Well I've just realised I had the settings wrong and no-one was able to leave a comment on my posts!!! Hopefully I've fixed this and I'm looking forward to hearing your feedback!!!
Click on the comments link and choose 'anonymous' if you don't have any of the other profiles set up. Or set up a google profile and go from there!!
Thanks for visiting grounded GARDENS.
Monday 20 February 2012
Lounging on the lanai .......
Isn't 'lanai' a FABULOUS word!!! Sounds a lot more glamorous than balcony, deck or terrace!
When my friends approached me to give them some ideas about how to use a west-facing outdoor space in their new apartment I jumped at the chance to create a chill-out area for reclining and relaxing. A daybed was a must, as was a couple of big comfy chairs to lounge about. They also needed storage for all the cushions and pillows....and a huge splash of colour to bring it all together.
I started with a black and white theme....classic and simple, then found a great floral print to add the colour. The colours in the print dictated the accents of lime, orange and aqua. The daybed is painted in a satin black while the tables are in a high-gloss white. Both the coffee table and side table have a white perspex-covered top which is really easy to wipe clean. The tops are hinged and open up to store accessories. The daybed also has storage inside for all the cushions. I don't profess to being a carpenter but I had a great time making the furniture which is constructed from 15mm weatherproof ply.
When it came to the casual seating I was going through a 'bamboo' faze and found the most amazing chairs made by an Australian company right here in Sydney. These chairs are classic and chic and I really think they make the whole area!
Made by Casablanca Cane, the chair is called 'Queenslander' and it really does exude that 'tropical' style that I was looking for. Check out their website at www.casablancacane.com.au for their great range of cane and bamboo furniture. We had the chairs delivered under-coated ready for us to spray paint, but they come in other finishes....and the classic tortise-shell finish is beautiful. These chairs are HUGE and make a real statement. Rather than using the black and white strip for the cushions we decided to use the print piped in black. The accent cushions can be changed around depending on your colour-mood!
I'm really pleased with the way it has all come together, and the guys love it. The bamboo mirror on the wall above the daybed ties in with the chairs, and the black and white theme is carried through to the pots of white terrazzo planted with Strelitzia nicolai and various succulents which are all 'mulched' with shiny black pebbles.
Sometimes you find the perfect piece of furniture, like the bamboo chairs. But sometimes you just need to make it yourself. The daybed and coffee-tables were really not that hard and if you have a few basic tools you could certainly give it a go. All the fabrics are weather-resistant and colour fast so the afternoon sun should not present any problems. We had all the cushions and daybed mattress made to locally. (contact us if you'd like details of the many fabrics available and where to have similar cushions made)
So give it a go.....create yourself a place to lounge. Make it bright, colourful and comfortable.........and make the most of your outdoor space!
When my friends approached me to give them some ideas about how to use a west-facing outdoor space in their new apartment I jumped at the chance to create a chill-out area for reclining and relaxing. A daybed was a must, as was a couple of big comfy chairs to lounge about. They also needed storage for all the cushions and pillows....and a huge splash of colour to bring it all together.
I started with a black and white theme....classic and simple, then found a great floral print to add the colour. The colours in the print dictated the accents of lime, orange and aqua. The daybed is painted in a satin black while the tables are in a high-gloss white. Both the coffee table and side table have a white perspex-covered top which is really easy to wipe clean. The tops are hinged and open up to store accessories. The daybed also has storage inside for all the cushions. I don't profess to being a carpenter but I had a great time making the furniture which is constructed from 15mm weatherproof ply.
When it came to the casual seating I was going through a 'bamboo' faze and found the most amazing chairs made by an Australian company right here in Sydney. These chairs are classic and chic and I really think they make the whole area!
Made by Casablanca Cane, the chair is called 'Queenslander' and it really does exude that 'tropical' style that I was looking for. Check out their website at www.casablancacane.com.au for their great range of cane and bamboo furniture. We had the chairs delivered under-coated ready for us to spray paint, but they come in other finishes....and the classic tortise-shell finish is beautiful. These chairs are HUGE and make a real statement. Rather than using the black and white strip for the cushions we decided to use the print piped in black. The accent cushions can be changed around depending on your colour-mood!
I'm really pleased with the way it has all come together, and the guys love it. The bamboo mirror on the wall above the daybed ties in with the chairs, and the black and white theme is carried through to the pots of white terrazzo planted with Strelitzia nicolai and various succulents which are all 'mulched' with shiny black pebbles.
Sometimes you find the perfect piece of furniture, like the bamboo chairs. But sometimes you just need to make it yourself. The daybed and coffee-tables were really not that hard and if you have a few basic tools you could certainly give it a go. All the fabrics are weather-resistant and colour fast so the afternoon sun should not present any problems. We had all the cushions and daybed mattress made to locally. (contact us if you'd like details of the many fabrics available and where to have similar cushions made)
So give it a go.....create yourself a place to lounge. Make it bright, colourful and comfortable.........and make the most of your outdoor space!
