There is something incredibly peaceful about a greenhouse in the springtime, especially when it becomes more than just a place to grow flowers. The light comes in soft and golden through the old salvaged windows, the air smells like a mixture of fresh earthy air and old wood, and for a few minutes the rest of the world simply does not exist. Peace is what Annie gives me, just like her namesake. This spring she has never looked more beautiful. Come along as I show you all the spring green house decor.
Let me tell you a little about Annie
Annie is our vintage window greenhouse, but Annie was also my beloved mother-in-law. They are both so special to me.
Annie was the best mother-in-law a broken girl like me could ever hope for. She was accepting, loving and filled with grace. She reached out to me and helped me in ways no other person ever has. She knew what I needed and she gave it to me in the most gentle way. Whenever something went wrong, I always knew she would be a soft place to fall. She would fill me with hope, surround me with love and build me up so I could carry on.
Annie, the greenhouse is very similar. She is my place to go when the world gets to be too much. Inside her, everything slows down. Anxiety subsides. Peace comes. Strength builds. And then I carry on.
Bentley built Annie for me from old windows we found at estate, garage sales and flea markets. He knew I wanted my own greenhouse but buying a pre-made one was out of the question. So in true Bentley style, he created something special and oh so perfect. Window by window he created the shell. Where there were spaces without a window to fit, he cut pieces of glass, created a wooden frame and put them all together like a jigsaw puzzle.
We moved her from property to property and for years, she went nameless. When we moved to Sweet Valley Acres and perched her up on a hill overlooking the immense view, surrounded with flower gardens, we felt she needed a name. After much thought, we named this beautiful little greenhouse after the original Annie, because she loved garage sales, making something from nothing and breathing life into anything and anyone. They were a perfect match.
This spring, things are a little different here
Heating Annie through late winter into spring, can get expensive so we decided to start all the seedlings inside. That freed Annie up from being a real greenhouse and allowed me to lavish her with love and spring decor.
The real Annie would have loved this. She would have been scouring every antique shop and estate sale for the most interesting and beautiful pieces.
With her in mind, I made sure that every piece had meaning and was carefully selected.
Every single thing in this space was chosen with the same care Annie gave to everything she touched.
Nothing is here by accident.
Everything has a story.
Vintage, Heirloom & Floral Touches
A few years ago, my sister-in-law, Lori (Bentley’s sister) gifted me with Annie’s wicker settee. What a treasure it is and I am so grateful she thought of me! I set it along the large set of windows that face out to the lake as it would be a focal point in photos. Layered with a blush and cream floral vintage inspired quilt and many pillows of all shapes and sizes, it is cozy, sweet and feminine.
Annie used to scour estate sales for linens. Then she would bring them home, treat stains, wash and then carefully iron each piece until it’s original beauty was restored. If she were still alive, I know she would be finding many special pieces for this spring refresh.
Hanging above the settee is my latest creation – a dried flower garland made from flowers from my garden and bouquets gifted to me from loved ones. This dried flower garland draped above the settee is one of my favourite things I have ever made for this space — and if you want to make one yourself I have the full tutorial right here.
The dried flowers perfectly combine with the greenhouse and settee because they are all aged to perfection. Delicate layers of petals together with soft ribbons hung on sturdy but natural twine are a lovely combination adding different textures.
Adding vintage and heirloom touches to any space personalizes it and evokes delightful memories.
If you don’t have dried flowers or fresh flowers, faux flowers can bridge the gap until you do. Like this bouquet of faux peonies and larkspur.
Or this sweet bouquet of cream and blush ranunculous.
Cozy Cottage Greenhouse Decor Details
Throughout the greenhouse are pieces that I specifically selected to be here because they have meaning, are cohesive and make my heart happy.
An Orchard Ladder
Tucked in the corner is a real orchard ladder, so well used and weathered. It has held many farm workers as they precariously climbed to the top to pick apples or cherries growing in the Okanagan Valley now it holds something far more gentle, a rustic woven basket filled with co-ordinating soft pinky peach and white faux flowers.
An Upcycled Dresser
This dresser is another diy that I recently completed (click here for all the details). I found it on Facebook Marketplace and in true Annie fashion, I breathed new life into it.
A fresh coat of paint, delicate pink rose vine rub on transfers and vintage hardware completely transformed this once neglected dresser into a show stopper.
Delicate Blush Lace Curtains
At one end of the greenhouse, we have a set of opening windows with original hardware. This was a perfect spot to hang these dainty blush lace curtains from a rod with old world finials.
The curtains soften the greenhouse light and fill it with a romantic feel as they blow in the breeze. Truly dreamy!
Vintage Books & Candles
Layering decor with hand selected pieces brings the story together, such as this stack of beautiful old and new books with a tattered ribbon.
On top is a candle made with blooms from my garden, just like the garland. A repeating element brings continuity around a space. Click here for the step-by-step instructions to make these candles.
Nearby on a small side table, another little vignette tells a similar story — a lovely spot to sit with a beautiful book, a vase of creamy peach flowers, and another dried flower candle.
Delicate touches such as this candle made with pressed stocks and baby’s breath from my garden allow me to preserve and celebrate flowers from years gone by.
