GOURD-JUS (Pronounced Gorgeous) Gourds as Garden Decor

The upper arrow in this image is pointing towards the leaves of my Tree Peony.** As you can see the color of them has turned to an awesome mauve which looks lovely against the foliage of my kiwi vines; foliage which has turned to a brilliant yellow with red markings! ***

Both of the aforementioned flora were featured in my first garden-themed movie, "The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen minutes of Fame . . . almost." ****

A close-up of the "efforts" (placement of gourds) that is indicated by the lower arrow can be seen in the photo below.

[** Tree Peony info can be found within my posts on Blogger @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Paeonia%20suffruiticosa%20%28Tree%20Peony%29 AND also on tumblr @ http://thelastleafgardener.tumblr.com/search/Tree+Peony

*** Kiwi Vines info can be found within my posts on Blogger @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Actinida%20kolomikta%20and%20Actimida%20%28Kiwi%20Vines%29 AND also on tumblr @ http://thelastleafgardener.tumblr.com/search/Kiwi+Vines

****" "The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame . . . almost," can be viewed on Vimeo @ https://vimeo.com/37027072]

As you can see, the gourds and winter squashes make a lovely center piece atop the table I have in my garden.

You might recognize this table and the faded orange chairs on either side of it as I featured a picture of it this past summer in a post here on HT. *****

The post was called, "Home is people. Not a place." And in that entry, one of the things I discussed was my deep friendship (of nearly thirty years) with a man who lives in the high-rise building directly north of me; a building that can be seen towards the back of this image.

He is someone who has shared many meals with me in my garden as well as inside my home, including a number of Thanksgivings where I have prepared meals for him and my editor, PW.

As of this writing it looks like neither one of them will be here for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday which makes me sad.

When I saw Victor this past Sunday (11-16-14) at the center where he has been recuperating for the past few months, he seemed to have taken a turn for the worse.

In terms of PW, she was hospitalized nearly a week ago to have fluid drained from her belly. ******

She is ninety years old and has told me that it would be easier to die. I informed her that even though many of us have felt this way at times; none of us knows if dying is easier since it is something we have not done.

But all kidding aside, I'm deeply concerned about the recovery of both Victor, my editor, and my eye, an eye I had surgery on nearly two weeks ago. ********

However, I'm trying to distract myself from this by decorating my garden and Juan V and I not only placed gourds on my table-top; we placed them atop an urban hedge as seen in the image below.

[***** HT entry "Home is a people. Not a place" is @ http://www.hometalk.com/diy/build/planters/backyard-ideas-garden-entertaining-people-4766865

****** PW info @ https://www.facebook.com/TheLastLeafGardener/posts/737947519587957

******* https://www.facebook.com/TheLastLeafGardener/photos/a.355589574490422.73015.247917655257615/733149056734470/?type=1]

The arrow indicating our placement of gourds atop an urban hedge.********

It can be found at the bottom of the picture.

The other arrows indicate what I've already mentioned in the text below the first image of this entry.

I've left these arrows affixed to the picture so that you can see where the urban hedge is in relation to other things in my garden.

Moreover, I've included an image (below) of a close-up of the urban hedge as it looks now, adorned with gourds and winter squashes.

[******** Urban Hedge Info can e found within my posts on Blogger @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Urban%20Hedge AND on tumblr @http://thelastleafgardener.tumblr.com/search/Urban+Hedge]

The aforementioned urban hedge can be seen to the left of the picture. *********

And Victor's building can be seen looming largely toward the back of this picture.

In any event, the placement of gourds and winter squashes has been a standard for me in bygone years. In 2012, when they were atop my table, blue jays visited a feeder that had been placed near to the arrangement (as seen in the picture below).

[********* This particular urban hedge was featured in my series discussing urban hedges on HT in the summer/fall of 2013. The segment discussing this hedge can be found @ http://www.hometalk.com/diy/grow/urban-hedges-part-one-shelving-1836166]

I have given this feeder away since the time this picture was taken, but I did write about the feeder on HT in 2013 (@ http://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/garden/part-4-back-story-of-tllg-s-rain-or-shine-feeders-1783098).

And I'm happy to say that jays continue to visit my garden, during all seasons, and avail themselves of peanuts from "their special feeder" as seen in the pictures below.

My writings on blue jays can be found on Blogger as well as tumblr. *********

And images of my visiting jays can be found on my Pinterest Boards. **********

[********* My posts on blue jays can be found on Blogger @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Blue%20Jays AND on tumblr @ http://thelastleafgardener.tumblr.com/search/Blue+Jays

********** Pictures of my visiting jays are on my Pinterest Boards @ http://www.pinterest.com/thellgardener/bluejays-in-my-urban-nyc-garden/ AND @ http://www.pinterest.com/thellgardener/bluejays-in-trees-near-my-urban-nyc-garden/]

But getting back to my placement of gourds and winter squashes in bygone years, this how they looked atop the urban hedge in 2012.

At that time my Fauna Feeder was also placed there. It is a feeder that I featured on HT in 2013 in an entry @ http://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/garden/part-2-back-story-of-tllg-s-rain-or-shine-feeders-1776410

As you can see house finches enjoyed the feeder placed near the gourds and winter squashes. House finches have been welcome visitors in my garden and I've written about them on Blogger @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Finches AS WELL AS tumblr @ http://thelastleafgardener.tumblr.com/search/Finches

Moreover, I have featured a number of pictures of my visiting house finches on Pinterest @ http://www.pinterest.com/thellgardener/house-finches-in-my-urban-nyc-garden/ AND @ http://www.pinterest.com/thellgardener/house-finches-nearby-my-urban-nyc-garden/

However, in 2011, prior to my placement of gourds and squashes atop an urban hedge or atop my table, they were placed in a basket (as seen below); a basket I've since given to my mother.

This image was featured in an entry on Blogger (@ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2011/11/happy-thanksgiving.html) where I discussed the use of gourds and winter squashes at Thanksgiving time.

And, you, dear reader, do you incorporate gourds or summer squashes in your garden decor? Or perhaps you even grow them yourself?

In any event, I hope they bring you pleasure to your garden for they certainly do to mine!