Yes, we know. It’s only February, and it’s not exactly bloom season yet. But that doesn’t mean you need to stop dreaming of beautiful gardens and the inspiration you can gain from them. And it’s certainly not too early to start planning a spring or summer gardening trip, especially one that focuses on some of the beautiful gardens that can be found in Virginia.
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What’s new? What’s on trend? The world of landscaping and exterior design is always changing with new looks, new products and new technology. One thing that’s big this year is using interior design elements outside. Pick an element that you’ve fallen in love in with inside your home and move it to the outdoors. Perhaps you love that herringbone pattern on your kitchen’s backsplash or that chevron pattern that’s surrounding your fireplace. You can pull that into your outdoor areas in a variety of ways. Use it on your porch furniture, to create a privacy wall, or a pattern for a patio. Traditional indoor materials are also finding their way outside. Porcelain tiles are being used to create patios, walkways and garden paths because of their durability and long life.
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This is a favorite with many gardeners because it will provide you with dynamic purple blooms through the autumn season. Mexican Bush Sage (salvia leucantha) is drought tolerant which makes including it in your garden an even wiser decision. Particularly with the drought we’ve been experiencing this season.
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One of the best ways to add color interest to your menu is with the addition of fresh flowers. There are many blooms that look beautiful on the side of a plate, but are also perfectly safe to use in recipes.
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I’m always looking for creative new ideas to enhance my landscape and the landscapes of the homes we create designs for. It’s also fun to share these finds with our readers. Whether you choose to implement my most recent discoveries or use them as inspiration to create something that compliments your personality, I hope you’ll find our ideas a little different.
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Thinking about a new landscape, but really don’t know what exactly it is you might be looking for? Certainly not an uncommon problem, but one we encounter on a regular basis. Your landscape should reflect your own personality, interests and lifestyle. There are so many different styles to choose from that trying to decide on one specific style may seem a little overwhelming to the novice.
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It’s not just a slab of concrete to put your grill on. It’s so much more. A patio should be extension of your home and style. The ways you can decorate your patio are numerous, and you can do something lovely no matter your budget. Creativity and inspiration are key. How do you find inspiration? Think about the things that most inspire you and go forward. Is it a song? Think about the title and lyrics and how you can transpose that into your design. A certain type of flower? Use that as your color palette starting point. How about something as simple as an outdoor memory from a past vacation? Even a search through a magazine will help to spark your creativity and imagination.
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We love a plant that blooms blue. And one of our favorites is plumbago.
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Everyone loves a pretty hydrangea bush. Right? We certainly do, and nothing excites us as much as a new variety. Candy Apple is just that plant. If you’re familiar with Limelight, then you’ll love Candy Apple. It has the same stunning lime green clusters that you see on Limelight, but with a much more compact form.
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Do you know where the expression “cool as a cucumber comes from? It’s because cucumbers are typically 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the temperature around them. Try inserting a thermometer into one if you need a little proof. Not only do cucumbers have a cool temperature, but cucumbers are also the key ingredient to some of the summer’s best cool down recipes. There was a time when we only knew two main types of cucumbers – slicing and pickling. But things have changed and there is now a large variety of cucumber types available to gardeners and shoppers. They include Armenian, Diva, English Telegraph, Burpless, Persian, Lemon, Parisian Gherkins, Dasher, Sweet Success and Calypso varieties.
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