass by each day.
Life & color are 2 things every person living in an extreme urban environment could use. Congrats & thank you for bringing both to your stoop!
The flowers are so beautiful and cheery, I wish more people took pride in their stoops!
Beautiful Sandra, our good neighbors and all those who pass not preoccupied in thought, look up, smile and surely sense the soft tender blooms whispers of peace and friendliness.
This is a phenomenal display of color and texture. The variety of shapes creates a dynamic scene that both pushes and pulls you, leaving you breathless, but sated.
I give it two green thumbs up!!
Beeeea-utiful!
WOW...i love container gardening too!!! This is my first year as
well, but you have me beat. The combinations work well together and create a magnificent spray of color!! It's very European too I might add! LOVE IT!
;]] Janna
really nice! i love it, this is the kind of arrangement that would make me stop and pause outside of your stoop and enjoy.
thank you also for the advice about the flowers you put in. i'm sad to say that my first flowers put in during may (petunias) did not make it and i'm now in a position where i need to replant and i don't want to spend a fortune. (i think it was a combination of the dusty construction next door and not enough light.)
nice stoop! you should sit out there tonight with a red stripe with lime and enjoy the garden you have created.
WOW! This arrangement is absolutely beautiful!
as beautiful as those that grow on my arm.
Your garden is beautiful. The combinations work well together. Happy Gardening!
I like how the consistency of your choice of containers and the arrangement and the colors really go so nicely together that it doesn't look like a mish-mash, and yet there is some variety. I really comes together nicely as a cohesive whole look. Congratulations!
The plants are lovely, Sandra! The colors are amazing. I can only aspire to to be the gardener that you are. My stoop has stoop envy!
lovely!! regarding fears of vandalism previously menmtioned i say if they take my outdoor plants they have a need greater than mine. my neighbors initially whispered the same fears to me regarding my wonderful blue and green pots from vietnam. none were ever stolen. but just recently i had one lovely one with glorious sedum growing in it taken away by the trash people. i had put my trashcans next to the flower pot. i had to laugh....
Sandra, its absolutely beautiful!! I love the combinations. Will be following your lead next year with my flower boxes!!
good!
Thanks for all the kind words! I'm happy to be nurturing a project that can spread a few smiles.
With regards to Trish M. and serra's comments about theft and vandalism; I figure if pot-smashing or plant-stealing is on someone's agenda, that's karma they'll have to deal with. I'm just sort of trusting the universe with this one ; )
Everything DOES look so happy!
I love this; so simple but so pretty. I hope your karma is great and no one has stolen them!
yea. you rock.
BEAUTIFUL. Truely a lovely group of colorful things! And better yet, you don't have any chains on your pots!
Nicely done Sandypants.
Becca's sister says 2 green thumbs up
I'm completely impressed. I want to sit there and smell. Not smell like I fell in a pile of manure, but like use my olfactory senses. It's a marvelous container garden. I voted GOLD! Thanks for the opportunity to vote
Sandra, they are so beautiful. You did an amazing job. Of all the times I have walked around the city, I have never seen such a colorful, exuding happiness stoop. If I was in NY I probably would like to just sit on your stoop. I really love the dahlias. Wonderful Job =)
Lots of beautiful, vibrant colors!
Matt and I love coming home to the nicest stoop garden in the neighborhood :-)
Very lovely -- what a way to brighten up a city neighborhood -- Makes me wish I had a stoop!!
Your stoop garden is lovely. I'm sure it brightens up the neighborhood.
This stoop garden is beautiful! : )
It looks beautiful and super happy! You should be very proud.
I love your beautiful garden just looking at it makes me happy seeing it every day! Keep up the good work that makes the people happy.
What I love about your garden is that you've made so much of so little space. The colors are amazing! I'm sure you'd do great things with a big backyard.
A really stunning garden! My morning glories can get a little droopy and sometimes don't bloom either, one trick is mulching the roots (maybe with something light to reflect the sun) but the #1 thing i do to get mine to bloom is water with plant food everytime. (or buy already tall vines in spring on a trellis and wrap them yourself.) Happy summer!!
sheesh! for a site so focused on appearances and aesthetics, you guys really suffer in the contest graphics department.