July brings a wave of garden pests out in force. Heat and lush growth are exactly what they want, and a few of them can strip a tomato plant or hollow an iris rhizome in a matter of days. Catching them early is most of the battle.

Something shifts in the garden around July. The spring rush of aphids and slugs settles down in many gardens, and a tougher, hungrier crew takes over. Some tunnel out of sight, inside stems and rhizomes, doing their damage before you notice. Others arrive in swarms, or as a single caterpillar big enough to strip a plant overnight. Warm nights and dense foliage are just what they want, and a bed that looked spotless in June can take a beating before the trouble is obvious.

Knowing the common garden pests likely to show up this month makes them far easier to stop, since most do their worst while nobody's looking. The six here hit both edible and ornamental beds, and each has a tell — a specific kind of damage, or a spot it likes to hide — that gives it away early. Catch that, and treatment is usually simple.

6 July Pests, and How to Shut Them Down

One rule cuts across all of these: early action beats cleanup, every time. By the time the damage looks dramatic, the pest has usually moved on or multiplied. Catching the first signs is the whole game.

1. Squash Vine Borer

A squash plant thriving one day and collapsed the next almost always points to squash vine borer. The adult is a clearwing moth that looks more like a wasp, laying eggs at the base of squash and zucchini stems in early to midsummer. The larvae bore straight into the stem and hollow it from the inside until the vine can't move water — hence the sudden collapse.

Look for a small hole near the base ringed with sawdust-like frass. Prevention wins here, and a floating row cover from Amazon over the young plants keeps the moth from laying in the first place — it just has to come off once flowers open for pollination.

If a borer's already inside, sometimes you can still save the plant. Slit the stem lengthwise, dig the grub out, then mound moist soil over that spot so the vine roots again above the injury and keeps feeding itself.

2. Tomato Hornworm

For something that can reach 4 inches (10cm), the tomato hornworm is shockingly easy to miss. It's the exact green of a tomato stem, with a soft spike on its tail, and it feeds fast — a couple can defoliate a plant and start on the fruit in a day or two. The droppings give it away before the caterpillar does: dark pellets on the lower leaves, bare stems up top. Handpicking at dusk works well.

Editor Kathleen Walters’ favorite way to spot them is with a UV (black light) flashlight! They light up neon-green when you shine a black light, available from Amazon, around your tomato plants in the dusk or dark. No more hiding hornworms!

For a heavier run, the go-to spray is Bt from Amazon. It's a naturally occurring soil bacterium that affects only caterpillars, harmless to everything else. One exception: a hornworm studded with white rice-like cocoons should be left alone. Those are parasitic wasps, and they are already handling it for you!

3. Iris Borer

The worst of an iris borer's damage happens underground, out of sight, which is exactly what makes it so destructive. Eggs laid last fall hatch in spring, and by July the larvae have tunneled down the leaves into the rhizome and hollowed it out. That opens the door to bacterial soft rot, which finishes the job: a firm rhizome turns to foul-smelling mush.

Early on, watch for water-soaked streaks or ragged notches along the leaf edges. No spray reaches them once they're inside, so this one comes down to sanitation. Cut and destroy old iris foliage in fall to kill the eggs before they overwinter. Divide clumps every few years and toss any rhizome that's gone soft.

4. Phlox Bug

Tall garden phlox is a July staple, and the phlox bug times its arrival to match. The orange-and-black adults and their nymphs gather on stems and leaf undersides, piercing the tissue to drink sap. The result is a stippled, mottled look — pale flecks and yellowing that curl the leaves and warp new growth, sometimes stunting the flower heads before they open.

Since they feed in groups, a quick shake over soapy water takes out a lot at once. For a real colony, insecticidal soap from Amazon sprayed onto the undersides where they hide does the trick, though it only works on direct contact. Clearing plant debris in fall removes the eggs they leave behind for next year.

5. Japanese Beetles

The traps sold for Japanese beetles are, counterintuitively, one of the worst things you can hang in a yard. The pheromone lure pulls in far more beetles than it ever catches. The beetles are hard to miss otherwise: metallic green and copper, about half an inch (1cm) long, feeding in groups through July on roses, beans, grapes, plus many more plants. They skeletonize leaves, chewing out the soft tissue and leaving a lacy web of veins.

Hand-picking is the most effective fix (as low-tech as that sounds). Knock them into soapy water early, in the cool of morning when they're sluggish. For the long game, treating the lawn for grubs thins out next summer's crop.

6. Spider Mites

Hot, dry, dusty weather is a spider mite's ideal world, which is why they tend to explode in July. They aren't insects at all, they're tiny arachnids. Spider mites a barely visible, so what most people notice first is the damage: fine pale stippling across the leaves, then a dull bronze cast as it spreads. Webbing strung between the leaves turns up later, once they're established.

Because they aren't insects, plenty of general bug sprays do nothing to them. What works is water and oil. A hard blast from the hose knocks them loose, and neem oil from Amazon smothers the rest. Raising the humidity around the plants helps, too.

Dang it's getting hot out there! The first six months of 2026 were the hottest ever measured in areas of eight states, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned we're not going to see any let-up anytime soon: it forecasts above average temperatures pretty much everywhere through to August. That means a tough summer for our gardens, but there’s plenty we gardeners can do to help our plants in a heatwave.

With water restrictions already sweeping across the US, taking preventative steps now will give plants the best chance of survival. But before we dive into the nine ways you can help plants cope with extreme heat, let's take a quick step back to look at how the forecasts are predicting this summer will pan out in your area. That way, you can tailor the measures to your garden and what you're growing, and ultimately help plants survive. And to do that, we need to take a quick peek at what's driving this extreme weather.

You Need to Know About El Niño

El Niño is part of one of the strongest natural climate patterns in the world, where warm water that usually heads towards Asia shifts east towards the Americas, causing the Pacific jet stream to move south.

While the current extreme heat in North America isn't directly caused by El Niño, this Pacific weather pattern officially declared underway in June certainly contributes heavily to it. Forecasts show a high certainty of a strong El Niño bringing an intense and volatile period of weather this year, with several sources aligning to suggest it could become the strongest El Niño event in modern history. And that means our gardens may be facing their harshest season yet.

Expert forecasts predict 2026 will see a particularly extreme El Niño, and data suggests this event will cause a significant disturbance in global weather patterns. The WMO gives a 90% likelihood of it continuing until at least November. While El Nino happens every 2–7 years, the last strong event on record was in 1877–78, fuelling conditions that led to global drought and famine which killed over 50 million people. "We need to prepare for a potentially strong El Niño event – which will exacerbate drought and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves both on land and in the ocean," stated WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo last month.

How Will it Affect Your Garden?

Land and air surface temperatures are expected to be above normal everywhere.

Northern states and Pacific Northwest are expected to experience hotter, drier conditions than normal, so gardens will require more irrigation. Southern states will also experience hotter temperatures but are likely to see wetter, stormier conditions as fall approaches, which may lead to flooding and saturated soil. More cloud cover can slow the development of fruit, and warm, damp conditions are conducive to fungal disease.

High temperatures without rainfall can also degrade soil, depriving plants of essential nutrients. It also creates good breeding conditions for insects, so we can all expect to see increased numbers of pests, with heat-stressed plants more vulnerable to the more frequent attacks.

Another secondary threat is the heightened risk of severe wildfires, as we saw in the droughts of 2012.

How to Help Your Plants in a Heatwave

Now you know what you're up against, you can decide which of these protective measures you should take now to help your plants deal access the nutrients and moisture they need to survive, and stay strong in the face of pests and disease. Put these in place now, and you'll find it much easier to help plants in a heatwave.

You'll find links to products sold by a certain national retailer so you can see exactly what product type brings best results, but do support your local businesses.

1. Mulch Borders, Beds and Planters

Adding a 2 to 3-inch-thick layer of organic material on top of your garden soil will help even out the effects of weather extremes. There are all sorts of mulching materials to choose from. Homemade compost is ideal, or buy a manufactured mulch such as Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch created from shredded wood or Organic Expanding Mulch made of coconut husk chips, both available from Amazon.

In drier states, a denser mulch is better at moisture retention, and shields soil from the heat of the sun to keep temperatures lower. This not only conserves moisture for your plants to stay hydrated, but protects against intense heat which can degrade beneficial microorganisms in the soil.

In southern states where bouts of heavy rainfall is predicted later on in the year, a more open mulch of bark chips will help drainage and prevent soil erosion. This will also slowly rot down to improve the structure, and so the drainage, of your soil.

Use a bow rake with short tines like this from Amazon. The forked side will quickly spread the mulch, then flip the rake over to level the surface with the flat side. Keep the mulch away from plant bases – it shouldn’t touch any stems as it may cause them to rot; a hand rake such as this from Amazon is a handy tool to achieve this in congested borders.

2. Guard Against Fungal Disease in the South

Warm, wet weather provides just the right conditions for fungal diseases such as mildew to flourish. There’s plenty you can do to guard against them, however.

Your number one preventative measure is good airflow, so ensure you’ve snipped the essential plants to prune in July, and be ruthless when you’re thinning seedlings so there’s no congestion. Another smart move is to spend 5 minutes a day deadheading fading flowers to remove damp, decaying matter where pathogens thrive. This also gives you the opportunity to regularly check your plants for the first signs of any fungal disease – and catching it early means you can quickly deal with the issue before it spreads.

During dry periods, always aim to water the soil rather than the plant itself, to keep foliage and flowerbuds dry. If you can’t avoid getting the plant wet, then watering first thing in the morning means it will quickly dry.

3. Weather-Proof Pots & Hanging Baskets

Any standalone volume of soil is vulnerable to weather extremes, heating up rapidly and quickly becoming saturated or dehydrated. And the smaller the volume of soil, the more at risk it is.

There are several things you can do to make life easier for plants in pots and hanging baskets. For a start, the bigger the pot, the more resources a plant has to access, so consider repotting your patio flowers and foliage up a pot size. This doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor – buy one large planter to move your biggest plant into, then shift the next biggest plant into the newly-vacant container, and so on.

Repotting also brings the opportunity to refresh the soil in your planters. Using a moisture control potting mix such as this from Amazon helps guard against both too-dry and soggy roots, as excess water is captured then slowly released. You can achieve a similar benefit by mixing coconut coir such as this from Amazon into any regular container potting soil. Coconut coir is just one magic ingredient you can add to hanging baskets to help them flourish, too.

Even if you’re not repotting, refreshing the top few inches of soil in your planters will nourish plants so they’re better able to cope with whatever the weather throws at them.

In southern states, raising pots on risers such as these from Amazon will improve drainage once storms hit.

4. Shade Crops

In the face of relentless dry heat, many crops will fail so, if you’re growing veggies in the north, consider shading them from the midday sun. A shade cloth of 30–50% such as this on Amazon will shield them from extremes but still allow plenty of sunlight through, and there are all sorts of sizes available, including kits for raised beds. To attach a cloth securely, choose one with grommets and use shade sail hardware such as this from Amazon to fix it place; tarp grips such as these from Amazon are also handy.

When you’re working out the details of where to place your cloth, remember that you’re not aiming to block out all the sunshine, just shade your crops for a few hours in the middle of the day.

If you have a greenhouse, it’s also worth covering the roof and south-facing wall with a shade cloth. And if your patio bakes in the sun, then your pots (and probably you too!) will appreciate some extra shade.

5. Irrigate Efficiently

Mandatory water restrictions are already in place across many US states but whether or not you’re affected, irrigate wisely for your plants’ sake.

Watering early in the morning before the sun climbs high in the sky means there’s less evaporation, so more water will get to your plants’ roots.

Delivering water via a drip irrigation system is around three times more efficient than using a hosepipe. With the water directed straight to the roots, at a slow rate, there’s far more absorption and much less evaporation. Many self-assembly kits are available, and plenty are tailormade for patio pots or raised beds. Do choose a system such as this from Amazon that delivers water directly to the ground, and not via mister sprays, though.

Using terracotta pots to DIY your own efficient watering system is another alternative. Topping pots with LECA clay balls keeps compost moist for longer, and you can even train some plants to be more drought tolerant.

6. Choose Resilient Plants

Some plants need a lot of looking after, while others tolerate a wide range of conditions. In a heatwave summer, you need the latter. So, if you're adding to your garden, or need to replace a plant that's already kicked the bucket in this intense heat, look to drought-tolerant beauties that practically grow themselves. There are plenty of low-maintenance perennials that thrive in patio pots, too, and shade plants that thrive on neglect.

Whatever you choose, do research its care needs before planting. Put the right plant in the right place and it'll be well-suited to its environment from the get-go, so will be better able to cope with weather extremes.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/tomato/keep-tomato-plants-producing-all-summer-with-these-pro-growing-tips

7. Understand How Heat Affects Particular Crops

While high heat levels may mean your flowering plants deliver a few less blooms, the repercussions are more serious when it comes to veggies. Hot weather can drastically impact your yield and, in a year when food prices are predicted to rise as a result of uncertain cropping, that's especially disappointing.

Know how heat adversely affects whatever veg you're growing, however, and you can take action to mitigate it. For example, take tomato plants, which can really suffer as the mercury rises. But planting basil alongside to strengthen their stress response is just one of many tricks professionals use to keep tomatoes cropping all summer. Tomato flowers increasingly fail to pollinate as summer temperatures heat up, too, but is easily overcome by using an electric toothbrush.

Choose heat-hardy vegetables that don't wilt in unrelenting sun for quick summer crops, too.

8. Support Your Garden Ecosystem

During periods of high heat, outbreaks of garden pests occur more frequently. Dry soil doesn’t transport nutrients as well, and doesn’t keep roots supplied with moisture, so your plants will be less able to tolerate attacks, too. At the other end of the spectrum, spells of wet weather will bring perfect conditions for abundant slugs and snails.

While pesticides may temporarily get rid of pests, they’ll also eliminate the beneficial critters that eat them, setting up a vicious circle that will only benefit the creatures you don’t want in your garden. A far better long-term solution is to support your garden ecosystem for pest control, creating habitat and food to bring a self-regulating balance of wildlife into your garden.

9. Look After Yourself, Too!

It's not just your plants that get stressed in this intense heat – you do too! So while it's a smart move to put these protective measures in place, do take a few savvy shortcuts to cut your garden chore time in a heatwave so you can put your feet up in the shade. After all, your plants need you now more than ever.

We have enough to do in the summer months, from daily watering chores and weeding to keeping bird feeders full. So saving time wherever we can is always a win. The last thing a gardener needs is yet another maintenance task on that never-ending list when you’d rather spend more time enjoying the garden.

One of the best parts of creating your very own backyard oasis is attracting and watching birds. Along with providing food and shelter, adding a bird bath is one of the most helpful things you can do for feathered visitors. But as temperatures rise in summer, bird baths get dirty fast. Keeping on top of algae buildup, cloudy water, and frequent scrubbing turns this relaxing hobby into another chore.

Fresh water is vital for keeping birds happy and healthy, but luckily, there is a simple way to cut down on maintenance and give you more time to enjoy your backyard visitors. Say hello to the Mellbree Bird Bath Purification Disc. This affordable Amazon find harnesses copper's natural properties to help keep bird bath water cleaner for longer.

How Copper Bird Bath Discs Work

Inspired by the old trick of adding a copper penny to a bird bath, these discs offer a more effective way to help keep water cleaner. Copper is naturally antimicrobial and slowly releases tiny amounts of copper ions into the water. These can help inhibit algae and other microorganisms, so the bird bath stays cleaner for longer.

While it won't eliminate the need to periodically empty and scrub your bird bath, it can help keep the water cleaner and clearer between refills, reducing the amount of scrubbing needed throughout the summer.

Costing just over $10, it’s a budget-friendly solution, and this two-pack from Amazon offers even better value. Use both if you have more than one bird bath, or keep one and share the other with a neighbor or friend. Chances are, they don’t enjoy scrubbing bird baths any more than you do. It also makes a thoughtful gift for any gardener and is something they’re unlikely to already own.

For even better results, pair a copper disc with a small solar fountain, like this Mademax design. The moving water helps increase oxygen levels, making it more difficult for algae to establish while also attracting more birds to your garden.

A bonus is that moving water discourages mosquitoes from laying their eggs, creating a healthier and more inviting bird bath for your backyard visitors. Better yet, the copper disc won't interfere with bird bath fountain pumps or bird bath heaters, so you can use it year-round.

How to Install

I found the disc incredibly simple to install. It only takes a minute to set up, making it one of the easiest upgrades you can make to your bird bath.

Start by giving your bird bath a thorough cleaning, removing any algae, bird droppings, and debris such as fallen leaves. Refill it with fresh water, then peel off the blue protective film from the copper disc. Place the disc in the bird bath with the three raised nodules facing down so they rest against the bottom of the basin.

That's all there is to it. It's almost surprising how such a small, simple disc can make caring for a bird bath so much easier. With almost 3,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, it seems like many gardeners are happy with the results and appreciate how easy this little upgrade is to add to their backyard bird setup.

While the copper disc won't eliminate the need for some maintenance, it can help keep the water cleaner for longer, meaning you'll likely spend less time scrubbing during the summer months. Instead of frequent deep cleanings, routine maintenance may be as simple as removing leaves and other debris, giving the bird bath a quick rinse when needed, and refilling it with fresh water for your feathered visitors.

Compatibility

As a word of caution, while this copper disc is compatible with most bird bath materials, including ceramic, concrete, stone, and properly coated metal, there are a few considerations for metal basins.

If using the disc in a metal bird bath, the inner protective coating must be fully intact and free from scratches, peeling, or damage. Exposed metal surfaces, such as stainless steel, iron, or other alloys, may react with copper ions in the water and increase the risk of galvanic corrosion. A damaged or deteriorating coating can also accelerate copper oxidation, so it’s best to avoid using the disc in any metal bird bath where the protective finish is compromised.

Build a Better Backyard Bird Oasis

A bird bath is just one part of creating a welcoming space for backyard birds. To make your garden even more inviting, consider adding a few simple upgrades that can help attract more feathered visitors and create a backyard habitat they’ll enjoy.

If summer heat bothers you in July, just think what all those scorching daylight hours do to a mama or papa hummingbird. We’re always glad to see them back in summer, but do you ever stop to think about the stress and strain of the hummingbird lifestyle in summer?

In July, the chicks are hatched and hungry, and the parents need to get them fed and to feed themselves. But that’s not all. Hummers have to get regular water as well, defend their nests, and teach their young how to feed.

While it’s great to ask how to attract hummingbirds to your yard, the more important question is how you can help them get through this hot period and prepare for the Great Hummingbird Migration that begins in August. To paraphrase President John F. Kennedy, “Ask not how to get the hummingbird show into your yard, but what you can do for these tiny creatures.”

Here are the five most important steps each of us gardeners can take to help out these gorgeous, hovering superbirds in July.

1. Change Out Feeders Every Few Days

Did you know that hummingbirds need to eat at least every hour, and sometimes as often as every 15 minutes? You have probably admired their navigational abilities and how they can fly sideways, backwards, and hover. These adaptations help them get to all of the nectar available – each bird can visit over 1,000 flowers each day! But these acrobatics are also very energy intensive.

Hatchlings need almost as much food as adult birds, but, in July it is often the mother that provides. She brings not just nectar but also insects to the babies, leaving and returning to the nest at least 200 times a day. That makes hummingbird feeders important in keeping the mother bird’s energy up.

So make up the hummingbird nectar properly – sugar and water is fine or you can buy premade nectar from Amazon. But the trickier part is to remember to change the food well before it’s gone. You need to clear out old food, clean the feeder to keep it free from harmful bacteria, and replenish it. The food spoils faster when it’s hot, so a daily cleaning in July is not out of the question. Clean at least twice a week.

2. Install a Misting Water Feature

Providing liquid food is great, but hummers also need to cool down. While a bird bath works fine for bigger birds like robins, hummingbirds rarely dip into a bath. What they really love is mist. You may see them outside in the morning, appreciating the rising fog and morning dew.

So July is a great time to install a small water fountain in your bird bath for your hummingbirds. There are even solar-powered fountains for birds available for under $10 on Amazon.

Hang the fountain in a shady location and watch the birds flock over to cool off. One option to consider is the weeping fountain, where a thin sheet of water moves over the edge of a concrete basin. You want the water shallow enough to be safe for the tiny birds.

3. Protect Hummingbird Nests

Who among us wouldn’t love to be able to peek into a hummingbird nest to watch the eggs turn into hatchlings? Resist that impulse even if an accessible nest appears in your yard. Make sure nobody – including your kids – removes branches or a leafy canopy in order to get a better view.

Like every species on earth, hummingbirds have enemies – and they are so small that, despite the fierce energy of competing male hummers – they are largely powerless to fight off attackers. So help them by leaving up branches and other protections. Keep the cat inside and the kids under control when you are hosting a hummingbird family and turning your yard into a hummingbird hangout.

4. Move Potted Flowers to the Shade

If you're anything like me, you think as much about your hummingbirds as you do about yourself when you are planting containers for the patio. I always make sure to plant trumpet-shaped and tubular flowers that hummingbirds adore in pots on the porch.

What I only recently learned was that, as summer heat rolls in, hummingbirds need to spend more time in the shade than the sun. They may perch in shade or, if there are nectar-rich plants in the shade, they prefer these to flowers in the sun.

Now I always take the time to move some flowering container plants into the shade in the heat of summer. Even dappled shade from a landscape tree works well. I’m also trying to select flowering shrubs that are dense for the backyard since they carry their own shade on the interior of the plant.

5. Add Perches for Hummingbirds

You can even go one step further and provide perches for hummingbirds in shaded spots, like an adorable DIY hummingbird swing or a hummingbird perch from Amazon. But this idea is more than just cute. It can really help the birds in a heatwave.

During a heatwave, few of us rush outside to tan. It’s just too hot to be comfortable. The same is true for hummingbirds. They seek out shade to get out of the sun, hide from predators, and conserve their energy. Hummingbird swings and perches can fill that need. Hang them from low tree branches in a shady spot, then watch and wait for the hummingbirds to come.

Watering a plant less might sound like neglect, but done deliberately, it does the opposite. The right approach pushes roots deeper and builds real resilience, so a plant can ride out a dry spell that would have wilted it before.

It sounds like wishful thinking, or a shortcut for people who forget to water. But there's real science behind the idea that plants can be coaxed to get by on less. The trick isn't a special product or gadget – it comes down to how and when the water gets there, and what that teaches a plant's roots over time. Change the watering habit, and you can shift how a plant handles dry weather.

Not every plant will cooperate, and the whole approach leans on choosing drought-tolerant plants with the genes for it to begin with. Still, a lot of ordinary garden plants have capacity they never get to use, simply because they're watered too often to develop it. The idea is to coax that capacity out – not to force a plant past what it can handle.

What Drought Training Actually Means

What’s being trained is the root system, not the plant itself. When water always sits near the surface, roots have very little reason to grow deeper, so they stay shallow – and a shallow-rooted plant wilts the moment the top inch (2.5cm) of soil dries out. Water deeply and less often, and the roots will normally follow the moisture down instead, building a deeper network that draws from a much greater reservoir of soil.

There's a second piece to it, as well. Plants grown just a touch on the dry side can often adjust how they manage water, developing a slightly thicker and waxier coating on their leaves, tightening control over stomata – those pores that release water vapor. This helps them hold moisture for longer.

None of this rewrites a plant's genetics, though. A thirsty species stays thirsty at its core, so training helps build resilience within a plant's natural range rather than turning a water-lover into a desert survivor.

The Deep-and-Wait Method

The method is almost boringly simple: water them deeply, then wait. A deep soak means wetting the soil down 6–12 inches (15–30 cm), and not just dampening the surface, which draws roots downward after it. This is where a soaker hose helps (I recommend this Gilmour one from Amazon), trickling water out slowly enough to soak in rather than sheet off the top.

Then comes the more difficult part for most gardeners – leaving it alone until the soil has dried out several inches down.

Knowing when it's time is where a quick check pays off. Push a finger a few inches (7–8 cm) into the soil: if it's dry down there, water, and if it's still cool and damp, wait a while longer. If you'd rather not dig around, this trusty Xlux soil moisture meter reads it in seconds.

One word of caution: don't slash an established plant's watering overnight. Ease off gradually over a few weeks so the roots have time to adjust and grow, instead of getting shocked into dropping leaves. The goal isn’t to let plants repeatedly wilt – severe drought stress weakens growth and can lead to pests or disease. You’re aiming for mild drying between deep waterings, not prolonged dryness.

Deep Watering Tools

Plants That Can Be Trained to Need Less Water

This technique works best on plants built to handle it. Established trees and shrubs are the most ideal, along with deep-rooted perennials, since they have the root architecture to reach down and use the moisture below. Native plants matched to the local climate tend to respond well, as do your ornamental grasses and Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and thyme, since they evolved in lean, dry ground. Most succulents barely need any convincing at all. Their drying out between drinks is closer to their natural rhythm than constant moisture is.

The one word that matters most here is “established”. A plant needs a mature, healthy root system before you start pushing it to stretch, which usually means at least a full season in the ground. Lawns fit the same pattern: watering deeply once or twice a week, rather than a daily sprinkle, drives grass roots down and produces turf that stays green far longer between rains.

Plants That Won't Play Along

Plenty of plants will only suffer under this approach, so it helps to know which before you experiment. Seedlings and anything newly planted need steady, consistent moisture to establish, and withholding water there isn't training – it's just stress that stunts or kills them. Moisture-lovers won't adapt either. Ferns and many tropical houseplants are wired for constant dampness, as is anything native to a bog or streambank, and letting them dry out only brings crisping leaves and slow decline.

Food crops are their own case, though. Most vegetables actually need even, reliable watering to produce well, and letting tomatoes swing between bone-dry and soaked gives you cracked fruit and blossom-end rot, while leafy greens turn bitter and bolt under drought stress.

Container plants are the other exception, for a purely physical reason – a pot doesn't hold enough soil volume for roots to grow as deep as they would in the ground, and they lose moisture faster. The deep-and-wait method that works in the ground just leaves a potted plant dry and struggling.

Setting the Whole Space Up to Need Less

Training plants goes further when the whole setup supports it. A few inches (5 to 8cm) of mulch over the soil slows evaporation and keeps roots cooler, so whatever moisture is down there lasts longer between waterings. A couple bags of shredded mulch, like this CountryMax shredded hardwood, will cover most beds and break down into the soil over time, improving its structure as they go. Working compost in does something similar from below, since soil rich in organic matter holds water like a sponge instead of shedding it.

Grouping plants with similar water needs is another quiet advantage, since it keeps the thirsty ones from dragging the tough ones onto a heavier schedule than they need.

Beyond that, the honest shortcut is matching plants to the spot in the first place. A garden built around species suited to the local rainfall barely needs training at all, because those plants were already going to thrive on less.

Whenever I walk past one of those picture-perfect front yards, I automatically assume the homeowner spends every weekend pruning, feeding and fussing over their plants. How else could the shrubs be so perfectly shaped, something always be in bloom and the whole space look so effortlessly elegant? (Jealousy, I know, doesn't look good on anyone, but I just can't help it).

The funny thing is, the more I've learned about gardening, the more I've realized that many of those designer-looking landscapes are built around some of the easiest shrubs you can grow. Honestly, they're the reliable workhorses of the plant world, quietly putting on a spectacular show while asking for surprisingly little in return.

As summers get hotter and life gets busier, that's exactly the kind of gardening I want. I'm a mum to two tiny tearaways, I have deadlines coming out of my ears, and I'm 100% more interested in plants that look like they've taken hours of careful planning than ones that actually require hours of maintenance.

Which means, yes, I've done the research for all of us. Buckle up, buttercups!

These Gorgeous Shrubs Make Your Garden Look Expensive

As it turns out, the secret to finding the most beautiful shrubs for your garden isn't choosing the rarest or most expensive varieties; rather, it's about picking easy flowering shrubs with strong structure, beautiful foliage and long-lasting seasonal interest.

So, if you're dreaming of a yard that looks as though it belongs on the cover of a gardening magazine (but have zero intention of turning gardening into a second job), then these seven shrubs are a brilliant place to start.

1. Oakleaf Hydrangea

If I could recommend just one shrub for instant curb appeal, oakleaf hydrangea would be high on the list. Huge cone-shaped flower clusters steal the show in summer before gradually aging to soft pink and tan, while the distinctive oak-shaped leaves turn breathtaking shades of burgundy, crimson and bronze in fall. And, better still? It's widely touted as the one hydrangea to plant if you want more songbirds in your garden.

Native to the US, it's wonderfully adaptable once established and thrives in partial shade with surprisingly little fuss. Even in winter, its peeling cinnamon-colored bark adds another layer of interest. And, if you go for something like this Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea from Nature Hills, you're in for a truly stunning display.

2. Panicle Hydrangea

Is it cheating to have two hydrangeas on the list? Possibly, but hear me out, as very few shrubs make a statement quite like a panicle hydrangea in full bloom.

Massive flower heads emerge creamy white before gradually taking on blush pink and antique tones later in the season, creating months of color. And, unlike some hydrangeas, panicle varieties flower on new wood, making pruning refreshingly straightforward and reducing the risk of accidentally removing next year's blooms.

It would almost be rude not to have one, right? Especially one so pretty as this Vanilla Strawberry™ Panicle Hydrangea from Nature Hills.

3. Virginia Sweetspire

Virginia sweetspire is one of those shrubs that can and will earn its place every single season. In late spring, elegant cascades of fragrant white flowers spill from its branches, while glossy green foliage transforms into fiery shades of orange, red and purple as temperatures cool.

It's also one of the easiest native shrubs to grow, happily tolerating damp soils, periods of drought and even partial shade once established. Go for the Fountains Of Rouge™ Virginia Sweetspire from Nature Hills and watch the butterflies come a-flocking.

4. Korean Spice Viburnum

If there’s one shrub that makes visitors stop and ask what smells so good, it’s Korean spice viburnum. In spring, rounded clusters of pink buds open into intensely fragrant white flowers that perfume the entire garden, while the naturally tidy, rounded shape gives it a polished, professionally landscaped look.

Unlike many flowering shrubs, it needs very little pruning to stay attractive. The glossy green foliage looks neat throughout summer before turning rich shades of burgundy and red in fall, giving you multiple seasons of interest from one remarkably easy-care plant. Go big and bold with the Spice Girl® Korean Spice Viburnum from Nature Hills.

5. Lilac

Few shrubs announce spring quite as spectacularly as a mature lilac. Its fragrant flower clusters and graceful branching instantly make a yard feel established, as though it's been thoughtfully landscaped for decades rather than planted just a few years ago. I have one in my garden and it's one of the hardest working shrubs (no, strike that: one of the hardest working plants all round) out there.

Despite its elegant appearance, lilac is remarkably easygoing. Give it full sun and well-drained soil, and it will reward you with clouds of beautifully scented blooms each spring while asking for little more than occasional pruning after flowering. And plant the Scentara® Double Blue Lilac from Proven Winners if you want double blooms!

6. Beautyberry

Another one of my favorite shrubs, the beautyberry in my own garden completely steals the show every single time fall rolls around. Quickly, its branches become wrapped in vivid clusters of electric-purple berries that seem almost too bright to be real.

Birds love the fruit, while gardeners like myself love the unforgettable splash of color it brings just as many other plants begin winding down for the season. And, you know, the fact it barely requires me to lift a finger to keep it alive.

Go for the Pearl Glam® Beautyberry from Proven Winners if you want dark purple foliage from spring right through til frost (and why wouldn't you?).

7. Ninebark

Last but not least, ninebark is one of those shrubs that works hard all year long (aka the devil works hard, but ninebark works even harder). Depending on the variety, you'll find rich burgundy, golden or deep green foliage, clusters of delicate spring flowers and beautifully peeling bark that provides texture even in winter.

