Written By: Mel Childs
Summer is the time when you see so many beautiful flowers in bloom. This makes you want to contribute to nature’s show by creating your own miniature show in your yard or inside your home. If you plan to sell your house this summer, sprucing up your outdoors with beautiful, vibrant plants can lure many potential clients. Even if you are not selling your home, you can show off your planting skills by adding plants to your backyard garden or creating container plants within your home. Here are some unique ways to jazz up the inside or the outside of your home using gorgeous plants and flower pots.
Decorating Outdoors with Plants For Curb Appeal
Whether you decide to sell your home with an agent’s help or sell your house FSBO (for sale by owner), plants are a great option to include outdoors. According to the National Association of Realtors, planting about 60 annuals and perennials can yield up to 100 percent return on your investment. With such odds, it’s a good idea to go above and beyond to add beautiful plants to your landscape. But you don’t have to make your landscaping gorgeous for potential buyers. If you just want a beautiful front yard that makes your neighbors gasp every time they walk by, you should consider fresh, beautiful plants perfect for this season. Here are some summer plants that will attract lots of attention to your home.
Marigolds
Marigolds pack a powerful golden punch of color for your flower garden. Not only is it beautiful, but it resists pests well. These beautiful plants can grow six inches to three feet tall and love full sun. They also tend to grow in compact mounds. It’s a good idea to plant these flowers in the spring after the last frost.
Petunias
Nothing says summer like beautiful petunias. They come in a wide variety of colors, including yellow, pink, purple, red, and blue. These flowers thrive in full sun or partial shade. They grow to be about six to ten inches tall and tend to grow in mounds. You can plant these lovely flowers eight to ten weeks before your last spring frost to have them beautifully blooming by summer.
Hydrangeas
Do you want to add beautiful white flowers to the mix for the summer? Try adding hydrangeas to your outdoor flower symphony. These plants can grow four to five feet tall and tend to grow in bushes. Fall or early spring is the best time to plant hydrangeas. Also, they can handle a good balance of sun and shade.
Lavender
Lavender is another flower to grow for summer that is both soothing to look at and smell. This plant can grow up to 20 to 24 inches tall. It grows into a bushy shrub, and it loves the sun. You can plant lavender in the spring after all frost is gone and wait for it to bloom in summer.
Dahlia
Consider planting dahlias if you want to toss in some beautiful pink flowers for the summer. These plants can grow four to five feet tall and grow in bushes. As with petunias, it’s a good idea to plant these during your last spring frost. Also, plant these flowers in a place within your yard where they will get the most exposure to full sun.
Indoor Embellishments with Plants
You don’t have to stop at the curb when it comes to your plants. Instead, you can bring the outdoors inside with some beautiful potted plants. You can place your plants anywhere in your home but don’t forget to put some plants in your home office. Plants in this area can help you focus more and improve overall air quality. Here are some great choices to plant indoors this summer.
Peace Lilies
If you’re new to indoor planting, peace lilies are a good choice for beginners. It only requires watering once a week and doesn’t require sunlight. This flower has waxy leaves with white flowers that grow from them. It is also a perfect summer plant that you can start in early summer.
African Violets
Do you want an indoor plant that is small but cute? The African violet fits this description. It doesn’t require a lot of water, and it can thrive in artificial light as long as it is exposed for about 12 hours a day. These plants can grow and bloom all year long under the right circumstances, but you can plant them in summer.
Geraniums
For a pop of pink color in your home, geraniums are an excellent choice for indoors. Like African violets, you can grow this plant all year long. They don’t require much water, and you can wait until the soil is completely dry before you water them again. Geraniums need about six hours of sunlight, and some can thrive in the shade.
Jasmine
Jasmine is a great flower to have indoors because its scent is very fragrant. So, you wouldn’t have to rely on artificial fragrances to keep odors in your home at bay. This beautiful whistle flower symbolizes love and purity. Some believe it also encourages good luck. Unfortunately, Jasmine flowers need a lot of water. So, if you don’t have much time to devote to your plant, this may not be the best indoor plant option.
Oxalis
Another gorgeous summer plant you can grow indoors is the Oxalis. This plant is typically a rich, dark purple, and the leaves are clover-shaped. They don’t like soggy soil and grow best in indirect sunlight.
Don’t Forget the Flower Pots
If you don’t want to start your plants from seeds, you can always opt to get them from your local nursery. They usually house these plants in simple plastic containers. However, if you want to add more pizazz to your plants, it’s a good idea to choose some eye-catching flower pots, especially if you are growing them outdoors.
When you are planting flowers outdoors, it is a good idea to use plastic ones. They are durable and lightweight. They also have plenty of color and style options. But if you like plants in more natural containers, you can opt for terra-cotta, wood, metal, or concrete. You can display your flowerpots as they are, or you can opt to put your artistic creativity to good use by drawing creative designs on them.
If you’re not much of an artist, there are other ways to jazz up your flower pots, including twine, word stamps, knitted coverings, fabric, stenciling, decorative twigs, attached seashells, glued on clothespins, gold leaf, lace, or mosaic. There is no limit to how creative you can be with the pots but try to make sure that the enhancements blend well with the flowers and your indoor and outdoor decor.
Takeaway
If you are looking for a way to improve your decor, you may not have to resort to full-scale changes to your interior or exterior. Sometimes all it takes is some beautiful flowers and plants that are in season to bring the beauty you desire to a room or porch. And to give the plants visual appeal, make sure that you house them in beautiful pots.
