My townhouse has an enormous ( the span of a two car garage) patio. For the last thirty-five years, this space has been completely under- utilized. Sure, there were times when my family got inspired to plant a little garden, but the excitement quickly waned and the plants died. Most of the efforts were due to my paternal grandparents, who loved to garden and couldn't stand that my mom didn't feel the same. This patio is in a bad location. It gets full sun during the peak time of the day. There is zero shade. Due to complex regulations, we are not allowed to build a permanent structure or a retractable sunshade on the deck. This has create thirty-five years of apathy and mostly leaving the space vacant.
Until now... Dan and I have thrown around ideas about how to utilize the space, perhaps getting a non-permanent structure or a giant umbrella, definitely furniture and a BBQ. We need lots of pretty, very hardy, cat friendly plants that love the sun. I am think researching and sticking with native plants is our best bet. Past efforts have always involved picking plants that looked gorgeous and said that they could take sun, but then wilted in the extreme heat. This deck really takes on heat. I don't know if it's realistic, but I would love to plant vegetables and fruit.
I would also love for this patio to be a place for the cats to hang out. I let Nicolette on the patio now, but she just sort of rolls around on the ground and gets dirty. I know that if we had patio furniture, she would love to cuddle up on a chair and sleep outside.
Here is another thing that I desperately want to work into the patio. I had no idea how Dan would feel about this, but I want it! It's a D.I.Y. project from my favorite online company, Junk Gypsy. Junk Gypsy started as an antique and salvage company out of Texas and has grown to an online store selling clothing, jewelry and home goods. They have expanded further into a design company. They did Miranda Lambert's Airstream Concert trailer and the reception for Miranda's wedding to Blake Shelton. They have the coolest stuff.
This past spring, Junk Gypsy, got their own design show on Home and Garden Television. In the premiere episode, they featured a D.I.Y. segment on this...
They are giant industrial size restaurant buckets that have been riddled with bullet holes and strung together with pink light bulbs inside. I've never shot a gun and I don't like craft projects, but I NEED to make this and somehow figure out a way to fit it into our patio decor.
The patio is still very much a blank canvass, although Dan was very sweet and attempted to surprise me this past weekend by putting plants on the patio while I was at work. I say attempted, because he bought everything and then his plans were thwarted when he discovered this on the patio railing.
Wasps!!! Just looking at this picture again makes me cringe. I did not previously know, but learned from Dan that they make their nest out of wood pulp, so they have probably been chewing on the patio railing. Great. I also learned through research that each of the hexagonal holes is for keeping their spawn safe. Great again. They have been busy building their metropolis all week and it has been getting bigger. However, eviction day is tomorrow! Between two and four, the pest company is coming to move the nest and we get our patio back. Nicolette will be the most happy, as she justs spends all day starring longingly outside at the patio and paws at the door each time I walk past her. Poor kitty.