The Living Room
by AraContent
(ARA) -The trend for spring is outdoor living -- for eating, entertaining and just plain relaxing. Homeowners are extending living spaces with outdoor “living rooms” -- where the décor is alive with blooming aromatic flowers, lively songbirds and trickling water. The sky is the limit -- and your ceiling.
Americans are in love with do-it-yourself home shows. From creating storage space to redecorating, the creative juices are flowing; but most of us have a limited budget and little time. So where do you direct that creativity and get the results you want? For high impact and low maintenance, Maureen Gilmer, author and host of DIY’s Weekend Gardening, recommends planting in large numbers and repeating winning combinations.
According to Gilmer, the biggest trend in gardening today is simplicity. She suggests picking a color and sticking to it, perhaps a color that blends with the patio furniture or one that you carry out from the inside. This makes it easier to visualize, plan and shop. Simply Beautiful annuals and perennials make creating your living room as easy as 1-2-3.
Step One: Consider the bare basics. Begin with sturdy foliage plants like Silver Falls dichondra and Magilla perilla. Wispy ornamental grasses are also popular and fill in large spaces perfectly. Attract feathered guests with award-winning Purple Majesty ornamental millet.
Step Two: Accessories! Colorful throw pillows brighten any room. Think of nonstop, no fuss flowering annuals as nature’s throw pillows. The garden experts from Simply Beautiful say, “Punctuate drab spots with eye-popping color. Use dramatic sweeps of Wave Blue petunias or bright red Dynasty dianthus.” The possibilities are endless!
Step Three: No room is complete without pictures! Hang showy baskets of Fanfare trailing impatiens in hot, tropical orange. If yellow is more your style, try an original and new plant -- Jungle Gold. Its flower resembles an orchid, but it’s an impatiens and does great in the shade.
Just remember, simplicity is the key. Then, sit back. Prop up your feet and enjoy a glass of cold, refreshing lemonade. If it spills -- not to worry. This living room’s grassy carpets will forgive you.
For more flowering ideas, visit www.SimplyBeautifulGardens.com or visit your local garden center and ask for Simply Beautiful plants by name.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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Last modified: 04/15/04
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