By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

April 2023

It’s finally spring and the daffodils have arrived in time to be joyfully celebrated. April is a reminder to check all your garden tools (when did you last buy clippers?), planters, and hoses so you’ll be ready to enjoy spring to its fullest. I like to start the season with new garden gloves. Don’t forget the veggie and flower seeds, pest control items and organic plant food. Outdoor lighting is an easy upgrade for romantic summer entertaining. Assess your outdoor furniture now so you’ll be able to take advantage of an unexpectedly warm spring day. Make your patio, porch or deck a place of retreat and new Nantucket memories will follow. Take care of all repairs now.  Think about entertaining. This is a good incentive for one last decluttering pass. Remove old and tired accessories you’ve been looking at all winter, or pack them away until fall. 

Lots of parties are planned for Daffodil Weekend so it’s a great excuse to set a pretty table. Whether it’s a tailgate party or an at-home brunch, all the “props” for dining in style are what make the occasion a true celebration.  Be creative with interesting containers for daffodil arrangements and you have PRETTY with no fuss. 

Spring is the ideal time to repaint. Consider a soft yellow, like Benjamin Moore’s Jicama (AF-315) for a guest bedroom or bathroom. It’s a subtle, rich and creamy color with a soft glow.  Comprise a list of annoyances: a  “past its prime” outdoor table, the squeaky door to the pantry, old lamp shades,  and attend  to each thing now for a stress-free summer.

The buzz word for entertaining this year is “casual.” Start with yellow daffodils and orange tulips for a spring theme. A beautifully set table, no matter how simple, makes guests feel special. Find creative ways to display daffodils by wandering through the different departments of Marine Home Center with an open mind, looking for non-traditional containers to hold flowers.

The following are some suggestions:

1.     Fill a pretty pitcher with an arrangement of yellow daffodils and add some tall sprigs of Forsythia.

2.     A large Mason jar filled with daffys on a kitchen window sill will brighten your day.

3.     Fill a pretty tray with miniature daffodil plants. 

4.     Oversized glass goblets are perfect for short-stemmed flowers and reveal the green stems.  Group or line them up in the center of a dining table. Or place one in front of each place setting. Alternate yellow and green placemats. Use floral print napkins tied with yellow grosgrain ribbon.

5.     Stuff an ice bucket with as many daffodils as possible. Then insert sprigs of mint, rosemary and thyme between the flowers. 

6.      Turn one of the colorful waterproof tote bags found in Housewares into a container to hold potted daffodil plants and place in the middle of your dining table or on a side table in your entryway. A great hostess gift as well! 

7.     For individual bouquets use small cream pitchers. 

8.     Another use for an old-fashioned, silver tea server, creamer or sugar bowl. 

Happy Spring!