I’ve just returned from a fabulous week in sunny San Diego.  The weather was fabulous, the days were relaxing and I absorbed my “green’ fix.  I love living in the southwest and have come to appreciate its unique beauty.  But having spent years and years in the northwest, I occasionally find myself missing the deep greens of the tall evergreens and the bright yellow green of moss in my yard and the riotous color of flowers.  I use vacations to recharge my appreciation of lush greens and beautiful flowers.  I’m not only sharing a few inspirational vacation photos but I’m also sharing how my vacation can inspire change in your home.

San Diego Flowers

 

The rose garden in Balboa Park was so beautiful – so many varieties with roses in every color, size and shape.  It gave me a chance to practice my hobby of photography without having to buy a dozen roses!  May is the perfect time to visit the parks and gardens because everything is in bloom and I have over a hundred photos to prove it (though I won’t make you look at all of them)!

Even tropicals like this Bird of Paradise were in full flower.

And this planter full of succulents was such a delight – a perfect blending of textures, a spark of color and the softening of little white blossoms.  Gorgeous.  Is there a room inspiration here?

History and a Garden

We left the beauty of urban parks and visited historical sites as well – and the gardens were stunning.  The mission at San Juan Capistrano had THE most gorgeous, immaculate gardens and grounds.  We stayed forever, just enjoying the quiet and the feeling of history and totally satisfying my need for green.

So What?

What does my trip have to do with you?  Besides the fact that I just wanted to share a little touch of the beauty I enjoyed, I can bring it back around to home decor.  Enjoying the outdoors and all nature has to offer always helps rejuvenate our spirit and gets us excited to look forward.  That might mean you find excitement to start a new project or fall in love with a shade of red from a rose or just that the fresh air clears the cobwebs and allows you to think creatively.

Begin by bringing the outdoors in.  Decorating with branches, flowers, rocks, moss, sticks, sand, seashells, or bits of bark immediately has the effect of adding life, texture and interest to a vignette or room.  A couple blooms in a simple vase next to a floral artwork  really works to bring the outside in.

 

This room has several great ideas for bringing the outside in – fresh green comforter with a leafy design, a big green palm leaf brought in from the yard and the dominant orchid painting that sets the scheme for the room.  Doesn’t this room just make you smile?

Mother Nature Interpreted

If you’re like me and your garden cutting options are limited (cactus don’t do well as cut flowers), you can still embrace the great outdoors.  Mother Nature can be interpreted and put on the walls, on fabric, on lampshades……

All these lampshades are from Lamps Plus (an affiliate) and represent only a fraction of what they have – what an affordable way to add a little pizzaz (and stylized nature) to a room….

Anthropologie has this delicious floral print chair that I covet – in a bedroom, as an accent chair in an office or even in the living room.  Doesn’t it evoke a beautiful garden?  In fact, I think I saw this garden in San Diego…….

How about a garden under foot?  You can be subtle or bold with your floral affair….