3.08.2013

I'll Probably Kill It

We're in need of a little help around here. Our front door is, well, DRAB. I'd like to change that, but have no idea how.

I have the exact opposite of a green thumb. When I put on my big girl panties and moved into my very own apartment, all by myself (!), my mom gave me two philodendron plants. Apparently those plants are hearty, require minimal care, and are pretty hard to kill off. Whelp, I went and managed to kill 'em. Both.
This leads me back to our front door...
1. That's a planter - with NO plants. It's been sitting empty for.ev.er.
2. That's a rock. You can't kill a rock.
3. Even our wreath looks sickly. How is that possible?

The other green stuff you see is taken care of by the gardeners. Woohoo for HOA dues.
We were browsing through the plants at our home improvement store and there were so many vibrant, beautiful flowers and plants to choose from. I wanted to snatch up a few and pretty up my entrance.
All that color! These would certainly take the drab out of front entry.
After a short conversation with Scott we both knew better than to blow money on something that wouldn't last us a week. Anything we considered buying I knew I'd probably kill. The lady in the store suggested we try plants that are common in the desert (we do live in desert climate after all). These were our options:
Blah. So boring.
Um, thanks, but no thanks. These would just blend right in with the rest of the boring brown canvas we call an entry. 

I spotted some lawn/garden ornaments and figured those were more up my alley. They have color and they can't be killed. Sounded about right for me.
Sadly, I walked away from these too. Where was I to put them? It the empty planter? 

Getting real nit picky, and probably impossible, I don't want to put artificial plants out. A few of our neighbors have done that and the plants turn an insane, unnatural color, and are obviously fake. If we're being really real (which we are) I'd probably find a way to kill a fake plant, too. Whomp whomp.

Here's where I need some guidance, if that's possible at this point. Is there anything out there that I can put in our entry that is durable, doesn't look like a cactus, and won't mind a lot little neglect? (Our door faces west.) Sarah {Our Journey}, I know you have a phenom green thumb. I'm looking at you!
Beautiful, right? If only I could keep something like this alive!

17 comments:

  1. i wish i had some wise words for you, but i can not keep anything alive except a human. and maybe a bet

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  2. I wish I could help. My plants always die too! NO green thumb over here.

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  3. I am the same exact way. I kill everything. Everyone in our neighborhood always has the prettiest flowers and our landscaping always looks the worst!

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  4. HA! I love the rock. "You can't kill a rock" Good luck with the plants. I roam around Lowes until a worker ask me if I need help. Then I over load him with questions. ha. poor Lowes guy

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  5. I LOVE that knock out rose. So beautiful!! I am so ready to get some stuff in the ground...stuff that will live hopefully. I think there have been a couple times when I buy a plant they just give up and die in the store because they know their fate is sealed!

    Laura@MiceInTheKitchen

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  6. I say ditch the planter all together and find some kind of cute outdoor candle arrangement and switch out that wreath for something more colorful!

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  7. I say ditch the planter and find some kind of cute outdoor candle arrangement or something and then switch out the wreath for something more colorful.

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  8. Do they have marigolds around there? Those are nearly impossible to kill!

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  9. Lilacs are low maintenance, and super fragrant besides being pretty! I also love black eyed susans and I just read they can thrive in CA...so bright and summery looking!

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  10. I don't have a green thumb either & have ALSO killed some impossible-to-kill plants. Good luck! And what program do you use to write ON your pictures when you post them here on your blog???

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  11. http://sashon.blogspot.com/2012/05/its-kind-of-fun-now-that-our-plants-are.html

    http://sashon.blogspot.com/2010/07/house-updates.html


    These door hanger things are super popular around us.....we have several that we switch out......these are old pics, but we had the heart door hanger up lately for V Day! Hoping to get the sun out again soon :))

    I'm a pretty big failure at plants too. We pretty much just call the people who landscaped our house to come replace if anything dies :(( Rob is great at watering and keeping up that way.

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  12. I'm not a green thumb either! I plant flowers every single year and never water them. Thankfully the hubby always remembers to! haha

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  13. I have the same problem with plants. I always end up killing plants that I try to grow.

    By the way, I have the same rock as you.

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  14. I'm the same way. Really, really bad. I wish I could help. Why are some blessed with a green thumb and some aren't? Not fair.

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  15. I would suggest some type of solar light/gazing ball arrangement and maybe painting your door a different color to make it "pop".

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  16. Totally forgot to post on this and remembered this morning! For our door, I switch out holiday based wreaths! I have a green St. Paddy's one up now and will get my big easter one up soon. Go to local craft stores, you can find some cheap-o, but nice ones there!

    For plants, based on your zip, you are in a plant hardiness zone 10 area. (http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/#) Some of the most hardy plants for your area include geraniums, scarlet sage (which will attract hummingbirds and butterflies), and Vincia which does really well in hot, dry weather. Also, pansies do well pretty much anywhere in the country and are super vibrant! They should bloom for months and look great in a pot. Lastly, you should maybe try growing some strawberries! You could keep them up high on that ledge away from ground animals and they'd probably do really well where you're at! :)

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  17. I absolutely feel your pain here. I've even managed to kill a cactus, so I wouldn't even trust myself with those plants. I would so love to have a green thumb, but I don't know if it's possible to change!

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