Spring is a busy time in the garden. Plants are starting to bloom or leaf out. It’s time to get the garden ready for summer, whether that means weeding, installing a vegetable garden or simply adding a few plants. It’s also the time to put the old adage of taking time to smell the roses into practice. Keep reading for 10 ways you can take time to simply enjoy the season.
1. Take a Stroll
Wander through your spring garden for a close-up view of things coming back to life after a long winter. Pause to enjoy the fragrances from plants such as lilacs and roses; admire the spring bulbs, whether they’re tiny grape hyacinths or bold tulips and daffodils, and look for fresh buds, flowers and leaves on shrubs and bushes. You’ll feel refreshed and ready for what lies ahead.
Is the garden looking a little bare? Nurseries, garden centers and even markets also have potted blooms ready to go. Use them to add even more color to your garden, porch, patio or deck.
Wander through your spring garden for a close-up view of things coming back to life after a long winter. Pause to enjoy the fragrances from plants such as lilacs and roses; admire the spring bulbs, whether they’re tiny grape hyacinths or bold tulips and daffodils, and look for fresh buds, flowers and leaves on shrubs and bushes. You’ll feel refreshed and ready for what lies ahead.
Is the garden looking a little bare? Nurseries, garden centers and even markets also have potted blooms ready to go. Use them to add even more color to your garden, porch, patio or deck.
2. Pick a Bouquet
Bring some of the spring indoors with a freshly picked bouquet from your garden. Set single blossoms in their own vases, mass a single flower type for a lush display or mix and match several flowers with some greenery.
If you’re trimming flowering trees or shrubs, set a branch or two aside to force into bloom. Pussy willows and forsythia are favorites, but flowering crabapples, fruit trees, dogwoods and many other branches can be brought into bloom inside and will last for some time. Simply cut the ends of the stems, put them in water and set the vase in a bright spot away from direct sunlight and heat. For the best results, recut the stems after 24 hours and refresh the water every few days.
Bring some of the spring indoors with a freshly picked bouquet from your garden. Set single blossoms in their own vases, mass a single flower type for a lush display or mix and match several flowers with some greenery.
If you’re trimming flowering trees or shrubs, set a branch or two aside to force into bloom. Pussy willows and forsythia are favorites, but flowering crabapples, fruit trees, dogwoods and many other branches can be brought into bloom inside and will last for some time. Simply cut the ends of the stems, put them in water and set the vase in a bright spot away from direct sunlight and heat. For the best results, recut the stems after 24 hours and refresh the water every few days.
3. Dine Al Fresco
Move meals outdoors if weather allows. If mornings and evenings are still too chilly, take advantage of the warm, gentle sunshine for brunch, lunch and afternoon gatherings.
Re-create your indoor dining setup outside to turn even a quick meal into an elevated garden experience. Set a table, complete with placemats, dishes and glassware. A potted plant can serve as a centerpiece both for meals and the rest of the day.
Tip: If you find yourself heading outside often for meals or a coffee break, think about investing in outdoor-friendly tableware. Store it in a spot that’s easy to access when it’s time for a meal.
Move meals outdoors if weather allows. If mornings and evenings are still too chilly, take advantage of the warm, gentle sunshine for brunch, lunch and afternoon gatherings.
Re-create your indoor dining setup outside to turn even a quick meal into an elevated garden experience. Set a table, complete with placemats, dishes and glassware. A potted plant can serve as a centerpiece both for meals and the rest of the day.
Tip: If you find yourself heading outside often for meals or a coffee break, think about investing in outdoor-friendly tableware. Store it in a spot that’s easy to access when it’s time for a meal.
4. Appeal to All of Your Senses
Find ways to stimulate all of your senses in your garden. Hang up some wind chimes, add a fountain or plant some fragrant flowers or shrubs. Evoking all of your senses creates a feeling of peace and relaxation. It also helps drown out man-made noises and distractions, giving you a chance to enjoy your own little patch of nature.
