The urge to tidy an overgrown shrub in August is understandable. Quite a few of our favorites can look decidedly shaggy at the business end of summer. If you’ve found yourself standing in the yard on a warm August afternoon, shears in hand, eyeing a sprawling shrub that looks like it’s taking over, I’m with you. It feels like responsible gardening to clean things up before the fall. Unfortunately, if you pick the wrong plant, this seemingly good deed could cause serious damage.

As certain plants begin shifting energy from foliage expansion to root storage and bud differentiation, making major cuts now acts as a real shock to the system. It can force a plant to waste precious energy reserves attempting to heal cuts and push out unseasonal tender shoots. In some cases, flower buds that might have started forming might be taken off with the clippings. In other cases, the cut wakes growth that has no time to harden before cold arrives. Timing is often what separates good pruning from a costly mistake. Fortunately, this guide can help before it’s too late.

In some cases, the best thing you can do is put those pruning shears to one side. That doesn’t mean you have to ignore your plants completely. There are a few other easy wins that can keep key garden favorites at their best – without having to resort to careless chopping. By stepping back and focusing on gentle root care and protective soil amendments instead of hacking away at branches, you set these key plants up for an explosion of blooms and growth next spring…

Don't Prune These Plants in August

Two separate problems are at work in late summer. Spring bloomers set next year's flower buds within weeks of finishing, so the wood that looks like surplus is already carrying the show. The other problem is timing against frost. A cut stimulates growth, and any growth pushed in August can stay soft well into fall. That soft tissue will then be the first thing to die when temperatures start to drop.

Understanding your hardiness zone is critical when evaluating late-summer cuts. In cooler climates (zones 3-6), an unexpected early September frost might easily kill off any fresh green stems stimulated by late August pruning, opening wounds that invite stem dieback, fungal spores, and overwintering pests. Meanwhile, in warmer regions (zones 7-9), high late-summer sun can scorch freshly exposed interior leaves that were previously shaded by outer branches.

August is a time for targeted checks rather than indiscriminate cuts. Check soil compaction, evaluate moisture levels, and gently remove diseased or broken stems that invite rot. Dead or damaged wood is always fine to remove, and in some cases it is OK to deadhead, if you restrict your cuts to those specific dead stems. Use sharp snips for deadheading, like the highly rated Fiskars Micro-Tip Snips from Amazon, and use rubbing alcohol to keep these minor cuts clean.

Water and mulch do more for an overgrown shrub right now than shears would. A deep watering reaches roots that a sprinkler just doesn’t do as well. Check drainage while the hose is out, since a shrub sitting in a soggy spot has a bigger problem than shape. If you’re not sure, you can test soil moisture using the excellent Expert Gardener Digital Soil Meter from Walmart, which also checks soil pH and light. But make a note of these plants in particular when you are preparing for snipping…

1. Lilac

Lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) set next spring's buds within about 6 weeks of finishing this year’s bloom, which puts bud formation squarely in early summer. Anything cut now is next May's flowers going into the yard waste bag. The plant itself survives the mistake without any trouble. The loss is entirely floral, but it’s a big loss and it lasts a full year. So while lilac bushes may often look tired, dusty, or afflicted with powdery mildew, resist the urge to hack them back.

If powdery mildew is making your lilac foliage look white and chalky, there is a safe alternative. Treat the leaves with a gentle biological fungicide instead. Spray leaf surfaces with a little Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Biological Concentrate from Walmart to safely eliminate late-summer powdery mildew. The only cuts that are recommended involve suckers. If you see any of these around the base, these can come out, since they carry nothing worth keeping.

2. Bigleaf Hydrangeas

Old-wood bloomers are unforgiving about mistimed pruning. Bigleaf or mophead hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) carry next summer's flower buds on stems that grew this year. Those buds form in late summer (the exact weeks when your bigleaf can look messiest). So cutting those faded heads off this month will take those vital buds with them. Even reblooming varieties like the Endless Summer Series perform far better when late-summer stems are left intact.

Leave the dried, papery flowers standing through winter. They give a little shelter to the sensitive terminal buds sitting just below, and protect them from winter ice and biting winds. Spring is soon enough to snap these heads off above the first fat pair. August care for bigleaf hydrangeas is simple: keep soil deeply hydrated during dry spells. You can also add a very gentle seaweed tonic, diluted to quarter-strength. If you are on a tight budget, try Bloom City’s Organic Liquid Seaweed and Kelp Fertilizer from Walmart to build root strength without forcing weak foliage.

3. Azaleas and Rhododendrons

Bud set happens over summer for these two big bloomers, too. Azaleas and rhododendrons finished flowering in spring and spent the following weeks building next year's trusses. By August, embryonic flower clusters are fully formed at the branch tips of azaleas and rhodies, looking like fat green pinecones. Shearing now will tragically remove those future bloomathons before they ever get a chance.

Late summer cuts on these broadleaf evergreens will also encourage soft growth. This will scorch over winter, turning brown and crispy by February. So instead of cutting back any leggy branches, apply a 3-inch (8cm) layer of mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. This can be pine needles or bark mulch, or a commercial organic blend. I like Vigoro Premium Brown Wood Shredded Mulch from The Home Depot, which helps to protect shallow roots from drying winds.

4. Blueberries

Fruit buds can form later in summer than you might expect. Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) begin converting vegetative buds into flower buds in August and keep at it into October. So pruning now can remove the fat, rounded buds that hold next year's berry harvest, killing a future crop before it even exists. Healthy foliage matters through this same stretch, since bud formation runs on what leaves produce.

Pruning belongs in the dormant season, January through early March. At this late summer stage, it’s best to just remove any protective bird netting from your plant once harvest concludes. You can also sprinkle a little blueberry-friendly Dr Earth Organic Acid Lover's Fertilizer from Lowe’s around the base. This highly respected organic blend helps to maintain acidic soil conditions needed for fruit formation.

5. Camellias

This one is easy to avoid once you’ve looked closely. Camellias (C. japonica) set their flower buds through summer for a winter or early spring show. The plump buds already sitting along the stems are exactly what the shears would take. Beyond removing a dead branch in August, everything else can wait. A camellia left alone for a year rarely looks worse for the neglect. C. sasanqua types will flower from autumn to winter, which shifts their pruning window rather than removing it.

Instead of pruning now, focus on consistent, deep moisture during dry summer spells to prevent premature bud drop. This is a common issue where plump flower buds fall off unopened due to water stress. To help keep things nourished, you can add a little aged compost or an organic feed. For a reliable organic boost, topdress with Espoma Organic Chicken Manure Granules from Walmart for a slow-release boost. Along with regular watering in dry spells, this is all that’s needed in summer.

6. Forsythia

Forsythia (F. × intermedia) is heavily associated with spring, as its profusion of golden yellow petals on its arching branches signals the start of spring before leaves even emerge. At that point, its magnificent display is blooming on the previous season's stems. So a summer chop is a pruning mistake that trades next March's flowers for a tidier August. Given how little else flowers then, this is a terrible trade.

Shearing a forsythia in late summer destroys its fountain-like silhouette and eliminates spring color. The best time to cut back hard is right after bloom in April. Alternatively, take a third of the oldest canes to the ground each spring. It’s best not to disturb this tree in August, though you can add a light surface mulch with an organic compost. SunGro Black Gold Organic Compost from Walmart is a nice option for nurturing roots ahead of next year’s burst of gold!

7. Boxwood and Holly

Because gardeners love keeping these evergreens in tight, manicured shapes, the temptation to shear off stray shoots in August is high. But shearing boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) or holly (Ilex) in August pushes a flush of tender growth into shortening days. That growth will not harden in time. Pruning boxwood in August carries another risk, since fresh cuts and damp foliage suit boxwood blight.

For hollies, August pruning can also remove developing red berries which provide winter color and bird food. Anything that constitutes shaggy growth now is better tidied next spring than pushed into a losing race with frost. Restrict any late summer removals to gentle, selective hand-snapping of stray dead twigs. It’s also OK to give hollies a gentle, slow-release feed. You can get an 8lb bag of Espoma Holly-tone Fertilizer from Lowe’s, which compares favorably in price to other retailers.

8. Roses

Whether you grow classic hybrid teas, sprawling climbers, or tough shrub roses, late August signals the time to transition your rose care routine from active growth to winter hardening. Removing spent petals just below the flower head is fine in early August, but major cane shortening or structural pruning must cease. Cutting roses back now tells the plant to grow, and the ensuing canes would still be soft when the first freeze arrives. Frozen canes die back, sometimes taking healthy wood, too.

The best thing to do is to let the plant wind down on its own schedule. Leaving the last flowers to form hips helps that along, since hip development is one of the cues a rose uses to wind down, encouraging the plant to harden its bark and store sugars. Climber owners should hold their structural pruning for winter dormancy as well. It’s fine to give roses a final balanced liquid or slow-release feed this month. A diluted drench with TPS Rose Fertilizer from Amazon is great for maintaining sturdy stems.

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Fall-blooming perennials and cool-season crops may top your garden list for August. But don’t ignore another easygoing plant that is sure to add focus and fluidity to your autumn garden: container-grown ornamental grasses. These grass varieties come in all sizes and many shades, bringing texture, graceful movement, and welcome height to fall displays.

When late summer heat has often burned out tired annuals, these low maintenance ornamental grasses are the ultimate architectural rescue squad, and they set you up beautifully for the season ahead. By filling mid-summer border gaps now, you aren't just adding static green filler. You are introducing dynamic movement, rustling soundscapes, and winter-long silhouettes that stay stunning straight through frost.

And here’s the best news. When you plant ornamental grasses, you bring lovely additions to your yard that require surprisingly little maintenance. Most are resilient, low-maintenance ornamental grasses that won’t demand constant attention: no mowing, limited irrigation, and only occasional pruning. For time-strapped gardeners, they are the definition of low-effort landscaping that gives you exceptional reward.

Great Grasses to Plant in August

Planting container-grown ornamental grass in August is a win-win endeavor. The grass is happy to find its roots in warm soil, while you’ll get ornamental grass that offers many years of color in the landscape. While air temperatures begin their subtle late-summer dip, the soil remains warm for weeks. This encourages container-grown grasses to establish massive root networks in half the time it takes during spring.

Of course, August can look different in different planting zones. If you live in an area that experiences heatwaves or severe heat in late summer, you may do better postponing the transplanting until the weather breaks. However, if the heat isn’t extreme, the transplants will survive as long as they get sufficient water. Check your soil’s water levels prior to planting with the excellent Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon, which also checks for light and soil pH levels as well as nutrient load.

Planting these grasses in heavy clay is a recipe for crown rot. Add some well-rotted compost to break up compaction and ensure good drainage. To give late-summer transplants a head start without burning tender new roots, top-dress your soil with a sprinkle of Espoma Organic Bio-Tone Starter Plus from Home Depot. Packed with beneficial mycorrhizae, it accelerates root development in warm soil.

Don’t forget to water the transplants well and often during the hottest parts of August. If your area experiences extreme heat after you plant, provide them with temporary afternoon shade to prevent severe transplant shock. If you are planting in containers, opt for heavy terracotta pots with large drainage holes. Avoid heavy nitrogen fertilizers and focus on root hydration and soil conditioning.

1. Fountain Grass

Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is a joy to behold. Hardy in zones 5-9, it offers soft plumes that resemble bottlebrush and arch gracefully over mounds of burgundy leaves. Fountain grass really hits its stride from late August through November, when its bristly inflorescences catch the low golden hour light. For a lush smoky purple grass that also flourishes in containers, try Red Head Fountain Grass Live Plants from Plant Addicts.

This grass needs a full sun location (at least 6 hours of direct sun daily) and well-drained soil, making it a low-maintenance choice for drought-tolerant spaces. It just requires some deep watering for the first few months after planting, then only occasional watering once established. Plant it alongside coarse-textured late bloomers such as black-eyed Susans (rudbeckia) or Autumn Joy sedum to accentuate its soft, plushy depths.

2. Maiden Grass Morning Light

Are you looking for a silver splash of texture? Maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light') is beloved for its fine green leaves with thin white edges that effortlessly catch the light. The plant takes on a soft, shimmering silver look that slots easily into any space, but especially those devoted to classic styles as well as prairie plantings. For affordable texture that adds variegated tones, try Perennial Farm Marketplace’s Variegated Maiden Grass Morning Light from Amazon.

Maiden grass grows tall and can reach 9 feet (3m) tall in zones 4-9. Its feathery flower heads dance in the breeze from late summer well into winter. These transform from reddish-bronze in summer to fluffy moonlight white by fall. This grass just needs full sun and well-draining soil. Add a little Rosy Soil Biochar Booster from Walmart to improve nutrient holding capacity and water retention. Plant this dancing grass where it can be backlit by the sun to highlight its silvery edges.

3. Blue Fescue Elijah Blue

Blue plant lovers will adore this hard-working ornamental. 'Elijah Blue' is the quintessential cool-season grass for sunny borders in zones 4-8. If you plant blue fescue (Festuca glauca) in August, just make sure you have healthy nursery stock with strong root balls, and provide some afternoon shade. Even temporary shade in hot days can make a big difference to this powder blue beauty. FlowersBulbs Blue Fescue Plants from Walmart is great for budget-lovers.

As well as working well in mass plantings, rockeries, and borders, this compact ornamental grass is a fine choice for smaller yard spaces. Its bright blue, spiky mounds only grow to 10 inches tall (25cm) and work well for edging and pathway planting. When transplanting container-grown plants, just make sure your soil has good drainage and don’t be afraid to add some coarse sand or grit. This plant’s blue hues look gorgeous alongside purple penstemons or deep red heuchera.

4. Pink Muhly Grass

Wispy pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is a stunning ornamental. It makes me think of clouds so powerfully that Joni Mitchell’s song Both Sides Now comes to mind when I look at it. Native to the eastern and central US (zones 6-9), it is arguably the most breathtaking autumn grass available and it reaches 3 feet (1m) tall. Starting in late August, it produces a shimmering, ethereal mist of plumes that last through November. You can currently buy Pink Muhly Grass Live Plants from Fast Growing Trees for a generous 30% discount with the checkout code.

With its striking cotton-candy hue and purple autumn flower plumes, this grass works well in groups or along pathways. Place it in your hottest, sunniest spot. It is fiercely drought-tolerant and heat-hardy once rooted. Just keep a close eye on soil moisture. You’ll want to irrigate deep and slow twice a week until the weather cools. Pair this grass with goldenrod (Solidago) or native purple coneflowers for a showstopping native display that will keep vibrating deep into fall.

5. Japanese Forest Grass Aureola

If you’re looking for shade plants that can dazzle in the gloom, this shade-tolerant ornamental grass is perfect for August and fall planting. Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola') offers a compact shape and will liven up your landscape with its bright gold and green striped leaves and cascading waterfall habit. You can buy Aureola Golden Variegated Japanese Forest Grass from Plant Addicts for generous cascading color and structure in zones 5-9.

Choose a cool, shaded area under trees or next to a shady wall and make sure it is protected from the hot afternoon sun. Water it deeply at least once a week and put a thick mulch around the base, using coarse wood chippings or some shredded bark. Growing 18-20 inches (45-50cm) tall, its arching blades create a graceful, bamboo-like elegance that takes on reddish-pink blushes in cooler fall weather. Partner with large, lush hosta, ferns, and deep purple coral bells.

6. Mexican Feather Grass

With delicate leaves and fluffy flower heads, Mexican feather grasses (Nassella tenuissima) dance in the slightest breeze. Wherever you plant this graceful dancing silk, it brings a soft, natural look. Reaching 2 feet (.6m), these self-seeders are considered invasive in some areas, so check before you buy. Hardy in zones 7-10, Mexican feather grasses are easy to grow, love the sun, and tolerate partial shade. Buy Greenwood Nursery Mexican Feathergrass from Amazon if you’re a budget.

Its silvery-green flower heads ripen into soft golden blonde strands by fall. It thrives in lean, poor, sandy or rocky soils, where other plants might struggle. Add a little Soil Sunrise Perlite Mix from Walmart to toughen up damper soils. Pair this grass with drought-tolerant succulents, lavender, or salvia in Mediterranean-style layouts. For restricted regions, consider native blue grama grass as a safe alternative.

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Sometimes the joy of garden bird encounters can feel like a bit of a waiting game. When I seek out birdlife in the backyard, it’s often the case that I can hear it more than see it. Hedges and shrubs might be quivering midsummer, with boisterous twitterings and enthusiastic grub-gobbling. Certain species are as lively as ever, and just as keen for a drink or a paddle. But just when you think you’ve spied a flash of color near the bird bath splash zone, the moment’s gone, and the wait continues…

Would it surprise you to hear that this waiting game is actually a critical part of the backyard birdlife dance? In fact, it’s so important for attracting birds, they need dedicated areas of the yard devoted to it. Does that sound ridiculous? Well, it really isn’t, at least, not to a bird. Our little feathered friends need special “observation decks” where they can sit, observe, and spy their chance for that perfect moment to approach your specially prepared bird bath and enjoy the facilities, as it were.

Fail to give them this perch, and the jig may well be up. Birds, like us, appreciate comfort and places to rest in summer. Think of it as your bird’s deck chair. Yet it’s amazing how often this waiting branch gets overlooked in our quest for the perfect bird bath. We obsess over the relative merits of pedestal versus platform versus hanging models – but how many of us give a minute’s thought to bespoke birdie branches? Frustrated bird bath owners, it’s high time we did. Here’s how to add one easily (and where to put it) to enjoy more bird bath action and save yourself some waiting…

What is a Waiting Branch?

To understand why a waiting branch is so important for your bird bath, it’s important to take the bird’s eye view on things. Yes, your birdie visitor may be parched and desperate for a refreshing dip. But an exposed basin planted firmly in the middle of a yard is risky business.

We might see an ornate basin with inviting water twinkling in the light. But such a setup puts a small songbird in a vulnerable position, even if they are craving a drink or a soak. A bird bath near a tree with strong horizontal branches, such as a serviceberry like Autumn Brilliance, which you can pick up on a budget from Walmart, is far superior to one in plain sight with zero nearby support or cover.

Birds are creatures of curiosity, but also caution. When spying a bird bath, a little tufted titmouse, finch, wren, or bluebird will rarely swoop straight in. Instead, they prefer to hop down through a leafy staircase of careful steps, taking their sweet time to size up the scene. A waiting branch is their trusted observation deck: a cozy spot to tilt their small heads, tune into the vibe, and make sure the coast is clear.

When approaching a bath, they’ll want to check water levels and assess for predators. On the way back, they need the same branches to shield and protect them as they shake off water droplets, preen, and get their feathers fully flight-ready again. If your bath stands isolated without any kind of landing pad, songbirds will move onto more sheltered bathing opportunities. Even if you don’t have room for a full-sized tree, some well-placed branches mounted nearby make a huge difference to a little bird in need of privacy and security.

Choose something 18-24 inches long (45-60cm) so multiple birds can queue in comfort. You can buy bundles of textured wood, like the Yoosountic Birch Branches from Amazon, with varying thicknesses to fit into a range of backyard fixtures like fence posts, deck spindles, or garden stakes. This one addition creates an idyllic poolside vibe for observing and preening, before and after bathing.

Pick your Perch

You don't need a massive oak tree to give songbirds a 5-star observation deck. Waiting branches and staging perches come in all shapes and sizes, from living native flora to ornate, space-saving pieces. Here are a few bird-friendly options for poolside perching near the splash zone.

