Kaija's Gardening Saga: May 12th

My garden looked absolutely stunning this morning. Most of the cherry blossom flowers have fallen to create this gorgeous pink carpet of petals, and some of the bushes have begun to bloom in their place.

Spring Fashion Special: Kaija's Little Blue Dress

Every year just as the cherry blossom petals begin to fall from the trees, my mum and I go out in the garden to take pictures. It's a bit of tradition. This year, I was torn between a blue dress and a floral dress. In the end, I decided that blue was totally my colour and went for a dress with a semi-open back and a beautiful fit.

Kaija's Gardening Saga: Part Four

Everything is in bloom!

5 Ways to Commune With Nature

Communing and communicating with nature can be an excellent way to relieve stress, get healthier, and feel happier. Here are five ways to make your life a little greener.

1. Plant a tree. Whether you participate in a community tree-planting project or simply plant one in your backyard or garden space, you'll be giving back to nature and making the world just a tiny bit better. 
2. Sit outside. On nice days, take a meal outside and enjoy the ambience of rustling leaves and beautiful birdsongs. 
3. If you live in an urban area, bring the outdoors inside. Do some indoor container planting, listen to a sounds of nature video, open a window, and let yourself feel at peace with the world. 
4. Grow your own vegetables. There are few things in life comparable to sitting down to a super fresh salad made with ingredients grown right on your window-sill. 
5. Watch nature. Sit in your garden and look for birds, insects, deer, and other native wildlife. 

A Full Nest

A few seasons ago, a family of birds decided to make their home in the tree near our porch. This spring, a different bird family has given us the same honour. So far, there are two eggs in our nest. I'll keep you updated on whether or not our lady robin lays another one.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Building the Perfect Garden

1. Decide on a vision beforehand, but leave a lot of wiggle room in your plans. The more flexible you are, the greater the chance of serendipity working in your favour to help you create your perfect garden. 
2. Choose your containers carefully. They'll contribute to the final look of your garden in a major way, so you might want to splurge a little in this area. You might also want to consider hand-painting your containers to give your garden an individualistic, artsy feel. 
3. Choose plants native to your area, and plant them as indicated. You don't want to put a shade plant in full sun, or vise versa. 
4. Plant carefully. Take into consideration things like animals that might invade your garden and children who might destroy your hard work. It's good to have a plan that takes into account how large each plant is going to grow so you have an idea of how your garden will look once its in bloom.
5. Everything is better with wildflowers, so grab a packet of seeds and get planting. 
6. The perfect garden is all in the details. Buy decorations that complement your plants and speak to you on a personal level. Go bargain hunting for little treasures at a local thrift shop and place them in secret, but not completely hidden, places throughout your garden. This'll put a magical touch in your yard, and we can all use a little whimsy in our lives, right? 

Here are some photos of my garden that will hopefully inspire you to make an even more beautiful one around your own home. 

Kaija's Gardening Saga: The Bench

It's still a little too cold for the flowers to start coming out, but I've found another way to add a burst of color to my garden. A few years back, I rescued a bench from the trash and just this weekend, I was able to give it some fresh paint and new life.