We are entering that festive time of year when friends and family gather to celebrate the holidays. That makes this the perfect time to freshen up your front porch pots and fill them with some of Florida’s favorite fall colors and textures. Here are some tips and tricks to help get you started on your own front porch makeover.
1) Time for Fall Cleaning – Cleaning isn’t just something we do in the spring. Get out the broom and some damp washcloths so you can give your whole front porch and door a wipe down and a brush off. Don’t forget to shine up any windows and glass you may have around your porch lights.
2) Take Inventory – Before you run out to the garden center and load up on new pots and plants, take a close look at what you already have. Of course, you’ll want to pull out any tired annuals or overgrown plants, but then take a look at what you have left. Sometimes rearranging your existing pots or replanting a favorite plant can make them feel new again.
3) Find Inspiration – Magazines, Pinterest, and of course Kerby’s are great places to find fall inspiration. See what color schemes excite you and come up with a color palette. Try not to get too specific on plant varieties. There are a lot of plants out there, but not all of them will do well in our area.
4) Time to Shop – Head to the garden center with your ideas in mind and maybe a few photos on your phone to remind you of the area and items you are working with. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re looking for a certain color of flower or leaf. We can advise you on what might work best for your unique area and light conditions. Mix and match plant combinations in your cart until you feel you’ve reached the look you want. Don’t forget to include different colors and textures. You can always add an obelisk, small statue, or trellis to provide interest and height.
If you need a simple combo strategy to get you started, our formula for container gardening has always been to include a Thriller (your focal point), a Filler (a leafy plant to fill in the gaps), and a Spiller (something cascading over the side of the pot).
5) Get Your Hands Dirty – Once you’ve collected your plants and décor, it’s time to have some real fun. Set all of your things out and get to work putting together your masterpiece. It’s usually easier to tackle the larger pots first, since these will make the most impact. Once your large containers are planted in place, you can begin filling in around them with smaller containers of plants and decorations.
6) Enjoy the View – It feels so good to sit back and look at what you’ve accomplished, so enjoy it. Have a front porch makeover you want to share with us? We’d love to see it on Instagram. And now, with all that work done, you can sit back and enjoy fall in Florida.