Exceptionally tough and adaptable, it's one of the easiest shrubs to grow while still delivering that same elegant look that always makes professionally designed landscapes feel so polished. Which is, let's face it, the dream, and more than enough reason to buy yourself a Tiny Wine® Ninebark from Nature Hills.

Three Easy-Breezy Shrubs To Fall In Love With:

What all of these shrubs have in common isn't just that they're beautiful (although, obviously, that plays a big part; looks really are important in the world of gardening!), it's that they provide structure.

Think about it: professional designers rely on shrubs to anchor planting schemes because they create shape, texture and year-round interest, allowing flowers and perennials to shine around them.

Choose just one or two of these dependable performers, then, and resist the temptation to overcomplicate your planting. I suspect you find that, as they mature, they become the key to your garden looking spectacular for countless seasons to come.

If you love to laze in water in your backyard, fragranced plants will take your al fresco R&R to a whole new level, whether that's in a pool, hot tub or a garden bathtub. Yes, you read that right, a bathub! For years, I dreamed of having an outdoor bathtub – a secret garden retreat where I could spend evenings soaking peacefully under the stars, immersed in nature with a cold drink and a good book. So, when I spotted an antique cast iron bath online for $50, I snapped it up. It had seen better days and was more shabby than chic, but I sanded down the outside and gave it a coat of Dark Brunswick Green (by Little Greene in Intelligent Exterior Eggshell finish).

Creating a wood-fired tub was a step too far for me so, so whenever I fancied a relaxing garden bathe, I simply ran a hosepipe from a hot tap indoors to fill up the bath. It was so lovely taking long, luxurious baths outside. I listened to tree leaves gently rustling in the breeze, watched bats flit across the sky and allowed the warm water to ease my tired muscles at the end of long days. But I soon realised something was missing: scent.

To take outside bathing to the next level, I needed to plant the area around my tub with perfumed blooms, so I could lie in a mist of floral fragrance.

I set about moving the evergreen shrubs that surrounded the tub, and replaced them with heavenly scented plants to transform my garden bathing space into a spa-like sanctuary.

Whether you have a garden bath like me, or a backyard pool, a hot tub – or even just a restful little corner with a homespun water feature where you like to sit in the evenings – these sweet-smelling plants will be perfect for you, too. The strongest scents are released in the evening of a hot summer’s day, as night falls and the air cools, just at the point your garden beckons you for a well-earned rest. Many night-scented plants intensify their scent production as temperatures drop and humidity rises, conditions that allow molecules to linger rather than drift away rapidly. Some plants are even pollinated by moths, so have evolved evening fragrance to attract them.

Here are the scented flowers I planted around my bathtub, and why you should add them to your garden so you can relax in a sea of blissful scent, too.

1. Honeysuckle

Buried somewhere underneath a vigorous Virginia creeper behind my bathtub is a climbing honeysuckle vine with trumpet-shaped blooms and a sweet, musky fragrance. Strongly perfumed and non-invasive, Lonicera periclymenum ‘Scentsation’ is an absolute joy, and is available from Fast Growing Trees.

My parents had a huge honeysuckle arch in their garden when I was a child, and I have such fond memories of sitting underneath it. It’s strange how the power of scent can do that, in the same way that music can, instantly transporting us to other times and places.

2. Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’

Rose scent varies so much from fruity to floral, lemon-fresh to honey-sweet, you can choose a rose to match your favorite perfume to fill your garden with a scent you already adore. My all-time favorite is English pink shrub rose 'Gertrude Jekyll' from David Austin Roses, named after the famous garden designer and writer Gertrude Jekyll. It has an old-fashioned rose fragrance that’s super-strong and it’s a classic cottage garden plant – one that flowers again and again if you deadhead it regularly and prune it back in late winter.

If I’m feeling particularly romantic, I sometimes pick a rose and sprinkle the fragrant petals in my bath water to elevate my evening soak to the status of a sensuous summer ritual. I'm a firm believer that roses are an essential part of any garden, and another that I’ve been admiring and sniffing in a friend's garden has crept onto my garden wish-list. ‘Jude the Obscure’ is another David Austin rose and it smells deliciously of guava.

3. Mock Orange

Known as Philadelphus, mock orange is an elegant flowering shrub with the most exquisite sweet scent, reminiscent of orange blossom. It grows pretty big – up to 3m high – so it needs plenty of space and it doesn’t flower for very long, but when the creamy white blooms do blossom, the fragrance is so potent that it floats across the whole garden.

Its leaves grow on arching stems which can get a bit unruly, so you’ll need to cut it back every year to stop it taking over. Or be smart and choose a compact dwarf cultivar such as Philadelphus ‘Illuminati Spice’, available from Jackson & Perkins.

4. Jasmine

With clusters of dainty star-like flowers, climbing jasmine creeps and trails all over the fence beside my garden bathtub. This plant loves a warm, sheltered spot with plenty of sun and, although it doesn’t make a huge impact visually, it releases a musky, honey-like perfume every evening which drifts delicately on the air.

There are 200 varieties of jasmine, which is related to lilacs and forsythia. My favorite is common Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) as I find it to be the most heavily scented variety. It climbs really quickly, too, so it’s great for covering an unsightly wall or fence. Star jasmine, also known as confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a slower-growing jasmine that's also very fragrant and it thrives in sun or shade; plants are available from Fast Growing Trees.

5. Lavender

Lavender attracts pollinators and looks pretty all summer long, and the scent it emits is immense, too. Inspired by a visit to a lavender farm in the Cotswolds in England, I planted a bushy dwarf English lavender Lavendula Angustifolia ‘Hidcote'. It has silvery-grey foliage and deep-violet flowers plus the most beautiful scent. Because it's right beside my bathtub, I can reach out and squeeze the flowerheads to release an extra burst of fragrance whenever I want.

Lavender contains compounds like linalool and linalyl acetate which lower heart rate, reduce stress and ease anxiety, so breathing in the scent physically helps me relax.

6. Daphne

Beloved by bees and butterflies, daphne is an understated shrub that flowers in the spring and is the first plant to fragrance my bathing area each year. The overwhelming scent is an intense rose-citrus perfume, so powerful that I can often smell Daphne before I even see it.

To prolong the joy, look for reblooming varieties such as ‘Eternal Fragrance', available from Nature Hills, so that blissful scent lasts for as long as possible.

7. Salvia Nachtvlinder

With a strong, sweet, blackcurrant fragrance, I have planted aromatic Salvia x jamensis 'Nachtvlinder' right beside my garden bath to enjoy its fruity scent as I take a relaxing soak. The name means ‘night moth’ in Dutch, which I love – and this plant really does come alive after dark scent-wise, and the fragrance flutters around the whole garden.

Both the dark purple flowers and the leaves of this salvia smell absolutely delicious. Sometimes my feet brush against it when I’m stepping in or out of the tub, which releases even more punchy perfume into the air. The best thing about salvias is they are so easy to take cuttings from, so I now have this salvia in patio pots, in my veg patch and I gift it to friends, too.

This perennial is pretty hard to track down but absolutely worth it, and is stocked by Annie's Annuals & Perennials.

Self-seeding flowers carry a reputation for taking over, and some earn it. Plenty don't, though. A handful of well-mannered reseeders drop just enough seed to return each spring on their own, filling gaps without ever staging a takeover.

There's a particular kind of magic in a flower that plants itself. Set it out once, it blooms and drops seed, and come spring a fresh crop pushes up right where the old one faded. No digging, no reworking the bed — it just shows up. The catch plenty of gardeners have run into, though, is that a fair number of self-sowers don't know when to quit, turning a neat border into a tangle by the third summer.

The good news is that not all self-seeding plants behave that way. Some scatter only a modest amount of seed, come up in politely small numbers, and pull easily wherever they land somewhere unwanted. The six here fall squarely into that camp. They return on their own year after year, but stay roughly where they were put.

6 Self-Seeders That Stay Put

One thing to sort out first. With re-seeders, telling next year's seedlings from weeds come spring is half the battle. The volunteers pop up in odd spots, and it's easy to hoe out a flower by mistake. A set of plant labels from Amazon marking where each one went in saves a lot of second-guessing. Past that, most of these ask for next to nothing.

1. Columbine

Columbine (Aquilegia) is one of the better-behaved re-seeders you can tuck into a shady spot. The flowers nod on thin stems, spurred at the back, and they come in just about every color. Left to settle, a plant sheds a little seed each year — enough to keep it around, not so much that it starts crowding the neighbors.

It leans toward partial shade and soil that drains freely, and it's hardy clear down to zone 3, coming back from the same crown each winter rather than starting over from seed the way the annuals do. Volunteers lift easily while small, so a narrow hand trowel from Amazon turns relocating a stray seedling into a two-minute job. Trimming spent stems slows the sowing if it ever runs ahead of you.

2. Calendula

People mostly grow calendula (Calendula officinalis) for the petals — edible, a little peppery, decent tossed in a salad. What gets missed is how easily it reseeds. It blooms in warm oranges and yellows through the cool shoulders of the season, then drops its odd curved seed to sprout on its own the next spring.

Technically an annual, it behaves like a returning fixture across zones 2 through 11. The parent plants die off, but their offspring reliably step in. That reach into zone 2, matched only by love-in-a-mist plants here, makes it about the coldest-tolerant pick on the list.

Full sun and average soil suit it fine. Deadheading stretches the bloom but also curbs reseeding, so leaving a few late flowers to ripen keeps the cycle going without letting it sprawl.

3. Love-in-a-Mist

Wispy, thread-like foliage and papery blue flowers give love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) an almost weightless look in a border. After bloom, the flowers give way to inflated, horned seed pods that are half the reason to grow it — and the source of next year's plants.

A hardy annual, it self-sows dependably from zone 2 clear up to 11, and never really makes a nuisance of itself doing it. Full sun, soil that drains — that covers what it needs. One quirk: the seedlings hate being moved, so it's best to let them come up where they fall. If a patch gets too thick, thinning by hand is easier than transplanting anyway

4. California Poppy

By August, plenty of drought-tolerant plants look half-cooked, but California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) doesn't. It keeps pushing out silky orange cups through the hottest, driest stretch, right when most everything around it has checked out for the season. It reseeds freely in the lean, gritty soil it favors, yet stays easy to keep in check and unwanted seedlings pull with a light tug, roots and all.

Hardy in zones 6 to 10 and perennial at the warm end of that range, it's a strong pick for sun-blasted spots. It wants no fertilizer and barely any water once established. And if it ever wanders further than you'd like, a quick pass with garden snips from Amazon over the seed heads before they open keeps next season in check.

5. Sweet Alyssum

You usually smell sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) before you spot it. That honey scent carries a good distance. It grows in low mounds, tiny white or pale-purple flowers by the hundred, spilling over a path edge or the front of a bed from spring right through fall. Reseeds itself the whole while, quietly. In the warmest gardens — zones 9 to 11 — it settles in as a short-lived perennial, coming back year on year; everywhere else it returns from its own dropped seed.

That zone 11 ceiling also makes it the clear heat champion of the group — nothing else here handles a summer that punishing. It's undemanding, happy in full sun to light shade with regular-to-dry soil. Shearing it back midseason revives tired plants and keeps the reseeding modest instead of overzealous.

6. Blanket Flower

Blanket flower (Gaillardia) takes the extremes in stride — the summer that bakes a bed hard, the winter that freezes it solid, both. The red-and-gold daisies keep flowering from early summer until frost finally shuts them down, and pollinators work them the entire time. It reseeds at a measured clip. Enough to stick around, never enough to run wild.

It handles zones 3 to 10, a remarkable span for one plant, and asks only for full sun and soil that isn't soggy. Overwatering is about the one way to lose it. Leaving a few seed heads standing into fall keeps volunteers coming and gives the birds something to pick at through the lean months.

Enjoy these easy-going, re-seeding garden champions and get ready to have gorgeous beds year after year!

Every summer, I find myself looking at my lawn and asking the same question: why am I working so hard to keep it green? Surely there has to be a pretty lawn alternative that can do the hard work for me?

Confession time: my lawn is far from a pristine patch of emerald perfection. There’s a well-worn path where the dog charges back and forth, dry patches that appear after every spell of hot weather, and we’re gradually expanding our flower beds to reduce our overreliance on grass. Because, in very hot weather, lawn care is a nightmare to keep on top of.

We all know that traditional lawns are very demanding. And all of that mowing, watering, fertilizing and more feels like a lot of effort for something that offers relatively little back to wildlife compared with a more diverse planting scheme. Especially if it’s all going to go sad, brown, and crispy the moment temperatures climb.

That being said, sometimes you still want a green space for children to play, to spread out a picnic blanket on a summer evening, or just to make your neighbors green with envy over. So, yes, I started avidly researching which lush lawn alternatives that could offer the best of both worlds.

This Pretty Lawn Alternative Laughs Off Heatwaves

If you want the very best lawn alternative out there, microclover is the one that’s caught my attention, and not just because it has the verdant appearance of a traditional lawn. Not, it’s because it is better suited to warmer conditions and requires less maintenance once established.

That’s right; this pretty lawn alternative creates a natural-looking carpet, needs less mowing, helps improve soil health and produces small flowers that are useful for pollinators when allowed to bloom. All of which means, if you’re not ready to dig up your entire lawn (or simply want to make a tired patch more resilient) microclover could be one of the easiest ways to create a greener garden.

Microclover is exactly what it sounds like: a smaller-leaved version of white clover that's been bred to create a lawn-like carpet. Unlike standard clover, it blends seamlessly into a landscape, giving you a lush green finish without looking wild or untidy. And, while many traditional cool-season grasses can turn brown during dry spells, microclover often keeps its rich green color for much longer thanks to its deep roots and impressive drought tolerance.

It also grows much more slowly than a typical lawn, which means you'll spend less time pushing a mower around and more time actually enjoying your yard. Like other clovers, too, it captures nitrogen from the air and returns it to the soil, naturally fertilizing itself and even helping nearby grasses if you choose to grow a mixed lawn.

All of which means, yes, less fertilizer and fewer chemicals. Sounds a dream come true, right?

If allowed to flower, microclover produces delicate white blooms that become a valuable food source for bees and other pollinators. But, if you prefer the look of a classic lawn, just give it a quick mow before flowering.

Like any living groundcover, it is worth noting that this lawn alternative will appreciate occasional watering during prolonged drought and may not stand up to constant heavy foot traffic quite so well as some turf grasses do. (If your yard doubles as a soccer field every weekend, basically, you may prefer mixing microclover with grass rather than replacing it entirely).

For most family gardens, though, it’s an attractive compromise between a thirsty traditional lawn and a completely natural meadow. And if you aren’t sold? Don’t worry, as I have three more options for you to choose from...

Three More Lawn Alternatives

As our summers continue to warm, I have a strong suspicion that we’re going to see more gardeners questioning whether a traditional lawn is really worth the effort. And sure, microclover won’t be the right fit for every yard, but for anyone hoping to spend less time mowing and more time enjoying their garden?

Well, it’s a pretty compelling alternative!

If you have a long, narrow garden, it's likely that your outdoor space feels as if you have far less square footage than you actually do. While the planning stage is important when designing any outdoor space, it's especially important when you're working out how to make the most of a plot that's far longer than it is wide. Because there are plenty of clever ways that landscape designers use to make these corridor backyards feel far larger, that you can achieve yourself.

The challenge with this yard shape is to interrupt the view that runs down the garden to the end of the plot, so everything isn't seen immediately. By not revealing the whole of the garden as one continuous design, you add elements of exploration, surprise and mystery, making a garden more interesting and distracting from the plot's shape.

Reconfiguring the space creatively to offer partial glimpses beyond with carefully conceived sight lines is just the first step. Visual tricks that distort perspective to make the garden feel wider, and draw the eye across the space rather than straight down it, are also key. Using airy plants to create natural screens bring movement as well as staggering views, and dividing a long garden into distinct areas with different purposes brings outdoor living benefits, too.

So, if you're wondering how to design a long narrow garden to make the most of your space, here's all the inspiration you need.

1. Zone the Space to Distract From its Shape

Landscape designers often break up a long narrow garden into separate spaces or 'rooms', each with a different purpose such as a dining space and outdoor kitchen (like this design by Will Williams), relaxation area, zone for quiet contemplation, or utility space for tools and a shed. The size and shape of each 'room' should support and reflect the importance of the purpose it will be used for. Alternatively, the different areas can be compartmentalized according to what you grow in them, such as a vegetable garden, shade garden or wildflower patch.

With this style of design, it's really important that you don't fully enclose each 'room' but give a hint at what's going on further down the garden. The open-slat pergola defining the cooking and dining space in this garden is a perfect example. The idea is to create anticipation and offering a distraction from the narrow dimensions, without giving it all away at once.

2. Use Curves to Create a Meandering Journey

Another way of breaking up a long narrow plot is to introduce curves like this garden created by landscape designer Tom Hoblyn. An offset winding path in a pale sand or gravel tone is a great way to draw attention away from the linear boundaries and create more of a meandering journey through the garden. The curved theme in this design is continued with flowerbeds and raised beds.

An offset path is an easy idea to replicate, and one of the most effective landscape design tricks for a long, narrow garden. Think about adding a curving path to your garden together with raised beds and flower beds that have curved edges too, so they smudge the straight lines and layer up interest with grasses and tall, airy flowering plants.

Curves slow down movement through any space and create a more naturalistic, fluid, explorative feel compared to a straight view of the garden, too. They work particularly well in a long, narrow garden because your eye will naturally follow the curves from side to side, creating the illusion of wider plot.

3. Repeat Circular Shapes to Bounce the Eye Around

Circles are often used in rectangular, square and long plots to soften linear boundaries and introduce flow to the design. You can test this out for yourself by looking at this garden for a few moments: it's likely that your gaze from sphere to sphere. You probably looked across the image from fence to fence, too, rather than focusing on the summerhouse at the end of the garden first.

To create this effect in your garden, simply place multiple circular features so they overlap. Incorporate landscape features such as circular lawns, island flowerbeds, dining circles and round patios into the design, then add plants and accessories with circular or spherical shapes. Here, the table and hanging chair add to the strong circular look that's picked up in the planting by globe alliums and clipped evergreen balls.

Stylish Circles

4. Downplay Boundaries with a Dark Color

When it comes to color ideas for a long narrow garden, consider dark shades for boundary walls and fences, like the one featured in this design by Angus Thompson. Disguising a boundary with dark paint is just one of many clever tricks landscape designers use to make a small garden yard look bigger that you can DIY yourself.

Dark colors absorb light rather than reflecting it, so black or other dark colors visually push back the boundaries of your yard, making the space feel more open. Dark foliage will also contribute to this effect, tricking the eye into thinking a space is bigger than it really is, and this is such an easy way to bring depth and spaciousness to any garden. As well as retreating into the background, a dark boundary will highlight planting, too. For a durable black paint that delivers long-lasting color and protection try Evolve Barn and Fence Black Paint, available here at Amazon.

While black fences blend into the background shadows, making it difficult to see exactly where the garden ends, by contrast light-colored fences clearly define the perimeter of your garden, and draw attention to any limitations. So, by using a lighter tone for the end boundary at the bottom of your garden, too, you'll magically make a long plot appear squarer.

6. Stagger Planting to Create Natural Screens

Using planting as a screening device on alternating sides of the garden obscures the line of sight, causing the boundaries of a long narrow garden to disappear. It's a form of creative screening that has multiple uses, and no one will have a clue where the garden starts and stops.

It's a case of thinking diagonally. The idea is to alternate wide, generous planting beds with lavish planting on each side of the garden, so your attention moves from side to side. Staggered planting beds will also blur hard boundary edges and restrict views down the garden. It's a good way of including natural landscaping ideas, where everything can become a little more relaxed. Tall but airy plantings of ornamental grasses and flowering perennials such as Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies' will let light pass through so the garden doesn't feel blocked in.

Another method of adding planted dividers to the garden is with trellis ideas that cut across the width of the space. Clothed with fast-growing vines that won't scramble out of control like jasmine and honeysuckle, they'll create leafy screens.

7. Place Containers Strategically to Play With Scale

Pushing plants out to the edges and leaving an elongated rectangle of lawn down the center of the garden simply emphasises its long, narrow shape. Instead, try drawing attention away from the boundary with supersized containers, strategically placed away from the garden edges. Potted up with big shrubs or small multi-stemmed ornamental trees such as Japanese maple, these will be become focus garden features.

There are many beautiful drought-tolerant perennials that thrive in containers, too, or ornamental grasses typically do well in large pots. As they mature, the stems will help to obscure the sight line too. Or how about combining the two, with a small tree underplanted with smaller perennials? Containers are a great opportunity to add plants that you might not want to plant in the ground in a smaller garden, such as this clumping bamboo from Nature Hills. It grows up to 10 feet tall, making it perfect for screening, but flourishes in a container.

Do go big though, as a big plant in a big container plays with the sense of scale in a narrow garden, bringing the vibe of a much larger plot.

Another landscape-designer trick with containers in a long, narrow garden is to place a second pot that's smaller but of the same design closer to the house. Your brain will presume the containers are the same size and your garden will instantly feel shorter and wider.

Small Trees That Are Happy in a Large Container

8. Create an Inviting Destination Point

A common design trick with this shape of garden is, rather than positioning the focal-point outdoor living patio or deck directly next to the house or at the end of the plot, locate it two-thirds of the way down. As well as encouraging your gaze to stop travelling down a long garden at this point, positioning a main seating and relaxation area here, with a comfortable outdoor sofa and a fire pit to gather round, allows you and your family and guests to enjoy several different views of your backyard – all of which are shorter than if you were sitting at either end of it.

Frame the space with a pergola, add a DIY water feature or choose a wow-factor accent plant that landscape designers love, and the destination seating area becomes even more of a garden focus.

The stunning planting and curved seating area in this design by Tina Worboys is the perfect example of how to create a destination seating area that doubles as a garden feature.

It's a good idea to add a further, smaller destination point at the end of the garden, and perhaps one just outside the house, too. These should be quiet, cosy spaces to linger and relax. Think of a nook where you can get away from it all and enjoy a moment's solitude, a surprise element in your garden design that is slowly revealed.

9. Use Repetition to Pull the Design Together

Repeating planting, colors, shapes or landscaping materials adds cohesion to any garden, but that's a particularly important factor in a long, narrow garden design, especially if you're compartmentalising it into different zones or 'rooms'. Planting with repetition brings harmony, and is a trick that landscape designers use in practically every garden to pull the design together.

Planting with repetition also punctuates the garden, especially if you combine it with the new color rules used by landscape designers when choosing a planting palette. This encourages you to make connections and pause on your journey through the garden, again creating a meandering path rather than a linear one. As garden design tips go, it's a super-easy technique to capitalise on that will add a professional looking finish, too.

Now find out about the key garden trends for 2026 to give your refreshed garden design the edge.

As summer days pass, blooms in the garden come and go. One of the biggest and most beautiful floral displays each summer comes from hydrangea bushes. These beloved flowering shrubs come in an ever-expanding array of varieties and cultivars. But no matter what type of hydrangea you have in your landscape, eventually their billowy blooms fade.

That’s when the question arises, “Should you cut off dead hydrangea flowers?” Learning how to prune hydrangeas is a vital part of growing thriving shrubs that put out tons of huge blooms year after year. But cutting back plants the wrong way or at the wrong time can hurt your hydrangeas or prevent them from blooming.

Deadheading hydrangeas in summer after they’re done flowering has its benefits, but is it really necessary? I’ll walk you through whether or not you really need to make the cut now and how to do it the right way, if you’re tired of looking at those dead brown blooms.

Why Are My Hydrangea Flowers Turning Brown?

In the middle of summer as temperatures soar, you might notice your hydrangea blooms are starting to turn brown and crispy. This could be a sign that your plants are suffering from heat stress or that it’s time to water your hydrangeas. But sometimes a hydrangea turning brown is just a natural part of its life cycle.

If the only parts of your hydrangea that are dry and brown are the blooms, then your plant is likely finished flowering for the season. In this case, there’s nothing to worry about. The question becomes whether or not you want to leave those faded blooms on your bushes or prune them away for a cleaner, tidier look on your shrubs.

Should You Cut Off Dead Hydrangea Flowers?

It’s not necessary to cut off faded hydrangea blooms in summer, but there are a few benefits to pruning away old flowers. Pruning hydrangeas can sometimes promote a second flush of flowers, depending on the type of hydrangea you have.

If you have a reblooming hydrangea in your garden, deadheading can potentially promote more blooms that will emerge in late summer or fall. But most hydrangeas are not like annuals that will keep putting out new flowers all summer long if you prune away the faded blooms.

The main benefit of cutting off faded hydrangea flowers, however, is keeping shrubs tidy. During a heatwave in the middle of summer, plants often turn brown and crispy from the high temperatures. So pruning off brown hydrangea blooms can help keep your garden looking green and lush.

If you don’t mind the look of the faded flowers on your hydrangea, then there’s no harm in leaving them on the bush. Many gardeners love the appearance of the old blooms and leave them all the way through the fall and winter to add more texture and interest into the garden during the dormant months.

You can then remove them in spring to make room for new blooms. Just be careful not to cut off fresh buds on old wood-blooming varieties like mophead hydrangeas and oakleaf hydrangeas.

How to Deadhead Hydrangeas in Summer

Deadheading hydrangeas is easy. All you need is a pair of sharp, clean pruning shears – these cult-favorite pruners from Felco are a favorite among our team of gardening experts, too. Then simply cut off the faded flowers just above where their stem meets the first set of leaves. You can save the dried hydrangea blooms for crafts, like fall flower arrangements or wreaths.

Stop deadheading hydrangeas by fall to prevent accidentally removing next year’s flower buds on old wood-blooming types of hydrangeas. Pruning plants too late in fall can also stimulate tender, new growth that is easily damaged by winter weather.

Orchids have a reputation for being fussy, but most of what they need in July is simple – it just has to actually happen. Summer is a growth season, even when they're not flowering. Behind the scenes, the plant is banking energy for its next flower spike months down the line. Get the summer care right, and that spike comes in strong. Get one thing badly wrong, and you can quietly cancel next season's show before it starts.

Good orchid care in summer comes down to a handful of small tasks and avoiding that one costly slip. None of it takes long, but you need to get into a good rhythm. Steady, moderate care beats sporadic bursts of attention.

Most houseplant orchids are Phalaenopsis (aka moth orchids), so that's the assumption here, though the advice carries to most common types of orchids. If you want to expand your collection, then other good beginner varieties include Dendrobium and Cattleya orchids – both of which are included in this well-rated five-plant set from Angel's Orchids via Amazon.

1. Get the Light Right – and Avoid the Scorch

This is it. The mistake that quietly costs people their next round of flowers. Never leave your orchid sitting in direct summer sun. The leaves scorch fast – a bleached or browned patch that never heals – and those leaves are the plant's whole engine for powering the next spike. Damage them in July, and it's not just an ugly leaf you're dealing with; it's a missing bloom cycle. Summer sun through a south or west window hits far harder than winter light; a plant that was fine there in January can start burning now.

Bright but filtered is the target. An east window is close to perfect; for anything brighter, a sheer curtain takes the edge off. A self-adhesive portable curtain, like this one on Amazon, lets you temporarily protect plants without drilling. You can just take it down once the high heat of summer has passed.

If you're not sure whether your orchid's light levels are correct, check the leaves. Grassy green is about right; dark forest green wants more; anything bleached or reddish means pull it back fast. Mine sit a couple of feet (60 cm) back from a south window behind a thin curtain, which is the sweet spot in summer.

2. Rethink Watering for the Heat

Orchids drink more in summer, plain and simple. Warmth and active growth dry the bark faster, so the winter rhythm needs to tighten up. Watering orchids on a strict calendar, though, is how roots rot – check first, every time. In a clear pot, silvery-gray roots mean it's thirsty and still-green roots mean wait. No clear pot? Lift it: light means dry, heavy means hold off.

When you water, do it properly – run it through until it pours from the drainage holes, then let it drain fully. The one rule I never break: don't leave water sitting in the crown, that central well where the leaves meet. Trapped there, it invites crown rot, which can kill a Phalaenopsis outright. A quick dab with a paper towel clears any that pools. Morning watering gives the plant all day to dry.

3. Give Them More Humidity

Most orchids come from humid, tropical places and want the air around 50 to 70 percent. Summer works against that, oddly – not the outdoor air, but the air conditioning, which pulls moisture from a room fast. Too little, and the plant shows it: leaves go slightly wrinkled, and developing buds can shrivel and drop before opening. That last one, known as orchid bud blast, stings after months of waiting.

An easy fix is a humidity tray – a shallow water reservoir with pebbles that hold the pot above the waterline, so evaporation raises humidity without the roots sitting in water. This humidity tray from Amazon does just that under a windowsill grouping. Clustering plants together helps too. Misting gets pushed a lot, but it's honestly weak and short-lived, and late-day misting leaves water pooled where you don't want it. If all else fails, use a small humidifier, like this Levoit model.

4. Feed While They're Growing

Summer is prime orchid feeding time – the plant is growing and can use the nutrients. The old grower's phrase is “weakly, weekly”: a regular diluted feed at a quarter to half label strength, not a heavy dose now and then.

A balanced, urea-free orchid food, like Better-Gro Orchid Plus, diluted to under the bottle's suggested strength, is the standard pick. Urea nitrogen isn't much use to a plant rooted in bark.

One important rule to remember: never feed a bone-dry plant. Salts on parched roots scorch them, same as on anything else – water first, or feed right after a normal watering. Once a month, flush the pot with plain water to rinse out built-up salts before they burn the roots.

5. Keep the Air Moving

Air movement is one of those things nobody thinks about until something goes wrong. In the wild, orchids grow in trees with near-constant breeze over their roots and leaves. On a still windowsill in a warm, humid room, they lose that – and stagnant, damp air is where fungal spots and rot get started. A little moving air keeps leaf surfaces dry and the setup far less welcoming to trouble.

A small fan on its lowest setting, aimed to stir the air near the plants rather than blast them, does the job. This Gaiatop Portable Clip-on Fan is ideal – clamp it to a shelf edge, and it moves just enough without drying things out or knocking buds around.

Aim for a gentle drift, not a wind tunnel; if the leaves are whipping, it's too much. A few hours a day suffices.

6. Stay Ahead of Summer Pests

Warm weather wakes up the orchid pests. The biggest summer offenders are usually mealybugs – check for their little cottony white specks tucked into leaf joints. Scale shows up as small brown bumps that scrape off with a fingernail, while spider mites leave fine webbing and a dull, stippled look.

The trick is catching them early, before a handful becomes an infestation. A once-over every week or two does it – flip the leaves, check the crown, and peer into the tight spots.

For a light case, a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol wipes mealybugs and scale right off. Bigger outbreaks want more reach – neem oil smothers soft-bodied pests and doubles as a mild fungicide. A popular organic pick is Bonide Captain Jack's neem oil. Spray it on a cool, shaded evening so it doesn't bake onto the leaves.

Move an affected plant away from the others while you sort it out. It takes no time for pests to jump between orchids sitting shoulder to shoulder.

July Orchid Care Essentials

Are you looking for a carefree summer annual with non-stop blooms for a shady area? If you haven’t tried it yet, now is the perfect time to indulge in Dragon Wing begonias to fill out hanging baskets and containers. The large, green leaves; semi-trailing stems; and pendulous flowers in red, pink, or white are ideal for container culture.

The Dragon Wing begonia series (Begonia hybrida ‘Dragon Wing’) is a garden staple that performs best in partial shade, but also thrives in full sun or full shade. If planted in full sun, it appreciates some afternoon shade in the warmer zones. While it is only hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11, dragon wing begonia is easily overwintered.

