In my Home and Garden - 2012 Trends That Might Work for Me!

We are in the process of performing a facelift on our 20+ year-old stucco home in suburban Atlanta.  We had a front stoop that was in dire need of replacing and had put it off for the eleven years we've lived in this house.   It always seemed like such a lackluster and probably expensive project.  That was before I found an iron and wood large-scale door on one of my craigslist trips that I fell in love with and wanted to have in my own house.  So that started us talking about ...

• let's replace the stoop with one that is a little larger and appealing (nice stonework, etc.) and provides space for more garden containers
• let's replace the current door and above-transom with an oversized door that would make the entrance more grand in wood and iron (just like that great door I saw)
• let's protect that new door with a protective cover/portico that takes advantage of the larger stoop footprint 
• let's replace the tired cement walkway from driveway to front portico and use same stones used on stoop and (by now) columns
• let's spruce up (OK, replace) the driveway so that the new walkway doesn't but up against our old tired cement driveway, and
• let's use the same stones to embellish the driveway 

SO, a lot of $$$$ later and about 80% done, our old landscaping is looking pretty tired and some has been destroyed by the work/workmen.   I am calling a colleague of a master gardener friend to get some landscaping ideas and possibly provide us with a redo but in the meanwhile, I am investigating some garden and garden container options (see comment about stoop, above)!   I found an interesting site that discussed garden trends for 2012 - source pinterest

Many old-fashioned plant varieties are getting a facelift! Favorites such as tea roses, hibiscus, lilacs, coneflowers, and Baptisia are now sitting center stage as their plant breeders are tweaking them to better appeal to today's landscape. Bella Anna hydrangea (pictured) was bred to be just as reliable as older 'Annabelle' -- but with additional features such as large, reblooming pink flowers

 I love hydrangeas and would like to add some to my front yard - the idea that I can find some in these new colors is very exciting.  The photo below shows last years blooms (and my watercolor rendition of them)!

Our hydrangeas - in water and on paper!

The other trend that I liked deals with the use of recycled and repurposed articles as part of a container garden scheme - a great GREEN idea!

From furniture to containers, colors are getting more muted. Containers with an aged look -- patinas, encrustations, crackled finishes -- are becoming the focal point in gardens. Use plants with contrasting colors and foliage to highlight the rustic exterior of your planter.

Repurposing materials in the garden is a great way to add budget-friendly accents to a cottage landscape. Think beyond a container's initial purpose and see what it can be used for. If a water fountain no longer retains water, fill it with soil for a cascading display of succulents, sedums, and other plants. Other materials to consider: galvanized containers, wheelbarrows, wire or metal containers, wicker baskets, and toolboxes.

Example of Repurposed Items for Container Garden