I could sit for hours inside the US Botanical Garden and just inhale the beauty and magnificence nature affords us. Last weekend I headed over but before I even made my way inside the landscaping at the entrance stopped me in my tracks. It was so simple yet captivating.

The entire garden was brimming with flowers and foliage in green and purple. The greens ranged from a dark, muted green gray to a vibrant yellow green. The purples were in the range from clear true purple to those hues that bordered on burgundy.

The garden towers were painted in the most vivid hues of this analogous scheme.

The boldly colored towers and splashes of the bright purple and lime green foliage added interest and a bit of whimsy.

If asked to describe in one word what I loved about this garden it would be ‘Simplicity!’

By massing fewer varieties of plants in larger areas it was easy to see the area as a unified space.

The repetition of plants and the common thread of color created a harmonious design.

By the time I was walking up Capital Hill I was already mentally planning my own version and having second thoughts about my plan to trade my yard for a no maintenance condo on the water.

I quickly came to my senses however and simply made a mental note to make sure the condo is a short walk to an equally beautiful garden that someone else takes care of.

All I can say is- wow! The belles and beaus of this southern gem sure know how to make an exterior style statement! (after all how could I not fall in love with a city that has a street nicknamed “rainbow row”!)

Being a huge fan of all things garden, I took off on a dreary, gray New York morning with great expectations of landing in a warmer, more colorful land.

Charleston, in the midst of it’s spring blooming glory, did not disappoint. The city’s historic district, with it’s gas lights, grand porches, abundance of breathtaking landscapes, and gentle bay breeze… simply oozes charm! The perfect mix of low-country hospitality and big city sophistication.

As we strolled for hours throughout the city’s cobblestone streets- from private gardens to historical church grave yards, my husband and I uttered the phrase ” wow, look at this place”- more times then I could count!

I return to New York, with a new craving for sweet tea, cheese grits and all things Charleston…the garden gloves are off!!! I’m now determined to bring some of this southern charm to my northeastern plantation!

Get inspired too!… here are some photos (all taken during just one of our many aimless, adventure walks)….

First a pic of our room- not too shabby!!

Two typical side yards… not a huge amount of property- just wonderfully designed so that they feel so much grander in size

The window boxes were incredible!! The row houses that had only private backyards, really used their windows and front door to create an intimate, street front “garden oasis”.

I love the use of mostly just variegated greens on these two homes.

Obviously a garden owned by a real Francophile! Definitely one of the coolest garden entrances I’ve ever seen!

I love how they used flower pots that are similar to the color of the house… in person the red/orange of the geraniums really “popped”.

Even the grave yards are a place of beauty! Some of that famous Spanish moss I had been waiting to see- interestingly I learned ( on my horse and carriage tour) that due to the damage the historical district endured during Hurricane Hugo- much of the moss has disappeared!

A telephone pole dressed to a ‘T’ with pansies and climbing clematis.

I’m entranced with these steps – I must find a way to make this work on my house, maybe ivy, I’ll let you know…

A house For Sale that is the same color as my house back in New York – hum, could this be my new home?

I’ll keep you up-to-date as I begin my garden redo this spring….

Until then…Have you recently visited or written about a place that has inspired you? Let me know… we’d love to share your story or photos with our readers!

Rainbow row photo from Charleston low country.com

Garden photo from Historical Charleston.org

This very sleek design caught my eye because although it is an adult only space (maybe a bit too ‘kid unfriendly’ for my lifestyle) I am drawn to the beauty in its simplicity. Plus I loved the use of blue light to highlight the edge.

See a slide show of the Zen garden.

Interesting how the more immersed I get in my creative endeavors the more I desire uncomplicated and very clean surroundings. Do you ever feel the same?

Adding a few metallic items gives your home pizazz, both inside and out.

Julie looks at what can make your home shine…

…and your garden sparkle

There is nothing like hyacinths for a burst of color and sweet fragrance to chase away the memories of winter and make room for fresh thoughts of spring.

Masses of star-faced bells come in a range of colors including deep purple, red, pink, orange, white, and many more beautiful colors.

Dutch hyacinths are the most popular. Put a few in pots near your patio door or at nose level on a wall or deck and enjoy not only the color, but also the scent, every time you pass them.

One savvy couple from Washington state bet that brown plants and flowers would catch on.

Marie and Bill of the Chocolate Flower Farm combined Bill’s love of chocolate with Marie’s love of gardening to develop a unique niche in the world of gardening with their unusual chocolate brown flowers.

Other flower fanciers have also found brown intriguing. An article in The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that “Plenty of chocolate cravings were aroused at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, London’s influential showcase of landscape design and plant trends.

One of the most popular gardens was the bronze medal-winning Roald Dahl Foundation Chocolate Garden, inspired by Dahl’s classic book (and upcoming movie) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Like the black plant craze ignited by Karen Platt of England a few years back, rich brown plants are capturing the fancy of flower connoisseurs everywhere and growers are beginning to make dark chocolate flowers and plants available to florists.

Dark flowers add drama to a garden or floral arrangement. Combine that with the appeal of chocolate and who can resist these unusual blooms?

Of course, getting the plants to the deck and planting them can be a bit of a chore.

So even though I enjoy the results, sometimes I need a bit of motivation to get me started and having a few fun tools to use is just the boost I need to get going.

Pulling on a pair of orange polka dot gardening gloves from Hable Construction will make cultivating more enjoyable and more fashionable.

Grabbing an ergonomically designed soil scoop from CreateAGarden in a coordinated color will also do the trick. The patented spoon-shaped blade with a sharply pointed tip and serrated edges can dig holes, make furrows, weed, cut roots, even open soil bags.

Of course, what caught my attention first was the brightly colored grip material around the handle, but the unique design is what eventually sold me on this item.

If these tools don’t help you to find your own inspiration, you might want to just browse over to Hable Construction’s decorating section and select a dozen floral pillows to surround yourself with, instead. I promise, with these beauties, there is no digging or watering required.

Okay, just sharing about these neat gardening tools has gotten me in the mood to get started, so I’m off to the nursery.

Photos of pillows and gardening gloves from Hable Construction website.

Photo of garden scoop from CreateAGarden website.