I have a shady porch that cries out for begonia varieties, and I usually alternate between dragon wing begonias and the BIG Series wax begonias. They are both trouble free and do well in any light. They simply are must-haves for shady areas where you want low-maintenance, showy blooms that keep on coming.

What Is a Dragon Wing Begonia?

Dragon wing is a cross between an 'Angel Wing' begonia and either a wax begonia or a species begonia, resulting in vigorous traits and superb heat tolerance. It grows from 12 to 18 inches tall and wide (30 to 46 cm), with fleshy stems and 5-inch (13 cm) glossy, green leaves shaped like dragon wings (hence its name). There is also a bronze leaf cultivar.

This shade-loving annual prefers moderate-to-fertile, moist, but well-drained soil. dragon wing begonias can tolerate a short amount of drought as well as juglone, the chemical produced by black walnut trees that causes nearby plants to fail.

Dragon wing begonias are fairly common at garden centers these days, but if you can't find any in person they're available online as live plants from Planet Desert or you can grow them from seeds from Burpee.

Planting Dragon Wing Begonias

Feature dragon wing begonias in containers, hanging baskets, window baskets, landscape beds, or even indoors for a stunning display of colorful flowers and glossy foliage. Choose containers with several drainage holes to ensure excess water is easily drained. If your containers don’t have adequate drainage holes, you can add them with a screwdriver or a drill.

Plant dragon wing begonias in a fertile, well-draining potting mix, like Content Editor Laura's favorite Miracle-Gro mix. Avoid heavy garden soils that may promote stem or root rot. Make sure the plant is not too deep in the soil or it may get stem rot. The crown (where the stems meet the roots) should be at the soil line.

Fertilize begonias when planting with a balanced liquid fertilizer such as 20-20-20, or with a slow-release fertilizer. They will need regular feeding to keep the blooms coming all summer and fall. An organic bloom-boosting fertilizer like this one from Espoma is a great choice.

When growing dragon wing begonias in containers and hanging baskets, one plant soon fills a 10-inch (25 cm) pot. For a 12-inch (30 cm) and wider container, start with three plants.

These flowers look stunning on their own, but if you want to add another plant, choose a spiller plant such as the delicate blooming bacopa, chartreuse creeping Jenny, silver-leafed dichondra or dusty miller, or chartreuse sweet potato vine.

Companion Plants

Dragon Wing Begonia Care

Dragon wing begonias, like all begonias, prefer moist, well-drained soil. It is important, however, not to oversaturate the plants or leave them standing in water. Water begonias when the soil is dry about an inch (2.5 cm) below the soil line.

If you're growing begonias in pots or hanging baskets, they need watering more often than those in the ground. During the heat of summer, check the pots daily for dryness. Whether in the ground or in pots, adding a layer of mulch around the plants will insulate them and help prevent moisture loss.

Feed dragon wing begonias regularly, about every two to three weeks if using a diluted liquid fertilizer and every two to three months if using a slow release granular form, but follow the instructions on the package. Formulas such as 20-20-20 work well, or for an added bloom booster, the middle number (phosphorus) can be higher, such as 15-30-15. Stop fertilizing in late summer so the plant can prepare for winter.

Since the dragon wing begonia is a sterile hybrid that doesn’t produce seeds, it focuses all its attention on flowering. Not only is that a bonus to gardeners, but these everblooming plants are self-cleaning, which means you don’t need to deadhead (cut off the faded blooms). Though little pruning is needed, you may want to trim them for shape now and then or reduce leggy stems.

Common Problems

Diseases to watch out for include botrytis blight, powdery mildew, and pythium root and stem rot. Preventing fungal diseases is key. Avoid watering the leaves and clean up fallen debris in the containers. Avoid heavy garden soil or overwatering. Ensure plenty of air flow between plant foliage.

Pests such as mealybugs, spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies can be troublesome, but a blast of water from the hose will reduce their numbers. Also, remove any heavily infested leaves. Follow that with neem oil, which you can get on Amazon, sprayed on the leaves and stems if needed.

Also note that begonias are toxic to pets and horses. They contain soluble calcium oxalates, however, most of the toxic parts are in underground roots and tubers.

Overwintering

If you enjoyed the dragon wing cultivar you chose this summer, you can overwinter begonias indoors. Cut the containerized plant back by about a third and check it for pests. A blast of water should dislodge any freeloaders. Bring it inside and place it near a bright window. Do not fertilize and water much less than you did outside.

If you don’t want to bring a container plant indoors for winter, you can take 4-inch (10 cm) cuttings to root in water or potting soil to propagate begonias to grow on next year. Wait until the threat of frost is past in the spring before moving your plants back outside. Resume watering and fertilizing and, before you know it, your dragon wing begonia will be back!

If there's one person I always look to for effortlessly outdoorsy style, it's Kate Middleton. Whether she's visiting a garden, walking the countryside or taking on a charity challenge, the Princess of Wales has a knack for dressing for the elements without ever looking like she's trying too hard.

Another reason I keep an eye on her wardrobe? Well, I find it oddly refreshing to see how often she rewears her favourite pieces. Rather than chasing trends, Kate has built a wardrobe around high-quality outdoor essentials that work season after season – a philosophy that's just as sensible for gardeners in the market for protective clothing as it is for princesses.

That all came to a head for me during Kate Middleton's recent Three Peaks Challenge, which saw her raise some serious money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Spending long days outdoors in the height of summer demands clothing that's lightweight, breathable and practical, and every piece of hot-weather gear that Kate chose ticked those boxes and then some.

I Love Kate Middleton's Hot-Weather Gear

The more I looked at Kate Middleton's outfit for this challenge, the more I realised it would make for some pretty stunning gardening clothes, too (at least, it definitely would for me!).

Think about it; whether you're deadheading roses, weeding borders or hauling compost around on a hot afternoon, the same features that make clothing comfortable on a mountain – moisture-wicking fabrics, sun protection and freedom of movement – are just as valuable in the garden.

So, if you're wondering what to wear while gardening during a heatwave (especially as a dress made of ice cubes isn't an option), I'd happily suggest you make like me and take inspiration from Kate Middleton's outfit. Especially as most of the key pieces are available on Amazon, making it surprisingly easy to recreate her timeless outdoorsy vibe.

1. Fjällräven Abisko Wool Top

If there's one piece I'd beg, borrow, and steal from Kate Middleton's outfit first, it's her Fjällräven Abisko top.

Made from a lightweight merino wool blend, it's naturally breathable, moisture-wicking and odor-resistant – all qualities that make a real difference when you're gardening in warm weather.

The golden goose, though? Why, the fact that it also regulates body temperature surprisingly well, helping you stay comfortable whether you're working in full sun or desperately trying to stick to pruning into the shade.

2. HydraPak Polar Sport Insulated Water Bottle

It's easy to lose track of how much water you're drinking when you're immersed in the garden, especially during a heatwave. Don't be that person, and be sure to keep a bottle to hand.

Kate Middleton's insulated Polar Sport bottle helps keep water cooler for longer, making it much easier to stay hydrated through an afternoon of pruning, planting or watering.

3. The North Face Summit Series Pacesetter Shorts

Gardening involves more bending, stretching and kneeling than most workouts, so comfortable shorts are a must.

Kate Middleton's lightweight running shorts are on the pricier side, sure, but they are designed to move with you while drying quickly if you work up a sweat, making them an unexpectedly practical choice for summer gardening.

4. Fjällräven Logo Cap

No summer gardening outfit feels complete without a good cap; it keeps you from squinting into the sun, for starters, and it helps keep the sensitive skin of your face shaded, too.

Naturally, Kate Middleton doesn't just do the classic baseball cap; she wore a stylish Fjällräven version during the challenge. Which means, yes, you can ooze understated Scandinavian vibes while helping shade your face from the strongest midday sun.

5. SCARPA Terra GTX Hiking Boots

These are probably the one item I'd reserve for heavier jobs rather than everyday gardening. If you're clearing brambles, moving paving slabs or tackling uneven ground, supportive hiking boots offer excellent grip and protection.

Oh sure, Kate Middleton favors a stylish pair of hiking boots from Scarpa. Still, I'd be tempted to swap them for a pair of breathable garden clogs for lighter summer jobs.

Look, as I've said already, what I like most about Kate's outdoor wardrobe isn't that it's fashionable, but that it's functional. Instead of buying separate outfits for every activity, she invests in well-made pieces that can be worn again and again, whether she's walking, hiking or spending time outdoors.

That's an approach more gardeners could embrace. A breathable merino top, comfortable shorts, a reliable cap and a reusable water bottle aren't just useful for summer hikes or trips to the gym; they'll serve you just as well when you're spending a sunny weekend in the garden.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some hot-weather gear to add to basket. I'll see you on the other side...

July isn’t a month we usually associate with pruning, but there are a few popular garden perennials that rely on a midsummer cut. And we're not talking deadheading here, but vital plant-shaping, health-giving pruning. Skip this essential July gardening job, and you’ll get far fewer flowers next year, and less fruit, too.

While most plants need pruning just as they awaken from dormancy in late winter or early spring, early-flowering shrubs and vines and many fruit trees need a chop in July. A midsummer snip channels all their energy into growing flowers and fruit, so you’ll get bigger crops and more abundant blooms. A quick chop now also improves air circulation through the plant and allows more sunlight in to ripen this summer’s new stems that will carry next year’s flowers.

And don’t worry, it doesn't take long. Pruning in July is a far quicker, easier task than the fundamental early-spring trim, though no less critical. Everything you need to know to do a great job is right here; I've included product links to a certain national retailer so you can see exactly which tools I'm talking about, but do support your local retailers. Do wait until this current heatwave has eased, too, as pruning puts extra stress on plants – and you! And be sure to give your plants a good water afterwards, to help them recover quickly.

What to Prune in July

1. Wisteria

This vigorous vine needs pruning twice a year. While a heavy prune in winter chops wisteria back to a strong framework, the midsummer trim is what sets it up to flower well next year.

Wisteria grows its glorious flowers on wood that was grown the previous summer. So right now, you need to channel the vine’s energy into flowerbuds, rather than leaving it to focus on all those long straggly stems (known as whips) it’s currently throwing out. Pruning a wisteria in July is straightforward: simply reduce all those whips to five buds or leaf stalks. At this time of year those stems will be soft and green so it’s a quick job with a pair of super-sharp pruning scissors like these from Amazon. If you have a mature wisteria, rather than getting the ladder out, a pair of loppers with telescopic handles like these, also from Amazon, makes life easy.

Snip off any remnants of flower stems and seedpods dangling down, too.

Forget to prune wisteria in July and all the leaves that grow on those whips will block the sunlight that’s needed to ripen the wood sufficiently for it to grow flowerbuds. This trim also steers the vine’s energy into growing the fattest buds at the base of the stems, and keeps its vigorous growth under control.

2. Mock Orange

Early July is your last chance to prune mock orange (Philadelphus) as next year’s flowers grow on this year’s stems. It isn’t essential to prune mock orange every year but a trim will help to keep this shrub healthy and a manageable size. Cut back the branches by about a third, selecting the oldest, woodiest stems to remove, and chop any dead stems at ground level.

Established mock orange stems can get pretty woody so you’ll find it easier to use a pair of curved anvil pruners such as these from Amazon. With anvil pruners, only the top blade does the cutting, rather like a knife on a bread board, whereas both blades on bypass pruners cut, like scissors do. With tough, woody branches, anvil pruners do a better job of cutting without crushing.

Another good option for removing mature stems, especially at ground level, is a pair of loppers such as these from Amazon, as the longer handles allow you to create a greater force. Powered, cordless pruners such as this well-priced pair from Amazon will make light work of it, too, slicing through stems up to 1½ inches thick.

3. Boxwood

It’s a good idea to add trimming boxwood shrubs (Buxus) to your list of July gardening jobs. Fresh boxwood growth is tender, so pruning now gives stems and foliage plenty of time to toughen up before winter arrives. It also brings the opportunity to inspect your shrub closely for any signs of damaging insects and boxwood blight, as they're often triggered by summer heat and require swift preventative measures.

All you need do is remove any stray stems that are breaking free from the shape you want in a summer growth spurt, using a pair of bypass pruning shears such as these from Amazon. Resist the temptation to shear the foliage into a neat shape, as removing that shell of sun-hardened leaves will expose softer, more easily scorched growth underneath, and you’ll likely be left with an unsightly brown – albeit still very much alive – bush.

Be sure to disinfect your pruner blades, ideally between each cut but definitely between plants, by dipping them into isopropyl alcohol like this from Amazon, to avoid spreading disease.

4. Rambling Roses

Unless your rambling rose is a rebloomer, these climbers should be on your list of plants to prune in July. Typically flowering once in June, rambling roses are vigorous growers so a trim now will keep them in shape as well as encourage lots of flowers on healthy new growth next summer.

A pair of long handled loppers like these from Amazon is your best bet to prune roses, both to reach high stems and to keep your hands away from thorns. Do wear protective gauntlet gloves such as these from Amazon anyway, as rambling roses don’t care to be pruned without a little retaliation!

Do be brutal as some rambling rose varieties can put on 15 feet of new growth in a year, creating a tangle of stems and leaving next year’s flowers well above head height where you won’t appreciate their fragrance to the full. Remove a third of the oldest stems, then trim side shoots by two thirds.

5. Apple Trees

While these fruit trees have their main prune while they're dormant, apple trees will currently be taking advantage of the warm conditions to grow fresh new, straggly stems. Removing this will keep the tree’s focus on growing fruit but also improve air circulation to deter fungal disease and allow more sunlight in for a sweeter harvest.

If you spot any suckers emerging from the base of the apple tree, remove these as low as possible, ideally at the root. Get rid of water sprouts (fast-growing vertical stems that shoot up from the branches), too, snipping them off at the point they emerge.

A pair of hand pruners such as these from Amazon will slice easily through this soft growth, or use loppers like these, also from Amazon. If you’re pruning multiple trees, do disinfect blades in between with isopropyl alcohol like this from Amazon, to avoid spreading disease.

6. Lilac

Lilac should be pruned as soon as possible after the shrub has finished flowering. That’s because next year’s flowers will form on stems grown this year – wait too long to prune it, and you risk chopping off those buds. Whichever zone you’re in, your lilac shrubs will be done flowering by July, so if you haven’t pruned it already, start by snipping off all the spent flowers.

Lilac shrubs tend to bloom best on stems that are up to five or six years old – any older than this and they’ll only flower at the stem tips. So, by cutting out some of the more mature stems that are more than 2 inches thick, you’ll keep the shrub flowering at its best. A pruning saw such as this from Amazon makes light work of cutting through thick, woody stems.

Don’t remove any more than a third of growth though. Cut off any weak suckers at ground level, too, using loppers or hand pruners.

7. Plum, Damson and Cherry trees

These stone fruit trees can’t be pruned in winter or spring because of the deadly threat of silver leaf disease. Pruning in late July cuts the risk, and encourages the tree to get busy growing buds that will eventually produce next year’s fruit, rather than lots more leaves.

All you need do to prune these fruit trees in July is shorten long new leafy stems to around five or six leaves from the branch they’re growing from. Leave any new growth shorter than a handspan be.

Always Prune to the Three Ds

Whenever you’re pruning, be it summer, winter or spring, take the opportunity to remove dead, damaged or diseased stems, known as the three Ds of pruning. And don’t worry, even if you’re a beginner gardener and this is your first time pruning. As long as you don’t remove more than a third of a plant’s growth, you’re highly unlikely to kill it, and while there are a few pruning mistakes best avoided, this is a learning process and most plants are very forgiving.

Garden blooms today always seem more important than garden flowers tomorrow. But most gardeners are willing to cut back fading flowers in July to allow new, perfect blooms to grow in.

By July, a perennial garden in full bloom may be starting to fade a bit around the edges. Mainstay plants like roses, hydrangeas and dahlias may have blooms that are overblown, faded or wilting. It may be time for a haircut. Another name for a plant trim in July is deadheading. It’s a colorful term for snipping off blossoms to benefit the plant. In some cases, we deadhead to prevent or delay seed formation, but in July, the primary purpose of deadheading flowers is to get a second wave of blooms.

Grab your favorite pair of pruners (our Editor in Chief Melanie swears by her Felco 2 pruners that can be found on Amazon) and get snipping! Here are five plants to deadhead in July for repeat blooms all summer long.

1. Roses

Let’s start with the queen of the flower garden – the rose bush. Despite their difficult-to-grow reputation, most of us have roses in our garden and still get those thrills when the buds open in spring. Deadheading roses is not a universal rule. If your roses drop their blooms and rebloom after that, they are termed “self-cleaning” and do not need deadheading.

But all the others do better with deadheading, not once, not twice, but regularly throughout the summer. You will doubtless see roses fading in July, and – assuming your species is not self-cleaning – deadheading is just the thing to keep your roses looking beautiful.

Deadheading roses is not a complex garden task. Use clean, sterilized pruners and make a cut on the diagonal just above a five-leaflet stem.

2. Salvias

Unlike roses, salvias tend to spread, so, by July, you are more likely to have 30 blooms than 3. The flower spikes of this tough perennial provide a full-service dining area for a wide range of pollinators including the big three, bees, butterflies and hummers. But by July, the first crop of bright flowers are very likely on the decline.

You want the salvia “blossom factory” producing the vibrant blue and purple blossoms, and deadheading your salvia is the key. Snipping now will not just keep the blossoms coming, it will also make the plant bushier, neater, and stop seed production.

Select declining, leggy, flopping or wilting flower spikes and prune them back with a sterilized pruner. Deadhead flower spikes by cutting the stems back. You want to take off most of the stem, making the cut just above a set of leaves.

3. Hydrangeas

Are your hydrangeas reblooming? If so, you can expect more than one crop of flowers over summer, but that only works if you deadhead the faded flowers. But you don’t have to buy special cultivars to get reblooming varieties. The standard, super-popular bigleaf hydrangeas (think snowballs or lacecaps) bloom are reblooming (also called remontant) and so are mountain hydrangeas.

How does this work? These hydrangeas bloom on both old and new wood. The first flower on the wood produced the prior season. Then, once those flowers mature and fade, they bloom a second time on new, current-season wood.

Deadheading these flowers really does result in an entire new crop of gorgeous flowers. Using a sharp, clean pruner, snip off each fading blossom right above a new set of leaves. New buds will develop and mature in late summer, just as other garden flowers are calling it quits for the season.

4. Coneflowers

Coneflowers, also known by their genus name Echinacea, are staples of the perennial garden. They are so easy to grow it seems that they grow themselves. They are known as the top flowers for rank beginners since it is almost impossible to fail. These pretty, daisy-like blooms lor coneflowers, just seem eager to grow and the blooms can last most of the growing season.

Since these colorful flowers do not usually fade in July, why should you consider deadheading? It relates to their eager ways. They reseed happily, even during summer, and can overpopulate the garden. July is a perfect time to nip this problem in the bud, so to speak. Deadheading coneflowers in July will prevent them from early reseeding.

Deadhead with sharp pruners, cleaned and sterilized. Take out the stems just above the first set of leaves and snip right above them. It’s better to deadhead in July than autumn, since the birds are happy to feast on the seeds of spent flowers in fall.

5. Dahlias

Dahlias might be the most beautiful summer flower you didn't know you needed! These big, lush flowers are total showstoppers and look amazing as cut flowers too. Dahlias bloom all summer long and only stop with the first night frost. The long flowering period makes these sun-lovers extremely popular.

But you can take dahlias for flower arrangements in July - and, at the same time - prolong the already long dahlia season. If the flowers are spent, call it deadheading. Pruning wilting dahlia flowers redirect the plant's energy into putting out more blooms. Otherwise, think of it as harvesting cut dahlia stems to enjoy in your home.

In either case, you’ll want to use sharp, sanitized pruners or gardening scissors. Make a diagonal cut down the stem just above a set of leaves. This type of trim allows the plant to produce new growth from the nodes, and, from that growth, even more blooms through the growing season.

Remember the very first time you used your lawn mower? Remember how easily it cut, and how great your grass looked afterwards? Do you feel like it's just not quite the same these days?

That's because it isn't! Lawn mower blades, just like any cutting tool, get dull with use, and after a season or more of mowing yours are probably well past due for a sharpening.

Dull lawn mower blades don't cleanly slice the grass. Instead they pull and tear at it, leaving behind jagged edges that make your lawn vulnerable to disease and messy looking. So it's obvious that you need to sharpen your lawn mower blades. But how best to do it?

VEVOR Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener

Say hello to the VEVOR Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener (Model KH-DM04). A fully integrated, standalone electric bench grinder station, it brings commercial-grade blade restoration directly to your workshop. It's a little pricier than hand-held options, so let's take a look at what makes it worth the extra spend.

Power

At the heart of this blade sharpener is a robust 2/3 Horsepower (500-watt) motor. It runs at a steady and optimized speed, which gives you a high-torque rotational force that can grind away nicks, rust, and dullness in minutes.

A lot of shop grinders run at over 3400 RPM, which can easily overheat. But the VEVOR sharpener is precision-tuned for blade metalwork. It removes tough material quickly without overheating, and your blades get sharpened without turning blue – a tell-tale sign of ruined heat temper.

High Efficiency

Instead of traditional aluminum oxide wheels that wear down quickly, this sharpener boasts a massive 7-inch, 60-grit ceramic grinding wheel.

Ceramic abrasives are much harder, cooler-running, and more heat-resistant than standard materials. The 60-grit composition strikes the perfect balance between aggressive grinding and a clean, smooth finish. Because the 7-inch wheel offers a large contact surface area, it requires fewer passes. This ensures symmetrical grinding, minimal metal loss, and a much longer lifespan for your blades.

Vibration-Free Construction

The VEVOR blade sharpener is a heavy-duty machine. Weighing in at a substantial 33.3 lbs (15 kg) with a footprint of roughly 17 x 12.6 inches, it has an integrated Q195 steel structure and a solid base. This heavy, rigid design is intentional. It anchors the machine firmly to your workbench, completely eliminating the vibration and wobbling that plagues lighter grinders. The result is a smooth, safe, and hassle-free operation that makes it ideal for handling large batches of commercial blades.

Built-In Blade Balancer

Sharpening is only half the battle; balancing is the other. If you grind more metal off one side of a mower blade than the other, it creates an unbalanced blade. Spin this at high speeds on your lawn mower, and you can destroy spindle bearings, crack mower decks, and cause costly engine crankshaft damage. Not to mention give yourself a very bumpy mowing experience.

VEVOR addresses this critical maintenance step by including a blade balancer. Right after grinding, just drop the blade center onto the balancer to instantly check its weight distribution. This ensures a smoother ride, quieter mowing, and maximum longevity for your mower's engine.

The Final Verdict

A lawn mower is only as good as its blades, so it's essential to take good care of them. You could always get a mount for your drill, or a handheld sharpener, but at the end of the day these aren't going to guarantee the balance and precision that your lawn mower really needs. So go ahead and get the VEVOR sharpener – your lawn will thank you.

This summer's heatwave means it’s getting too hot to garden comfortably, yet your plants need extra TLC to survive the intense conditions. The solution? These pro gardening tips that will not only cut chore time but help your plants through this hot spell.

From smarter watering to avoiding heat-stressed plants, protecting rapidly ripening fruit from birds to keeping your borders flowering abundantly, these 10 pro gardening tricks mean your garden will flourish with minimal effort from you. A heatwave isn’t the time to be doing any jobs that stress plants, either, so leave your essential July pruning until this heat dome has passed. Pause July tasks that involve more work for you, too, such as sowing seeds in midsummer for a fresh burst of color, and concentrate on helping your garden survive the heat.

Once you see how much time these gardening cheats save, and how much happier your plants are, I’ll wager you stick with them even once this heatwave has passed. After all, there’s World Cup football to be watching!

1. Deter Birds With Reflective Tape

Protecting soft fruit such as strawberries, raspberries and tomatoes from garden birds typically involves erecting a fine mesh net over your plants. It’s very effective at keeping your fruit safe but boy, it’s a faff when you need to remove the mesh so you can pick it. And in hot weather, fruit ripens so quickly, that you may find yourself having to harvest every day.

Tying strips of reflective tape such as this from Amazon to sticks or canes stuck in the ground is a great alternative to mesh. No, it won’t protect 100% of your fruit, but it does a pretty good job and it’s far cheaper and much less hassle. Freed from the mesh net, your plants will enjoy more airflow, too, meaning less stressed plants and better harvests post-heatwave.

2. Leave Lawn Clippings as a Mulch

Those grass tips you snip off your lawn whenever you mow are packed full of nitrogen, and they can be left in place to rot down and feed your lawn for free. They’ll also act as a mulch to hold in moisture.

There are a couple of provisos: you need to mow when the grass is dry and, unless you have a mulching mode on your mower, you need to mow regularly so the clippings are short. That shouldn’t create any more work as grass growth slows in dry conditions. It’s a smart move to raise your mower height a notch, too, as slightly longer grass blades will encourage deeper roots that are better able to find moisture. Both of these are simple mowing switches that lead to a healthier lawn.

3. Plug Border Gaps With Hanging Basket Plants

The edges of beds, and in particular raised beds, can dry out very quickly in a prolonged heatwave, making it near impossible for smaller, shallow-rooted perennial plants to survive. You may also get border gaps where perennial growth is more compact than usual due to the heat. A smart solution is to use hanging-basket plants to temporarily fill these bare spots.

Bred to survive life in the arid, exposed environment of a hanging basket and bloom profusely for months on end, these will tolerate heat where others keel over. You can use trailing petunia, calibrachoa and impatiens as groundcover or let stems cascade over raised bed edges, and if you use a bulb planter, it’s super-quick to add plug plants to your garden. Head down to your local garden center and see what bedding plants it has to offer.

4. Weed With a Stirrup Hoe

It’s tempting to ditch weeding altogether in this heat, but believe me, those weeds will be taking full advantage of this hot weather wherever you’re watering. Not only does this mean super-speedy growth, those pesky weeds will be sucking up valuable moisture that could be helping the plants you want to grow to flourish.

The solution is to do a weekly three-minute weed with a stirrup hoe, sometimes called a scuffle hoe, like this tool from Amazon which has an adjustable handle that can be shortened for use on raised beds. A stirrup hoe has a metal loop that you pull through the soil to slice through weeds' roots, which means you can simply leave the toppled weeds where they fall. If you do this every week, it’s really effortless as the hoe head is small enough to whizz around the plants you want to keep.

5. Embrace Chop and Drop

Chop and drop is a relatively new practice that’s become hugely popular in Europe. It simply involves cutting out the compost heap middle-man and dropping pruned plant material directly onto the soil, where it will slowly rot down and provide nutrients. While this method is primarily used when cutting down old herbaceous stems at the end of the growing season, it works equally well when you’re deadheading. So when you're snipping off faded flowers, leave them where they fall.

The benefit of this isn't just saved time, but the fallen organic material will help to reduce evaporation and lock moisture into the soil.

6. Water Earlier to Halt Evaporation

Efficient watering is key in your efforts to help plants survive a heatwave. Irrigate your plants when the sun is high in the sky and the soil has heated up and you’ll lose between 20% and 50% of that water to evaporation. Get out the hosepipe early in the morning, when air and soil temperatures are far cooler, however, and much less water will evaporate. That means you can water for less time and your plants will enjoy the same level of hydration.

Keeping the water stream directed at the soil, rather than as a shower that covers the whole plant, also reduces evaporation.

7. Bury Flowerpots in the Ground

Another trick you can employ to reduce the amount of time you spend watering is to make your own ollas by burying flowerpots in the ground. Pronounced ‘oh-yah’, an olla is an ancient irrigation method that buries porous vessels filled with water to slowly deliver moisture into the soil. This not only cuts evaporation to almost zero, but it’s far faster to aim the hosepipe stream into a pot than it is to try not to disturb the soil too much as it slowly absorbs the water.

Plants will naturally grow their roots towards this reliable, more consistent water source, too. Terracotta pots with saucers such as these from Amazon make great ollas and the bigger they are, the longer they’ll last between filling. Seal the drainage hole with an exterior silicone sealant such as this from Amazon, then bury with the pot rim just above the surface and use the saucer as a lid.

8. Dampen Down Your Greenhouse Every Morning

A bucket of water thrown over the greenhouse floor, or a quick spray of the hosepipe, can save you a ton of time dealing with heat-stressed plants. As the water evaporates, it acts as a natural air conditioner, cooling the air by several degrees. This process also adds moisture to the air, which slows how quickly plants lose water through their leaves, keeping plants hydrated and less stressed, so they’re far better able to deal with all manner of threats.

Daily dampening down also deters red spider mites that typically thrive in the hot, dry air of a greenhouse and suck sap, damaging leaves and potentially killing plants.

9. De-Stress Sun-Baked Patio Pots

Heat-stressed plants need a heap of TLC to keep them alive so, rather than fire-fighting and watering them morning, noon and night, take some preventative action to lower their needs. First, move pots into a partially shaded area to give them some respite from the sun. If that’s not possible, plant parasols such as these angle-adjustable umbrellas from Amazon can create much-needed midday shade, or hang up a sail shade.

Adding a moisture retention mix such as Miracle-Gro Water Storing Crystals, also available from Amazon, to the soil will help keep the plant hydrated between waterings, as will topping pots with clay LECA pebbles to hold onto water.

Grouping pots of plants with the same watering needs together will also save you time – both when you're watering and when you're explaining to neighbors what needs watering, when, if you’re off on vacation.

10. Grow Basil Alongside Tomatoes

Recent research has shown that basil releases volatile compounds that prime a tomato plant’s defence mechanism. So, a tomato plant with a basil plant alongside it will react faster and more vigorously to a threat than one without. So much so, that planting basil with tomatoes can increase yield by 20%. In hot weather, plants are more susceptible to both pests and disease, so beefing up their response will save you a ton of time dealing with problems later on down the line.

Greek basil (Ocimum minimum) is the variety used in the tomato stress reponse study and seeds are available from Amazon.

11. Replace Needy Plants With Low-Maintenance Lovelies

Ok, so this isn't so much a cheat as a change of attitude – but as far as gardening tips for a heatwave go, it's perhaps the most important. More and more of us gardeners are turning towards drought-tolerant plants that practically grow themselves as trad water-dependent plants such as hydrangeas start to struggle in our increasingly hot summers. If you're wondering how to help plants survive a heatwave, then perhaps it's time you did too.

I operate a strict no-diva policy in my garden: I only add low-maintenance plants and if one I inherited starts to struggle, I don’t wait for it to die, but dig it up and advertise it for free on my local online marketplace group so a gardener with more time on their hands can bow to its needy ways. And honestly, that's been the biggest time-saver of all.

I hope all these pro gardening tips save you time and stress in the garden, so you can put your feet up in the shade.

Every summer, I find myself trying to keep the house cool without relying on air conditioning. Closing curtains helps a bit (as does sitting in front of a fan with an ice cream in hand), but I much prefer solutions that work with nature rather than against it.

That's one reason I've become fascinated by those vines that cool your house down. Planted in the right spot, they do the same job as trees for shade, creating a living awning that softens harsh afternoon rays before they reach your windows while adding color, flowers and plenty of wildlife appeal to the garden.

The clever part, though? Why, that comes later in the year. As temperatures cool, these climbers naturally shed their leaves, allowing low winter sunlight to stream back through your windows just when you need the extra warmth and light.

Vines That Cool Down Your Home on Hot Days

It's an old gardening trick that's becoming more relevant as hotter summers become the norm across many parts of the US. Instead of blocking light all year round, deciduous vines like coral honeysuckle adapt with the seasons, helping create a more comfortable home while making outdoor spaces greener and more inviting.

Sold on the idea? Of course you are! For beautiful climbing plants that earn their keep, look no further, then, than these seven heat-loving vines, all of which promise plenty of natural summer shade without sacrificing winter sunshine. Perfect.

