A wreath and a recipe

Looking for a tasty side dish for the Labor Day barbecue? Try Orzo with Roasted Vegetables:

You can use whatever veggies you have, especially those you just harvested from the garden. Roast them on the grill to cut down on the kitchen heat and they'll be even tastier. You can also roast the pine nuts on the grill.

The basil adds the punch it needs. I garnished with it, as well.

For those who were curious to see the giveaway hydrangea wreath that was won by Leigha Oaks, of the elle oh blog, here it is. I used an assortment of hydrangeas, all from my yard, and added a little bittersweet which is perfect right now. The hydrangea petals will eventually fade over time and the bittersweet will still burst open from its yellow pod.

A special 100th celebration!

This week marks my 100th post in this blogosphere! 

I have made many friends and learned so much from all of you. I feel as if we are in it together!

To celebrate, I am offering a 24" hydrangea wreath created out of the many hydrangea bushes we have. Since the hydrangea blooms are still drying (can't rush this stage), I will have to substitute a photo similar to what I'll be creating:

credit

These are a few of the hydrangeas (as they were before drying) that I'll be using:

Simply Flowers by Barbara Milo Ohrbach

Here is how you can win.

All you have to do is make a comment on this or any post by the upcoming Sunday, August 22nd. Be sure to include your name and/or blogger name. With each comment, your name goes into the box. If you become a follower, you receive another chance. Comment every day and you'll have 6 chances to win! If you mention Rose et Lis' giveaway on your blog, you earn yet another chance to win.

The winner will be selected and announced next Monday, August 23rd. If I don't hear from the winner within 7 days, a new winner will be chosen.

And now I am off to design centerpieces for a wedding. Yes, it is a Tuesday evening wedding! Ciao!

 Unknown source   If you know who took this photo, please let me know.

This goes with That

That is how my garden grows. Maybe we should call it creative chaos!

Late summer in Bay Village is in full swing. We are located just two blocks from Lake Erie (No, you cannot see across the lake!) and have the benefit of being next to what looks like a big ocean without the salt. Ironically, there is a huge salt mine located under the lake, with its access on Whiskey Island, a mere half mile from downtown Cleveland. We are within a quarter mile of the lake, which means that our fall season is longer and warmer than the outlying areas and we are able to grow more tender plants. We also stay warmer all winter with less snow. Yeah!

Are you familiar with the nicotiana plant, otherwise known as the flowering tobacco?

The flowers are white and fragrant. One caveat about nicotiana- it easily self sows. Look closely at the next photo. You can see the white flowers amongst the green seed pods. When the pods mature, they will burst open and scatter the seeds. The next summer, you will find babies in the oddest places. Fortunately, they are easy to remove. We let it do its thing and pull out what we don't want.

 Mmmm, can you smell this? The datura topiary is close to the nicotiana in the garden. It smells divine in the evening also.

Ligularia is an underused perennial. Its daisly-like gold flowers bloom in the mid summer.  The leaves are a deep green with a burgundy tinge and are huge.

We hollowed out this birch log to fill with flowers last summer for my daughter's wedding. This spring, we brought it outside and thought- why not? So, we planted it with ferns and placed it under the dappled shade of the lilacs.

I wish you a happy weekend!

If only you could smell this gardenia with me!

Don't forget to join me next week for my 100th post!

I'll be giving away a hydrangea wreath with the hydrangeas from my garden. I have been picking them daily and filling up all available vases with the blooms to dry them. I am running out of room!

Thank you, Cindy, at My Romantic Home, for Show & Tell Friday.

Thank you, Jessica, at A Few of My Favorite Things, for Favorite Things Friday. 

Thank you, Artie at Color Outside the Lines for Vignette Friday.

Which style are you?

Here are some of my favorite garden containers.

Which style do you like?

Photos courtesy of: Authentic Provence, Jardinique, Bacsac, Garden Urns Guide

Dont' forget to visit next week to celebrate my 100th post and win the hydrangea wreath!