Everyone in the neighbor hood is stringing up lights, putting out blow up Santas and adding giant ornaments in the trees in their front yard. Do you really want to look like everyone on the block? How about taking a little time to add seasonal decorations with plants for a change.
Outdoor plants add color, texture, and drama to your house and if you plan a little you will have less and less to do each year. To decorate with plants you need some basic plant knowledge – light requirements, water requirements, and whether your plants are annuals, perennials or shrubs. Grouping your plants using this knowledge along with placement is the key to a successful decorating plan.
Create a colorful entryway to your home with strategically placed pots of flowering plants. If you have steps, decorate each step with outdoor plants that blooms throughout the season. If you don’t have steps, you should alternate sides of the entry and/or place them atop decorated cinder blocks to create varying heights.
An easy arrangement starts with a geranium, surrounded by Cyclamen or Christmas cactus. You can edge the pot with ivy or other draping plant for more texture. Adding annual color that will coordinate the blooms for the different seasons is a great trick.
If you want privacy you can plant clumps of ornamental grass in strategic locations to add a sense of dimension and depth then place seasonal perennials and some annual color in front of the grasses.
For the shadier areas of Santa Clarita use some coleus or caladium for a nice a splash of color. They come in a huge variety of colors and are a great filler or backdrop.
Another cute plan ahead decoration is to plant spring bulbs in a pattern or design. You can plant early blooming crocus in a heart for Valentine’s Day or use red, white and blue tulips to create a flag to bloom for Memorial Day.
Don’t forget to add some plants to spark up the inside of your home. For a centerpiece, use plants with colorful foliage or blooms. If you group several in a container, cover the pots with sphagnum moss or Spanish moss for a finished look. You can add seasonal ornaments (and change them as needed) and the arrangement can take you from Halloween through Valentines Day.
