Outdoor and Indoor Spring Refresh!

Hi Friend!

I am so glad you "hopped" over to read my blog post!

The weather, as always, has been up and down, so trying to do anything outdoors lately can pose a challenge. As as I type this, I have not planted some of my newbie plants becasue I am waiting for a frost to come and go first.

I wanted to pass along some tips for spring refreshes for both outdoors and indoors.

First starting outside, we always pressure wash our front porch once the pollen dies down (which may be never at the rate we are going this year), and scrub things down It keeps things from looking grungy. Refreshing pillows for the porch and adding some hanging plants always brighten that space up.

In my own front yard/flowerbed area, I love to put plants in that will come back (perennials) and add some annuals in here and there. I love good lavender, but I found that the soil in NC is way different than from when I lived in VA, so I have to put in the other type of lavender, which is called spanish lavender. If I were to choose the other type which is english lavender, I would have to put them in pots with store bought soil because they don't do well in the clay type soil that we have.

As spring rolls into summer, my dahlias start popping up and they give me the most bang for my buck! They come back strong and tall year after year, and often I have to put up a little bit of wire stand/support to hold them up, but they are lovely. They come in a variety of colors!

Another favorite bush/flower are my butterfly bushes. They are amazing! The butterflies swarm all over these, so I get a bonus with both the floral bushes and the lovely winged friends! Yes, this is my actualy bush. I have two of them, as I have heard they need 2 of each for cross pollination.

Scroll down and see how many butterflies are gracing my butterfly bush below:

Verbena (below) also comes back every year. Be sure to read the print, if you purchase, because they come in perennial and annual flowers.

Hydrangeas bloom on the side of my house. Their color often is determined by the soil type. I just found out last year that I have two types of these. But I LOVE them.

Lambs Ear looks absolutely dead in the winter, but it comes back luscious and soft, like velour. Just like in interior design, adding a variety of texture can make for a great outdoor space.

These plants and bushes were added a little bit each year over the years, and my dream is for it to look like a cross between an English garden and a cottagy type of garden, since we have downsized. I love spending time on my little porch watching all the activity around the bird feeder, flowers, and hummingbird feeder. You can do what works for you, but it's like having a mini vacay each time I step outside. If you live in a condo or apartment, then container plants will be great.

Now, moving on to home decor...I always try to get the max amount for my money especially for home decor, plus I don't like making purchases for the indoors that in 2 years will end up in a landfill.

I always flip my winter items into spring, such as quilts, pillows, and adding spring decor. I love using my grandmother's antique pouring pitchers to put greenery and artificual or real flowers in them. Pictured below is the smaller pitcher.

Having a variety of table runners and placemats can really cheer up a table. I don't go crazy at retail stores. I am very minimal, and often re-use items in different areas. I have some sentimental dishes I bring in. Here is a photo of the table setting with my grandmother's set of Harmony House Mt. Vernon China with a lovely rose in the middle of the pattern.

In our bedroom, I change out decorative pillow covers and add some texture. Very simple, but it makes me happy. This spring's purchases were the cloth carrots from I think the Dollar General. I really hate going shopping in crowds, so I call myself a quick "stealth shopper" picking early hours or random times when it's less crowded and I limit myself to just 1 or 2 choices per trip (and just a few trips per season if that!)

I found this pillow at a thrift store for two bucks. It needs some more filling added, but I love it.

I think that bringing in the colors and style inside your home should be a reflection of you, and as for your exterior, just adding some fresh mulch and a few new flowers each year are very easy things to do.

I hope you have a great spring and I hope you have a happy Easter!

Blessings to you!

Warmly,