Find ways to stimulate all of your senses in your garden. Hang up some wind chimes, add a fountain or plant some fragrant flowers or shrubs. Evoking all of your senses creates a feeling of peace and relaxation. It also helps drown out man-made noises and distractions, giving you a chance to enjoy your own little patch of nature.
5. Bring In the Wildlife
Encourage wildlife to congregate. Set up bird feeders and birdhouses to entice birds to your yard. Add bird- and beneficial-insect-friendly plants and a nearby shallow fountain or water dish, preferably with a solar-powered miniature fountain, to encourage them to stay.
Don’t stop with birds. Include a brightly colored butterfly house and surround it with butterfly-attracting plants.
Encourage wildlife to congregate. Set up bird feeders and birdhouses to entice birds to your yard. Add bird- and beneficial-insect-friendly plants and a nearby shallow fountain or water dish, preferably with a solar-powered miniature fountain, to encourage them to stay.
Don’t stop with birds. Include a brightly colored butterfly house and surround it with butterfly-attracting plants.
6. Relax in a Nook
Choose a quiet corner and bring in a chair or chaise and a small side table as a go-to place for reading, relaxing, meditating or simply catching a nap. It might be a corner of a deck, under a tree or in a forgotten, tucked-away part of the yard. Add some plants, whether in pots or the ground, and an umbrella for overly bright afternoons.
Choose a quiet corner and bring in a chair or chaise and a small side table as a go-to place for reading, relaxing, meditating or simply catching a nap. It might be a corner of a deck, under a tree or in a forgotten, tucked-away part of the yard. Add some plants, whether in pots or the ground, and an umbrella for overly bright afternoons.
7. String Up Some Lights
Add some sparkle to your evenings with string lights. Run them along rafters, position them between the fence and the roofline, highlight a trellis or arbor or weave them around tree limbs. Your bulb options are practically endless, from classic Edison-style to miniature Japanese lanterns. Solar-powered options will let you string the lights wherever you want without worrying about a power source.
Add some sparkle to your evenings with string lights. Run them along rafters, position them between the fence and the roofline, highlight a trellis or arbor or weave them around tree limbs. Your bulb options are practically endless, from classic Edison-style to miniature Japanese lanterns. Solar-powered options will let you string the lights wherever you want without worrying about a power source.
8. Extend the Evening
Encourage family and friends to linger outside even as the day cools off by refreshing an existing fire pit or installing a new one. Include comfortable seating, colorful cushions and some cozy blankets to ensure everyone stays warm.
Encourage family and friends to linger outside even as the day cools off by refreshing an existing fire pit or installing a new one. Include comfortable seating, colorful cushions and some cozy blankets to ensure everyone stays warm.
9. Create an Entertaining Zone
Get ready for outdoor entertaining season by adding fun pieces to your setup. Start with a drinks cart, lay down an indoor-outdoor rug and add some lights and lanterns. Fill empty corners with potted plants to tie everything together.
You needn’t stop with the basics. Consider adding art on the walls or surfaces and a heater or fan to keep things comfortable.
Get ready for outdoor entertaining season by adding fun pieces to your setup. Start with a drinks cart, lay down an indoor-outdoor rug and add some lights and lanterns. Fill empty corners with potted plants to tie everything together.
You needn’t stop with the basics. Consider adding art on the walls or surfaces and a heater or fan to keep things comfortable.
10. Work From Home
If you’re still working from home, move work time outside when the weather calls. A solid table, a comfortable chair and a few hours of sunlight may be all you need to make the workday more pleasant.
To optimize the new work environment, choose a spot out of the bright sun or add an umbrella. If you have access to power, even better. This patio redo was originally planned for entertaining, but with the addition of power in the back wall, it’s also become a favorite spot for the homeowner to work.
Content provided by Marianne Lipanovich at Houz.com
DFW HOUSING REPORT: MARCH 2022
