Beth's Garden AND A Little Giveaway!

It really is a small world.

While visiting an unrelated website, sweet Beth landed on a link to my blog for the first time.  She realized after reading some of the entries and seeing the photos that I lived in a town nearby.  After I shared on my blog about our local store, Vintage, she and her husband, Paul, decided to drive over one day and visit the store and I happened to be in there at the same time too.  She introduced herself and said that she read my blog.  And then after we chatted for awhile, we realized that we had actually worked together in the same place a LONG LONG time ago.

A small world indeed.

We have kept in touch and Beth kindly invited me over to her home for a visit.  As you can see, her home is as lovely as can be ...

And her porches and gardens are adorable.  She generously allowed me to take some photos of her charming outdoor spaces to share with you.  So let's take the tour together ...

*click on photos for larger view*

edited to add:

I spy a lizard in one of these photos - do you?  Let me know if you find him too.    ;-)

 

 
  

 

Everything is so vibrant and fun!  Beth, who loves all things home and garden, has created a magical place with her whimsical touches and creative flair.  I am definitely inspired! 

Thank you Beth for being the hostess with the mostess and for the happy garden day!  And she and I even slipped away for a bite of lunch and to a little nearby shop where I found this tea towel to give away to one of you ...

*edited to add that I thought when I saw this tea towel that it must be the creation of this wonderful artist and now that I've checked her blog to refresh my memory IT IS!!!   So cute dear Charlotte!  Yes it IS a small world!! 

 

I think it is just adorable!  And along with the Happy Day tea towel, I am giving away a little bird salt & pepper shaker set from Pier 1 and a vintage garden tool ...

If you'd like the chance to win my Giveaway, please leave a comment below and share with us what YOUR favorite flower is too. 

 

You already know mine.

;-)

I'll pick the winner on Friday night at midnight.

'Til then.... HAPPY GARDENING!!!!!

 

 

Love,

Kim
  
  
  

Comments

[pogonip @ meadowsweet cottage]

Beth's garden is just lovely! (I'm so happy to be able to get my flower fixes from Blogland while I await for springtime to finally arrive around these parts.)

With apologies to sweet peas, lilacs, snapdragons, peonies and clematis, I must admit that columbine is my all-time favorite flower.

[Vivian Christina]

Hi Kim,
I love you blog. My favorite flower is verbena. I think that scent is just wonderful. It was my grandmother's favorite also. Although, she passed when my own mother was just a little girl, growing verbena or wearing it's scent makes me feel connected to her.

[Julie Harward]

I so enjoyed her home and gardens..all so pretty! My favorite summer outside flower is...Oh, I love so many, lavender, no roses, no geraniums, no shasta daisys...oh dang, I can't pick one! LOL Come say hi :D

[marie]

I have two favorites....daffodils and red tulips. Preferably together!

Beth's garden is wonderful! I love that vase & plate & glass creation. It's fun!

[dale]

Kim, that is so sweet, you two are like two peas in a pod.

I hope you had a wonderful time. :)

Don't need to add me in to the giveaway, just wanted to say hi! :)

[jmac]

Great shots!! Lovin' your 'eye' these days.....really getting some good macro shots!!! Lovely gardens!!

[Karen Davis]

what a magical garden, love all the photos!

My favorite flower is the sunflower, anytime I see them, they make me smile.

hugs, Karen
http://www.davisfamadventures.blogspot.com

[Janet Swanson]

Hello Kim,
I love looking at your wonderful photos, I visit you often!
Picking one favorite is so hard so I guess right now my favorite that is blooming here is lilac. It's a beautiful dark purple.

[Jan Warner]

Hi Kim, all I can say is WOW!!! That was a wonderful tour of Beth's garden!! Thanks so much to both of you for sharing them. It is very inspirational!!!
I don't have a 'favorite' flower. I like them all! Preferably the perinials that just keep coming back each spring. :)

[Amy L.]

Beautiful garden! What fun to re-connect with her. My favorite is tulips!

[Mimi Sue]

Beautiful pictures and a beautiful garden. Love that free standing fireplace. Mimi

[Donna]

Beth's garden and home is gorgeous! I love Gerber daisies and Peonies :) Thank you for showing us her home!
Blessings,
Donna

[D. @ Outside Oslo]

How precious. I can only imagine how pleasant it must be to sit on that porch in the afternoon, soaking up all the afternoon sun with a cool, frosty beverage in hand and the company of a dear friend or relative at one's side.

