First Day Of Spring | Design Happens

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Happy Nowruz! (Persian New Year)

by Farima Alavi March 20, 2013 11 Comments

It’s finally here — the first day of spring. For most of you, this means switching from boots to sandals and cleaning out the garage. For Iranians and Iranian-Americans (including Lili and me!), it’s also Persian New Year or Nowruz, which literally translates to “New Day” (or new beginning).

Many Iranians celebrate by cleaning their homes, buying new clothes, baking pastries and putting together a ritualistic table setting called Haft Sin (pronounced ‘seen’) or the Table of Seven S’s. Each household prepares their table differently, but they all represent seven items that begin with the letter “S” in the Farsi language.

Iranian New Year Table

See What Each Item Symbolizes

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My Favorite Florals for the First Day of Spring

by Briana Mowrey March 20, 2012 2 Comments

Happy First Day of Spring, everyone! The season stands for new life, growth and rebirth, and I’m feeling that all around me. The weather in New York has been eerily wonderful lately, and it seems the city is collectively in a better mood. This Spring Design Trends package has me obsessed with refreshing my decor. The HGTVGardens launch put gardening back on my radar, and even my Facebook news feed is full of flower photos these days. I’m not the first to gravitate to florals (stripes and dots tend to catch my eye first), but I think the finds below are a cheery way to welcome spring, don’t you?

spring floral decor

Left column, top to bottom: Libbey Vintage Drinking Glasses, Rose-breasted Grosbeak Print, Dershyl Ivory Floral Rug, Home® Floral Steel Watering Can. Large image: Floral Wing Back Patchwork Sofa. Middle column, top to bottom: Floral Heart Print, Floral Scarf Pillow. Right column, top to bottom: “Art Nouveau” Floral Utility Knife, Botanical Coaster Set.

The Botanical Coasters would look so fresh with glasses of Sparkling Sunshine Punch resting on top of them. (Check out the floating ice flowers!) Cheers to the warmer weather and good times to come!

How are you ringing in spring?

HGTV How-To: Make Seed Tape (It Saves Time and Seeds!)

by Kayla Kitts March 20, 2012 20 Comments

Today’s officially the first day of spring and I’m completely and utterly…speechless. Why? Because here in Knoxville, Tenn., where HGTV headquarters are located, we skipped winter. No snow days, no brutal freezes, just some typical cold weather. Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not complaining, just a little shocked that my favorite season is actually here! If you’re ready to welcome spring with open arms, then we have a project that will get you in the mood for all the gardening you’ll be doing in just a few weeks.

With this seed tape project you can create the perfect arrangement and plant seeds exactly where you want them. This is a great way to get the little ones involved in the garden, too. Find out how:

seed tape spring gardening

Measure out a length of toilet paper, determine the spacing of your planting row and cut lengthwise accordingly. Consult the seed packet to determine how far apart the seeds should be planted, and then use a marker to mark the seed spacing on the paper. Add a dab of all-purpose glue on each mark. Pour the seeds on a plate and separate. Use tweezers to pick up an individual seed and place on each drop of glue.

seed tape spring gardening

Once all the seeds have been placed and the glue has dried, roll the seed tape onto a toilet paper roll. Store the rolled seed tapes in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to plant.

seed tape spring gardening

If your containers are ready, you can plant your seed tape immediately. To plant the seed tape, simply lay it on the soil surface and cover with garden soil according to the depth recommended by the seed packet. Firm the soil, and then water with a fine nozzle, like that on a watering can. Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions Here >>

Need some more ideas for fun projects you can do with the whole family? Head over to the HGTV Family Gardening Club. Plus, score some free expert gardening tips and top-notch plant advice at HGTV’s brand new gardening site HGTV Gardens.

Is anyone else ready to welcome spring? What garden projects are you planning this season? Tell us below!

First Day of Spring: Quick & Easy Gardening Tips

by Kayla Kitts March 20, 2011 13 Comments

Happy spring everyone! This is the time of year when hardcore gardeners salivate over seed catalogs. While I don’t have much of a green thumb, one of my fondest childhood memories is “helping” my grandfather in the garden. I loved getting my hands dirty, discovering giant earthworms and helping him carry all the delicious homegrown fruits and vegetables to the house. (Grandfather grew the biggest tomatoes I’ve ever seen!) Interested in planting your own vegetable garden? Want to learn how to grow potatoes? Or are you all about herbs?

Patti Moreno First Day of Spring Gardening

Now’s the time to start planning, whether it’s a container garden on an apartment balcony or patio like mine or raised beds that take up half your backyard. Tomatoes work in both settings, by the way. Choose the best variety for your garden with HGTV’s tomato selection guide. (Imagine how amazing that fresh BLT or tomato sandwich is going to taste. Yum!) We’ve got all the edible garden tips you need with tons of photos, plus cool videos featuring Garden Girl TV’s Patti Moreno.

Gardening Flowers Spring

Then there’s flowers. If you’re like me, you want to sow in early spring in order to see an array of colorful blooms by mid-summer. There are plenty of perennials that bloom the first year; you just have to find that one that suits your soil and sunlight. My two favorites are the Maltese cross (left) and tickseed coreopsis (right).

How about getting the whole family outside playing in the dirt? Join HGTV’s Family Gardening Club for fun projects. This month we’re making and planting seed tape, perfect for hard-to-handle small seeds and tiny hands.