OKAY, so California is not the only country with a water shortage. At least 30 states in the US currently have some degree of drought, ranging from the "normal dry" in Florida and Massachusetts for "exceptional drought" is happening in California and Nevada. (How are you faring? You can check it using the US Drought Monitor NOAA.) If you live in [...]
7 Ideas to Get Your Garden Ready for Spring
Is it just us or spring in the air? It's getting a little warmer, and that renews our feelings as lift winter began. We get inspired to cleanse, refresh, and get organized. Of course, there are a ton of spring cleaning to be done inside. (See our post How to Save Time Spring Cleaning Your [...]
Bedroom creative ideas together for Modern Kids Room '
Laugh ... cry ... play ... battle. A brother sleeping together is a beehive of activity and needs. And that means there is plenty for parents to overcome when creating a children's bedroom they shared. With twice the amount (or more) of the developing personality and needs, it is often a daunting task for parents to accommodate storage, space and style of each individual child. Here is […]
Is it just us or is spring in the air? It’s getting a bit warmer, and that renewing feeling we get as winter lifts is starting. We’re getting inspired to clean up, refresh, and get organized. Of course, there’s a ton of spring cleaning to be done inside. (See our post How to Save Time Spring Cleaning your Home for more there.) But the outdoors need a good sprucing as well.
There’s nothing dreamier about spring than imagining sitting out on the patio with friends. Here are 7 ways to get your outdoor living spaces dialed-in to welcome the fairest season (and all those long days of summer, too!).
1. Take inventory of your garden furniture.
Before you hit the stores or even the inspiration boards, take stock of what you already have. What needs repairing and what needs replacing? Preseason sales can be a good time to make any purchases. (Prices are higher when it’s beautiful outside.) Since outdoor living space is an extension of your home when the sun is out, choose pieces that continue the flow of your design style inside.
2. Plant your perennials.
You can get rid of early weeds anytime the ground is thawed, but you’ll want to check the Plant Hardiness USDA Zone Map to figure out your yard’s sub-climate, shop for perennials and plant accordingly. While many conditions can affect a plant’s survival, this is the easiest way to ensure your plants make it through the season.
Once you know what zone you’re in, we recommend designing your garden by vibe (more tropical? English garden? rustic wildflowers?) and your color palette (what is the ideal backdrop for this year’s outdoor activities?). Add in a few plants that attract bees — it might seem scary, but these natural pollinators will make sure your flowers bloom.
Don’t have a giant yard or huge garden? Build a container garden. It’ll give you the same hit of nature that we all crave after a long winter on a smaller patio, balcony, or porch.
3. Build a fire pit.
Creating a private fire pit to your backyard using inexpensive materials that are very thrifty and a fire pit is perfect for entertaining late into the night on the terrace when the temperatures drop. It also gives the page an instant focal point and a place to hang around.
A wooden cover fire pit can turn into a coffee table for drinks and hors d'oeuvres until sunset and then can be removed when it's time for s'mores. We love the pieces that can do double duty, and the fact that it can be made at the weekend makes it a no-brainer!
4. Create more shade.
We know that the draw to being outside during the warmer months is obviously the sunshine, but all-day sun exposure isn’t great. We like the idea of creating a dimensional plan of sun and shade in our outdoor living spaces.
Don’t feel limited to a simple patio umbrella. There are so many more stylish shade options: buying (or building) a pergola for a sitting or dining area, raising a Sun Sail for a more modern look, or hanging a large umbrella from your tree’s canopy.
5. Let there be light.
While a state-of-the-art lighting plan can be expensive and should be installed by professionals, there are many things you can do to create atmosphere with lighting on the cheap — sometimes using items you already have in your home.
Wrapping trees with string lights creates an enchanted forest effect. Filling a hanging lantern or birdcage with an entire string of lights adds a concentrated burst of rustic brightness.
Solar powered or LED lights on stakes can illuminate a walkway and delineate the edge of a patio, and similar styles have adjustable spotlights to shine up onto your home, fence, or foliage.
5 Drought-Tolerant Landscaping Ideas for modern Low-Water Garden
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Oleh
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