[Linda Ferguson]

Well, I'm new to your web-site and put my comment in the wrong place. So I will try again. I loved visiting Beth's garden with you and enjoying all the beautiful flowers. I really loved the picture of the darling glass assembly (for lack of a better word) What a creative piece of art. Wished I could remember everything I see to be able to copy and make my own. My favorite flower is every last one of God's creations. I skipped through the comments and changed my mind with each one so decided I couldn't choose. Love your site.

[Rachel]

Oh I love Beth's house and garden. I love all the colour. I love love love that porch! Sigh.

My favourite flower is the Gerber Daisy. So simple and so beautiful at the same time.

Happy Day to you, Kim!
xoxo

[Michelle Payne]

My two favorite flowers are geraniums and pansies. Loved looking at the wonderful photos you took of Beth's home. We are in the process of redoing our backyard and so want to add some color to my new outdoor kitchen. I just looked at the date of your post and it's my anniversary! Twenty-seven years wonderful years spend with the most wonderful man alive.

[gabrielle]

what an adorable farmhouse and lovely garden. I bet she is outdoors a lot entertaining there. thanks for sharing..I hope we get to pick INSIDE too!! Love the giveaways..that towel is too darn cute and the shaker and vintage rake...love it all.

[Peggy]

I have a yard full of volunteer hollyhocks some are almost 10 ft tall, love them. But my favorite flower is sweetpeas, or maybe lilacs, I can't decide.

[Spencer]

Mmmmm.....Beth's garden is beautiful...

Peonies....I LOVE them...second favorite? Lilacs....my sweet Mum's favorite.

Warm blessings,
Spencer

[QUILTING CHICK]

Beautiful pictures of Beth's gardens-My favorite flower is begonias there is just something about the flower and colors that always draws me in- Blessings and hugs, Marietta

[Nancy Hutson Maisenbach]

Who does not love a garden! Flowers are a magnet that pull us in. My favorite is Hydrangea but really I am attracted to almost any flower. Thank you Beth for inviting us in. I loved coming. Kim thanks for sharing your pictures with us. I received your message. Thank you for the encouragement.
Nancy M.<3

[Suzy-Q]

Hi Kim,

Oh, happy day....thanks for asking. My favorite flower of all time is L.A.V.E.N.D.E.R. It blooms beautifully in my garden almost year-round. The scent is the most spectacular part of the little petite purple flowers and it is a sweet drink of nectar for the hummingbirds and bees, as well.

Thank you for sharing Beth's inspirational garden!

[Privet and Holly]

I just LOVE the LILY. Most especially the STARGAZERS, whose perfume can scent a whole room with just one blossom. I planted them last year and was AMAZED when they flourished and the stalks were practically DRIPPING with flowers. I can see that little garden from my kitchen window and waited with GREAT anticipation for the buds to open. Then I looked out and they were....GONE! The deer had eaten EVERY last one! They do like the tastiest morsels in my yard, so apparently, lilies TASTE as good as they SMELL. Who knew?? Loved strolling through Beth's gardens with you and the new music, too : ) xx P&H

[Sandi ~ A Cottage Muse]

I have always loved to see a salmon colored geranium ~ they were my Mom's favorite and it makes me think of her! Thank you to Beth for sharing her lovely oasis with us ~ your photos always make me feel like I am right there!

[Jan]

My favorite spring flower are pansys..love those smiling faces and color combos! My favorite summer flower is Lantana! Lovely petite flowers that pop with color! They love the hot spots!