1. Trumpet Honeysuckle

A beautiful native vine that proves a practical plant can still be stunning, trumpet honeysuckle produces tubular red-orange flowers throughout summer. Not only does this create a magnet for hummingbirds, its dense green foliage helps block out the harshest rays of the sun and cool your house in the process.

Unlike other varieties of honeysuckle, many of which can be... well, if not invasive, than thuggish, this native species stays much better behaved in the garden. Try something like the Major Wheeler Honeysuckle Vine from Nature Hills, then, and get growing!

2. Climbing Hydrangea

A beautiful native vine that proves a practical plant can still be stunning, trumpet honeysuckle produces tubular red-orange flowers throughout summer. Not only does this create a magnet for hummingbirds, its dense green foliage helps block out the harshest rays of the sun and cool your house in the process.

Unlike other varieties of honeysuckle, many of which can be... well, if not invasive, than thuggish, this native species stays much better behaved in the garden. Try something like the Major Wheeler Honeysuckle Vine from Nature Hills, then, and get growing!

2. Climbing Hydrangea

Vines That Cool Down Your Home on Hot Days

It's an old gardening trick that's becoming more relevant as hotter summers become the norm across many parts of the US. Instead of blocking light all year round, deciduous vines like coral honeysuckle adapt with the seasons, helping create a more comfortable home while making outdoor spaces greener and more inviting.

Sold on the idea? Of course you are! For beautiful climbing plants that earn their keep, look no further, then, than these seven heat-loving vines, all of which promise plenty of natural summer shade without sacrificing winter sunshine. Perfect.

1. Trumpet Honeysuckle

A beautiful native vine that proves a practical plant can still be stunning, trumpet honeysuckle produces tubular red-orange flowers throughout summer. Not only does this create a magnet for hummingbirds, its dense green foliage helps block out the harshest rays of the sun and cool your house in the process.

Unlike other varieties of honeysuckle, many of which can be... well, if not invasive, than thuggish, this native species stays much better behaved in the garden. Try something like the Major Wheeler Honeysuckle Vine from Nature Hills, then, and get growing!

2. Climbing Hydrangea

If your priority is cooling a sunny wall or window, climbing hydrangea is hard to beat (I should know; I have one sprawling over my own fence!). Its large, overlapping leaves create a thick green curtain during summer, helping shield your home from intense heat. And, come fall, it drops its foliage, allowing precious winter sunlight back through.

It is slow to establish, but once mature it becomes one of the most impressive shade-producing climbers you can grow. Pick up a Climbing Hydrangea from Nature Hills, stat!

3. Virginia Creeper

Look, it gets a bad rep, but we all know that if you need coverage quickly, Virginia creeper delivers. This vigorous native vine can rapidly cover trellises, fences and walls with lush green leaves before transforming into a fiery display of red and purple in autumn. Its dense summer canopy makes it particularly useful for shading hot walls and windows, but it all comes with a caveat: keep on top of pruning! It is an understatement to say that this very enthusiastic grower appreciates a little guidance.

You can pick up Virginia Creeper Live Bare Root Plants from the CZ Grain Store via Amazon easily enough.

4. American Wisteria

For a romantic garden feel, look no further than the standout star of Bridgerton, I say! Yes, it's hard to beat wisteria trained over a pergola or arbor, and American wisteria in particular produces fragrant flower clusters that form a leafy canopy (aka welcome shade during the hottest months).

Unlike the better-known Asian varieties, this native option is far less aggressive. Try the Amethyst Falls Wisteria Vine from Nature Hills if you want a truly beautiful vine that cools down your home and keeps pollinators buzzing.

5. Passionflower

Fast-growing and full of personality, passionflower brings both beauty and function to summer gardens. Its intricate flowers attract bees and butterflies, while its vigorous leafy growth can help create a temporary living screen for fences, pergolas or sunny spots.

This vine doesn't just cool down your home on hot days, though; in colder regions, it dies back in winter, returning when temperatures rise, and allowing light to flood your home when you need it most. Buy a passionflower from Amazon, then, and enjoy.

6. Grapevine

Grapevines have been used for centuries to create shady outdoor spaces, and for good reason. Their broad leaves form an effective summer canopy over pergolas and patios, while their fabulous fall color and edible fruit add heaps of extra appeal.

Once the leaves drop, too, winter sunshine can reach your home again. Something like the Canadice Seedless Grape Vine from Nature Hills should work a treat!

7. Common Hop 'Comet'

If you want dramatic summer coverage quickly, ornamental hops are worth considering. This vigorous deciduous vine can scramble up supports and create a dense leafy screen in a single growing season.

It dies back completely in winter, making it ideal for gardeners who want summer shade without losing winter light. Just be sure to provide a trellis for clambering purposes!

Shop Trellis & Help Plants Reach Dizzying Heights:

By shading windows, walls and patios during the hottest months, leafy climbers are a great way to reduce the amount of solar heat entering your home.

It's a simple gardening trick that's been used for generations, but as summers become longer and hotter across much of the US, it's one that's well worth revisiting.

The devil works hard, basically, but a well-chosen deciduous vine works even harder! Use yours to cool down your home on hot days, and you'll never look back.

If there are gardeners out there who look forward to heatwaves, I haven’t met them. It’s pretty awful to wake up to a hot morning when the heat just keeps getting hotter as the day goes along.

Many popular garden plants make it through a heatwave because they have roots that go deep into the soil where there is moisture. But when those same plants live in containers, there is no deep soil and no room for deep roots. Container plants have a very limited amount of soil, and that soil dries out quickly during summer droughts.

That doesn’t mean that all container plants are doomed in summer heat. The best drought-tolerant container plants thrive in hot weather and with reduced water. Succulents and cacti are at the top of the list, but there are plenty of other low-water, heat-loving plants that bring color and interest. Below are seven of my favorites, and some tips for helping container plants survive heatwaves.

Helping Container Plants Survive Heatwaves

You can help your container plants thrive in a heatwave by taking a few precautions. Be sure the plants you leave out during a heatwave are drought-tolerant and like the heat – but their maturity is important too. Don't leave new, young perennial plants outside during a heat wave. Give them a year to establish.

Otherwise, follow these tips:

• Water your container plants in the early morning every day.
• Water until you see water coming out of the drain holes.
• Add a 2–3 inch layer of mulch on the top of the soil in every container. Use organic compost, chopped dry leaves, or wood chips.
• In truly scorching weather, move the containers out of the sun for the afternoon. A location with morning sun and afternoon shade is best.
• Don’t fertilise plants at all during hot weather. Wait until cooler weather comes in.

Heatwave Garden Essentials

1. Silver Jade Plant

The silver dollar jade plant (Crassula arborescens) is an attractive succulent with round, puffy blue-gray leaves edged in a rich wine color. Native to South Africa, this striking plant has thick stems and starry white or pink blossoms in spring.

You can buy a variety pack of jade plants online from Altman Plants at Lowe's.

Jade is a perfect container plant in USDA zones 9-11. Its relatively short roots need well-draining soil and minimal water. In fact, too much water will rot the roots of this plant. Like other succulents, silver dollar jade plant stores water in its puffy leaves to use during times of drought. This is one of those plants you can set on a patio, admire every few days, and neglect the rest of the time.

2. Russian Sage

Are there any plants with stunning flowers that actually grow best in a full-sun, arid location? There are indeed, and Russian sage is one of them. It’s an erect shrub that prefers full sun in well-drained soil. It performs best in dry, arid conditions.

Russian sage forms clumps that rise to 3 feet (1 m) tall, with sturdy upright stems and silvery-gray leaves. They have a pleasing pungent aroma when touched. The tubular purple flowers appear from June to October. Cultivars like 'Blue Spire ' and 'Blue Mist' produce better flowers than the species plant.

You can plant Russian sage in a container on a sunny patio, but you might want to select a dwarf cultivar like Denim ‘n Lace from Plant Addicts, or Little Spire, available at Lowe's. Give the container an occasional deep watering, then leave it alone until it’s completely dry.

3. Purple Fountain Grass

Oh la la, this is a lovely fountain grass plant! It’s graceful and colorful, with waves of soft purple plumes arching up from burgundy-tinted foliage. Purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum') is the superstar of fountain grass, dramatic in containers or mass plantings.

With its short roots, purple fountain grass thrives in containers as an annual, and as a perennial in zones 9–11. It is free of pests and diseases, and tolerant of hot sun and minimal water. Planted in large containers, this grass can grow up to 5 feet tall, making a fabulous frame for entryways when placed on either side of a doorway, adding visual interest with its height, movement, and color.

Buy purple fountain grass online from Nature Hills.

4. Thorncrest Century Plant

Thorncrest century plant (Agave univittata ), a type of agave, grows wild in the Rio Grande Plains, thriving in dry, well-drained, rocky soil in zones 9–11. This qualifies it to take its rightful place among the best, drought-proof container plants that stay lush in heatwaves. Try this attractive Quadricolor variety from Altman Plants via Amazon.

Agave forms a rosette of leaves at its base; lovely, dark green leaves with a lighter green stripe down the middle. These large leaves heap up to about 2 feet (60 cm) tall. Then, of course, they flower – but don’t hold your breath. Agaves only bloom once in a lifetime, but when they do, what a show! The flower stalk appears in spring and shoots up to 10–15 feet (3–5 m) tall.

Thorncrest century plant is a fuss-free container plant that doesn’t need much water. Put it in a spot that gets sun. If you live in a cooler zone, you can still grow century plant. Set it up in a container and move it indoors during winter.

5. Asiatic Jasmine

Common jasmine is a lush climbing vine with gorgeously fragrant white blossoms that requires regular water to leaf and flower. But Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) – unrelated to the real jasmine clan – is an evergreen, vine-like woody plant that makes a good, drought-proof perennial for containers in zones 7–10. In cooler zones, it can be grown as an annual.

Variegated varieties, like the new Snow-N-Summer Asiatic Jasmine, available at Plant Addicts, are particularly stunning, with foliage spanning pink, white, and green.

While many use Asiatic jasmine in the landscape for alternative groundcover, this plant, with tiny yellow “pinwheel” flowers, also does well in containers placed in the shade or sun. It will grow to 3 feet (1 m) tall and half that wide. Gardeners in Florida often choose Asiatic jasmine given its hardiness and drought tolerance. Once established, this jasmine needs very little care.

6. Rosemary

Native to the hot Mediterranean area of Europe, rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) offers so much that you can’t pass it up as a drought-tolerant, heat-loving plant. This shrubby perennial herb has truly lovely blue flowers as well, attracting oohs and aahs and pollinators. Driving through Spain, I’ve seen wild fields of rosemary so beautiful that they took my breath away.

Rosemary is drought-tolerant and grows best in full sun in warm areas. Can you grow it in a pot? It’s best, since the shrub doesn’t like much moisture in its soil, and soil in a container stays drier than soil in the ground. Rosemary thrives in zones 7–11. In colder areas, grow rosemary in a container and bring it inside for the winter.

7. Cushion Spurge

Never heard of cushion spurge (Euphorbia epithymoides)? Well, say hello to one of the most drought-tolerant perennials for USDA zones 4 to 8. The plant’s flowers are lovely, yellow blooms backed by chartreuse bracts on a plant that grows to about 18 inches (50 cm) tall. The second show happens in fall when the foliage changes to orange and red.

Cushion spurge is a great choice for patio container plants; just pick a large container with adequate drain holes. This plant is happy but will also thrive in partial shade, though too much shade will make the cushion spurge leggy, rather than its classic cushion shape.

Another good spurge for containers that has a similar cushion-like growth habit is Tiny Tim dwarf spurge, available at Walmart.

Mulch put down in spring feels like a one-and-done job, and for plenty of gardeners it is – right up until midsummer, when the beds start looking thin and the ground dries out faster than it used to. That layer that was 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm) deep back in April has a way of settling and quietly vanishing by July. Whether it calls for another bag or two really depends on what's left on the ground.

Any solid guide to mulching will stress that organic mulches are meant to break down over time – that's the point. They not only hold in moisture and cool the soil, but they also add organic matter into the soil as they break down. The catch is, though, is that they don't last forever. So a midsummer mulch refresh is often the price of that slow-release payoff.

Not every landscape needs another layer of mulch in the middle of summer, though, and heaping more where there's already plenty brings its own set of headaches. I'll help you know if your garden needs another layer of mulch, how much to add, and the best type to refresh gardens in midsummer.

Why Does Mulch Disappear?

A few different elements eat away at mulch over the course of the summer season. Living organisms in the soil break down the lower layers of mulch over time, which is actually a good thing. The mulch turns into exactly what your plants want and need to thrive.

But the surface layer of your mulch is another matter. Sun bleaches and dries it out, and hard rain packs it down flat. Week by week, a fair amount of mulch gets kicked around by normal tending and foot traffic or blown clear of the bed by the wind, too.

How fast this occurs comes down to the cause and the type of mulch you used. Shredded bark and wood chips hold up for a good while, often a full season or longer. Lighter materials – think straw or grass clippings – break down quicker and sometimes they're almost gone by high summer. Stone and gravel mulches don't break down at all, though they don't feed the soil either, which is why most flower and vegetable beds benefit from an organic mulch.

Do You Need to Reapply Mulch?

A simple test to check if you need more mulch and when to mulch in summer only takes a few seconds. Just push a ruler down through the remaining mulch until it hits soil and see how deep the layer actually is. Anything under an inch (2.5 cm) or so isn't pulling its weight anymore. It won't hold in much moisture or do much to smother weeds. Bare patches where the dirt shows through are the other easy giveaway, since that's where water evaporates fastest and weeds find their opening.

Weeds tend to reveal on a thin layer of mulch, too. A bed that was clean in spring suddenly throwing up seedlings usually means the mulch has worn past the point of blocking them.

Moisture is the other tell. If the ground under the mulch dries within a day of a good watering, the cover is too skimpy to hold much moisture. A basic soil moisture meter from Amazon takes the guesswork out of this, though honestly a finger pushed a couple inches (5 cm) into the dirt works nearly as well.

How Much Mulch to Add

The goal is a finished depth of 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm), not two to three inches of fresh mulch piled on whatever's already sitting there. Topping up means adding the difference and nothing more.

If an inch (2.5 cm) of mulch is still holding, another inch or so brings it back where it should be. Too much mulch, anything deeper than 3 inches (8 cm), and it starts working against you by holding too much water against plant roots and preventing the soil from breathing.

Keep the fresh mulch layer pulled back a couple inches (5 cm) from plant stems and the base of shrubs or trees. Mulch heaped straight against bark traps moisture where it isn't wanted and invites rot. Those mulch volcanoes you see around trees are a common mulching mistake and are actually really bad for trees.

Spread and level out mulch with a rake. A sturdy landscape rake from Amazon spreads a bag evenly in a fraction of the time of doing it by hand and keeps the depth consistent across the whole bed.

Best Mulch for a Midsummer Refresh

For a summer top-up, you want a mulch that holds moisture well and stays put through thunderstorms. Shredded bark and wood chips are hard to beat for use around shrubs and perennials. They knit together and resist blowing away, and their slow breakdown process helps them last right into fall.

Vegetable beds do better with an eco-friendly mulch like straw or shredded leaves, which stay light and work into the soil easily once the season winds down. But matching the new mulch to whatever's already there keeps your landscape looking cohesive.

One task worth doing regardless of the type of mulch you use: soak your garden beds first. Laying mulch over dry ground just locks in that dryness, which defeats the whole purpose. A bag or two of organic shredded bark mulch from Amazon covers most average-sized beds and a good watering beforehand means the fresh layer of mulch seals in moisture.

July is when backyard tomatoes either take off or quietly fall apart. The plants are big by now, heavy with green fruit and pushing hard through the hottest stretch of the year – which is right when small problems snowball into season-enders. Blossom end rot sets in, skins split, and a fungal spot creeps up the lower leaves before anyone notices. Most of that traces back to a few tasks that get skipped in the heat, not to bad luck.

The good news is that ten minutes of attention now pays off for weeks. Anyone already comfortable with growing tomatoes knows the vines are forgiving up to a point, and midsummer is where that forgiveness runs thin. A little pruning, steady water, a nutrient nudge at the right moment – these are the moves that keep fruit setting through August instead of stalling out in a tangle of leggy growth and cracked skins. None of it takes special skill. It just takes doing it before the plant forces the issue.

What Your Tomatoes Need in July

The plants aren't asking for much in July, but the little they need, they need on time. Skipping a step doesn't show up right away – it shows up three weeks later as cracked fruit or a vine half-taken by blight. Ten minutes now buys a lot of tomatoes later, and better-tasting ones at that.

1. Low-Leaf Haircut for Airflow and Blight Prevention

When pruning tomatoes, start at the bottom. Those lower leaves touching the soil, or hovering just above it, are the first place blight and early leaf spot get a foothold – rain splashes soil-borne spores up onto them, and from there the trouble climbs. Stripping the bottom 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30cm) of foliage off each plant opens up airflow right where things sit stagnant and humid. It looks a little brutal the first time. The plant won't miss them.

Those low leaves aren't doing much photosynthesizing anyway, shaded out by everything above. Pulling them lets air move through the base and dries the zone out faster after a storm, which is half the battle with fungal trouble. Do it on a dry morning so the wounds seal before evening humidity settles back in. A clean cut or a clean snap, either works – just don't leave torn stubs that invite rot.

2. Consistency With Deep Watering

Tomatoes hate surprises when it comes to water. Deep, consistent soaking is what heads off blossom end rot and split tomatoes both, and the two problems actually share a cause – erratic moisture. When a plant goes bone dry and then gets flooded, the fruit swells faster than the skin can stretch, and it cracks. Calcium uptake stalls during the dry stretches too, which is what triggers that sunken dark patch on the bottom of the tomato.

The fix is boring, but it works. Water tomatoes deeply and less often, right at the base. A couple of long soakings a week beats a daily sprinkle that only wets the top inch (2.5cm). A drip line or soaker hose from Amazon takes the guesswork out of it, running slow and low so moisture sinks down to where the roots are. Mulch over the top of that and the ground holds even between waterings. That last part is honestly reason enough to mulch.

3. Midsummer Sucker Pruning

Tomato suckers are the little shoots that pop out in the crotch between the main stem and a branch. Left alone, especially on indeterminate types, they grow into whole secondary stems that eat energy the plant could be putting into fruit. Midsummer is prime time to stay on top of them, since the vines are growing fast and throwing new suckers weekly. Pinch them out while they're small – thumb and forefinger, no tools needed.

There's a limit to this, though. Determinate tomatoes set most of their crop at once and shouldn't be sucker-pruned much at all, since every growing tip counts toward the harvest. On indeterminate tomatoes, a light hand beats a heavy one in the heat. Strip too much foliage and you expose fruit to sunscald, those pale leathery patches that show up on shoulders baking in full sun. Take the obvious suckers, leave enough canopy to shade what's ripening.

4. Mid-Season Potassium Boost

By July, the early fertilizer is mostly used up and the plant is heading into its heaviest fruiting stretch. This is where a potassium boost earns its keep – potassium drives fruit development and flavor, and a mid-season side dressing keeps production from tapering off early. Skip fertilizing tomatoes with the high-nitrogen stuff now. Nitrogen at this stage just pushes leafy growth at the expense of the tomatoes already forming.

Side dressing is simple. Scatter a low-nitrogen, higher-potassium feed in a ring a few inches (7 to 8cm) out from the stem, scratch it into the soil surface, then water it in. Something along the lines of a tomato-specific granular fertilizer from Amazon does the job without much fuss. The plant picks it up over the following weeks, right as the fruit load peaks. Do it once now and most gardens won't need another round before the season winds down.

5. Reinforcing the Rigging

All that fruit has weight, and July is when supports start giving out. A cage that held fine in June leans under a fully loaded plant, and once a stem kinks or snaps, that whole branch of developing tomatoes is finished. Walk the row and look for strain. Maybe a stake has worked loose, or a tie is starting to bite into a thickening stem. Better to catch it before a storm rolls through and lays everything flat.

Loosen any ties that are cutting in and re-secure with something soft. Strips of old T-shirt work, or these adjustable plant ties from Amazon that don't dig into the stem as it thickens. Add a stake where a plant is outgrowing its cage, and tie in the heavy trusses so they're not hanging off a single joint. Ten minutes of reinforcement now saves a snapped main stem later, and there's no coming back from that one.

6. Snapping Off Key Growing Tips

This one's aimed at the tail end of the run, but it's worth knowing about now. Toward the close of tomato season – usually mid to late summer, depending on climate – snapping off the growing tips of indeterminate plants tells them to quit making new growth and ripen what's already there. Any flower cluster that opens past a certain point won't have time to mature anyway, so the plant does better funneling that energy into the fruit already hanging.

It's called topping, and it can be the difference between a pile of green tomatoes at first frost and a properly ripe haul. Cut or pinch the top few inches (7 to 8 cm) off each main stem, just above the highest cluster worth keeping. Everything gets redirected downward. In shorter-season areas it's close to essential; in long, warm climates there's less urgency, though it still helps concentrate flavor late in the year. Miss July, and tomatoes coast. Get it right, and they produce like they’ve got something to prove.

Most vegetable gardens are fed on a loose schedule: a scoop of granular in spring, maybe a mid-season boost, whatever the instructions on the bag suggest. That works fine most of the time. But what many gardeners don't realize is that when you fertilize plants matters nearly as much as what you feed them. The gap between a well-timed dose of fertilizer and a badly-timed feeding shows up fast, sometimes as scorched roots and sometimes as a plant that sulks for a week instead of taking off.

Figuring out the best time to fertilize plants isn't complicated, though. Plants only draw on nutrients when they're actively growing and the soil around their roots is damp enough to carry those nutrients. Feed during that window and the plant takes up nearly everything on offer. Feed outside of it and a good share of that fertilizer either sits there unused or, worse, harms the plant it was meant to help.

Here's exactly when to fertilize your vegetable garden for a bigger harvest and thriving plants. Plus, find out the worst time to feed plants.

Best Time to Fertilize Vegetables

The best time to fertilize a vegetable garden is when plants are actively growing and the ground is already damp. For most vegetables that is sometime between early establishment and fruit set. At that point, the plant moves from building leaves to filling out fruit and it stays hungry the whole way through this process.

If you fertilize during this phase, the nutrients get pulled up and put to work almost right away. Fertilize plants on a cool, overcast morning and it helps even more since your veggies aren't spending everything they have just trying to survive the heat of the day.

Morning is the friendliest time slot for fertilizing before the heat builds. The soil is usually still holding moisture from overnight, the roots are awake, and there's a long stretch of mild conditions ahead for the plant to use the nutrients you're giving it.

Watering first or feeding the day after decent rain makes a real difference. Nutrients need water to travel and dry soil just leaves them stranded up top. A balanced liquid fertilizer from Amazon works quickly since it's already dissolved in water and ready for the roots to absorb.

Why This Is the Ideal Time

Fertilizing your vegetable garden on a damp morning during a period of active growth isn't only about being tidy. It changes how much of the fertilizer your plants can actually reach.

Nutrients provided while roots are active and the soil is moist get absorbed better, instead of washing past the root zone during the next hard rain. That means less waste, and less runoff that carries nutrients somewhere they were never meant to be. More of what you paid for actually gets to the plant.

There's a knock-on effect on growth, too. A plant fed steadily through its hungry phase grows at an even pace, which usually means better fruit and fewer of the soft, sappy shoots aphids attack. Provide too much nitrogen too late in the season, though, and the plant puts out lots of leaves when it should be ripening fruit. The feed technically worked, but it aimed the plant at the wrong goal.

Worst Time to Fertilize Vegetables

Here's the main lesson to take away when it comes to fertilizing vegetables: never feed a plant that's already stressed from heat and dry soil. It may seem almost backwards – the plant looks like it's suffering, so surely a boost of nutrients would help? It won't. Fertilizer is essentially salts and salts in dry ground pull moisture the wrong way, drawing it out of the roots instead of into them.

If the top few inches (8 cm) of soil feel bone dry, that's the signal to hold off. A soil moisture meter from Amazon helps you tell if you're soil is too dry in seconds, if the surface moisture is hard to read. For a wilting, sun-baked plant, feeding is a fast track to fertilizer burn or scorched root tips and crispy leaf edges that appear in just a day or two.

Follow the same precaution when feeding any plant that is visibly struggling – that includes wilting in the heat or new plants suffering transplant shock. Feeding rarely fixes those issues. More often it stacks stress onto a plant that is already maxed out.

It's better to solve the problem first, usually by watering your vegetable garden, and let plants steady themselves before adding fertilizer. A hungry plant can perk back up in just a few days. A burned one takes a lot longer to come back.

What to Do If You Missed the Window

Missing the ideal vegetable fertilizing window isn't a huge deal. The right fix is rarely to pile on extra fertilizer to catch up. That's how one missed feeding turns into a case of fertilizer burn.

Instead, water your vegetable beds deeply and let them settle. Wait for a mild morning, then feed at about half the usual strength. Half-strength fertilizer at the right moment does more than a full dose forced at the wrong time.

Gentler options carry less risk when you're playing catch-up, too. A diluted liquid feed watered in or a thin layer of compost worked over the surface releases slowly and won't shock plants. A long-neck watering can from Amazon makes it easy to get a diluted feed right to the base of each plant without splashing foliage in the midday sun.

After that, it's mostly patience. Your vegetable garden catches up on its own clock, not yours, so rushing the process rarely ends the way you hope.

Plants are no different to people: some put the effort in day in, day out with a smile on their face and zero complaints; others require fulltime management if they’re to function at all. And while there’s no escaping the full spectrum of humankind, you can sure fill your garden with low-maintenance plants that thrive on neglect, producing months of cheery flowers with hardly any help from you.

What makes any garden look truly amazing – and makes you look like an awesome gardener, too – is an abundance of flowers. And that doesn’t need to come at the cost of an equally high level of hard work from you. I only grow plants with a magic ratio of maximum blooms in return for minimal effort, and here I'm sharing some of the very easiest flowers to grow. They're all perennials so they’ll reliably return year after year, so you only need plant them once. And they’re all pretty drought tolerant so, while you’ll need to keep them well watered at first, until they grow their roots deep enough into the ground to find their own source of water, long-term they’ll thrive on neglect.

When I say I grow all these plants in my garden, what I should really be saying is that all these plants grow themselves in my garden. Apart from cutting down the old stems and pointing the hosepipe in their direction if there’s a prolonged spell of really hot, dry weather in summer, I very much leave them to their own devices. Do they sulk? Never. Do they keel over and die when I go on holiday? Nope. Can you plant them all now for easy color that'll last into fall? Hell yeah! Welcome to the world of star-performer plants that are perfect for low maintenance gardens and time-poor gardeners…

1. Salvia ‘Caradonna’

• Zones 4-8
• Full sun
• Grows 2 feet high and wide
• Flowers early summer to early fall

Purple is one of the best colors to have in your garden palette. It’s bright without being gaudy and makes the colors of all the flowers around it – blue, pink, yellow, red or orange – appear more vibrant. And Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ is one of the very best best salvia varieties to bring purple into your borders. As well as violet-blue spires of flowers, its stems are a wonderfully dark purple, and its aromatic foliage grows into a compact mound.

Pollinators adore the nectar-rich flowers, but not as much as landscape designers! And no wonder – this hard-working beauty works in all color palettes and is simple to care for, even by beginner gardeners, yet brings such a modern, stylish vibe to any garden. Deer and rabbits tend to leave it alone, too, so it really is an easy win.

This perennial sage flowers from late spring into summer – and if you trim off the spent flower spikes with a pair of hedge shears, it’ll rebloom all over again. For maximum flowers and the strongest tones, if you like to use color in your garden, just give it a sunny spot with at least 6 hours of sunshine. And the secret to keeping Salvia ‘Caradonna’ performing well for years without much input from you is simply to ensure it has good drainage, easily achieved by mixing soil improver and a handful of grit into the ground when planting.

Salvia 'Caradonna' is available from the Perennial Farm Marketplace Store via Amazon, and is also stocked by Woodies Garden Goods.

2. Geranium ‘Rozanne’

• Zones 5-8
• Full sun or partial shade
• Grows 1-2 feet high and wide
• Flowers May to October

Here’s another purple beauty that brings abundant blooms to your garden for next-to-no effort. Geranium 'Rozanne' grows a profusion of violet-blue blooms veined with purple all through summer and autumn, which pollinators love. The great thing about this hardy cranesbill is that it’ll grow pretty much anywhere, in any soil, as long as it gets a little sun. It puts up with everything the weather can throw at it, too, so this tough cookie is a great way to fill a tricky spot.

But the best thing about Geranium 'Rozanne' is that it doesn’t produce seeds. Being sterile means it puts all its energy into producing flowers from spring to fall, and also doesn’t gift you a gazillion seedlings to pull up in spring.

A perennial, it tends to grow out rather than up, but it’ll happily weave its way through other plants without smothering them. I’ve paired it with ornamental grasses in a front yard bed that gets baked by the sun all morning then is cast into deep shade all afternoon, that I very rarely water (just once so far this summer!). And honestly, it’s effortless. Its informal habit also makes Rozanne one of those easy-breezy plants often used by landscape designers to soften hard landscaping.

Proven Winners Rozanne hardy geraniums are available from Nature Hills.

3. Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’

• Zones 5-9
• Full to part sun
• Grows 3-4 feet high and 1-2 feet wide
• Flowers May to October

Here’s a plant that we should all grow more of, because it will flower from spring through fall even if you ignore it entirely! What’s more, pollinators flock to Gaura lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies', and its thin stems shift on the slightest breeze, bringing so much movement to any border. I have three plants and while they’re not the main focus of the beds, the white flowers brushed with blush pink add real depth, whirling about just above the main flush of perennial blooms.

The stems naturally form an open, airy shape, so this is a wonderful plant to bring a more romantic, informal vibe to your garden. But be warned, everyone who visits your garden will want to know what it is!

This is another sterile plant, which is why it continually flowers from late spring through fall. Gaura is super-easy to grow, and to take cuttings from, even if you’re a beginner gardener. Because this fabulous variety is relatively uncommon in the US, it sells out quickly. Plants are currently available from RedCrocus via Amazon, and are usually stocked by Woodies Garden Goods. If you’re searching for this plant at your local nursery or online, it’s useful to know that it’s recently been reclassified as Oenothera.

4. Lavender ‘Grosso’

• Zones 5-9
• Full sun
• Grows 2-3 feet high and wide
• Flowers July to September

So many of my neighbors have asked me what I do to grow such big, healthy lavender in my front garden. You see, they think I’m just growing a regular lavender and it’s my green fingers that are making it grow so tall and aromatic. And yes, it’s true that I always give lavender a gravel mulch to get more flowers, but my other secret is that this is Lavender ‘Grosso’.

This hybrid variety is a cross between English lavender and Portuguese lavender, and it produces very large, plump flower spikes on tall stems. Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso' has a far higher concentration of essential oils – three or four times as much as English lavender – which means it’s incredibly fragrant too, which is why it’s often grown commercially.

The more sun Lavender 'Grosso' gets, the happier it is, and as long as it has well drained soil, it pretty much looks after itself. I occasionally throw the plant a bucket of water at it but more often than not, I forget. Grosso lavender is another sterile plant, so it flowers all summer long, and doesn’t produce any unwanted seedlings. Its nectar-rich flowers are adored by pollinators, too.

Lavender 'Grosso' plants are available from Burpee.

5. Japanese anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’

• Zones 4-8
• Full sun to partial shade
• Grows 3-4 feet high and 1-3 feet wide
• Flowers August to October

Yes, it’s true, a lot of Japanese anemones can be thugs in the garden, but ‘Honorine Jobert’ is perfectly polite and well behaved. It does still spread through underground rhizomes but far less vigorously than most other varieties, and has shallow roots so it’s easy to pull up if it wanders too far. Put it in a spot that doesn’t give it optimum conditions to spread – rich or loose soil – and it’s not any trouble at all.

