Flower & Garden Inspiration
Today is the first day of Spring. It seems just like yesterday we were ringing in the new year. I am beyond excited for Spring as it means warmer weather is coming our way. I am not looking forward to the 90s and 100s, but I am looking forward to the warmer weather and to get our garden planted as well as our flower pots planted.
Last year was our first year we were able to have a garden, as our house prior didn’t have a yard for it. Having a garden last summer was such a treat. I love being able to eat home grown veggies. They just taste better than the ones you get in the store. I don’t know why, but they do. We planted an abundance of veggies last year, and I plan to expand what we plant this year. Not only in the garden, but I am adding more flower pots to put around. Last year we had 6 pots of flowers and this year I am going to almost double that. Why? My LOVE for flowers is just that immense.
Garden
The majority of what we plant in the garden is vegetables, however there are a couple fruits. I also love to plant lots of herbs. Herbs are so darn expensive at the grocery store, so I love to have my own personal selection during the summer. This cuts down on our grocery bills and they are only a few steps away when I am making dinner at night. Our pup Duke and I go out and cut them fresh as we need them.
What to do with all the Produce?
- Grill It: Vegetables are the perfect side to any kind of meat/protein. We make tinfoil packets of veggies all summer long. Toss your veggies in tinfoil with a little olive oil and your favorite seasonings. Make a packet out of it. Throw on the grill. Wa-La Dinner!
- Can/Pickle Them: I pickled over 50 jars of green beans last summer. Coming from the Midwest we called them dilly beans, but I have learned others call them differently. Now that I say that I can’t think of the names off the top of my head, but I have had friends look at me like I am crazy and then say, “Oh you mean XXX.”
- Donate Them: If you have too many and don’t know what to do, donate them. I am sure your local homeless shelter/soup kitchen will take them.
- Give them to Neighbors: I am sure all of your neighbors don’t have time for gardens, so why not share some with them? They are bound to love some fresh produce.
Benefits to Having a Garden
- Cut down on grocery store expenses (vegetables, herbs and fruits can add up)
- Vitamin D: While working in the garden you get sun. Just don’t forget to put on the sun screen.
- Activity: Gardening is a fun activity to do by yourself or with your family/kids. Why not get everyone involved?
- Provides a sense of accomplishment: There is no better feeling than knowing you did something. As you see your garden come to fruition you get that feeling of accomplishment like, “yes, I did this. I grew those vegetables/fruits.”
Flower Pots
I love to put flower pots together. Yes, they are a bit of working with watering and such, but so worth it. I love to see all the vibrant colors throughout the summer. They provide #allthebliss one needs everyday. Having flowers and seeing them on a daily basis just brings a smile to my face.
Front Door/Entrance
I have been thinking I really want to do a potted lemon tree by our front door. I love the vibrance lemons bring and a cute little tree next to the front door seems super welcoming to me. I am also going to do smaller pots on each side of the stairs going up to the front door. Pending what size I decide to do I want to put Corkscrew Rush Grass with white Petunias. I am loving this combination thinking about it in my head, but we will see when it actually comes to buying plants what gets bought. The petunias are likely to not be all white, as I usually find some super fun colored ones that I just can’t resist.
Remaining Flower Pots
The other pots/planters I do around the yard and in front of the house will likely be some sort of combination of the following annuals (different varieties and colors of each will be used):
- Begonia’s
- Dahlia’s
- Merigold’s
- Zinnia’s
- Coleus
- Sweet Potato Vine
- Scented Geraniums
- Cana’s
- Petunia’s
I will definitely share our flower pots after they are completed, however that will likely be a month yet considering the weather is a bit chilly. I can’t wait to put them together though. They are so much fun to do and spark so much creativity. It’s a relaxing thing for me and super rewarding to watch the flower grow and flourish during the summer months with the sunshine. Do you plant a garden or flower pots for your house?