[A Romantic Porch]

Beth's place is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing it. I have thought about this so much, and I HONESTLY can't decide what flower is my favorite. I just LOVE flowers, but right now...I'd probably say a pink bleeding heart.
Have a wonderful day Kim
xo rachel

[Robin]

Kim,
Beth's garden is really cozy, warm and so beautiful. I love the old bicycle with the basket of flowers :)
My favorite flower is the yellow rose. I have a tea rose called Casa Loma and it is yellow with red tips, two of my favorite colors!
Thanks for hosting the giveaway.
Robin

[I Love Pretty Little Things]

Hello, Beth's home and her gardens are Beautiful! I love the bright colors that she chose- very happy! Thanks to both of you for sharing, there are so many great ideas in this post.
I would love to be a part of your give away. My favorite flower is Peonies, oh the yummy fragrance! But, I also love Lilacs and Honeysuckle!
Have a wonderful day,
Joyce

[Marianne & Mindy]

What amazing gardens! I love all the colours and the whimsical touches that Beth has placed around her gardens. How welcoming and peaceful.
My favourite flower is the tulip as my mother was from holland. Right now they are in full bloom and I love to walk through my garden and remember my mother. Every year I plant a few more, all different colours, vibrant red, yellow, orange and a few pink.
Thank you for another lovely giveaway.

[Kathleen Grace]

Thank you for the tour, Beth has a wonderful garden! The tea towel is so cute, but I couldn't possibly choose a favorite flower! It would be like choosing a favorite child. I love them all equally:>)

[connie]

Thanks for the tour. Everything is lovely and so inspiring.
I love all flowers, but my current favorite is different varieties of geranium. I blame this on British Country Living magazine and all the pretty flowers in it!

[jodi]

A beautiful place your friend has. My favorite is the tall yellow Snapdragon. I love it's spicy scent.

[Ruth Ann Adler]

HI,
Thank you for the very special garden tour:) Your blog is always an inspiration and I thank you. What a great and precious give-a-way too. Thanks much...hoping that luck is with me. The garden tool would be perfect for my "ole garden shed" and the towel and shakers sure would be a great addition to my "Country" kitchen. Have a super great day:)

Ruth Ann

[Terry Hansen]

What a great space she has - lots of attention to the details! My favorite flower is the rose moss...

[chris mohnasky]

What a sweet garden! I wonder what it's like in Florida to have a garden season last all year long. We have such a short season here in Ohio. My favorite flower, hmmmm I have so many, I think I'll pick the pink peonie, they are so full and beautiful, unfortunately short lived.

[Megan]

Beautiful--Beautiful--Beautiful! I'm inspired to do some gardening right now! (;0)
I love my hibiscus. There are so many different colors and blossoms--a seemingly endless variety. I'm lucky to live where I can enjoy them year round.

[Alecia]

Oh, how I loved the garden tour at Beth's place but I also love your blog and all of the beautiful pictures. My favorite flower is a toss up between Gerber Daisy and the pansy. I even named my car Daisy so I guess it must be the Gerber that is truly my favorite.

[Mary]

I'm so jealous of folks with real front porches--the kind you can sit on. We do have a great deck, so I'll have to devote all my decorating urges to that area. Seeing flowers already in bloom is giving me ants in my pants to work in the garden, but the forecast here is for rain most of the next few days. ;( But the native perennials we planted last summer when we ripped out the old shrubs are coming back with a vengeance! My favorite flower is the iris. They are an early and shortlived joy, but my husband planted them for me when we bought this house and their regal blooms are always a glorious signal that the best is yet to come! Thanks for the colorful pics.

Mary
Flat Rock Creek Notebook

[Lynne]

What a lovely garden the teacup is my favorite I have one just like it. I like so many flowers, Roses,sweet peas(I am trying to grow them from seed)I like anything that is pink. Have a great day Englishteacup(Lynne)

[Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions]

Beautiful garden! I love her area with the outdoor fireplace. I'd love to be sitting there day or night! My favorite flower ~ tough choice. I guess I'll mention allyssum for its low growth and quick spreading, and I love to use it along the edges of my beds and patio to soften things up a bit. They bloom from the time I put them in the ground until frost here. I always get the white because it goes so well with whatever flowers and plants I may add behind it.

[Stepheny]

That's really neat that y'all actually got to meet each other because of a visit to your blog. Beth's garden IS cheerful and a delight to the eyes. I'm afraid, I am terrible in the garden and don't even know a lot of flower names. But I do know that I love the beauty and smell of lilacs, jasmine, and pink roses. Thank you for this lovely post and giveaway. Hope you have a beautiful day.

[Julie]

Hi Kim,
I just adore your blog and the guests you have on it also. My favorite flower is the SUNFLOWER!! Love it not only for the beauty but for the nourishment it provides. Thanks for your beautiful music and stories. Have a blessed rest of the week and weekend.

