Will Spring Be Early or Late?

Last weekend one famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, in Pennsylvania, predicted spring will arrive in 6 weeks and his counterpart, General Beauregard Lee, in Georgia, predicted an early spring. In any event, depending on your location in the United States, you are either deep in snow, being pelted by rain, freezing or unseasonably warm. Whether or not, spring will arrive early or late it is certainly time to begin planning your garden and outdoor living space.
You can create many different types of spaces that suit your needs. A niche to rest, relax and read, a place to entertain, an outdoor kitchen to cook, a lovely place for dinner, a spot in the sun, a firepit to warm yourself on a cold evening or a water feature to meditate alongside.
Enhance these spaces by selecting the furniture specifically for the setting. Then as an artist will paint the canvas, you can design each individual area with your desired palette. Create a romantic setting with color and flame, add candles where there is no fireplace and use orange hues, yellow or red textured fabrics in cushions, pillows & throws to warm up a firepit. Create a cheerful atmosphere with multicolor place settings by mixing and matching dinner plates at a dining table. Cover a portion of the patio with an umbrella or shade structure for the lazy days of summer ahead, be creative and don’t be afraid to use color. Plan ahead to utilize plants for privacy, as well as décor. Mixing plants in various containers will personalize and accent your area.  
Nurturing your garden takes passion and dedication from season to season, just as creating your personalized outdoor living spaces takes planning and inspiration.
    If you are a storeowner, use this time to create something unique and appealing, perhaps a hint of the tropics, especially if you reside in those regions enduring snow and freezing weather, so your customers will stop and take notice. If you are a homeowner, pick a special area that you want to create and inspire, then plan for the space now. Winter is the best time to work on those projects, so they are ready to enjoy when spring arrives. Fabric must be selected, furniture ordered or purchased, plants chosen and containers picked out, in order to make your visions a reality.
    What are your Outside Views?
    Marcia