Free Hermes Bag

This is too cute for words --- I read about it here at one of my all time favorite blogs "A Femme d'un Certain Age"  Firstly, I love that phrase in French --- it is a delightful discreet way of referring to those of us who quite clearly are NOT twenty-one anymore. Secondly, this lady blogs beautifully about her life and her sense of style.
In any event, her blog is where I came across this cute, weird Hermes thing ---
Go to the Hermes website --- go there now --- try not to get sidetracked by all of the gorgeous scarves that you cannot afford, please.... Do not click on the online boutique icon --- instead choose the "travel the world of Hermes" icon ---
Once there, click on "I want it, I'll have it" --- and voila, the templates for the Hermes bags will appear --- they're adorable.
I have a wedding shower later this summer --- I'm thinking that this might be the most lovely favor --- depending on how difficult the cut and paste assembly actually is.  Each lady could go home with her own Hermes bag --- maybe a cute scarf (not Hermes) tied to it???  Classy, cute -- and not too expensive.  Very on the coattails.

Sparkling Lemonade

Ah! The joy of simple food (and drink).  This is so simple and easy -- and yet I'm always astounded by how impressed my guests are by it.  I've already made two pitchers of sparkling lemonade this season.  The first was for the Memorial Day picnic at our house.  The second was for a family gathering this past weekend.  The family is well accustomed to my sparkling lemonade (although they all seem to think its far more challenging to make than it really is), so not too many oohs and aahs there.  

This is one of those emergency treats that turns any simple summer meal into a party.  We take it to Tanglewood with us in the summer (almost time!!) and we take it to the beach.  Unless I make it for just the two of us (yes, sometimes) - there are never any leftovers.  By keeping the two primary ingredients in the pantry and freezer, I can throw this together any time on the spur of the moment.  

Sparkling Lemonade

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate (the cheap store brand will be just fine)

1 bottle (2 liter size) seltzer

1 lemon, sliced thinly

That's it --- pour out the frozen concentrate into a pretty pitcher.  Gently pour in the seltzer (try not to let it fizz overmuch or it will get flat quickly).  Gently stir/mash the lemonade concentrate so that it dissolves nicely.  Add the lemon slices to make it look pretty.  

All done!! 

This lemonade is lighter and less sweet than what you might associate with frozen concentrate lemonade.  That's partly because we're using seltzer, which has that tiny bit of bitterness to it.  But its also because we're using more liquid than is generally called for by the directions on the can.  Its light, nicely sweet, but not overly so, fizzy and wonderful.  

A Free Mini Facial from Origins

I'll be phoning on this one quickly.  I'm sure they'll go fast.  Origins is product I actually like and use.  

Just click Origins and you'll find an invitation for a free facial (Let it play, its pretty).  And, yes, it's okay that I'm giving it to you --- there's a "pass it on" button right on the page --- and besides, Champagne Living passed it on to me!!  (She really does find some great deals on froufrou stuff.) So, give them a call  -- and enjoy a free facial. What do you have to lose? 

Pampering Bag for My Desk

I was putting together a mini bag for my desk drawer ----Here's what I'm thinking about putting in it:

1.  Wisp Toothbrushes from Colgate

2.  Soap leaves (I'm thinking Crabtree and Evelyn?)

3.  A set of good tweezers -- the ti

ny kind

4.  Burt's Bees Lemon Cuticle Cream

5.  Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Oil Styling Cream (love this stuff -- its made for guys, but the minty smell from the tea tree oil is so terrific when I need a pick-me-up.  Plus, it works like nobody's business to control whatever the weather has wrought with my hair -- frizzies, a chunk sticking out somewhere, flatness -- it tames it all with a quick slick with the fingers)

6.  A few of the Olay Daily Facial cloths

7.  Lavender inhalation beads

Anything else I should consider?  I want it all to fit in a small cosmetics bag (the half moon kind) and take up just a tiny bit of space in the desk drawer.  

Just the thing to reach for when I need a quick refreshing before a presentation or a stressful meeting.  Not too much, but not too little either.  

