Summer Postcards Arriving Soon!

I just wanted to let everyone know that our summer postcard is currently at the printers and should be arriving at the shop any day. This is a very special postcard since it is announcing our 10th Anniversary Celebration...more on that later...

(although there is information on my Upcoming Events page) Now, let's back up a little. For those of you that are not familiar with our postcards here is a little Antique Gardener history. I moved to my current location a little over three years ago. I wanted to send out a "We're Moving" notice and decided to use a vintage postcard. Shortly thereafter I decided to use a postcard for everything - it's my business card, store mailer, calendar of events - - and I also tie it on all my bags!


This was my Spring 2011 postcard. I mail out four cards a year and have been amazed at the response from my customers. Not only do they look forward to receiving them in the mail, many customers are now collecting them and some have even framed them!

This was last summers card - before I had the shop information added to it. The red geranium was very popular.This is our Winter 2010 postcard. I always struggle around the holidays because I want to celebrate Christmas but I use this card well into January so it can't be too "Christmas-y" This little bird seemed to hit the right note with my customers and has been our most popular card so far! If you would like to receive our postcards in the mail just send me an email with your snail-mail address and I will add you to our mailing list!

Our Friends at The Vintage Bricoleur

Just a quick post about a great source for The Antique Gardener - - - The Vintage Bricoleurs. I usually buy from Terry and her husband Danny at the Sacramento Antique Fair the second Sunday of every month. Their booth is the first one you see when you go through the main gate. They also sell at Alameda Point and were recently found at Remnants of the Past in Nipomo.

Terry and her fellow Bricoleurs are celebrating the 50th follower on their blog!

Please take a moment to visit their blog thevintagebricoleur.blogspot.com - - let's try to get them to 100 followers! They are incredibly talented, hard working people and they deserve great success. There is a great give-a-way too....maybe you will be lucky enough to win one of these great locker baskets!!!

Something New

I just wanted to share some of the new treasures to be found here at The Antique Gardener this spring. Please give me a call if you need pricing or additional information on any items. I've been to some really great antique fairs in the last couple months and I've been fortunate to buy some great stuff for the shop.

Below is a huge purple foxglove in an old galvanized can. I love having this outside the shop for a bright pop of color. I've also added an iron butterfly spring from my friends Jacque and James at Old Souls Studio. This very clever duo create all kinds of wonderful garden art and jewelry.

This is an old dry sink (sorry, not a very good picture of it) the top is galvanized and the bottom is old bead board. I've had some beautiful blue hydrangeas for sale in the shop this spring as well as fresh-picked sweet peas. In the front of this shot are silver spoon and fork garden markers - again made by Old Souls Studios.
I was so excited to buy a couple of beautiful old garden urns. The urn is actually sitting on an antique, hand-carved stone capital. According to the dealer I purchased them from the capital (top portion of a decorative column) originated in San Francisco. Even though it is actually upside down to balance the urn on top I think they look great together.

Here's a closer shot of the capital. It is corinthian style and has acanthus leaves on the sides. I would love to have the rest of the column that it went with. There is a little damage on the corners but I think for its age it has held up well. It is also incredibly heavy. I currently have three pairs of urns & capitals for sale here at the shop. Another treasure added this month is a beautiful mirror from Maria at Dreamy Whites. According to Maria this mirror was created from an old arched window screen from a Spanish-style home (or school?) built in the 1800's. I believe she has a pictures of the window on her blog. This is an amazing piece and has old green paint along the edges. I love the way it looks against the concrete walls in this room.


Things are growing like crazy in the garden now that we have had some warm weather.Who says you can't use an old push mower - I just don't want to use it for mowing! It makes a perfect perch for this climbing rose.

Lavender and red geraniums - two of my favorites!

Old blue tool carrier sitting on an old white porch swing.

A rather unique old door - very solid exterior door with a four-pane window on the top. Also has an old towel rack beneath the window - would make a great shed door or maybe use it in the bathroom....

Sorry for the strange-colored picture - sunlight was pouring in my front window! I had to get a shot of this huge old galvanized turkey feeder. I have looked for the these for years and then managed to find two in one month! This one is for sale and is fabulous. The lid on top tilts (that's how they would fill the feeder) and the base is deep enough to plant seasonal bulbs and flowers. I can just picture this out in the garden with daffodils coming up in the feed tray!

One more smaller chicken feeder full of varigated creeping fig.

I hope you've enjoyed this small glimpse of what is new at The Antique Gardener. Be sure and check out our events page - we have a lot going on this summer!