Inspiration photo

Via Pinterest from Roses and Rust

I fell in love with this

gorgeous courtyard on

Pinterest. How could I not?  With its

 French vibe (It’s actually located in South Africa!)

And Here’s what I love about it: The luscious light colored

gravel, white washed pots & ‘chippy’

white door (Searching for a door like this!)…

worn wooden berry tray, brimming with

freshly clipped herbs, olive

trees in white olive jar pots, rosemary &

rust. My mission: Give our courtyard

a little white washed, French inspired, makeover,

all in a day’s work. It’s early Monday morning. In just a few

short days…

 I will have the ladies over for another ‘Girls Night

IN at Monica’s’…no room for error…no pressure!

With the materials on site,

the day begins with

12 tons of gravel and

a whole lot of muscle, thanks to

the fantastic crew from

Jefferson Landscaping.

The guys dig up

our existing front lawn

and rake up the

existing rainbow colored

gravel, moving it to another

side of the house.

We clear out plants

that have seen better days…

and then it was time to put down

the new white washed

gravel, plant an abundance of rosemary

and accessorize.

Here’s our Courtyard after…

its one-day makeover.

Gorgeous light gravel replaces the

 upper lawn…which was always

boggy.

I brought in this new,

white washed

pot. It’s a cross

 between an

olive jar and an antique

amphora. We planted it with a handsome

Tuscan Blue rosemary bush that will soon be

covered in fragrant blue blooms.

We flanked the pot with our old & a bit rusty,

obelisks. (I still plan to add miniature

boxwood, planted in a decorative pattern.)

Down below, fragrant Rosemary now frames the

fountain…

set off by the light colored gravel.

(I’ll be making a lot of  my rosemary chicken!)

I brought in this white washed

metal tub with

thick rope handles (love) and planted it with

strawberries & herbs.

I hauled out my old wooden

berry tray…

Found a new home for our

Antique French zinc

baby bassinet.

Love how dull & worn it is.

We planted our existing olive jar pots

with tall, spare, olive trees. The trees now flank

the dining room doors adding symmetry.

The pots don’t match but

they have

similar shapes and

lovely

handles.

Continuing to restyle what I have, we

created cosy little seating areas

within the courtyard…

Can’t wait to relax out here when the

weather warms.

And I can’t help playing & dressing things up,

especially when my dear &

wickedly creative friend,

Janice, surprises me

with this…

gorgeous pillow!!!

I just love it…

Thank you Janice!

Even our teenage son stopped,

stared and said, “whoa!”

(If you have a teen-aged son, you know that’s saying something!)

Yes, when the weather warms, I’ll bring out

our beautiful new La Famiglia Design

plush down pillow and perhaps light our

‘Girls Night In’ Chocolat

Rendezvous Soy candle,

from Haley’s Cottage,

sit back and enjoy

our French Inspired,

white washed,

courtyard makeover….

All in a days work,

with a few new pieces & restyling of the old,

12 tons of gravel and

 a whole lot of muscle!

One lucky girl,

Monica

A huge thank you to Jeff & the fantastic crew from

Jefferson Landscaping

Janice Nason

And Cindy & Haley from ~ Haley’s cottage & Rendezvous Soy Candles