Spring Front Porch Refresh

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen I partnered with Better Homes & Gardens earlier this week to share this makeover in video format. But today I wanted to dig into the details on everything we added, what plants I used in the planters, as well as some still photos (still my preference over videos)!

Updated Front Porch Sitting Area

Not only did I get all of our plants added for summer, we also updated the sitting area! Previously, we had teak rocking chairs here, and to be honest, outside of our first fall here, we rarely used them. The teak was more maintenance than I realized it would be and since we mostly only come out here with the cats, the rockers scared them a bit.

So, we decided to give these designer-look-for-less chairs a try! You all likely know we’re obsessed with these swivel gliders we have in our backyard cabana. We’re on our sixth season with them, and they still look good as new (even with the original cushions)! So, when I saw this set was on sale for less than $140 per chair, I went for it knowing I’ve had great success with the BHG brand in the past!

SOURCES: Outdoor Armchair Set | Side Table | Outdoor Rug | Plastic Stemmed Wine Glasses | Snack Bowls | Striped Outdoor Pillow | Knit Throw Blanket | Large Planters | Smaller planters were rosemary from the herb section and came pre-potted

The chairs are really comfy and I know they’ll be so much less maintenance than the teak furniture we had out here previously! It’s so great to sit out here and watch the wildlife at the pond while Hawkeye snoops around. His favorite place ever is on the front porch so it’s nice we have a cozier spot to sit to supervise him.

I love that the top of the little side table easily lifts off so you can bring it inside to load up on snacks or drinks. It also helps if you need to give it a quick wash!

Front Porch Plant Details

It was a pretty cold and odd winter by Northwest Florida standards. We even had the first measurable snowfall in decades! Unfortunately, with that, some of my plants didn’t fare too well. The little rosemary topiaries I had in my footed planters as well as the olive tree I had by the front door didn’t survive.

So, these past few weeks, I’ve been bringing in new plants and we also gave our furniture a refresh!

Starting near the front door, I added a Royal Cape Plumbago topiary, conga lavender calibrachoa (looks like mini purple petunias), purple cuphea (Mexican heather), and lysimachia goldi (creeping Jenny). I included both names of those last two because I have seen different plant stores name them differently. This fluted planter is still an all-time favorite. I think I’ve collected five of them over the years now!

SOURCES: Wreath | Woven Doormat | Striped Rug | Gas Lantern | Fluted Planter | Door Color | House Color

In the large planter below, I used a palm tree, sweet potato vine (lime green ipomoea), verbena (color is Vanessa compact white), purple cuphea (Mexican heather), and two of these containers made easy (mine had purple petunias, calibrachoa and lobelia). If you haven’t tried any of the containers made easy they make planting a breeze. I chose fairly simple, smaller ones but they have some with beautiful center plants that you could litterally pop into your planter and call it a day!

In the footed planter below, I used a spike dracaena in the center and then Lemon Coral sedum, Blue My Mind (dwarf morning glory), vinca (in the cora cascade XDR white color), conga lavender calibrachoa (looks like mini purple petunias), and purple cuphea (Mexican heather).

During the planting process, I always add several shakes of my favorite fertilizer (my mom got me hooked on this ages ago) and within a few weeks, I’m guessing these planters will be overflowing! I’ll then feed them again every month or so. All you really need to do is shake some on and then water it in. It’s super easy and the plants love it!

This weekend we need to get a hose winder installed next to the porch so I can easily water all the new planters! Me running back and forth into the house with a pitcher multiple times isn’t cutting it 😉

I hope you enjoyed this little front porch makeover!