The sun’s warmth is shining brightly and it is a delight to my soul. I took a stroll through the gardens yesterday to find my tulips, daffodils and grape hyacinths are up. Day lilies tips are bright green and the lilacs are budded out… the roses and other shrubs are showing signs of life… spring has finally arrived here at The Garden Gate Farm… and I am so happy!

We’ve been looking at one of my favorite topics lately- garden junque. Today lets look at some ideas on what we can do with doors. Be sure to go to For Dragonflies And Me’s Facebook page… https://www.facebook.com/pages/For-Dragonflies-And-Me/550000798362651 for links to my other articles at The Detroit News, The Good Life blog and several others.

Old doors are a delightful find to the cottage gardener looking to create a whimsical feel in a garden space… maybe a new ‘garden room’ or a back drop to a patio. What about using one at a picket fence for a gate? The idea’s are endless only with your imagination.

Here are some ideas on how-to use old doors inside as well as outside… after all, our gardens should be a reflection of our home’s interior inside.
Indoor Idea’s:

Now that’s a privacy wall!

I took the regular door off my office and replaced it with a really neat old door I picked up at an antique shop. I had wanted to do this for some time, but was waiting for just the right thing. Of course I had an idea in my mind of exactly what I wanted and wouldn’t settle for less!

This is my office door that I found at an antique shop!

Make a head board out of doors to your bed! Trim the bottom off of two or three doors till you are satisfied with the height and have a one of kind head board that your friends will wish they were dreaming beside.

Outdoor Idea’s:

Place a door on the side of a building and add a decorative touch to it. For example: a basket with flowers, a star or even a wooden garden angel. This door has an interesting ‘potted plant statue’ displayed in front of it!

Very cute idea!

If you need to surround your garden with fencing to keep pesky animals out, here is a great way to use an old door for the entrance to it!

What a great entrace into this garden!

Use an old door as a table top in a patio area.

Here I took a french door and placed it on the back of my potting shed. It adds a cute element, especially when I put a living wreath hanging on it.

This is a shot of the back of my potting shed.

A wooden door can be used to create a back wall for a potting table.

Here is an old door that I simply leaned on the side of my front arbor… just because. I added a sign that welcomes all my family and friends!

My front arbor

Doors can add a lot of charm to any space… like I always say, make it say it’s yours!

With spring comes greens… lots of yummy greens that we can eat fresh or cooked in other yummy ways. Here’s a really easy recipe to test on your family! Enjoy friends!
Yummy Spinach Pie

6 cups baby spinach, trimmed
1/4 cup sweet onion chopped
2 eggs , beaten
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Colby jack cheese
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. salad dressing
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. celery salt

1. Rinse spinach; chop and place in a large saucepan over medium- high heat; Cook covered for about 3-5 minutes, or until wilted; Drain, pressing out as much of the liquid as possible.
2. Combine remaining ingredients; fold into spinach.
3. Spoon mixture in a well greased 9″ pie plate; bake at 375 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Life is good, then you garden!
Jean
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