[Meredith]

Isn't it nice to find a kindred spirit in the world? Lovely pics....

[Debra]

Oriental lilies for the smell and roses of course. Sunflowers because they are so tall and follow the sun. Sorry, that's more than one. Who could ever pick just one flower?

[Judy]

Thank you Kim for sharing her wonderful garden and porch with us. Oh I wish I had a porch :-) I love all flowers and their beautiful colors, but I am especially fond of lilacs....nothing compares to their wonderful fragrance. Have a great day! Judy

[Angela]

Your right, such a small world. That is so amazing how you met..I adore her front porch and gardens. Oh my,,all that RED...SIGH.......oh it was a beautiful tour!

My favorite flower, ANYTHING RED OF COURSE!! I do enjoy red impatience...I have some lovely red gerniums that have become my favorite these days. I've had them now for two years..I am amazed that they have survived indoors each winter and I've been able to bring them outdoors in the Spring....

[Dena]

What a beautiful garden, thanks for sharing!
I love your gieaway set, very sweet. I almost bought the s and p set a few weeks ago!
Please enter me to win!
dena
sweet pickles and chocolate

[shannon linde]

Good Morning!
I love to start my days with your page. So lovely. My favorite flower is the tulip. It was my grandfathers favorite flower and it is what he wore on his tux the day he walked me down the aisle when I married my husband. Woops! Little tears at the memories! Every year when my tulips bloom, it takes me right back to that day!
Happy Day to you!
Shannon

[Vicki]

sunflower...they move to keep there happy face to the sun!

Thank you for the beautiful offer and blog!

[Michelle]

Oh boy, do I have to pick just one? If only one, my top pick is hydrangea. I plan on putting a row of them in this year along the back fence line. I have an Annabelle version on the side of my house and it's beautiful, they are my favorite.

Her garden is so pretty, love all the little touches and seating areas she has created. How fun that you were able to connect!
~Michelle

[Carolyn Maves]

Thanks for the wonderful garden tour. My, oh, my there are some creative people in our beautiful world.

My favorite flower is a rose, I worked as a florist for some years and there is nothing like being surrounded by hundreds of roses.

Here in the north woods of Wisconsin there is a lovely little wildflower called a star flower, it is short, maybe 6"-8". It comes up out of the ground with one grouping of leaves that form a star shape. Then the blossom stem comes up out of the center of the leaves, and forms a small white star shaped flower. It is delicate and delightful.

God bless you today, Kim. Thank you for bringing beauty and cheer into so many lives.

Carolyn

[Anna]

Hi Kim! I love your blog!
My favorite flowers are daisies (of course), marigolds, peonies and of course..."Anna" roses.

[Ruth Graham]

Morning.... and yes Miss Kim we do know what YOUR favorite flower is ;)

Love Lilies of the Valley. They are just the sweetest little things!

Thanks for sharing your friends home with us. Seems you two also have some color favorites in common. Yes.... a small world indeed! When we make discoveries like that, it seems to make this BIG old world just a bit more managable.

Hugs & Blessings...... Ruth ;)

[Jen]

Hi Kim~
Thank you for the beautiful view this morning. In Wisconsin, we don't have a whole lot blooming, even though this has been a very early spring. Your photos make me ready for my flowers to bloom. My favorite flower? It would have to be very colorful lillies. My son started me on them a few Mother's Days ago and I try to add a new one each year. Thanks again!

[Debby]

What a great home. Love the gardens and the porch. So cheery.
The tea towel is adorable......I need those salt and pepper shakers, hah. Thanks.

[Debby]

Ooooops, I forgot. My favorite flower is the Sunflower because it's just a HAPPY flower.

[Lori]

Beth's home looks so warm and welcoming. I love the way she incorporates bright splashes of color throughout her garden and porch. Gorgeous!

[Connie]

Hi Kim,
Thanks for sharing Beth's garden with us. Everything is so magical. I love all the unique pieces she used, her colorful/cozy screen porch (her rug is TDF), and her patio furniture looks so inviting plus having a lovely fireplace on cool evenings.

When you asked about what our favorite flower - I thought I could answer that easily and I find I can't. LOL I do like the old-fashion moss rose. It takes little care and always looks great.

