Spring!

I don't mean to brag, but my husband and I recently got back from Mexico, SANS child. I know right? The vacation was relaxing and we enjoyed the beautiful, warm sunny weather. It was a bit of a shock to come back to 7 degree temps and snow. I mean, really Colorado?

Alas, today we are back in the 60's and spring has sprung is finally springing in Denver, y'all! I quickly learned the planting rule-of-thumb here, which is to never plant anything until after Mother's Day - because snow could fall and temps could drop below freezing up until that date. Strange concept for a Texan who's used to spring starting end of February.

I'm especially excited for this summer because the short guy can actually enjoy the yard! This year I'm going to pay more attention to our Outdoor Spaces, dress them up a bit. If there is one thing we love about Denver it is the summers - warm days, cool nights and NO MOSQUITOS! We eat dinner outside almost every night in the summer and clock countless hours outside.

With spring finally knocking on the door with some warm weather, it brings with it a fresh lighter feel, and you want your house to follow suit. Here are my (p)inspirations for the yard:

1. Hanging flower basket. If you've been to any ski town you see these lining the Main Street and brightening up the town. I want one.

[caption id="attachment_1369" align="aligncenter" width="310"] Please disregard the woman in this photo. No relation.[/caption]

Here's a great tutorial on how to create this beautiful hanging basket.

2. Porch decor. We have a pretty big deck off the back of our upstairs Master Bedroom, it faces West towards the mountains. It's a beautiful view and currently sits empty. Unacceptable. Love the black and white and hanging flower pots.

[caption id="attachment_1373" align="aligncenter" width="479"] Upstairs porch-living.[/caption]

3. Whiskey barrels. I find the use of old whiskey barrels very farmhouse chic. I love the way this barrel is used as an outdoor ent-table. I plan to replicate and bought an extra barrel for planting. Which brings me to my next point...

[caption id="attachment_1370" align="aligncenter" width="664"] End table barrel.[/caption]

4. Vegetable gardens. The green-thumb gene did NOT fall anywhere near this tree. Gardening is not my thing, but I want it to be my thing! I love the idea of picking fresh vegetables from the yard. So this year I decided: START SMALL. I am going to plant one tomato plant (and maybe one other item) in a large whiskey barrel and my mother-in-law picked up these adorable planters in Glenwood Springs, which I'm going to use for herbs.

[caption id="attachment_1393" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Herb pots.[/caption]

If this proves successful, I might go for something bigger in the future, like a true garden, y'all. I found this great article about Gardening for Beginners. If I even get to this point.

[caption id="attachment_1372" align="aligncenter" width="288"] Beginner garden.[/caption]

5. Dwarf fruit trees. Random right? But I'm obsessed with these little fruit trees! If only I lived in California. These dwarf trees retail for $50ish, so I figure, what the heck, I'm going to try them. They are even sold on Amazon, which continues to be the greatest invention of all time.

[caption id="attachment_1371" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Dwarf fruit trees.[/caption]

So there you have it. I'm getting giddy just thinking about it! Now the next challenge: getting organized and making it happen. What do you have planned for Spring?

Cheers!

Lauren