Spring greens

Shamrock green is not my favourite colour: it is too, well, too green. I am more of a sherbet lime girl myself, but then that is what is great about green - it comes in a mass of hues, with something to suit all tastes. Just look at the diverse greens of nature, from the electric acid stems of young shoots to the silvery grey-greens of lavender plants.

Green is also good as an adaptable colour around the home. Fresh spearmint bluegreen colours, for example, look good in light and airy modern kitchens, or as tiled detail in slick, gleaming chrome wetrooms.

By contrast, Farrow & Ball's classic mint green can give a retro feel, while Dulux and Sanderson can deliver a wide range of paint finishes to suit both Georgian fogeys looking to dress up panelled period interiors or patio lovers wanting to brighten a garden bench or fence.

On the fabric front, zingy acid-green details on curtains, cushions or ceramics look very contemporary when used as shots of colour against whitepainted walls. There are jewel-bright cotton velvets at the Conran Shop and the lime-green version is an expensive must-have at £30 a metre, but running up as a couple of cushions is a worthwhile investment.

For the bathroom, check out the acid-green towels and wash bags at Designers Guild, one of the best shops in town to seek out fresh and modern prints and plains with spring green influences.

Simple striped green tickings from Ian Mankin are classic yet have a stylishly utilitarian feel and look great as blinds, cushions and chair covers. I have just ordered some for a couple of loose covers to give the greasy-fingered and child-battered armchairs in our television room a spring look. I also have my eye on a luxurious wool felt from Kvadrat that would look stunning on a small upholstered chair or as floor cushions.

If you are feeling creative, dye plain white cotton in a fresh green - see the range from Dylon to find one to suit your tastes - and make up a simple loose cover.

As the days lengthen, enjoy a family picnic on the beach (Camber Sands, sheltered by dunes, is near to London) and take one of Sue Holt's waterproof-backed woollen picnic blankets in a gorgeous lime green.

Equally colourful is a useful picnic basket from Graham & Green, perfect for the baguettes and bagels.

Stylish spring flowers are a real visual and sensuous tonic and widely available from supermarkets and florists. Among the best are hyacinths in green-painted flower pots, or in small white pudding bowls.