Love your kitchen towel and would love to have the trowel.

Hugs,
Connie

[Becky G.]

Beautiful pictures! Adorable giveaway! My favorite flower of all ( and I love many ) is the lilac! Mine are blooming right now and you can smell them all over our yard, and even the neighbors get to enjoy the sweet scent as well! I tell everyone that when I get to heaven, it will smell like lilacs! Blessings, Becky

[Valley + Madigan]

Peony!! They were my grandmother's favorite, so I find them dear to me. I carried them for my wedding in honor of her!! I now have several huge plants here on my old farm that dates back to 1830's...I wonder if they are that old?

That prize is sweet....would look good on my new porch (built 3 yrs ago) that has NO love what so ever on it...sad I know! Kids come first! ;-) My day will come!!

[Stacey]

Oh Kim. I'm so happy that you ran into Beth at Vintage. One of these days I'm going to hope a plane to Florida and hopefully I'll run into you also! :)

Beth, your garden and home are both just amazing. I love all the flowers and touches of red. Your porch is so inviting. Looks like you really enjoy living outside. I'd love to have iced tea out there with you girls.

My favorite flower, by far, is red geraniums. They are happy flowers and I can't live without them. Kim, thanks for sharing Beth's home and for the sweet give away.

[beth]

What a great tour! I love Beth's garden, and could just plop down on one of those Adirondeck chairs and put a fire in the fireplace....oh well, for now I will just tell you my vote is the Gerber Daisy!

[Francine]

I spotted that little lizard peeking from behind the frog! Cute. My favorite flowers are daffodils, but they aren't around Wisconsin for very long!!! Thanks for sharing with us your lovely yard Beth! I enjoyed the tour.

[Brenda]

What a beautiful garden I love all the bright colors.My favorite flower is the bright pink cosmos they are the friendliest flower after the daisy of course.
Thanks for sharing the garden tour with us.While enjoying the pictures I spyed a lizard on the garden frog.

[Elsina]

Beautiful inspiring photos!! I love the American cottages and gardens! Thanks for sharing! My favorite flower is the rose. Love your give away, but unfortunately I live outside the USA.

[Sarah meandmyyellowhouse.blogspot.com]

OMGosh! It's like heaven - simply GORGEOUS! Every inch of it seems so thought out and you can see the love she has put into it. I would LOVE to see the inside of her home....
The lizard is adorable peeking up for the camera!

Thank you for the tour ~
Sarah

[mary-The Calico Cottage]

oooooooooooooooooh, what a gorgeous home and garden! Love the colors you used and everything is so well appointed. I think you must have a very creative eye.
I like lots of different flowers. Some favorites are geraniums, lavender, sunflowers, marigolds, and last, but not least, the daisy.
Have a great day, everyone!

[Anja]

Soooo beautiful. A friend of mine sent me a link to your blog and she said that I'm going to love it.... she was so right. Besides, she did it just in time for this lovely giveaway :o)

Love your photos and this garden is just amazing... thank you for sharing!!!

Love your lizard-hunt... a great way to make us look at the pictures even closer :o) and it is so cute peeking out beside of the frog :o)

Oh, this comment is getting longer and longer, and I still didn't share my fav flower... it's frezia.

[Jen-]

Thank you Kim and Beth! What a lovely treat first thing in the morning. Now, about that flower...roses royalty in the garden, daisies are the happiest flower, tulips kiss you hello with springtime promises soon, confetti lantana dances all HOT Texas summer long, esperanza feeds my happy humming birds, geraniums take me to italy terraces when I can't afford the flight, ...there's just no picking....I could go on and on. God made such beauty in people and flowers...I'm just so thankful I can see them.

[Kathi Layfield]

What a beautiful home and garden...I could just see myself putzing around that garden. Your photos are so vivid that I feel I could just reach out and touch a flower. My favorite flower is hydrangeas...followed closely by sunflowers, peonies, cabbage roses, stargazer lilies...I could just go on and on...but I must say I love the older garden variety of flowers best! I'm pretty much just an old fashioned gal!
Kathi

[The Pleasures of Homemaking]

I so enjoyed Beth's garden! Thank you for the tour. It's so gorgeous and cute! I love gardening and have lots of flowers I like but I love hydrangeas! Can't have enough of those!

