Happy Monday! It’s the first Monday of the month which means
I’m joining my blogging friends for some
flower therapy and Monday Morning Blooms.
You can find my blogging friends’ links to their floral inspiration at the bottom of this post.
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.
You may be thinking to yourself. . . “Bunnies?. . .
Easter was three months ago, it’s long past bunny season.”
June and July are actually peak season for bunnies in the garden. . .
Bunnies are multiplying like. . .well. . .rabbits. They’re living under the Potting Shed
which makes an excellent 10 x 16 hidey-hole and bunny shelter.
They seem to be especially fond of sweet potato vine, coneflower, salvia and most
recently, the zinnia seedlings, despite all efforts to keep them away from the flowers.
Since I can’t beat ’em, I’m joining ’em with a little tabletop fun in the Potting Shed.
Endless Summer Hydrangeas are blooming . . .
I cut some blooms for some Ball Jar Bouquets, adding some green
and white hosta leaves and variegated sprigs from the abelia shrubs.
Cut hydrangeas are notorious for wilting.
Here’s my favorite tip for hydrangeas to keep them from wilting: Alum!
Cut your hydrangeas in the morning with they are fully hydrated and not stressed from the heat,
removing any leaves which will cause water loss at the expense of the flower.
When arranging them, cut each stem at a 45 degree angle for maximum water uptake.
Dip 1/2 inch of each cut stem in alum powder, found on the spice aisle at the grocery store.
Place your dipped hydrangea stems in your vase of room temperature water.
Hydrangeas are heavy drinkers so check your vase water, topping off as needed and
change your vase water every other day if possible to prolong the life of your flowers.
A pair of Bunny Gardeners are holding a basket,
ready to harvest some hydrangea blooms. . .
Endless Summer Hydrangeas bloom on old wood from last year’s growth
and the new growth of summer, so you can harvest blooms to
enjoy in vases and still look forward to blooms in your garden.
Hydrangea blooms can be blue or pink depending on your soil’s pH level,
turning blue in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil.
To produce bloom blooms, amend your soil with a sulfur based product.
Bunny goblets hopped to the table. . .
And a pair of Spode Blue Room Botanical Plates
hopped in my cart at Tuesday Morning back in February.
Reproduction bunny majolica plates are joining in the fun. . .
Layered on Mikasa English Countryside dinner plates, with an
embossed fruit and lattice design on the borders of the plates.
Details:
Gardener Bunnies with Basket / SPI Home
Bunny Majolica Plates / Pottery Barn, several years ago
Dinner Plates / MIkasa English Countryside
Spode Blue Room Botanical Plates / Tuesday Morning
Blue Floral Plate / Johnson Brothers Devon Cottage
Bunny Goblets / HomeGoods, several years ago
White Wood Chargers / Pier 1
Napkins & Rings / HomeGoods & Pier 1
Flatware / Portmeirion Botanic Garden
Visit my talented friends to see their floral inspiration this week:
Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
Pam at Everyday Living
Shirley at Housepitality Designs
🐇🌸🐇
Lola and Sophie chose two winners of my Ball Flute Jar Giveaway:
Barbara Z
and Kyra D
Thanks to all who entered!
As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Between Naps on the Porch
Happy Monday Mary!…and indeed happy with the adorable bunnies in the Potting Shed and under the Potting Shed. I know how annoying those bunnies can be as they eat through the garden, but sometimes you can’t help but smile each time you see those adorable little creatures. Oh those “majolicaesque” plates are one of my favorites of your collection. It is so wonderful that you still have beautiful hydrangeas growing to create your tablescapes for us to enjoy. Hydrangeas have a way of putting a smile on anyone’s face and yours do ours! As always, a true delight participating in the fun Monday Morning Blooms with you. Have a great day Mary!
