Welcome back to Disney Stuff. Let’s keep talking about the seemingly endless supply of collectibles, accumulations and stuff that we, as Disney fans, seem to consistently surround ourselves with.
This month, I’m heading out of the house and into the yard. We’re fortunate to have a nice piece of property here surrounding this old house we call home and we’ve managed to do a lot with it. Right off the bat I’m going to give credit where credit is due. My lovely wife, Diane, is the gardener. She’s got quite a green thumb and our garden has always been a place to admire. I’m always blown away by what she does and judging by the comments we receive from passersby, she impresses the neighbors as well. We’re having a particularly hot and dry summer here on the Island and while the lawn is definitely suffering, the flowers are in bloom and the gardens look great.
One of the things we always love most about our trips to Walt Disney World is the landscaping and the gardens. Whether it’s the rose garden in the Magic Kingdom’s hub, the gardens of World Showcase or the lushness of Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World is a true wonder of horticulture. If you haven’t already, visit Epcot during the Annual Flower and Garden Festival to really gain a deeper appreciation for just how much effort is put into Disney’s amazing landscaping. Better yet, take a moment on your next trip through the World to just, as they say, stop and smell the roses. You’ll be mighty impressed.
That said, it seems like a no-brainer that I’ve managed to sneak a little bit of that Disney magic into our gardens at home. Once again, as with the inside of our home, we’ve tried to make the Disney touch slight and subtle. No 6-foot Mickey topiaries allowed…not yet, at least. You have to look and spend some time in the garden before you’ll see the pieces of Disney garden stuff I’ve scattered throughout the property. But isn’t that the point and the joy of a great garden; to stop, invest the time and let it slowly soak in? Diane has done an incredible job on the gardens surrounding our home and I don’t ever want anything I place amidst her work to take away from that. Consider these pieces, accessories to the main outfit. They add a little bit of interest here and there, but never steal the show from the natural beauty.
Diane’s a big Tinker Bell fan. I’ve written here before that they share a lot of qualities; the hair, the eyes and most importantly, the attitude. So, it’s a fair bet that there are some nice Tink pieces in her garden.
Here’s a nice birdbath we got from DisneyShopping.com.
Miss Bell in her birdbath. Photo by Chris Barry.
Here’s a beautiful garden with a nice blue glass birdbath.
A nice garden bordering our neighbors. Photo by Chris Barry.
A closer look reveals Tinker Bell pondering her reflection in the water. We had this shipped home this past spring from the Flower and Garden Festival.
A closer look at Tink. Photo by Chris Barry.
My wife found this really cool mosaic orb. It charges all day in the sun and lights up at night. The light through the glass looks great. I positioned Sorcerer Mickey nearby and it looks like he’s working his magic on the glowing orb.
Sorcerer Mickey and the orb. Photo by Chris Barry.
A closer look at Sorcerer Mickey. Photo by Chris Barry.
My daughter helped put together this Snow White garden. There are 5 characters here, one for each member of the family. My daughter, of course is the princess, Snow White. My son Casey is Happy. His twin brother Alex is Bashful. Diane is, naturally, Doc, our leader. That leaves me with…Sleepy. I suppose that’s better than Dopey.
Snow White and the 4 Dwarves. Photo by Chris Barry.
In another part of the yard some small dancing mushrooms from Fantasia can barely be seen.
Some Fantasia Dancing Mushrooms in the garden. Photo by Chris Barry.
You have to look carefully to find these little garden statues. We got these both on a great sale in Fulton’s General Store at Port Orleans Riverside. Pooh is hiding in this garden.
A Hidden Pooh Bear in the front garden. Photo by Chris Barry.
Tink lives underneath our mailbox surrounded by impatiens.
Tinker Bell guarding the mailbox. Photo by Chris Barry.
So, you can see there’s a nice smattering of Disney pieces out in the garden. They’re hidden treasures, surrounded by the real stars of the property, Diane’s flowers. I enjoy working with her in the garden to keep our property the beautiful and tranquil space that it has become. It really has become our own little happiest place.
While we’re out there working, or while we’re relaxing on a sunny day, it’s nice to have these little pieces poking their heads out of the flowerbeds and from behind the greenery. They add to the magical atmosphere that she’s worked so hard to create and remind us of that other happiest place on earth.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time with some more of that great Disney Stuff.