Get the Vantage Advantage

For most shy and timid bird species other than your more adventurous robins, that waiting branch needs to be in the right place – and the correct height and distance are critical. Your birdies need a sunny vantage point to weigh the risks before wetting a single feather. Enter the vantage advantage! Basically, the ideal distance for a waiting branch is around 10-12 feet (3-3.7m) from the water's edge. It is near enough for a soggy, water-heavy bird to flutter back to safety in a heartbeat, yet far enough to prevent a sneaky garden cat from leaping out from hidden ground foliage. Get this right, and your feathered friends will be brave enough to take that splashy voyage.

Clear lines of sight and height are equally important. Position your perch 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8m) from the ground to give birds full scope to assess activity both on the ground and in the air. Your waiting branch also needs to allow for smooth entry and exit. To give a clear sightline at a perfect height from the splash zone, secure a tall ground pole or shepherd hook (like the Vigoro Fuchsia 84-Inch Deluxe Double Shepherd Hook from The Home Depot) into the ground or lawn or a large planter. Choosing something a few inches more than you need gives you that sweet spot when the staff or pole is inserted into the soil or sward.

For a basin on a patio or apartment balcony, you can get shepherd hook and bracket sets online. Try the excellent adjustable Juegoal Extended Deck Hook and Clamp from Amazon which mounts directly to a deck railing, to which you can then hang the branch of your choosing. This gives timid finches and chickadees a secure, elevated launching pad with a clear flight path to a safe summer soak. A few species (like dark-eyed juncos) might prefer perches nearer the ground, raised 2 feet (60cm) and tucked close to thicket cover. However, most birdies are happiest with their waiting branch higher for that full-vision vantage point.

Make Your Perch Work

As well as where you place it, the type of waiting branch you choose has to be right for the particular needs of your yard around the bird bath. So give some thought to the more practical aspects, such as available space for planting, access for changing bird bath water, and whether you might need to factor in multiple branches for a wider bird community. Native shrubs like serviceberry, flowering dogwood, or arrowwood viburnum provide built-in multi-level perches with protective leaf cover – but obviously you need sufficient space to grow them.

Where planting a full shrub or small tree isn't an option, structural add-ons work brilliantly. Training vines up budget-friendly Aboxoo 2-Pack Decorative Metal Trellis from Amazon creates a lush, multi-tiered waiting ladder right behind the basin. These are lovely both for multiple perches and an evolving curtain of added privacy. For balcony and deck gardeners, a simple clamp-on deck hook is ideal. You can attach natural sticks or branches to these hooks, clamped to available railings. You can even get cute swing-style waiting branches, like the Hiwzitar Natural Wood Bird Swing from Amazon with its textured wood and leafy twine.

As well as ensuring a decent branch length (around 2-3 feet/60-90cm) for potential birding partners or parents, make sure your branch is a reasonable thickness and strength for little birdie toes waiting to hop into the community pool. Perches that are too springy may send timid bathers scattering. Something 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4cm) thick and ideally textured is best for little feet to grip. If you can vary your branch textures with multiple options, you’ll increase the scope for delicate sparrows and chickadees, as well as more sturdy birdies keen to enjoy the splash zone.

Overcoming Birdy Fears

August in the backyard can be full of family drama for prospective bathing birds, especially when fledgling season reaches its peak. To an uncoordinated juvenile, a bird bath looks like an ocean. Young cardinals and robins are notoriously clumsy bathers, and that waiting branch helps bewildered babes find their feet while their parents demonstrate the art of the splash. The waiting branch also gives them the best chance to preen safely as they get to grips with new post-splash sensations.

For adult birds, the primary fear is getting trapped. Relying on just one landing stick can create a frustrating traffic jam, or situations where bossy blue jays or grackles might corner shy goldfinches and juncos. Incorporating a few staggered perches gives timid bathers like nuthatches an instant escape in either direction.

Finally, there’s also the birdy fear of approaching a bird bath that might be too still. You can improve your chances of attracting more birdies even further by ensuring that your bird bath features some continuous, gentle movement. Adding subtle water motion with a wiggler like the Solar Water Wiggler from Walmart helps to reassure your perch-bound birdies that the bath is active, safe and clean. Happy splashing!

Shop Bird Bath Extras

Once your waiting branch is in place and your local songbirds feel safe surveying the scene, it’s all about keeping your splash zone sparkling and active. These small extras make a huge difference to birdlife visiting your yard. Use these choice bathing picks to help create a safe, clean and popular poolside vibe all summer long.

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Early August borders have a look about them, and something always gives out by midsummer. Early perennials have finished, and in some areas, there are bare patches where something failed to emerge. A corner that looked full and vibrant a few weeks ago is now probably looking a little sorry for itself, especially if you’ve had any kind of sweltering heat. But those gaps can still be filled, and the plants that manage it fastest will bloom right through until the first frost.

Not only is it OK to put these plants in the ground in August, but the conditions are at their best in many cases, so they will establish (and bloom) much faster. Warm soil is a big part of the reason. Roots move quickly in soil that’s been warming since May. The easiest flowers to grow now are those that bask in heat rather than sulk in it. Cool-season bedding won’t cope. What works are key fast gap fillers that will bloom within weeks, for a magnificent second act that will last all through fall.

To pull off this glorious late-season summer flush, it's often best to skip the seed packets. Instead, use robust nursery starts or established plugs where possible. Placing established root systems into sun-warmed earth delivers that critical instant impact. Just make sure you do go for these quick-flourishing dynamos for color-soaked beds and borders to first frosts.

Fast Flowers to Fill the August Gap

Late transplants have a shorter runway than spring options, so the planting hole matters more. Loosen the soil wider than the root ball rather than deeper, as roots spread sideways first. You also need to skip the high-nitrogen feeds, which only encourage leaves at a point in the season when flowers are the point. That said, because these are August plantings, it’s smart to add a splash of Miracle-Gro Quick Start Transplant Solution, available from Amazon. This helps to settle the soil around the roots, prevents transplant shock, and pushes early root growth. Watering the plant in its pot an hour before it goes in the ground helps, too.

Full sun is what these bloomers love, though a little afternoon shade will still work. In terms of soil, drainage counts far more than richness. A gap that stays soggy after rain needs amending before anything goes in, or the roots will sit and rot instead of running.

If your soil feels packed down or worn out, give it a little aged compost, plus some perlite or coarse sand. Water deeply, and less often. Little sprinkles that only wet the top inch (2.5cm) train roots to stay shallow. If you haven’t got one, a soaker hose like the STYDDI Soaker Hose, available from Walmart, is a smart investment for late summer hydration. Do this, and these late summer bloomers will dazzle you for weeks.

1. Zinnias

Zinnias (Zinnia elegans) germinate in warm earth faster than almost anything else, and direct-sowing from seed is still an option in the south. But northern and mid-country gardens will do best buying pre-grown nursery starts. Once established, zinnias take care of the show with very little fuss. All you need to do is keep deadheading fading blooms twice a week. This tells the plant to send up repeated blooms well into fall. Zinnias are starting to sell out in some places, but you can grab Meadow Decor California Zinnias from Walmart as pre-started plants for faster color.

Powdery mildew shows up on crowded plants late in the season, so leave room between plants and water strictly at the base. You can reduce the risk of mildew with a preventative spray like Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart. That way, you can keep your zinnia festival of color popping well into fall.

2. Rudbeckias

This is the one that comes back! Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) behaves as a short-lived perennial or a resilient biennial through much of the country. If you fancy a rush of yellow color that establishes super-fast and can also thrive in a large, late summer planter, Glitters LIke Gold Rudbeckia Plants from Nature Hills is a volume queen with brilliant structure. If you can find it, Goldsturm is another glorious fast bloomer for dominating shape and structure to rejuvenate collapsing borders.

To ensure these tough native relatives survive upcoming winter freezes, spread a two-inch (5cm) layer of Back to the Roots Organic Hardwood Bark Mulch from Amazon around the base after watering. This organic mulch insulates roots in erratic late-summer weather and seals in moisture. Roots need to settle before the ground cools, so keep watering after the flowers stop coming. Goldfinches will love stripping the seed heads in winter, and these golden flurries keep coming into October in a mild fall.

3. Lantana

Heat is not a problem for lantana (L. camara). It flowers straight through the brutal heat of late summer that can flatten other bedding blooms. Add a nursery plant in August and it will keep going relentlessly until a hard freeze shuts it down. Check local guidance, though. The species has escaped cultivation across parts of the southeast and Gulf Coast, so choose non-invasive cultivars where restricted. For a frothy explosion of hot pink, orange and gold, you can pick up LA Tropic Irene Lantana from Walmart as a live plant bundle for a reasonable price.

Where it behaves, butterflies will work their fiery flower clusters all day long. This bloomer shrugs off drought once rooted, which matters when regular hand-watering tends to slip. Mounding varieties fill wide, empty gaps in days, smothering weeds under dense, dark-green foliage. If you are worried about invasive tendencies, try growing Bandana or Landmark Series Lantana in a large container or planter. They’ll add seasonal dazzle to patios with continuous, multi-colored blooms for weeks.

4. Mexican Sunflower

Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia) puts on serious size in a hurry. A plant tucked into a gap now will be jostling against its neighbors by September. So give this one a decent space to fill, and it won’t let you down. With its glowing orange flowers, it is sure to draw in monarch butterflies during their fall migration. If you live in zones 9-11, you can still plant seeds if you hurry. Sow Right Seeds’ Mexican Sunflowers from Amazon will deliver a juicy shot of orange in warmer zones. For anywhere further north, buy this plant as an established start and set it deep.

Staking is worth considering in a windy spot, since tithonia’s hollow stems can snap in rougher weather. Adding some stakes is a smart move to protect their late-season height in rear-border gaps. Insert super-budget-friendly Lowe’s Bamboo Plant Supports alongside the main stems to protect them against late summer storms.

5. Mealycup Sage

Blue is scarce in a late-summer border, which is reason enough to splash out on some dazzling mealycup sage (Salvia farinacea). This native’s spikes of intense color make a highly pleasing and intentional contrast against the oranges and yellows that predominate at this time of year. Salvia plants set out in August will flower within a couple of weeks and continue through the first light frosts. If you’re looking for a blast of lush blue that will establish quickly, DMOH Blue Salvia Live Plants from Amazon add hyper-rich intensity to displays.

Popular blue flowering choices include ‘Victoria Blue’ (pictured), which seem to glow in late summer borders. Bumblebees favor these salvia varieties over pretty much everything. This gap-filler handles dry spells once settled, so it’s fine if you forget the occasional watering. In zones 8 and warmer, it often returns the following year.

6. Cosmos

For a reliable flurry of dainty petals, often with the most intense pinks found in nature, cosmos (C. bipinnatus) is a champ in midsummer gaps. As a bonus, they require very little in the way of planting care. Plants given too much fertility run to heavy foliage and quit flowering, so varieties like Sonata are best in sandy, coarse spots. For a major talking point that will also work well in containers, try the sultry Cosmos Chocamocha by Sacred Roots Nursery from Walmart as pre-grown plants.

Bees and hoverflies work them constantly, which is part of the appeal this late in the year. Pollinators are still out in force long after the early-season buffet has closed. To keep these delicate, multi-branching plants producing continuous daisy-like blooms without pushing excess leaves, feed them a little liquid seaweed supplement every fortnight. Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer from Amazon delivers rich organic trace minerals for quick, continuous bud formation.

7. Calibrachoa (Million Bells)

Not every gap is in the ground. Calibrachoa (Million Bells) fill midsummer holes that are opening up in containers and window boxes, when spring plantings have gone leggy and tired. They flower continuously without deadheading, which is unusual for such heavy bloomers. They are perfect for giving a refresh to tired porch pots, patio planters, and hanging baskets. For lush amber and purple flower heads, try Proven Winners Superbells Double Vintage Coral Calibrachoa from Plant Addicts.

Feeding matters more with container blooms, which tend to exhaust soil nutrients faster. Espoma Organic Bloom Concentrate, available from Amazon, is perfect for nurturing super blooms and keeping them coming well into the cooler season. Applied once a week, this feeding corrects any pale foliage fast, supplying the exact nutrient ratio needed to keep your bells cascading until late autumn.

8. Nasturtiums

If you’re looking for a generous fast-gap filler that keeps local pests in hand and also doubles up as a spicy salad garnish, this late summer treat can fire on all cylinders. Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) ask for almost nothing once in place. Poor ground actually suits them, since fertile beds push lush leaves at the expense of flowers. And planted near high-value crops, they pull aphids away and onto their own leaves. You can get lush dazzling Whirly Bird Mix Nasturtium Plants from Walmart for zingy brights and generous foliage that will cloak gaps in weeks and bloom on repeat.

Tucking this jewel into front-of-border gaps creates a rapid carpet of circular foliage that fills gaps almost as soon as planted. Should your nasturtiums attract a heavy colony of aphids while acting as a trap plant, you can manage the infestation gently using a gentle insecticide or horticultural soap. Keeping it organic means it won’t cause issues for any edible harvests or visiting pollinators.

A bed replanted with the right choices this month can often look better and brighter than those earlier flowers. Frost will eventually end the party, of course, but these jazzy bloomers set you up beautifully for that late-season spectacular. Personally, I think there is something wonderful to a season that goes out with fireworks, rather than trailing off quietly. So, grab a few healthy nursery starts, give them a deep drink, and get them in the ground right now.

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You know those roses that grocery stores and gas stations sell near the checkout? They tend to be the kind wrapped in cellophane, they cost about $6, and you buy them on impulse because you love the color or want to treat yourself. Unfortunately, what tends to happen is that you watch them die within a week. But what if you didn’t have to? What if you could turn that impulse purchase into a more permanent fixture in your yard?

Well, with a bit of potting soil and a little ingenuity, you can make this happen. It is possible to give those cut stems a second life as a blooming bush. Just grab a pair of garden scissors, snips or small shears, like the super-sharp Kings County Tools Pruning Shears from Amazon, and you too could be cultivating a gorgeous living rose display that lasts long after the original store-bought bouquet has gone.

This trick takes just minutes, and doesn’t need lots of previous rose-growing experience: just a sense of adventure and some delicate snips. You’ll be surprised how effectively you can propagate a rose that seemed destined to see out a few days in a vase. I’m actually super-annoyed I didn’t know about this sooner! Give this easy trick a shot – and that cheap bunch of blooms could very easily be coming up roses…

Can You Try Just Any Rose?

Being able to save a rose this way seems like the stuff of dreams. But I’ve been inspired by popular TikTok creator Joe’s Garden (@joesgarden), whose recent viral video showed me how simple it can be to make that unassuming bunch of roses live on… and on. However, before you start snipping away at every bouquet in sight, it pays to give your potential future rose bush a quick once-over in terms of general health.

Stem health is crucial for this trick to work. You need greenwood or semi-hardwood stems that are fresh, firm, and plump. Good signs include deep green leaves and active bumps at the nodes. You definitely don’t want stems that are dried out, woody, or mushy at the base. You’ll also want to avoid trying this trick on stems that might be showing signs of pests like powdery mildew. Pests can wipe out a summer cutting long before roots can develop.

If you’d like to get a closer look at the quality of your roses and potential areas for cutting, use a magnifying glass or loupe. A high-magnification tool like the Vivosun 30X Illuminated Jeweler’s Loupe with LED Light from Amazon can help you examine leaf nodes and check for microscopic signs of pests or spores before you start. Also, bear in mind that cuttings grown on their own roots might possess a slightly different growth habit than the original plant. But that’s part of the fun of the experiment!

1. Prep Your Rose Stems

Joe’s Garden uses the kind of everyday roses you’d grab at Trader Joe’s or your local grocery store: nothing fancy required (that’s the beauty of this trick). Once you’ve had a look at your rose stems and you're happy that a few are up for the challenge, here’s what you do. First (and this might feel gut-wrenching), you’ve got to snip off the flower head. Leave an inch or two (5cm) of stem below the bloom when making your cut.

To make those ultra-clean cuts without crushing the tender stem fibers, it’s important to use really sharp snips, shears, or bypass pruners. The last thing you want is to wreck your stem tissue at the first pass. For a real bargain, the highly rated Fiskars Titanium Micro-Tip Pruning Snips from The Home Depot are also perfect for delicate snips.

Once you’ve removed the head, cut off a couple of inches (5cm) from the bottom of the stem. What you’re left with is the middle section, with 2-3 healthy leaf sets. For a healthy root cutting, make a 45-degree cut above one of the leaf nodes (the bumps on the stem where the leaves emerge). The angled cut makes more surface area available for rotting and stop water from pooling around the cut end, which can cause it to rot.

Strip off the bottom leaves, leaving only the top set intact, so the plant can still photosynthesize without expending too much moisture. Too many leaves will cause the stem to dry out before any roots develop. You’re aiming for a stem length of 5-7 inches (12-17cm). If your original stem is really long, you can get a couple of usable cuttings from it.

2. Scrape Rose Stems (Optional But Worth It)

This next step, while optional, is still recommended. It could be the difference between a cutting that roots quickly, and one that just sulks for several weeks. Joe lightly scrapes the bottom inch of each stem to expose the inner layers. You can do this using the back edge of a knife, a pruner blade, or even your fingernail. For delicate scraping, scalpels work well. You can pick Med Pride Scalpels from Amazon for a good price to gently shave your cuttings.

The scraping should be just enough to rough up the outer layer and expose the green cambium underneath (where cell growth happens fastest). To boost your odds of rooting success, immediately coat that freshly exposed cambium layer with a concentrated rooting hormone or gel. The Garden Safe TakeRoot Hormone Powder from Walmart is specifically aimed at encouraging fast root development on hardwood and softwood cuttings.

If you want a natural alternative, some gardeners dip the stem into raw unpasteurized honey or fresh aloe vera gel, both of which possess natural antimicrobial properties. If you’re using powder, just tap off any excess rooting powder, and you’re ready for the next step.

3. Place Stems into Potting Medium

You need a good-quality compost for this next bit. That old, dried-out stuff from the back of the shed just won’t do it. So find a light, well-draining, and highly breathable medium blend. Our team rates Back to the Roots Organic Compost from Lowe’s, which gives you an ultra-clean, nutrient-rich base (and it’s also manure-free). To help with drainage, add a little coarse sand or perlite. Miracle-Gro Perlite from The Home Depot can help with air circulation around developing roots.

Fill up a medium-sized container with a fresh, sterile mix. Hopefully you should be able to fit a few cuttings in this container, depending on the size you use. Poke a hole in the medium using a pencil or stick first. This prevents the rooting powder from scraping off as you push the stem down. Then drop each prepared cutting 2-3 inches (8cm) deep. Space the cuttings a few inches apart so they have room to develop without competing.

In his viral video, Joe puts all of his cuttings together in the same spot in the garden, which is great if you have a sheltered, semi-shaded area to use. However, you might prefer to keep them in individual pots in different places to spread the risk, as it were. Wherever you place your pots, be sure to firm the soil gently around the stem to lock out air pockets, and water thoroughly until moisture drips out the drainage holes.

4. Wait for Growth and Nurture

Now comes the tough bit: waiting. Once your potted cuttings are settled in a warm, brightly lit location that receives indirect sunlight and a little afternoon shade, there’s not much more to do but wait. You can, if you like, create a little ambient humidity by placing a clear plastic bag over the top of your cuttings. This can help to accelerate root growth. But apart from that, this is when you need to step back. After 3-4 weeks, tiny green shoots will start to appear.

If you gently tug at a cutting at this point, you will hopefully feel resistance. Congratulations, that means you have root growth! Whatever you do, don’t pull them up to check: just trust the process. Keep the medium consistently moist, but never waterlogged. Once you see signs of growth, remove any plastic bags you may have placed over the cuttings.

