phoenix backyard idea design English garden Arizona

Beautiful gloomy days

phoenix backyard idea design English garden Arizona

It’s been overcast or raining these past few days in Phoenix. I know California has been getting some rain lately too! 

I love rainy days, I love running errands in it, driving in it, and gardening too! I think our rain is done but the overcast day was so lovely to get some work done around outside so I thought I’d share what we’ve been working on during my time “off from people” and future plans inside too!

orchid Phoenix Arizona backyard Ideas lifestyle blogger
Phoenix Arizona backyard rose trellis ideas

Rock path for drainage

Benjamin complained about this side area being muddy, a “mud bath” he would complain. So, he bought some flagstone ordered on Home Depot and rock, I’ll link to both. He spent a half day with some help with Jake and it looks lovely!

Have them deliver!

Side area draining rock path idea

Gothic Fruit Cage for the peach tree

The gothic fruit cage from England is up! I can’t wait for my bird friends to see it this spring and admire my abundance of plump delicious juicy peaches on the other side of the netting.

gothic pretty fruit cage to protect my peaches - ordered from England // phoenix arizona blogger Diana Elizabeth Steffen

They were so naughty last spring that I had to go find a fruit cage and Benjamin said, please do not get one that looks like a batting cage, find a pretty one. I found this from Agriframes and it was pricey, and $300 USD to ship! But it was worth it. If I do the math I know in the long run it will be worth it because I’ve had such bad luck with store bought peaches, I just spit them out! They taste like I bite into a wet sponge I waste too much money on them so no more!

Our tangerine/mandarin orange tree is a prize. I juice the tangerines and they are amazing.

Cuties from the grocery store have nothing on my fruit. 

You should plant a fruit tree soon!

 

garden in phoenix orchard

Roses

I pruned back the roses and they are happy to rest and there are a few blooms that surprise me, like this one. Remember to order your bare root ASAP, they are going to ship very soon, especially here in Phoenix they will be sent probably next month!

David Austin rose in phoenix Arizona garden home blogger lifestyle Diana Elizabeth blog

Next project: Room curtain divider

phoenix blogger garden room Diana Elizabeth

I took a photo the other day of my garden room view. It just looked so pretty and I have my big camera out for some unknown reason as if I’ll find the time to edit photos again…

I do have an upcoming project for the garden room I’ll share with just my blog readers.

I saw a YouTube video of an Upper West Side of New York City home belonging to Hillary Wallace and I saw these drapes and I thought oh my, we need to do that!

I want it here, from floor to ceiling! With a cornice above and the pleats. I am excited, I’ll keep you posted on it, as I have to go through swatches, trim ideas, etc. I also want it on a motorized remote to open and close!

Phoenix Arizona backyard

We are missing the Chinese Pistache tree that we had to remove (and did it ourselves to save $1500!) and I wonder how the heat will be for our garden room without a tree….we may need to add some type of awning here to block out some light, we’re not quite sure yet. If you have any ideas let me know. I’m not sure if I want any kind of pergola but we will see…

I hope you’re having a wonderful week. I’ve been getting some great things done around here, most of the home companies I scheduled and are getting back to me to help me get things done around here.

I can’t wait to get back into gardening soon as I see things pop up. I just get sad thinking about how spring is too short here. I just have to entertain and have as many friends as I can over. 

I got this book in the mail, The Vegetable Garden Problem Solver Handbook and I am really thankful for it because it’s helping me identify diseases and how to take care of my garden.

Well, I think I might call it a day, shower up and heat up some tomato soup from Trader Joe’s (the boxed soup is so good!)

I hope you are getting some rain where you are, I just LOVE weather anything other than scorching sun haha! 

Diana Elizabeth is an author, photographer, and obsessive thrift shopper. You can typically find her in the garden wrist deep in dirt, at a local estate sale or planning her next creative themed party. She continues to blog weekly.

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