Happy Mother’s Day to you all! We’ve been getting ready for our Mother’s Day celebration this year at our house so I thought I’d take you along and show you what we’ve been up to. Lauren and the girls are home as well as Bruce and Renee, so we are all gathering today at our house to honor our moms. Bruce’s mom, Doris will be here too along with his brother and sister-in-law, so we will have a full house. The weather is cooperating and will be low 80’s and sunny. So glad for that.
I picked up a new wreath for the front door.
This mixed lemon wreath popped up on an ad from Belk and was on sale, so I grabbed it. Not an affiliate link, but here is the lemon wreath if you’re interested. Great price and adds a lot of color for summer! I added the black and white ribbon.
In the meantime, Mark and I have been very busy getting the backyard cleaned up for the summer season and that means pressure washing the patio and cleaning the deck. They both get so grimey from summer dirt and all the things falling from the trees as well as winter rains and spring pollen. The pollen was horrible this year as usual, but the pressure washer took care of that.
I scrubbed down the deck with Magic Erasers, that gets all the gunk off from the tree debris falling on it so it looks way better than it did. I had to do the stairs too since they get so much grime over a year. I don’t have the cushions out yet, but I’ll get them out soon. We still have seed pods falling from the birch trees right over the deck so that’s always a mess too. Luckily that stops after a couple of weeks.
I’m still so happy I did the faux tile treatment on the patio a year and half ago. This Spreadstone faux tile product worked so well and it still looks great. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to pressure wash every year, but it looks like we will have to do it on the low setting. Mark got some Zep outdoor cleaner that goes in pressure washers and that worked well. He put the soap setting on and sprayed out the soap, let it sit for 5 minutes and then used the lighter pressure nozzle to clean the grime off. It’s amazing how dirty it really was once we started cleaning it. We had to keep going as there was a definite line on the concrete. The side of the patio that gets the most shade was the dirtiest and it gets green mildew on it. We were able to get most of it off with some extra scrubbing.
Someone told me about a product called Wet It and Forget It and I ordered it on Amazon and will be trying it out soon. You spray it on areas that get a lot of green mildew and it’s supposed to make it disappear. I have to read all the directions but if it works, I’ll be thrilled. Maybe it will help over the summer months. Here’s what I ordered, see the Amazon widget below and click to read the reviews (Affiliate link):
You can definitely see the line here where the grime was and now it’s all clean.
We moved all the furniture around to get all the areas clean.
And now it looks like this again. I’ll be putting all the cushions out for today’s celebration and then taking them back in again since we are getting rain this week. I don’t leave my cushions out all the time, that really keeps them nice longer.
I also went to Home Depot to buy my summer flowers so here’s what I painted. I got basil to plant on the deck along with impatiens. I love those flowers!
Geraniums for the deck too, I’m partial to pink flowers.
My Meyer lemon tree that I’ve had for about 14 years or so is still going and I bring it in during winter months. It’s loaded with baby lemons this year so I might have a good crop. Last year it had one. I’ve only gotten one year with more than 6, but this year I see a lot of baby lemons forming. I’m not sure what makes them produce, anyone know?
See these babies? I’m so excited to see that.
Also on the deck, I like to add flowers to these planters too. Much of my Creeping Jenny came back and asparagus fern did too, so all I did was add more flowers to the planters. I did petunias, impatiens and a few coleus. They should all fill in nicely this summer.
On the patio, I planted the big white planter and since the old center spiky green plant from last year was still living, I left it as well as the Creeping Jenny and added my favorite Rio mandevilla vine. Those do so well and are very drought tolerant.
Rios and some beautiful pink and green caladiums. All of this should do well and get big and full during summer.
I added the same plants on this side. That’s sedum in the nearest planter that comes back every year too.
I got new Boston ferns back in my hanging baskets and I love how they look out here. Really adds a lot to the patio.
I love this bank of ivy, ferns, azaleas and hydrangeas. The first owners of our house planted this and I’m so glad it’s established. It gives us privacy from the house next door when we’re on the patio.
Not to mention these hydrangeas are SO gorgeous when they are blooming. I’ll be sure to share once they do bloom and they are loaded this year. They are going to be stunning! We did that Airstone faux stone wall a couple of years ago so check it out if you’re interested. It sure made a difference too in our patio space.
The blue hydrangeas are SO loaded with buds and I can’t wait to watch them explode with color. I’ll share later for sure. And I’ll share our Mother’s Day with you next week when I get pics together after our fun day today. We are serving BBQ on the patio.
Thanks for stopping by! Are you getting ready for summer entertaining too?
