A Little Light Reading

Weekends are just the best! I hope that you’re able to carve out some time for yourself and sit down with our latest issue, Seasons at Connecticut Country House. Brimming…

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White Tulips

Pulling out all the stops, and using cheerful colors and patterns is a wonderful way to set a joyful Easter table. When I do, I like to keep the flowers…

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Harbingers of Spring

One of the first trees to break bud in winter, usually in February around here, pussy willows are iconic harbingers of spring. At the market, buckets of branches appear and…

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Pots of Pretty

This weekend, when you’re out and about at the supermarket, don’t just do a drive-by of the floral department. Stop. There’s a lot of affordable pretty to be found! Pick…

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A Country House Life

Our latest issue, Seasons at Connecticut Country House, has arrived! We’ve created 200+ pages (274 to be exact!) filled with our original, beautiful photography and smart, new decorating, gardening, and…

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Flowers For You

Interior design sounds…imposing to a lot of people. If you think design is beyond you, I have one question: Do you like fresh flowers? Of course you do! Cheerful or…

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Controlled Chaos

When it comes to growing paperwhites, people always ask me how I keep them from flopping. To be honest, I don’t. Within reason, I let them naturally do their thing.…

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Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving dinner is always pretty amazing, but, I have to say, the leftovers from the feast are just as highly anticipated. The same goes for recycling the floral elements from…

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Paperwhites For Christmas

Decorating for Christmas wouldn’t be the same at Connecticut Country House without containers full of fragrant, blooming paperwhites. It takes about 4 to 5 weeks for these papery beauties to…

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Late Bloomer

As I was shopping the aisles of my local garden center a few years back, searching for flowering plants that would keep my cutting garden going until frost set in,…

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Autumn Showstoppers

I love to dress both the front and back entryway doors at Connecticut Country House, to reflect the beauty of each changing season. Taking my cue from the still flowering…

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Kitchen Garden Centerpiece

The season is changing, and the blooming is beginning to wind down in the gardens of Connecticut Country House. Instead of relying on flowers for an arrangement, I often will…

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Sunflower Power

I love sunflowers; they make me happy. When cut and used for decoarting a table or a room, this flower can project 2 very different looks depending on the season.…

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Fresh Greens

The chartreuse flowers of my bed of lady’s mantle, have been in all out, full bloom, fluffy mode for a while.  Time to encourage new growth by cutting a bunch,…

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A Summer’s Bouquet

The gardens are just exploding with color at Connecticut Country House!  Everywhere you look, something is in bloom.  Whether making a bouquet to brighten someone’s day, or putting together something…

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Pot her up!

When I see a gorgeous flowering plant, I can’t resist taking her home with me. A couple of my faves that are sporting glorious blooms right now are the delphiniums…

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Isn’t she lovely?

She’s in full bloom, my beautiful Eden. We’ve been together for a long time now, ever since I first planted her at our former home. When we moved to Connecticut…

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Think pink!

The rhodis (rhododendrons) at Connecticut Country House are on their final burst of the Spring 2015 season – and I think this year they’re definitely bigger and better than ever!…

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Simple & Scented

A simple way to freshen any sightline is to fill an antique basket with potted annuals or perennials. Here in the parlor, I stuffed my old whitewashed basket with potted…

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A basket of petunias

Marrying two simple things…is almost too simple! The perfect springtime marriage for my doors is made up of large wicker or rattan hanging baskets and hanging potted petunia plants from…

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A bank of gold

If you were to ask me what one of my favorite plantings at Connecticut Country House is, I would have to start with the forsythia. I think my love of…

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The pretty powder room

This weekend, all our Easter festivities will be based in our hub, the kitchen, where we’ll be initially gathering, while enjoying nibbles and sips as we’re cooking. The keeping room…

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Faux support

I love those “Aha!” moments….don’t you? There I was standing in a long check out line at Home Goods, pretty much obligated to look at all the little odds and…

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Top o’ the mornin’!

Setting a table for St. Patrick’s Day is the best way to kick off spring (or at least puts me in the right state of mind!). For the NoraMurphyCountryHouse.com spring…

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