House Tour

I think every year going back thirty years, I'm forty now, I had to work a house tour. I would have to help either my aunt or mom with some event when I was young. Both were extremely particular, everything had to be perfect. Later in my career, I helped others get their house ready for events and home tours. Well now it's my turn and my house is on display this Sunday for the Shaw Neighborhood Home Tour.

All I can say is it's great to have experience. Another good thing is that it forced me to get my house together and finish decorating projects. Having 300 people over is a great motivator to get things done.

I have to say I was stressed out about it but everything just came together. I was inspired with new interior paint colors with a trip to Istanbul, and later in the year coming home from Paris I found the exact color I wanted in the Air France Magazine. I truly believe it came to me because I was forced to make a decision and focused on change.

Then I called my mom and asked for some stuff. Of course she was already facing impossible deadlines, but then stepped up and rallied. After explaining the circumstances she got on board quick. She sent me wonderful pictures of my family dating back to the 30's and 40's. I always wanted to do a photo gallery up the staircase. They look super.

Now for the garden stuff. Okay with these things you're supposed to go overboard and I did. I stuck to a theme. It's fall. Celebrate it. Here's what I did. I planted a mix collection of pansies in my tree box, then weeded and re-mulched the garden and added plants in bare spots both front and back. Fall is an excellent time to plant and garden. New plants look so fresh in the cooler weather.

For decorating, I used fall ornaments. I placed a fancy mix of pumpkins and guards on the front stoop and a harvest corn swag for the door. For floral arrangements I chose really naturalizing materials such as cat tails that grow in lake beds, harvested wheat, grass, hypericum berry and rose hips. And with other arrangements I used large Liquidamber styraciflua "Sweetgum" tree branches. The leafs are changes colors now and are beautiful just placed in a simple glass vase.

For something new, I topped it off with a fresh collections of mums in floral garden bags. This is a new item for us at the store. We have 8 by 10 inch canvass bags which can be used for planting or garden arrangements. I planted one up with mums and hung it on the front gate just for something different.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at Garden District. Now for my final garden tip, get out and garden, it's a great time to get your plants in the ground. Take the time to look all the beautiful colors that fall has to offer.