Doing a Bit of Fluffing on the Deck

I wanted the deck to look cozy and inviting because we had some of J's family over for dinner last night.  We brought out some seat cushions, a rug, a few pillows, and even a quilt:

I don't have many flowers in bloom on this end of the deck, so I picked a colorful bouquet of daisies and ditch lilies:

The bouquet matches this sign I bought a few weeks ago:

 

I made my own side tables this year using old milk cans and old TV trays.

I am quite fond of them. I think they have so much more character than what I see in the stores.  I have two of them.

 

These lilies (from Patti in Missouri) fit perfectly on the potting bench shelf.

 

The other side of the potting bench:

I am really enjoying this container combination.  I was thrilled to find the daisy with centers that match the top plant (its name completely escapes me at the moment).

View from this end of the deck through the liatris that are almost ready to burst out in their glorious purple spikes.

Most of the containers on my deck are planted with dahlias, none of which are in bloom yet.  August is always the best flowering month on the deck. 

We had a wonderful evening with J's family.  They are gardeners so they are always appreciative of our efforts to provide an inviting deck and yard.