Spring Garden Design Inspiration

With the weather beginning to change soon, I am pining for lazy mornings on the front porch, sunny afternoons in the backyard with a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade, and leisurely hours relaxing with friends in a beautiful garden. My thoughts are turning to the rich possibilities that our little yard holds, and even though right now it is barren and trampled from a long winter, my imagination is bursting with ideas to transform our corner of the world into a place I really want to be.

Coming from California, the outdoors have always been very important to me – as long as the weather agrees, I am happy to spend almost as much time out as in, reading, working, cooking and entertaining, or just hanging out. Which is why, when I spied the book pictured above, Garden Rooms by Rose Dale, in the bargain bin I was instantly drawn to it. This is an older book, and may even be out of print, but it is well worth tracking down! Even if you live in a small city apartment with only a fire escape to perch on or a postage-stamp sized shared courtyard, there are so many lovely ways you can enhance your space and make it a place that you enjoy spending time; and this book is filled with ideas that any of us could use! Let’s look at a few more inspiring images, shall we?

This is from Amy Butler’s Midwest Modern, in the last section in the book, where Amy explores some of her friends and neighbors gardens, often layering in swatches of her fabrics.

Here is another page from Garden Rooms, this time featuring a Moroccan-inspired courtyard complete with big leather poufs and a day bed – and notice how lush this little space looks, even though all of the plants are in pots and not a single one is in the ground!

Although we have had a few small gardens over the years, we have never planted our own vegetable garden – which is something I am aiming to change this year! Here, I was flipping through an issue of Jamie Magazine, imagining how wonderful it would feel to pull up crisp radishes and sweet little carrots from my own garden for a spring lunch.

More from Jamie, a summer day under the shade of a tree, ah…

The planning and dreaming stage is such fun, don’t you think? Letting your mind wander, imagining color combinations that excite you, comfortable little nooks to sit, and all of the many pleasures you hope to get out of your garden.

So tell me, do you have a garden? Is it a place you enjoy spending time? No matter the size of your outdoor space, I would love to hear what your wishes and dreams are for your corner of the world!

{All images Laura Gaskill; except last, from White Flower Farm}

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