I have a new project on Instagram with the hashtag: #morningyard. It came about because of my morning ritual.
Each morning after the hustle of getting the kids out the door to their four different schools, I give myself a big deep exhale of a moment on my patio. I make my smoothie (or coffee on weekends) and hop into that lovely rattan rocker and tip my head back. I hear the gentle drone of cars on a nearby street and the birds in the trees. I feel the breeze on my skin. I look up and watch the leaves move. I walk around and check on all of my babies plants, pruning and watering as needed. I get damp grass stuck to my toes. I get dirt under my nails. I fill up my senses, which in turn fills up my energy tank and centers me.
This has become my thinking spot.
I have been improving this space for the last five months. Prior to that, it was neglected and avoided for years. My kids trashed it in their toddler-hoods and I didn’t bother to care. As they grew out of the wrecking phase, all I could see was what was wrong with it. After changing my attitude, this was one of the first things I worked on. Slow and steady, with a small non budget, I first cleaned everything out – adios broken toys from 2004! I hunted for planters and extra seating at garage sales and flea markets. I made do with what we had. I made the decision to go almost strictly with succulents as potted landscape because they are drought tolerant and sturdy, not wussy annuals I would have to change out or water regularly. I knew I wanted to set things up simply, to be sustained easily by me even on my busiest week. These small steps have entirely changed our yard and given us an entirely new room to spend time in. I could have NEVER imagined when I set out to spruce up the patio, what it would come to mean to me.
We have large (expensive) issues that need to be addressed – shoddy sprinkler patterns, leveling/grading, no shade, dying grass, ugly landscaping.
So, I have big plans. We want to lay out an entirely new sprinkler system, build a patio cover, build garden beds, set up our compost bin, and create another seating area where we currently have grass, in order to open the patio up as an outdoor dining room. That way we don’t have to waste water on grass, and we get even MORE living space. All of the ground cover on our slope will get ripped out to make room for a natural California coastal/desert landscape. I also need to figure out what to do with that big empty wall space above the loveseat. I’m thinking vintage California flag? Hanging geranium pots? Feel free to share your ideas with me, that big open wall is driving me crazy.
Which leads me back to #morningyard. Objective: I take a photo every morning of something that inspires me from my yard that morning. The challenge is to keep it fresh and unique in the limited space. And then I Instagram the crap out of it while lounging in the rattan rocker. And then I guzzle my green smoothie, and scroll through my feed, and love, just utterly LOVE connecting and being inspired by my friends in that way.
May mornings are dewy and cold and overcast…I know it is time to go inside when the sun starts burning through the clouds.
-Tara
PS: (You can follow me on Instagram under: tarawhitney.) (If you aren’t able to, you can also see them uploaded on i don’t want to forget a thing.)
Your plants are so gorgeous! I’ve just recently become interested in my yard and plants and how to beautify it on the cheap. My next project is to use cardboard boxes as planters (saw the idea in a mag while at the dr’s office). Looking forward to seeing your #morningyard IG pics everyday!
Love love love. I set to spruce up my patio too, even though it barely holds me and two friends. Re: the empty wall — Have you considered “breaking it up”? maybe a hanging shelf with small plants? Add some artwork on the wall? (One of my favorite things to ever do to my patio was to hang artwork. I coated in some extra heavy top coat paint stuff and hung it out. It’s seen some wear over the years, but I still love it, and the wear gives it some character.) Do wind chimes annoy you? I love wind chimes. I have one of those on my patio too!
P.S. My wind chime is made of woods. Sometimes the high-pitched chiming DOES grate my nerves, but those subtle, warm sounds that come from wooden wind chimes? BE STILL MY HEART.
ah. just one of the many ways you continue to inspire me. to fix all the neglected corners of who *i* am. these pictures are beautiful and peaceful and i could lie down in the middle of your yard and drink it all in. (creepy blog comment of the week?) re: the wall – have you looked into pallet gardening? i’m sure there is a ton on pinterest, but google. talk about budget friendly, AND you could get some gardening in…
i hope its okay to say this: you are coming back to life! and its beautiful.
Well you make it look beautiful. Brilliant to have plans and make the plans fit with you and what you have.
Maybe a creeping plant, a russian vine? With some artwork as the previous suggestion in there too?
FOUR different schools!?! I’m still stuck on that. You deserve your thinking spot!! ;o)
This is like a private paradise on earth :)
Lovely place!!!
beautiful shots! i have often felt hopeless when thinking about my patio, but maybe i can make that into something nice too…. wheels turning….
Oh, that looks so happy =0). It makes me want to be there. I adore the plant next to the pink table. What is that?
i love you, and this SO MUCH.
