Buttercup Bliss: outdoor spaces

The calendar may not indicate that it is summer yet, but in Mississippi the weather says summertime!! We have made a few changes to our front entry-way and our back patio to cheer things up for the warm summer months. I wish you could visit! We could sit in a rocker and sip ice-cold lemonade. Yummy!

I switched out the cotton wreaths that had been up since January with these cheerful floral arrangements. These are made of burlap and chicken wire - too cute! I wish I could say that I made them so you would be impressed, but.... I did pick them out :-)

I love these cheerful pillows that I found at one of my favorite stores in Jackson.

This rocker belonged to my mother. Jon painted it a cheerful shade of green. We also switched out the pillow in the wicker chair we already had. I love the combination of pink and green! The wind chimes are a sweet addition too. I love to hear them when the wind is blowing.

This little fountain creates a peaceful, soothing sound of water. Sipping coffee and reading a book while rocking in my rocking chair may be my favorite summer activity.

This little spot is the perfect place to have breakfast while it is still cool.

Our back yard is small - I like to call it cozy! We've had large lawns before in some of our previous homes. I know my husband is loving the fact that this one doesn't take hours and hours to maintain!

The lights look so pretty at night.

This is one of Jon's early birthday presents. He has always wanted a Japanese Maple. They are typically a beautiful burgundy color - This was a day or two after it was planted. It may be a little distressed right now because of the replanting process. I am hoping it returns to its normal color soon.

My mother's favorite flower was a yellow rose. Jon just planted this rose bush for me in memory of my mother. So pretty!

The area surrounding our crepe myrtles was freshened up for summer as well. We removed the pansies and replaced them with begonias and caladiums. Begonias and caladiums remind me of my sweet grandmother. She always had a gorgeous garden at her home in the Mississippi Delta.

The knockout roses are blooming now too. I love them because they are pretty and low maintenance. My husband's next project is to decide what to plant beneath the large trees/shrubs (I think they are Ligustrums.) that flank either end of the house. Any suggestions? We have Vincas by the front door so I was hoping for something different.