Saltwater Sounds Weekly: Last Weekend in June
Welcome to Saltwater Sounds, a collection of ideas, tips, and inspiration. This is where I share everything happening in the world of Shiplap and Shells, what’s to come, and the inspiration I’ve found from other bloggers around the web.
This and That…
Wishing you the most wonderful Sunday on this last weekend in June.
I know I say that time flies by faster and faster every year, but I’m finding it really hard to believe that we’re heading into July already. I guess that means I’ve been busy. Or I’m getting old. Or maybe both.
The weather has turned around for us and we’re enjoying the sun and warmer temperatures, in the mid to high 70s here in the Seattle area.
I just had to take this pic of my sweet boys, Jax and Ollie. They are the cutest guard dogs ever. And the loudest!
I went on a little shopping spree at HomeGoods the other day. It was so much fun!
I went to find some tumblers and wine glasses for the boat. I found what I needed, as well as some decorative pillows and seashell artwork for our second home (the boat).
I couldn’t believe the prices of their baskets. They were so low! It will be interesting to see if I find spots for all of them.
I took home some American flag pillows and napkins for the 4th of July. We always have a big morning party to watch the parade that goes down our street.
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Around the Summer Garden
My first few sunflowers are blooming. I’m so excited!
I planted 4 varieties of sunflowers. I started them from seed in the greenhouse and they took off as soon as I transplanted them outdoors in the garden.
I’m having to be very careful this year and keep a close eye on them as they seem to have more pests than ever.
I thought it would be fun to start by showing you the difference between some of the flowers in the garden compared to last week.
The first flower is lupine which I started by seed.
The zinnias have the most blooms of all the cut flowers right now.
Strawflowers are blooming in orange and raspberry colors. I’m still waiting for the light pink and white though.
The alliums are getting a bit more purple this week.
Here are some new flowers to show you. This is the white coneflower that I bought last week.
I believe these are the yellow coneflowers.
I just love the color of this veronica plant.
So this is a weird situation that I could use your help on.
I thought I was buying a lavender plant. It looks very similar to lavender foliage and at the time I bought it, there were no flowers blooming yet. But when I searched for this yellow flowerhead it says it’s a curry plant.
Help me out!
I’ve shown you clematis already blooming in my garden but this is in another area. Basically, I love this flower so I will share it every chance I get.
I have a serious love/hate relationship with Alstroemeria.
My memory is fuzzy so I can’t remember if I planted one that I got from the nursery or if it was already here when we moved in.
I love them in flower arrangements and they last in the vase longer than any other flower I’ve grown. But they are one of the most invasive plants I’ve dealt with. I have tried to dig them up but the roots are just too deep and spread out.
So here’s my tip of the week: if you love alstroemeria, grow them in pots or a container to keep them contained. You will thank me for this, I promise.
I’ve had quite a few volunteers (a plant that grows on its own, rather than being deliberately planted by a farmer or gardener) hanging out in my cut flower garden this season. There are a few of these huge plant clumps that grew through the brick pavers.
These are bachelor’s buttons and I grew them from seed last year in a barrel to the right of this plant. I guess I didn’t realize that this was a perennial or I wouldn’t have planted it in this garden. Instead, I would have put it in one of my cottage garden spaces.
Here’s another one growing through the pavers alongside some volunteer strawflowers and yarrow starts.
Alright, I need to give you another tip. Tip #2: If you have a cut flower garden and don’t want to make a lot of work for yourself, try to plant only annuals in the space so there won’t be a bunch of volunteers shooting up all over the place like weeds.
I’m currently having issues with rogue Queen Anne’s Lace ( this is a biennial plant so I don’t think we will have these issues next year), bachelor’s buttons, and yarrow, with a few strawflowers (reseeded from last year) and snapdragon pop-ups.
Antique Candle Co.
1. Candle Restock – SHOP HERE
Antique candles are restocked so go check it out to see if your favorite candle fragrance is in the perfect vintage container just waiting for you!
You can also choose your own scent for the following VINTAGE candle containers:
- Stoneware crock
- Blue glass jar
- Clear-wire or blue-wire closure candle
- White goblet
- White teacup
- Clear teacup
Early Release Fall Fragrances – SHOP HERE
Antique Candle Co. made an early first batch of fall fragrance candles. They are offered as a single candle, bundle, or sample pack.
- FALL BUNDLE OF 4: Enjoy four fall scents including Cozy Cabin, Autumn Woods, Fall Harvest, and Pumpkin Spice. Save $20 when you buy this bundle of four!
