Happy 4th!! Hope you're having a great week! Ours has been wonderful and we still have a few more days of fun. I've been gardening quite a bit lately, especially on the front of our house. The plants and flowers are really starting to bloom, and we had our mulch done so the house is looking better than ever!
I'm taking you on a tour of the exterior (the front at least) for the first time since everything is looking so pretty right now. :) You can see our covered back porch here.
I planted the window boxes a couple weeks ago -- I used vinca vine and wave petunias. The petunias are a favorite and what I used to plant in our old window boxes every summer. I even stuck with the same colors because they look so great with our dark siding:
Petunias, and wave petunias in particular, get HUGE and fill in so beautifully. They are great because you don't have to spend a ton to get the full look. Just give them some time. These have only been planted for a few weeks and will get even bigger. Love them! I planted something with white flowers in both boxes as well but they aren't doing great. I should have known to stick with my petunias.
I was able to specify (at least a little) the plants I wanted the builder put in the landscape. I asked for anything evergreen like boxwoods and as many hydrangeas as possible. ;) What I forgot to say was to NOT include my least favorite plant ever -- spirea. I had to laugh when there were three of them planted along the front of the garage because I hate them. 😂 Many of you told me you like them but they never grew well for me at the old house. Anyway, I replaced them last weekend with one of my tried and true plants, the knock out rose:
They are so easy to care for -- they grow fast and you really don't have to do anything to them. They'll give us some much needed color along the front too.
I shared our front porch with you around the holidays last year and I LOVE IT! It's nothing huge but it's big enough for a bench (I'll share the resources of everything at the end of this post) and plenty of Christmas decor. ;)
I found this welcome sign on clearance at Hobby Lobby months ago and couldn't find a spot for it inside. I really really loved it so tried to think of where I could put it...and finally decided on the porch. It's a little different but I just love it out there. The colors are gray, green and white and it works so well with our exterior:
You don't really notice it until you walk up to the house, which I like. It's just a pretty little addition (and thankfully the porch keeps it protected):
Our porch is one of my favorite things about our home. I love the front door!
Remember my love of glass doors but also wanting to hide like a ninja when someone knocks? Well this door is perfect for both. ;)
A flag pole was one of the first things I added after we moved in. I love a house with a flag flying:
The planters have the same wave petunias and potato vine, which gets HUGE. It's a great filler. There's also a taller grass-like plant in the middle but it's hard to see here.
We have three types of hydrangeas in our landscaping and you know that makes me super happy. :) These are just starting to bloom:
I installed landscape lighting on one side of our house earlier this year. It's one of those DIYs you think is going to be super difficult and turns out pretty darn easy. I think landscape lighting is what sets houses apart from others and you can make a BIG impact with $100 to $150 in materials.
I did the other side early this summer when the budget allowed. I added pathway lights, tree spot lights and a couple house floods. I mentioned I was going to have to use the outlet on the porch and you can see the cord if you look:
I thought it might bother me but it doesn't one bit. The lanterns block the view of the box when you walk up the steps.
The limelight hydrangeas on the other side of the house are about a week or so out from big blooms. Limelights get HUGE and should fill in that space nicely over the years:
If you want to read more about keeping hydrangeas alive (and thriving!), check out this post.
I was thrilled to see the burning bushes in the front too. We had a bunch of them in our landscaping at the last house and I just love them in the fall. They get really large too:
Our house is a modern Craftsman style with the board and batten, columns and stone. This house was already built when we fell in love with it (it didn't even have windows when we first walked through). We got involved soon after and were able to pick the paint colors and stone thankfully. It's funny because even though the house was already built, the exterior design is EXACTLY what I would've picked. We love every bit of it. I always say this house was meant to be for us because it was everything we ever dreamed for a forever home:
EVERY single time we drive up to our home I am so thankful. I still get teary about half of the time I pull up to it...I can't believe we get to call this home.
Better than I deserve. She's a beauty!:
I can't wait to see how the landscaping grows and fills in over the years. I may move some things around and we have a few empty spots I have plans for as well.
We are so grateful to call this pretty house our home...I pray for forever!
I hope you enjoyed a look at the outside of our new(ish) house! I only sweat half of my body weight getting these pics for you. 😂 (If only.)
Have a wonderful and safe holiday! I'm planning to be back later this week but that will depend on how much I get done...eating and drinking with family and friends may win out over DIY this week! :)
Here's a list of projects and sources for you. (Affiliate links are included for your convenience!)
- Exterior paint color is Knight's Armour by PPG
- Window boxes were provided by the builder
- "Welcome" sign -- Hobby Lobby
- DIY landscape lighting tutorial
- Large welcome mat -- Target
- Wood bench on porch -- Amazon but I can't find it anymore! EDIT: Found it on Wayfair on sale!
- Lanterns -- IKEA
- Planters on steps -- At Home store (but these are very similar)
- Landscaping lights -- Lowe's
- Porch light (very similar -- can't find the three light version we have) -- Bellacor
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