The Most Beautiful Time of the Year

I was out yesterday with a friend buying annuals to plant around my house. No matter how much I see them, I can't believe how vivid and colorful the flowers are. I bought these geraniums and dahliettas* to place on my front steps because there they will receive sun all afternoon.Now if I remember to water them, they should flourish!

Such a beautiful time of year for creatives. Mixing and matching flowers for beds and pots unleashes all of our creative energy. It can be so hard to resist overbuying and planting, but that could be a good problem to have.

I hope you can find time to wander through some greenhousess this weekend to inspire projects in your piece of the planet.

* Dahliettas, part of the dahlia family, provide "charming, profuse blooms in a wonderful assortment of flower forms and colors. (They) add a splash of color to the garden, combination containers or summer bouquets. (They) attract butterflies (yeah!) and are fun and easy to grow.

Creativity Tip No. 30



Notoce how I planted a verbena and snap dragons protectively around the purple dahlia, hopefully so that the deer won't munch on it's purple-y goodness. We'll see how that works out!



Finally. . .finally. . . I got some some of my flowers planted.They had been sitting in their small pots for a couple of weeks or more, drying up and looking at me for rescue.

I planted the main pots on the front porch, and a couple of smaller ones sitting atop a driveway retention wall. I didn't get to the pots on the back deck yet, because I ran out of flowers. I actually under-bought --  which is a new experience for me at this time of year. I will have to run out and see what I can find to plant in the back before this weekend.

I enjoy seeing the beautiful blooming plants in their new homes, and am reminded of just how pretty summer can be. Creatively speaking, I tried to use the old pots I have on hand rather than buy any new ones. It's just part of my mindset to save and renew and reuse and all that good 'green" stuff.

Creativity Tip No.27

Flower Shopping!

After enjoying two and a half nice days in a row here, I'm getting itchy to go out and buy some flowers. I've decided that since a lot of my pots from past years haven't survived that I will pick up a few bigger pots and call it a garden.

Since I really can't plant any flowers in the ground here because they just serve as appetizers for the nightly deer herd, I am limited to what I can fit on the front porch and the deck.

So I have some pots ready to be filled and some that need to go out with the next garbage day and will add a couple more to the collection.

I generally buy impatiens as they seem invincible -- and I do bravely plant some snapdragons at the base of the front porch steps where the deer haven't bothered them (yet).

How about you? What do you plant on your share of the planet? Anything new this year? Anything that is deer-resistant?

I would love to hear from you about your spring plantings.

Creativity Tip. No 5

In the dead of winter, it's good to have something bright and colorful to enjoy as a reminder that spring will come again. It's fun -- and healthy -- to surround yourself with beautiful things that remind you of sunnier days. Things like lush houseplants or bright red coffee mugs.

On my coffee table I have a basket filled with stuffed birds that "sing" their appropriate song when you squeeze them. When the wintering birds avoid my birdfeeders as they try to stay warm in their roosts, I can squeeze one of the stuffed birds and hear the songs I will hear again soon.

Find some things that remind you of spring and place them where you will see them every day. Think bright! Colorful! Spring!