Carefree Gardening at Naturally Silk

By Scott E. Kinney, Atlantic News Staff Writer

Atlantic News, Friday, April 13, 2007

[The following article is courtesy of Atlantic News.]

BLOOMING BEAUTY -- Things are always in bloom at Naturally Silk. The store offers a wide variety of silk florals and plants to bring color to the early spring season.
[Atlantic News Photo by Scott E. Kinney]

HAMPTON -- While the calendar says it's spring, current temperatures and recent snow storms make it difficult to believe.

After months of the typical seasonal colors being grey and brown it's getting about time to bring a little bit of color into and around the home. But, with the recent weather patterns it is difficult to get out there and start planting.

What is one to do?

Well at Naturally Silk in downtown Hampton spring is already in bloom. The shop offers a wide variety of silk florals and plants that are a dead ringer for the real thing.

Naturally Silk has just the thing to brighten up that drab room or yard for the season including geraniums, pansies, hydrangeas, container gardens, you name it, for both the inside and outside of the house.

"Just about anything that you can get in fresh they do in silk now," said Midge Dawes, store owner.

The benefits of silk florals over traditional types include no watering, no picking off dead flowers, essentially no maintenance.

"I'm the carefree gardener. You can put it out and it will look nice out all summer long," Dawes said.

But for those whose green thumbs tend to run otherwise, there is the upside of no dead and dying plants.

"You can get more than one season's use from these," said Dawes. "When the season is over you can wash them off and bring them in until next year."

As for the washing, all that is needed is a feather duster, a soft brush or a damp cloth. For the larger pieces such as one of the many varieties of trees that Dawes offers, the garden hose will do the trick.

"It does take quite some time for these to need washing," she added.

And since it's been a long time since anyone in these parts have seen color, Dawes said her offerings are just what is needed during early spring.

"After the winter, this is the best way to see color," she said. "You can move this stuff around and make your house look different without buying anything new."

The shop has a host of greenery, palms, bonsai trees, wall pockets, wreaths, hanging plants, coastal decorations such as shells and grasses as well as a variety of pottery to display them in.

Naturally Silk also offers floral rentals for dinner parties and other events and also offers free home consultations to ensure you get just the right piece to compliment any room in the house.

Naturally Silk is conveniently located in downtown Hampton at 446 Lafayette Road. To reach Dawes contact her at (603) 926-5150.