However, ‘Honorine Jobert’ still has that wonderful wish to live that all Japanese anemones possess, making this perennial very easy to grow. Its elegant petals, a fresh white softened by the faintest touch of pink on their undersides, will refresh a tired, heat-baked garden in late summer, year after year, and continue through fall. I particularly love how the flowers dance on their wiry stems as summer draws to a close and the wind picks up. The buds are perfect little spheres, too, adding to the joy.

While this plant copes fine in full sun, because it prefers consistent moisture, it’s more low-maintenance if you grow it in a partially shady spot. Its fresh green foliage and white fall flowers brighten up the shade a treat, too.

Japanese anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ plants are available from Woodies Garden Goods.

6. Hardy Sedum Autumn Joy

• Zones 3-9
• Full sun or partial light shade
• Grows 1-2 feet tall and wide
• Flowers August to November

I grow this hard worker in a front-yard bed that I haven’t watered for two years now, and it’s thriving. So, other than cutting back the old stems, which takes about a minute, Sedum Autumn Joy takes up none of my time or effort – but it still puts on a bobby dazzler display. Its flat-topped clusters of star-shaped flowers start a pale pink in late summer, morphing into a rich raspberry then to a copper-red tone over a couple of months, bringing a heap of easy fall color. That’s a lot of flower power already, but if you want even more, you can cut a third of the stems back in May, which gives you two tones of blooms at any one time.

The stems and seedheads of sedum Autumn Joy are really robust, too, so you can leave them standing through winter. Deer and rabbits don’t touch the succulent leaves, which are a vibrant fresh green tone. Bees and butterflies love it, and it’ll grow pretty much anywhere as long as it has good drainage – while it will still grow fine in partial shade, full sun brings super-sturdy stems and the strongest color.

Generally sold as ‘Autumn Joy’, this plant goes by a handful of other names, so if you want to check you’re buying what you think you’re buying, it’s good to know that this hybrid stonecrop’s official name is now Hylotelephium x mottramianum ‘Herbstfeude’. Sedum 'Autumn Joy' plants are available from Nature Hills.

7. Aster ‘Raydons Favorite’

• Zones 3-8
• Full sun to light shade
• Grows 2-3 feet high and wide
• Flowers September to October

All aster varieties generally thrive on neglect, and ‘Raydons Favorite’ is particularly so. A lot of asters grow tall and, while they produce lots of flowers, those sprawling stems can get pretty untidy. Turns out that this aromatic aster is a little different, too, as it’s recently been reclassed as Symphotrichum oblongifolium – and thankfully, it’s a whole lot easier to grow than it is to pronounce.

What I love about this plant is that it peaks just as many other flowers in the garden are starting to fade, and powers through fall in a blaze of lavender daisies with cheery yellow centres. Deer and rabbits dislike its aromatic leaves, yet it’s a valuable source of late-season nectar for pollinators. It forms a neat, bushy mound that doesn’t need staking, and as long as it has good drainage so its roots aren’t sitting in soggy soil all through winter, will reliably return year after year.

Aster ‘Raydons Favorite’ plants are available from Woodies Garden Goods.

It's no coincidence that all these plants are commonly used by landscape designers. While their clients may have the money to pay for a swish garden design, they don't always have much gardening knowledge, so designers often reach for low-maintenance, highly tolerant plants that will survive, no matter what. So the added bonus of adding these hard-working flowering plants to your yard is that they'll bring a designer look without the associated cost.

All these low-maintenance plants can be planted now, and will bring color to your late-summer garden and into fall.

As our summers seem to get hotter every year, I've found myself rethinking the plants I grow. Instead of choosing varieties that simply survive the heat, I'm looking for ones that actually thrive in it – and reward me with color, fragrance and plenty of wildlife, even during the warmest spells.

That's why I'm always on the lookout for fragrant plants that do more than just look pretty. A beautiful perfume can completely transform a garden, especially if you spend summer evenings outdoors, and there's nothing better than catching the scent of flowers drifting across the garden on a warm breeze.

If you're searching for perfumed patio plants that can cope with rising temperatures while making your outdoor space feel like a Mediterranean escape, there is one heat-loving climber I'd happily recommend. Because, with its glossy evergreen foliage, masses of starry white blooms and an unforgettable fragrance, it's a plant that earns its place year after year.

The Heat-Loving Climber You Need To Try

No surprises here, but confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is the heat-loving climber that has been stealing the show in gardens everywhere this summer.

Although it isn't a true jasmine, its intensely sweet perfume is often compared to – and by some gardeners even preferred over – the fragrance of roses. On warm evenings, the scent drifts through the garden, making patios, pergolas and seating areas feel like an outdoor retreat.

Unlike some vigorous climbing plants, confederate jasmine (also known as star jasmine) is generally well behaved, making it easier to keep within bounds with a light trim after flowering. And it loves sunshine and warmth, making it an excellent choice for gardeners in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 10.

No surprises here, but this heat-loving climber grows happily in full sun or partial shade, although the strongest flowering and fragrance usually come from plants that receive at least six hours of sunlight each day.

Once established, confederate jasmine is also relatively drought tolerant. Regular watering during its first growing season helps it develop a strong root system, sure, but mature plants are capable of coping with periods of dry weather better than many flowering climbers.

If you live in a colder climate, don't rule it out entirely. Many gardeners successfully grow star jasmine in large containers that can be moved to a sheltered spot during winter.

The heavenly fragrance isn't just for people to enjoy, either, as the nectar-rich flowers attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other beneficial pollinators (including your birth month bug, probably). Its dense foliage, too, can also provide valuable shelter for small birds, making it a triple threat.

There's lots you can do with a confederate jasmine. Train it over a pergola to create a scented canopy, or let it soften a plain fence or brick wall. It also performs beautifully around entrances, and it can even be grown as an evergreen ground cover on slopes or banks where its spreading stems help suppress weeds while creating a lush carpet of foliage.

Whichever location you choose, make sure the soil drains well, as confederate jasmine absolutely loathes sitting in waterlogged ground.

Shop Confederate Jasmine Now:

For gardeners who want maximum impact without constant upkeep, star jasmine is hard to beat. Aside from occasional watering during prolonged dry spells and a light prune to keep growth tidy, it asks for very little in return (think a spring application of a balanced fertilizer and a layer of mulch).

Honestly, it's easy to see why so many gardeners consider star jasmine one of the best climbers for warm-climate gardens. Jump on the bandwagon, I say! Once it's in full bloom, you'll understand why so many people pause to enjoy its scent every time they walk past.

The idea is appealing: you let your plants “make friends” in the garden by planting different plant species close to each other so that they can offer identifiable benefits to one another. Often, the goal is to keep insect pests at bay. Sometimes one plant benefits; sometimes the benefit is mutual. And sometimes – all too often – the “pairing” doesn’t work well at all and pests overrun the protected plant.

It’s frustrating when companion planting doesn’t live up to its hype. But what’s a gardener to do? There’s a smarter strategy we’re excited about that scientists suggest will do a much more efficient job of keeping those insect pests from your favorite plants. We call it scent clustering, and we’re here to tell you about it.

Say Hello to Scent Clustering

In traditional companion planting, gardeners are urged to match a pest-repelling plant with a plant to be protected – and do this repeatedly throughout the garden. If you're new to the concept, then it's worth picking up a copy of The Old Farmer's Almanac Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook from Amazon.

The idea is to have the aromatic plants that pests don’t like scattered individually throughout the garden, close to the plants to be protected. Think of them as dancing, two by two, around the ballroom of the garden.

Scent clustering abandons this “one-on-one/two-by-two” approach. Instead, we can create a protective “wall” against insect pests by grouping tough, aromatic plants together. Experts suggest that this makes a more effective barrier against insect pests than interspersing them throughout the garden.

Why Scent Clustering Deters More Pests

Have you ever noticed that the corner of the garden with two or three fragrant plants has a stronger, more compelling scent than an area with only one? In my garden in France, I have a rose bed filled with only fragrant cultivars, and recently added a jasmine vine on the fence behind it. The combined scent seems three times as powerful as the roses alone.

Grouping aromatic plants also amplified the effect of the scent – and it can be much more effective at deterring pests. Clustering strongly scented plants together may create a stronger "chemical landscape" that can help mask crop scents or confuse pests. Part of this is attributable to VOC communication.

As highlighted in this scientific study, plants release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in response to insect attacks. This VOC release is a way that plants communicate with neighboring plants. When insect-damaged plants communicate their situation, the undamaged plants nearby increase their own defenses – like aromatics – as if they were being attacked themselves.

Best Plants for Scent Clustering

Fragrant plants are the Amazons of the garden. They add beauty and joy but also bring the muscle to fight off insect pests. In addition to keeping pests away with their scents, aromatic herbs and flowers attract beneficial insects. Fragrant and aromatic plants release essential oils with volatile organic compounds. The VOCs communicate with other plants but also confuse insects, making it hard for them to find food.

Some plants have scents that bugs really cannot stand. These aromatic plants include: garlic, green onions, parsley, orange nasturtiums, chives, lavender, rosemary, basil, marigolds, and alliums. Others that make the list as effective for scent clustering are wormwood, scented geranium, santolina, and tansy. Creating a “wall” of the strongest aromatic pest confusers like yarrow, anise hyssop, onions, garlic, and mints in gardens helps keep pests away.

Shop Companion Planting Seed Bundles

Where to Position Scent Clusters in the Landscape

Generally, scent clusters of aromatics work best as perimeter planting. If you group them too near the vegetable garden, they can interfere with your crops' growth. Instead, create a pest-repellent hedge or aromatics around orchards and vegetable patches.

It also works well to plant pungent aromatic herbs near pathways in the garden. Their effectiveness increases when they spill over onto paving. The warming paving warms the foliage too, releasing the fragrant plant oils.

Succession Planting to Keep Scent Clusters Going

Now that you’ve identified your strongest aromatics and installed them in mixed clusters in the garden, the last thing you want is to have that “wall” crumble as the shortest-lived plants die back. As you lose plants, the scent diminishes, and the effect on insect pests also goes down.

The key to keeping the scent clusters going is succession planting. You may have already started with succession planting in the vegetable garden. Basically, this means you don’t just sow and forget. Instead, you sow rounds of seeds one after the other, to keep new crops coming in all summer long. This works especially well for crops like lettuce that grow fast and can get eaten fast. Instead of ending up with hundreds of heads of lettuce at once, you end up with a smaller amount that ripen sequentially.

You can use succession planting for your aromatic herbs as well. Whichever ones you decide to plant, just keep sowing the seeds every week or every other week to keep the herbs coming.

I'm a sucker for a full moon. Whether it's the Wolf Moon, the Strawberry Moon, or the Harvest Moon, I always find myself looking up and wondering how on earth our ancestors came up with such wonderfully evocative names.

The July full moon, however, has one of my favorites: the Thunder Moon. Thankfully, it isn't named as such because the moon itself summons dramatic thunderstorms (that would be very Greek mythos of it!).

Instead, the name comes from the fact that July has historically been one of the stormiest months of the year across much of North America, with spectacular thunder and lightning displays often accompanying the height of summer.

Preparing for The Thunder Moon

Considering it usually heralds the beginning of the stormy season, then, the Thunder Moon feels like the perfect reminder to give your garden a quick once-over before the next summer tempest rolls through.

Here are five simple jobs that could save you a lot of heartache later.

1. Secure Tall Plants

Summer storms can flatten a season's worth of hard work in a matter of minutes. Ahead of the Thunder Moon, then, take a few moments to check that tomatoes, climbing beans, dahlias, sunflowers, and other tall plants are properly supported.

Be sure to tighten loose ties, replace any that are digging into stems, and make sure stakes, cages, and trellises are firmly anchored in the ground. I promise it's much easier to prevent a plant from falling over than it is to rescue one after it's snapped.

Personally, I like to make life easy with myself and use something like these VELCRO Brand Adjustable Plant Ties.

2. Give Containers Some Shelter

Potted plants and container gardens are often the first casualties of strong summer winds.

If severe weather is in the forecast, be sure, then, to move lightweight containers closer to the house, group smaller pots together for stability, and take down hanging baskets if particularly strong gusts are expected.

Honestly, even a few feet of extra shelter can make a surprising difference.

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3. Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!

Mulch is often associated with drought, but it's just as valuable before heavy rain, making it an ideal Thunder Moon-themed garden task to crack on with.

A two- to three-inch layer of organic mulch is enough to help cushion the soil against torrential downpours, reducing erosion and preventing water from splashing soil-borne diseases onto plant leaves. It also helps retain moisture once the storm has passed and temperatures climb again.

Just remember to keep mulch a couple of inches away from plant stems and tree trunks.

4. Harvest Anything That's Ready

If you've got ripe tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, or summer squash, don't wait! Take the Thunder Moon at its dramatic word, as heavy rain can cause tomatoes to split, while strong winds can knock ripe fruit from the plant altogether.

Harvesting veggies before a storm means you'll get to enjoy it rather than finding it bruised or cracked on the ground the next day.

5. Check Your Drainage

One of the biggest risks during intense summer storms isn't the rain itself, but rather where that water ends up.

Clear leaves and debris from drains, gutters, and downspouts, and make sure water has somewhere to escape. If you know parts of your garden are prone to pooling after heavy rain, consider digging shallow channels to direct excess water away from vulnerable plants.

Make The Most Of Summer Storms:

Look, I get it; the Thunder Moon may be steeped in folklore, but its name is a timely reminder that summer weather can change in an instant. So, while none of us can stop a thunderstorm from rolling in (although wouldn't that be a nifty superpower?), spending just half an hour preparing your garden beforehand can make all the difference.

Secure your plants, harvest what's ready, check your drainage, and let the Thunder Moon be your annual cue to get your garden storm-ready... before nature puts it to the test. And, as an extra bonus, get into that 'when God gives you lemons' mindset and set up a rain barrel or two.

Hey, there's no point wasting free water, right?

July days are often scorching hot. You’re more likely to be hiding out inside than working in the garden, but your backyard birds don’t have any other options. This month can be tough on birds due to the extreme heat and drought conditions, but also because parents are feeding fledglings and young birds are learning how to survive.

Attracting birds to your backyard is a worthy goal, but it’s only the first step. You also need to ensure conditions are optimal for them during the hottest, driest part of the summer.

It doesn’t take expensive gear or a lot of time to improve your wildlife ecosystem. These six simple fixes will transform your yard into a safe summer refuge.

What Backyard Birds Need in July

Your backyard birds have a few basic needs that are especially important in summer:

• Fresh, clean, and cool water
• Reliable food sources
• Shade and shelter
• Safe places to rest

Summer visitors, like robins, cardinals, chickadees, house finches, mourning doves, hummingbirds, and more, need these resources more than ever. Adding to the challenges of heat and dry weather, many birds are actively feeding fledglings. Small changes to your yard now will help adults conserve energy and give fledglings a better chance of surviving the season.

1. Adding Moving Water Sources

Clean water is a must for birds at any time, but especially in July when many natural sources dry up. They use water for drinking and cooling themselves. Birds are naturally drawn to moving water by its sound and appearance. Moving water in your yard will act like a magnet, guiding birds in the area to a much-needed water source.

A fountain is a great solution, but not strictly necessary if you don’t want the expense. A more cost-effective solution is to add a solar fountain insert to an existing bird bath, like this Mademax one from Amazon.

Alternatively, add a wiggler, a little device you put in the water to agitate it and create a rippling surface that has the benefit of deterring mosquitoes from breeding.

Another option is to add a mister attachment to a garden hose, like this Homenote mister. The birds will be drawn to the mist. Place it under a shrub or tall perennials. The water will collect and then drop from the leaves, another attractant for birds.

2. Use Heat-Friendly Foods

Both adults and fledglings need a lot of energy this time of year, but the heat of July can spoil some of the foods you might normally use, like suet.

When feeding birds in summer, you need to switch to foods that stand up to the higher temperatures. Some good options include black oil sunflower seeds, hulled sunflower chips, white millet, unsalted peanuts, nyjer seeds for finches, and mealworms for bluebirds and wrens. Use smaller amounts of food and replenish more frequently to reduce the risk of spoilage.

Your backyard birds spend nearly all day collecting food in July to feed themselves and their fledglings. By providing heatproof food in one or more locations, you reduce the need to fly far or search for food. This helps adults conserve energy and better feed their young.

Best Summer Bird Food

3. Prevent Deadly Window Collisions

Any bird can be easily confused by the reflection of trees and sky on windows and is at risk of a collision. Young birds that are just learning to fly in July are at greater risk. Collisions with windows are often fatal for birds, both old and young, so take steps to keep them safe. Even if a bird seems fine after a strike, it might have serious internal injuries.

Window decals are inexpensive and simple to use. They adhere to windows and break up the confusing reflections. You can find decals specifically designed for this, like these attractive Anti-Collision Window Bird Stickers from Amazon, which can be applied and removed without leaving a residue on the glass. Another option is to hang strings or cords outside windows.

Adding elements to windows is one of the easiest ways to save birds in your yard. You can also position feeders in such a way as to prevent strikes. Keep food sources either within three feet of the window or more than 30 feet away from it.

4. Create Safe, Low-Lying Water Sources for Fledglings

As fledglings leave the nest, they spend a lot of time on the ground. Until they learn to fly, they can benefit from access to ground-level water. If you only have pedestal bird feeders, consider adding some shallow dishes of water or puddling areas on the ground.

Any shallow dish will work, but an easy solution you probably already have on hand is a plant pot saucer. Like this DIY bee water station, you just put a layer of pebbles in it, add water, and set it in a safe place. Water at ground level can put birds at risk for predation, so set it near or partly under a shrub so they can take cover as needed. If you have cats, keep them indoors during fledgling season and keep dogs leashed when in the yard.

If you want to watch the baby birds in action, then place a Birdfy smart bird bath on the ground, which sends 2K videos to your phone when they use it.

5. Create Cool-Down Zones

Birds can easily overheat as temperatures soar in July. You can help them cool down with strategic areas designed to provide shade and shelter. Any shady area will allow birds to lower their body temperatures, but the best areas are also safe and allow them to rest without being too exposed to predators.

Native shrubs provide some of the best shade for birds. The dense, low growth of a shrub is a safe spot and might also provide a food source for some species. If you have a patio, consider adding some potted shrubs near your bird feeders. Shrubs are also helpful near water sources, so birds can take cover if a predator is nearby.

Other garden elements that provide cooling shade include trellises and arbors with vines, small trees, layered beds with shrubs, perennials, and annuals at different heights, and stick piles. Provide several shady areas throughout your yard.

6. Add Ice to Your Bird Bath

Shallow bird bath water can get warm, or even hot, quickly in July. Birds prefer cooler water to get relief from the heat. In fact, they might not use your bird bath at all if the water is too warm. Ice is an easy way to keep water sources from overheating.

Freeze a big block of water using a yogurt container or Tupperware. Add one block of ice to the bird bath each morning. You can even add berries and seeds to the ice, which birds can access for food as it melts.

Alternatively, you can freeze water in an empty pop bottle and float it in the bird bath to lower the water’s temperature. Whichever method you choose to cool it down, be sure to clean out your bird bath regularly and to add fresh, clean water every day.

July Bird Care Essentials

July is one of the most demanding times of year for birds. Between high temperatures, dry puddles, and hungry fledglings, it can be stressful. Just a few thoughtful and inexpensive changes to your yard can make it much friendlier for your favorite backyard birds. Your outdoor space becomes more than just a garden. It’s a refuge for native wildlife.

Think you need an impressive country estate to help pollinators? Not so! Your perfectly ordinary backyard garden or urban patio can be enough to host a thriving ecosystem if you use smaller, high-reward plants. These compact, high-impact container champions offer massive value without requiring a football-field-sized space to call their own.

Anyone who has the desire to offer bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds the nectar they need can do so in a pollinator garden, no matter how diminutive the space. We’ve found the perfect plants to get you on your way – all of them small but mighty.

Choosing Pint-Size Pollinator Superheroes

When it comes to putting in a pollinator garden, think containers. These “pocket ecosystems” are ideal for smaller nectar-rich plants for obvious reasons: the shorter plants won’t get shadowed or elbowed out by taller or pushier rivals. And it’s easier to give plants in containers the soil (moist and well-draining) and the sunlight that they require. You can even move the containers around the patio as the seasons turn.

If you choose compact plants with tubular or open-stamen flowers, it’s easier for your pollinator friends to get their breakfast. If you wish to attract a specific pollinator species, pick the flower shape they prefer, e.g. deep, tube-shaped blossoms for hummers. But don’t be surprised to see a variety of different pollinators arrive.

Summer Container Planting Essentials

1. 'Blue Boa' Agastache (Anise Hyssop)

‘Blue Boa’ is an Agastache hybrid, offering showier flowers and better winter hardiness than the species plant. This cultivar, available from Plant Addicts, is loved for its aromatic leaves and frothy, lilac-blue blooms that attract the entire range of pollinators, from bees to butterflies to hummingbirds.

These bold, attractive plants are hardy in USDA zones 5-9 and need a sunny location and well-draining soil. Never plant any Agastache in clay soil or soil that retains water.

‘Blue Boa’ plants can grow to 3 feet (90 cm) high and half that wide. The pollen-rich flowers grow on 6-foot (2 m) terminal spikes, and the long bloom show lasts from June through September. Consider ‘Blue Boa’ for patio butterfly gardens or cottage gardens.

2. Dwarf Pentas (Pentas lanceolata)

Dwarf pentas – or Egyptian starcluster plants – top out at 1–3 feet (30–90 cm), forming a dome of lush green foliage. Popular varieties include the Lucky Star and Star Bright series – you can pick up a three-pack of Lucky Star plants in 'lavender', 'red' and 'pink' from National Plant Network at Walmart.

While they are hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11, dwarf pentas are often grown as annuals in cooler climes. Plant in a full sun location with good drainage.

The upright plant is topped by star-shaped flowers in a multitude of shades that range from white to crimson. The Egyptian starcluster flowering period is long, from summer through early fall, and the nectar attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

3. Large Firecracker Plant (Cuphea 'Vermillionaire')

The dense flowers of the large firecracker plant – bright orange tubular blossoms – are a magnet for pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds.

Available at Lowe's, Vermillionaire Large Firecracker Plant has a mounding habit and grows to 28 inches (70 cm) tall and almost as wide in both garden beds and containers.

It’s a low-maintenance gem if planted in full sun with well-draining soil. It is hardy in USDA zones 8-11, but is grown as an annual across most of the country.

4. Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

When a plant is this easy to grow, you suspect it may be invasive, and sweet alyssum is considered invasive in some areas, where it is best kept to patio pots. This plant forms shallow-rooted mats of foliage with mounds (to 9 inches tall) of well-branched stems with lance-shaped, gray-green leaves.

It is hardy in zones 5–9 but is often grown as an annual. It needs a full sun location in cooler climates and partial sun in warmer climates.

Sweet alyssum is easy to grow from seed – pick up a four-variety pack from Seed Needs via Amazon.

From spring to early summer, the foliage is completely covered with masses of tiny, 4-petaled flowers (to 1” long). The flowers smell like honey and attract many pollinators, including bees, flower flies, stingless wasps, and butterflies. Its abundance of blossoms and long bloom period make it a particularly good nectar plant for beneficial insects.

5. Greek Oregano (Origanum vulgare var. hirtum)

Yep, the aromatic, pungent leaves of this herb are the ones that you toss into your pasta sauce – usually after they are dried. But did you know that Greek oregano also produces pretty pink, mauve, or white flowers? Flowers appear in summer and early autumn and are compelling to bees and butterflies.

It's best to grow Greek oregano from seed, and you can pick up a pack from Isla's Garden Seed Company via Amazon.

Green oregano thrives in USDA zones 5-8 and grows to about 11 feet (30 cm) tall. It needs a sunny location and well-draining soil. It is remarkably drought-tolerant and free of insects and diseases.

6. Dwarf Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

We all know and love coneflowers, and compact versions offer a dwarf stature and a long summer bloom. Atop the rigid stems, you will find lovely coneflowers, daisy-like blossoms circling around the bronze central cones. Do these attract pollinators? Of course they do. Look for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees (that come for the nectar in summer) and birds (that come for the seeds in winter).

Good dwarf coneflower varieties include Kim’s Knee High, Tweety, and Sombrero Poco Hot Coral coneflower, available at Woodies Garden Goods,

Coneflowers are hardy in USDA zones 3-8 and can grow to 2 feet (60 cm) tall and wide. They bloom all summer, from June to August, and work well in a meadow, native plant garden, or wildflower garden. Plant in a full or partial sun location in well-draining soil.

7. Calamint (Calamintha nepeta)

A member of the notorious mint family, calamint is an herbaceous perennial in USDA zones 5–7, growing to 18 inches (45 cm) tall and wide. It forms a dense mat that seems to spread indefinitely, with upright leafy flowering stems that rise above. The leaves are aromatic while the flowers are showy: white tubular blossoms that keep on keeping on from June to September.

Calamint, available to buy online at Woodies Garden Goods, is one of the best plants at attracting pollinators! It is appealing to hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, including Monarchs!

Calamint requires sun and well-draining soil, ideally moist. It shows its mint connections with its capacity to spread this way and every way. The plants are tough and accept drought, dry soil, and rocky soil.

8. 'Lilliput' Zinnia Mix (Zinnia elegans ‘Lilliput’)

If you love zinnia plants but would prefer that they were smaller, take a look at the ‘Lilliput’ seed mix – available from Home Grown at Amazon. These fast-growing flowers are semi-dwarfed, topping out at 24 inches (60 cm) tall. They are bushy with wide growth and oodles of round, pompom flowers in a wide variety of solid shades.

Lilliput is an early-blooming zinnia, with flowers appearing in July and continuing to bloom through October. This is an outstanding and easy-care annual with bright flowers in deep red, pink, white, and purple that bees and butterflies love. Plant these zinnias in a full sun location with well-draining soil.

Oh we know that the fourth of July is all about family barbecues, drinks in the sunshine and fireworks galore – but between all that, may we humbly suggest you spare five minutes to do some shopping for your garden? Because there are some absolutely cracking July 4 garden deals to be had!

We've scoured the stores to find all the very best garden deals that are half price or better, and can be delivered to your door, so you don't have to take too much time out between star-spangled spritzers. And honestly, we were surprised to discover so many unmissable deals. It must be somebody's birthday or something…

Let's cut to the chase, shall we, and shop some awesome gardening deals!

Garden Bargains Under $10

Stylish Finds

Gardening Goodies

Great Gardening Gifts

Outdoor Living Lovelies

Room to Grow

Stylish Storage

Handy Garden Tools

Time to Relax!

Water Deal!

In spring and early summer, rose care is all about encouraging new and rapid growth. By July, it’s more about survival. This can be a tough time for roses as temperatures soar and conditions dry. Stress can lead to reduced flowering, pests, and disease getting a foothold.

Good rose care now, during this critical period, is all about keeping them healthy in tough conditions. These simple but important July tasks will help them survive, thrive, and keep flowering through the summer. And what’s the biggest mistake you can make to halt repeat blooms? Check out task number one below.

1. Deadhead Spent Blooms

Repeat-blooming roses produce a gorgeous flush of abundant flowers in late spring and early summer. If you treat them right, they’ll do it again, but July care is critical. The biggest mistake you can make is getting lazy about deadheading or not doing it correctly.

Deadheading roses sends a signal to your plant that it’s not done making flowers yet, stimulating another round of blooms. The correct way to do this is to make a clean cut just above the first set of five leaflets. If your roses grow in clusters, cut off each individual flower as it fades.

Make sure to use clean, sharp shears to prevent disease spread and stem damage. Fiskars' bypass pruning shears, available on Amazon, are a good budget-friendly pick.

It’s better to deadhead regularly rather than waiting for all of the flowers to fade. Check on your bushes every few days and trim off any spent flowers that you see. This one simple chore will keep your roses blooming all summer.

2. Water Deeply

The next most important thing you can do to keep your roses happy, healthy, and blooming is to keep the soil moist. July in many gardens is hot with minimal rainfall. Roses need an inch of water a week, so if it’s not raining, you must provide the water.

The best way to water roses in summer is to water deeply once or twice a week rather than shallowly every day. Deep watering encourages roots to grow deeper into the soil, where it’s cooler. Water with a hose or drip irrigation – this Carparthen kit from Amazon will get you started. Avoid overhead watering, as getting leaves wet encourages fungal disease.

How frequently you give your roses a deep watering depends on several factors. Increase the frequency during very hot or dry conditions. You should also water container roses more often, possibly every day, depending on the weather.

3. Keep the Mulch Fresh

Mulch is a must-have for roses in summer. There are multiple benefits to keeping a clean, two- to three-inch (5–7.5 cm) layer of mulch around rose bushes. The first is that it keeps the soil cool, which helps reduce plant stress.

Mulching around a rose bush also helps retain soil moisture, which is critical during a hot, dry summer. Covering the soil reduces the risk of fungal spores splashing up and onto leaves during watering or rain. Finally, a good layer of mulch helps keep weeds at bay.

July is a good time to make sure the mulch layer around your roses is deep enough and clean. Add more or replace degraded mulch as needed. Always keep the mulch a few inches away from the rose stems, as piling it up there can actually contribute to disease and rot.

You can use straw or shredded bark, but coconut husk is also a good option, like Back to the Roots' Organic Expanding Coconut Husk Mulch.

4. Feed, But Lightly

Roses are notoriously heavy feeders. Fertilizing roses is important for healthy growth and ongoing flowering. You probably started feeding your roses in spring, which is the time to feed heavily to promote new growth. In July, you should keep feeding roses to keep them healthy but not so heavily that they put out a lot of new growth during hot, often dry weather.

Stick with a balanced fertilizer in July, like 10-10-10. You can also look for a rose-specific product, like Miracle-GRO Water Soluble Rose Plant Food, and follow the label instructions.

Water your roses deeply after applying the fertilizer to reduce the risk of stress. If your garden has been going through a major heat wave or drought, skip the fertilizer for now and focus on watering. You can resume feeding once temperatures ease up.

5. Keep an Eye on Pests and Diseases

Rose pests and diseases often take root more readily when plants are stressed. The stress of July heat, humidity, and dry soil means you need to keep a careful eye on your rose bushes. Look for aphids, spider mites, Japanese beetles, black spot, and powdery mildew.

If you do see pests, start with the least damaging method of control, like a spray of water, and, if needed, move on to insecticidal soaps or other pest control products. For signs of disease, tidy up by removing and disposing of any affected leaves. Clean up the ground around the roses to prevent disease spread. Move on to chemical fungicides only if necessary.

BioAdvanced All-In-One Rose and Flower Plant Care Spray provides good protection against pests and diseases.

July Rose Care Essentials

While early summer is a growth period for roses, think of July care as maintenance. Now is the time to protect your roses and encourage more flowers, not to trigger a flush of new growth. Focus on water, deadheading, light feeding, mulch, and pest and disease control to get the most out of your plants.

Confession time: I have spent the past week desperately trying to keep both myself and my garden alive, and my efforts have made me realize that heatwaves have a funny way of making us panic. .. often in a way that does more harm than good.

During periods of extreme heat, plants go into survival mode. Instead of focusing on producing new growth, they're conserving water and protecting themselves from stress. That means the way you care for your garden during a heatwave should look a little different than it does the rest of the summer.

I get it, obviously; the moment temperatures climb, it's tempting to reach for the hose, trim away anything that looks dead, and give struggling plants a dose of fertilizer in the hope of helping them bounce back. All of those well-intentioned efforts, though, can and will make matters worse.

Gardening Mistakes That Can Kill Plants During a Heatwave

When temperatures soared recently, I set to work, And, when my husband (a professional gardener) got home, I proudly told him all of the wonderful things I had done to keep our plants alive and thriving in the heat.