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Sensational Summer Fragrance Bundles – SHOP HERE FOR SUMMER FRAGRANCE SALE
- REFRESH BUNDLE OF 3:
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- Lavender Vanilla: lavender + warm vanilla
- Lemon Eucalyptus: lemon, eucalyptus, + mint
- Save $20 when you purchase this bundle of three!
- FRESH & CLEAN BUNDLE OF 4:
- Clean Cotton: clean linen + citrus
- Coastal Linen: linen, ocean mist, + driftwood
- Lavender Vanilla: lavender + warm vanilla
- Lemon Eucalyptus: lemon, eucalyptus, + mint
From the Blog
Patriotic Outdoor Decorating Ideas for the 4th of July
The 4th of July will be here before you know it! Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, a neighborhood block party, or just looking to add some festive flair to your front porch, I’ve got you covered with patriotic outdoor decorating ideas for your 4th of July holiday.
Vintage Shopping on Our Puget Sound Boat Trip
If you’re anything like me, you never miss an opportunity to shop for a thrifted find, no matter where you might be. Our 2 week Puget Sound boating trip last month was a great opportunity for vintage shopping at stores around the Pacific Northwest that I normally don’t get a chance to visit.
My Favorite Inspiration Around the Web This Week
These quick and easy pineapple chicken salad cups.
This DIY tropical napkin ring dupe for less than $5.00.
A guide to growing a caring for iceberg roses.
Shopping at an outdoor flea market in Vermont.
7 tropical cocktail party decor ideas.
Create your own garden girl scarecrow.
I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and let me know what you’d like to see on the blog! Thank you for being here.
Until next time,
Wishing a week full of joy, kindness, and peace.
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Hi Kim! Oh my, Jax and Ollie are so darn cute! What a great pic! Your garden is full of so many beautiful blooms! I planted some bachelor buttons last year and was hoping they would bloom again this year, but I don’t see any coming up. It has been so gray and chilly here — things are way behind. Including me! Have a good week!
I’m a big fan of bachelor’s buttons! I love their blue color. I love when I get volunteer plants popping up in unexpected places. I have some snapdragons and bachelor’s buttons that return every year next to the path around my house; they had originally been in a planter that has been gone for years. Your flowers look beautiful, Kim!
To Jillian in Boulder: living in the Pacific Northwest is the best! It’s so beautiful here, and the weather is relatively mild. I live south of Kim, and it tends to get a little bit warmer here in summer than where she is. And the rain in winter and early spring is not too awful.
Kim
Summer is blooming beautifully at your garden. So much inspiration. The hanks for sharing my napkin rings.
I’m so glad you are enjoying some nice summer weather. It has been so darn hot here. The 70’s sound lovely!
So lovely!! I am wondering if that yellow bloom that you thought was lavender is milkweed??? It looks similar to mine. Butterflies love it!
Maybe it is Whitney. I have no clue. It doesn’t quite look like the foliage of milkweed, but who knows. Thank you SO MUCH for your input! Have a great week ahead.
Oh! I am always a sucker for the pooch photos, such cute kids! Bachelors Buttons are one of my favorites. I love bright blue flowers, they are not seen as often as the other colors. Your garden is always a pleasure to see, you are the only gardener I follow. We had SO MUCH spring rain in Boulder this year, almost every day for over 5 weeks. It made me think of your area. Overnight we have gone up to the 80’s ,would rather the 70’s. We loved the rain and concluded we might like the northwest. Truly gorgeous up there, have been a number of times.
Hi Jillian! First of all, thank you so much for following along. It means a lot. I’m a sucker for pooch pics too, especially when they’re doing something sweet like that. I can’t wait to start showing them swimming in the bay and running around on the beach. It truly is my favorite time of year. I was so surprised that the Bachelor’s Buttons took off like that! They are so beautiful and I can’t believe I had never grown them in the garden before last year. You DID get a ton of rain, wow! I’m used to it here. I just hibernate after the fall and work on projects inside and nest. We have a very mild summer here so that makes me really happy. I’m a 70s girl myself! Thank you so much for being here and sending me a comment.
Hi Kim –
Your garden is beautiful! If the alstroemeria does so well in the garden that it’s considered invasive, is it a good option to be divided and planted elsewhere (in a container, of course!)?
Best,
Candice
Hi Candice! Yes, I have divided it and would be happy to share it with EVERYONE I know! And then they should all grow it in a container. Because as much as I tried, I don’t think I will ever get rid of it. I guess it’s a tough problem to have. Thanks for visiting my friend.