Hold off on feeding until the plant has produced several sets of fresh true leaves. At this point, you can add a little gentle organic liquid kelp or seaweed that has been diluted to quarter-strength every few weeks. A nice gentle option is Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer from Amazon. Once the new shoots are firmly visible and the roots show they are clearly establishing, it’s time for transplanting.

Plant them into a larger container or directly into a garden bed in a sunny spot with good drainage. Treat them very gently, and keep them thoroughly watered throughout their first season. You can also add a granular feed during the growing season once they are well established. A popular organic granular option is Espoma Organic Rose-Tone Plant Food from Walmart for sturdy stems and vibrant flowers.

Will They Flower?

Whether or not your rose cuttings flower in the first year is up to mother nature, and Joe is honest about this. Some cuttings do produce flowers in the first year, but others won’t. But as Joe points out, roses are perennials. This means they will come back every year, and each time they will be bigger and stronger than they previously were. Think of them as little human beings: we all start as babies, then grow into toddlers, teens, and so on. So if things seem a little uneventful in the first year, keep the faith.

Even if you do see flowers in the first year, it is best practice to pinch off any early flower buds. This forces the young plant to direct all of its energy into developing a bigger root system (for a better blooming display next time). Just be patient. Even if your first summer only produces leaves and stems, the next season can be spectacular. And it all started with a 6$ bouquet of roses from the grocery store. What a time to be alive, right?

Shop Rose Care Essentials

To give your grocery store rose experiment the best chance of transforming into a gorgeous outdoor shrub, a few little care essentials can make a massive difference. A curated action pack of inoculants, conditioners, and slow-release feeds will help to turn a simple cutting into a thriving rose bush. Here are our top hand-picked essentials to help things along.

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New to using a chainsaw? Let’s be honest, it might seem a bit daunting. Holding a chainsaw for the first time can make even the most enthusiastic gardener feel a surge of nervous adrenaline. That sudden kick of motor power, the awareness of serious slicing ability working at speed, and then there’s the noise – it’s enough to make anyone stop in their tracks.

But knowing how to use a chainsaw can be a game-changer in the backyard, and it’s not that tricky to master the basics. Once you have a handle on the basic mechanics, safety habits and correct handling, that initial hesitation quickly gives way to the thrill of highly efficient backyard cuts. Chainsaws are essential gardening tools to help you blitz through gardening projects, so it’s well worth getting acquainted. Whether you’re cutting firewood or trimming small trees, they are a real time-saver.

Armed with clear techniques, safety fundamentals, and proper preparation, operating a chainsaw can be one of the most rewarding tasks in the yard. So, here’s how to make smooth, satisfying (and safe!) cuts with your new best gardening friend.

Getting Started

If you’ve spent any time tackling yard work with a manual bow saw or loppers, you already know the exhaustion that can come with it. What starts as a simple pruning job often turns into a blisters-and-backache endurance test. Upgrading to a chainsaw can transform your gardening capabilities. Perhaps the toughest bit is getting your head around their sheer force, speed and slicing potential.

It helps to recognize that fear for what it really is: healthy respect. Your hesitation is simply your brain reminding you that you're handling a serious piece of equipment. The key to replacing that anxiety with confidence comes down to two things: setting up a controlled environment, and letting the machine do the hard labor for you. Before you touch the power switch, prepare your workspace.

Clear away trip hazards like loose vines or garden hoses. Make sure you have a solid, level footing, and a clear path to step back if a branch falls. If you are able to, it’s well worth investing in a dedicated cutting stand, work frame, or saw horse, like the WorkPro Folding Saw Horse from Amazon. Working on a firm, elevated surface is safer, protects your chain, and keeps you working at a back-friendly height. Then you're ready to start your chainsaw adventure, taking this one step at a time…

1. Safety First

Always wear protective gear, as it's your primary shield against flying wood chips and unexpected slips. Hearing protection, such as noise-canceling earmuffs, is essential when running power tools. For eye protection, lightweight wrap-around options like Hyper Tough Clear Safety Glasses from Walmart give you distortion-free visibility while keeping fine sawdust and stray splinters out of your eyes.

Protect your arms and legs from flying debris with heavy long sleeves and thick pants. If you want maximum reassurance, investing in dedicated leg protection like Forester Chainsaw Chaps from Amazon is a smart move. Their cut-retardant fibers are designed to instantly snag a moving chain and stop it in its tracks if a blade strays. Round out your gear with heavy-duty gloves and sensible, high-traction steel-toe or thick leather boots to keep your footing solid.

Being safe isn’t just about what you wear, though. It’s also about setting up your space and inspecting your machine. Clear a 10-foot (3m) perimeter around your workspace, and make sure children and pets are safely indoors. Inspect your chainsaw to ensure the bar oil reservoir is topped off and the chain brake engages smoothly. Never attempt to cut loose wood rolling on the ground. If you're trimming short branches or sizing down offcuts, clamp the wood into a sturdy tool like the WorkPro 4.5-Inch Swivel Bench Vise from Amazon, mounted on your workbench to keep it immobile.

2. Picking the Right Chainsaw

Choosing your first chainsaw is about finding the right balance between cutting capacity, weight, and personal comfort level. A saw that feels too heavy or unwieldy will quickly cause fatigue. And if you get tired, you’re more likely to make mistakes. Before looking at power sources, take a realistic look at your property's immediate needs. Are you clearing thin, overgrown branches once or twice a season, or are you regularly bucking thick hardwood logs for winter fuel?

You no longer have to default to heavy, loud, gas-guzzling machines. There are options for every comfort zone, from nimble one-handed tools to high-torque battery rigs. To help you pick the right cutting tool, the choice falls into one of these categories:

• Mini or Pruning Chainsaws: Exceptionally light (often 3-5 lbs) and battery-powered. Perfect for trimming overgrown shrubs, cutting back thick perennial stalks, and slicing branches up to 3 inches (8cm) thick.
• Battery-Powered Cordless Chainsaws: Quiet, low-maintenance, and emission-free. They start instantly with the pull of a trigger and deliver enough torque to cut medium-sized firewood and fallen branches without dealing with gas mixtures.
• Gas-Powered Chainsaws: Designed for heavy-duty timber cutting and storm cleanup. They offer endless runtime (as long as you have fuel), but demand more physical strength, routine motor maintenance, and pull-start operation.

Chainsaws for Beginners

If you’re shopping for your first chainsaw, the secret is matching the power source to your projects, while prioritizing safety and simple starting mechanisms. These stand-out saws strike the perfect balance between user-friendly design and cutting-edge performance.

3. How to Make Smart Cuts

Mastering your stance is the secret to feeling in complete command of the saw. Never stand directly behind the cutting path. Position yourself slightly to the left side of the machine so that if the saw moves unexpectedly, it clears your torso. Keep your elbows slightly flexed rather than locked rigid to absorb engine vibration.

Don’t forget those gloves. If you are looking for an upgrade on your current set or they are looking a little flimsy for chainsaw work, make sure you get something sturdy yet flexible. Try Husky Grain Cowhide Leather Impact Work Gloves from The Home Depot for thick knuckle padding and a textured palm grip. Hold your chainsaw firmly, with the front handle in your left hand and the rear in the right.

Wrap your fingers around the handles to hold the device steady and improve your control. Stand slightly to one side with your feet hip-width apart for stability. Aim to slowly lower the bottom of the blade onto the wood. Resist the temptation to exert too much pressure, though: let the chainsaw do the work for you.

For limbing, work from the base of the trunk upward, keeping the log between you and the blade when possible. For bucking, evaluate where the wood is under tension so your blade doesn't get pinched.

Approaching the branch, bring the engine up to full speed before touching the wood. Rest the bumper spikes (the metal teeth near the base of the bar) firmly against the log to act as a lever. Allow the weighted rotation of the chain to draw itself into the wood naturally. Forcing or pressing down on the bar stalls the motor and damages the chain teeth. Let this machine do the hard work: that’s what it’s designed for.

NB: Chainsaws are designed exclusively for right-handed operation, regardless of whether the user is left or right-handed. The left hand must always hold the front handle, and the right hand must always operate the rear trigger handle.

4. Understand and Prevent Kickback

Kickback occurs when the moving chain at the upper tip of the guide bar (the kickback zone) strikes a hard object or gets pinched, causing the saw to jerk upward toward you. You can minimize this risk by cutting with the middle or lower section of the bar rather than the tip. Keep an eye out for hidden fencing, roots, or neighboring branches. That proper posture is key, so keep your left hand locked on the front handle and right hand on the trigger, with your body safely out of the blade path.

A properly tensioned, sharp chain is far less prone to sagging, catching, or pinching mid-cut. Before powering up, check for chain sag and adjust the bar nuts to keep movement smooth and predictable. A handy tool for this is the OSROENE Multi-Tool Universal Scrench Spanner Wrench Set from Amazon, an inexpensive, all-in-one tool. This fits most standard bar nuts and makes quick, precise chain adjustments right in the yard.

5. Aftercare and Maintenance

Simple routine maintenance keeps your saw running smoothly, extends its working lifespan, and ensures every cut remains clean and effortless. A well-maintained saw is also fundamentally safer to use. Setting up a quick chainsaw checklist for easy maintenance makes all the difference. Immediately after use, disconnect the power (remove the battery pack or pull the spark plug cap).

Wipe down the guide bar to prevent rust, brush away wood dust and sticky resin from the bar groove and oil inlet holes, and top off the chain lubricant reservoir so it is ready for your next project. When storing your saw, remove the battery or add a stabilizer to gas tanks, keeping the unit in a dry, climate-controlled space.

Check your chain tension regularly. It should fit snugly against the bar with no more than an eighth-of-an-inch sag, while still pulling smoothly around the bar by hand. Finally, touch up dull cutting teeth with an angled round file or sharpener whenever you notice the saw producing fine dust instead of clean wood chips. Keep an eye on this, and your chainsaw will keep grafting for you for years to come.

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Ah, air conditioners. They are sort of like compost piles: useful, even essential, but pretty darned unappealing to look at. So no wonder you fancy hiding them behind a couple of better-looking plants. Trouble is, most AC units are picky about what gets close to them. If you are thinking of hiding your unit with leafy plants, be on notice: if you restrict the airflow to the air conditioner, you may lose that cold air entirely.

Beyond the obvious visual frustration of an industrial metal box ruining your patio view, there is also the hum-and-buzz of the compressor running all summer long. If this is all sounding like a bit of a nightmare, take heart. If you choose the right types of shrubs, hiding the AC unit is possible. You just have to select the appropriate plants for the purpose, and grow them at an appropriate distance.

Fortunately, evergreen shrubs offer a brilliant workaround. Their dense foliage doesn't just block line of sight: the thick leaves and woody stems naturally muffle high-frequency sound waves, creating a quieter backyard vibe. Planted correctly during late summer, these robust specimens establish quickly in warm ground, concealing a noisy eyesore behind a lush, gentle living screen that requires minimal long-term care and maintains its soothing presence all year round.

Best Shrubs to Conceal AC Units

Selecting plants to screen that bulky AC unit involves some of the same criteria you might apply to making friends in the office. You want to pick individuals that are steady, stable, and know how to be friendly, without encroaching on precious space. In the case of shrubs and AC units, you’ll want a clearance of 3 feet (1 m) on all sides of the unit, and twice that above it. The shrubs in this selection have dense foliage to block the view and muffle noise, and they hold onto that foliage all year long. They also have roots that don’t spread enough to impede the machine.

Before planting these low maintenance shrubs, assess your unit's layout and service access needs. HVAC technicians need clear access to electrical panels and service valves, so never plant a solid wall on all four sides. Leave a removable decorative trellis or a 3-foot (90 cm) clearance path for maintenance. With the practical requirements of the technicians sorted, you can focus on the needs of the plant.

These shrubs are fine for summer planting, but consider your hardiness zone and existing soil conditions before planting. Soil right next to house foundations and heat-venting AC fan exhausts dries out twice as fast. Check soil moisture before planting to ensure long-term survival. Use a good soil diagnostic tool, such as the XLUX Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon. This gives you real-time moisture readouts to see whether the soil near those hot AC exhaust vents is drying out.

Where conditions are heavy clay or sand, blend a little organic matter (such as aged compost) into the planting hole to help with drainage. It’s also a good idea to add a little biochar, such as Wakefield Premium Biochar Soil Conditioner from Lowe’s to protect soil nutrients and help with moisture retention. Add a couple of inches of a light organic mulch, such as a shredded hardwood bark or composted leaf mold. Then water shrubs deeply. Keep watering through the growing season, to help these shrubs develop strong, deep roots.

1. Boxwood

Your best bet when trying to mask an ugly AC unit (and that’s pretty much all of them) is to select evergreen shrubs with a compact habit. These are easier to maintain than sprawling types. For this, the quintessential evergreen is boxwood (Buxus spp). These are self-contained evergreens and will grow in sun, partial sun or even deep shade. They are drought tolerant and thrive in hardiness zones 5-9. You can choose from a range of boxwood shrubs at Nature Hills, such as Green Velvet, Sprinter and Calgary Boxwood.

They are great for structural screening, thanks to their small, leathery leaves that form a living wall of green. This thick canopy acts as an effective acoustic barrier. Boxwoods flourish in container gardening schemes if you choose a weather-resistant planter with drainage holes. Add a little Espoma Organic Plant-tone from Walmart for a slow release of microbes that promotes steady root growth and vibrant foliage.

Boxwoods grow up at around 6in (15 cm) growth per year. While this doesn’t sound all that astonishing, these shrubs rapidly fill out their dense interior leaves, giving you a solid green acoustic wall faster than almost any other structural shrub. Perfect if you want a set-it-and-forget-it shape that won't sprint into your AC clearance zone.

2. Arborvitae

If you’re like me, you’ve planted arborvitae plants (Thuja spp.) like Green Giant that shoot up quickly, creating a tall, deep wind break. But these are not the best options to put on AC duty. Instead, use narrow varieties like Emerald Green (T. occidentalis). They top out at 10 feet (3 m) and maintain a narrow 3-foot (1 m) spread, offering year-round color in zones 2-7. Buy Emerald Green Arborvitae from Fast Growing Trees. Their soft, scale-like foliage traps ambient mechanical noise very well.

Dwarf globe cultivars like Fire Chief or Mr. Bowling Ball reach 3-4 feet (0.9-1.2 m) tall and wide without requiring heavy pruning. They prefer full sun to partial shade and moist, well-draining soil. Just avoid planting them directly in the blast path of hot AC exhaust air. Acid-loving arborvitae shrubs benefit from a sprinkling of Espoma Organic Holly-Tone Fertilizer, available from Lowe’s. This organic feed supplies essential sulfur and iron to keep needles rich and vibrant.

With arborvitae shrubs, you can expect fast vertical screening. This evergreen shoots up at a steady 12 inches (30 cm) per year in its early years, making it one of the quickest ways to build a tall, narrow sightline barrier without invading your AC unit's footprint.

3. Mediterranean Cypress

Narrow cypress varieties are a top choice for hiding an outdoor AC unit, with their dense, evergreen foliage and narrow waistline. A line of regular Mediterranean cypress (aka Italian cypress) grows like a row of 50 feet (15 m) tall exclamation points with 5 foot spread, narrowing at the crown. This will hide your AC, but may be too tall to make the cut for this gig. Instead, pick a dwarf cultivar like Tiny Tower (C. s. 'Monshel') that tops out at 10 feet (3m) tall. They thrive in zones 7-10. Buy Italian Cypress from Nature Hills for mass planting.

Thriving in full sun and heat, this tough fast-growing evergreen tolerates drought once settled. Just don’t allow them to sit in soggy soil. If your soil is clay-based, it’s a good idea to blend a few scoops of coarse sand, a grit-rich soil, or a cactus mix such as Hoffman Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix from Walmart into the planting hole. This will prevent waterlogging and root rot.

Dwarf Italian cypress shoots up quickly, although it’s fair to say that its dwarf habit keeps its footprint narrow. That said, it gains 2 feet (60 cm) of height per year when young. While it is one of the fastest choices on the list, it also manages to keep a neat 2-foot (60 cm) waistline.

4. Inkberry Holly

Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra) is a broadleaf evergreen. Unlike close relatives, its leaves are not prickly but smooth, and its fruit is dark. It prefers damp acidic soil and full sunshine. Inkberry holly can grow to 10 feet (3 m) tall and about half that wide in zones 4-11. For something smaller, look at cultivars like 'Densa' that grow to 6 feet (2 m) in height, or 'Compacta' that stop at 4 feet (1 m) tall. These shrubs thrive in USDA hardiness zones 4-11. You can buy Proven Winners Gem Box Inkberry Holly Live Plants from Walmart for low hedges, small specimens, and containers.

As a native, inkberry holly supports local pollinators while offering year-round cover. It thrives in damp, acidic soils and tolerates partial shade. If your utility area sits in a low-lying spot that collects rainwater, this moisture-tolerant shrub is ideal. You can give your inkberry a boost by treating it to a little seaweed or kelp feed. Buy GS Plant Foods Organic Concentrated Liquid Kelp from Amazon. This feed is packed with vitamins and minerals to help hollies resist heat stress and transplant shock.

Your inkberry will fill out steadily, growing into a dense acoustic screen without requiring constant pruning. It offers fast visual fill, adding 12 inches (30 cm) per year, quickly knitting its fine branches together into a thick, sound-dampening screen that looks complete in just a couple of seasons.

5. Skip Laurel

Skip or schip laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis') is a broadleaf evergreen. This cherry laurel is known for its narrow habit, while reaching 10-18 feet tall (3-6 m). It makes an excellent, low-maintenance privacy hedge with its upright growth habit and dense foliage. It is also cold hardy, thriving in zones 5-9. These shrubs shrug off urban pollution and salt spray, and thrive in most soils, as long as they offer good drainage. You can buy Skip Laurel Shrubs from Fast Growing Trees.

If your outdoor AC unit is located under a deck or high tree canopy, this is ideal. Its large, glossy leaves reflect light and provide superior acoustic dampening. Delicate white spring flower spikes add seasonal interest. It grows vigorously, so trim away any stray branches drifting toward your AC unit. A little fungicide, such as Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart, protects these laurels against powdery mildew and leaf spot. This is the quickest grower on the list if you need to block a loud AC unit ASAP, putting on 2 feet (24 inches) per year. However, it will need some annual summer trimming to maintain good flow around the unit.

Summer Shrub Essentials

Planting a container-grown evergreen near your AC unit during late summer is a brilliant way to address a visual bugbear in the yard, and you don’t have to give your shrub loads of constant care. Warm soil temperatures encourage roots to anchor quickly before winter arrives. However, these essential soil care products will help to ensure your living AC screen stays healthy, dense, and vibrant season after season.

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The last few weeks, I’ve been loving seeing all the bees and butterflies doing their rounds and collecting supplies from all the salvia, helenium and flowering oregano currently bobbling in clouds around the backyard. But as early bloomers start to fade and gaps start appearing in beds, my friendly pollinators face the dreaded nectar gap. So I’m turning my attention to another vibrant summer stalwart that I know will bring on a flurry of late summer blooms, and that’s the aster.

There are two word-related things I love about growing asters. First, in floriography (the language of flowers), asters represent patience, which links up nicely with their late summer reputation as superheroes of the second wind. Another lovely association is that the name “aster” comes from the Greek for “star” (astro) and a goddess who wept star dust on the earth, prompting a trail of purple-blue blooms to bloom. The luminescent lavender-blue petals and teensy star-like buds, typical of varieties like Fikart’s Aster and Peachie’s Pick Stokes Aster from Plant Addicts, certainly make me think of summer stars twinkling in borders and pots.

