Going green... and pink!

These are some of the things that have kept my busy and happy... my "green garden"!

Last year when I started thinking about it I Was told I was being silly, what's the point? If only we had a real garden... It didn't make sense, I was told. I I was quiet about it and kept the idea in the back of my mind. With the economy getting harder and people managing to struggle, they are coming up with ways to save some money and I found tons of photos and ideas that made my heart jump in joy... yes, it is possible to have a green garden in a balcony! 

So I decided...heck, I want one! I want to get my hands dirty in the ground, to pluck out the old leaves water them and see them growing day by day, and above all, to feel the joy of picking your own vegetables just before lunch or dinner and eating what you so caringly have raised!

I particularly liked an image of a wooden palet turned into shelves for herbs. A friend of mine from work thought it was a funny idea and offered me the palet from her husband's company.

I've been using up new and old vases and even large water bottles as vases to hold the plants... My hydrangeas now sit next to baby leaf lettuces and scalions, on the rack there are 4 strawberry plants blooming away and a few more just seeded today.

The seashells decorate the vase of the gingerroots and the basil is thriving in the red pot... in the back, there are some plants budding from seeds that I gathered last year from a plant I don't know that gives out the most gorgeous little flowers, all colors in the same plant! Maybe when they bloom you can help me identify them :) and in the blue pot I just planted some sweet peas today, hopefully they'll make it too :)

The hydrangeas are looking lovelier by the day sitting next to a little palm tree and a vase that's waiting for the tomato plants.

A catus peeking out the balcony, next to the bush of lemon verbena--I don't think I've ever seen it looking so nice, could it be it's enjoying the new company of the other plants? Especially the potatoes that decided to sprout from the peels I put in a vase for compost?!

I even have my very own potting and srpouting bench, recycling old  pet water bottles and plastic icecream boxes for little nurseries (they work! perfectly!) for more lettuce, tomatoes and even rucula (aragula, is that what you call it?)

This was today's acquisition. Peppermint, lavender and rosemary.

In one of the hydrangea vases there are some tiny little plants developing. I have no idea what they are. Probably just some seeds I threw in there, some day. Believing nothing would come of them because they were past their expiration date. But they did. And there are tiny little flowers beginning to show up--could they be forget-me-nots, I have a slight recollection of buying some seeds long ago?

The hydrangea don't seem to mind them at all, in fact they are the largest and prettiest so far...

But all of them are beginning to show their blooms :)

Another acquisition from today... I've always loved those balconies with hanging petunias (here's to you, Annette! :) ) and today I got one to mix in with the other hanging plants. They look drab now, next to the bright petunias... but they'll look better soon :)

So far we've had a few lettuce salads with coriander and basil, I've made lemon grass and verbena teas, and can't wait for the new babies to grow :) 

On the eve of Easter...I thought this would be appropriate as a sign of rebirth and renewal.

Happy Easter, everyone XXX