Worldly Matters

It has often been said that the mark of class is knowledge and understanding of the world at large. Educated and upper-class people (and for years those two have gone hand in hand) have always been aware of the world and involved in the world.
I've been actively working on keeping myself abreast of the world beyond my own little life. Its so easy to become myopic and hyper-focused on my own issues and forget about events and people beyond myself.
I've become addicted to NPR on my morning commute and that helps alot. But I've also been building the habit of taking the daily news quiz at the BostonGlobe every day. The Crickler puzzle works like a crossword (sort of) and gives you a daily check up on your knowledge of what's going on in the world.
There are twenty blanks in short summary statements about national and international news stories. You fill in the blanks -- letters from one word automatically appear in the other answers in which they appear (that's the crossword-like part). Generally about 8-10 stories are covered. They range from the mundane and silly to budding international political crises.
How much trouble I have with the daily puzzle gives me a good idea of how in touch I've been with the news. Some days, I move quickly easily through the puzzle (this morning was like that). Other days, I struggle and need to click the Owl for a hint (he's not a nice owl --- don't ask for too many hints --- he scolds!). When that happens, I know I need to pay more attention to the news -- I'm getting myopic and I need to start re-focusing myself.
Its a nice check-up.

Spicing Up Water

Okay, so I'm back and I'm working both blogs now. And I'm back to really working the cheap chic lifestyle --- and I'm back to losing the 10 pounds that have crept back up on me ----
So, obviously, one of the first steps I'm taking is to replace a significant amount of my beverage consumption with clear tea or water. Frankly, that gets a little bit boring really quickly. So, here's my plan:
1. Plain old clean, fresh water. But I'll spice it up a little. I'm thinking of adding

• a lemon wheel -- I think these look so much prettier than just a wedge of lemon. If I cut a slice of a lemon early in the day and let it float around in my water bottle, that should look appetizing, fresh and refreshing.

• mint leaves --- I'm growing mint again -- this time in the AeroGarden -- so its easy to clip a few sprigs and float them in the water bottle. I love the fresh taste of mint, so this should be a delight.
• cucumber -- I'm thinking that I'll cut this as a spear rather than as rounds. We'll see how that looks and feels. I just want a really different feeling with each change of what I'm doing with the water. The whole idea here is to make this interesting and appetizing.

• strawberry slices --- Or maybe a whole strawberry partially sliced and fanned out?? I'm not sure that this won't get yucky after a few hours in the water. We'll see.

2. Seltzer -- I love the fizzy stuff!! And it comes in so many flavors. One of my favorites is the Polar Seltzer Vanilla flavor. Its a bit like drinking unsweetened creme soda --- all of the pleasure of creme soda without the sicky-sweet taste. It won't need a thing added to it to be delightful. Its tricky to find (ShopRite had it for a while, I'll check back there) which is why I stopped drinking it so much. It just was too difficult to find and keep handy. It only came in the 1 liter bottles (I prefer the cans for taking to work) and most stores didn't stock it at all.

3. Unsweetened Iced Tea -- this should be an easy one. There are so many excellent flavors of tea out there. Fortunately, last year I splurged on an iced tea maker from Target. It has a lovely glass pitcher and it makes excellent tea. We've become fussy at my house, so we start with bottled water now. Believe it or not, it really makes a huge difference!

So, I'm off to begin some heavy drinking ---- join me??

Keeping Warm in Winter

We've been mighty cold here lately. We've had some snow, some sleet, some ice and now its just plain cold. Walking the dog is pure discipline -- even our clueless pooch is none-too-eager to be outside for very long. His fur coat isn't enough to keep the howling winds at bay and he seems to prefer a spot beside the woodstove for most of the day. I can't say I blame him. I'm struggling to stay warm as well. My husband would tell you that my struggle is NOT staying warm, but, rather staying warm while looking fashionable. And I suppose he's right. I need to be warm. I want to look good while doing that. I cannot stand that frumpy, bundled up, blob of a person under all that clothing kind of a look.
Today, at the grocery store, I noticed a lovely looking woman. She was bundled up to be sure. We all are. She even had on the big, puffy black boots that I make fun of -- even though I wear them when its cold like this. Black puffy boots, black heavy tights, black skirt cut just above the knee, red turtleneck, black sweater over the turtleneck and a terrific black heavy coat. She had on an adorable knit hat -- not a ski hat -- a cute shaped knitted hat in black -- and a black and red scarf. She looked adorable --- cute --- chic. Most of all, she looked warm.
I've been noticing a lot of fur lately too. I have no idea how much of it is real fur and how much of it is faux. Really don't care either. I've been wearing my faux fur quite a bit. And its warm -- really warm. I often feel overdressed in it -- but I'm warm. The problem is: I can't figure out what to pair with it for a hat or even a scarf. Gloves aren't so tricky, but none of my hats or scarves seem to look right with it. And I'm noticing that none of the women I'm seeing with furs seem to be wearing hats or scarves either. Maybe furs just don't go with hats or scarves?? And I'm not willing to do the full fur look and get one of those big furry hats. No, no, no.
I am getting a lot of mileage out of my Scottish Fisherman's coat as well. I have no idea what this thing is made out of, but it is warm. I bought it several years ago in Scotland -- at the time, I could barely stand to try it on, it was so warm. But I'm loving it right now. Paired up with jeans and other casual clothing, it looks great and it keeps me warm. Its looking pretty good with a tan hat and a plaid scarf (of course, a plaid scarf -- its Scottish!)
I'm also wearing my cashmere sweaters like crazy. I hadn't owned one until about two years ago -- and I'm astounded at how warm they really are. This year, I added a silvery grey one from the clearance rack at Lord and Taylor. It was a good price -- and I love the color. It accents the grey in my hair quite nicely -- goes with a lot of my pants and jackets-- and its warm. If I had known how warm cashmere can be, I would have worked harder at acquring more of it -- lots more of it.

