Fun fact: I’ve never lived in a home for more than six years. I don’t know what the future will bring, but the more personal touches we’ve added to this house—inside and out—the more I can imagine staying here for a long time. I enjoy building on projects we’ve already started and adding the finishing touches that make a home feel complete, even as it continues to evolve.
With warmer weather comes fresh ideas for the yard. The longer we stay, the fewer urgent big projects remain and the more time I have for the small details I love most. I dream of greenhouses, cutting gardens, rose beds, winding garden paths, and other charming additions.
“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” — Luther Burbank
Here are 3 ways to create a happy garden:
#1 Fill it with flowers, plants, and landscaping that please your eyes and nose.
A few favorite scented flowers: lilacs, roses, sweet peas, honeysuckle, peonies, jasmine, lemon tree blooms, daphne, clematis, wisteria, lavender.
A few favorite pretty flowers: forget-me-nots, bluebells, hydrangeas, bougainvillea, hellebores.
A few favorite landscape plants: low-growers like Corsican mint and Irish moss for stepping areas, boxwood, and holly for year-round structure.
#2 Design welcoming, charming spaces where memories can be made.
Create inviting seating areas with a cozy fire pit, layered lighting, and character-filled elements like trellises or arbors. Add benches, umbrellas, yard games, small tables, colorful or patterned pillows, lanterns, side tables, and hammocks to encourage lingering and conversation.
#3 Add soothing sounds.
Soothing audio elements deepen the sense of calm: wind chimes, bubbling fountains, rustling leaves, bird feeders, or discreet outdoor speakers all enhance a garden’s atmosphere and help mask street noise.
Do you have a garden? I’d love to hear about it.
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