Publisher's Letter

Well, spring has sprung, and if you are like me, the blooming flowers and warmer temperatures act like a magnet pulling us outdoors. On sunny days, I am spending as much time as possible outside. There’s so much to do, there truly isn’t enough time to fit it all in. Even when my schedule prevents me from enjoying a full day outdoors with my daughters, I’ll plan just enough time for us to walk a nature trail at Assateague Island, take a stroll on the Boardwalk, visit a nearby playground or swing in to Dumser’s for a refreshing, tasty treat.  

My affection for the outdoors is now enhanced by my new favorite hobby – gardening. I love a wide variety of flowers, especially roses because they are timeless and elegant. I am partial to geraniums, too, because they remind me of my favorite small Southern towns, Charleston and Beaufort, SC. My three-year-old daughter, Evelyn, enjoys gardening too – and when we’re able to spend quality time together in our little garden, she knows just what to do. Evelyn has a special spot in our laundry room that houses her plastic shovel and bucket, kneeling towel and my personal favorite, her Dora The Explorer gardening gloves – too cute! And when her attention strays from our project, she politely excuses herself and ventures off into the yard to collect “flowers” – dandelions to you and me.

There are also some very nice settings in this issue’s special section, “The Great Outdoors,” including a wonderful garden retreat at the home of Georgette and Paul Smith in Rehoboth Beach. We explore the latest trends in outdoor furniture with the experts from Tyndall’s Casual Furniture, and Sheila Elliott from Sunsets Casual shares insight on how to protect your exterior furniture and accessories from wear and tear. This section also contains landscaping wonders created by Land Escapes and Yard Designs, as well as answering questions about planning for a paver patio and the great family story about Pool Tech and its founder, Bill Culver.

I hope you’ll become a fan of ours on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. We’ll be giving away Coastal Style Publishing Group beach bags to lucky winners who do! Thanks for reading Coastal Style and I hope you have a host of opportunities to enjoy your favorite aspects of The Great Outdoors this year!

All the best!