Sunroom view
HomeHome decor

Within the heart of my great room lies a cherished space that has captivated the attention of my Instagram followers, garnering admiration and sparking numerous inquiries. In this blog post, I intent to describe how I attempted to create a stylish space, taking into account the architecture of the sunroom,

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Clump of yellow flag iris - Iris pseudacorus
GardeningHome

Iris pseudacorus, commonly known as yellow flag iris, is a stunning wetland plant that can add a pop of color to any garden. This plant is native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, but has been widely cultivated in other parts of the world due to its striking appearance

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Flower arrangementsGardeningHome

With their enchanting fragrance and delicate blossoms, lilacs have long been a spring favorite in gardens and floral arrangements. Their success in floral design is not just a testament to their seasonal charm, fragrance their beautiful palette and their symbolism, but also to their versatility and the joy they bring

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Lilium Roselily Samantha
GardeningHome

Or what to do when your online plant orders arrive! Are you eagerly awaiting the arrival of warmer weather and dreaming of a colorful garden filled with vibrant blooms? Ordering summer bulbs online for spring planting is an excellent way to kickstart your garden transformation. In a previous post, I

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Wild wisteria in bloom
Garden travelsHome

Follow me while I embrace spring in North Carolina with visits to four public gardens: the North Carolina Botanical Garden, the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, the JC Raulston Arboretum, and the New Hanover County Arboretum. Embarking on a journey through the heart of North Carolina in early April 2024 was

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Peony shoots emerging in spring
GardeningHome

Spring is the eagerly awaited season when gardens come back to life, and among the stars of this floral renaissance are peonies. Welcome to my guide on spring care for beautiful peonies, including essential tips to ensure your peonies thrive during the spring season. Cleaning When the ground thaws and

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Basket of spring flowers
Flower arrangementsHomeHome decor

As the vibrant colors of spring begin to paint the world anew, there’s a natural inclination to bring this freshness into our homes. One of my favorite ways to welcome the season is by incorporating seasonal touches from the garden or nature into my decor. From delicate flowers to flowering

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Ceiling and walls in the great room of my home with pickled tongue-and-groove
HomeHome decor

In this post, I’ll be discussing the process of pickling tongue-and-groove walls, a technique that was used to beautify the ceilings and walls of my great room. Many of my Instagram followers have been curious about how to achieve the soft pinkish-white look that graces these surfaces, so I’ll be

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AI AI-generated image showing a laptop with a rendition of an online catalog, the banner of the blog post titled 12 steps in selecting and buying new plants from online catalogs
GardeningHome

As the gardening season approaches, many of us are eager to enhance our outdoor spaces with new plants. Online catalogs offer a convenient way to explore a wide variety of purchasing options from the comfort of our homes and long before the weather allows us to play in the garden.

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Lilium Tinilco
GardeningHome

While perusing an online plant catalog recently, I stumbled upon a section featuring “Novelty lilies.” This piqued my curiosity: what exactly did this term signify? Was it a category of lilies I was not aware of, or simply a label intended to intrigue customers? Although I was already familiar with

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The 'Powder Blue Giant' Iris cristata or dwarf crested iris is renowned for its stunning 3-inch-wide, powder-blue flowers.
GardeningHome

In the spring of 2022, I planted Iris cristata ‘Powder Blue Giant’, also known as the dwarf crested iris, on a whim, along the edge of a flower border slightly shadier than the others. I never expected the beauty that would emerge a few weeks later. Yet, from the moment

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Iron sculpture with Jardin writing
Garden travelsGardeningHome

I’m excited to share six landscaping inspirations from visits to local gardens that made an impression on my gardening experience. These insights, gleaned from the heart of these curated spaces, transcend the boundaries of space and size, proving that, however small or big a garden is, there is always something

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Digitalis - top flower of the Monstrosa chimera
GardeningHome

For two years, Digitalis purpurea ‘Monstrosa’ is a peloric foxglove that appeared within a self-sown patch in my garden. Let’s see what pelorism is. Peloria derives from both new Latin and from the Greek word pelōros, meaning “monstrous”. Pelorism in Digitalis refers to the occurrence of flowers with radial symmetry instead

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Paeonia Charm
Flower arrangementsGardeningHome

On this Valentine’s Day, I’m thrilled to share with you a source of joy and beauty in my life: my vibrant red peonies. The stunning flowers of red peonies, with their lush petals and radiant color, have been a cherished part of my spring garden for years. Paeonia ‘Highlight’ Red

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View of the palace
Garden travelsHome

It was a truly unforgettable experience to explore the serene beauty of the Royal Park Rajapruek, a breathtaking tropical garden nestled in the picturesque landscapes of Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, during my visit in 2019. Chiang Mai is located about 700 kilometers north of Bangkok, the capital city of

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