We’ve enjoyed some lovely spring days mixed with the usual cloudy and rainy spells. Here are a few snapshots of our front and back decks so far this season, what we’ve worked on, and what’s next on our outdoor project list—spoiler: it will extend into summer.
This time of year there’s always a lot to do outside. With my husband recently injuring his hand (I mentioned it in my Instagram stories and newsletter), we’ve had to slow our pace and reset expectations for the coming weeks. Some projects will wait, and that’s OK. We had planned a front-yard refresh this summer, but it looks like that might be postponed so we can focus on more immediate tasks.
Our lavender will likely need replacing eventually—lavender plants don’t last forever—but for now it still looks healthy (you can see it in front of the grass). Soon it should bloom and fill the air with that refreshing scent.
I’m grateful my dad helps mow and my parents pitch in around the yard. Downsizing was partly motivated by wanting less upkeep; our previous yard and all its plants required a lot of time. These smaller outdoor spaces are easier to manage while still offering plenty to do, and we also enjoy local parks without being responsible for them.
We’re excited to see our peonies, roses, and hydrangeas open once we get more sun. I’m pleasantly surprised by how well the peonies are doing in pots; they’ve thrived more than many other plants we’ve tried so far. They make our outdoor rocking chairs look small by comparison! We also used protective covers on the chairs over winter and they worked well.
We planted the peonies in pots last year and left them out over winter; now they’ve grown impressively and are full of buds. In Seattle, most of our peonies only produced one or two blooms, so this abundance is a nice surprise. I hope the spring rain doesn’t damage the flowers—I’m expecting them to open in the next couple of weeks.
Outdoor Project 1: Install Plant and Peony Supports
I recently installed 24-inch plant supports in the pots. They came in a set of 12 and I used three supports per pot. They’re mostly invisible among the foliage and can be removed after blooming. These supports are an easy, practical outdoor project to keep heavy flowers from drooping.
Our Eden Climber roses are also doing well this spring with very little intervention. I should probably fertilize and prune—I’ll be learning as I go. If you grow these, I’d love any tips!
Outdoor Spring Project 2: Add Trellises
I added another trellis this week to guide climbers and keep them from spreading over the railing. We may still use plant wire for support later, but trellises add lovely character and help shape the growth. The sunny side of the deck, where I placed the peonies, seems to be helping the plants thrive—this spot gets great light.
One benefit of this deck location is that it’s elevated and less accessible to small critters like bunnies and larger ones like deer. Unfortunately, one deer still found its way into the backyard and nibbled our hydrangeas, so we’ll need to secure the entry points to protect future plantings.
In the coming weeks we’ll do some simple updates to the back and side porches, and I’m excited to try new pieces that fit those spaces.
Outdoor Spring Project 3: Refresh a Porch
We refreshed the front porch recently, adding a little spring charm even on gloomy days. The porch feels welcoming, and I enjoyed arranging seasonal accents. I also shared a short video on Instagram showing the porch and Finnegan—if you watch, say hello in the comments; I’d love to connect.
We have several compact porches and decks around the house. Each is small, so finding the right pieces and layouts takes time, but I’m excited to create cozy outdoor spots similar to the side porch I loved at our last home. I’m especially looking forward to summer porch sitting.
Summer is my favorite season here—the weather is perfect, not too hot, and great for walks and yard work. I’d happily wear a sweater every day rather than sweat through a walk. We spend lots of time outside when the weather behaves like this.
The dogs enjoy perching on the porch to keep an eye on the neighborhood. Even as we change things out here, I’ll make sure they have a cozy spot to watch for neighborhood antics.
Outdoor Spring Project #4: Plant Window Boxes (Railing Boxes)
We recently planted trailing Bacopa in our railing boxes and left a few faux green plants in place for now to keep things simple. The new plants are still small but should fill in over time; in past seasons we’ve combined Bacopa with petunias for an easy, attractive display.
Outdoor Spring Project #5: Clean Window Boxes (Railing Boxes)
Before planting, my husband removed and thoroughly cleaned our window boxes. They’d been left out over the past winters and still look great. If you own similar boxes and notice any sagging, a well-placed screw in the bottom can be an easy fix.
Outdoor Spring Project #6: Paint Railings, Doors and Trim
Painting will be on the to-do list soon; spring made it clear the house needs attention. My husband already refreshed the front door, porch railings, and ceiling with a lightened Wythe Blue (Benjamin Moore), and those areas look much better. Living in a coastal, northwest climate means regular upkeep of porches and trim to keep everything looking fresh—it’s part of the rhythm of caring for this home.
We had seasonal maintenance in Seattle too, but here we traded some yard chores for painting and wood care. There’s always something to do, and it’s worth the effort to keep the place feeling cared for.
We’re slowly but happily learning how to care for our home and yard by the sea.
Can you believe we first looked at this house four years ago this July?
We moved in during the fall four years ago and have been settling in ever since.
We’ve never lived anywhere longer than six years—sometimes only four—so the idea of staying put feels wonderful. We enjoy puttering around the house and yard and look forward to more projects. I’ll share a follow-up post soon showing the backyard projects we completed over the past year.
I’m grateful this is likely our forever home—God willing, we have many years to make it our own and enjoy living here.
I’ll include sources for the porch pieces and other outdoor items I love below. Feel free to leave a comment if you have questions.
Our window boxes and other items we used this season include window boxes, artificial topiaries, blue rocking chairs and covers, trellises, peony supports, blue-and-white pots on a cart, striped melamine plates, a woven basket, an outdoor doormat, a hostess tray, a striped napkin set, and a three-tier metal and rattan cart.