A Cultivated Nest

Helping You Manage Your Home and Life on a Budget

The China Garden

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I don’t know about you, but I name my various gardens. We have the White Garden, The Riverbirch Walk, The Sahara, Hydrangea Alley etc. One of my very favorite little gardens is in front of my vegetable garden – that’s my Cottage Garden(pictured above). Right next to it is the China Garden. No it doesn’t have an oriental theme! It’s called that because I placed lots of my dishes and teacups in it.

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I love all kinds of china, plates, teacups, teapots, soup tureens, bowls you name it. But I only have but so much room in my house (at least where it’s safe to display breakables). So I thought why not put them outside?

I’ve had a plate border for quite some time now. I don’t use expensive or rare plates outside. Just ones that I love and pick up on clearance or at the thrift store. Inside my home I mostly have transferware so this gives me a chance to pick up floral plates.

The teacups need to be emptied after it rains – you don’t want them to be haven for mosquitoes. As you can see they’re just resting in the rings of an iron planter.

Underneath the plates is an iron chair that I’ve had for years and I usually just plop a nice container plant on the seat. Next to it is a birdbath which I painted the base yellow and the inside blue. My plan is to mosaic it one day (you know when it’s really slow around here and I have nothing else to do)! It’s really shallow and doesn’t normally get filled with water and the birds have two other deeper birdbaths and a pond to use.

I may have to take all the plates down when it gets really cold, usually January or February. I don’t know, this will be their first winter outside. The ones in the ground have done just fine so we’ll see.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. I’ll be back on Monday with some small things we do to help save money – pennies add up! Thanks for visiting!

Comments

  1. Cottage Contessa says

    Your china garden is lovely with such a pretty assortment of cups and plates! Have a lovely weekend too sweetie!
    Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)

  2. Kathleen Grace says

    What a pretty idea. Do you have something sticking the teacups down so they dont blow over in a wind?

  3. Walking on Sunshine... says

    What a lovely idea! Unfortunately for me, we have so much wind where we live I’m sure things would be flying all over the place! I also love china and have quite a collection of misfits and love each one of them!

  5. Penny @ Lavender Hill Studio says

    Manuela, your china garden is so full of charm and whimsy…I just love it!

    Have a great weekend!
    xo
    Penny

  7. salmagundi says

    Love the china garden. I never would have thought of that. Your whole yard looks wonderful. Sally

  8. Mary says

    Love your china garden Manuela – I have several plates stacked in the potting shed so may ‘borrow’ this idea for my back fence!!

    We’re battening down the hatches – well the outdoor garden pretties – in case we’re whacked by Hanna this weekend. It’s raining now but no wind yet!

    Enjoy your weekend.
    Hugs – Mary.

  9. diXymiss says

    What a lovely and creative idea. Your china garden looks like it should be featured in Victoria magazine! Since we are brand new to our home, I don’t have a garden this year, but will file this idea away for neXt years reference ~ thanX! I love china teacups too and have a small collection that I haven’t yet unpacked… Coincidentally, the post I’ve got scheduled for tomorrow features one of them, among other favorite things.

    Have a lovely weekend!
    Blessings,
    diXymiss

  11. Cherry's Jubilee says

    OHHHHHHHHHH I love that….sooo sweet…love to seat out there and drink tea allll day. cherry

  12. mrsjones6 says

    Such a fun idea! It is a marvelous and creative way to display your china. I am sure it is enjoyable to you when you are outside and quite the conversation starter.

    Have a great weekend,
    Jen

  14. Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality says

    Hi, ms. M, I always thought your china outside was a great idea. Looks right at home in your cottage garden.

  15. Storybook Woods says

    Oh my gosh I love it. So charming. Now I am sad I live somewhere with so much rain. CLarice

  16. Carrie says

    Your china garden is just so lovely…it makes me want to put some plates on my bare fences. With fall right upon us here in New England, I think I’d better wait until late spring in ’09.

  17. Linda's Blue Gate says

    LOve love the china garden…. how fun to have so many different names for your gardens……I too have the plate border in the flower bed… I adore that look….
    Hugs
    Linda

  18. Anne Fannie says

    I am in awe what you did with the china plates outside! I collect china plates and tea cups and I have so many that you can put so much in your home…..now you have given me a idea! What a great idea! I also love the tea cups in the plant holder! So creative!
    Thanks for sharing your great idea!
    Smiles, Ann

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