Lessons from Florida

We just returned from a short trip to Florida. It was all business for my poor husband, but I found myself enjoying the beach and wandering about in the resort town of Captiva for the weekend. This posh town is home to many upscale second homes and is a destination for many of the wealthy who want to get away from the winter up north.
I don't often find myself agog anymore at grandiose homes, but some of Captiva was rather spectacular. I stopped in at one of the local real estate offices and found myself a bit jarred by the price tags both for week-long rentals and for purchasing these homes. A walk through the town was also rather impressive. The homes were very large, mostly ocean facing (all right, it is the Gulf of Mexico, its still ocean facing) and had lush landscaping. Many of them also had screened in tennis courts, pools or garden areas. I was a bit mystified by all the screening -- even the third floor porches at our resort/hotel were screened. Then one of the kind ladies clued me in: there are a large number of unwanted intruders -- the animal kind!! The screens keep out snakes, birds, and the occasional alligator --- I didn't even ask if that included the third floor screening.
This is the slow time of year for this little resort town. Things will really pick up again in mid-February when school vacations begin. That allowed me to wander through the town and chat with storekeepers without the pressure of the crowds. This is when I found myself in a small upscale gift shop learning how these ladies identify potential customers.
I was standing in the corner enjoying the display of Christmas tree ornaments, when I realized that the two ladies working in this little shop were signalling each other with little nods toward customers. After a few customers, it became observable that the signal had to do with who was "just looking" and who might be buying. I wondered how they were making this determination -- and with my usual quest for education, I asked.
The ladies were a bit sheepish at first, but acknowledged that, indeed, they 'screened' visitors to the shop for potential for purchase. The shopkeepers had observed that the truly upper-class women rarely purchased from this shop -- it was too touristy for them. Strictly working class women would visit the shop and ooh and ahh, but could rarely afford to purchase anything of real consequence (the shop was rather expensive). They were looking for the women with enough money to afford the store and little enough class and taste to want the items they had for sale (my editorializing, not theirs) Once all of the other customers had left the shop, they were happy to share their insider tricks with me.
First, they looked for size. This one surprised me. But according to the shopladies, this is the first and best indicator. Wealthy, upper-class women are rarely overweight. They are certainly not obese. The upper-middle class women, who were most often still trim but might be a bit larger were their best customers. Truly large women were very unlikely candidates in their minds.
Their second point of notice was the shirt or top a woman was wearing. Tourist t-shirts with beach names emblazoned on them had potential. T-shirts with animals, smarmy sayings or Maxine cartoons were definitely out. The best candidates were wearing polo or golf shirts with coordinating pants. Women in what I would call basics were out. The simple white cotton blouse and navy skirt I was wearing had eliminated me almost immediately. The shopkeepers were looking for the plaids, the patterns and the little matching trim that marks something sold as an "outfit".
Their final criterion for spotting potential buyers was a quick check of accessories. Lots of gold and lots of designer labels spelled buyer, buyer, buyer. Again, plain, basic and simple did not mark a customer for these women. In their experience, simple and plain meant wealthy and tasteful -- not likely to buy.
I spent my walk home thinking hard about these earmarks. I often forget that each of us broadcasts so loudly all of this intensely personal information about ourselves every time we walk outside our doors. It doesn't mean that everyone around us notices or is able to read our information -- but the information is there for the having. Since, for me, riding on the coattails is at least partly about creating the image of wealth and luxury -- I want and need to be vigilant about the information that I'm putting out there via my clothing and self.

