Sunday, June 5, 2011

A neighbourhood inspiration snoop



One of our very favorite things to do is take walks around our lovely little neighborhood for inspiration.




We are very fortunate to live close to a river so we're always gravitating in that direction.

I decided to tote my little point and shoot to see what inspiration could be captured for my own yard. But one thing led to another and suddenly I'm taking photos of, well...


... blades of grass.


And pretty mountain views.


Have I ever mentioned how much I adore ancient trees? 

When I lived on acreage, we had a massive willow that grew over the road like an umbrella. I miss that tree but am happy to take in these for free anytime I desire.


After the dyke walk, we were treated to some really amazing yards. I gasped when I saw this view. The colours are true. I didn't play with them. The most vibrant green ever.



Isn't this a fabulous entry? I've always loved this house.


Coolest sign post I ever did see. :)


Ahhh... and then there's 'the dog fence'. Because we walk with a dog ourselves, the two dogs behind the fence use to really rattle our chain. Literally.


Today these guys could be Salt and Pepper.

But when I'm annoyed and nearly get my own arm taken off because my own dog on a leash is hopping like a rabbit at all their commotion, they can be labeled:

Nit and Wit
Goof and Ball
Zig and Zag
Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dummer
Be and Quiet
Fruit and Loop

They've been retrained so things are MUCH better. Today... Cutie and Pie for you two! xo 


Now, here was an interesting find! This is a branch made fence used from all the recent pruning this homeowner undertook.



It's a garden fence! I felt like such a... snoop.


And how I fell in love with the raised beds in THIS garden! Awesome brainstorm this one was, Ms. S! :)



I love white fences against green grass.


My alltime favorite arbor. If a lumber store came knockin' on my door and told me to go shopping, I would build something similar along my back yard to camouflage the chain link fence. Ah, it's nice to dream.


One more giant tree. Love this birch.


Oh gross! Now THESE people should stay home clean up their yard! Nice beginnings, but come ON. I'm not even gonna watermark this one. Those poor birds are getting choked with weeds. Tsk tsk...

(just for the record?  this would be MY yard...)

Guess I should stay home more, huh? :)

Where's your favorite place to snoop for yard ideas?

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30 comments:

  1. Just this... AliceJune 5, 2011 at 11:24 PM

    Your yard looks great! Kinds like the cottage style that is so popular. I used to look in gardening magazines for inspiration when I was younger. Now living in an apartment I don't have much but my old tree stump planter, a crepe myrtle, some shrubs and a sprinkling of flower pots. I love looking at pictures of gardens anytime and I enjoyed looking at the ones you took on your walk.

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  2. JanetJune 5, 2011 at 11:32 PM

    Donna! Thanks for taking me on a virtual walk! I am SO jealous of all the GREEN!

    I live in California, but in the "ugly" part of it...the desert! Although we have tons of mountains around us and it has its moments!

    www.iheartmygluegun.com

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  3. Nita StacyJune 5, 2011 at 11:40 PM

    Loved the tour around your neighborhood. That birch tree was amazing. I lover birch trees but that one had a weeping effect that I have not seen before. I have so much that needs to be done in my own yard....I look around at my neighbors yards with envy. I really liked that fence built out of tree trimmings...that made the perfect garden fence.

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  4. PCJune 5, 2011 at 11:53 PM

    What a nice and green place to be! Thanks for sharing!

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  5. SueannJune 6, 2011 at 2:46 AM

    Beautiful scenery!! Love the tree branch fence...very cool!!
    I have to say that I really haven't found any landscaping in my area that blew my skirt up!!
    Sigh!
    So I have begun working on mine and we will see what I come up with!
    Ha!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  6. FlowerLady LorraineJune 6, 2011 at 3:52 AM

    What a lovely walk. I think your garden is sweet and cottage looking. We are in extreme drought conditions down here is s.e. FL so things are brown instead of green, and I've grouped container plants in two areas so I can keep them hand watered and alive more easily.

    I love your part of the world, very peaceful and beautiful.

    FlowerLady

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  7. SImple and Serene LivingJune 6, 2011 at 3:55 AM

    beautiful. we have lots of the white fences and green grass here in central Kentucky, but have to drive an hour for the mountains. I love your yard. Very nice cottage look. 8-)

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  8. www.thewhitefarmhouse2.blogspot.comJune 6, 2011 at 3:55 AM

    Staying home is so overrated though! I like to look at other people's houses. No one around here is as creative as your neighborhood. Maybe I should move....

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  9. COTTAG3June 6, 2011 at 4:35 AM

    What a lush, picturesque place you live! It's so hot and dry down here in Texas that we don't have that kind of greenery. I do like walking the neighborhood though for ideas!

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  10. Jan@southernjunkin'June 6, 2011 at 5:27 AM

    Thanks for sharing your lovely walk! Yard work will be there tomorrow! Enjoy your day with your family!
    Blessings!!