Cue him lovingly, albeit very wearily, branding me a menace. Because, as it turns out, I had committed three cardinal sins when it comes to gardening in a heatwave...

1. Watering Incorrectly

When your plants start looking droopy in the afternoon sun, it's only natural to want to grab the hose immediately. But watering in the middle of the day really isn't the most effective approach.

In the heat of the afternoon, more water is lost to evaporation before it has a chance to soak into the soil and reach plant roots. Instead, the best time to water plants is early in the morning, when temperatures are cooler and plants have time to absorb moisture before the day's heat sets in.

Rather than watering little and often, give plants a deep soak that encourages roots to grow further into the soil, where moisture lasts longer. Water at the base of the plant instead of wetting the foliage, and remember that containers and hanging baskets may still need an additional watering later in the day during prolonged heat.

Shop Garden Watering Essentials:

2. Fertilizing Stressed Plants

It's easy to assume that a struggling plant needs feeding, but in very hot weather, fertilizer can actually add to its stress. In fact, many experts say that this is one of those common garden mistakes that can kill plants during a heatwave.

When temperatures are extremely high, plants naturally slow their growth to conserve energy. Fertilizer encourages fresh, tender growth, which requires even more water and is particularly vulnerable to scorching in hot weather. Applying fertilizer to dry soil can also increase the risk of root burn.

If your plants are looking stressed by the heat, focus on keeping them properly watered instead. Once temperatures return to normal and plants begin actively growing again, you can resume your regular feeding schedule.

3. Pruning away scorched leaves

I have a habit of picking at things (woe betide any split ends that appear in my hair; they will never be able to survive my obsessive snapping fingers). Still, while brown, crispy leaves aren't exactly attractive, we should resist the urge to prune them off straight away.

Although damaged foliage may no longer look healthy, it can still provide valuable shade for stems, fruit, and developing leaves underneath. Removing any plant sunburn during a heatwave can actually expose the rest of the plant to even more intense sunlight, increasing the risk of sunscald and further stress.

Unless a branch is dead, diseased, or creating a safety hazard, it's usually best to wait until cooler weather arrives before doing any significant pruning. Once the heatwave has passed, you can remove damaged growth and allow fresh new shoots to take over.

Try Slow Watering During Heatwaves:

Instead of trying to fix heat-stressed plants, focus on reducing the stress they're under. My husband swears by a thick layer of mulch can help keep soil cooler and reduce moisture loss, and delaying planting or transplanting until temperatures drop is the best way to give new plants a much better chance of establishing successfully.

Basically, heatwaves can be tough on gardens, but they don't have to spell disaster. Sometimes the best thing you can do is resist the urge to overcare for your plants. Be more chill. Do less!

Honestly, if you water wisely, avoid unnecessary pruning and fertilizing, and let your garden ride out the heat, your plants will often recover far better than you might expect once things cool down. Probably better than you if you forget that all-important suncream!

Look, I’m a gardening writer. I know the theory. I can tell you when to prune, when to feed, and when to leave well alone. And yet, when it comes to deadheading in my own garden, I’m embarrassed to admit that I turn into someone who is, frankly, a bit timid with the snips.

Enter my husband: a professional gardener with two decades of experience under his belt, who is both infuriatingly knowledgeable and completely fearless with a pair of pruners. He also, I should add, thinks I’m almost painfully cautious when deadheading.

Yes, whenever he spots me deadheading roses or salvias, he'll quietly take the secateurs from my hands before proceeding to cut what feels like an alarming amount off the plant. I stand there internally wondering whether I should be calling the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Plants.

Stop Being So Timid When Deadheading

In the interests of settling our long-running deadheading debate once and for all, I cornered him after work while he was trying to cook dinner and asked him exactly what I was getting wrong.

As ever, he was calm, kind…and entirely convinced I needed to be much braver.

Forever patient, he endured my barrage of deadheading questions as he attempted to pull together a bolognese our picky children might actually eat for once. "I know you hate cutting them back because it feels like you're ruining the plant," he told me, "but you've got to be braver with those shears.

"If you just nip off the faded flower, you're wasting your time. On most repeat-flowering plants, you want to follow the flower stem down to the first strong pair of healthy leaves or a side shoot, then make your cut just above that. That's where the plant can produce strong new growth."

In other words, don't just remove the dead flower itself; by following the spent flower stem down to a healthy leaf joint instead of leaving behind a short stub, you're encouraging the plant to direct its energy into producing fresh shoots and, ultimately, another flush of flowers.

Shop Deadheading Essentials:

It isn’t just me who fears deadheading too far; my husband reassured me that the majority of his gardening clients get nervous whenever he whips the pruning scissors out. But it is important to remember, he added, just how resilient most garden plants actually are.

"We treat them like they're fragile," he laughed. "But they're not. As long as you're following the flower stem back to a healthy point on the plant, most repeat-flowering plants absolutely thrive on a bit of tough love."

That being said, confidence is only half the battle. "Keep your shears sharp," he advised me, barely looking up from the pan. "You don't want to crush the stem; you want one clean, quick slice. Think of it like a surgical procedure, not a massacre."

A clean cut heals more quickly and is less likely to leave the plant vulnerable to disease than a ragged stem. And my husband also stressed that while most repeat-flowering plants benefit from confident deadheading, there are exceptions.

"Think about once-blooming roses," he says. "If you've got an old-fashioned climbing rose that only flowers once a year, don't start cutting long stems back in midsummer. You could be removing next year's flowers before they've even formed. Just tidy up the spent blooms and leave the framework alone."

Spring-flowering bulbs also need a gentler approach. "You can remove the faded flower heads from daffodils and tulips if you want them to look tidier," he explained, "but leave the leaves alone until they've yellowed naturally. That foliage is feeding the bulb for next year's flowers."

Lavender is another plant that deserves a little caution. "Snip off the faded flower spikes and trim the soft green growth if it needs tidying, but don't cut into the old woody stems," he suggested. "Lavender often won't grow back from old wood."

And finally, don't assume every faded flower needs removing immediately. "Some late-season plants, like sedum, are often worth leaving alone. Their seedheads look fantastic through fall and provide food for birds and insects long after the flowers have finished."

All excellent advice, as I'm sure you'll agree. And, while I'm still nowhere near as fearless as my husband with a pair of pruners, the next time I'm hovering nervously over a faded bloom, wondering whether I've gone too far, I'll remember his advice: don't just snip the flower – follow the stem.

Hey, I might even get it embroidered on a T-shirt!

Keeping a lawn green through a hot summer can feel like a losing battle. You water most evenings and run the sprinkler when it gets bad, then a few hard days later brown, dry patches start spreading across it anyway. The frustrating part is that a lot of that water never reaches the roots – it beads up and runs off, leaving the soil underneath bone dry.

That run-off is the clue. Once soil bakes dry in the heat, it can start repelling water instead of soaking it in, and that's half the reason a heat-stressed lawn stays patchy no matter how much you put down. A lawn wetting agent is the little-known fix – a product that helps water break through and soak in evenly, so more of it ends up where the grass can reach it.

What Is a Lawn Wetting Agent?

A wetting agent is a soil surfactant, the same class of compound behind soaps and detergents. Most lawn versions are nonionic surfactants – some synthetic, others plant-derived from coconut or yucca extract – and in plain terms they lower the surface tension of water so it spreads and sinks in rather than sitting on top in beads. That matters because dry soil isn't always simply dry. As organic matter and thatch break down, they can leave a waxy, water-repellent film on soil particles, and ground baked hard in a heatwave often starts to repel water in patches, a condition greenkeepers call dry patch.

Water hydrophobic soil and most of it rolls straight off or runs down a few cracks, leaving the bulk of the root zone untouched. A surfactant breaks that barrier so the water spreads in evenly and gets to the roots. Some products go further, holding moisture in the root zone for longer rather than just hurrying it through. Either way, the agent doesn't add a single drop – it stops the soil from wasting what you already put down.

Why It Helps in a Heatwave

In the middle of a hot, dry spell, that even soak-in is just what a lawn needs. Water reaches more of the root zone, so the patchwork of green and brown evens out and even the stubborn bone-dry spots finally take up moisture. Less run-off means less waste, as well, which counts for plenty when there's a hosepipe ban on or you're paying for every gallon through a meter.

It takes some of the guesswork out of summer lawn watering, too. Since the water sinks in rather than sheeting off, you can usually stretch the time between sessions, and what does soak down tends to reach the deeper roots where it counts. Over a season that adds up to a stronger, more drought-ready lawn. Most lawn wetting agents like this from Amazon come as a hose-end concentrate you just spray on, and one bottle generally covers a good-sized lawn for the summer.

How and When to Apply It

Application is straightforward. With a hose-end bottle you clip it onto the hose and spray evenly across the grass; granular versions get spread with a broadcaster and watered in. Either way, the step that matters is watering it in afterwards, since the agent has to move down into the soil to do its job – left sitting on the surface, it does nothing. Spreading a liquid evenly is easier with a hose spray attachment from The Home Depot than thumbing the end of the hose.

Timing trips a lot of people up. Put it down in the cool of early morning or evening rather than under a midday sun, and water it in well so nothing scorches. It works best as a preventative, applied before the soil dries out hard – not as an emergency rescue once the lawn has already gone crisp. A repeat every four weeks or so through the hot stretch keeps the effect topped up, though it's always worth a glance at the label, since concentrations differ.

Where Wetting Agents Fall Short

For all that, a wetting agent isn't a miracle, and it helps to be clear about what it can't do. It can't conjure water from nothing – in a real drought, with no rain and no irrigation, no surfactant on earth keeps grass green. What it does is make the most of the water that's already there. It's also less use on heavy clay soil that holds water well to begin with, where the trouble is usually drainage, not repellency.

And it won't fix bad habits. Mow too short, or water in shallow daily sprinkles, and a wetting agent only papers over the cracks – it works with good lawn care, not in place of it. Bear in mind, too: cool-season grass that browns off in a heatwave is often just going dormant, not dying, and it greens back up once cooler, damper weather returns. Half the time the lawn is fine on its own and better left alone.

Other Ways to Get a Lawn through the Summer

A few habits do as much as any product. Raise the mower height in summer – leaving the grass around 3 inches (7-8cm) long shades the soil and grows deeper roots, both of which help it ride out the heat. Mow less often too, and never take off more than the top third at once. When you do water, water deeply and less frequently, ideally first thing in the morning. A longer, less frequent soak does more good than a daily flick of the hose, and an oscillating lawn sprinkler from Walmart makes that easy to dial in.

Leave the clippings where they fall, as well – a light scatter works like a thin mulch, returning moisture and nutrients to the soil as it breaks down. A sharp mower blade helps too; a clean cut browns far less at the tips than a torn one. Feeding calls for restraint in a heatwave: a fast hit of nitrogen forces soft growth right when the grass is under strain, so reach for a specialized lawn fertilizer for stress like this blend from Amazon.

Whatever the size of your backyard, it's time to take a fresh look at the garden color palette you're using. Using color strategically is a staple of good garden design, making the very most of any plot. The right color combination can completely change your garden, making it less chaotic and more considered. So if your backyard feels cramped or cluttered, listen up! These new color rules are the solution you need.

The new color rules for landscape design are moving away from bold, contrasting tones and shifting towards calmer, more curated palettes that feel very modern. These color-based planting solutions work equally well in sunny and shady gardens, and are particularly useful for making a small garden feel bigger and drawing disparate parts of a bigger backyard together.

So, if you're looking for new ideas to make your garden design feel fresh and intentional, and are interested in ways to maximise your space, these modern designer tricks with color will set you on the right path. They're a great way to achieve a designer-look garden for less, and easy to implement yourself. Which new color rule will work best in your yard?

1. Prioritise Greens

We're often guilty of skipping straight past foliage tones to get to flower colors. But get the greens right first, and whatever the rest of your chosen color palette is made up of, your garden will feel calming, immersive, and continuous.

"Green is emerging as the defining color story of 2026," says Kevin Lenhart, landscape architect and design director at Yardzen. "Designers are layering tones from soft sage to deep forest across planting, materials, and furnishings to create depth and cohesion. Pops of color from flowering perennials, containers, and soft furnishings add moments of delight that echo the way color appears in nature: surprising, seasonal, never dominant."

Fabulous foliage was one of the biggest trends at this year's world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show. And no wonder, as research shows that exposure to the color green can soothe, heal, and rejuvenate our mental and emotional wellbeing. Make green therapy, also known as ecotherapy or nature therapy, central to your design ideas, and add sense-soothing elements to your garden, and you'll tap into the power of the natural environment to promote wellbeing.

2. Create a Monochromatic Base

A monochromatic color palette uses just one color, but many shades of it so it doesn't become monotonous. For example, if were to choose purple as your base tone, you would use multiple shades from palest lavender to deepest plums. And while it's perfectly possible to create an entire monochromatic color garden using just one tone, most modern designs simply use this rule as a starting point to ensure cohesion.

Designs with a monochromatic base shine in both compact and expansive plots. In an enclosed courtyard garden, the cohesion that using a base tone brings ensures a small area appears uncluttered. In a bigger garden, that base tone ties the various parts of a design together.

Taking advantage of different plant heights, shapes and structures as well as various shades lets you create depth and movement in the planting scheme. You can also use the various shades to create some clever optical illusions, such as planting lighter tones at the edges of borders to make beds seem bigger.

Your paving, fencing and garden furniture should fit into your monochromatic base, or at least have a neutral palette of cool cream and charcoal gray to keep the focus firmly on the plants, rather than opting for bright or warm colors that deflect attention.

3. Color-Drench For Impact

With the basics of your color palette established, it's time to build some highlights to create impactful garden moments. Layering up lots of different plants in the same bold, saturated shade by color drenching is a hugely effective way to make a focal point in your planting. It adds a very modern touch to a garden design, too, especially if the chosen tone extends beyond the planting with cushions, throws, and painted details such as accent walls. You don't need to use this rule across your whole garden, but perhaps color drench one central border, then use another rule to echo that tone elsewhere.

How landscape designers use this rule to garden with color in a contemporary space is far from dull. To add depth and interest to this one-color palette, they use a variety of contrasting flower shapes such as spheres and spires, and textures, too. The current color-drenching tone of choice is purple, which offers a wonderful array of textural blooms to choose from.

Essential Color-Drenching Purple Blooms

4. Chroma Layering to Create the Illusion of Space

Although it might sound like a technical concept, chroma layering is in fact the pretty straightforward practice of using colors of differing intensities to give the illusion of more depth. You can use this with varying colors, placing vibrant tones like orange, yellow and hot pink at the front of a border, and less intense shades like pale blue, white, gray and silver towards the back. You can also use chroma layering with a monochromatic palette, placing bolder, brighter shades at the front and calmer tones at the back.

Whichever, the more intense colors feel closer while the less intense shades appear further away, which has the effect of lengthening the view and making the space feel bigger than it is. As well as making a garden feel more spacious, this also creates a very modern look.

Chroma layering relies heavily on foliage as well as flowers. Darker purple foliage such as Smokebush 'Winecraft Black', available from Nature Hills, can be used at the back of a border, while leaves in a brighter zingy green such as those of Coral Bells 'Lime Marmalade', also available from Nature Hills, are placed towards the front.

5. The 70/30 Harmonious Living Rule

The 70/30 harmonious living rule has been big in interior design for a while now, used as a way of curating a more visually appealing space. Now the idea is shifting outside, and the principle works equally well when using color in a garden. The idea is that 70% of your color (plants and other design elements such as painted fences) forms a calming, harmonious backdrop for the remaining 30% of bright, bold color.

Sticking to this ratio means you can still use bright, impactful colors, while ensuring the garden remains calm, cohesive and considered. Using the 70/30 rule is also a great way to make your money go further, placing a few choice accent plants beloved by landscape designers among less expensive foliage plants.

6. Color Echoing For Continuity

Garden designers love to repeat color, form, or texture through a landscape to provide rhythm and unity. Color is an especially powerful tool when used in different parts of a garden as a linking device to create visual cohesion. This is one of the easiest garden design tips to put into practice, but also one of the most effective. It's known as color echoing, and involves choosing foliage, flowers, hardscaping or garden accessories in colors that mirror each other.

Weaving one color (or all the various shades of it, such as all the tones from deep magenta to palest blush pink) throughout your design leads your eye smoothly through a space, making a garden feel larger and more intentional. In this design, the color of a distinctive purple-leaved beech is picked up and echoed throughout the rest of the garden by dark purple granny bonnets, plum poppies, and Jerusalem Sage 'Amazone'.

Using the same tones in plants that soften hard landscaping is a particularly effective trick that landscape designers use. Another clever pro move is to use foliage for color echoing, as it's a more constant source. Unlike most flowers, foliage holds color all season long, sometimes even year-round. Plus of course, there's such diversity of foliage tone to draw on to play around with color echoing.

7. Color-Matching Tone and Aspect

There's a fine line between cohesion and monotony, so it's important to vary the moments of intensity in any garden design, to create a rhythm. Color matching tone and aspect is one way to achieve this. It involves positioning plants with bright, vibrant, warm colors like orange and yellow in sunny areas, and placing those with cool pastel tones such as white and pale blue in shady areas. You can also use it in conjunction with the monochromatic base rule, using brighter, bolder tones of a color in sunny areas and paler, lighter shades of the same color in shady areas.

This has the effect of creating an airy, open ambience, as the contrasting warm-colored sunny areas will feel further away from the cool-colored shady areas.

Use hardscaping to add to this rule, too. Sun-loving drought-tolerant plants like red hot pokers and gaillardia daisies in a hot, dry area pair well with gravel. In a shady area, a dark mulch will make ferns, hosta and astilbe appear lusher.

8. Color Wheel Asymmetrics For Balance

Modern garden design still pairs tones on opposite sides of the color wheel, but does so in a far more intentional, asymmetric fashion. Using opposite colors such as purple and yellow, blue and orange, or violet and lime green to make both shades appear more vibrant is one of the oldest garden design rules in the book. However, employing an equal level of the contrasting colors means they will all compete for your attention, which can feel overwhelming. For still-bright results with a soothing rather than stressful vibe, the new rule dictates we use an uneven split of 80% of one color and 20% of the other.

The idea behind this ratio is that it lets you create visual tension, depth, and highly intentional focal points, without overwhelming the senses.

Red Flowers to Pop Against Green

Whatever palette you choose, mix and match these new color rules to create a cohesive garden design that looks like it was created by a professional landscaper. Remember that there are many different ways to add more color to any garden, such as clothing a bare wall with a stunning clematis, or painting your patio pots in a shade to match your planting palette. Or how about sowing some pretty groundcover to keep weeds out of your borders, or adding a color-pop patio table?

July can be a tough month for hydrangeas. They tend to wilt in the heat of midsummer, especially during a heatwave or drought, and on sunny afternoons. The stress can trigger a transition from robust, vibrant spring and early summer growth to fading flowers, drooping leaves, and even burnt, crispy edges.

In July, hydrangea care is all about supporting your shrubs during stressful times. The effort you put in this month will help extend the blooming season and keep your plants healthy and vigorous.

1. Water Your Hydrangeas Deeply

Inconsistent moisture is one of the biggest and most harmful issues hydrangeas face in the heat of summer. If the weather is hot and dry, institute a routine of deep watering. A good rule of thumb is to water hydrangeas once or twice a week, but I like to stick my finger in the soil to feel for moisture. If the top two inches (5 cm) are dry, it’s time to water. If you aren't sure, then buy a moisture meter, like the Yamron 4-in-1 soil moisture meter on Amazon.

Don’t rely on the wilting of leaves for a sign of water needs, as hydrangeas often wilt in the heat of the day and perk back up overnight.

It’s better to water your hydrangeas deeply and less often than shallowly and every day. Shallow watering encourages shallow, weak roots. Deep watering encourages roots to grow down, where the soil is moist and cool.

Water hydrangeas in the morning to reduce water loss to evaporation during the heat of the day. It’s best to water at the base of each shrub rather than overhead, especially if you water in the evening. Water lingering on leaves overnight encourages fungal infections.

2. Add or Fortify Mulch

Bare, dark soil around your hydrangeas acts like a heat sink. The soil absorbs a lot of the heat from the sun, cooking delicate roots underground and causing moisture to evaporate quickly. Hydrangeas tend to suffer from this heat and dryness in the summer, so take steps to reduce the effect.

The best thing you can do is mulch generously around each shrub. Two to three inches (5–7.5 cm) of mulch does several things to support healthy plants: it regulates the soil temperature, keeps it cooler, holds moisture, and suppresses weeds. All essential for growing those stunning, billowy hydrangea blooms.

Shredded bark, pine straw, and wood chips are all good options. Or, try coconut husk, like this Back to the Roots Organic Expanding Mulch. Pile up the mulch around the base of each hydrangea, but keep a few inches around the stems bare. This reduces the risk of rotting and pests.

3. Remove Faded Flowers, Carefully

Hydrangea flowers often start to look sorry for themselves in the heat of midsummer. This is a good time to do some deadheading to tidy up the plants and help them direct energy away from seeds back into overall health.

When deadheading hydrangeas, snip spent flowers off somewhere between the base of the flowers and the first set of healthy leaves. Do not remove the entire stem. For some types of hydrangeas, trimming off entire stems now can reduce flowering next year. Use sharp, clean precision pruners, like Fiskars' pruning scissors with microtips, to deadhead.

4. Protect Hydrangeas from Intense Heat

As long as you provide plenty of water and use mulch thoughtfully, your hydrangeas will survive a July heatwave. However, they are unlikely to thrive during this time. If you can protect them from the intense sun and heat of July afternoons, the flowers will retain more vibrant color and last longer.

The best way to protect hydrangeas from heat is to provide some temporary shade. If your hydrangeas are potted, simply move them into shade for the afternoon. If not, you may have to get creative to rig up some shade. Use a shade cloth, like this one from Cool Arena Store, and support it with stakes. Alternatively, use a garden umbrella, a lightweight trellis you can easily move, or portable plant screens. Just a couple of hours of relief from the hot sun can help flowers last weeks longer.

5. Watch for Summer Pests

While some plants, like hydrangeas, struggle in the hottest part of the summer, certain pests and diseases are prepared to thrive. In fact, they’ll take advantage of stressed plants and cause worse infestations and infections.

Heat, and particularly humidity, in July can trigger issues with spider mites, aphids, powdery mildew, and leaf spot in hydrangeas. Inspect leaves and stems regularly throughout the month to catch signs of problems early, when they’ll be more manageable.

If you see pests, use a stream of water to remove them or target them with neem oil or an insecticidal soap – Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil comes in a ready-to-use spray. Remove leaves that show signs of spots or mildew and dispose of them. Just a quick, five-minute check once or twice a week is enough to ensure pests and infections on hydrangeas don’t get out of control.

6. Skip the Fertilizer

Lastly, this is a chore you can skip in July. Hydrangeas are likely to be at least a little stressed this month, and adding fertilizer can actually increase stress. Now is the time to focus on maintaining healthy plants, not encouraging additional growth.

Skip the fertilizer and spend your time ensuring hydrangeas have enough water and mulch to stay healthy through the hottest part of the summer.

July Hydrangea Care Essentials

These few, small tasks done in July can mean the difference between faded, sad-looking hydrangeas and healthy plants with vibrant, long-lasting flowers. Hydrangeas are pretty forgiving and resilient, but they’ll reward you for that watchful July care. Instead of just surviving, they’ll thrive through summer.

We look forward to summer sun all winter long, then the heat arrives and we remember the glory of shade. Not to worry! You can create shade and cool your patio with plants. Patio plants properly placed - whether small trees, potted plants with big leaves, or hanging baskets - can step between you and the sun to cool things down. Using leafy trees and lush vines won’t turn summer back into spring, but it can create a fresher, cooler microclimate exactly where you need it.

When you are designing your landscape, it’s always a good idea to install shade trees to cool your home. If you need shade pronto, you’ll want to make a trip to the garden store and bring home ready-made sunshine-blocking houseplants. If you are starting early, some of these are easy to start by rooting cuttings. (Adding a Shark FlexBreeze Misting Fan from Amazon will help complete the patio oasis transformation!)

Here are 5 of our top choices.

5 Plants that Cool Your Patio in Summer

Here at Gardening Know How, we think that any houseplant is a good houseplant. But different plants play different roles in our landscape. If you are looking for plants to provide patio shade, we’ve got you covered. The top plants for cooling a patio will offer height, dense foliage and large leaves and turn scorching sunlight into dappled shade.

Here are the 5 plants we recommend to make your patio a cool outdoor retreat.

1. Elephant Ears

Think of an elephant’s ears - big and heart-shaped. That’s what the leaves of Colocasia esculenta look like, one of the species of tropical perennial plants termed “elephant ears.” They are grown for the very same huge leaves that gave them their name. The species plant grows emerald green leaves with a matte finish, but - for sunny patios in search of shade - we recommend varieties with dark leaves that can take direct sun.

Two great choices include ‘Black Coral’ with its huge, glossy black, corrugated leaves, growing to 4 feet (1.3m) tall, and ‘Black Magic’, with dusty purple-black leaves and dark petioles. It grows to 6 feet (2m) tall and wide. 3 to 6 feet tall and wide.

Provide your elephant ear plant with fertile, moist soil and don’t neglect regular irrigation. They grow best in warm temperatures and high humidity. They thrive in USDA hardiness zones 8-11.

2. Star Jasmine

Yes, this plant deserves its “star” designation for its powerful fragrance alone. Then there are the frothy, star-shaped flowers, the vigorous vine, and the plant’s tolerance for sun and shade. Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) grows rapidly to 6 feet (2m) tall and wide if provided with warm temperatures and well-draining soil. And it’s so easy; a member of the “plant and forget” club.

This vine works well for a hot patio since it will do just fine in hot sun and loves to run up a trellis. The star jasmine is a fast-growing vine and, without something to climb, will spread quickly in the landscape, potentially suffocating nearby plants. Its thick, twining vines create a heavy plant screen just where you need it and bloom from spring through September.

3. Crape Myrtle

Star jasmine will build a leafy wall between your patio and the sun, but if you’d prefer a dappled approach, consider a container tree like crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica). This leafy flowering tree releases water vapor through its long eaves, cooling down the nearby air. But it also offers masses of flowers that create an effective sun screen on a deck or patio. Sited in sun and soil that drains well, it only needs regular watering in summer in USDA zones 6-9.

Crape myrtle is a wonderful plant to cool a patio as it has naturally airy canopy, creating dappled shade without making a space feel dark or blocking out the light.

Crape myrtles are not necessarily small trees. Planted in the garden, they can grow to 25 feet (8m) tall and almost as wide. So choose a cultivar that meets your needs. For example, 'Enduring Summer White' is a dwarf cultivar that won’t get taller than you are yet offers lacy white blooms. Or for something taller and more colorful, go for 'Catawba' with bright purple flowers and fiery fall color, topping out at between 10 and 15 feet (3-5m) tall and wide.

4. Grapevine

Grapevines (Vitis vinifera) are fast climbing vines that prefer a full-sun location. Lots of my friends in French Basque Country have planted grapevines on a pergola or overhead frames in the patio to create a cool seating area below. Grapevines grow fast and can create a dense summer roof of leaves in a season or two. The “ceiling” of grapevine leaves blocks sun in summer, but leaves drop off in winter to allow the sunshine in.

Yes, grapevines are fruit plants that produce grapes. They hang down into the pergola like decorations. The entire set-up gives you the sense that you are sitting in a cool Mediterranean getaway instead of a hot patio.

Plant your grapevine in a full sun area, especially if you hope to ripen the fruit. They grow best in well-draining soil with regular water - at least an inch a week. You’ll need to prune every year to keep growth healthy. They are hardy in USDA zones 6-9.

5. Hostas

Leafy container plants can change the atmosphere of a small garden or patio in summer, turning it into a cooling station. We all know hostas (Hosta spp.) as easy-care plants for our shade gardens, but there are some that have huge green cooling leaves but love the sun. These are the ones to consider to cool your summer patio.

Bring in shade-loving varieties as second tier patio plants, or select sun loving varieties for sunny corners. We particularly like Hosta ‘Big Daddy’, which delights with its massive leaves. They grow to 12 inches (30cm) long in a really cool frosty blue. ‘Big Daddy’ can grow happily in full sun, partial sun or shade. It also works well in containers, The entire plant will get 2 feet (.6m) tall and 3 feet (1m) wide. It offers showy white flowers that appear in late summer and attract pollinators.

Hosta species have individual sun requirements, but they all need moist, well-draining soil. Hosta is hardy to USDA Zones 3-9.

Summers have always been the hottest, driest season, but these days, with a warming climate, temperatures can become extreme. Most of us have seen our gardens dry out during summer, especially during periods of drought and/or high heat and – other than watering in the early morning – there’s not much to do about it.

As your landscape gets toasty and the plants get dry, fire risk increases. And that's not to mention 4th of July fireworks. If you’ve leaned into drought tolerant plants in the backyard, the risk is even higher given the lower moisture content. Some plants that are resilient in extreme weather can be surprisingly flammable, and wise homeowners keep these species far from homes, sheds, fences and other structures during hot, dry summer weather.

7 Garden Plants That Are Surprisingly Flammable

Some plants and trees are notoriously flammable and proud of it. We all know that pine and spruce needles have high resin content, and so do their branches and trunks. Other plants are just as flammable but a little sneakier about it. So don’t feel bad if you’re just hearing about their flammability for the first time.

It’s important to identify these “secretly” flammable plants because you just don’t want them near buildings or fences in hot summer weather. And you definitely want to keep them away from stray fireworks. We’d like to introduce you to seven of them that create quite a blaze if they burn.

1. Wild Lilac (Ceanothus spp.)

If you live on the West Coast, you are very likely to have a ceanothus in your backyard. These are among my favorite native shrubs, with the striking indigo flowers that cover the canopy in spring and attract butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. The leaves are lovely too, small, oval and a dark, blue-green color. But not all ceanothus look alike. The genus includes some 60 shrubs, mostly evergreen, including some that are prostrate, some that mound, and some that are upright to 6 feet (2m) tall.

Another benefit of ceanothus is its drought tolerance; I’ve hardly watered mine since the first year I planted them. But this characteristic also indicates that these native beauties are flammable. In fact, ceanothus leaves are coated with flammable oils and resins. These garden staples started out as chaparral plants and nature built them for fire; the ceanothus seeds require intense heat for germination.

Few of us who love ceonothus are likely to cut our trees down because of an elevated risk of fire. On the other hand, it just makes sense to position it in the back of the garden rather than near the house, garage or shed.

Just in Case

2. Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)

Fresh blackberries from the garden are sweet and delicious, but keep in mind that blackberry bushes are so flammable that they can be a fire hazard. You should never plant them close to your home, and if you have them in your berry patch, be sure to keep them manicured.

Left unattended, the canes can shoot up to 15 feet (5m) tall. They stay upright even after they die, creating scaffolding for new growth. The dead canes create a ladder fuel situation where a ground fire can climb up into tree branches. Replace your blackberry canes with red flowering currents, thimbleberry and Pacific crabapple.

3. Common Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Deck the halls alright, but don’t plant common holly near your home. Its dark green, glossy leaves are unmistakable, but they are filled with resin and highly flammable. In a wilder landscape, they can also create a dense understory that can function as a ladder fuel. In addition, common holly leaves produce a flammable vapor when heated, making stands of holly a fire risk.

It’s wise to avoid planting holly near your home and don’t leave large holly piles near any structure. If you want to replace the shrub, consider sword fern, vine maple, or ocean spray.

4. Rosemary (Rosmarinus spp.)

Many of us have planted rosemary in the garden because it is extremely drought resistant and can take a hot sun. But this plant is among the more flammable of the native plants. Its needle-like leaves are filled with oils and resins - and these remain even when the needles die and dry on the stems. That translates to a plant that is appealing visually, useful in cooking, but highly flammable.