Luxuries Worth the Investment

After my thoughts about the nannies, gardeners, housecleaners and other help in my pre-Christmas post, I got to thinking about some luxuries that are really worth the money in my life.
First off, I had to define what makes a luxury worth the money for me? What makes it an investment rather than an expense? Each of us has a different standard for that, but I think its important to articulate it for myself. For me, it has to give me something in exchange that is more valuable to me than the money I give up to obtain it. In other words, the luxury itself isn't what makes it valuable --- its the "fringe benefit" that comes with it.
For example: I don't consider TiVo or cable to be a luxury that is worth it for me. It gives me access to a zillion channels and still nothing I want to watch. It gives me the ability to record something that I really don't want to watch, and certainly don't need to watch. It allows my family to spend hours in a zombie-like state in front of the television, not talking to one another and not engaging in any kind of real interaction. For me, there is no side benefit. Therefore, its just not worth the money for me. There are sooooo many other things that I can do with that money that are so much more valuable. For that matter, the time I spend to earn that money is so much more valuable than cable or even TiVo will ever be for me.
On the other hand, having someone come and do the deep cleaning of my house once a month is definitely worth the money for me. I'm not talking about regular housekeeping here... I mean the heavy lifting. I have someone who comes and scrubs the kitchen floor, santizes the bathrooms, deepcleans the rugs, cleans the drapery with the vaccuum attachments, and polishes my wood floors. It only takes them a few hours and it doesn't cost me alot. Okay, but the fringe benefits are out of this world. First of all, I am M-U-C-H better about regular housekeeping during the rest of the month because I know that this appointment is coming. My cleaning crew cannot possibly do the job if my house is cluttery or messy or if there are dust bunnies floating around. I have to be consistent about keeping up with my end of things. That means that my house always looks presentable -- and I'm not struggling with it. That alone as a fringe benefit would make this worth the money. But, in addition, I H-A-T-E doing that kind of housework. I don't mind laundry or dishes or even the sweeping and dusting, but I just abhor that scrubbing, moving, lifting kind of cleaning. It puts me in a foul mood and causes me to have a really miserable day or two -- and that causes the ones I love to generally experience a miserable day as well. By having someone do this work for me, I fight less with my husband, I am nicer to my friends -- its good for everyone.
Another luxury that I hadn't thought of as luxurious until someone recently pointed it out to me, is home delivery of prescriptions and of stamps. I order online and they arrive at the door. One of the reasons that I don't think of this as a luxury is that I actually SAVE money by doing this. My prescription plan gives me a discount for doing mail order service. My side benefits here: I don't run out. I'm not frantically running around, losing it because I'm desperate and the pharmacy is closed (or likewise carrying around a bill until its overdue because I can't seem to get myself to the post office during business hours to buy stamps).
I've given alot of thought to my next investment luxury --- valet parking. I don't use it often. In fact, I rarely use it. But when I do -- it is a serious investment in my night out. My condition for using valet parking is the convergence of three factors: rotten weather, glamourous clothing, and challenging parking. In other words, when I'm in the city for a big event, I've gotten myself all dolled up in my best clothes and it is practically a blizzard outside -- then I opt for the valet parking. Its generally fairly cheap -- and it frees me up to enjoy the evening. I spend less time in the ladies room trying to repair windblown hair and rainstreaked makeup. I spend less time listening to my beloved husband apologizing for not being able to find a closer parking space. I spend more time dancing, eating and enjoying. It magnifies the fancy night out exponentially. Well worth the investment for me.
Finally -- my monthly pedicure. This is one that I take a lot of teasing about in my family. Why would you pay someone else to paint your toenails when you can do it yourself for free? Well, because that person has gravity and leverage on their side and can scrub the callouses and rough spots away. And because that person can see what they're doing and can clip the cuticles and trim the raggedy spots in a way that I wouldn't dare do. And --- in terms of fringe benefits -- because it gives me an hour where no one can ask me to do anything, someone massages my feet and legs, and I am simply quiet and patient for a little while. That rehearsal of quietness is so important in our world today. We don't do enough of it. Rehearsing quietness causes it to spill over into other areas of life. And that is a fringe benefit you just can't miss out on.