I’m glad you got the Wet and Forget Outdoors. It works better than anything I have ever used. You just spray it on, and it continues to work on the mildew and dirt. When I first sprayed it on, I thought it helped some, and I thought it would miraculously clean all the marks off instantly, but it doesn’t work like that. You need to leave it on and not rinse it off with the pressure washer! On my house, I have seen it continue to clean off mildew for more than 6 months. (This is mildew that never would come off with any other cleaners!!) It seems to look cleaner every time it rains, and it seems to keep new mildew from forming. Also, you need to try the Wet and Forget Vanilla Shower Cleaner. While it costs more than other cleaners, the bottle lasts a long time. You will never go back to any other cleaner once you try it!! It cleans soap scum with almost no scrubbing. We have family members who clean homes for a living, and this is all they will use. And It smells great and has no harmful fumes. It is especially good for people with asthma. My only caution is that it cleans so well, it can make the tub slippery. Our Lowes sells both of these products. And just to be clear, I have nothing to do with this company, I wish I did, but these are really great products!!!!!
HI, Holli, thank you that’s so great to know! I can’t wait to try it out there, may be the answer I need for long term patio cleaning. I will also look for the shower cleaner at Lowes. So glad you shared.
Your backyard is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. Love, love it all. Happy Mother’s day to all! Can’t wait to see pictures of your sweet family.
Thank you, Barbara, we have made it as nice as we can and have more plans too!
I second the Wet and Forget. I use it on my porch steps and painted fence. It is amazing and so easy to use. I use the spray, not the one mixed with water. I just saw they have a new one for metal roofs to use with the hose. Will check it out!
Love your planters. Just found some Creeeping Jenny on sale at Lowes, so I’ll put it my planters and then add to yard in the fall.
Enjoy your weekend!
Happy Mother’s Day Ladies! I enjoy this site and all y’all’s comments🥂 to you!
We used Wet It and Forget It when we lived in Seattle. Not only moss, the next street over from us was 4 lanes. The speed limit was only 25 mph but the dust it created was awful. It really really worked like a miracle with just a water hose but we did wash it off after a minute or so. My husband is terrible with his clothes and it ruined his nicer leather boots and jeans. Costco sells it by the pallet.
I also love pink. I just planted 2 pots of yellow and purple petunias in bright green pots (in honor of Mardi Gras) by the front door. I had to go back to Home Depot and get one pink petunia to jam into one pot, I couldn’t stand it.
Happy Mother’s Day! Even if you’re not a biological mother, you know you are mothering lots of people and pets.
Beautiful flowers! Wet and Forget worked great for us, but one word of caution. Our pet got out and tracked through it and had to go to emergency vet with blistered paw, so please make sure your precious pup is safe inside until everything is rinsed and dry! Enjoy your family gathering!
Rhoda, I know this sounds strange, but my friend had over 50 lemons on her tree and it’s only 3 or 4 years old! Pour urine into the plant container (or have your hubby pee on it)! It certainly worked for her so might just be worth a try. Good luck!
Hi, BJ, that is hilarious, never heard that one!
This has nothing to do with your beautiful outside area, a couple of months ago you recommended some socks that stayed put on your foot inside your shoe. Could you share that again? Thanks
HI, Sandra, yes it’s Sheec socks and they are great! There are several styles, so look at them all and maybe try a couple of cuts. They are definitely my fave now. https://sheecsocks.com/?rfsn=4105400.e3ef8f&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=4105400.e3ef8f
I had a Meyers lemon tree and I think it needs to be in a bigger pot. Mine was in the ground in New Orleans, I would get so many lemons that we would freeze them. I have recently moved to Hendersonville, NC and will get another one and put it in a pot.
Our pollen in central VA was terrible this year as well. Its about over now thank goodness! I don’t plant alot of annuals except in my front porch planters and window boxes and found some of the most beautiful geraniums and inpatients at a Amish run greenhouse while on a recent trip to PA last week. This greenhouse was on a country road and we just happened upon it by chance. I have never seen such beautiful plants and hanging baskets!
Just an FYI. The Wet and Forget does work well but my husband accidentally got overspray on my flowering pots and it killed all the flowers. Only 2 pots but good to know for when we use again.
Diane, that is good to know, we will have to be careful with that stuff. It is around my flowers and I don’t want to lose those.
Your patio is so inviting. We covered our deck last fall, so this will be our first spring/summer to enjoy it. I hope my outdoor space is a tenth of what yours has evolved to – and I will be thrilled. Yes, the dirt and grime is probably the biggest deterrent to getting started on outdoor living every summer. It takes muscle and intent to keep the spaces tidy. Thanks for the cleaning tips.
Loved the post and thanks for the great tips- Magic Erasers and the mildew remover. I am partial to pink flowers too. And I LOVE impatiens as they last from late April/ May to October or first frost here in Tennessee. Their color is magnificent. We plant over 200 in the yard and in pots, and along with our pink and blue hydrangeas( which I love equally), it is a beautiful combination. Always enjoy your posts. I learn something new every time! Thank you! So glad also to see your parents are still doing well. My mom, 91 just passed away but my dad is much like your dad. He is 94 and still as independent as possible. He misses his garden very much but we put Grow Bags From Amazon- they are wonderful!) on his deck with tomatoes and squash which he is enjoying watching! Thanks again for your wonderful blog and perspective!
HI, Leigh, thanks so much. That’s wonderful that you are giving your dad a chance to watch a little garden grow. They do need that so much.
Love that faux stone wall! We need to put that up at our house!