Most gardeners I know keep a shrub or two of rosemary in the herb garden, and this does not seem like a significant fire threat. But resist any temptation to suddenly install an entire bed of rosemary just beside your home.

5. Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)

Scotch broom is considered a common weed today, but it was brought into America years ago as an ornamental. It is rather pretty, with leaves composed of three oblong leaflets close to the stem, slender stems, and a cloud of bright yellow blossoms from March to June. .

But admire fields of Scotch broom from afar rather than planting up your garden. Dense, mature stands of broom create lots of dead woody debris with a high oil content. This puts them on the “most flammable” list of plants that do not belong anywhere near your home or out buildings. Instead, plant native grasses and beaked hazelnut shrubs.

6. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

My grandmother used to wear lavender perfume, and the whiff of this fragrant flowering plant brings back memories to me. That’s one reason I added it to my herb garden; another is that it is as beautiful as it is fragrant.

But as those slender, flexible stems turn woody as they age and dead plant matter builds up within the plant. This makes your lovely, fragrant lavender plant flammable, very flammable. It is not recommended that you plant lavender near any structure on your property. Keep it more than 5 feet (2m) away from your home to prevent any fire problems.

7. Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris)

Now this one surprised me. Bamboo flammable? Well it is and it isn’t.

Bamboos are vigorous and dramatic plants with a tropical air. Their graceful swaying canes and forever foliage add structure and movement to the landscape. You can find bamboo that will be happy in almost every growing condition. Some are running and some are climbing but all seem flexible and moist rather than dry and flammable.

Live bamboo canes are made up of cellulose, and include high amounts of silica and water with very few volatile oils. Live bamboo is hard - if not impossible - to ignite, but the same cannot be said of dry bamboo. The dried stems, leaves, and sheaths of bamboo are extremely flammable, and most large stands of bamboo include lots of dead stems and dried debris. All this dry bamboo can explode when burned, so keep any large planting well away from your home.

You don’t need to remove bamboo from your landscape, but you do need to maintain it, pruning out dead wood regularly and removing it from the area. If this seems like too much work, consider planting something else like

Tips to Reduce Fire Risk

You can reduce the risk of fire in your home and landscape by selecting plants wisely and maintaining your garden. Here are five tips to keep in mind.

1. Select plants that are fire-resistant, like succulents.
2. Prune back branches that approach your home.
3. Clean up and dispose of yard debris including dry leaves, canes, and branches.
4. Never plant shrubs within 5 feet (2m) of the home.
5. Choose mulch that is not flammable, like organic compost, instead of flammable mulch, like dried leaves or pine needles.
6. Cut out dead plants, shrubs and trees promptly and remove them from the property.

Roses are known for their graceful beauty and intoxicating aroma. Unfortunately, they are also known for their painful thorns. But did you know that not all roses have thorns? Whether you want climbers, shrubs and miniature beauties, these pain-free roses are ideal for patios, walkways, and other growing spaces where there is a chance people might brush against them.

You can easily grow roses that don’t lash out and enjoy months of gorgeous, fragrant blooms without ever having to worry about a wayward nip. From dramatic vertical climbers that can soften a bare wall to compact beauties tailored for tight patio containers, these varieties prove you don’t have to sacrifice classic rose beauty or rich fragrance just to keep your garden safe and snag-free.

To help you find the best options for your yard, here are 7 outstanding, virtually thornless varieties that cover all the bases for hybrid, climbing, shrub and tea roses, in a range of tones. Each offers smooth, touchable canes and balances disease resistance, reliable hardiness, and standout color.

The Best (Nearly) Thorn-Free Roses

Roses are known for their thorns, but thanks to centuries of breeding, you can find many varieties that are smooth or mostly smooth. Not only are thorn-free roses a real option, but they’re also surprisingly varied. You can choose from ramblers and climbers, traditional shrub types, small patio varieties, and low groundcovers. Make the right choice for your space based on type and mature size.

As you choose a thornless rose, also consider your climate and growing conditions. The rose should fall within your USDA hardiness zone, match the sunlight you have available, and have good disease resistance. It’s also a good idea to consider your soil condition before you start planting. These roses need rich, loamy soil that holds nutrients, but crumbles easily in your hand. Most importantly, they require excellent drainage. Aim for a slightly acidic to neutral pH level (ideally between 6-6.5) to help your plants easily absorb the food they need to thrive.

A good diagnostic tool like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon can help you quickly check moisture, pH, and nutrient levels so you can amend your planting hole as necessary with organic compost, coarse sand, or horticultural grit. Use this list as a starting point for finding your perfect, thornless roses in any color, growth type, and size. Here are some of our favorite options for smooth, pain-free roses of all types.

1. ‘Madame Alfred Carrière'

This classic climbing rose variety was first introduced in 1875. It’s suitable for zones 5 through 11 and is a repeat bloomer, rewarding good care with season-long creamy white flowers with an intoxicating scent. ‘Madam Alfred Carrière’ is particularly known for its smooth, thornless canes, which can grow 15-20 feet (4.6-6m) long. As a showy climber, this is a great option where you have a lot of vertical space. Grow it along pergolas, fences, arbors, or even walls. It needs some support and training each year to develop a sturdy hold. Deadhead flowers to encourage repeat blooms.

Plant it in a location that receives a minimum of 4-6 hours of daily sunlight. A bit of morning sun maximizes its magnificent flush. It requires deep, well-draining soil enriched with organic compost, and a neutral to slightly acidic pH. Add a thick mulch midsummer to conserve moisture. Fan the canes out horizontally along your trellis or arbor rather than letting them grow straight up. This forces the plant to unlock lateral buds, rewarding you with a dense wall of blossoms from top to bottom. For the same thornless, vigorous climbing habit, you can buy ‘Peggy Martin’ live plants from Amazon which swap the pale blush for rich pink clusters.

2. ‘Zephirine Drouhin’

This is another thornless climber to consider if you have a shady spot with vertical space. Unlike most roses, ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ tolerates partial shade. A spot with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal. Like our first rose choice, this bourbon climber blooms all season long after a heavy spring flush. The flowers are a rich cherry pink and have an intense aroma. ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ thrives in zones 5-10 and reaches 15 feet (6m) tall. This variety does have some susceptibility to fungal infections, so prune it to improve airflow and only water at the base.

Aim for rich, fertile soil that retains moisture but drains well, boasting an ideal pH between 6-6.5. It’s ideal for north- or east-facing walls, where other varieties languish. Add a generous layer of organic compost mulch to keep the roots cool, coupled with a monthly feeding of a phosphorus-rich rose food through midsummer to fuel its repeat-blooming cycle. Deadhead promptly through July and August to ensure a steady stream of gorgeous pink petals right up until fall. You can buy Green Promise Farms 'Zephirine Drouhin' from Amazon.

3. ‘Sweet Chariot’

‘Sweet Chariot’ is a miniature shrub rose developed in the 1980s, with double pink flowers and a rich fragrance. This rose is compact in size, but also has a trailing growth habit, making it perfect for containers on patios and even hanging baskets. ‘Sweet Chariot’ grows well in zones 5-9, but prefers full sun (at least 6 hours daily). If grown in containers, it will need to be watered frequently, but be sure the soil drains very well. Deadhead the flower clusters as they fade to keep blooms coming all summer long.

This patio-friendly perennial needs a highly fertile, lightweight potting mix blended with perlite or coarse sand to guarantee rapid drainage. Water daily during heatwaves, alongside a bi-weekly application of a diluted liquid seaweed or fish emulsion fertilizer. Choose a container with generous drainage holes at the base and raise it slightly off the ground on pot feet to prevent stagnant water from pooling. Keep a close eye out for spider mites, which frequently target container-grown patio roses in dry, hot weather, and give the foliage a gentle misting with water in the early morning to deter them. For a compact alternative that you can source online, try ‘Petite Knock Out’ from Amazon which also has a low prickle count.

4. ‘Mary Delany’

Most classic shrub roses are very thorny. This exception (previously known as ‘Mortimer Sackler’) is a large shrub rose that grows up to 12 feet (3.7m) tall. ‘Mary Delany’ is known for its pretty, double pink flowers, fruity scent, and nearly smooth canes. Although it’s a shrub, you can train this variety to grow as a climber. It has strong disease resistance and continuous blooms that keep going through to fall. Just deadhead regularly to keep flowers coming. ‘Mary Delany’ is hardy in zones 5-9, and prefers full sun or a little shade. Give your rose regular deep watering.

Provide it with a minimum of 4-6 hours of sunlight. While it thrives in full sun, it is famously capable of handling a bit of dappled afternoon shade without losing its blooming power. It demands a deep bed of rich, loamy soil, with a neutral pH that has been heavily amended with organic matter to ensure good drainage. Add a balanced fertilizer right after the heavy spring flush and maintain a thick 3-inch (8cm) layer of bark mulch around the root zone to lock in moisture. Prune by about one-third in late winter to maintain a tidy, bushy shrub form if you aren't growing it vertically. You can buy ‘Mary Delany’ at Otto and Sons Nursery online.

5. ‘Smooth Angel’

Hybrid tea rose types are known for their strong aromas and large flowers that grow singly on stems, making them ideal for cutting. ‘Smooth Angel’ is from Harvey Davidson, and was developed in the 1980s to be 95% thorn-free. The large flowers on this variety are a light peachy-cream color and have a heavy fragrance. Give ‘Smooth Angel’ a spot in full sun with rich soil that drains very well, and you’ll be able to enjoy smooth, thorn-free flowers in a few distinct flushes throughout the season. It’s an appropriate rose for zones 5-10 and will grow up to two feet (0.6m) tall.

This rose requires a fertile, loamy soil with an optimal pH between 6.0 and 6.5, heavily incorporated with aged organic compost. Give this rose a deep soaking at the root zone once a week and a balanced liquid rose fertilizer immediately after its initial flush to jumpstart the next wave of buds. Avoid planting it in tight, overcrowded spaces or heavy clay, as poor air circulation and stagnant water will quickly invite black spot. Otherwise, this is a hardy beauty. As a peachy alternate that might be easier to track down online, try Heirloom Roses ‘Just Joey’ from Amazon. It has very widely spaced thorns, making it smooth and easy to manage.

6. ‘Iceberg’

Floribunda roses give you abundant clusters of flowers that bloom repeatedly through the growing season. ‘Iceberg’ floribundas were introduced in the 1950s, and they have good disease resistance, they grow vigorously, and they are nearly thornless. The original ‘Iceberg’ has white blooms, but you can now find this desirable variety in a rainbow of colors, including blush pink, bright pink, burgundy red, and yellow. ‘Iceberg’ grows up to 4 feet (1.2m) tall with a shrub form. It grows well in zones 5-9 and needs full sun for the most prolific blooms.

Plant this rose in a prominent location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. ‘Iceberg’ thrives in a well-draining, fertile loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH between 6-6.5. Water deeply every week, and give it a mid-season feeding with a high-potassium fertilizer to keep the blooms coming. Prune back by about one-third in late winter to maintain its tidy 4-foot (1.2m) shape. Finally, shear off entire spent flower clusters rather than individual stems after each heavy flush, which triggers an immediate, explosive repeat performance that lasts straight until the first hard frost. You can buy Heirloom Roses Iceberg Floribunda from Amazon.

7. ‘Cambridgeshire’

This David Austin variety isn’t totally thornless, but it has very few spines on its short canes. It’s rare for a groundcover rose to be so smooth, so if you’re looking for a pain-free, low-growing rose, this is the one for you. It’s perfect for sunny areas along pathways. ‘Cambridgeshire’ grows densely and spreads widely while remaining no more than about 18 inches (50cm) tall. It is a repeat bloomer, and the flowers are colorful, transitioning through gold, red, dark pink and lighter pink. It thrives in zones 5-10 in full sun and rich soil drains well. Deadhead to get continuous flowers through the growing season.

‘Cambridgeshire’ needs a highly crumbly, well-draining soil, maintaining an ideal pH of 6-6.5 to support its continuous nutrient intake. Apply a fresh, 2-inch (5cm) layer of hardwood mulch around the base right after planting. Avoid planting it in low-lying depressions or heavy clay where standing water accumulates. Deadheading isn't mandatory, but give the entire patch a light trim with hedge shears in late winter to rejuvenate the plant, prompting an explosive, uniform blanket of colorful blooms. If you can’t find 'Cambridgeshire', try 'Sweet Drift' Groundcover Rose from Walmart which serves up a carpet of bubblegum pink blooms on virtually thornless stems.

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When Joanna Gaines posts anything to Instagram (which is actually quite often), I have to immediately stop scrolling and see if I can do whatever she’s doing in my own house or garden. This time, she posted a video of summer scenes from her farmhouse in Waco, Texas, that featured horses galloping through fields, an adorable summer swing, and best of all, a view of her “Rose Shed,” of which we got a peek back in January 2024.

Naturally, there were climbing roses on the small roof outside, and there was something about the combination of romantic pink blooms, architecture, and sunlight that made me stop and stare at my own bare fence and feel personally victimized. Climbing roses are one of the most achievable upgrades in your garden, but you have to know what you’re doing. Fortunately, a couple of experts helped me out.

Use Your Vertical Space

Most of the time, people think of gardens as horizontal: soil, beds, borders, etc., all at ground level. But climbing roses turn this logic on its head.

Marta Pawlik, Co-Founder and Director of Laik, which manages over 50 luxury vacation properties, has seen the difference firsthand. She says, “Most people only plant to the floor level and do not utilize any of the vertical space above them. When one of my clients decided to grow a single 'Zephirine Drouhin' up her bare stone archway, there was a dramatic increase in the number of bookings for that property. The vertical space is what it's all about!"

An arch, a pergola, a plain garden wall; all of these are just waiting for a climbing rose to make them feel complete.

Choose the Right Variety

It’s often a misconception that all climbing roses are created equal, and variety choice matters more than most people realize. Pawlik tells me she has a firm favorite: Rosa “Gertrude Jekyll” is the first climbing rose I always recommend. I’ve had a number of clients in the Lake District try three different climbing roses over five years (with little success in regards to photography) to be able to justify the asking price per week. By growing a single “Gertrude Jekyll” over her pergola, her listing was booked solid before the end of February. The flower is large, the fragrance is incredible, and the deep pink coloration is worth a lot in sunlight.

The 'Gertrude Jekyll' climbing rose, the variety Marta Pawlik swears by, produces large, bright pink rosettes with one of the strongest old rose fragrances of any English variety, and comes with a five-year guarantee straight from the breeder, David Austin.

For something thornless and forgiving (especially useful on archways where people actually walk through), 'Zephirine Drouhin' is a classic.

Don't Neglect What Goes Underneath

A climbing rose on its own can look a little leggy at the base. Fortunately, the fix is simple: companion planting. Pawlik recommends French lavender beneath your rose as it covers the bare stems, smells incredible, and the purple-pink color combination photographs beautifully. Add alliums in the middle of the garden, and suddenly the whole space will look well-planned rather than accidental.

Thery Jean Christophe, founder of Musa Art Gallery, agrees on the layering approach: "I would pair them with softer companion plants like lavender, catmint, foxgloves, or herbs so the garden feels layered but not chaotic."

Plant a couple of these Hidcote Blue lavender plants (available on Amazon) at the base of your climbing rose. The deep purple blooms and silvery foliage are the companion for pink roses; they'll cover any bare stems, and the fragrance combination is frankly unfair to your neighbors.

Don't Cheap Out on the Plant

This is where most people go wrong, and Pawlik is refreshingly blunt about it, saying, "I once planted a low-grade bare root rose that took the entire summer to explain to the owner why her rose arch looked like a twig with big aspirations."

The advice? Buy a grade-three plant, put it in the ground in autumn, and train every stem to grow horizontally from the start. This is where the blooms really come from; not the vertical stems shooting upward, but the horizontal ones fanning out.

Fake It While You Wait

Climbing roses take time to establish, and for some of us, patience isn't always in plentiful supply. Jean Christophe has a practical workaround, telling me, "For homeowners who want the abundant look faster, I'd suggest combining climbing roses with trellises, containers, and fast-growing companion plants while the roses mature. That way the space feels romantic early on, but still has a long-term design foundation." To me it looks as if you’re dressing the set while the main act is busy getting ready.

The SCENDOR garden arch (available on Amazon) is a sturdy, iron structure standing nearly 8.2 feet tall with a double-layer design built to handle the real weight of a mature climbing rose. So, it’s not just for looks, but for the long haul!

While it may seem like it, Joanna Gaines’ aesthetic isn’t magic; it’s just a thoughtful use of height, the right plant, and the right spot (though the patience part seems like magic to me).

From zodiac signs to birth flowers, there are plenty of ways people like to assign meaning to the month they were born. But here’s a slightly more unexpected version: your birth month farm animal.

Yes, over the years, we’ve seen everything from birth month trees and birth month birds to bugs, trees, and even so-called “power animals” tied to different times of year. There’s something oddly comforting about it all, as it offers up a sense that the natural world around us might reflect something back about who we are.

Honestly? It often feels a source of comfort in a world that feels increasingly fast-paced and digital, serving as a reminder of a slower, more connected way of living. One that feels especially appealing as more people turn their attention to growing food at home, self-sufficiency, and getting back in touch with where things come from.

All 12 Birth Month Farm Animals

So, which birth month farm animal are you? Well, whether you’re a loyal collie, an independent barn cat, or a determined horse, each month has a barnyard counterpart said to reflect certain personality traits.

Time to find out, then, whether your farmyard alter ego feels strangely accurate or not...

January – Horse

Strong-willed, ambitious and determined, January babies are often seen as natural leaders. And, just like a free-spirited horse, they’re independent, focused, and rarely back down from a challenge.

In fact, they prefer forging their own path and moving at their own pace. No bad thing, as I'm sure you will agree.

Shop Horse-Friendly Flowers:

February – Goat

Creative, curious and, yes, a little unconventional, February babies are the goats of the barnyard. In fact, just like their birth month farm animal, they’re adventurous thinkers who aren’t afraid to take the less obvious route, often surprising others with their originality.

Try paying homage to yours with this stunning Goat Willow (Pussy Willow) from Nature Hills.

March – Sheep

Do people often refer to you as gentle, compassionate and calm? Born in March? That's the answer!

Yes, March personalities are represented by sheep. Which, sure, sounds bad on paper until you remember that these birth month farm animals tend to be thoughtful, peace-loving, and happiest in stable, harmonious environments where everyone gets along.

Honestly, the best way to be more sheep, then, is to consider how you might make your garden better for everyone... especially pollinators.

Shop Pollinator-Friendly Plants:

April – Rooster

Cock-a-doodle-what? Yes, April-born people share traits with roosters. They’re outgoing, self-assured and often the ones setting the tone in any group they’re part of. Which means, much like their birth month farm animal, they are those sorts of people who are confident, expressive and full of presence. And, quite possibly, earlybirds.

There are a number of cover crops that roosters and chickens love, including:

• Alfalfa
• Clover
• Annual rye
• Kale
• Cowpeas
• Rabe
• New Zealand clover
• Turnips
• Mustard
• Buckwheat
• Grain grasses

May – Pig

Look, I get it. Nobody wants to be told that their birth month farm animal is a pig (especially if they have ever read Animal Farm), but here's the thing. Pigs are sociable, warm and fun-loving. They are undeniably cute. And May personalities are like pigs in the best possible way: intelligent, adaptable, and happiest when surrounded by good company and comfort.

Be more pig, then, and get your garden set up for al fresco parties, stat.

Shop Solar Lighting:

June – Chicken

Nurturing, talkative and emotionally attuned, people born under this birth month farm animal are protective of those they love, tend to thrive in community, and always bring people together in a warm, grounded way.

Love chickens? Find out how to keep and care for backyard chickens, then, and make a whole new world of feathered friends in the process.

July – Cow

Sometimes, people (mean people, silly people!) use the word cow as an insult. How, though, could it ever be a bad thing to be compared to these steady, loyal and deeply dependable animals?

July babies are incredibly lucky to reflect the calm strength of cows. Especially as it means that, just like their birth month farm animals, they are nurturing by nature and often the emotional anchor in their friendships and family life.

August – Goose

I absolutely love geese, so I'm a little jealous that August babies everywhere get to call this honking bird their birth month farm animal!

Protective, courageous and fiercely loyal, geese aren't afraid to stand their ground, and neither are those born at this time of year. In fact, when it comes to protecting the people they love, they are unstoppable, thus making them the dependable friend or family member others know they can count on.

Why not treat your inner goose to a mini pond?

September – Donkey

My husband was deeply disappointed to learn that, as a September baby, the not-so-humble donkey is his birth month farm animal. I say, though, that he shouldn't be (ha!) such a donkey about it. After all, these hoofed cuties are practical, resilient and quietly strong.

Those born under their influence tend to be dependable problem-solvers, the kind who, even if they are underestimated at first, rarely disappoint. Mind you, they can be stubborn, too!

October – Barn Cat

I hold my hands up and confess that I am an October baby, so I am especially interested in this birth month farm animal. And, while I can't say for sure that I'm charming (here's hoping) I do believe that, much like the ever-independent and observant barn cat, I value my freedom and trust my instincts.

October-born personalities are also said to have a mysterious, magnetic quality to them, which makes sense. Cats are pure mystery, after all! Try planting these plants beloved by cats, then, and see how your inner barn cat responds.

November – Highland Cow

Highland cows are basically the stars of the farmyard. You don’t rush them, you don’t rattle them, and you certainly don’t tell them to hurry up, because they’re already exactly where they need to be.

Calm, steady and emotionally grounded, November-born people share that same energy. They have a quiet strength that doesn’t need to announce itself, and a reassuring presence that makes other people feel instantly more at ease. Even in chaos, they tend to stay unshaken, observing everything with a kind of slow, knowing calm.

Honor yours by planting some true Scotch heather, stat!

December – Collie

Collies are the overachievers of the farmyard: always alert, always moving, and somehow always three steps ahead of everyone else.

December babies share that same energetic, intelligent and endlessly curious spark. They like having a purpose, something to solve, somewhere to go. Give them a challenge and they’ll light up; give them routine with no direction and they’ll start inventing their own.

They’re quick thinkers, enthusiastic learners, and the sort of people who don’t just follow instructions: they improve them, streamline them, and somehow make them better. Maybe, then, you should try and grow a dog garden for you and your inner pooch?

Whether you see yourself clearly in your birth month farm animal or not, it’s all part of the fun. But don’t be surprised if, from now on, you find yourself quietly sharing a moment with with your barnyard alter ego the next time you see it lurking in a field or paddock.

Meaningful eye contact with a barn cat, then? Next on my list of things to do.

We’re seeing a huge trend in container ponds this heatwave summer, and no wonder! Floating solar fountains have made it so cheap and easy to create a stylish water feature that brings cooling sound and movement to our too-hot gardens. And now, next-gen solar fountains lit with LEDs are allowing us to take DIY microponds to the next level, with illuminated cascades of water that will pretty-up any patio, looking beautiful at night as well as bringing a cooling soundscape by day.

Making your own micropond with a watertight container and floating fountain is so quick to do, yet the soundscape and soothing water movement can transform a garden, creating a focus to make small gardens feel bigger or adding a pleasing detail to a larger backyard. As container garden ideas go, it’s a winner for sure! Water features you can install yourself without calling in a plumber or electrician are so cost-effective, too. And there are lots of clever ways to get creative with a cheap floating solar fountain, so you can fashion a unique feature bespoke to your garden style.

Not all LED solar fountains are created equal, though, so it’s good to understand a few basics before you start to DIY your cooling cascade of water. Luckily, everything you need to know to get a great result is right here, so you can get cracking and DIY an illuminated water feature this weekend. I've included plenty of product links so you know exactly what I'm talking about, but do support your local retailers too. Here’s exactly what to do, if you want to make a stunning water feature this weekend…

1. Choose a Watertight Container

Any container will work for a DIY water feature, as long as it’s wide enough to contain most of the fountain splashes, though obviously the bigger it is, the less frequently you’ll have to top it up. Containers purpose-made for a garden micropond are often expensive, but there are plenty of more budget-friendly options to try.

Pots intended for succulents don’t usually have a drainage hole, and a wide bowl planter such as this from Amazon makes a stylish alternative at a fraction of the price. It's also worth looking at planters intended for both indoor and outdoor use such as this well-priced half-barrel from Lowes, as they often don't have drainage holes either.

If you’ve already got an old plastic, resin or metal planter then it’s a quick and easy job to seal the drainage hole with a marine silicone sealant like this from Amazon. The same goes for repairing patches of damage on a vintage vessel to make it watertight. Being able to seal drainage holes and seams also opens up the world of resin containers such as this amazing urn that's on sale at Target. Have a hunt around your local hardware store, too: this steel tub from Ace Hardware would make an awesome micropond, as would this utility bucket from Home Depot.

2. Work Out How Powerful Your Solar Water Fountain Needs to Be

A floating fountain is powered by its solar panels and there’s a huge range in terms of quality and capability. The amount of energy the solar panels are capable of generating is measured in watts, which you’ll find in product descriptions as ‘W’ and it’s important to match this, which governs the force and shape of the spray, to the size of the container you're using.

While you want to enjoy a decent water flow and fountain height, it’s also vital to also think about minimizing water loss so you’re not forever having to top up your micropond. Water loss happens when the spray pattern is wider than the container, but also because of wind, so is affected by the height of the fountain, too.

A 1W or 1.5W solar fountain is typically designed to operate in a birdbath so will produce a pretty gentle bubble. If that's what you want, great. But because there are LEDs as well as a water pump to power, an illuminated fountain rated around 3.5W or 4W is best for most patio-sized containers. You’ll also find fountains at 5.5W and 6.5W which suit a larger diameter vessel if you're making a sizeable water feature.

Look at what material the solar panels are made of too. Glass panels are far more efficient than plastic, so will still generate plenty of energy on a partially cloudy day.

Best Solar Fountains For a Great Light Show

Most solar fountains come with a handful of interchangeable nozzles that create different spray patterns in varying heights and widths, too. By combining a powerful energy rating with a nozzle that gives a narrow spray, you can enjoy maximum water flow without too much water loss.

In a small or shallow container, it's also worth looking for a design with stabilising arms. These prevent the fountain floating close to the container rim, and so help to reduce water loss. While you're reading the small print, check the fountain has run-dry protection so it automatically shuts down if there’s insufficient water, and a filter to prevent debris from entering the pump.

3. Check the Fountain Has a Battery Before You Buy

Some solar fountains have a battery to store the energy generated by the solar panels so it can still operate when the sun isn’t shining, whether that’s because it’s nighttime or simply a cloudy day. Some fountains don’t, which means they’ll only operate when sunlight hits their solar panels. You would think that all illuminated solar fountains are fitted with a battery as they’re intended for use after dark, but that’s not the case.

So, do check the solar fountain has a battery, and that the battery's capacity is relevant to its wattage and number of lights, as this will dictate how long it will run for after dark. Depending on how many LEDs it has to power, a typical 3.5W fountain with a 2000mAh battery will likely run for around 3 hours after sundown, after a full charge on a sunny day. If you want a fountain with a lot of lights, or one that runs for a long time, look for a higher-capacity 3000mAh or 4000mAh battery.

Best Solar Fountains for Battery Capacity

4. Position Your Water Feature Well

Depending on the size of your water feature, it’s a smart move to position the container before filling with water. You’ll need a fairly sunny spot to ensure the solar panels get fully charged, but most quality fountains with a battery fitted only need 4-6 hours of sun for a full charge.

Choosing a position which gets a little shade for part of the day will reduce evaporation and the frequency your water feature needs topping up. It’s also a good idea to position your feature away from overhanging trees or plants that may drop leaves into the water.

Consider other light sources, too, as the darker the area is, the more the illuminated water cascade will stand out.

5. Add Some Decor, if You Fancy

How you choose to pretty-up your water feature is entirely up to you – and honestly, a container with a floating fountain is simply lovely as it is. But you could add a compact water plant such as lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammua) or water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides), both available from specialist supplier Pond Plants of America. How about adding a few rounded pebbles such as these from Amazon to the container itself, or around its base? And you’ll find all sorts of cute pond ornaments such as these floating faux water lilies from Amazon or this fishing tortoise figurine, also from Amazon, to add charm to your water feature.

A small wildlife ramp to ensure critters can climb out of your micropond, should they fall in, such as this from Amazon, is a must.

6. Fill With Water and Enjoy!

Now fill the container with water, pop the floating fountain in, and wait a few seconds for the sun to power it up. If you’re growing aquatic plants or want wildlife to use your micropond, it’s best to use harvested rainwater, otherwise tap water is fine. To enhance the reflections of the lights in the water, you can add a drop of black pond colorant like this from Amazon.

Then the only job left to do, once the sun starts to set, is to pour yourself a cooling drink, pull up your favorite patio chair, and enjoy your beautiful new garden water feature.

Do you dream of cascades of enormous wisteria flowers but get a vine-full of foliage instead? This plant blooms on the previous year’s growth so the secret to get bigger wisteria flowers next summer lies in what you do with it now. Prune wisteria in July and you'll direct all its energy into growing next year's flowerbuds.

In July, your wisteria vine has finished producing this year’s flowers and gets busy growing long, whippy stems full of leaves. Leave these straggly stems to flourish and you won’t just have a giant plant on your hands, but far fewer flowers next year, and perhaps none at all.

Remove those unruly long stems now, however, and you’ll force your vine to focus its energy on growing fat flowerbuds for a waterfall of big, beautiful blooms next May and June. And it's easy to do, even if you're a beginner gardener. Pruning a wisteria vine is a key July gardening job, and a summer trim also makes its second prune at the end of winter so much quicker to do. Ready? Here's exactly how to prune wisteria in summer.

How to Prune Wisteria in July

First, trace the new, straggly stems – called whips – back to the point they emerge from the main framework of the vine. Then count five buds or leaf stalks along the whip and use bypass hand pruners such as these from Amazon or a pair of pruning scissors like these from Amazon to cut just above that fifth bud.

Shorten all the whips in this way. If you find some have already wound themselves into a big tangle, don’t worry about untangling them – just get snipping. It’s not critical to precisely count five buds or leaf stalks, that’s an optimum number to aim for.

If your vine also has bare stems hanging downwards, snip those off too. These are what’s left of this year’s flowers and they’ll soon turn yellow and look unsightly. If there are seedpods attached, you might want to leave them to enjoy the sight of these silvery adornments. But, if your goal is huge flowers next year, it’s best to remove them as that will prevent the vine from wasting energy on seed production.

Removing all this whippy growth halts the wisteria’s rampant growth and stops the plant putting all its energy into growing stems and leaves. And that's important: wisteria certainly isn't one of those well-behaved vines that won't scramble out of control. This vine has evolved to grow rapidly up through tall trees in a forest to reach the sunlight, so growing all these whips to help it clamber up through a tree canopy to get life-giving sunshine is its number one priority in summer.

So, removing the whips saves a whole heap of energy that can be used to grow bigger flowers.

Getting rid of this leafy growth also allows more sunlight to reach the short lengths of woody stems left, which is critical. Sunshine is necessary to ripen this wood, and more sun will grow fatter flowerbuds for bigger blooms. Skip pruning your wisteria in July and all the foliage that grows on the whips can block so much sunlight that your vine doesn’t flower at all the following year, as flowerbuds only form on sun-ripened wood.

The other advantage to pruning wisteria in July is that it keeps this vigorous vine, which has the potential to become invasive, under control. Leave these whips in place and each one is capable of growing up to 10 feet long. Once they've hardened into a woody tangle around drainpipes and chimneys, pruning them in late winter is a far harder task.