Amazon has a wonderful rabbit repellent. It is called deer and bunny mace. Just spray once a month and they will not eat plants. It is called rabbit and deer mace. Amazing
So charming and whimsical!! Love all your dishes!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Good morning Mary. Bunnies are so cute, but they have come in multiple families to live with us. They are feasting on clover, which I don’t mind. But when that is no longer in bloom, who knows what they will choose to dine upon! I so feel your pain as they have eaten your zinnia seedlings. I digress, the bunnies are cute and adorable in your potting shed, especially on the majolica plates. Your endless hydrangeas are really showing out this summer, they look so healthy and vibrant. I love the side view of your potting shed with all the lush flowers, a frame-worthy picture for sure. It is always a pleasure sharing Monday Morning Blooms with you my friend ♥️
Mary, Your hydrangeas are fabulous! I love the centerpiece. Your potting shed is all decked out and looks so inviting with the soft colors of the hydrangeas and pretties. Enjoy your week. Clara♥️
I am charmed this morning by your delightful garden of endless summer blooms. They are intoxicating and I never tire of hydrangeas and your pretty transferware and majolica. Your bunny gardeners holding the basket are the perfect focal point for your bunny theme.
Bunnies are very cute and you captured them so well on camera. You are a good sport. Much better than me.
Gardening does have challenges. I am fighting bugs eating my zinnias. I am losing the battle and it is disappointing.
Your vignette is full of beautiful details that have had me scrolling back and forth taking it all in. Thank you for a lovely stroll through your garden and potting shed this morning.
Good morning, Mary! You certainly have embraced the multiplying bunnies. I love your two bunnies carrying the basket filled with hydrangeas. All your pretty plates make me Ooh and Ahh, and I’m especially enamored with the JB Devon Cottage and the Majolica plates. Let’s hope that the bunnies in your garden have had their fill of eating your plants. Happy week to you, and congratulations to the winners of the jars!
Oh my…what a beautiful table! Love love the new plates!!! CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!!! I’ll look for those ball jars since I collect them….my hydrangeas didn’t grow much or bloom this year because of the 2 late freezes and more frost that came late April early May! Neither did my peonies…the peonies still have the buds on them but they never opened and my Lilac bush….all had lots of buds but in the end they were all frost burnt….Hopefully, next spring will be different…🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Hydrangeas are my absolute favorite. This year seems to be an exceptionally good year for blooms. I’ve added five new bushes this year bringing my total to over 30, and there are still more varieties out there that I would love to have in my collection. Bunnies seem to like my yard too. Our cats have gotten older and not as good watch cats as they used to be. So Peter and friends come to visit for the Clover right now. Have a blessed day and thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures with us.
Your window boxes are so lush next to your hydrangeas, just a gorgeous setting! Got my sprinklers in the kitchen garden installed, what a difference, let the real growth begin!
Never had bunnies, awful cute must have been coined about them 😉
Love, love, love your bunny basket full of hydrangeas, they really set off your beautiful table creation. Your pack of little bunnies are adorable but I understand the impact they are having on your garden. Thankfully bunnies have not found our garden but the squirrels certainly have, they are digging up everything and as soon as the figs ripen it’s going to be all out war. My hydrangeas are plentiful this year as your are, the frequent rains have certainly helped as your tips for prolonging blooms has been so appreciated. Thank you.
I love the bunnies holding the tray of hydrangea blooms as your centerpiece! You sure have a better disposition with the bunny garden takeover than I would. I’d be waging a futile battle, I know, but it’s my nature. Hidey-hole, love that term, it cracked me up, and so did the bunny INSIDE the cage around the plant. Your bunny collection is definitely put to great use here. Isn’t it ironic how those little squirts can be so endearing? It’s a good thing! Love the way your petunias in the window boxes drape over your hydrangea bushes – the color combo you chose for your annuals is fabulous against the perennials. Thanks for sharing the garden and shed, and please don’t stop.
Love bunnies! All kinds and sizes. Fun seeing another beautiful post from you!
Oh Mary, what a bunny lover and hydrangea lover’s dream! This is so adorable, and I certainly agree that bunnies aren’t just for Easter! So sweet that they found a home under the Potting Shed, and how cute to see them scurrying around! Do Sophie and Lola chase them! I know they are well fed with the abundance of blooms and goodies around your yard! The garden bunnies with basket steal the show inside, it’s so so pretty!