You may have noticed the basket of dried zinnias on the brick floor. The basket is called a trug and is specifically for gathering flowers, herbs, fruits or vegetables from the garden. My daughter, Jenna gifted me it to me a few years ago. I love it and use it often. The shallow long design is perfect so that flowers do not bend or get broken and there is enough length to support the stems.
The flowers you see in it are zinnias that I grew and dried which I have a complete post showing how to do it. Just click here.
Garden Bike
In my previous pictures, you will have seen my old garden bike. At this time of the year, the flowers are just starting out but the photo below shows how it will look in a month’s time.
Little Meaningful Details
A few other pieces that are near and dear to my heart are a floral crown and my “Blessed” doormat.
The floral crown was from a garden party bridal shower I hosted for Jenna. I shaped it into a heart and hung it on the chair to remind me of all the love I have in my life.
I found the doormat on Amazon and it could not be more perfect for this space with it’s pink floral design. As you walk in the door, the Blessed doormat, reminds me of all I am blessed with and keeps me feeling grateful.
What is growing outside
While Annie is looking so lovely, just outside her door is a garden just beginning to come alive. Below are photos of what is blooming.
Tiny white flowers are dancing in the branches of the Saskatoon Berry trees.
Fragrant pink and white peonies are really putting on a show and filling my garden with the most beautiful fragrance.
A mass of pink cornflowers are attracting all the bees.
My snowball bushes (viburnum) have huge blooms this year and are a wonderful reminder of the snowball bush I adored as a child.
The allium are growing well and also are one of the bees favorites.
This delicate white with touches of lilac clematis is outdoing itself this year with masses of petals.
Our sweet Mia is buried nearby and I think of all our special times in the garden and with Annie. My heart still aches for her. I am glad that Annie is close by to watch over her.
If you would like to see more of the garden in full bloom through the months, you can find a full tour right here.
In closing
Decorating Annie for spring reminds me that the most beautiful spaces are often the ones filled with meaning, memories, and simple touches gathered over time. From dried flowers grown in the garden to treasured vintage pieces passed down through family, every corner of the greenhouse tells a small story.
As the sunlight filters through the lace curtains and fresh blooms begin to appear once again, Annie feels less like a greenhouse and more like a peaceful little sanctuary to welcome the new season.
Annie has taught me that the most restorative spaces are rarely the grandest ones. They are simply the ones filled with things that matter.
I hope this little tour brought some peace into your day. You deserve a quiet corner of beauty too. Tell me in the comments what does your sanctuary look like?
A little retain therapy…
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Thank you
Thank you as always for staying until the end. I am so very grateful for your support.
I appreciate the beauty of the “greenhouse” and decor, but it is NOT a greenhouse. A greenhouse has a very specific purpose which is the reason for the word “green” (as in growing). What you have is simply a showcase of a decorating theme, albeit in a “greenhouse”, but when I started to read the article, I expected something entirely different. Structurally, you could call it a greenhouse but functionally it is not. If you had at least mixed the purposes and had a reasonable amount of potted, growing, and green plants, then I would agree. Frankly, you didn’t even try. I know it’s splitting hairs and we certainly can agree that both views are valid, by design, and as used. But you should have had growing plants for coherency…
Hello John Smith
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. I appreciate that you have a traditional view of what a greenhouse should be and that is completely valid.
I do want to gently point out that the title of this post is Spring Greenhouse Decor with Vintage Cottage Charm — so the decorating focus was announced right from the very beginning. I also included a dedicated section explaining that this spring things are a little different here — specifically because heating a single-paned greenhouse through late winter has become very expensive. That context was shared openly and honestly.
As for growth — it is here, just not in the way you might expect. Every flower in this space tells a story of growth. The dried flower garland and the candles were made with a variety of flowers I grew in my garden but also I pressed and dried myself. The basket of dried zinnias on the brick floor was achieved by growing the flowers and preserving them in silica gel. All projects were shared in other posts but links were provided in this post. These are not decorations — they are a celebration of last season’s garden, preserved and honoured.
Annie is named after my beloved mother-in-law who passed away. This spring I was honouring her memory, my garden’s bounty and the simple belief that a greenhouse can be more than one thing — that it can be a place of beauty, peace and remembrance as much as a place of growing.
I will also say that this post was featured on Redesign Daily which is where I believe you came across it. Redesign is a platform whose entire purpose is to inspire creative and unconventional thinking in home and garden design. Doing things differently is not a flaw here — it is rather the whole point. I am glad this was not what you expected. Sweet Valley Acres is not here to do the expected. It is here to be creative, meaningful and inspiring. Anyone can put a potted plant in a greenhouse. I wanted to do something that moved people.
I hope you will find other posts here that resonate more with you & I genuinely wish you a beautiful garden season.
Why apologise? The structure is called a greenhouse/glass house, how you use it is up to you, your time and resources …it’s not lying idle…
Thanks so much Helen! I appreciate you supporting my vision and voicing it. You are right! I have never had a comment like John’s before so it was a surprise and felt I should address it. Our little Annie nurtures seedlings, but also celebrates every holiday with decor. I am thankful my husband built it for me! Happy gardening!
Stop nit picking, a green house or more correctly a glass house is the structure.