So now you know exactly what to do, you can be confident about trimming your vine to get more wisteria flowers, avoiding common pruning mistakes. By shortening the whippy growth in July, your vine will produce less foliage and more flowers for a spectacular display next year.

How to Prune Wisteria in Late Winter

Wisteria needs pruning twice a year, once in late summer and once in late winter. And the good news is that shortening all the whips on your wisteria in July makes the main winter prune so much easier.

When winter-pruning a wisteria vine in January or February, you simply need to reduce those stems you cut in July further, to two or three buds. You can tell which are the flower buds and which are the leaf buds: the fat, teardrop-shaped buds will form flowers, while the thinner, flatter, more pointed buds will grow leaves. Creating these short spurs concentrates all the plant’s energy into the fattest buds at the base of the stems, giving you much larger flowers.

In late winter, you can also prune to remove dead, damaged or diseased stems, to keep your vine healthy, but leave the main framework alone.

Other Plants to Prune in July

If you’ve only got time to prune one plant in July, make wisteria your priority. Here’s what else can be pruned in July, once you’ve done that vital task:

• Early-flowering shrubs such as philadelphus (mock orange), weigela, forsythia and deutzia, if you haven't pruned these already. All these shrubs flower on the previous year’s growth so pruning them now gives them plenty of time to form fresh growth and next year’s flowerbuds.
• Fast-growing hedging plants such as privet. While you should trim slower-growing hedging plants such as box, hornbeam and beech at the beginning of summer, and again at the end, giving faster-growing plants such as privet a trim every 4-6 weeks will keep it in shape.
• Early-flowering honeysuckle, once it’s finished flowering. Reduce flowered shoots by a third and, if your plant is only flowering at its stem ends, cut up a quarter of stems to two feet from the ground to encourage blooms across the whole plant.
• Fruit canes that have finished fruiting, such as early-fruiting raspberries. Cutting old stems off at the base to make room for new stems.
• Rambling roses that aren’t rebloomers, if they’ve finished flowering. The ideal time to prune ramblers is immediately after they’ve finished flowering in late summer, shortening the side branches to around 4 inches and clearing out any old wood.
• Trained fruit trees such as cordon apples and pears. Standalone fruit trees are pruned in winter but shoots on highly trained trees can be shortened now.

America’s 250th birthday is just around the corner, and you can celebrate right in your own garden. Did you know that many of our founding fathers, including George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, had gardens on their estates, and were deeply invested in the different plants and flowers they grew? This makes sense when you consider how a thriving, self-reliant landscape reflects the thriving, free society they hoped to create.

While we can only speculate as to the contents and layout of the flower gardens of our founding fathers, history has recorded the species of beautiful summer flowers available in the young nation. Unlike some of our hot-house exotics today, yesteryear’s flowers were tough, resilient plants that could surmount issues in their growing environment in a way that reflects American grit.

What better way to celebrate our nation’s historical courage and persistence in the face of challenges than to add some of these amazing plants to your own landscape? We’ve put together a shortlist of 8 flowering beauties that our founding fathers might well have included in their own gardens.

1. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Talk about a plant with roots deep in the American experiment! The cardinal flower is a North American native, a tough, hardy perennial with brilliant red blooms that was chosen by Thomas Jefferson for his personal garden in Monticello in 1807. Well before that, Native Americans used the plant medicinally.

Today there are dozens of cultivars of this plant with different colored blooms. Plant it in USDA zones 3-9 in a full sun location and moist, well-draining soil. The plants require little maintenance. They grow rapidly and reseed themselves

2. Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)

The sweet pea is another plant that has been around for centuries. It is an elegant plant with a lovely fragrance that is said to have arrived in England as early as 1699. One can only assume that his graceful beauty, called the queen of the annuals, made its way to the colonies and into the gardens of our founding fathers.

Elegant, graceful and fragrant, sweet peas are vining plants that can get as long as 8 feet in areas with sun and well-draining soil. Vintage sweet pea plants offer vibrant colors and an intense fragrance, making your landscape feel like a cottage garden. Modern cultivars offer a wider variety of shades but some lack the traditional fragrance.

3. Cockscomb (Celosia cristata)

Cockscomb is another of the plants we know for certain that Thomas Jefferson planted in his garden. That’s because he noted the planting of Cockscomb seeds in 1767, describing it as “a flower like the Prince's feather."

Today, cockscomb is a popular garden flower, still noted for its unique “feather” form. The flowers are bright and last long on the plant and also as fresh or dried blooms. Plant cockscomb in full sun and moist, well-drained soils. You will find cockscomb with flowers in purple, blue, white, pink, or lavender. Coclscomb in the Celosia genus is an annual, while a sister variety in the Delphinium genus is a perennial.

4. Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

This showy plant with spires of pink-purple tubular flowers grows wild on my mountain in France. But foxglove seeds also made it to the colonies as early as 1735. The plant made the list as being ordered for Jefferson’s Monticello home.

Foxglove is not a diminutive plant, sometimes growing to 5 feet (2m) tall. It is magnificent and tough, growing in USDA zones 4-10 in anyplace there is drainage and some sun. It is toxic and can cause serious injury if touched with bare hands or ingested.

5. Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla)

Twinleaf is a rare woodland wildflower native to North America. Reputed by family members to be in Jefferson’s gardens, it was named in honor of the founding father in 1792.

Twinleaf is a North American perennial with small white flowers that appear on stems in early spring, before the leaves have expanded. The unusual lidded seedpods mature in early June and often go completely dormant in summer.

Twinleaf prefers shade and makes a wonderful groundcover in a suitable location. It offers lush green leaves and flowers, small white blossoms that open in early spring before the leaves. Easy to grow, twinleaf plants are not for the hasty as they can take up to 8 years to bloom from seed.

6. Marigold (Tagetes species)

Most of us know marigolds, flower garden staples with their vibrant, colorful flowers. But did you know that they were planted in Thomas Jefferson’s Montecello in the early 1800s? Native to South America, they made their slow way to America via northern Africa and Europe.

These members of the sunflower family have evolved over time into double garden forms, but Jefferson planted the species form, with single, yellow flowers. Hardy in USDA zone 9 and above, they are generally grown as tough, resilient annuals.

7. Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)

Much of our knowledge about the flowers planted in the early days of our nation comes from the efforts of Thomas Jefferson. In a 1782 Garden Book entry he created a chart of flower bloom months that showed Hollyhocks flowering at Monticello from mid-June through July.

Today there are numerous species of hollyhocks available in commerce. They are known as cold-hardy, adaptable flowering plants, available in almost most colors of the rainbow. These can grow to 8 feet (3m) tall if planted in a full sun location. Use at the back of borders or against fencing for best effect.

8. Larkspur (Consolida ajacis)

Is larkspur one of the toughest annuals out there? Even so, it is one of the plants traditionally used in cottage gardens and attracts pollinators to your yard with its delicate blooms. The foliage can only be called lacy, held high on showy, spiked stems.

This annual was brought to America from the Old World and quickly made itself at home in USDA hardiness zones 2-9. It is extremely hardy and replants itself every year by self-seeding. Just after the birth of our nation, Jefferson had it planted at Monticello. Larkspur prefers a full sun exposure and can grow to 7 feet (2m) tall.

Plenty of lettuce quits the moment summer heat settles in, bolting tall and turning bitter before the salad season really gets going. But a few varieties were bred to hold their nerve, and those keep cutting well past the bolt.

Come July, the lettuce patch tends to be the first corner of the garden to fall apart. Leaves that were sweet and crisp back in May go bitter, the plants shoot up tall, and a flower stalk pushes from the center. Heat is the trigger. That whole stretching-and-flowering routine is bolting, and once it starts there's no going back.

Not every lettuce bolts that fast, though. The different lettuce types vary a lot in how much warmth they'll take before they turn, and a handful were bred specifically for it. Pick one of those, hand it afternoon shade and steady water, and you can keep cutting salads while the spring crop bolts and dies back.

When Heat Turns Lettuce Bitter

Lettuce is wired for cool weather. Once daytime temperatures stay in the 80s (around 27-32C), the plant takes it as a cue to reproduce, so it throws up a thick central stalk headed for flower. That's the bolt. Long summer days nudge it along too, which is why the closer you get to midsummer, the faster a susceptible variety goes.

As the plant stresses, the sap in the leaves goes milky and the flavor slides from crisp to flat-out bitter — sometimes before any stalk even shows. Germination drops off in the warmth as well, with seed often failing to sprout once the soil creeps past about 80F (27C), so a midsummer sowing may not come up at all. None of which is the end of it. It mostly comes down to which variety goes in the ground, plus a break from the afternoon sun.

6 Lettuce Varieties That Take the Heat

These are the ones that keep producing when the thermometer climbs. Most are loose-leaf or Batavian lettuce types, which run to seed slower than tight heading lettuce, and all turn up through the usual sellers.

1. Jericho

Bred in the Israeli desert, Jericho lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia) was made for exactly this problem. A tall green romaine, it stays sweet and crisp at temperatures that turn most romaines sour, and it's slow to send up a stalk even with the heat on.

Keep the moisture steady and it forms big upright heads. Take the whole thing or pull leaves a few at a time. Super Jericho seeds from the Home Depot make it easy to get.

2. Nevada

For raw durability, not much beats Nevada. A Batavian type — summer crisp on some labels — it's still Lactuca sativa var. capitata, with thick glossy leaves gathered into a loose head. It holds up to both heat and a sudden cold snap, and stays mild long after softer types would have soured. It regrows after a cut, too, so one planting goes a long way. You can find Nevada lettuce seeds at Walmart.

3. Buttercrunch

Most butterheads collapse in the heat. Buttercrunch is the exception that's kept it on seed racks for decades — a butterhead itself, Lactuca sativa var. capitata. An All-America Selections winner, it keeps that tender, buttery rosette later into warm weather than its relatives and resists bolting longer than most. It wants steady water and a bit of afternoon shade once things warm up. You'll find it nearly everywhere, including plenty of buttercrunch seed from Park Seed.

4. Black-Seeded Simpson

Black-Seeded Simpson (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) ranks among the fastest, most forgiving lettuces you can sow. The light, frilly leaves are ready in roughly 45 days, which lets you slip a harvest in ahead of peak heat and keep resowing through the season. It isn't the most bolt-proof name here, but the speed covers for that. You're eating it before it gets the chance to turn. Burpee has black-seeded Simpson seeds for a good price.

5. Red Sails

Color is what sets Red Sails apart, though the staying power is the bigger draw. The bronze-red ruffled leaves — another looseleaf, Lactuca sativa var. crispa — are slow to bolt and slow to sour, and that red pigment seems to screen it from strong sun. It's an All-America Selections pick too, a cut-and-come-again grower. Strip the outer leaves and it keeps producing for weeks instead of finishing at once. You can grab a packet of Red Sails seeds off Amazon.

6. Slobolt

The name does the explaining. Slobolt (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) was bred to resist bolting, and it holds for weeks after other loose-leaf types have shot up and gone bitter. The leaves come light green and soft, mild enough to eat young and cut again as they regrow. It sometimes turns up on store shelves less often than the others, so finding Slobolt lettuce seeds rom the Thresh Seed Co. store on Amazon is more reliable.

Expert Tips

Lettuce will hang on longer in summer if you take a little pressure off it.

• A bit of afternoon shade makes a big difference, especially once temperatures stay high.
• Keep the soil from drying out completely—lettuce hates that stop-and-start stress—and throw down some mulch if you’ve got it.
• Cut their leaves early in the morning while they’re still cool. They taste better, and the plant doesn’t seem to mind the harvest much.

Keeping pots and hanging baskets watered through a hot summer can feel close to a full-time job. You make the rounds with the can first thing, and by mid-afternoon the baskets are dry at the edges and drooping. Heatwaves push it to twice a day, and the smaller containers wilt fast if you skip one.

The fix doesn't have to mean rearranging your day. A little know-how about when to water container plants goes a long way, and so does a soil additive called water-storing crystals. Mixed into the compost, they hold moisture down in the root zone and release it back as things dry. Containers stay damp longer between waterings, which is the whole point. They won't replace a watering can, but they do take the edge off the daily scramble.

What Are Water-Storing Crystals?

Strip away the packaging and water-storing crystals are a superabsorbent polymer, the same kind of material used in diapers. The garden versions are usually based on potassium polyacrylate, which soaks up many times its own weight in water and swells into a clear gel. Dry, the granules look like coarse sugar or grit. Add water and a single spoonful balloons into a fistful of squishy beads.

Worked into the mix, those swollen beads sit among the roots like tiny reservoirs. As the soil dries, roots pull moisture straight from the gel and the beads shrink back down; water again and they refill. That back-and-forth repeats for a good stretch – most potassium-based crystals keep working for two to five years before they break down and stop holding water.

Where Water-Storing Crystals Help the Most

Hanging baskets are where the difference shows up fastest. They're small and fully exposed and packed with foliage, so they dry out quicker than almost anything else out there. Crystals worked through the compost can widen the gap between waterings, sometimes by quite a bit, though how much you gain depends on the potting mix and the plant, and on how harsh the week turns. These water-storing crystals on Amazon are the standard potassium-polyacrylate type, and a small tub goes a long way.

Bigger pots benefit too, just less dramatically, since they hold more potting mix and dry slower to start with. Where crystals prove handy is around travel – a long weekend away in July no longer has to mean a ruined basket or roping in a neighbor for watering duty. They also even out the wet-then-bone-dry swings that stress container plants, holding moisture steadier between trips with the watering can.

How to Use Water-Storing Crystals (without overdoing it)

The one thing that matters most: follow the rate on the packet, and skip the urge to add extra for good measure. These granules expand enormously – a teaspoon (5ml) of dry crystals can swell to a cup (240ml) or more of gel. Overdo it and the swelling shoves the mix up over the rim, or lifts small plants clean out of the pot. Start light. You can always work a bit more in next season.

There are two ways to handle it. Stir the dry crystals straight into the compost, aiming for the lower half of the pot where the roots will end up, then water well and let them swell in place. Or pre-soak them in a bucket first, which takes the guesswork out of how much gel you're adding, and fold that through. Either way, blending them into a fresh bag of compost from Amazon at planting time beats trying to retrofit a pot that's already full and planted.

Water-Storing Crystal Cons

For all the convenience, crystals aren't a miracle, and the research on them is honestly a bit mixed. They buffer moisture rather than create it, so a pot baking in full sun will still dry out, just slower than it would otherwise. Hard water and heavy feeding chip away at their absorbency over time, since dissolved salts interfere with how the gel takes up water. And nothing lasts forever – once the beads degrade, you're back to plain potting mix.

Some plants are better off without them. Succulents and cacti are the obvious mismatch, along with lavender, rosemary and the woody Mediterranean herbs – all of them need to dry out between waterings, and permanently damp soil just invites root rot. Crystals suit thirsty summer bedding and moisture-loving annuals far better than anything built for lean, dry ground. It's a tool for the right job, not a default for every container.

Smarter Watering for Summer Containers

Crystals or not, a handful of habits keep summer containers in better shape. Water early, before the heat builds, so more of it soaks in instead of burning off the surface – evenings work too if mornings are rushed. Water deeply, until it runs from the drainage holes, not a quick splash that only dampens the top inch (2.5cm). It also helps to cluster pots together where you can, since grouped containers shade each other and lose less to the air.

Drop the rigid schedule and check the soil itself – a finger pushed an inch (2.5cm) down tells you more than any calendar. Reaching a high basket or the back of a crowded bench gets a lot easier with a long-spouted watering can from Amazon. And if the daily routine has worn thin altogether, you can sidestep additives with self-watering planters on Amazon, which hold a reservoir in the base that wicks moisture up as the soil dries.

Decent garden storage doesn’t just make it easy to keep your outside space tidy, it means you can find your gardening tools when you want them. I like to think that spending on good outdoor storage actually saves me money because then I don't have to re-buy tools lost in all the shed clutter – and honestly, you don't have to spend much if you take advantage of the July 4th deals currently on. I don’t know if this heatwave has caused some kind of craziness at Target, because there are some cracking better-than-half-price deals on all sorts of affordable outdoor storage options.

From storage boxes to sheds, backyard cabinets to potting benches, there are so many stylish solutions to organize garden tools and accessories. I’ve only included great deals that offer a 50% or higher reduction, so you can get maximum outdoor storage for your money. I’ve also looked at different types of garden storage so there’s something so suit every backyard. Think about how you can customize whatever you choose to further fit your needs, too, because there are plenty of clever DIY ways to upgrade your garden storage.

If you’d love a garden with a place for everything and everything in its place, but don’t want to bust your budget getting it, here are Target’s very best deals on garden storage.

1. Waterproof Storage Trunks

An outdoor storage trunk is the best option to store patio cushions and throws, and pool toys. Available in a range of smart finishes, it’s an unobtrusive addition to a patio and makes that ‘Oh heck, it’s starting to rain’ garden dash to save non-waterproof cushions a breeze, and the large capacity means you can store most pool toys without deflating them first.

A backyard storage box also provides a handy surface for drinks and nibbles when you’re entertaining in your outdoor space. Do go for a sturdy option as someone – you included! – will inevitably use it as a bench at some point.

2. Potting Benches With In-Built Storage

We all dream of having a potting bench in the garden so we can potter happily with our plants! Choosing a bench with built-in storage brings the best of both worlds, giving you a sturdy work surface as well as a spot to store your most-used hand tools and garden knick-knacks.

3. Vertical Mini-Sheds

If you don’t already have a vertical mini-shed, you won’t know how useful they are to store those everyday tools and garden bits and bobs. Compact and cute enough to stand right outside your back door, a microshed means your kitchen countertop won’t forever be cluttered with a pair of hand pruners and a ball of twine!

Most vertical sheds have a combination of shelves and a full-height compartment to store garden tools, and are typically raised on short legs to protect the stored goods from ground moisture. Those made of wood mean it’s a simple DIY task to add hooks or customize shelving but will need retreating periodically, while metal microsheds are maintenance-free.

4. Benches With Built-In Storage

If you’re pushed for space, then a multi-tasking bench with built-in storage is a smart option. Great for storing throws, pool toys and other outdoor living bits and bobs, this brings plentiful storage without compromising on style. Armrests double as carrying handles, making a storage bench easy to move so you can position it by the pool through summer, then shift it to a sundowner spot for fall.

5. Squeeze-it-in Sheds

Sheds are necessary but ugly structures that take up a lot of space in your garden, right? Wrong! There are plenty of smaller, smarter shed designs that mean you can squeeze in this essential storage without it being a garden eyesore. Of course, finally getting around to decluttering your shed will help, and you can get creative to switch up your garden shed from drab to fab.

6. Temporary Storage Solutions

It’s really useful to be able to temporarily increase the storage capacity of your garden when you need to, without wasting garden space on permanent fixtures you won’t need for most of the year.

7. Stylish Garden Cabinets

There’s been a huge trend in stylish garden cabinets this year, and no wonder – we’re happy to give them pride of place on the patio, rather than trying to squirrel our outdoor storage away, out of sight. Cabinets are as practical as they are pretty, too, as the double front-opening doors make for good access.

Tall cabinets with shallow shelving let you organise hand tools and garden clutter where you can see it at a glance; unshelved cabinets with plenty of hanging space make it easy to wheel in a lawnmower, stack foldable garden furniture, or store pool hoses and long-handled tools.

I know what you're thinking. Vegetables? In July? Have I finally succumbed to the heat? Please, hear me out.

By July, many gardeners are convinced they've missed their window to sow vegetables for the year. After all, with temperatures soaring across much of the US, it's easy to assume the planting season is winding down.

But don't retire your trowel just yet, as July can actually be an excellent time to sow a surprising number of vegetables. Warm soil encourages rapid germination, and many heat-loving crops positively relish midsummer conditions? And better still, several can be harvested within just a few weeks.

A winning formula, as I'm sure we can all agree.

Plant These 7 Easy Heat-Hardy Vegetables in July

Of course, exactly what you can grow will depend on your local climate and USDA hardiness zone. Gardeners in hotter regions may need to provide extra irrigation or afternoon shade, while those in cooler northern states can often continue sowing well into late summer.

That caveat in place, then, these seven vegetables are among the most reliable choices for July planting across much of the US. Ready, set, sow!

1. Bush beans

Say it with me, people: bush beans. Bush beans are honestly one of the easiest vegetables to sow in midsummer. They love warm soil, germinate quickly, and many varieties will begin producing tender pods in as little as 50 to 60 days.

July is also ideal for succession sowing, allowing gardeners to stagger harvests and enjoy fresh beans right through to fall. Sow seeds directly where they are to grow and keep the soil consistently moist while seedlings establish.

Try something like these Gold Mine Bush Bean Seeds from Burpee if you want very high yields of crisp, ultra-sweet wax beans (and, quite frankly, who doesn't?).

2. Summer squash

If you're looking for quick results, summer squash is hard to beat. Zucchini and yellow squash thrive in hot weather and can start producing fruits in as little as six weeks.

Given enough sun, water, and space, these famously prolific plants often produce more than enough for even the most enthusiastic gardeners.

Just remember that regular harvesting is essential (some stricter gardeners may even call it a non-negotiable, but you are your own boss in my world), as it will encourage plants to continue cropping throughout the season.

3. Cucumbers

Cucumbers adore summer heat. When planted in July, they often grow rapidly thanks to warm soil temperatures and long daylight hours.

Direct sow seeds in a sunny spot and provide a trellis if possible, as vertical growing improves airflow and can help reduce disease issues.

Remember: consistent watering is essential, especially during hot spells, as drought stress can lead to bitter fruits (not ideal if you want a tasty sandwich or salad).

Shop Cucumber Seeds:

4. Swiss chard

Many leafy greens struggle in summer heat, but Swiss chard (the standout star of my own scrappy little vegetable plot) is a notable exception.

This colorful crop is considerably more heat tolerant than lettuce and can continue producing nutritious leaves well into the fall. Just take care to harvest outer leaves regularly and plants will keep producing fresh growth for months.

In warmer regions, some gardeners are even able to harvest Swiss chard through winter. Go for Bright Lights Swiss Chard Seeds from Burpee, and get ready to eat your very own homegrown rainbow.

5. Okra

For gardeners in the South, July and okra go hand in hand. This heat-loving vegetable thrives when temperatures climb and often performs best during the hottest weeks of summer (happily, it tastes amazing all year round).

Even gardeners outside traditional okra-growing regions are increasingly discovering its merits as summers become warmer. Sow something like these Clemson Spineless Okra Seeds from Burpee in full sun and harvest pods while they are still young and tender for the best flavor and texture.

And when you cook up a storm with them, be sure to invite me over for dinner. I'm a fiend for okra.

6. Black-Eyed Peas

Don't let the name fool you – southern peas, aka black-eyed peas – are some of the toughest vegetables you can sow in the heat of summer. In fact, they often perform better in July than they do in cooler weather, making them an ideal choice for gardeners in warmer parts of the US.

Yes, you guessed it; these drought-tolerant legumes germinate quickly in warm soil and typically begin producing pods within 60 to 70 days. As an added bonus, they also help improve soil health by fixing nitrogen, benefiting the crops you plant after them.

Give them a sunny spot, water while they're getting established, and they'll happily take the summer heat in their stride.

7. Beets

In cooler and northern regions, July is an excellent time to sow beets for a fall harvest. Warm soil encourages speedy germination, while cooler temperatures later in the season help roots develop excellent flavour.

Both the roots and leafy tops of these nifty little veggies are edible, making beets a particularly great crop for small-space gardens. Go hard or go home when you grow yours (and by grow hard, I mean plant something like these Detroit Supreme Beet Seeds from Burpee). You won't regret it.

Shop Vegetable Growing Essentials:

So there we have it, folks! If you thought July meant the end of vegetable sowing season, think again.

Honestly, with the right crop choices, you could still be harvesting homegrown produce within weeks – and setting yourself up for a productive late-summer and fall garden.

Roll on the homegrown goodies, I say!

As the 250th anniversary of America approaches, this year’s Independence Day is extra special. One way to show your patriotism and love of country is with a vibrant, red, white, and blue porch display made with thoughtful combinations of potted plants.

Container gardening is ideal for creating a special moment because it’s an easy way to customize a display and can be used for a big impact in small spaces. Your choices don’t have to be overly themed, just choose attractive flower and foliage plants with different heights and textures with an elegant red, white, and blue palette. (If you want to get really festive, you can add some American-made flags from Amazon to your pots!)

Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Full Sun Star-Spangled Banner

Here’s a great combo to recreate the classic colors of the flag with sun-loving flowers. Red geraniums are easy to grow and love the heat of summer. Place these in the center of the pot and surround them with white alyssum, a carpet of scented and tiny bright white flowers. For blue, let blue cascade lobelia spill over the edge of the pot.

All of these flowers either prefer or will tolerate full sun and need soil that drains well. Be sure to deadhead your geranium as flowers fade to encourage ongoing bright blooms.

2. Shady American Flag

If you want to recreate the red, white, and blue of the flag but don’t have full sun, this combination is for you. Replace geranium with red dragon wing begonia, which has attractive foliage and graceful, arching red flowers.

Fill in the space around the begonia with white wishbone flower, a heavy bloomer all summer. Finally, add trailing blue lobelia, which can grow in either sun or shade. Make sure this container has rich soil that drains well, and keep it consistently moist throughout the summer.

3. Classic Cottage Garden Pot

If an informal cottage garden is your style, try this mix for a soft, patriotic pot. White larkspur has feathery sprays of delicate white flowers that will rise above your red and blue options. You can find seeds for Galilee white larkspur from Territorial Seed Company.

A red verbena provides tight clusters of bright red blooms to fill in around the larkspur. Obsession red verbena seeds can be found at Park Seeds.

Petunias make soft spillers for the edges of a cottage pot. Try ‘Surfinia’ blue petunias, which cascade nicely and do not need to be deadheaded. Give this blend a pot with well-draining soil and a spot in full sun.

4. Contemporary Red, White, & Blue

For a more modern garden style, look for geometric shapes and contrasting textures. Start with a clump of spiky blue fescue grass. Fill in around it with a coleus in a striking shade of red. Finally, add a white variety of million bells, which will trail over the side and bloom in flowers that look like mini petunias.

The best lighting for this combination is partial shade. The soil should be rich and moist, although it also needs to drain well.

5. Patriotic Pollinators

If you want to be patriotic but also support your local wildlife and attract pollinators to the garden, this combination is for you. Black and blue salvia, also known as anise sage, has deep cobalt-blue flowers that pollinators love. It will grow large and provide a good focal point for a big container.

Add pentas around the salvia to add nectar-rich white flowers that are magnets for bees and butterflies. Finally, red lantana adds a vibrant spiller element that pollinators love. Each of these plants thrives and flowers best in full sun. They are hot-weather flowers that will give you a good show all summer with regular watering and well-draining soil.

6. Monochrome in Blue Containers

It’s easier to find red and white flowers than blue, so another option is to create masses of red or white flowers in bright blue pots. Picture two cobalt-blue glazed containers, one full of white petunias and the other with red petunias. (You can find large cobalt blue ceramic planters from Home Depot.)

Or, mix red and white flowers together in a blue pot. Some other red and white options include salvia for sun or partial shade, impatiens for shade, or cosmos for sun and for a flower easy to grow from seed.

7. Colorful Hanging Basket

For a hanging basket, choose patriotic flowers that trail and that you can mix together in one or two containers. Million bells or wave petunias are good choices, and come in red, white, and blue varieties. You can’t go wrong with trailing lobelia for a touch of bright blue. These are best for full sun spots.

For some shade, try creeping snapdragon, which comes in shades of blue and white, likewise wishbone flower. For the red element, use dragon wing begonia, red impatiens, or trailing fuchsia.

A living decoration that brightens up your porch, home, and garden is a great way to celebrate this very special Fourth of July. Unlike paper bunting, your display has the potential to last all summer. Just be sure to combine plants with the same growing conditions in one pot for the best results.

Flies can ruin an outdoor gathering faster than you can say Diptera (the insect order in which the more than 150,000 fly species are found). They buzz around you, landing on food, and some species pack a powerfully painful bite. These pesky insects also make their way inside during the summer months and continue to annoy us in our own homes!

You can plant fly-repelling herbs and plants to help keep them away, but there may be some mistakes you are making around your yard and in your house that are attracting flies. Fixing these common issues can help reduce fly populations and help you and your family have a safe and swat-free summer.

Insecticides don’t generally work well for fly control, and they may hurt beneficial insects or harm pets or humans. You can use an insect trap like Zevo from Amazon to catch any strays that make it indoors. But the best way to control flies is to mitigate any issues that might be inviting them into your home or backyard gatherings.

Types of Flies and What Attracts Them

• House Flies: House flies are commonly found indoors, are strong fliers, and can transfer diseases to humans and animals when they land or walk around on surfaces or food. They lay eggs in garbage, animal dung, and decaying vegetation like your compost pile.
• Blow Flies: Blow flies, or bottle flies, have iridescent blue/green/copper bodies and lay their eggs in rotting meat or animal feces. You’ll find them around your trashcans outside if you have any meat scraps or dog doo sitting around in your cans during warm weather. You also might find them indoors if you an animal has made its way indoors and then died in the walls or attic.
• Black Flies: Black flies are biting flies whose larvae are aquatic. They swarm and bite in the summer and, unfortunately, are more common in areas with clean, well-oxygenated moving water. Covering exposed skin with loose, light-colored clothing and your favorite bug spray is about the only thing you can do for black flies short of going inside.
• Fruit flies: Fruit flies lay eggs in fruit and the larvae eat the fruit leading to decay. In addition to ruining your fresh summer produce, fruit flies are really annoying to have flying around your kitchen or picnic! Removing and disposing of overripe fruit and using a trap like the Zevo fly trap from Amazon will help keep populations under control

5 Mistakes You’re Making and How to Fix Them

Nobody wants flies buzzing around them indoors or outdoors and, moreover, flies can transmit diseases to humans and pets. Here are five common mistakes that might actually be attracting flies.

1. Not Keeping Spaces Clean

Keeping indoor and outdoor spaces clean will help keep many types of fly populations down. Remove trash from your home at least once a week and keep outdoor dining areas clear of food and beverage debris. Be sure to pick up and dispose of any fallen fruit from fruit trees in your yard.

Cleaning your outdoor trash bins will also help discourage flies and animal pests. If you still have a fly problem, the Terro Garbage Guard pest strip from Amazon can be used in outside trashcans to kill flies and maggots and prevent future infestations for up to 4 months. However, use with caution and only place in sealed, outdoor bins. It’s not safe to use indoors.

2. Leaving Compost Exposed

Your compost is the perfect place for flies to breed. You can cover your compost pile with a black plastic tarp or move to a compost tumbler with doors that close like this Vivosun tumbler from Amazon. It will also keep animals out of your compost and makes it super easy to turn, no pitchfork needed.

3. Using Plants That Attract Flies

Flies, despite our grossed-out reactions to them, are important pollinators. Unfortunately, that means some of the plants we like to look at also end up becoming a fly haven. You might see blow flies swarming your panicle hydrangeas, Manhattan euonymus, mountain mint, and linden trees.

Using plants that keep flies away around your patio, especially near windows and doors, is a good way to combat flies naturally. Rue, basil, lavender, and petunias all do a good job.

4. Insecure Doors and Windows

Having holes, even small ones, in window and door screens will let flies right into your home. You can find screen repair kits from Amazon or your local hardware store.

Additionally, flies might be sneaking in if you accidentally left the door ajar while carrying hot dogs and hamburgers outside for that 4th of July cookout. A magnetic mesh screen door from Walmart is a good solution that is quickly and easily installed.

5. Leaving Food Uncovered

Cover your barbecue foods with mesh cloches from Amazon or even a mesh colander you have in the kitchen. Using a fan directed at the table or a tabletop insect fan will also keep flies and other insects from crashing your party.

Fly Control Essentials