If you have an irrigation system, turn the outdoor water back on, and test it to make sure everything is working properly. While you’re there, take your spade and walk along the edge of your lawn, cutting a deep edge to separate your flower bed from your grass. This will give the lawn a manicured look and keep the grass from spreading into the flower bed.
You will need to wait to plant most vegetables and annuals until the danger of frost has passed in your area, usually in mid- to late May. “Definitely look up the recommended time for your area,” Ms. Freda said. “It’s going to be different on Long Island than a couple hours north.”
However, by March or April, you can plant perennials and cold weather annuals and vegetables like kale, beets, carrots, pansies, violas and primrose. So get started on those now.
Set the Mood
Create rooms in the outdoors. If the space is large enough, set up an area for dining, and another for casual seating. Maybe make a reading nook with an Adirondack chair and side table under a tree. “You can really create a living room outside,” said Jade Joyner, an owner of Metal + Petal and an interior designer with studios in Georgia and South Carolina. “It’s an extension of your home, it should not be your forgotten spot.”
If your outdoor space is limited to a tiny balcony or terrace, make it as flexible as possible. Matt Armato and Beau Ciolino of the TikTok and Instagram accounts Probably This suggest going with a sofa and coffee table rather than a bistro table and chairs. If you decide to eat outdoors, the coffee table can always double as your dining table. “Our set up was two chairs on one side and outdoor poufs on the other,” Mr. Ciolino said. The couple’s book, “Probably This: Housewarming, A Guide to Creating a Home You Adore,” will be released in April.
Use planters to create barriers and privacy. If your space is tight, go vertical with a craft pallet or ladder set against a wall, and filled with planters. “We created an herb garden in our last apartment,” Mr. Ciolino said. “It is really a vertical floating screen.”
Once the danger of frost passes, take your houseplants outside. They will add character, and they’ll thank you for all the natural sunlight. Introduce them to the sun slowly so they have time to adjust to the intense light.