Reasonable Expectations

Tis the season ---- to be jolly, to decorate, to celebrate --- and for too many of us, to set unrealistic expectations for ourselves and then to be disappointed when we don't meet them.
I have this vision of the perfectly decorated house -- lights, candles, fresh greenery, red and gold plaid ribbons in perfect bows, gold Christmas ornaments, and a crackling hearth with a fire. It goes with my vision of being perfectly dressed for a variety of holiday events -- plaid silk skirt with the black velvet top, cream wool trousers with the red sweater, -- and with my vision of the perfect holiday party -- carols around the piano by that roaring fire in the hearth, fabulous food and drink, champagne, perhaps, and delightful hors d'ouvres that make everyone's mouth water ---- and, of course, that vision of the cookie baking festival with the twenty-seven varieties of Christmas cookies, perfectly decorated and plated on gorgeous platters, wrapped and bowed for giving and eating. Caroling in the village would be nice too -- with candles and hot cocoa and four part harmony.
Unfortunately --- none of this is reality in my life and, in fact, none of it is all that realistic in my life either. I look around me at the wealthy homes and families and I get lulled into thinking that if these families can do this --- well, so can I. After all, isn't that what riding on the coattails is all about?? Well ---- yes and no.
I took an informal survey this past week of the moms around the place I work. Not the worker moms -- the moms who live in the community and have the wealth, the chic, the style, the class and the elegance. The women I aspire to be like. There were about 14 women I chatted with this past week. All of them have nannies to help with the child care (I didn't have to ask, I deal with the nannies on a regular basis with most of these families). All of them have some kind of cleaning help, ranging from a regular housekeeper to weekly cleaning ladies. Nine of them paid a service to come in and put up the decorations inside and outside the house -- these services string the lights, put up the tree, hand the garlands, and take care of all of the "work" of decorating for Christmas. Since its done by a designer firm, it looks designer elegant and classy. All of them were buying cookies, party food, and even Christmas dinner from area caterers -- none of them were even attempting to do all of that cooking. With the food, the caterers also do the table settings and bring the dishes and flatware, which eliminates the clean-up and dishwashing afterward too. I didn't even ask about shopping. I'm terrified that these women all have some kind of shopping service too. I know that they'll all visit the hairdresser before each party and event and that they'll have their nails done at least once for the holidays.
So, when I look at their "perfect parties" and their "storybook images" this season, I'm not seeing anything that is realistic at all. While riding the coattails of elegance and chic is always my goal -- I need to scale it back a bit at this time of the year. I need to be certain that my goals are achievable given my lack of a housekeeper, nanny, caterer and decorator. I need to decide what are the hallmarks of the chic look and elegant lifestyle that are important to me --- and then I need to let the rest go -- or scale them back alot.
So -- for this year:
--- I'm not doing the cookie thing. I'm just not doing it. I'm not making them. I'm not buying them. I'm not doing it. I can live without it for this year.
--- I've laid out a few holiday outfits for important events. I have the cream and the red and a touch of velvet to see me through the important events. I'll look chic and elegant enough --- there is no silk plaid skirt with the black velvet top --- and there are no matching mother/daughter outfits from Storybook Heirlooms and that's okay. We'll look great anyway.
--- The house looks terrific. We took one full weekend and sweated and struggled and did it. We have a few icicle lights on the porch, candles in the windows, two trees, a candle strewn mantle and some terrific plaid tablecloths. That's about it. And it looks great. Simplicity is elegant.
--- I've wrapped (and am still wrapping) gifts in beautiful paper but I am not doing the fancy ribbons and bows. This is killing me as I have a huge box full of marvelous ribbons and bows that I scooped up on clearance last year. Maybe next year --- but for now, its just not on the high priority list.
---I'm having the fancy party, but the food is going to be buffet only. I'm borrowing from the wonderful Anne Byrn of the Dinner Doctor and the Cake Mix Doctor so that things are easy and tasty. My other mentor and coach this season is the Barefoot Contessa. I'm arranging food more than making it --- thank you Ina. I'll arrange cheeses, fruits and nuts and it will look wonderful and taste even better.
--- as for that carolling fantasy?? Well, we'll just have to wait and see. It might happen. But if it doesn't -- that's okay too. It will still be an absolutely wonderful Christmas

