THE JOYS OF SOUTHERN PORCHES

By Amy Montgomery

Southerners take a lot of pride in their porches. When Southerners think of gracious living, it always includes the porch. It doesn't matter how many living rooms, family rooms, etc. there are in a house, during spring, summer, and fall, relaxing on a beautiful porch is most important! Courtyards and patios will work, but a Southerner knows there needs that little bit of porch covering overhead to keep a spring breeze from being too chilly or to keep from baking in the summer sun. A blanket and a gas fire pit on a covered porch are all you need to enjoy the outdoors beyond Thanksgiving.

The thought of a covered porch must be followed up with a little haint blue. Looking up at a porch ceiling in this part of the country will usually reveal that oh-so-soft blue with a hint of green in it. Originally, haint blue was thought to ward off evil spirits by making them rise through the sky. The use of this blue has lost a bit of its superstition, but modern-day enthusiasts believe it to deter wasps and spiders. Either way, it is tradition, and it is soothing and easy on the eyes.

Truly, there is nothing better than pre-dinner cocktails on the porch and later bringing dinner out to dine alfresco. Summer supper with neighbors enjoying every moment of the end of the day, the beginning of sunset, then nightfall, and the appearance of lightning bugs is the perfect way to cap off the workday or spend a weekend evening. Community with neighbors is so important. Whether friends or simply acquaintances, porches can foster growth and relationships with those who live close. Porches can be the best place to reflect on the day or reflect on the world around us. Grab a comfy seat, put your feet up, and peer inside your home from the porch. It will give you a new viewpoint of your dwelling.

From drizzle to downpour, a porch is that extra room we all look for in a home. These inviting porches are truly a continuation of your home, a go-between space from home to garden. A porch extends your home, just as a lush green lawn or garden extends your porch beyond its perimeters. It doesn't need to be a sunny day to appreciate a porch.

Gardens tend to be a big point of pride for those who love digging in the dirt. Favorite days of spring for gardeners include a day spent shopping for blossoms, blooms, and seedlings, a day spent preparing beds, planters, and sowing seeds, and a day spent cleaning up and admiring the finished product. The blooms flourish with watering and sunshine and will last until the mums of fall make their appearance. Gardening incorporates many benefits such as exercise, a little Vitamin D from the sun, and it is certainly a mood booster. Whether you have a large vegetable garden or tend a few pots on your porch, gardening is endlessly adaptable and rewarding.

One place in Columbia I delight in seeing how the gardens are kept is the James K. Polk Home. Two short walkable blocks from my home, this former President's abode and museum attracts natives and visitors all year long. Spring marks the re-birth of their gardens and by June, blooms and vegetables are abundant. Columbia has been home for me and my husband for two years and we love giving back to our community. The perfect opportunity for us to do this is at the Gardens of Columbia Tour, hosted by the James K. Polk Home, which takes place on Friday, June 2, and Saturday, June 3. My husband and I are so happy to share our porch garden this year. While I wish I had time for vegetable gardens, planting heirloom peonies, and training vines on walls, I do not. Instead, I dedicate myself in the early spring to several days of filling my pots and planters to create an outdoor room on our porch, an extension of our home.

Our porch is a continuation of our keeping room in the kitchen, and we will be including the main floor of our home on the garden tour. The cottage garden at the entrance to our house is recovering from the December freeze, but it is remarkable how things have rebounded and begun to flourish in the warmth and sunshine. We want to welcome you to our home and share some hospitality on the porch with you during the Gardens of Columbia Tour. On both Friday and Saturday of the tour, I invite you to join me at the Polk Home while I present a floral demonstration to those who have purchased tickets for the tour. I look forward to sharing some of my floral tips and tricks with everyone in attendance.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY JUNE 2 – 3, 2023 10:00 a.m . — 4:00 p.m.

My shop, Amy Montgomery Home, will also be celebrating the Gardens of Columbia Tour. The shop is on the street behind our residence, located at 808 Walker Street, where you can shop and enjoy the curated collection of gifts, papers, and home goods. During each day of the tour, AMH will be offering 50 delicious boxed lunches. To reserve a boxed lunch and make payment visit amymontgomeryhome.com. Boxes may be picked up at the shop on the day of your reservation and there is limited seating available in the courtyard of Amy Montgomery Home for those wishing to stay a while.

To preview the Gardens of Columbia tour, turn to page 45 to read more about the homes and gardens on the tour this year.

AMY MONTGOMERY has 25 years of design experience and owns Amy Montgomery Home in Columbia, Tennessee. She is a lifestylist focused on home and flowers and delights in offering her customers an elevated customer service experience. Visit amymontgomeryhome.com for additional information and follow her on social media at @amymontgomeryhome.