Monday, August 20, 2018

Porch Refresh


I woke up one Tuesday morning the week before we started school with a headache. All I really wanted to do was lay in bed and read or even less! Our bedroom window faces the front porch and as I laid here I was thinking about how our porch bugs me.

We don't have a garage after choosing to close it in for more living space in our home - we've never regretted that at all! But, this does pose a bit of a challenge in where to put outside things like bikes and kids toys.

This is made especially tricky by the amount of leaves that get caught on our porch - under things, inside things, leaves everywhere all the time.


On top of all that, my children were having trouble getting along and I wondered if a project to focus our energy wouldn't do us all some good. So, we took half an hour to finish up our morning chores and then met on the porch to purge, clean out, sweep, shovel up leaves, etc.

After all the cleaning and purging, I had Samuel bring the wagon into the front from the screened in porch thinking it would make a cute display for some cheerfulness on the porch. I was having visions of Meg's charming porch and wanting to bring some of this joy our way.

So I shopped our house for the wagon, galvanized bucket, red enamel drink dispenser is from a garage sale {$2} and I recently discovered it leaks so it is better suited to this use! Also, the wooden crate was on clearance for $2 at Hobby Lobby last Fall and I've just been holding on to it. The basket came with the flowers in it.

We hopped in the car and took our trash to the dump and recycle and then went to Lowe's for a few flowers. It is so hard to find things that will bloom on a porch that doesn't get much direct sun at all but we chose flowers from the shadiest section in the store so I'm hoping they will last. If they droop, I plan to plant those in the yard.


What a difference in one morning from a place that I was struggling with to a place that is so cheery and welcoming. And really for fairly little investment. I mean the flowers weren't free but everything else we already had.

We also got some clearance flowers for pots on the other side of the front door and for our yard. It was miserably hot and buggy outside, I was so crabby but in the end - it is a huge difference and I love it!






Do you have any suggestions for pretty flowering porch plants? Must be able to tolerate high heat and low sun!

Updated: these photos were taken a little over two weeks ago and my plants are looking very pitiful. We've watered them every day but I think it is just too hot! I'll transfer to the yard in hopes of saving them. 

9 comments:

Mary Ann said...

So pretty, Monica!

Wendi said...

It looks very inviting. I have the same issue with flowers on my back porch. I find impatiens seem to do the best as they tolerate shade well. When it is very hot I sometimes have to water twice a day as pots dry out quickly.

Jamie said...

I don't know about flowers but you could try boston ferns for at least something green that likes humidity. Have you tried them before on your porch?

Mrs. Chrissy T said...

It does look so nice. Sorry they didn't last u der there. But when fall comes mums and pumpkins will be a perfect addition to the wagon.

Rhonda said...

Impatiens and petunias do pretty good in our Oklahoma heat and on our front shaded porch.

Chelle said...

Love your porch. I use inpatients and putunas the small ones in pots. They seemto do well in hot weather. I also use ferns they love shade.

sandi s said...

It’s very pretty! I love that you shopped the house, that’s what I try to do also. Hugs,

Simply Handmade Farmhouse said...

beautiful...thank you for the sweet remind to update the front porch.

angie said...

Since your porch doubles as toy storage, perhaps you could use the wagon and various containers to corral the kids' go-to items. Then those items will have a designated home and you'll still have the color and charm of wagon and pots.