Box Window Flowers on Steroids

I love box windows, but something special about our new home is that it has a gigantic shelf outside the windows for what I would call flower space on steroids! There's enough shelf space to actually garden outside if you don't mind crawling through the window....which nobody seemed to mind in the slightest. In fact, it took less than 10 minutes for every single member of the family including Chris to make a generic excuse to pop out and "wander the roofs" .... ha!

Preparations were a very serious affair, getting some seriously heavy pots out there, and then planning the flowers. Ellie was officially in charge of the petunias that would surround the stargazer lily pots. I certainly had an enjoyable time, and Eric very quickly adapted to the idea of leaning out the window for watering.

This is the lovely view we have from our dining room table; and now that my stargazers are in full bloom, we are greeted with the most amazing floral perfume throughout this half of the main floor!

The value of ambiance....

When my husband asked if Ellie and I wanted to join him for a workweek in Nashville TN, my initial reaction was to wonder why I would drive five hours to work in a hotel when I could have my relatively new warm and appealing library within the new house while puttering about my plans for a hanging herbal garden off my kitchen deck....

However, when I arrived and found my room balcony overlooking the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center's "Delta" center (see photo), it suddenly seemed very reasonable to drive over in order to listen to the waterfall sounds come through my door as I worked and then wander out on the balcony when I wanted a pretty view.

The falseness weirds me out a little. Oh yes, the plants and the water and the buildings are all real, but it's all "inside" under a gigantic arching sunroof. It's a bit humid for my standards, but in the middle of a rather chilly Spring so far, I'm more than happy to enjoy it. Think of The Venetian in Vegas and you have a close idea.

There is a busy week ahead of me as you can see by my unique kanban board representing Mon, Tue and Wed; and Ellie is still rather low from her virus last week, but it's in a fun environment with such beautiful flowers everywhere :) The bonus is the promise of a full week of the same thing in August for the Agile Alliance 2013 conference since this is the location for it!