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  11. Paula ParrishJune 6, 2011 at 5:41 AM

    Hello Donna,
    Your neighborhood photos are absolutely amazing epically the mountain views. We don’t have mountain down here in Florida so I love mountain photos. I love to snoop around the neighborhood while riding my bike for yard ideas.
    Smiles, Paula

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  12. tree-shadesJune 6, 2011 at 7:44 AM

    oops. mistake up there.
    you love trees, too?! yet another thing I am finding I have in common with you. I collect junk, love to snoop..I mean...observe. Please tell me you hate cooking and we're probably sisters from a different mother. :)

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  13. ClausJune 6, 2011 at 8:10 AM

    Your blog! ha! :o)) seriously; I have developed a thing for rusty-looking things. I have become to realize they have a story behind, and I'm now always looking for something old to give it a new look to my home.
    Lovely pictures! thanks for sharing, and have a great day!

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  14. LorrieJune 6, 2011 at 8:25 AM

    Gorgeous greens. Yarrow? My great grandparents/grandparents lived there for awhile. I love all the huge trees. And the grasses you've captured. Lovely.

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  15. RenataJune 6, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    very nice! I loved.

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  16. Dana @ Cooking At Cafe DJune 6, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    Thanks - I needed that smile!

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  17. Joy@aVintageGreenJune 6, 2011 at 8:52 AM

    Thanks for the 'virtual walk'.
    - Joy

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  18. TracyMB @ Crows Feet ChicJune 6, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    Thanks for taking us along on your walk! Loved the arbor, particularly the attached fence. I'm building two 8' lengths of fence almost exactly like that to border our front yard and support the fleurs. We built an arbor last year and it turned out awesome. It's so nice to have something that doesn't look like it came from the Canadian Tire flyer!! Loved that twiggy fence too. :)

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  19. Vicki K.June 6, 2011 at 9:35 AM

    I re-gasped at the green in the grass/trees yard!!! Beautiful!

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  20. InMyOwnStyleJune 6, 2011 at 9:53 AM

    Hi Donna-

    My yard looks like yours. It's on my to-do list. Enjoyed the walk, photos, and humor.

    My best-Diane

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  21. RochelleJune 6, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    Your yard is coming along better than mine! I get so tied up in my studio that the outside suffers! And, you'd have thought I would have been out there doing work this weekend but instead I was playing! Tanning was more important to this California girl! :0
    Rochelle

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  22. LilaJune 6, 2011 at 10:15 AM

    You've got quite an eye for photography. Thanks for the scenic walk, I feel refreshed already.

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  23. Miss CharmingJune 6, 2011 at 10:59 AM

    What a peaceful looking neighborhood. It looks as though it would be a wonderful place to grow up.

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  24. Ms. Bake-itJune 6, 2011 at 11:26 AM

    You are too funny! If only my yard looked that good! What a pretty neighborhood you live in. Everything looks so lush and vibrant. What an interesting fence your neighbor created with the pruned branches. My neighborhood is rather bland or maybe I should be nice and say it is average. We have a few new neighbors who moved in over the past year and they are beginning to work on their yards and sprucing things up a bit.

    ~ Tracy

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  25. AnonymousJune 6, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    I love your yard..It's great to see what ideas lie just around the corner..Thanks for the photos..
    Janet

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  26. Linda S.June 6, 2011 at 5:08 PM

    I really enjoyed the virtual tour of a walk around your neighborhood. Tomorrow morning I will be leaving for a week of dog-sitting at a home that sits back maybe two blocks off the main road. The concrete driveway is right down the center of the property. Horse paddocks line both sides. I have never seen their horses in those paddocks, but the paddocks are surrounded by white four-board fences, lined with beautiful trees going down the driveway. Such a pleasant and beautiful place to spend time with a wonderful little dog. I have taken photos of this property during every Season. The owners are always so shocked when I show them my prints, and it actually takes them a moment to say, "Hey, that's our property." I think it is a case of seeing it daily, so we really don't see it as others do. Thanks for sharing your photos.

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  27. ElsieJune 6, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    Donna I love it when you snoop. It's fun to see all of that beautiful land. That "yard" looks great and when I first saw it I knew it looked familar. Could you send some of those clouds down south please. We need the rain.:) Thanks so much for sharing.

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  28. PriorJune 6, 2011 at 9:53 PM

    fun walk, I like to look at the neighbor hood, too. and at the plant store for how they did their flower combos and of course blog land
    Lezlee

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  29. THEBUZYBUGJune 7, 2011 at 4:58 PM

    Donna, I wish I had a fabulous walk like yours!! Such beautiful colors and yards. I'm gonna go for a walk with my cameras retail soon and post where I snoop!! Hehehe ...thanks for the inspiration!

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  30. MichelleJune 9, 2011 at 5:29 AM

    I do not feel fortunate to live by the river today, we are sandbagging saturday and I'm hoping and praying my house will survive.

    On another note, PinInterest is my latest place to find inspiration :)

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