Love your outdoor space! It looks so comfy and casual. We never use our backyard space. Kind of hate the yard covered in rock (we rent). But I love the sound of chilling out there in the mornings. Will need to work on my space. You inspired me!
i love this. i am thinking the same thing about the succulents only because i am really not that great at watering. i love all the color and bits and everything about your patio. i really love it.
it’s truly beautiful Tara, I hope I get to sit out there with you one day xxx
ps seen some great wall/hanging plant variations on pinterest :)
What a gorgeous space! One of my goals this spring and summer was to work on our (very small) front and back yard – can’t wait for garage sale season to begin (and the rain to stop) so I can find some inexpensive ways to spruce it up.
Hello from Japan.
I started reading your blog few years ago, still loving reading it now.
Love your patio.
What a great colors.
Love the plants too.
You did a great job.
Love your lil’ space! Great mix of colors and textures. Next time I’m outside on my deck I’m taking my record player!
This post is so relevant to me. I have been struggling over how to tackle or outdoor space that has been largely neglected since we bought this house–6 years ago. I think you have done such a beautiful job turning your spot into a sanctuary. Thanks for the inspiration. :)
Feel calmer and fresher just reading about your space. How wonderful and inspiring!
This is beautiful Tara, what a calming spot! Regarding the wall, what about a vintage sign, there are so many cool ones out there. Or maybe one of those succulent walls? (You can google succulent wall and see a ton of images). Although those succulent walls probably require a lot of sun.
Love that rug! I also love the photos through glass with reflections. I am fascinated/slightly obsessed with photos with reflections. I love how we often don’t notice them (we see through them) unless they are captured in a photo. It is that element of making us see things differently that I love most about photography. Great space you have there, and your morning ritual.
LOVE! Your space, that rug is awesome! Your wall challenge I like the idea of a flag I think it would be fun to find different vintage signs, numbers different funky things and create something as you find the treasures. I know chalkboard paint is everywhere but it might be fun to paint it with that?
Please don’t get me started on those two little stools with the vinyl tufting. Are you kidding me?!?!?! Cuteness.
Above your loveseat:
I saw an idea in BH&G to hang one of those trellis thingies that vines climb up, and attach hooks/baskets to it to keep all your barbecue/outdoor stuff in easy reach. I think for you, you could also put clips to attach little bits and pieces of your current summer life that mean something to everyone in your family, and it could switch out as the seasons change. Dried wildflowers, baskets of shells and beach glass. For winter: Christmas decorations. Yay!
I am currently sprucing up my (ugly) patio, so I’m SO happy to see your ideas. It’s beautiful, and represents YOU. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Tara, When I saw that space you don’t like above your loveseat, and the width of it, I thought immediately of a bamboo or beaded divider. The ones that are sometimes used as a door and that you have to push aside to go through. Just mount a short curtain rod up high (with stucco screws) and hang the divider on the rod. Even if it didn’t go to the ground that would be okay because you have a loveseat in front of it and you wouldn’t see that it was shorter than to the floor. I love your colors and you would add more balance by using those same bright colors and some cool textures on that rather bland wall. I bet you could find one of these dividers at a second hand store or even a garage sale. Just a thought.
Nancy
I’d love to hang there, chat or read a book ! I especially love the rug : it’s colors are so cool !
Oh, that rug! LOVE that rug!
Your space looks perfect for morning, noon and night!
Well done!
what a beautiful space!
so awesome that you are doing this!
and were those taken with the iphone?
if so, WOW! AMAZING! I think I need to take a class
on how to use my iphone!
I also need to get Suri, I only have the regular 4.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea tara!
tarapp
i love what you’ve done tara!!! bit by bit its becoming what you want! that’s the way to do it!
like the other’s mentioned – vertical garden. i’ve got a bunch of pins on my ‘garden’ pinterest board with vertical gardening ideas. http://pinterest.com/shesawthings/garden/
xo
LOVE IT Tara!!! Love the colors, it looks so relaxing! Can i ask where you got the rug from??? Just Gorgeous!
We just started collecting sea glass on trips. I can picture a thrifted vase full of it in this space. What a fantastic thing you have created!
Hi Tara, I love the pictures of the outside of your home. Especially the line of cactus.
Every once in while I think about you and your re-priortizing of your life. I did something like that (in a small way) a few months ago. I realized that I can still be a photographer with a website..without facebook…I even made most of my pictures on flickr private. It can get to be too much. I realized that, one day, I don’t want my photography to be the only thing that my kids will say I did. It’s part of my but, hopefully, not the best part.
My mind is so crazy right now…one graduating school..2 will be left in H.S…one three year old. Oy. Each one with there own needs…my head has been aching with feeling overwhelmed. I like your little space your creating and if I were your neighbor, you might have a permanent visitor…during the peaceful moments of course ;)))
Love the pictures and great post. The space looks lovely already, especially the colors. We’re in the middle of setting up our deck to be a quiet place we can relax as well and I can’t wait to finish getting it setup.
Love your plants and your project! I spend my mornings in my tiny garden too :) checking on the plants while my toddler tries to tear them up. I have been finding a lot of joy and peace in working in the earth and also photographing my plants and my children interacting with them. Nature is such a beautiful blessing