Decorating With Mother Nature

Here are some of my "getting started" tips when planning a summer garden:

When picking out flowers for your gardens or containers, choose colors that coordinate with your exterior paint color to achieve visual harmony. For example, if your exterior is painted yellow, try yellow, orange and red flowers for a warm look. If you prefer a cool contrast, use purples and blues. Is your house red? White and blue flowers would be a nice match. Tan? Add some bright and cheerful colors like hot pinks and sunny yellows to liven things up a bit. Gray-green exterior? I like cool white and pretty pinks with lots of darker green foliage.

Likewise, plant flowers that match your interior colors. When looking out your windows, a view that coordinates with the inside colors will enlarge the space. These same flowers will make a perfect cut arrangement when brought inside to decorate the table or countertop.

Focus on planting large amounts of the same type of flower for greater impact than a "one of each" approach. Gardens that feature similar colors (an all white garden for example) will also have more drama than planting lots of different hues in one area.

Geraniums have mosquito repelling properties. Try grouping them around porch or patio to deter summer's uninvited guests. Some geraniums have loveley scents like lemon, cinnamon, apricot, and even chocolate.

Combine herbs and flowers to create beautiful garden displays that serve a purpose. Baskets or containers filled with bright pansies and fragrant alyssum pair well with chives, thyme and sage. Snip a bit of these fast growing herbs when you want to add them to your summer recipes.

Garden ornaments and birdhouses will provide visual interest and focal points to your landscape. Stone benches offer a spot to sit and enjoy what nature has to offer.

Terrarium gardens combine small plants with stones, moss and earth in glass containers. These miniature landscapes are a simple way to have a manageable garden indoors if you have less opportunities to garden outside.

If you don't have much of a green thumb, simply decorate your interiors with nature inspired objects and you will be bringing the outdoors in without having to worry about taking care of it over the summer months.

All photos taken at Gregory's in Wakefield.