Jenna
Oh, dear, Mary…i laughed so hard at the bunny in your cage, as I just transplanted some Star Gazer Lilies in the ground with a cage exactly like yours to bunny-proof my plants. So far, I think our bunnies are too large. We did go with a sort of hardware cloth around the vegetable garden, and lettuce in railing pots and up on the porch, and so far we aren’t losing much. Amazing how quickly they can chomp down something though when they find it. Loved your post…and your 10×16 bunny hutch, LOL.
Beautiful display of all your flowers Mary, the Endless Summer hydrangeas are gorgeous! I also like the over-flowing petunia window boxes. You are a good sport to not be angry with the bunnies. We have 2 extra large bunnies enjoying our front yard in the late afternon. Yesterday morning they even ventured into Buddy’s territory, the back yard. I was shocked as that is highly unusual, good thing for them that he was still in the house. The potting shed looks lovely with the pretty majolica plates, ball jars and colorful flowers. Congratulations to the winners. Happy Summer!
Adorable. It’s always the right time for bunnies!
One of my favorite flowers. Yours are beautiful!! Enjoyed seeing your bunnies also.
I keep my bunnies out year round too and your post is exceptional. I have had my share of dealing with live bunnies in my garden. They are cute but I gave up planting pansy’s for Spring bloom because of them. I love pansy’s but I was spending a fortune on them for such a short bloom time in N FL. However, I think I have found the answer, my 2 year old Cavalier’s seem to be keeping them out of my garden. For next Spring I may have to rethink planting pansy’s again. They chase off the squirrel’s too, the squirrel’s sit in a tree and just fuss and fuss at my charming Cav’s. (HeHe) I enjoyed your Monday Morning Blooms post.
Carolyn
What a delightful place your potting shed is, so much so that I feel like I’m there! And it seems much friendlier than Mr. McGregor’s garden. 😉
The bunnies holding the basket appear to be carrying a full load of snacks, straight from your garden! Lovely piece from your collection.
We don’t have bunnies in our yard, so I love seeing them in your photos. For pesky souls, the sure are adorable!
Your garden looks extra beautiful this year!
If there’s one thing I know with certainty Mary… It’s that you can’t beat ’em:@) Love your setting and the pretty colors of the hydrangeas. Barbie asks, if you think a coat is too much to ask for, how about a little fur vest???
Happy Monday, Mary. Bunnies are so cute, but I’m so sorry they have eaten your zinnia seedlings. I love bunnies, but stick to bunny designs. : ) Your gorgeous hydrangeas are really spectacular this summer, here at FrenchGardenHouse they are really showing off this year too! It is always a pleasure sharing Monday Morning Blooms with you, sweet friend. xo Lidy
Gorgeous blooms and lots of great whimsical stuff to see :)
Absolutely lovely, yet again Mary!
Oh – I agree with you on wabbit season! It’s all spring and summer – and I have some bunnies still out! (inside and outside, haha!)
They are forever eating up our plants. The deer are even worse and don’t even get me going about the squirrels here at Finch Rest – I think we spend more on bird seed than we do on human food. No lie.
I ADORE your bunny goblets. Your hydrangea – breathtaking.
Give some pets to your sweet furry friends for me – and congrats to the winners of the pretty Ball jars giveaway!!!
Have a great week.
All the blues and purples are gorgeous together. Love the bunnies holding the basket and the beautiful plates. Absolutely love your pictures.
Mary, I always enjoy seeing your shed, whether it’s flowers growing or a table. Those bunnies found the perfect place to reside! I had to laugh out loud when I saw the bunny inside the wire enclosure! Hope they don’t eat their weight in flowers 🌸 🐰
How darling. I have the same snooty bunny in the 7th image. I inherited a pair of these from my mother last summer. In my years of antiquing, I’ve never seen another one – until now. Your real bunnies are adorable and so is your display with the gorgeous hydrangeas. Thankfully, I do not have to battle deer or bunnies but I do have a persistent armadillo. Love this.