Time to smell the flowers

A friend painted her house that certain chic shade of almost black, and chose a radiant pink for her front door. They’ve enjoyed the house like that for many years, but this summer they will add something new: a window box on the second floor to bring the bright color up. 

I can imagine pink geraniums with a bit of feathery dill, or tangerine pansies. Perhaps some lime green sweet potato vine, or maybe some big fun poppies.  It’s not my window box, but a girl can dream and I often do, especially about window boxes, as I have a magic one and know their power to change a room.

When I downsized, I left behind a beloved garden and moved into a tiny apartment. I took along a window box of herbs straight off my porch and plopped it down in front of a lovely picture window with gorgeous all-day light. I didn’t expect my purple African basil to, not only last through the winter, but carry on for years morphing into an iconic Goddess crowned with lavish purple blossoms. I planted two lemon cedar trees right in that same planter, put two potted Norfolk Pines nearby,  affixed a plastic bird feeder to the window and voila –I was living in a forest and nature sanctuary with pink finches and red-headed woodpeckers and the occasional butterfly and hummingbird.

The best improvement you can make to your home is to uplift your own mood!   For very little money you can decide to treat yourself like a guest. Stage your own place, curate a mini collection of books or toys, always including elements of nature in each tableu: smooth pieces of driftwood and river stones,  feathers from your special walks.   

Decorate with colors and textures that appeal to your senses, with organic candles and natural essences, to sink into a sensory bath.  Add playlists for every mood, paint your walls in simply white, or something warm and earth-toned. Decide to keep the bathroom spotless and spa-like.  Next thing you know, you’ll have a haven with hours of peace, a space to breathe and rejuvenate.  If you have a noisy roommate or a houseful of kids, create a desk or a corner that is only yours.

No matter what kind of chaos is going on in the outside world, it’s satisfying to be the director of your own environment.

As for my indoor garden, everything continues to grow! I go with my mood, adding herbs and flowers from local farm markets. One year I had a rose garden. Another year lemon-colored anemones.  Little clay pots hold white flowers, and I’m always on alert for things that smell beautiful, like jasmine, basil, chocolate mint, rosemary and my finicky gardenia. Tending to my potted garden, moving from window box to the potted trees, while a pink finch couple I know perches on the window feeder–I have that same sense of flow as when I had my outdoor garden–only this one has no weeds and no critters, except for my cat who is one happy camper.