Hair on a Budget

You know expensive, well cared for tresses when you see them. They shine, they have rich, deep color. The hair has a cut that is simple and clean. You can spot the difference at twenty paces. It’s the difference between those who have the time and money to invest in their hair and the rest of us. But it doesn’t have to be. Those of us who ride the coattails of luxury can have those same hallmarks of expensive hair. We just have to work a little bit harder.
Getting shiny, gorgeous hair seems easier when I cut back on shampoo and other products. I find that mousse, gel and creams add body and structure to my hair, but they leave a residue behind. That makes my hair dull and lackluster. When I reduce the use of product, I increase the shine. Granted, that becomes easier when I get a really terrific cut so that it requires less product to control it. Using less product also reduces the need for frequent shampooing. I wet my hair down every morning, but I only shampoo every third day or so. This keeps my hair from getting dried out and dull. I also invested in a real hairbrush, the kind Grandma had. I brush my hair before bed each night. It’s a soothing, relaxing ritual. It also distributes the oils in my hair, so that the hair gleams.
Color is another note point of gorgeous, expensive hair. I want rich looking, deep color. And I don’t want to go to the hairdresser and pay the outrageous charge for coloring. I simply cannot afford it. I choose a color that is slightly lighter than my own natural color. In my case, I chose a reddish shade that matches the natural highlights I had when I was younger. It doesn’t fundamentally change my own color since my natural color is darker. But it does add depth and shading to my color. It adds swing and reflects the light. And… it covers up the gray.
Finally, the most notable mark of rich hair has got to be the cut. The wealthy do not sport the latest trendy cut --- no Jennifers, Farrahs or Dorothy Hamills for them. They wear classic haircuts that suit their faces and lifestyles. So, why do the rest of us fall prey to the trends and fads? We end up with hair that we cannot manage, that does not suit us, and that looks cheap. Good hair should not take hours every morning to turn out. It should not require gallons of goopy product to make it stay put. Those are indicators that the haircut suits the stylist and not the wearer. You do need to pay for a good cut, but it lasts and lasts. It can be “touched up” by the usual SuperCuts, but the fundamental cut needs to be done by someone more expert and more accustomed to meeting demanding clients wishes. Once a good cut is in place, the rest is easy.

Out in the Garden

Somehow, this got posted before I even got a word typed out.
I've been working out in our garden lately. I've noticed that the gardens around homes say alot about the homes and their inhabitants. Most of the luxury homes in our area seem to have extensive gardens with lots of vibrant color in them. Gardeners and landscapers come and go, caring for these exquisite masterpieces. Needless to say, the only gardening staff coming and going from our home is moi. But I do have the gardens looking rather good right now.
I've planned the gardens rather carefully for the past three years. I've got sketches and notes and photos that I've clipped from magazines. Each year, I invest in some perennials for the garden.
I recently found a place in Western Massachusetts called the Perennial Ranch. This gentleman grows plants from seed in on the property there. He then pots them up and sells them as his business. His prices were unbelievably reasonable (right now the plants are on sale for $5 a pot). The plants are hardy and acclimated to conditions in the Northeast. I've had trouble in the past with plants from some of the big retailers because the plants were born and raised in greenhouses in the south and the harsh reality of the Northeast was a complete shock to them. These plants are accustomed to a harsher climate than my yard and they should do just fine for me.
My past purchases have come from nurseries in our area, flea markets, and the big retailers. This is the time of year to really beef up the perennial gardens for next years show. Last year, I bought a full flat of lavender plants at the flea market for a song. This year I have a delight lavender hedge that is growing along the front of the house by the porch. Two years ago, I purchased some pink shrubby roses that one of the big retailers was about ready to throw away. I lost two of them, but the other two are blooming nicely alongside the driveway. Not too shabby for free.
I truly believe that the keys to success in a Coattail Perennial Garden are to have a plan and to be flexible about the plan. I know precisely what I want and need for my garden. That's my plan. But if I find something that blooms the same time of year, is the same general height, and is a bargain --- my plan is flexible enough to accomodate that different plant. Planting without a plan results in disasters. The garden becomes messy and unwieldy. It looks like you just threw in some plants --- because that's what you did. Adhering to closely to the plan and not allowing for flexibility results in a very expensive garden. I'd be crying buckets of tears for every plant that died over a harsh winter if I hadn't taken advantage of such tremendous bargains along the way.
The other garden investment this time of year is seeds. I know, we think of seeds as an early spring thing. But I think that this is the time to buy seeds. Most nurseries and garden centers have marked their seeds way, way down to get rid of them NOW. Those seeds will still be perfectly good in 4-5 months when I'm ready to start my little seedlings indoors. And at that point, the nurseries will be selling new packets of seeds for full price! Our local garden center has seeds marked down 75% right now. That makes a pack of seeds about 15 cents. I have already grabbed my vegetables and my marigolds. I'm going back tomorrow when I can spend the time to sit on the floor and dig through the basket properly. I'm looking for things like cosmos, zinnias, hollyhocks, and the like. I want color that I can cut all summer long. And at this price, I can have all I want. My garden can look luxurious and lush -- even without the gardening service and the high prices.