Happy New Year! My year begins with roses on the brain.
Those of us who live in Southern California enjoy the comfort of sitting in our pj’s on New Years Day and watching the Tournament of Roses Parade on tv, coffee cup in hand, and relishing in the fact that the rest of the country wishes they lived in our ‘slice of paradise’. This year we ventured out on Jan 2nd in the atypical cold and rain to view the floats along Sierra Madre and Washington Blvds and despite the elements, enjoyed ourselves immensely. I am astounded at the creativity and bounty of our environment when I see all the beautiful inspiration that nature affords us. We can take a cue from many of this year’s floats and vow to add a little colorful paradise to our homes and yards. This year’s Dole float summed it up with their theme of ”Living Well in Paradise”.
This year resolve to apply a bit of this pragmatic philosophy to your own home’s exterior by choosing small projects, within your means, that add new sparkle to your existing environs. Create a “Backyard Adventure” and include a bit of “Dream Home” (to further borrow from this year’s float themes) in your own yard.
Try a colorful tune-up to an existing planter or create a grouping of pots with colorful plants or succulents; or try adding a water feature to your yard such as a rain chain or rain water harvesting system (there’s been plenty of the rain stuff lately to justify either project). Or simply add lighting or warmth to your existing yard by installing a heater or fire element.
These are all small projects which can easily be incorporated into any yard and add comfort, usability and style to your corner of paradise. Bring in the New Year with a little exterior style. If nothing else, plant roses; Valentines Day is just around the corner!
