Yay summer!

Today was so beautiful, I hope this weather is here to stay! I have great ambitions for the landscaping/patio this summer. Last year we moved in to our house at the end of May, and we were so busy just trying to buy regular furniture that the outside of the house sort of got neglected. Well, I'm not much of a gardener anyways. Whatever the opposite of a green thumb is, that's what I've got! Must be a red thumb. I killed all of our flowers last year, including a beautiful hydrangea bush that I had high hopes for. We just bought a potted fern for the living room and I think it looks pretty nice, so let's cross our fingers it has better luck than the other plants!

The plan for the outside is:

-- buy two large flowers/bushes/trees for some big plastic pots we got 50% off at Jo-Ann's last weekend
-- plant more petunias on the path to the front door (last year's lot survived somehow, so I think I'll try it again!)
-- get a new hydrangea bush and get my green thumbed neighbor (with three large healthy hydrangeas) to help me plant it!
-- buy a dining set so we can actually enjoy our gorgeous covered patio
-- get some outdoor lights and torches so we can enjoy the patio at night as well
-- maybe get a hammock

If I could pick anything that I'd want on our patio, I'd pick this amazing Chesapeake Hanging Lounger from Pottery Barn.

How awesome is this? So much better than a hammock, it's like a big hanging couch! It looks so comfortable, but the price is definitely a deterrent. Like a true crafter, I've already been thinking about how to make one myself. (Or at least with the help of my dad!) Luckily our deck is built very sturdily, so I think it might actually be something that would work! We'd already have a hammock except the posts are at least 14 feet apart which seems awfully wide. Perhaps we can still look into it. I must have something to lounge on to read books and drink lemonade this summer! Even if it's just a hammock I'd be happy, but I can dream about having this wonderful lounger.

I hope to plant some more flowers around the house this summer too. I think I'll have to get my mom over to help! I love the idea of having a row of daisies in a mix of pretty colors. Does anyone have tips for low maintenance or perennial flowers we could plant? Something that's not easily killed perhaps? I'd love to hear suggestions and see pictures of your own gardens!