Succulent Mini-Gardens

Have you attempted a mini or fairy garden yet? Using succulents in your landscape is a great way to get started!

Succulents are booming in popularity for two simple reasons: 

they are beautiful and nearly indestructible.

Technically, a succulent is any plant with thick, fleshy (succulent) water storage organs. Succulents store water in their leaves, their stems or their roots. These plants have adapted to survive arid conditions throughout the world, from Africa to the deserts of North America. Fortunately for us, this adaptive mechanism has resulted in an incredible variety of interesting leaf forms and plant shapes, including paddle leaves, tight rosettes, and bushy or trailing columns of teardrop leaves.  (about.com)

As a group, succulents include some of the most well-known plants, such as the ALOE and agave, and many almost unknown plants. CACTI are a unique subset of the succulent group. Succulents make excellent display plants in dish gardens.

Use your favorite container for your landscape adventure! I love to use urns and flat dish containers a few inches deep. Make sure you drill in a drainage hole or provide a drainage system at the bottom of your container. I often use tiny rocks or a mesh drainage insert before adding a good potting soil.

Here I have planted a succulent in a mini-urn. A variety of mini-urns are available in our online boutique at COUNTRY VILLA DECOR.  Vine arbors and chairs pictured are also in stock!

The mini pots can hold a tiny succulent or a faux flower as well.

The new mini-chandeliers are to die for! We also have mini-cement tables and chairs coming in soon!

Here I've used a large tea-cup planter. The vine arbor fits perfectly !

When you pick out your succulents, look for distinctive blooms and stems and don't be afraid of them. Incorporate their quirky bends into your landscape. This one almost looks like a fruiting tree !

This is a new addition to our line of mini-garden accents. It's a gorgeous Pavillion accented with leaves and vines. They create a perfect space for placing a mini-bird bath. In addition to succulents you can add your favorite herbs. Pictured below,  I have added English Thyme and a tiny English lavender plant.

Notice the black urn on a plynth ! These are new this year! I planted a tiny succulent in both urns.

How cute are these mini round stepping stones? I have created a trail with shell chips. Placing the stepping stones into moss or your favorite sand, chips or other material will also work.  Let your garden dreams run wild ! Mini-gardens are so easy to create and a great conversation piece in your home and garden decor.

Stay tuned as we are currently posting the items you see in our online boutique! COUNTRY VILLA DECOR ONLINE BOUTIQUE
www.country-villa-decor.com

New Faux / Silk Lavender, Clematis and Petunias

Here's a sneak peek at our brand new EXCLUSIVE designs at Country Villa Decor! We've used the highest quality silk / faux flowers, featuring Clematis, Petunias and Lavender. You can order these designs in our ONLINE BOUTIQUE at COUNTRY VILLA DECOR  or drop by our display at Savannah Faire beginning May 1st !

Nantucket Bike Baskets

We just received a shipment of the "natural" color in the Lightship-Adult Tapered Bike Basket. The Lightship Collection baskets are woven with a very fine rattan cane material, which is the outer skin of the natural rattan fiber. These baskets are replicas of the Nantucket Lightship baskets, which were first produced in Nantucket during the whaling era of the 1800s.

The Nantucket Bike Basket Company specializes in unique, hand-crafted baskets for your bicycle. Made from high-quality materials using durable weaving techniques, Nantucket Bike Baskets are made to last, while giving your bike that classic look. I consider each basket a work of art! These baskets are extraordinary in quality and you will not be disappointed! I am just loving these baskets! With every shipment I am amazed at the craftsmanship and care taken with each creation. You can check out the entire collection in our ONLINE BOUTIQUE AT COUNTRY VILLA DECOR BIKE BASKETS AT COUNTRY VILLA DECOR

Spring Shamrocks and Grape Hyacinth

A few of my favorite things for the month of March: Grape Hyacinth, Shamrocks, A Princess Tart and an elegant, GREEN statement necklace !

Recently I attended a local craft fair and fundraiser featuring one of my favorite creators, Heather Sullivan Sachs. She has always had a unique sense of style and design, demonstrated here in her paper kitsch, that has blessed our community in local venues and craft fairs. This one got me going with a way to display my favorite March blooms! Thank you Heather....

Courtesy of A Stillness Blog

Courtesy of Good Housekeeping

Courtesy of Tartelette BlogRecipe

Courtesy of Wisconsin Horticulture

Courtesy of A Stillness Blog

Thank you Heather Sullivan Sachs for your inspiring kitsch designs!

If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind statement necklace, visit Lillian Fine Jewelry Etsy Shop ! Teresa is a talented designer. Combining vintage beads, brooches, lockets and other rare finds she creates distinctive pieces with contemporary flair.

Lillian Fine Jewelry Lillian Fine Jewelry Etsy Shop

Photo Courtesy of Lillian Fine JewelryLillian Fine Jewelry Etsy Shop

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Country Villa Decor! 

Cloche Collecting

Do you cloche collect? If you don't, you should! Cloches have become extremely popular in decor vignettes! Why?









They are classic in shape and a no fail, simple, simple way to feature your favorite collectibles, blooms and seasonal finds.

They instantly frame what they feature and add elegance and a designer touch to any decor whim you may have in mind. I love them because they allow us to instantly be successful at creating! It's just really hard to go wrong in your design ventures when using one of these lovelies.

Historically, decorative bell jars were common in the Victorian period for the display of clocks and taxidermy and as a transparent dust cover.

Courtesy of Pam Posey Pinterest

Look at the variety in what you can collect and achieve with these!

Have you noticed that garden cloches resemble a big bell?  Well, that’s because the word “cloche” actually comes from the French language meaning “bell”. 

You may remember the "cloche hat" that became popular during the 1920's. It's name was also derived from the French word and fitting to its bell shape.

 Join us on Pinterest Country Villa Decor at We Cloche Collect to see more ideas and cloche inspiration. We would like to thank the owners of these photos that are credited at Pinterest.

Garden cloches are simply covers for your plants to keep them safe from the rants of mother nature and her critters.

The cloche shape has influenced other decor accent designs and the subsequent ways to feature foods and blooms .

For Spring vignettes and Country Cottage Decor, feature a nest and eggs in your cloche design! I recommend finding eggs with natural colors such as those pictured. You can find the nest and eggs for sale in our COUNTRY VILLA DECOR ONLINE BOUTIQUE.

Find Emily's Nest above www.countryvilladecor.com

Find Nature's Colors Eggs Set at www.countryvilladecor.com

We have another shipment of these arriving soon!

Courtesy of The Decorated House

And....once again the same Bird Cloche I have featured over and over again with different accents.

Basic glass cloches can be purchased separately or with a feature plate as seen below. We carry a wide variety of most of the cloches you see pictured in this post in our ONLINE BOUTIQUE AT COUNTRY VILLA DECOR. www.countryvilladecor.com CLICK

These can be purchased in our ONLINE BOUTIQUE at www.countryvilladecor.com. Consider a separate bell jar as pictured here to the right as your first collection piece! The reason why I would do this first if you don't own a cloche piece yet is that you can use it on MOST of your favorite plates, bread boards and shelves. This is our most popular bell jar and comes in 3 sizes! I have used this cloche pictured in photos in this post. You can dress it up or down from nautical to wedding celebrations!

FIND THESE BEAUTIFUL WIRE CLOCHES IN OUR ONLINE BOUTIQUE AT COUNTRY VILLA DECOR. www.country-villa-decor.com or
IPAD FRIENDLY www.countryvilladecor.com

Courtesy of Pam Posey Pinterest