Asters make generous flowering additions if planted now, with an astonishing capacity for blooms that go on for weeks and weeks. This is no fleeting summer fling. Those starry pastel and bubblegum tones add instant, lush daisy dynamics that can take you all the way through fall. And because they are perennials, they won’t just be fuelling migrating monarchs and other late summer pollinators this year: they’ll also be back next year for another star-studded performance. Here’s how easy it is to transform your sleepy midsummer gaps into a symphony of stars.

Why Plant Asters Now?

Now is the perfect time to plant asters of all hues. If you are after the king of the purples, go for Grape Crush New England Aster from Nature Hills. Or if you’re after a candy pink shade with more of a frilly look, you can get Proven Winners Henry III Pink Asters from Plant Addicts. From wild aromatic asters to classic New England showstoppers, planting in August gives instant gratification, while tapping into optimal soil conditions to help roots establish in record time.

Planting asters in August solves one of the trickiest gardening puzzles: deciding where you have room. Early flowering perennials have peaked, making bare patches and tired borders painfully obvious. You can easily slot asters where their color will do the most good. Bye-bye to early summer casualties, scrappy gaps, and faded bedside glamor – hello, jewel pinks, juicy purples, and twinkly blues!

The soil should be pleasantly warm, so aster starts and young plants can root and establish at lightning speed. If you’re not sure and want to check, use a thermometer like the Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Thermometer from Amazon. Plus, midsummer sun angles and changing shadow patterns are fully visible now. Planting now lets you position your asters in spots that catch every last drop of golden afternoon light.

Just work a sprinkling of Espoma Organic Chicken Granular Manure from Walmart into the soil at planting time for a gentle, slow-release of nutrients to keep blooms powering on for longer. Planting asters now means you provide a critical lifeline for migrating monarchs and native bees. From the sky-blue spray of a Frikart's aster to the purpliest of all purples (like Purple Dome), now is the time to get them in the ground for the ultimate summer refresh. Here's how to do it right for beds and containers…

Grab Your Asters

Late summer is when asters take center stage, and these fast-flowering options will guarantee you aren’t staring at gaps for long. From compact gems that fit effortlessly into patio pots to back-of-border color-blockers, there’s an aster for every space. This trio of dreamy pastels, neon bubblegums, and royal purple perennials will add statement color that lasts for months. They can all be planted in August for blooms to first frost.

Dazzling Summer Fillers

Planting in Summer Beds and Borders

Plugging asters into tired-looking August borders is simple, but positioning depends on the eventual height and shape of your variety. Taller New England aster classics like neon pink Alma Potschke are perfect for backs of borders. Meanwhile, mounding growers like bubblegum Kickin Carmine Red from Plant Addicts easily fill mid-border gaps without needing stakes. While asters are great gap fillers, just make sure they will have good air flow, which is key to keeping these plants happy and disease-free.

Dig a wide hole and add a little phosphorus-rich feed like Down To Earth Organic Fish Bone Meal from Lowe’s to kickstart root growth and flower production. Once your plant is in position, backfill the hole, firm the soil gently around the base, and water deeply to eliminate air pockets. Add a couple of inches (5 cm) of an organic mulch like leaf mold or some Back to the Roots Organic Premium Shredded Bark Mulch from Amazon. This keeps ground temperatures cool, locks in moisture, and prevents fungal spores from splashing onto lower leaves during heavy rain.

Asters prefer at least six hours of sun daily, though in scorching yards, a touch of dappled afternoon shade helps pastel petals retain their vibrancy for longer. As flowers begin to open, routine maintenance takes just minutes a week. Just deadhead faded flower heads above a fresh leaf joint or lateral bud. This will pretty much guarantee your asters keep the bloom frenzy going well into fall. Lucky you!

Planting in Containers

By midsummer, patio pots may also be looking tired. Here, asters also make the ultimate late-summer container rescue plants. Compact cushion varieties like Wood’s Purple or Wood’s Pink are lovely in pots and bring rich, saturated color to doorsteps, balconies, and sun-drenched patios. Reaching just 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) tall, they quickly fill out in cheerful violet and bubblegum color without ever flopping or needing stakes. You can get Hirt’s Gardens’ Wood’s Pink Asters from Walmart as live plants for a little extra protection against mildew and extra rust resistance.

Because container roots can dry out fast in afternoon heat, plant your asters into a moisture-retaining blend like Espoma Organic Potting Mix, available from The Home Depot. This is packed with beneficial mycorrhizae to help roots anchor fast. To power non-stop flower production deep into October, it’s also a good idea to sprinkle in a little of your bone meal. Water daily in extended heat to keep plants lush and active. However, make sure you are watering directly at the soil line to keep foliage clean.

Asters have a reputation for attracting powdery mildew, which could be more of an issue in containers. However, there are ways around this. Modern dwarf asters and disease-resistant types like the Wood’s series are bred to fight off powdery mildew. But if you’re worried about humidity or crowded containers, keep a bottle of Bonide Copper Fungicide Spray from Amazon on hand. This help protect against powdery mildew and leaf spot. Pair your potted asters with trailing golden foliage or dark coral bells, and your porch containers will be buzzing with late-season pollinators right through to pumpkin season.

Great Planting Partners

Layering rich hues, tonal contrasts, and varied heights with the right plant partners will help you showcase your asters to full effect for the months ahead (and will also help keep pollinators happy for even longer). August is prime time for interplanting asters alongside hardy summer perennials that will stay vibrant right up to the first freeze. By choosing companions that share a fondness for full sun and well-drained soil, you ensure your midsummer refresh looks lush and established from day one.

Pair with indestructible rudbeckia or the dazzling spires of goldenrod (solidago) for savvy color contrasting. The rich gold and purple combination is one of nature’s favorite high-contrast color duos, practically vibrating with life in late-afternoon sunlight. Grow fellow native ‘Goldenrod’ by American Beauties from Plant Addicts. For textural variety, scatter frothy white yarrow (achillea) through the middle of the border, or a zingy color contrast with Yarrow Strawberry Seduction from Nature Hills. Yarrow's flat-bloom cluster clumps help give beneficial insects a sweet landing pad.

Fellow native purple coneflower (echinacea) introduces a strong silhouette. Even as their petals fade, their spiky seed cones provide texture and bronze tones for your starry aster clusters. Buy Clovers Garden Purple Coneflower Plants from Amazon. Nestle with some feathery ornamental grass like Purple Fountain Grass from Fast Growing Trees to offset brighter tones with graceful texture and movement. For patio displays and small-space vessels, add a splash of weeping golden creeping Jenny to cascade over container rims, and dwarf blue salvia for rich color spikes.

Shop Aster Essentials

Asters are resilient once settled, but giving your starts a little extra TLC when planting in August makes all the difference. Late-summer planting generally means warm ground and high sun, so your main focus is accelerating root establishment, protecting against heat shock, and encouraging non-stop flower fabulousness through to fall frosts. Treating your new plants to high-quality organic amendments, bloom-boosting feeds, and protective mulches will keep those daisy-like stars exploding with color right up until the first winter freeze.

Bloom Care Trio

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My worst nightmare is strolling through a field on a hot summer day with no trees in sight. That’s one of the reasons I planted over 200 trees on my property in France. I have sheltered under a tree to block the Basque Country’s famous south wind, to escape the worst of the rain, and to shelter from the blazing summer sun. Shade trees offer real protection from the elements Sited appropriately, they can even help to keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, cutting utility bills.

Beyond energy savings, a shade tree’s cooling canopy can completely alter your backyard's microclimate. Ambient air temperatures beneath a mature shade tree can be 10°F cooler than surrounding sun-baked asphalt or bare turf, creating a far more comfortable, refreshing outdoor space in summer heatwaves. When you plant trees for shade, you get other benefits, too. They filter dust and reduce storm water runoff. They provide color and movement, often with dazzling displays as the seasons shift. They also provide year-round sanctuary for local songbirds and pollinators.

And the best part? You don't have to wait decades to reap these rewards, if you choose rapid-growing, adaptable species. Planting these shade trees will transform your sun-scorched backyard into a cool retreat that offers months of interest and years of protection. Whether it’s lush movement, fiery fall colors, winter bark texture, or sweeping umbrella branches you’re after, these fast-growing shade tree varieties are easy to maintain and even easier to love.

Plant Fast Growing Shade Trees

When planning to buy and plant live trees in summer, go for potted specimens over bare-root stock. Potted trees arrive with root systems encased in moist soil, giving them a great head start. August planting can work well (especially in USDA hardiness zones 5-8), as long as you have checked in with your soil levels and water sensibly. Check moisture levels in the ground before planting. Use a dedicated tool like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon to determine soil moisture at the root level. This will help you give your sapling the best hydration.

Soil meters can also help you with other useful checks, such as light, pH and nutrient levels, to form a picture of overall health. You can then make any adjustments needed before your tree goes in the ground (which is the best time). Where soil is compacted, add a little coarse sand or perlite, and a pinch of biochar. This helps with drainage and can encourage healthy root development as the seasons shift into fall and winter.

In August heat, leaves can lose moisture faster than the young tree roots can pull it from dry ground. So make sure you deep-water your new tree. Make a bit of time for a slow soaking 2-3 times a week, in the first few weeks after planting. Additionally, apply a 2-3-inch (5-8 cm) layer of mulch around the base to help with moisture retention. Choose an organic option like Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch on Amazon around the base, keeping it a couple of inches away from the trunk.

Finally, when choosing one of these shade trees, it helps to manage your expectations about growth rates. A fast-growing shade tree generally gains 2-4 feet (60 cm-1.2m) in height per year once fully established, compared to the 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) of slower growers. However, when planting during late summer, consider the tree's immediate priorities. It will not immediately surge up. Instead, it directs its energy into root establishment before winter dormancy, setting the stage for expansive top growth in spring that will keep you cool for many summers to come.

1. Autumn Blaze Maple

This maple is a fast-growing favorite that reaches 40-50 feet (12-15 m). It’s known for its dazzling fall color and a naturally sturdy branch structure that requires little pruning. Autumn Blaze (Acer x freemanii) also has excellent tolerance to drought pollution. Known as one of the fastest-growing shade maples, it adds 3-5 feet (90 cm-1.5 m) per year, forms a dense canopy, and grows up to 4 times faster than a typical red maple. You can buy Autumn Blaze from Fast Growing Trees, and smaller Autumn Blaze Maples from Amazon for a more budget-friendly alternative.

Also known as a Freeman maple, this hybrid combines the intense color of the red maple with the rapid growth and soil adaptability of the silver maple. Plant in well-drained soil and full sun to part shade in zones 3-8. While tolerant of heavy clay, it prefers slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6-7). To nourish young root systems through their first winter, use a little TPS Nutrients Maple Tree Fertilizer from Amazon to nurture root resilience, and water frequently until established.

2. Heritage River Birch

If you love the dramatic look of birch, but your area is prone to hot summers, this birch variety (Betula nigra 'Heritage') is a gorgeous 4-season specimen. Reaching 40-50 feet (12-15 m) with a 30-40-foot (9-12 m) spread, this multi-stemmed beauty grows rapidly at 2-3 feet per year. It provides a dappled canopy for shade-loving perennials to thrive beneath, and flourishes in zones 4-9 in full sun to partial shade. As well as being fast growing, the Heritage River Birch, available from Fast Growing Trees, is also resistant to diseases like the bronze birch borer.

This shade tree’s defining feature has to be its bark, which peels back in layers of cream, salmon and cinnamon to provide striking winter interest. River birches thrive in moist, acidic soils (pH 6.5 or lower), but they struggle in highly alkaline conditions. For summer planting, keep the soil moist, as drought can cause premature leaf drop. To protect foliage from fungal spots and powdery mildew in humid weather, treat leaves with a little Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate, available from Lowe’s.

3. Northern Red Oak

This fast-growing shade tree is a native, and considered a national treasure. It’s also one of the easiest to grow in zones 3-8. While oaks are considered slow growers, the northern red breaks the mold, gaining 2 feet (60 cm) a year. In the right spot, this red oak reaches a massive 60-75 feet (18-23 m) tall, with equally impressive spread. The northern red oak (Quercus rubra) is known for its green lobed leaves, the acorns it produces, and its phenomenal fall foliage. Buy Northern Red Oaks from Fast Growing Trees for year-round character.

Red oaks prefer full sun and acidic, well-drained soil (pH 5–6.5). Avoid planting in chalky or high-pH soils, which stunt development. You should also never prune between April and October. To ensure steady nutrient delivery, add some Jobes Slow Release Slow Release Fertilizer Spikes from Amazon. As well as affording us shade in summer, this tree’s dense canopy provides food and shelter for birds and native wildlife. It’s long living, famously low maintenance, and a stellar choice.

4. Red Sunset Maple

This fabulous red maple cultivar (Acer rubrum 'Franksred') has a great branching structure and really delivers on color. If you’re after a fast-growing shade option that can bring on the dynamics, this deciduous tree is known for its winter buds, leaf stems and summer fruits, as well as its vibrant fall color. It grows quickly to 50 feet tall (16m) and 40 feet (12 m) wide. While Autumn Blaze is celebrated for raw speed, Red Sunset also brings awesome structural strength. You can buy Red Sunset Maples from Fast Growing Trees for dazzling early fall color and resilience.

Red Sunset thrives in zones 4-8, and grows best in a spot with full sun and moist, acidic, well-drained soil, although it won’t object to wet soil, so it’s a good choice for yards with poor drainage. If planting in August, give this tree deep, regular soakings. To keep the soil acidic and nutrient-rich around the root system, dress the base with Espoma Organic Holly-Tone Fertilizer from Walmart to enhance fall pigmentation.

5. Weeping Willow

I don’t have a weeping willow (Salix babylonica) on my property in France, and my backyard’s just not big enough in San Francisco. But a neighbor in France has a magical specimen, with space beneath its cascading branches for a small table and chairs: what a place to pass a hot afternoon! All willows seem to grow at lightning speed, and this one shoots up by 4-8 feet (1.2-2.4 m) a year. It reaches 40-50 feet (12-15 m) and its sweeping canopy provides exceptional shade in zones 4-9, and dazzling foliage in fall. Buy Weeping Willow Trees by Brighter Blooms from Amazon.

Weeping willows love a site with full sun and moist soil. However, bear in mind that its thirsty root system can spread 3 times wider than the canopy. So don’t plant within 50 feet (15 m) of house foundations, water mains, septic tanks, or paved driveways. Also, because it grows rapidly, its wood is soft and prone to shedding in storms. For summer planting, water daily for the first month and add Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Miracid Plant Food from Amazon to encourage swift root growth.

6. Dawn Redwood

If you’re seeking a unique ornamental tree that combines rapid growth with architectural beauty, the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) is compelling. Once thought to be extinct, this living fossil grows at 3+ feet (90 cm) per year, and can reach 70-100 feet (21-30 m) tall with a 25-foot (7.6 m) spread. It has sweeping, needle-like foliage that provides a lush, cool canopy in summer heat. Majestic Dawn Redwoods are available from Fast Growing Trees and offer staggering tonal variety and charming feathery shaping in zones 5-9.

Despite looking like an evergreen conifer, the dawn redwood is deciduous, and in the fall, its feathery needles shift to russet orange and bronze. It is exceptionally hardy, disease-resistant, and tolerant of wet soils and heavy clay. Just avoid planting this feathered giant in exposed hilltop sites or light, sandy soils. For summer planting, add a little GS Plant Foods Liquid Kelp Extract from Walmart to help this tree build heat tolerance. Grow your dawn redwood in full sun to appreciate it as its best.

Shop Shade Tree Care

Once established, these low-maintenance shade trees are easy to sustain and care for, but a little attention in the first few months after planting will keep your tree growing strong for decades. This initial establishment phase is what it’s all about, so treat yourself (and your tree) to some high-quality soil amendments and organic treatments. This handy action pack will help to supercharge growth and give your young saplings the best start. Here’s how to nurture your trees so they develop strong roots, heat resilience, and dramatic canopy growth year after year.

Smart Shade Tree Trio

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It can be tempting to create a perfect garden, with every square inch tended and cultivated. Not only is this level of perfectionism difficult to achieve, but it’s also not great for your native wildlife. If you can think of a part of your yard that is currently a little weather-worn and dry, it’s hardly surprising now that early flowering annuals are starting to die back. So what if I were to tell you that you can do your bit for Mother Nature simply by leaving a patch of that soil bare and empty?

The elements you need to create a wildlife garden don’t have to be complicated, and they don’t have to detract from the aesthetics of your outdoor space. They can be as simple as one or two bare patches that easily blend into cultivated areas. You might be surprised at how much this small concession can help native bees, butterflies, and birds thrive in landscapes that are often unfriendly and sterile for wildlife.

With midsummer still baking hot in many places, our backyard creatures face a grueling daily battle for survival. Scorching sun and drying water sources create challenging conditions. Any gestures of help you can give your wildlife matter, but one of the most powerful gestures you can offer is simply leaving a small patch of raw dirt untouched. Find out why exposed soil is vital for native bees, butterflies, and birds this summer.

How to Create the Best Patch

You don't need fancy landscaping or expensive soil amendments to prep your spare wildlife patch. In fact, keeping it simple is the best way of giving key species what they have relied on for hundreds of years. Native ground-nesting pollinators prefer unimproved, natural soil over rich, heavily composted potting mixes. A dedicated patch just 2 feet by 2 feet (60 cm square) is all you need to make a huge impact. Whether sandy, loamy, or clay-heavy, this soil is fine, as long as it isn’t compacted by heavy foot traffic or treated with synthetic fertilizers.

While you don’t need to do much to treat the soil itself, it’s worth making sure you have some native plants next to your patch of earth. Grouping sun-loving perennials like purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, or monarda nearby ensures that emerging pollinators have a source of energy inches from their front door. You can buy black-eyed Susan from Fast Growing Trees as pre-potted arrivals, plus American Beauties Native Purple Coneflower from Plant Addicts to support your patch. These vibrant perennials will create a nectar-rich perimeter around your bare earth.

3 Reasons Wildlife Needs Bare Earth

Even though many natural habitats are shrinking, our yards can be vital corridors of life for resident bees, butterflies, and birds. Leaving exposed earth is one of the easiest, most rewarding ways to sustain sensitive species during the brutal heat and extremes of summer. Here are 3 ways a simple patch of dirt can serve and protect your local ecosystem.

1. Helping Ground-Nesting Bees

When we think of bees, we tend to picture honeybees in hives. But most bees, including most native bees in your yard, are not communal and don’t live in hives. Iridescent green sweat bees, mining bees, digger bees, and cellophane bees live mostly solitary lives. The females dig tunnels in the soil to create chambers that hold pollen, nectar, and eggs. These burrows are essential for their life cycles.

Dense turf, mulching, weed barriers, and landscape fabric all stop native pollinators from building burrows. If you have covered every inch of your yard with barriers, these solitary pollinators will struggle to find shelter and will be less likely to visit your flowering plants. So keep that dusty patch of soil free. After heavy rains and heat, you might see a crust on the soil surface. Just scratch across the top few inches gently with a cultivator or hand rake, to help mining and sweat bees to dig their chambers.

To give them an extra boost, add a hydration station. Pretty Bee & Butterfly Drinking Flower from Uncommon Goods lends delicate color to your patch, while providing extra service to thirsty bees. Alternatively, fill a shallow water dish with a little water and some Natural River Rocks from Amazon. These are flat and gently textured to help pollinators drink safely.