Sunday 12 February 2012
Create a 'Greenbo' garden.
As your walking around the city, look up towards the sky and you may get a glimpse of the burst of colour adorning the balconies of our towering apartment buildings! This riot of colour is courtesy of a great new planter system specifically designed to sit snugly on your balcony railing.
It's the 'Greenbo' planter system!
Designed by industrial designer Miki Ganor, the 'Greenbo' planter is made in Israel of high quality, UV protected Polypropylene. Safety is ensured with a patented rail stability design to create a snug fit on your balcony railing without screws or brackets ...so no more unsightly rust marks dribbling down the wall.
It's the 'Greenbo' planter system!
Designed by industrial designer Miki Ganor, the 'Greenbo' planter is made in Israel of high quality, UV protected Polypropylene. Safety is ensured with a patented rail stability design to create a snug fit on your balcony railing without screws or brackets ...so no more unsightly rust marks dribbling down the wall.
Available in 16 contemporary colours, the 'Greenbo' planter has a built-in drainage system which is removable for easy cleaning. These funky planters are available in 2 sizes which retail for $45.00 for the Large, and $65.00 for the X-Large. Fill the planters with lovely annuals such as Petunias or Violas; or try some retro trailing plants like 'Black-eyed Susan'. Plant the turquoise blue 'Greenbo' with bright red geraniums and pretend your on your balcony on Mykonos!!!
You could even fill the planters with a variety of herbs and soft-leaf vegetables; a variety of lettuce or even a trailing cherry tomato and have an instant salad at hand.
The 'Greenbo' planter system is available from stockists or directly through Greenbo Australia. Check out their website at www.greenbo.com.au for all the colours and sizes available.
Alternately you could email info@greenbo.com.au or call 9262 5202.
So bring a little colour to your life and home with the 'Greenbo' planter
......and get gardening!!!
Tuesday 7 February 2012
If your a lover of unusual plants and amazing flowers then you can't go past the amazing Tacca integrifolia, or as it's more commonly known, the 'Giant Bat Plant'. I was in my local 'Bunnings' store last week when the excited garden attendant was almost having conniptions .....grabbing the attention of any passer-by to show off his latest prize possession! I must admit I was pretty excited too, to see this amazing flower in the decidedly 'un-tropical' surrounds of my local hardware store...... so I proceeded to take a couple of photos on my Iphone much to the joy of the proud "Bunnings-boy'.
Also known as the 'White Bat Plant' they are extremely unusual. There are two white bracts held aloft, while the true 'flowers' are like purple buttons hanging below. And just to complement this crazy arrangement are the long, whispy whiskers sprouting from the centre of the flower.
Tacca sp. are a native of Malaysia so they like it warm and wet, but protected form harsh sun. In NSW it does well in shade houses from Coffs Harbour north, but protect in a shade-house in the colder months. Also be careful with watering as this plant grows from a rhizome. If it's over-watered it will die back to the rhizome completely. In temperate and sub-tropical areas it remains dormant in winter but will not die back.
There are approximately 30 species of 'Bat Plant' but the Giant is the most spectacular. So if you have a lovely shaded outdoor space or maybe a large bathroom with filtered sun this could make quite an impression....certainly more so than a plastic fern!
Also known as the 'White Bat Plant' they are extremely unusual. There are two white bracts held aloft, while the true 'flowers' are like purple buttons hanging below. And just to complement this crazy arrangement are the long, whispy whiskers sprouting from the centre of the flower.
Tacca sp. are a native of Malaysia so they like it warm and wet, but protected form harsh sun. In NSW it does well in shade houses from Coffs Harbour north, but protect in a shade-house in the colder months. Also be careful with watering as this plant grows from a rhizome. If it's over-watered it will die back to the rhizome completely. In temperate and sub-tropical areas it remains dormant in winter but will not die back.
There are approximately 30 species of 'Bat Plant' but the Giant is the most spectacular. So if you have a lovely shaded outdoor space or maybe a large bathroom with filtered sun this could make quite an impression....certainly more so than a plastic fern!
Thursday 2 February 2012
Lovely lanterns.
Who doesn't love the flicker of candle-light through a wicker lantern? Candles casts a magical glow and are ideal for subtle lighting in protected courtyards and terraces when you don't want the harshness of low voltage lights and halogens. The great things about candles is that they don't require electricity so you can hang a lantern with a candle anywhere you like!
I love these black and white bamboo lanterns. They have a classic shape yet would look great in any modern setting. Black and white is always a great colour combination. You could hang a combination of both colours....or go monochrome for a more streamlined look. And if your up for a little colour, these fab lanterns below are the way to go! Bright and inexpensive, these lanterns will add a splash of colour to any outdoor space!!!
And who says they need to be outdoors??? Use candle lanterns inside for a holiday feeling all year round!
These lanterns and many others can be found in stores such as 'The Urban Balcony' in Sydney's Pyrmont.
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