bringing the outdoors in

Nothing says summer like bouquets of fresh picked flowers from the garden all around the house.  But if you don’t have beds overflowing with beautiful blooms, don’t fret.  You don’t have to have a green thumb or tons of cash to make a big impact in your home throughout the summer.  Snippets from evergreen shrubs, ferns, and even trees make a beautiful statement.  Here’s proof:

We just bought a bunch of Crepe Myrtles and had to snip a few branches off the bottom to help train one to grow upward.  I threw them in a vase of water and set them on the table in our foyer-a quick and easy way to welcome guests:

The south is famous for its abundance of magnolia trees-luckily, there are many on every corner in our neck of the woods, so I have them all over my house.  I love the waxy leaves and ivory blooms so much, that I’m constantly snipping a couple whenever I can.  As long as you replace the water regularly, they can last for up to two weeks and make a gorgeous centerpiece.  Here they are on our kitchen table:

…I’m always sure to have some on my mantel (even though these are on their last leg):

Ornamental grasses are another way to create a laid-back, elegant look.  These are grasses that I picked and had dried when we lived at the beach and they’ve lasted me for years:

Boston ferns do really well on our front porch, so I’m always cutting a few stems for bud vases, occasionally adding a sprig of lantana or Camellia when they’re in bloom to brighten up a bathroom sink or tray of goodies:

So, the next time you want to spruce up your home with some foliage, look no farther than your backyard!