Color trends

Each season before we go off to Market, we check the Pantone color trends forecast to see what colors they think will be "hot" for the year. Here is a look at their predictions for 2012.

Their prediction for most popular color this year is Tango, that bright orange. We did see a lot of orange at market this spring. (Too bad for me, I look terrible in orange - Mary).

With this color chart in hand, we started looking for new paint for the gift shop at Blue Moon Gardens. We re-paint at least every other year. We figure we have about 10 coats of paint on the walls by now.

Connie and I chose Ash Violet, which we love.

We also picked a grayish green which Sherwin Williams named Svelte Sage. It is a little grayer than we imagined, but it will work. (It is greener than this photo)

Connie saw this page in the current Southern Living magazine. She was attracted to this color, Expressive Plum. I liked it too, but it is too dark for our shop.

Sharon stayed out of the decision-making process on paint. She likes everything very neutral. The walls and trim at her house are various shades of white. That is right in line with the current trend in furniture color - distressed gray. Here is another shot out of Southern Living showing this look.

I could live with the furniture and walls, but I need more vibrant color. I would upholster the chairs in some bright pattern and throw a lipstick red plate and safety yellow pitcher into the collection on the walls.

To market, to market...

Connie, Sharon and Mary went to the Dallas Gift Market last weekend to shop for new merchandise for the spring (and summer, fall and Christmas). Sharon and Mary have been attending 2 gift markets a year for over 25 years, so they are rather jaded by all the new, improved and hyped merchandise. We come back thinking there is just too much stuff out there. Not a goo attitude for gift shop buyers, but sadly the truth.

Connie took this picture of us, as she didn't want to be in it. This must have been pretty early in the morning because we look rather fresh. By the afternoon, we were dragging out butts around. We purchased some of these Mexican folk art wall hanging/magnets.

Oh, the choices! Anticipating what will be trendy, popular and sellable in our little store is always a challenge. Sometimes we find winners, other times we are totally wrong.
Here are some trends we noticed at Market this time. Talk about feeling old and dated. Items, colors and themes popular during my teens (the 70s) are all the rage again. I hate feeling retro.

The owl motif is back. Not the big-eyed, cutesy owls of the past, but these more dignified, wise owls. They show up on everything - pillows, cards, wall art, knick-knacks, you name it.

Another recycled, redone theme is bohemian Indian print fabric in the 'mod' colors of the 70s: bright orange, shocking pink, turquoise blue, neon lime green. Not a look I want to revisit, on my body or in my home. Must show I am wiser and more mature; or becoming a old fuddy-duddy.

More gardening

We lost a lot of boxwood in the drought this year. The sprinklers were not hitting them. So we decided to replant the front of one of our old shade gardens.

Kendel moved the Zephyranthes, rain lilies, and made them a border. Since this is a dry spot we chose plants that could handle drought.

We put in several ShiShi Gashira Camellia sasanquas. We enjoy the glowing flowers in winter. The shrubs should reach only 4 feet in height so they won't hide the Oakleaf hydrangea in the bed behind.

We love the cool season Euphorbias. Ascot Rainbow is particularly attractive with variegated foliage that blushes on the tips in cold weather. It should like this spot with morning sun, then shade the rest of the day.

We will post a photo of this bed in the summer so you can see how it is progressing.



Gardening in winter

The weather has been so beautiful this week with temperatures in the 60s and 70s we have been inspired to work in the gardens. The veggie boxes have been ignored up to this point.

We planted some leftover cabbage and kohlrabi but that was all we had in for the winter.
So today I got out there and cleaned up - cut back the Italian oregano and sweet marjoram and put in new salad greens.

At the top of this photo you see kale. Lovely Toscano kale, aka dinosaur kale, which has great texture and color - a cool blue-gray. I like to use it for kale chips. Surrounding that is Redbor kale, one of the hardiest and most attractive of the kales. In the bottom of the photo is arugula and one lonely purple mizuna, the last one left.

Behind the kohlrabi went yellow-stemmed Sunset Swiss chard and Ruby Red chard.

A few Salad Bowl lettuces, flattened from the water I put them after planting. They will perk up in a couple of days.

The finished project. I left empty spaces in the boxes because next month we will be sowing seeds for carrots, beets, radishes and snap peas. Maybe planting a few potatoes as well.