it's shangri-la season!

now that the weather is starting to "cool off"- my mind has been a buzz with winter plans. or shall i say, winter plants.

thoughts of plants, accent walls, a mid-century inspired playhouse, raised vegetable garden beds, have already been put to paper. i want to improve my outdoor space for the winter. the time when our backyard will be used for 5 straight winter/spring months. when snowbirds begin to replace summer mosquitos. my oasis.

with outdoor restoration in mind, on a recent family bike ride around our hood- i made a point to scope out as many balconies as i could (without crashing into cars in the process). a self-assigned social studies of sorts, to check out how many different ways outdoor spaces are being used. report found unkempt plants in often-broken pots with a sprinkling of lame plastic stacking chairs, a bicycle or two, prayer flags and the odd quintessential wind chime- seemed to be the latest trends. conclusion: fail.

i am baffled. not because i'm woven from strong aesthetic opinions and rules- but because we live in a summer-7-24-365 kinda place. it's not about making your outdoor space look pretty- it's about making your outdoor space first and foremost.

your outdoor space, be it a stoop, balcony, sprawling terrace should be prized. coveted. desired. imagine your very own personal shangri-la. a cozy cove to spend chill-tinged winter nights, reading, swooning and suddenly remembering why you loved life in south florida in the first place.

start here and join our rooted. miami facebook page to start your own modern plant journey. in the meantime...i present to you a cornucopia of images to get your creative outdoor juices flowing.

1. a great outdoor space may have comfy seating, planter boxes, a rustic but modern feel

2. classic modern succulents

3. outdoor rugs made of plastic (some recycled plastic) from home infatuation. you won't be able to buy just one. they're all so pretty!

4. tall rectangular planters with bunches of kale/something colorful and seasonal

5. low slung old boat wood sofa made from the wood of retired fishing boats from the south pacific by cabela (yes, the hunting people!) (top with vibrant fabrics and pillows from marimekko!)

6. the award-winning 'green pockets' by maruja fuentes.

7. a great outdoor lounge table from ikea, lillberg

start now.

pots and plants

we have an interesting mix of pots. from wooden bowls that have travelled through costa rica strapped to our packs (that probably were not intended to be planters per se), to large ceramic pots from indonesia and eco-friendly fiber-crete pots that have simple shapes that add simple, modern and clean beauty to any garden, terrace or stoop.

i love the rustic garden look just as much as i love a clean, modern architectural garden look. but most of all i love that all the pots that i own each comes with a story or a meaning. this makes me more passionate about holding onto them- even if they get a little neglected during the hot summer months. usually i add new plants to them at the end of summer at the end of hurricane season when rain is still quite regular.

note- this all still sounds strange to me, as i am still getting used to 'reverse' seasons. in canada, one usually plants during the spring and summer to make outdoor living spaces beautiful for the high season of summer. but here in florida, i now plant in the 'fall' to enjoy our outdoor space in the high season of winter. i love it.

today we woke up to a fantastic thunder storm. the skies were light and rain was refreshing. we were inspired to finally clean out our little backyard pot collection and put some life back into them.

i had picked up an aloe, a mini jade and some echeveria haageana succulents last week but of course, i was waiting for my personal gardener (aka husband) to make everything happen.

and so the drill came out and we started to drill holes into the bottom of our pots. proper drainage is important when container gardening. this way you keep the soil aerated and roots, happy.

put some rocks on the bottom of each pot, filled with potting soil, sprinkled on some osmocote for extra insurance and voila! instant love.

happy rainy labor day weekend...when it rains, get some pots and get high on planting! ;)