2. Helping Butterflies with Puddling

It’s not just native bees that need patches of soil. Butterflies also benefit from little spots of bare soil in your yard. They use small, muddy spots for a behavior called puddling. If you’ve seen a flutter of swallowtails, red-spotted purples or monarchs in a patch of driveway dirt, you’ve witnessed puddling. This damp soil is being used to extract minerals and salts. Males are reliant on this practice to extract sodium and minerals, which they pass along to females during mating to help with eggs.

You can create puddling spots naturally by letting your patch of earth collect water after a rain, or after you’ve watered your beds or the lawn. To make a simple mineral station, find a 6-inch (15 cm) terracotta saucer, like the Pennington Terracotta Saucer Tray from Lowe's. Lay this level with the soil, fill it with a little earth and a splash of water, and keep it moist to create a puddling pool for swallowtails and monarchs.

If you like, you can sprinkle a tiny pinch of unrefined sea salt, wood ash or compost over this damp dirt. Keep this mud patch lightly moist throughout July and August. As summer winds down, migrating monarchs will rely on these quick mineral pitstops to fuel their long journeys south. They will also appreciate any late season nectar-rich blooms you can provide, like coneflowers and monarda. You can buy Sugar Buzz Grape Gumball Monarda from Plant Addicts. In late summer, butterflies also use nearby bare patches to bask in the sun and warm their wing muscles.

3. Helping Songbirds with Dust Baths

Many of your local birds also rely on areas of dirt. Sparrows, wrens, robins, towhees, and others use bare dirt patches for dust baths to remove parasites and clean their feathers. Watching a cheeky wren, junco, robin or sparrow fluffing fine, dry soil into its feathers is one of the most enjoyable sights in a wildlife-friendly garden. And all you need is a little bit of soil that is soft and powdery to attract birds to dust-bathe.

When birds are shedding and regrowing flight feathers, access to this powdery soil gives them great comfort. During summer, birds struggle with mite infestations that can compromise flying. Dust-bathing helps them absorb excess feather oil in humid weather, and it can trap cool air. Birds also ingest tiny bits of sand and fine gravel. These particles stay in their gizzard to help them crush hard seeds and beetle shells.

You can support your patch by making sure it is near a bird bath. Keep the bird bath filled with fresh water, and replace it regularly. It’s also a great idea to add a solar fountain or a water wiggler, like the Solar Water Wiggler from Walmart. Moving water attracts many more birds than standing water. One of the most efficient solar fountain add-ons is the Mademax Solar Powered Bird Bath Fountain Upgrade, available from Amazon. These little extras all help to create a safe, quiet retreat.

Where to Place Bare Patches

It’s beneficial to have these bare areas a little out of sight. Tuck them into back corners of the yard, or near the edges of flower beds. A bare patch in the middle of a turf lawn won’t be much help to wildlife, and it won’t look nice. Any old random patch of uncovered soil will help your local wildlife, but to help the animals while honoring the aesthetics of your yard, there are a few simple ground rules (so to speak).

Pick a sunny spot, so your bees, butterflies and birds can absorb heat and warm themselves. Aim for a south or east-facing spot that catches early morning sun rays. Ground bees need that initial solar warmth to warm up their flight muscles on cool summer mornings. Make sure it’s a quiet area that’s relatively undisturbed by people and pets. Also, make sure it is well-drained, and not completely soggy (allowing for a spot that you want to keep moist for puddling pollinators).

Avoid steep slopes, where summer thunderstorms might wash away loose soil or drown bee burrows. Tuck bare patches along gentle borders, under the lee of a shed, or beneath low-hanging native shrubs like serviceberry or arrowwood to give small birds quick cover if they spy a predator. You can buy Proven Winners Blue Muffin Arrowwood Viburnum from Nature Hills for extra canopy protection above your hard-working patch of soil.

Maintaining Your Patch

Yes, you can leave these spaces alone, but you’ll help wildlife more by maintaining them just a little. Check moisture levels regularly. Ideally, your bare patch needs to have a puddling area and a spot that always stays dry for dust baths and burrowing. Place a few small stones in the areas that puddle to help wildlife with access. Don’t let soil in dry areas get too compacted. When needed, give the soil a little raking to keep it loose. If you’re after a good soil aerator, the Fiskars Hand Cultivator from Amazon is great for gently breaking up soil for ground bees and birds.

Avoid using pesticides near these areas, or you’ll risk inadvertently killing your native guests. Ground-nesting bees spend up to 11 months underground in these burrows, making them exceptionally vulnerable to chemical runoff. Plant ornamental grasses or wildflowers to hide some of the bare dirt from view, while also supporting wildlife with cover and food sources. You can also edge the soil patch with stones or logs, like Amosfun Log Edging from Walmart. This gives your tiny wildlife habitat some natural looking definition, while offering daytime shade for beneficial toads.

Make sure you maintain that dual-texture in your wildlife-friendly patch. Keep one half loose, powdery, and sun-baked for dusting birds and mining bees. Meanwhile, keep lightly dampening the other half for puddling butterflies, frogs, and local toads, which will shelter under your edge logs during the day and feast on pests by night.

Shop Summer Wildlife Care

Round off your wildlife-friendly patch of earth with a few thoughtful wildlife treats. This handpicked summer bundle is tailored to nurturing a safe, comforting retreat for ground-nesting bees, fluttering butterflies, and dust-bathing songbirds. The perfect accompaniment for your bare soil habitat, these little upgrades will keep your wild visitors happy, hydrated, and nourished all season long.

Wildlife Trio

Making a little space for local wildlife doesn’t have to be a big chore, or mean that you leave things messy and untended. So, the next time you're tempted to fill that spot with one more bloom, consider leaving just one sunny area alone. That seemingly empty space could soon be one of the busiest and most important spots in your yard.

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Colors are so intrinsically linked to your gardening choices, you might not always realize you’ve got carried away until you see some of the results. Then one day, you’ll be sitting on the front patio and it will hit you: yikes. Maybe all those dozens of colors competing for attention in your flower beds and borders are a little bit much?

Maybe what started as the odd crayon-bright variety has become multi-toned chaos. But if it feels like your plants are clashing rather than cooperating, don’t panic. You needn’t settle for visual friction. A little mindful color selection will instantly help you achieve a calmer ambiance. And rethinking the way you approach front yard landscaping doesn't mean adhering to cold rules. Winning curb appeal just means simplifying your color pairings and combinations.

This sort of discipline might sound like it sucks a little of the fun out of growing flowers, but it’s quite the opposite. Limiting your palette can be freeing in terms of how you combine specific plants, textures, shapes, and sizes – and all with visual balance in mind. Find out how the 2-color trick can help you tame your yard and create high impact visuals that everyone will want to stop and admire.

Why Color Chaos Kills Curb Appeal

In color theory, pairing too many saturated warm and cool shades creates intense visual friction. When hot-pink magenta petunias, fiery orange marigolds, electric blue lobelia, and bright yellow zinnias are all squeezed into a single bed, their competing light waves bounce around chaotically. Under bright summer sunlight, this overload turns into visual noise. This jarring static makes a front yard look cluttered and messy rather than intentional. It can even make a yard look smaller.

When every bloom screams for attention, it’s hard to distinguish and appreciate their individual beauty. Collectively, it can feel like a jumble. Situated by a colored wall or front yard fence, the problems magnify, and none of this is great news for curb appeal. Instead of drawing the eye toward your entryway or porchway, an overactive color palette creates visual stops and starts. The overall effect can feel disjointed, dragging down curb allure instead of framing your property with purpose.

This doesn’t mean there is no place for a riot of blooms. Whimsical cottage gardens, meadow plantings and backyard pollinator patches can handle a colorful free-for-all, because their informal boundaries soften the impact. But landscaping for curb appeal relies on something else. This is where you need instant, clean legibility from the street, and where less can be so much more. Introducing simple curb color rules isn't about stifling expression. It’s just about giving plants room to breathe, so your front yard looks effortlessly put together. Here’s how it can work for you…

The 2-Color Trick (And Why It Works)

The two-color trick isn’t about stripping joy from your garden or banning your favorite blooms. But if your front yard feels messy rather than magical, capping your plant palette at 2 dominant hues works like a reset button. Forget the confetti mix seed pack that will create a lively mishmash of all the colors of the rainbow. Instead, select 2 colors that can play well off each other. A duo-toned front border will instantly upclass the yard, creating cohesiveness and a high-end, elegant look.

When you limit your palette with these color rules, your brain stops trying to reconcile competing color signals. The eyes shift their focus to subtle details, like variations in plant height, leaf shapes, and contrasting textures. By curbing the rainbow, you allow anchor plants, hardscaping features like brick walkways, and porch details to stand out rather than compete with your flower beds. Whether framing a tight bed beside a door or running a long border down a driveway, choosing a couple of harmonizing or opposing colors brings immediate structural focus, balance and harmony.

You don’t need to rely on just flowers to make this trick work. High-impact foliage can offer long-lasting contrast with less maintenance. For instance, planting a burgundy foliage plant alongside a lime-tinted companion creates a high-contrast border that holds its color all season without looking cluttered. Try rich burgundy Tiny Wine Ninebark from Nature Hills, and add Proven Winners Limelight Hydrangea Shrubs from Fast Growing Trees to offset those deeper wine tones.

3 Ways to Make it Work

Limiting yourself to two shades has a calming effect on the entire front yard. Instead of overwhelming passers-by with bouncing colors, a duo-tone approach focuses the attention on plant heights, leaf textures, and bloom shapes. So if you need to calm the visual turmoil and bring the harmony back, the trick is to find a simple color partnership that works for your space and aesthetic. Here are 3 smart color matches you can try. Treat these as flexible templates you can adapt according to your plant desires and your yard, to help you frame your space in style with minimal fuss.

1. Monochromatic Shift

Choosing two shades from the same color family, like a cool lilac paired with a rich violet, is the ultimate shortcut to a sophisticated yard. A monochromatic palette relies on tonal gradients to create depth across beds, borders, and containers. My favorite is monochromatic green. This approach allows you to focus on foliage plants, using a single, dominant base color while incorporating shades a bit lighter or darker. So you could pair white, off-white and silvery shades. This could blend tall Aruncus dioicus, white peonies, and trailing alyssum, backed by silver foliage.

The key to making this palette work is to vary plant shapes and heights. For a purple scheme, plant tall, dark spikes of Caradonna salvia (S. nemorosa) and airy purpletop vervain (Verbena bonariensis) at the back of a border. In the middle, try 'Walker's Low' catmint or drifts of Hidcote lavender. Add Supertunia Royal Velvet petunias or the lush folds of Plum Pudding heuchera at the front (or in porch pots) to tie the look together.

If you prefer a sunnier tone, try gold and chartreuse. Use medium-sized shrubs like Gold Mound spirea and variegated Emerald 'n' Gold euonymus toward the center of your bed. Surround them with butter-yellow Moonbeam coreopsis and Lime Marmalade coral bells. To soften hard driveway edges or stone steps, let golden Japanese Forest Grass and cascading creeping Jenny spill onto the paving. You can get both Lime Marmalade and Plum Pudding Coral Bells from Plant Addicts, along with a broad range of heuchera colors.

2. Clean White + Hero Color

For a crisp and sophisticated front border, use the classic aesthetic of white with another color (green works well if you aren’t sure). This is a clean, timeless look that looks cool and chic while brightening up shady corners. You might start with a snowy carpet of fragrant sweet alyssum, backed by iceberg rose varieties and white foxgloves. Fill in the corners with creamy hostas or silver ragwort.

Pairing crisp, light-reflecting white flowers, shrubs and even white flowering trees with a single, high-voltage hero color gives instant front yard curb appeal. White can act as a natural spotlight, bouncing ambient light into shaded entryways, softening dark masonry, and making fence lines pop from the street. However, using white alone can sometimes feel sterile or washed out in midday sun. The trick is layering subtle tonal variations of white, ranging from cool, apple-green whites to classic creams and soft silvers, alongside one intense accent color.

For a high-contrast “peaches and cream” scheme, try a lush Limelight panicle hydrangea or Foxy White foxgloves at the back of your border. In front, plant Tangerine Dream coneflowers (Echinacea) or compact Profusion Orange zinnias. Interweave some soft, velvety Silver Dust Dusty Miller, available from Amazon, along the edge. Then let bright white sweet alyssum spill out over walkway pavers. For a shady corner, opt for fluffy Vision in White astilbe to bring the look together.

Or, if you prefer a rich magenta-and-cream palette, frame your porch or gateway with white floribunda roses and wispy wand flowers (Gaura lindheimeri). In the middle, set punchy PowWow Wild Berry coneflowers with silvery artemisia. Pick up Perennial Farms’ PowWow Wild Berry Coneflowers from Amazon. Finish with magenta calibrachoa cascading out of front door urns. Just bear in mind that white petals and pale silver leaves show heat-browning and water spots faster than darker foliage, so select tough, self-cleaning varieties for summer planting.

3. Bold Designer Opposites

Is there room for bright colors anywhere in the 2-color universe? Absolutely! You can make this work with our color trick, as long as the eye only sees these bright shades. Backed by foliage greens, the result is upscale and elegant, which is a winning combination for curb appeal. If you want your front yard to command attention from down the block, just look to opposite sides of the color wheel.

Complementary color pairings create high-contrast energy, because our eyes process opposing wavelengths simultaneously, making both appear more saturated than they would on their own. For a look that gives balance but also feels deliberate, establish one of the pair as the dominant color across three-quarters of your bed, then sprinkle the remaining area with pops of its visual opposite.

Try one of these pairings that work in any border layout or size:

• Royal Violet & Gold: For a high-contrast classic, weave deep purple salvia or dark lavender spires with Goldsturm Rudbeckia, available from Plant Addicts, finishing with trailing Superbells Yellow calibrachoa. For an easygoing shrub, try a brilliant yellow weigela like Golden Jackpot (Weigela florida 'MonRigney').
• True Blue & Copper Orange: Another option that looks smashing is true blue and copper orange or hot coral. Offset soft nepeta 'Cat's Pajamas' or bright agapanthus with Totally Tangerine geum. You can get Hirt’s Gardens’ Cat’s Pajamas Nepeta from Walmart. Or try blue lobelia as a low-growing element, backed by coral bells, with true blue delphinium towering in the background.
• Magenta & Chartreuse: For a modern designer vibe, pair the punchy pink petals of Magnus coneflowers with the electrifying foliage of Lime Marmalade heuchera or Sambucus Lemony Lace by Proven Winners, available from Nature Hills.

Golden Rules for 2-Color Planting

Limiting the palette does raise the stakes in terms of layouts. You can’t just plant your colors willy-nilly. It’s important to plant with an eye to design, rather than just scattering seeds as you may have done in the past. This isn’t hard, though, and it’s fun to experiment. These easy rules ensure your 2-color theme feels intentional:

1. Master 60-30-10: This designer approach suggests that one color should be the primary, and over half of the bed should reflect that. The second shade takes a third of the space, while the remaining 10% is a varying texture or hue of the two primary colors. So if you had 60% green foliage, you could give 30% to sweeps of purple Walker's Low Catmint, from Nature Hills, with a 10% accent of fiery crocosmia.
2. Weave in Drifts not Blocks: Avoid static grids or rigid blocks of one species that make borders feel stiff and unnatural. Instead, use sweeping, intermingled plantings. Try feathering silver artemisia with spires of salvia, interwoven with purple coneflowers. Soften the boundaries with some purpletop vervain. You can get Perennial Farm Verbena Bonariensis from Amazon as live plants.
3. High-Contrast Textures: Color catches the eye from across the lawn, but tactile leaf forms keep it fascinating up close. Mix ferny foliage with rounded leaves, and contrast massive, powdery Halcyon hosta leaves with pops of curling wine-soaked coleus. You can buy CZ Grain Blue Halcyon Hostas from Walmart as live plants. Thoughtful diversity is key to make the most of your curb-friendly color palette.

Shop Summer Curb Heroes

Putting together a high-impact, two-color border is a lot simpler once you can hook your schemes around a clear, tidy planting plan. By focusing on a few well-chosen perennial anchors, you can set the foundation for stunning monochromatic, clean white, or bold designer contrast schemes that thrive season after season. Selected with popular color purple in mind, the following options bring instant wow factor.

Purple-Friendly Picks

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Pothos is prized for its long vines and lush foliage, as well as its low-maintenance needs. Even newbies to growing houseplants can easily keep a pothos alive. That said, a little care here and there will ensure it thrives for years, help it to reach impressive dimensions, and keep it looking lush and vibrant while doing so. July is the heart of the growing season, a time when your pothos is growing faster than ever – so why not take advantage of the growth phase to tweak key elements of appearance and health?

July pothos care is really quite simple, but these little tasks make a huge difference. During peak summer, indoor light levels and ambient temperatures align to trigger rapid cell division in tropical vines. However, without a few deliberate tweaks, that sudden burst of energy can result in sparse, leggy growth or scorched foliage. If your indoor pal is looking a little tired or, conversely, is shooting off long, naked runners, then now is your prime window of opportunity to get on top of things.

Taking just 15 minutes this month to finetune your plant’s appearance and quality of living will set the stage for lush, dense growth over the next few months, and also give your pothos the foundation it needs to thrive year after year. Here’s how to give your gorgeous twining vine an easy-peasy July glow-up.

Quick Pothos Tasks in July

These simple tasks all work together to encourage longer vines, fuller growth, and healthier leaves. Your pothos will be well-positioned to thrive throughout the rest of summer and continue producing lush greenery well into fall. But before jumping into your pothos care routine, it helps to assess where your plant lives and how your local environment might be influencing its indoor climate.

Perhaps you live in a hot, dry climate (like USDA hardiness zones 9-11), where air conditioning constantly strips the indoor air of humidity? Or maybe you are growing your pothos in a cooler, humid region (zones 5-7), where windows are left open to invite summer breezes. Either way, your pothos will react to its surroundings. Container-bound vining plants also rely heavily on conditions within the pot.

Setting aside just 20-30 minutes for prep work pays huge dividends. Check for early signs of common summer pests, like spider mites or mealybugs, which thrive in dry indoor conditions, and tackle early issues with a diluted neem oil spray. Next, test the density and moisture level of your soil mix. Compacted, nutrient-depleted soil cannot support the vine expansion typical of summer growth. Keeping a moisture monitor like the XLUX Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon on hand takes the guesswork out of root-zone checks, so you can be sure existing moisture levels are healthy.

If your soil has degraded or lost its airy texture, grab a bag of high-drainage substrate like Miracle-Gro Potting Mix for Tropicals from The Home Depot. It’s a good idea to topdress your houseplant potting soil before tackling these care steps. This will help to refresh the pot without suffocating delicate roots, and will balance drainage before you start on these key pothos tasks for July.

1. Water Your Pothos Regularly

Pothos is very forgiving, but it grows best with consistently moist soil. Water is especially important in July, when growth is rapid and indoor air tends to be dry. The best way to water is to give the potting soil a good soaking infrequently. Let the water run out of the drainage holes. When the top inch or two (5 cm) is dry, water again. While your pothos likes moist soil, it doesn’t like soggy roots, so empty the saucer under the container after watering, or raise the plant on risers or pot toes, like these sweet Tortoise Decorative Pot Toes for Planters, available from Walmart.

