Not-so-secretly waiting for spring

By Tara Sloggett

Spring is in the air. So much so, we can almost taste it. There are blue skies, warmer mornings and birds singing to welcome the day.

It’s time to plan and start projects as, blossom by blossom, trees open and gardens come to life. With rabbits hopping, daffodils and tulips blooming and parks calling, it’s time to rejoice and celebrate the beginning of a brand new season.

Fresh and green
This year, springtime and outdoor living hold a much bigger significance for most of us after we’ve been hidden away in our bubbles. So open up the windows, blow out your cobwebs, plant your gardens and start anew.

There are plenty of ways to bring abundance, joy and hope into your life, even if you can’t invite a whole crowd over. Whether you’re a lover of sunny colours and Easter rabbits, or a little bit of a dreamer, it’s time to get your whimsy on with these fabulously fresh seasonal décor suggestions:

• Ensure you have all the ingredients to guarantee a stress-free afternoon as you embrace the fresh air with those in your bubble.

• Go for easy-to-transport furniture and colourful accessories that you can bring out and put away easily.

• A pair of trestle legs and a plank of wood do the job of making a perfect instant table that has that functional, rustic appearance of life in the country.

• Don’t spend hours at the ironing board. Linen always looks stylish ironed or not, so lessen the workload and find lots of ways to glam up your table.

• Armfuls of colourful wild flowers are fun to forage for and perfect for filling vases and jars that you can scatter on your table.

• Never overlook what’s growing wild. Even weeds make the prettiest of decorations sometimes. Think trailing nasturtiums or suspended vines to create a pretty feature wall.

Best to keep things simple so you can enjoy time outside too; *A tasty gin and tonic topped up with fresh fruits and herbs and a finishing touch of edible flowers might just become your go-to favourite. *Glam up your cheeseboard with finger-licking toppings of honey and walnuts, served on a bed of edible flowers and miniature veg. *Take a plain cake and use the filling to decorate the outside for an on-trend naked cake. Top with mouthwatering berries and edible flowers for a beautiful centrepiece in a matter of minutes. And, if you’ve got little ones joining, you can’t go wrong with miniature chocolate eggs in bowls, or on top of the cake for that matter.

Fun and fanciful
There’s no need to spend a fortune. Use vintage pieces, dried flowers and paper decorations all reminiscent of welcoming in the warmer weather and sunnier days ahead. Our designers have upcycled vintage tennis rackets with pretty ribbon on the handles and dried hydrangeas and used them as decorative touches to the table by simply leaning them up against the wall.

No colourful or fancy looking outdoor plates? No worries! Add a quirky touch by using vintage tennis rackets as serving platters.

Hope blooms
We all know that we still have to stay socially safe, but there’s no reason for us to stay inside and not re-energize ourselves with an outdoor picnic. Afterall, as Robin Williams used to say, “Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘let’s party!’”