Manuela

[Kat Schultz]

Wow, what fabulous photos of a fabulous garden! And I found the lizard!! So cute peaking out at you! My favorite flower is most definitely the tulip. They shoot right up in the spring time and are unabashedly beautiful. Such rich colors, I find it hard to look away from them.

Thanks for the photos and for the giveaway opportunity!

[Barbara Anne]

What a charming garden space! Love the happy colors in flowers and fabrics and all the wonderful spots to sit and relax. Well done, Beth!

My favorite flower is gardenia.

Hugs!

[Sheree]

Kim- What a fun tour! You 2 have so much in common!! Your blog is my "fix" for the day. As soon as I walk in the door every morning-up your blog comes! Hydrangeas are my all time favorite. Guess because they remind me of my grandmothers yard ;-)

[Karen]

You're blog is like sunshine no matter what the weather here in PA. is outside. I'm counting the days until warm weather is here for good and I can really satisfy the itch to garden. I love bleeding hearts, they are so delicate and just whisper love when you are near them!

[Vonnie]

I can see the love that Beth has put into her home and garden. It's great that she didn't let the aluminum screened room define the porch. The curtains make it so soft and inviting. Thank you for the inspiration!

[Tammie]

I love the pics! My favorite flower is a bleeding heart. I remember seeing it in my grandmothers yard as I grew up.

[Erin Parker]

HI Kim, if hydrangeas are a flower those are my favorite.

[Debbie Vierkant]

Wow, what a beautiful place thank you so much for the lovely tour that is eye candy for sure! I don't think I can pick a favorite flower I love them all for different reasons. Maybe a fragrant rose, they are so touchy to grow but I am still trying because the reward is so sweet. Please enter me in your cute giveaway. Hugs!

[karen]

For the garden, I love hydrangeas! I love the flowers and they remind me of my best friends Grandma's garden. She had a couple of "snowball" bushes.
I also love peonies! We can't grow them here in Calif. but they are gorgeous! karen....

[Brooke]

I too love daisies...they are happy. Closely followed by bluebonnets, I am a Texan afterall! What a CHARMING garden! Thanks for sharing. I am inspired!!

[Gail]

Hi Kim,

You definitely found another kindred spirit!! Thanks for showing us her beautiful home and gardens. I loved every photo.

My favorite flower is - - -ROSES - - of course. They are blooming now and are intoxicating. I use them for bouquets,cooking,potpourri, and more!! What joy they bring to my life.

Thanks for the opportunity to win one of your wonderful give-a-ways.

A Mississippi Gal,
Gail

[Roseny Crisp]

Bom Dia Kim!!
Que maravilhosa casa!!
O lagarto?
Ele está sobre a escultura do sapo.
A propósito está muito fotogenico :)

¸¸♥♥¸¸♥♥¸¸♥♥
Goog morning Kim
What a wonderful home!
The lizard?
He is on the sculpture of the frog.
The purpose is very photogenic:)

[Jennifer]

My favorite flower Kim is Zinnias. Love Love Love them! Thank you again for your wonderful inspiring blog. I save your blog to read last on my google reader so I can savor it. The best for last!

Thanks again.. xoxo Jen in Boise

[Margaret]

I love Beth's garden! My favorite flower is geranium! Probably because I have the best luck growing them!!! I love your blog...it is a bright spot in my day!!!

[Allison S.]

I love lilacs, jasmine and honeysuckle for their intoxicating fragrance, but really love peonies for their big, blousy, showiness! :)

[Robyn Fields]

Kim, that is the prettiest garden ever...the first thing I thought was that you and Beth had very similar decorating/gardening ideas...As I looked through your photos I thought...wow this could be Kim's garden! LOL! I have to say that my favorite flower is a zinnia...I posted some photos this morning of mine (not yet in bloom) and some photos of my house...thanks for the chance to win your giveaway! And thanks again for your sweet comment yesterday on my new blog...I will not forget you were the first person ever to leave a comment on there for me...I love ya for it! Robyn and Daisy Mae

[cher]

I love tulips the best! Almost as much as I love your blog.

[Joanie]

Hi, Kim,
Thank you for the beautiful photos as I wait for summer to unfold here in Michigan. My fav flower is the iris. Happy Day, everyone!