Highly variegated cultivars like N'Joy or Manjula have less chlorophyll and slightly slower transpiration rates than solid green or Jade pothos. This makes them more sensitive to overwatering. Conversely, fast-growing Golden or Blue Cebu will drink rapidly during heatwaves. If you neglect deep watering, you risk root desiccation, which leads to yellowing lower leaves and premature leaf drop along the main vines.

For controlled hydration that won't wash away surface soil, a narrow-spout watering vessel like the Vatenkrasse Ivory and Gold Watering Can from Ikea ensures even delivery directly to the root zone. You can expect to see perked-up, turgid leaves within 12-24 hours of a deep soak.

2. Protect from Bright Light

This is an easy plant to grow indoors: indirect light, dappled light, and filtered light all work well. Indeed, it is often too much sunlight that can cause issues. Direct afternoon rays passing through window glass act like a magnifying glass, causing irreversible foliar sunburn. Variegated varieties like Snow Queen or Marble Queen are especially vulnerable, because their white sectors lack protective pigments.

If the July sun is too intense in your plant’s usual spot, move it for a while. Remove it from very bright windows, place it outside under a patio, or move it to an east or north-facing window. Too much direct sunlight can scorch leaves, ultimately killing them. Definitely don’t shock the plant by moving it straight from a dim interior room to an unshaded outdoor patio. Intense UV light can bleach leaves pretty quickly.

To maintain high humidity without harsh sun exposure, especially if keeping your plant near a bright bathroom window, consider softening direct rays with a decorative window film like the Rabbitgoo Frosted Window Privacy Film from Amazon. If shifting your plant away from natural windows leaves it in too dark a corner, use a gentle, full-spectrum light source, like the Maystar Full Spectrum 2000W Dual Switch Grow Lamp from Walmart. Adjusting light exposure yields noticeable results within a week, preventing further leaf loss and encouraging rich color development.

3. Feed Lightly

Pothos plants don’t always need to be fertilized. Again, they are forgiving plants. They can grow well in rich and poor soil. If you never fertilized it, the plant would survive. That said, a little light feeding while it’s putting out new growth will keep it healthy and vigorous. Use a balanced houseplant fertilizer about once a month in the summer. For gentle, consistent nourishment, use a balanced liquid formula like Back to the Roots Organic Indoor Plant Food from Amazon.

These plants don’t need a lot of extra nutrients, so use the fertilizer at half strength. Ensure the root system is pre-dampened to prevent chemical burn. Water the pot thoroughly along with the fertilizer to reduce the risk of scorching the roots. To boost root vigor and enhance natural leaf sheen, you can also add a tiny splash of a seaweed tonic, such as Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer from Walmart. Within 2-3 weeks of a gentle July feed, you should see glossier unfurling leaves.

Supplying a light, balanced diet now ensures that new leaves open at their full potential size, with rich pigmentation and thick, durable cuticles. Skipping fertilizer entirely during active summer growth may not be the end of the world, but it often leads to small, pale leaves and thin, fragile stems. Just don’t go too far the other way with heavy formulas. These can cause salt buildup and brown leaf tips.

4. Prune and Propagate for Denser Growth

Pothos is very good at putting out long, trailing vines. In the wild, the vines can grow as long as 70 feet (21 meters). If you are seeing long, stringy vines, you can trim your pothos in July to encourage growth to branch out. Try pruning the longest vine to a point just above a leaf node. This will stimulate the vine to split, giving denser, bushier growth. To ensure clean cuts, use precision cutters like Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips from Amazon and sterilize before and after. Don't remove more than 25-30% of the total plant foliage in one session, as this can shock the root system.

As a bonus, you can take select cuttings to create a new plant. You can either pot up your cuttings or place them in a glass or jar of water. Select healthy cuttings with 2-3 nodes for propagation. Root your fresh summer cuttings in style, using a tabletop propagation setup like the Mkono Plant Propagation Station from Amazon, or the Arlmont & Co Plant Terrarium with Wooden Stand from Wayfair for a modern yet organic twist. Cuttings placed in water will begin throwing out white water roots within 10 to 14 days during July's warm window.

5. Give New Growth Something to Climb

Most pothos plants grow vines that trail from pots and baskets. In their natural habitat, pothos vines will climb. Provide a vertical support, and you’ll be rewarded with larger leaves than if they trail. Since pothos puts out new growth in July, this is a great time to tackle this simple task. Try a small trellis that you can sink into the soil of the pot or secure to the outside of the container. One pretty trellis frame that slides into the pot is the WellSign Honeycomb Potted Plant Trellis from Amazon.

Another option is to use a moss pole. You can also make your own moss pole, or you can get one ready made. For a natural option, try Lanney Moss Poles for Plants from Walmart. Secure your trailing vines gently along the pole or trellis, using soft, adjustable ties like Velcro One-Wrap Garden Ties from Lowe’s. Within 3-4 weeks of securing aerial roots to a moist support, you will observe new leaves emerging that are much larger than their trailing counterparts.

In their native tropical environments, pothos are epiphytic climbers. When aerial roots contact a sturdy, moist surface, the plant signals its mature phase, producing larger leaves with structural integrity. Leaving vines to hang downward keeps the foliage in a juvenile state, where leaves remain small and uniform. Providing vertical climbing real estate in July takes full advantage of aerial root development. Keep moss poles slightly damp to encourage aerial roots to latch on firmly.

Shop Pothos Care Essentials

Maintaining a lush, vibrant pothos is a simple joy if done quickly at regular moments. If you need a few gentle organic boosters to help you get these tasks done well, this trio can help. Take a little time to help your vines thrive, and you’ll encourage fuller growth and glossier leaves.

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The color purple is an arresting sight in beds and borders. And when you’re looking for ways to add some dazzle to shady spots, it can feel like a home run. Standing before a bench of velvety plum heuchera, deep lavender salvia, or rich amethyst coral bells, it seems natural that their jewel tones will add a lush punch and drama to dim corners.

But once you get those dark beauties planted, the illusion can vanish fast. Rather than popping against the gloom, those rich, deep purples seem to pull a disappearing act. Gardening in the shade can be tricky, of course, but why would these vibrant tones shrink into muddy shadows? Well, purple, it turns out, is not the best shade for shade.

The good news? A dark, shady corner can be saved. You just need to understand a few simple rules about low-light color theory to transform your yard’s dimmest nooks into glowing, high-contrast sanctuaries. Here’s what you need to know…

Why Purple Disappears in Shade

Why do purple plantings struggle in shade? Put simply, our eyes see color by light reflected off an object. Darker colors, including shades of purple, absorb a lot of light and reflect little. To be really visible to the human eye, they need a lot of light to reflect. In your shady backyard corner, there simply isn’t enough light to create the visual sense of purples, blues, or burgundies. So they look flat and don’t stand out.

Compared to sunny spaces, low light in the garden is like turning down a dimmer switch. As the available light drops, so does our eye's ability to distinguish deep, cool wavelengths. Dark cobalt lobelias, violet salvias, and carpet-forming, dark ajuga (bugleweed) rely on high-intensity sunlight to bounce off their petals and ignite their rich tones. Placed in a shadowy nook, we just register a flat, visual void.

Another reason to avoid putting purple plants in shade is that the lack of light can actually cause the plants to turn green! Purple and burgundy plants get their color from a pigment called anthocyanin, which also acts like a sunscreen against very bright light. If you grow these plants in shade, they’ll make less anthocyanin because they don’t need it. The result is a duller color or even a greener color.

To make matters worse, many of our favorite purple-flowering perennials are culturally hardwired for baking sun and lean, free-draining soil. Planted in cool, damp shade, sun-worshippers like lavender or salvia suffer a double blow. Not only do their purple blooms seem invisible, but their roots quickly succumb to fungal diseases and crown rot on account of the stagnant, moist soil that can often accompany the shade.

Understanding Purple Rules

Not all purples are created equal. The trick lies in recognizing the difference between cold indigos and hotter tones, as well as the quality of light falling on your garden bed. In deep, evergreen shade, almost any dark shade vanishes. But in soft, dappled woodland light, warm purples packed with pink and red undertones (like winter-blooming cyclamen) can catch flickering sunbeams and glow. Cold, deep blue-purples like dark aconitum (monkshood), on the other hand, lack those luminous undertones and melt into the shadows.

Bloom structure and petal geometry also play a massive role in whether a purple plant succeeds or disappears. Tiny, delicate purple flowers, such as slender creeping campanula (bellflower), disperse scarce light across fine petals and dissolve into a haze from just a few paces away. Larger, broader petals act like light scoops. Even better are purple blooms with built-in reflective markings. Take cranesbills like Geranium maculatum or beloved hardy geranium Rozanne. Their electric violet-blue petals have a pale eye that acts as a tiny reflector dish for ambient light.

If you can’t imagine your shade garden without moody plum foliage, you don't have to banish it entirely. You just need to change how you frame it. Dark foliage favorites like Heuchera 'Plum Pudding' or bugbane might fail when left to fight the shadows on their own. However, when treated as high-contrast accents with paler, light-reflecting partners, their deep tones suddenly become an asset rather than a visual liability. So which colors are going to work well in your shady corners?

What Colors Work Better in Shade

If deep purples act like a visual sponge in the shade, chartreuse and lime green act like highlighters. Chlorophyll-rich, yellow-green foliage is the ultimate shade illuminator, catching the barest hint of ambient light and glowing as if lit from within. Imagine a cascade of golden Japanese forest grass nestled under a dark tree canopy. Even evergreen shrubs like Euonymus Emerald 'n' Gold can transform a gloomy bed into a warm, inviting space. These acid-green tones bring an electric energy to shaded areas, lasting from spring to first frost.

You don't have to rely purely on solid colors, either. Silver sheen and white variegation act as tiny, built-in mirrors for your garden beds. Plants with metallic or frosty overlays bounce light back to your eye. The icy, crackled leaves of Brunnera Jack Frost or the silvery trailing stems of deadnettle can brighten a dark path just as effectively as landscape lighting. Similarly, the speckled, silver-splashed foliage of pulmonaria (lungwort) helps to create visual dynamics and texture.

With flowering plants in the shade, the rule is simple: go pale and luminous. Icy whites, soft creams, pale golds, and bright baby pinks stand out brilliantly against the dark backdrop of soil and shadowy tree trunks. Instead of planting a dark purple flower that will immediately vanish, opt for the yellow blooms of barrenwort or the soft, nodding pink bells of native columbines. These lighter pigments don't just survive in the shade, they absolutely shine.

5 Plant Superstars for Color

Now that you know how light behaves in dim spaces, it’s time to fill those shadowy garden spots with plants that naturally do the heavy lifting. The following vibrant shade-loving perennials don't just tolerate low light but work actively with it. Combining built-in luminosity, striking foliage, and effortless charm, these reliable shade-lovers will keep your woodland beds glowing all season long.

1. Hosta

This classic shade plant offers broad, sculptural leaves that act like solar panels to catch available light. Chartreuse and variegated cultivars are game-changers. Look for chartreuse cultivars, like Rainforest Sunrise, and Lime Piecrust. Variegated varieties include Guacamole or Patriot, with striking, creamy white margins to illuminate gloomy corners. You can buy Patriot Hostas from Nature Hills.

Don't rule out blue hostas entirely. Pale, icy-blue varieties like Halcyon or June thrive in partial shade thanks to the chalky, waxy coating. This powdery finish contrasts beautifully with fine-textured partners like trailing deadnettle or feathery maidenhair ferns. Hostas love rich, moisture-retentive soil packed with organic matter. Apply a thick layer of organic mulch around the base to retain moisture. While blue cultivars need shade to protect their waxy coating, chartreuse hosta varieties display their brightest golden pigments when given a gentle tilt of morning light.

2. Astilbe

Where broad-leaved shade plants bring weight, astilbe (Astilbe spp.) introduces light, feathery elegance. Their feathery, cloud-like plumes are composed of hundreds of tiny individual flowers that catch and scatter light across shadowy borders. Pale cultivars like creamy Bridal Veil or soft pink Peach Blossom work as visual softeners. Even crimson options like Fanal carry enough warm, luminous pink undertones to glow brightly under a dappled tree canopy. For a pretty bushy option, Vision in White Astilbe from Fast Growing Trees gives extra-special luminescence.

Just remember to maintain constant soil moisture to get the best from these feathery beauties. They thrive near rain gardens, ponds, or under heavily mulched beds. Layer with some fine bark or compost, and avoid windy, exposed sites that strip humidity from their delicate fronds. A gentle topdressing of organic fertilizer in early spring will reward you with dense, erect plumes that stand tall well into midsummer.

3. Caladium

For unabashed drama in low light, caladiums are certainly going to catch the eye, and keep it. These tropical beauties produce thin, heart-shaped leaves that act like stained-glass windows when caught in dappled light. Cultivars like Caladium hortulanum Candidum feature paper-thin, stark white leaves laced with intricate dark green veins, while varieties like White Queen and Rosebud flush with light-reflecting pinks. Buy Ella’s Homes’ Pink Caladiums from Amazon as live plants.

Unlike cold-hardy perennials, these tubers are heat-lovers that demand warm spring soil to wake up properly. Wait until soil temperatures reliably top 65°F (18°C) to plant them. Planting too early in cold, soggy spring dirt will lead to tuber rot. Keep the soil rich, well-draining, and moist in warm summer months. In cooler northern climate zones, you can grow them as annuals or lift the tubers after the first light frost to store for next year.

4. Japanese Painted Fern

While traditional green ferns add lovely texture in the shade, the Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum) brings metallic brilliance right down to ground level. Its feathery fronds glow in shades of frosted pewter, shimmering silver, and deep burgundy along the central stems. This unique silver sheen gives a natural light-reflecting quality that is low-growing and gently spreading. Buy Japanese Painted Ferns from Walmart as live plants for instant shimmering intensity.

To maximize the metallic sheen of this fern variety, place it in sheltered dappled shade where faint sunbeams can hit the leaves without scorching them. This shade-lover thrives best in loose, humus-rich soil that is kept evenly moist but drains freely around the crown. Avoid planting in high-traffic zones or windy corridors, where the fragile fronds can be snapped or bruised. Add a light fall mulch of shredded leaf mold around the base to protect its shallow roots over winter.

5. Bleeding Heart

Few shade perennials grab the attention quite exquisite bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis). In spring, their delicate, arching stems hold rows of trembling heart-shaped blooms. In shady conditions, the classic rose-pink and white petals act like tiny glowing lanterns, bringing fluid movement to the mid-tier of a bed in partial shade. Where the shade is particularly deep, try pure white Alba. You can buy Old Fashioned Bleeding Hearts from Nature Hills as live plants.

Plant in rich, humus-dense soil that stays moist through the growing season. As summer heat sets in, it is natural for bleeding heart foliage to turn yellow and go dormant. Plant it alongside late-emerging hostas or broad-leaved ferns which can fill the empty space it leaves. Just give the crown a layer of leaf mold in the fall.

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Birds have a rough time of it in a heatwave. They can't sweat, they're burning energy just panting to cool down, local insect activity plummets, and the puddles they'd normally drink from could be baked dry by midday. As temperatures soar past 90°F (32.2°C), a bird is expending more water than it can find, in search of diminishing resources, which is where a bag of frozen peas is one of the handiest things lurking in your kitchen.

Here's what makes them so great for attracting birds through summer heatwaves. A frozen pea is roughly 80 percent water, locked in something solid. Set a few out, and they don't soak away into dry ground the way a splash from the hose does. Instead, they thaw slowly and give moisture back over a longer time period. On top of that, peas are soft and sweet, easy for a heat-stressed bird to swallow.

Introducing a small handful of thawed green sweet peas into your backyard is nothing short of a lifeline. It delivers instant moisture in a tidy and reliable form, along with gentle, easily digestible plant sugars. And it does this right when extreme heat can cause sluggishness and stress in your feathered pals. So crack open that underused bag of peas, and give your birdies a unique pick-me-up.

Why Does it Have to Be Peas?

The water content of a pea (Pisum sativum) is what sets it apart as our special summertime treat for birds. A dry seed or a stale crust hands a bird calories, but costs it water to digest. And water is the one thing it can't spare when it's already dehydrated. A thawing pea carries vital hydration and some gentle nutrition in the same soft mouthful, no debt attached. Blackbirds and robins take to them readily. So do starlings, tits, and sparrows, the ground-feeders having the easiest time of it.

You might be wondering if sweetcorn, diced carrots, or frozen lima beans can do the same job. Sweetcorn has a fibrous, heavy cellulose husk that demands significant digestive water to process. Under intense afternoon sun, corn sugars ferment at high speed, creating sour, gut-distressing compounds. Carrots and lima beans are far too rigid, posing choking hazards for small throats. Sweet peas, by contrast, possess paper-thin, easily ruptured skins, enclosing a soft interior. This bird-friendly bundle is packed with electrolytes, vitamin C, and gentle plant protein.

As a special bonus, the price is so low as to make this a relative steal for bird-lovers. A bag of Great Value Frozen Sweet Peas from Walmart is very inexpensive and covers plenty of afternoons. You can thaw them first, or just scatter them still frozen. Either way, they'll be at air temperature before long. Skip the salt, butter, and seasoning, though. Plain is the only version of a pea that belongs outside, either scattered on the ground or on a deck.

For ground based feeding, you can get mesh trays like the Kingsyard Heavy Duty Ground Feeder Tray from Amazon to keep scattered peas elevated off hot soil, while preventing dampness and rot. Or you can put peas in the hanging tray version – the Kingsyard Platform Bird Feeder Hanging Feeder Tray, also from Amazon. You can leave out peas on a balcony just as you would in a full garden. These peas provide days of hydrating, high-moisture summer treats for foraging birds.

While ground-foraging thrushes (like the American robin) and bold thrashers jump at whole peas, smaller species like house finches, Carolina chickadees, and tufted titmice prefer their peas slightly crushed. Taking 10 seconds to lightly smash a small batch with the back of a fork breaks the skin, releasing the sweet juice and making it easy for tiny beaks to pinch off soft morsels.

What to Do with Your Peas

Placement has a big impact on how well this pea treat works. A handful tossed onto an open lawn in full sun will turn to warm mush in no time. Furthermore, songbirds like gray catbirds, song sparrows, and bluebirds are hyper-aware of aerial predators. Setting out food in direct sunlight leaves them exposed. The shade is where they belong. Under a shrub, beneath a garden bench, along the shaded edge of a fence — anywhere out of direct sun keeps them cool and appealing for longer, and gives smaller birds somewhere to feel safe while they feed.

Timing helps, too. Putting them out in the early morning and again toward evening catches birds when they're most active and keeps the food from sitting through the hottest middle hours, inevitably going bad. As well as using a tray or flat feeder (or just some lawn), you can use very simple shelving units to house your peas. The Vattenkar Outdoor Plant Stand & Dish from Ikea is a clean, weather-resistant tray that sits perfectly in shaded borders for discrete ground feeding.

Floating them in water is even better. Drop a small handful of peas into a shallow ground bird bath, like the pretty Bakayoyo Ceramic Ground Based Bird Bath from Amazon. Using a 1.5-inch (4 cm) deep basin gives small songbirds a confident footing while positioning the peas at beak level. The bobbing catches the eye from above, which is how birds find water. Keep the water shallow, approximately an inch or two (2.5-5 cm) at most, and again, make sure the bath receives some shade.

The bright green color of peas against light-colored water is effective in drawing high-flying species like American goldfinches and ruby-throated hummingbirds. Floating peas bob, roll, and rotate as the water shifts, imitating live aquatic larvae. Keep water depths restricted to 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm). Anything deeper creates panic for short-legged species like chipping sparrows. Also, stack a few rough river rocks in a slightly deeper bath, so visiting birds have a slip-free launchpad.

