Itsy-bitsy Back Patio



I've lived in our Dorchester townhouse for 4 years and I can't believe it has taken me this long to make use of our back patio.  It is super small but it is such a game changer in the warmer months.

This past Mother's day all I wanted was to fix up the teeny space. One Ikea trip, one amazon purchase, and one trip to Home Depot; we were set. I've detailed the items with source links at the end. When we set this up in the beginning of May, we were coming out of a very chilly, gray "spring" so I added lots of color to the space; hence the variety of selections in flowers. I'm looking forward to changing the style of the flower boxes in the different seasons.

Every morning I have the same routine.  Paul gets Roswelle up (mostly because she literally wakes up calling out for "da-da") and while they say their good mornings, I go downstairs to flip on the coffee, open the blinds/windows, and open our kitchen door to our little back patio. We have a screen door that keeps any pests out but lets the cool morning air in and opens up our kitchen for a breezy, feel good start to our day. I will grab my cup of coffee and spend some time outside clipping any dead leaves and checking on the soil. Roswelle loves the task of watering the plants. Even if it is only a few minutes, it can be a really meditative way start the day.

To really appreciate the update, I feel that before pictures are in order.

And now onto the details...
Lucky for me, my mom, who has a wonderful green thumb, was in town to help.  I was clueless!
{line any baskets with some strong plastic to help with water absorption. We cut up a large trash bag and it has worked well}

{make sure to poke the lining with skewers or a knife to allow healthy draining}
{start with one layer of soil before adding your plants}
{look outsdie the box and up to hanging baskets! repurposing the flowers to boxes is a great option}
{break up the rooted soil before re-planting}
{thank goodness for IKEA when decorating city spaces}


1. Amazon Flower Boxes  (comes with coconut liner)
2. Ikea outdoor rug
3. Ikea Table and Chair set 
4. Potting Soil
5. Miracle Grow Quick Start
6. All flowers were from Home Depot


An Herbal Arrangement


For Mother's Day this year, Paul gave me a beautiful flower arrangement from Winston Flower's. The florist shop started as a pushcart on Newbury St. in 1944 and is now the "Tiffany's" of floral shops in Boston.  In my arrangement, I noticed Winston had placed mint and rosemary as the greenery - so smart!  The herbs smell fresh and adds natural color and texture.   

I decided to make my own simpler version. I kept it simple to be able to keep it next to the stove for easy access to the herbs.  Fresh is always best, but for this project I grabbed 3 pre-packaged herb packs of Rosemary, Mint, & Sage, from Trader Joe's.  I hope you feel inspired to try as well!