[Kimberly Baron]

Pansies are my favorite. My sister almost died in a car accident when I was 16. I had been so excited for us to become best friends. She had just graduated from eight grade at the beginning of summer and in a month she was to start going to high school with me. My best friends all had sisters that they were close to and Kate and I were getting along better than ever. Then in a blink no one could even promise that she would live to the next day, let alone the beautiful future that should have been hers. My parents stayed at the hospital with her while she made the miraculous recovery of going from 10 days in a coma to only 3-4 weeks on the head injuries floor. When she came home she was different. She was mean and hateful. She was not my friend, she didnt feel like my sister anymore either. She was, however, my parent's priority. They wanted me to take her out with me still like we had planned, but she was so unpleasant and cussed at and insulted my friends. After a few times I refused to take her with me. They were angry at the situation and at me and so was I. After the leaves had all fallen and the sky had greyed nothing seemed beautiful anymore. That is with the exception of a garden of yellow pansies that a friend had planted for me. I had one tattooed on my ankle the summer after I turned 18. It is my reminder to find the beauty that is always around me, that I can be delicate and strong at the same time, and that I dont need to feel lonely, because beautiful people have planted love in my life. As much as I adore red geraniums (my Mimis favorite too) and peopnies (that were next to the white picket fence in my childhood yard), pansies will always mean the most to me.

[Daisy Cottage]

(((((Kimberly)))))

Love,
Me

[Patty M]

Oh my, oh my...what an inspiring garden. I will be saving this as a favorite to browse and browse again. And the giveaway...pick me! It's spring and all the flowers are my favorite right now!!!!

[Leslie hernandez]

Hi,
My favorite flower is geranium-I love the bright colors, especially when they are planted in a mass. Love you blog!

[Carrie@ My Kinda Boring Life]

Beautiful yard-- garden and patios. Love all the colorful pillows. Looks so cozy.

For me it a tie between a lilies and roses.

[Julie]

LOVED the garden tour. I did not see the lizard the first time, even thought I was playing "where's Waldo?"...I will have to go back and look. I was enjoying the BIG picture too much. So delight in revisiting all of your tours you give. The photos are awesome. Thanks so much for sharing all you do for the eye and for the spirit, Kim. Give Miss Maggie a hug, as always...
Thank you for the offer of a wonderful giveaway..
Hugs!

[flowerdisco]

you take the most beautiful photos...i have been looking and reading your blog once in a while and I am always so delighted with your shabby chic style and all the things you show us through your photography and this garden is my dream come true...this is my goal. thanks so much for enlightening my day with so much beauty.

[Elizabeth Marchus]

Hi Kim,
Beth does have a lovely garden! I got such a kick out of her frog with (Mr. Lizard sitting on his head) so cute, even the wasp resting on the lounge chair was delightful to see. Now for my favorite flower, gosh I love so many of them, but I think a white rose stills my heart every time. I also adore Orchids, African violets, Camilla's and Red Geranium's. Red Geraniums are pretty I think but they sure don't smell very pretty! LOL
Please drop my name in the hat for your lovely of loveliest giveaways.
Enjoy your day, Big hugs~Elizabeth

[Deb]

Such a gorgeous garden! I smiled when I spotted the lizard creeping up on the iron frog :-) Adorable. Thank you for this lovely giveaway ~ and my favourite flower is the Daisy ♥

[Amy Y]

Well, gulp, this will be a first comment on a blog for me! I just could not resist as my hubby and I have been working so hard on our gardens, and I love pictures of other friend's labors of love. This was beautiful, (and I LOVE that little green rake!) I love so many flowers,but I will have to say hydrangeas steal my heart.We have a huge bush at the front of my house that has deep purple blooms. Everyone asks me what I do to get them that color, but they do it all by themselves.
Thank you Kim, for such a friendly, happy blog. I feel safe in coming here and visiting you often :)

[Jenn]

Hi Kim, I really enjoyed this post. Loved looking at Beth's garden, it's gorgeous! My favorite flower usually changes with the season lol but if I had to pick one it would be Sweet Peas. I'm sure I won't win this...I'm lucky in love and that's enough :) but just looking at all the lovely pictures makes me happy ~ so inspiring.
Have a wonderful day! Jenn