Safety and Comfort with Pea Feeds

Thawed peas sitting in summer heat go slimy and start to ferment, so clear out whatever hasn't been eaten by the same evening. Small batches of peas beat one big pile for exactly this reason. A pea nobody ate in the afternoon is a problem by the next morning, drawing flies and rats to a spot that was meant to help (to say nothing of nocturnal visitors like opossums and raccoons). Rinse the dish weekly as well, since a feeding station used daily builds up mess that spreads disease between birds.

And bear in mind that frozen peas are best used as supplementary treats – not the only food you leave out. Growing songbirds still require dense amino acids and natural oils. Complementing your pea station with mealworms gives bluebirds and wrens critical animal protein. For added protein power, grab a bag of Kaytee Pet Products Dried Mealworms from Amazon for a way to boost the diets of your visiting bluebirds, robins, and wrens once they have hydrated. As with your peas, you can try pre-moistening a few mealworms in water so they are softer for bird gullets.

Native fruiting shrubs like serviceberry (Amelanchier) or native coneflowers (Echinacea) yield rich seed heads for cardinals and finches. Always try to wash your feeding dishes twice a week. Use a 9:1 water-to-white-vinegar solution to keep your yard's sanctuary disease-free all summer long. Heinz All-Natural Distilled White Vinegar from Walmart is great value, non toxic, and tough on mineral crust.Just bear in mind that most birds will investigate new food cautiously at first, so it can take a day or two before they start taking them regularly.

Other Bird Bath Care Essentials

Above and beyond some well-timed and well-placed peas, creating the ultimate summer bird magnet comes down to one element: moving water. In nature, still puddles signal stagnation and parasites, whereas splashing water signals fresh, oxygenated hydration. Warblers, tanagers, and vireos (species that rarely visit seed feeders) will travel across neighborhoods when they hear a lively, splashing bath.

Adding a solar-powered fountain or a water wiggler breaks the surface tension instantly. Create continuous water ripples across the surface of the bird bath water, using the Solar Water Wiggler from Walmart. The highly rated Mademax Solar Bird Bath Fountain Upgrade from Amazon, can also be dropped into an existing bath for gentle sprays to keep water fresh, and charm warblers, thrushes, and songbirds. As a bonus, continuous surface ripples prevent female mosquitoes from laying eggs. Misting systems can also provide extra hydration points in heat. Mounting a gentle leaf-mister is compelling to delicate species like hummingbirds and goldfinches.

To combat green algae blooms caused by intense summer sun, drop a pure copper disc or heavy copper penny into non-metallic ceramic or resin basins. The natural leaching of trace copper ions helps to keep the water clear for days between scrubs. Dropping a copper disc into the basin also helps to keep water fresh for longer. One team favorite is the Melbree Pure Copper Bird Bath Disc from Amazon.

Shop Summer Extras

Those frozen peas are a brilliant emergency measure, but don’t use them in place of the basics. They are a very important emergency measure, but they will work better if you balance your bird care ritual with key feeding and bathing essentials. Make sure you have your bird bath needs covered in order to help with both the peas and conventional hydration and cleaning. These accessories will keep your feathered neighbors safe, hydrated, and happy.

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Call it midsummer madness, but I’ve been staring out of windows a lot lately, and the backyard has been filled with much-needed stillness and wonder. The other day, I found myself watching a sparrow bouncing from terracotta pot to dappled bird bath to cherry branch, sometimes with bits of a dandelion clock stuck to his beak. His unabashed joy and curiosity filled me with a sense of rightness in the world. So it’s only natural to want more of that, and to feel a little pang of frustration when the bird bath sits there in the stillness, just being… well, still.

If you find yourself watching and waiting, and wondering where the birdies are, it’s all about that stillness. Sometimes it’s tempting to think there’s a bit of pot luck involved in enticing chickadees and warblers out to play, but there actually is a bit of method to the madness, and if you want to attract more birds to your backyard, it’s all about the ripple effect. A flat, glassy disc of water is not only uninviting to birdies, it can be a little intimidating. Yes, really. Your little avian friends might be curious, thirsty and sociable, but many species are also timid. To a cautious bird led entirely by instinct, static water feels invisible at best and risky at worst.

But you can do something now, very quickly, to transform your still waters into a shimmering, sparkly splash zone that no backyard bird can resist for long. This super-simple bottle dripper trick doesn’t need to cost you a dime, it doesn’t require oodles of technique, and it takes literally minutes to set up. Interested? Here’s how to instantly transform that static water into a hoppy, fluttery wonderland. Oh, and as a special bonus, this quick trick can also help keep the mosquitoes away. Win-win!

Why Birds Need Moving Water

Garden birds are obsessed with moving water. And yes, the ripple effect is definitely a thing. As someone who used to care for budgies in my youth, I would find it fascinating how they would stare at a bird bath from a distance, gazing at it with hypnotic interest. If only I could have told my younger self that they might have needed a little more coercion than repeatedly pleading “come on, come on” in a little voice.

The way birds approach a bath is 1 part curiosity and 9 parts hesitation. That glass disc of water is a mystery. It’s hard to judge the depth, impossible to tell if it’s fresh, and it could leave them vulnerable to predators. But add a rhythmic drip, and the energy changes. The ripples and sounds are a compelling combo. Few backyard birds can resist the allure of a bird bath filled with sparkles and splashes.

That gentle sound of water movement and light play creates a lovely blend of sonic and visual cues for a bird. Literally breaking the tension, it announces fresh water and it gives your finches, sparrows and bluebirds a sense of how deep that water is. Moving water can entice the shyest backyard visitors. Dainty yellow warblers love moving water and will flutter with abandon under falling droplets, while curious chickadees and nuthatches will perform adorable, hoppy zip-and-dips.

And remember what I said about mosquitoes? A rhythmic drip of water breaking the surface tension in a bird bath can also reduce summer mosquitoes. Skeeters need still water to lay their eggs. By keeping the surface constantly rippling, you make it impossible for mosquitoes to set up camp and help keep water clean. You can get some useful commercial skeeter controls, like Summit Mosquito Dunks and Summit Mosquito Bits, both from Amazon. But this dripper trick gives you a very pretty alternative in the form of a cheep (yes, I went there), cheerful splash zone. So how do you make it? Read on…

Prepare the Bath for Your Dripper

The best thing about this bottle dripper trick is that you don't need a fancy, expensive setup to make it work. This trick involves suspending one specially prepared bottle of water above your bird bath, either using a tree branch or a shepherd’s crook. So all you need is a basic household plastic bottle and a few spare minutes. Oh, and a bird bath, of course. Bird baths can run to the hundreds, but the only necessity here is that it is sturdy for weight and safe for birds.

Theoretically, you can use a ground-based, deck-mount or floating bird bath with this dripper trick, it’s all possible. If you are thinking of pairing the dripper with a hanging bird bath, just make sure it is strong, wide and relatively shallow. The wide rim of the gorgeous Monarch Abode Copper Hammered Bird Bath Bowl, from Amazon, is perfect for the surface area for the trick and for the splashing sound.

You can also make this trick work if you are able to position your hanging bottle over a deck-mounted (clamp-style) bath. If you have a deck or a balcony, you can use a bath like the Misopily Deck Mount Bird Bath Bowl from Lowe’s, which clamps securely to patio railings. As long as you have a way of dangling the bottle above it, you’re in business. Just keep an eye on weight and balance. Make sure hanging chains or deck brackets are securely anchored before setting up your drip.

Personally, I find pedestal or standing bird baths work best for this trick. You can use a resin-based bath, like the vintage-style Best Choice Vintage Fleur de Lis Standing Bird Bath from Amazon or a more heavyweight ceramic style. For a little color with your splashing, the Mumtop Hummingbird Bird Bath from Walmart is pretty. Word to the wise, it will be more alluring to common garden birds than tiny hummers, but it holds its own under a water dripper. Finally, the Sunnydaze Avignon Freestanding Ceramic Bird Bath from Walmart is admittedly pricier, but it will pay for itself in terms of bird traffic and it's sturdy and durable.

If you're using a shallow ground dish, a simple plant stake pushed into the soil right beside the bowl can hold your bottle steady. Whatever bird bath you use, just make sure it is strong and safe. As a bit of housekeeping, bear in mind that small birds prefer a water depth of just 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm). If your basin is deep, add a few smooth river rocks or flat stones to the bottom, so tiny feet have a firm place to land, sip and play.

Make Your Bottle Dripper

Transforming a humble plastic bottle into a birdie splash zone takes only a few minutes. The key is getting your setup sturdy and your drip rate finely tuned. The ideal is a clean 16-to-32-ounce plastic water or soda bottle. Larger 2-liter jugs hold more water, but they can get heavy and sag, while tiny single-serve bottles empty out too quickly in the heat. Next, you need a thin sewing pin or needle. You can grab a pack of Singer Hand Sewing Needles from Walmart. Poke a single tiny hole into the bottom of the bottle. The size of the hole is important, so make sure it is tiny.

Once you’ve made the pinhole, fill the bottle with clean water and tighten the cap. With the cap screwed tight, a vacuum forms in the bottle, causing the drip to slow to a stop. But loosen the cap just a fraction, and air enters. This allows steady droplets to fall. Don’t worry, this is as technical as the trick gets, but it’s pretty cool, eh? Test your bottle over the sink until you find the sweet spot, which is a drip every couple of seconds. This creates an inviting sound without draining your reservoir too quickly or frightening skittish, dainty visitors that might be gathering the courage to hop closer.

Securing your bottle safely is crucial. You can wedge it in place, perhaps in the groove of a tree branch. But suspending it above the bath gives you more control over height, tension, and access. You can find shepherd hooks to help with this, such as the Beau Jardin Heavy Duty Shepherd Hook from Amazon. Hang your bottle 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) over the center of your bird bath basin. This height means droplets hit the water surface below with enough force to create glistening ripples and a soft plink that will resonate with your birdie community.

Wrap wire or twine tightly around the neck and base of the bottle to create a harness for the bottle dripper. Double up some jute like Nutscene Greentwist Garden Twine from The Home Depot to hold the bottle securely in place. By the way, if you’re worried about what the birds might think of a giant plastic bottle hovering in mid-air, good call – but it’s fine. They might give it a bit of a side-eye to start with, but once they realize that giant floating bubble is the source of fresh, moving water, they’ll soon be won over. And voila, one splash zone, coming right up!

Other Options for the Ripple Effect

This bird bath bottle dripper trick is a brilliant, budget-friendly entry point if you’re looking to turn your backyard into a birdie holiday resort. Of course, you might eventually decide you want to upgrade. You can get floating solar fountain inserts which harness the summer sun to create plumes of water. Float-and-go options like the Dartwood Solar Bird Bath Fountain from Lowe’s and the MadeMax Solar Bird Bath Fountain Pump from Amazon turn static basins into dynamic bathing spots for birdies. Just drop in your bath and make sure it receives some good sunlight.

You can also get battery-powered and solar-powered water agitators or “wiggler” devices. These create continuous water ripples across the surface of the bird bath water, such as the Solar Water Wiggler from Walmart. For a gentle artisanal alternative, the butterfly shaped Copper Bird Bath Water Wiggler from Walmart creates gentle movement and the copper can also help maintain water freshness.

Finally, you can try fine mist setups that attach to garden hoses. These cast a cloud of micro-droplets and are popular with hummingbirds. Nozzles are available that attach to standard hoses to create fine water clouds. For water features that can also charm local hummingbirds, try a Mellbree Mister Nozzle Kit from Amazon. But I have to say, our simple plastic bottle dripper measures up brilliantly for the cash-strapped and time-poor looking to entice birdies to play.

Summer Bird Bath & Dripper Care

A vibrant, splash-tastic bird bath is only as good as its cleanliness, no matter what else you might throw at it. In peak summer heat, algae can bloom quickly, making regular checks important. Your dripper requires very little fuss, but just check the bottle cap every few days. If the steady drip slows or stops, there could be a speck of algae or mineral build-up clogging the pinhole. A quick poke with a pin should clear the opening. Also rinse out the bottle whenever you refill it. It’s a good idea to swap in a fresh recycled bottle every 3 weeks in summer.

Refill the bath daily and give it a thorough scrub twice a week. Use a stiff-bristled brush, like the Modanu Ergonomic Brush for Bird Baths from Walmart. Stick to non-toxic enzyme cleaners or a simple mixture of 1 part white vinegar to 9 parts water. Dropping a copper disc into the basin is a great way of slowing down algae growth between cleans and helps to keep water fresh for longer. The gold (or should that be copper?) standard is the team fave Melbree Pure Copper Bird Bath Disc from Amazon. Keeping your bath in dappled or partial light can reduce evaporation and algal blooms, but you need to balance this with any solar-powered fountain pumps or wigglers you bring to the party.

Shop Bird Bath Extras

Your summer bird sanctuary deserves a few little treats, for you as well as your resident birdlife. This backyard bundle is tailored to a safe, happy avian retreat that you can enjoy from your sunlounger or kitchen window. Whether you are setting up your very first basin or looking to add a little extra magic to your current dripping setup, these birdie upgrades will keep your feathered friends happy, hydrated, and coming back for more.

Bird Bath Trio

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Clematis plants are serious climbers. Indeed, they might be the showiest of climbers. This rapid-growing, vigorous vine climbs up trellises, pergolas and fences, up to 30 feet (10m) high, using twisting leaf petioles and twining growth. If your garden includes a climbing clematis, you’ll know that it helps to create an enchanting three-dimensional flowering space. So the last thing you’ll want to do is compromise the vitality of your climbers – which is why you need to check a few things now.

Now, as long as you have planted yours in an appropriate site, clematis care is not all that complicated. These plants prefer to have their head in the sun and feet in the shade, as the saying goes. And for most of spring and early summer, this can happen without too much fuss. But as the summer weather heats up this month, all vines (including clematis) need targeted attention to keep them growing happily.

Taking 20 minutes this week to attend to your Group 2 and Group 3 clematis vines is not just about keeping up appearances. The little things you do now will directly determine how long those velvety petals can hold on during midsummer heat spikes, the intensity of their colors, the size and health of the blooms, and the shape and mass of their growth. Here’s how to ensure that your queen of climbers continues to be the star of your summer show.

How to Help Your Clematis in July

The heat in July can sometimes feel closer to oppressive than delightful. Our favorite plants also feel the heat, and, unlike us, they can’t escape to the cool of the shade. Clematis, in particular, requires a full sun location to thrive, which means it’s stuck in the heat without so much as sunglasses. So it’s counting on you to ride to the rescue by tackling these key tasks in July. First, make sure you know your vine's specific pruning group or class, as this is the key to unlocking its full blooming potential.

Group 1 spring-bloomers like Clematis montana and C. alpina have finished their flowering and are quietly settling into vegetative growth. July belongs to Group 2 clems (early summer flowerers like Nelly Moser) and Group 3 (late summer bloomers like Jackmanii and C. viticella). For Group 2 clematis types, what you do in July can determine whether you see a secondary flush in late summer. For Group 3, this is peak performance season, which relies on regular care and support.

The nature and degree of your clematis care in July will depend on your USDA hardiness zone and growing setup. In warmer regions (zones 7-9), moisture retention and root cooling are top priority. In northern zones (zones 4-6), long daylight hours will drive rapid stem elongation that requires structural checks. Container-grown clematis suffer heat stress faster than ground-planted vines. Soil temperatures can spike rapidly, drying out delicate roots within a single afternoon.

Whether you’re growing in the ground or in a container, be sure to give your soil a quick onceover before getting stuck into these clematis steps. Check soil moisture levels with a digital probe, or by dipping your finger two inches into the root zone. A moisture probe like the XLUX Moisture Meter Probe, available from Amazon, can help you avoid piling undue stress onto delicate roots. Once you have a basic read on these levels, get cracking with these simple checks for happy clems in summer.

1. Give Your Clematis Regular Water

Vines dry out faster than rounded shrubs, since they can’t rely on their own shade. Think of a hydrangea shrub: the big leaves cast shade on the interior of the plants, keeping it cooler. A clematis doesn’t have that luxury. Since its roots thrive in moist soil, regular watering is a must. In July, you’ll want to give vines a deep watering. Do this early in the morning, to maximize absorption and reduce evaporation.

Clematis feeder roots reside in the top 12-18 inches (30-46 cm) of soil, making them vulnerable to drying out during heatwaves. For Group 3 varieties, water stress can cause buds to crisp up and drop before opening. To simplify the process of regular watering, you can use a soaker hose or some kind of drip irrigation. The Gilmour Flat Soaker Hose from Amazon can deliver deep moisture without splashing the foliage.

Direct your hose or drip line at least 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) from the main stem base. Soaking the crown directly can invite the risk of clematis wilt. Water deeply at the base 2-3 times a week. Try not to neglect this vital task, or else your clem will likely drop her lower leaves, and prematurely terminate flower production.

2. Protect Clematis Roots with Mulch

Those clematis roots are the key to keeping your plant thriving. Watering deeply is important, but you can also lock in that moisture with a good mulching. Place a thick layer of organic mulch around the base of the vine to protect the roots from extreme heat. Chopped bark or compost works well for this task.

A team favorite for organic root protection is Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from Amazon, which protects from heat spikes, and locks in moisture. It also keeps down weeds that might steal nutrients or water from the vine. When mulching Group 2 and Group 3 clematis, leave a 2-inch (5 cm) gap around the main stems. Don't pile mulch up against stems, as this can trap moisture and encourage collar rot.

As an alternative to mulching, you could add some groundcover plants around the base of your clematis. Shorter perennials can also provide natural shade and keep soil cool. For container-grown clems, consider shallow-rooted companions like hardy geranium (Rozanne) or lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) to shade soil organically.

Failing to mulch or provide some groundcover during midsummer forces the plant into survival mode when heat strikes, stalling stem growth and causing flowers to shrink drastically. So don’t neglect this vital step: a protected root zone preserves moisture and nutrients and supports healthy growth through to the end of summer.

3. Feed Your Clematis Vine

You need to get the timing right with feeding. You don’t want to stress the clematis by fertilizing the plant during a heatwave. But clematis plants do need fertilizer every few weeks to keep up their vigorous blooms. So keep an eye on the weather. When a day or two of cooler weather is predicted, apply a phosphorus-rich liquid fertilizer. Follow up by watering well, try to do this every 2-4 weeks.

Avoid high-nitrogen lawn or general fertilizers. High nitrogen fuels leafy green stems at the expense of flower buds and results in soft foliage that attracts aphids. Instead, focus on potassium (potash) and phosphorus blends similar to a tomato or rose feed. For low-maintenance feeding, gently add a little granular feed, like Jobe’s Organics Rose & Flower Granular Fertilizer, available from Walmart, to the topsoil.

A little seaweed can also help. Feeding with Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer, available from Amazon, gives a gentle potassium boost as well as other essential minerals to drive flower production. Group 2 clematis benefit from a liquid feed immediately after their first main flush ends. This fuels the stem growth needed for their second late-summer show. Group 3 clematis plants need bi-weekly potassium feeds through July to sustain their massive bloom displays.

Always water your plant with plain water an hour before applying liquid fertilizer to prevent root burn. And if you’re experiencing intense heat, hold off on feeding until temperatures drop. Stressed plants can’t process nutrients well.

4. Give Your Clematis a Haircut

The heat of summer is never a wonderful time to prune, but consider giving your vine a clip here or there in July. If you have a reblooming clematis (Group 2), deadhead the wilted blossoms. Use clean, sterilized pruners and snip off the old flower heads above the first pair of live leaves or buds. If your clematis has completed its blooming, now is a good time to give the vine a light trim. Take out the dead wood and shape the vine. But avoid anything that feels like heavy pruning.

If you don’t already have a pair of gardening scissors or snips, Fiskars Micro-Tip Non-Stick Pruning Snips from Amazon help you to slice in fiddly spaces without harming plant tissue. For a sturdier grip on older stems, the Corona ComfortGEL Bypass Pruners from Lowe’s are comfortable and great for light shaping.

Left untouched, spent clematis flowers spend significant energy forming decorative, feathery seed heads. By snipping off faded blooms, you redirect that energy back into shoot development and bud formation. It is key for Group 2 plants such as Nelly Moser, Miss Bateman, or Niobe clems. Do this now, and fresh shoots will emerge in a few weeks, bearing a second wave of blooms by late August or September.

Remember, Group 1 clematis plants set their flower buds for next spring during late summer. So any heavy pruning performed after July will cut off next spring's flower display. When cutting, also remember to wipe blades before and after use, even for light trims. Use isopropyl or rubbing alcohol to avoid the risk of spreading pathogens.

5. Control New Clematis Shoots

Clematis vines are well known for having growth spurts in summer, and all those vigorous new shoots need to be tied in and supported. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a tangled mess of vine. In July, Group 3 clematis can put on several inches of growth in a single day. If left unguided, searching stems will wrap around each other, forming a dense, tangled birds' nest of growth. This reduces light penetration and airflow, increasing the risk of fungal diseases.

Check vines every week in July for loose shoots, and fasten straggly or wayward shoots. Jute twine, like the Nutscene Heritage Green Jute Twine from Amazon, is a gentle way to keep growth in check and won’t bite into the stem. Tie the stems loosely in the direction you want them to grow. Try figure-of-8 loops to allow the stems to grow without restraint. Consistent training creates an evenly distributed canopy, allowing for the best sun exposure and resulting in a wall of flowers from top to bottom.

Shop Clematis Essentials

By the time July rolls in, clematis groups 2 and 3 are working in overdrive, either opening their main flush of summer blooms or gearing up for a secondary late-season show. You don't need a shed full of gadgets to keep them thriving – just a few well-selected tools and organic boosters will do the trick and keep your favorite climber growing at its best. A well-placed feed, precise deadheading, and a cool root zone are the secrets to prolonging those velvety blooms well into fall. Here are the simple, high-impact essentials to keep your clems lush and lovely.

Plant Care Trio

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Trends come and trends go, and we’re not just talking heel heights and skirt lengths. Today, social media can bounce the popularity of a vehicle, a child’s toy, and even a species of dog in hours, and lots of folks will head out in search of one. And yes, this applies to garden plants as well. Garden trends and flower trends appear in a flash, only to get whisked away when something else blows into the limelight. Remember when manicured landscaping was all the rage? How about living walls?

Hyper-trendy ornamentals are often bred for viral shock value rather than real-world hardiness. When a temperamental trend-plant crisps up in a heatwave or succumbs to summer humidity, you’re left with a patchy border and plenty of disappointment. Chasing novelty requires constant intervention, and relentless fussing. So why not catch your breath and make some room for the plants that resonate beyond the trends – those flowers, perennials and shrubs that are always… just right?

We are here to advocate for the elegance and endurance of the forever classics that effortlessly outlive flash-in-the-pan trends. These timeless garden icons have done the heavy lifting in countless yards for years, and refuse to be categorized or treated as fads. While these “oldies but goodies” might appeal to trend-lovers for their vintage luxury, they are both a practical and a lovely choice for growers in any decade. Offering multi-season beauty, natural weather tolerance, and permanent curb appeal, it’s time to meet the anti-trend plants.

Grow Anti-Trend Forever Plants

For growers who have jobs, kids, friends, relationships, places to go and things to do, there’s a lot to be said for the garden classics. Timeless plants have survived generations of fluctuating weather patterns, shifting soil dynamics, and pests. They often offer deep root systems that cope with short droughts, and reliable flower power that attracts native pollinators year after year. So by stepping off the trend treadmill, you swap high-maintenance anxiety for effortless, multi-seasonal beauty.

Can you plant these classics during the height of summer in July? You bet, provided you give them time to establish. Depending on your growing zone and local climate, midsummer heat means root systems need a little support ahead of autumn. Before planting, check your site’s moisture retention and drainage with the help of a good soil meter tool, like the XLUX Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon.

Heavy clay holds excessive water, while overly sandy soils let nutrients wash straight through. A little perlite or coarse sand can help improve drainage, while sprinkling organic matter (such as aged compost) in the planting hole can cushion young roots against thermal shock. After planting, add a 2-inch (5 cm) layer of organic mulch such as Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from The Home Depot to suppress weeds and regulate temperatures. You’re then ready to meet the lush and lovely plants that have stood the test of time.

1. Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart

The trending gift for Valentine’s Day is the heart-leaf hoya (H. kerrii), a single, plump green succulent that, over time, develops into a vine of succulent hearts. It’s cute, but it doesn’t have the style or history of an old-fashioned bleeding heart. Ask your grandparents if their childhood garden included these flowers (Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formerly Dicentra spectabilis). This unusual and eye-catching plant was called the finest hardy perennial of the 19th century.

Today, this dainty ornamental is a favorite of the perennial shade garden. It’s easy to grow, blooming profusely in early spring and early summer, with heart-shaped flowers dangling from arching stems. Plant old-fashioned bleeding hearts in a part-shade location in zones 2-9. Pair its soft, weeping silhouette with structured companions like broad-leafed hostas, Japanese painted ferns, or astilbe. You can buy Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart from Nature Hills as live plants.

Plant in partial to full shade, keeping it sheltered from afternoon sun. You can add Down To Earth Organic Crab Meal (4-3-0) from Amazon for a slow-release soil amendment that builds resilience. The flowering season ends when summer warmth rolls in. Cut back the leaves and stems as they wither, and reduce watering as the plant goes dormant, and you will see these enchanting hearts again next year.

2. Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia) is not one of those trending hydrangeas that shoots up in a matter of months or has neon shades, like Let's Dance Rave. Instead, this native deciduous shrub grows slowly, topping out at 4-8 feet (1.2-2.4 m) tall with long-lasting flower clusters. They appear snowy white, fading to antique rose. For extra wow factor, the leaves are shaped like oak leaves. Unlike other hydrangeas which can flop in the heat, the oakleaf is a uniquely tough North American native.

These varieties just need well-draining, acidic, nutrient-rich soil. Water well in June and add a thick layer of mulch to keep the soil moist. An organic feed, such as Espoma Organic Holly-Tone Fertilizer from Walmart, helps to keep foliage lush and healthy. This shrub handles drought and heat far better than trendy mopheads once established in zones 5-9. For the timeless lacey look, try Snowqueen, Snowflake, or Proven Winners Gatsby Glow Ball Oakleaf Hydrangea from Fast Growing Trees.

3. Purple Coneflower

I’ve noticed a trend this year for soft pastels. Faded Petal, a blush-gray hue, was named as Garden Media Group’s 2026 Color of the Year. But I say, go for bright purple! Gardeners of old loved purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) for all the reasons they are considered easy-care perennials today. As species plants, they are hardier than recent hybrids, and give wildlife better access to nectar and seeds. Flowers appear in midsummer and last right through the growing season. They may not be trendy, but they are tough and pretty.

You can buy American Beauties Native Purple Coneflowers from Plant Addicts for large tufty orange cones flanked with bubblegum purple petals. These classic perennials just need a site with direct sun and well-draining soil in zones 3-8. Water well if the weather is dry. A little Down To Earth Organic Fish Bone Meal (3-16-0) from Lowe's can also help forge deep root development for continuous midsummer blooms.If you deadhead early flowers in June, it encourages extra blooms later in summer. Leave some late fall seed heads intact for wintering goldfinches.

4. Common Lilac

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) has been part of cottage gardens for centuries, so it makes sense that it isn’t considered trendy. Rather, it’s an old-fashioned and long-lived flowering shrub, beloved for its fragrant blooms. The species plant can grow to 16 feet (5m) tall and 12 feet (4m) wide, with soft purple flowers blooming in May. Hardy across USDA zones 3-7, a well-sited lilac bush routinely outlives the gardener who planted it. You can buy Common Purple Lilac from Fast Growing Trees as live plants for a generous, low-maintenance bloomer that butterflies adore.

These shrubs just need 6-hours a day of direct sunshine and loamy, well-draining soil. If it is hot, give them a deep drink from time to time. If you’d like to improve ground conditions, you can buy Wakefield Premium Biochar Soil Conditioner from Lowe's to improve aeration, balance drainage, and prevent nutrient leaching. Just don’t prune late in the summer or fall, or you’ll accidentally be cutting off next spring’s exquisite floral display. Instead, prune within two weeks after blooming finishes.

5. Peony

Calling peonies (Paeonia spp.) old-fashioned classics is a bit of an understatement. They are among the oldest species of plants and have been grown in Asian gardens for thousands of years. After the colonists brought the first peonies to America, their popularity grew quickly, and by the early 20th-century, they were adored by many. These days, there’s so much to love about a peony. Producing heavily scented blooms, from silk-like singles to lush, ruffled doubles, they bring unmatched luxury. And the plants belong in your will, since they can live longer than their owners. If you’re stuck for choice, you can’t go wrong with hot pink Paeonia ‘Kansas’ or fluffy mammoth ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, both available from Plant Addicts.

Peony plants require little maintenance, if you plant them in a proper location. They just need at least six hours of sun, shelter from winds, and deep, fertile, moist soil in zones 3-8. Peonies bloom from late spring through early summer. Don’t cut back green foliage right after flowering finishes, but let the leaves stand to gather energy for next year's display. Peony foliage can be susceptible to powdery mildew and botrytis blight. Spray a little bio-fungicide, such as Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart, to keep leaves in good shape through fall.

6. Nasturtiums

With succulents trending as easy-care filler plants this year, you aren’t likely to see photos of nasturtium on Instagram. But these old-fashioned classics are as vibrant and long-flowering as they come. My grandmother grew nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) in New Jersey, her grandmother grew them in Poland, and now I grow them in San Francisco and France. This cottage garden classic with its bright bugle blooms, can grow almost without any effort. The seeds are big, they germinate within a week, and they flower through fall. Oh, and they reseed readily in zones 9-11.

For an elegant, classy twist on the conventional (very lovely) tones, there are some lovely heirloom options, such as salmon soaked Vesuvias, available from Eden Brothers as seeds. Or, if you can’t decide on one color, opt for Supernova Mixed Nasturtiums, available from Burpee as seeds, for a rainbow of abundant petals. Nasturtiums delight in poor, lean soils where other ornamentals struggle. Where soils are compacted or heavy clay, just add a few scoops of coarse sand, or Hoffman Western Desert Sand from Walmart, into the planting site.

7. Lavender

Graceful, understated, instantly identifiable, and effortlessly elegant, lavender (Lavandula) is like the Audrey Hepburn of your yard. It doesn't rely on gimmicks, just structured foliage, silvery stems, and fragrant flower spires that delight the local bees and butterflies. For compact borders, pathway edging, and cold winter hardiness, English lavenders (L. angustifolia) like Hidcote and Munstead are perfect. If you have muggy midsummers, grow lavandins (L. x media) like Phenomenal, which is resistant to winter dieback, root rot, and humidity, while producing oil-rich flower wands that fill the air with scent. Buy Southern Living Phenomenal Lavender from Fast Growing Trees.

Thriving across zones 5-10, this Mediterranean native loves lean soil. Plant it in full, unshaded sun and sharply draining soil. If your ground is heavy clay, mix in some coarse sand. Cut back stems by one-third after blooming to maintain a tight, bushy mound, but avoid cutting into old woody stems. To keep your plants thriving year after year, just sprinkle a small handful of a gentle all--purpose feed like Espoma Organic Plant-Tone Plant Food from Amazon around the base. Pair with coneflower or ornamental grasses for a sunny border that never goes out of style.

Shop Anti-Trend Essentials

Selecting resilient, time-tested perennials and shrubs midsummer is just the beginning of an epic love affair that can last a lifetime. And now is a great time to start with these plants. By skipping delicate trend-plants in favor of proven, weather-hardy classics, you can cultivate an inviting, high-end layout that matures beautifully with every passing year. So why not establish your yard's forever style today?

Timeless Trio

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July is the middle of summer and the growing season, when temperatures soar and droughts are possible. You might be very excited by some of the dazzling nursery shrubs showcasing their finest blooms and colors. That’s understandable, but trust me, when it comes to key popular and well-loved specimens, now is far from the ideal time for planting them. Certain shrubs really struggle when transplanted now.

So how do you know which shrubs are off limits, and which are worth a punt? Well, the answer lies in their natural heat tolerance. Shrubs that are heat-sensitive are likely to struggle with summer planting and transplanting. When you drop a sensitive species into baking midsummer earth, it enters a state of high shock, dropping leaves and aborting future flower buds just to stay alive. So what you need are shrubs that are more equipped to thrive in prolonged heat.

By leaning into heat-hardy, summer-resilient options, you can bypass the drama and indulge in some satisfying new shrub acquisitions that are sure to have the neighbors’ tongues wagging. Read on, as I reveal a handful of popular specimens that are best avoided for planting now – plus, those tough and beautiful choices that will establish with minimal fuss, quickly adding vivid dynamics in abundance.

Heat Tolerant Shrubs for July Planting

The heat-hardy shrub alternatives below are all fine for summer planting, as long as you take a few steps before and after you plant. You’ll give them the best chance of establishing well if you minimize transplant stress. This means watering your shrubs deeply and regularly, especially during any dry spells. Keep watering through the growing season to help them develop strong, deep roots. A little afternoon shade is also helpful, even for plants that have good heat tolerance.

Consider your hardiness zone and existing soil conditions before planting. Before digging, check your ground temperature and hydration levels using a good soil diagnostic. A tool like the Yamron 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon US gives you real-time moisture and temperature readouts at the root zone. Where conditions are especially heavy clay or sand, blend a little organic matter (such as aged compost) into the planting hole to help with moisture retention, drainage, and oxygen flow.

Immediately after planting these heat-loving shrub alternatives, it’s a good idea to spread a 2-to-3-inch (5-8 cm) layer of organic mulch around the shrub. Our team loves Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from The Home Depot as a way to preserve water levels and lower temperatures. If you don’t have a commercial mulch to hand, try a homemade blend of shredded hardwood bark and composted leaf mold (just make sure the mulch doesn’t touch the main stem).

Plant during an early morning or a cloudy evening, and your lovely shrub alternatives should flourish. So, with the soil suitably prepped, let's look at the key shrubs you should avoid planting in summer, along with my recommendations for gorgeous alternatives.

1. Want Bigleaf Hydrangea? Plant Panicle Hydrangea

Bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla) is well loved for its abundance of flower clusters in shades from brightest pink to periwinkle blue. However, planting one in July is a mistake, as they are sensitive to heat. Even established plants can wilt and struggle now. Bigleafs have massive, thin leaves, which evaporate quickly in July. If you do fancy planting a hydrangea now, try a panicle variety (H. paniculata), which is more heat-tolerant. Panicles bloom with cones that transition from green to white to pink to rust in tone. They thrive in full sun and tolerate drier conditions than their bigleaf cousins, with tougher foliage and woody stems in zones 3-9.

Striking panicle hydrangea varieties include Limelight or compact Little Lime erupt into giant, conical flower heads starting in mid-to-late summer, and transitioning to deeper tones that hold structural interest through winter. For a charming, dual-toned panicle that works well in a range of soil types, try Vanilla Strawberry Panicle Hydrangea from Fast Growing Trees. Topdress the base immediately at planting time with some Dr. Earth Premium Gold All Purpose Fertilizer from Walmart. This helps to gently supply the nutrients required to nurture roots as they establish.

2. Want Rhododendron? Plant Mountain Laurel

Rhododendrons (Rhododendron spp.) come in many forms, including native species, but none tolerates too much midsummer heat. They thrive in shady, cool areas with plenty of moisture, and reward you with an abundance of spring flowers and leathery leaves. Plant them now, and they’ll struggle to stay hydrated and get established. For a similar (yet tougher) native shrub with leathery, evergreen leaves and spring flowers, try mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia). Prized for its star-burst blooms, mountain laurel brings vivid structural intensity to partially shady spots.

There are some gorgeous mountain laurel options available from Plant Addicts, including vibrant Kaleidoscope Mountain Laurel and voluminous Yankee Doodle. Give it plenty of water as it gets established in July to ensure success in zones 4-9. Ensure the soil is highly acidic, loose, and rich in organic matter. For a gentle acidic lift at the time of planting, mix a generous helping of Espoma Organic Holly-Tone Fertilizer from Amazon into your planting site. This safely lowers soil pH and provides a steady boost to promote robust buds for the following spring.

3. Want Japanese Maple? Plant Ninebark

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) can be grown as a shrub or small tree. It’s prized for its delicate, feathery leaves, which offer a rainbow of fall colors. The heat can be a problem, though. The fine leaves dry and scorch easily, and the thin roots will struggle to develop in dry, hot soil. They can make it through a hot summer, but it’s not the best time to plant them. A better option is native ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), with ornamental value in the form of peeling bark. Certain varieties also offer rich fall color and seed pods for birds. Try First Editions Ninebark Amber Jubilee and Proven Winners Ninebark Tiny Wine from Nature Hills.

Ninebark is far more tolerant of summer heat and drought, and it’s not too picky about soil type. Hardier in zones 3-8, they just require full-sun to maintain their rich foliage colors. They are highly adaptable to poor, rocky soils where other shrubs fail. To help their root systems establish quickly in dry spells, apply a drench of GS Plant Foods Organic Concentrated Liquid Kelp from Walmart right after planting. This liquid seaweed formula delivers a soaking of trace minerals which reduce the risk of heat stress, keeping this shrub’s tones going strong.

4. Want Boxwood? Plant Inkberry Holly

Boxwood (Buxus spp.) is a garden favorite. Its dense evergreen growth can be shaped into low borders, hedges, and topiaries. Unfortunately, the shallow roots of transplanted boxwood make it vulnerable to heat and drought stress in July. Midsummer planting also invites boxwood blight and spider mites. For a stronger alternative, try inkberry holly (Ilex glabra), which thrives in zones 5-9. This native evergreen has a similar dense growth and smooth leaves. A great option for low hedges or containers is the Proven Winners Gem Box Inkberry Holly from Walmart.

Inkberry won’t tolerate drought very well, but it can handle heat and humidity better than boxwood. Plant it somewhere that holds some moisture in the soil. Varieties like 'Strongbox' or 'Gem Box' stay tight, compact, and mounded. As well as handling sun and partial shade, these shrubs love slightly acidic soil. To build excellent soil texture and maximize water retention, add some Worm Bliss Premium Earthworm Castings from Amazon into the planting hole for a gentle, non-burning nutrient foundation.

5. Want Japanese Pieris? Plant Summersweet

Japanese pieris (P. japonica) is an evergreen shrub with year-round beauty, including glossy, sometimes bi-colored leaves and cascading spring flowers. However, this shrub is tested in hot conditions, as the root system is shallow and high heat can scorch the leaves. Planted in July, it frequently succumbs to lace bug attacks and leaf drop. It’s best to plant this shrub in spring. For a compelling native alternative, summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) is hardy in zones 3-9. Although it is deciduous, it has a similar look to Japanese pieris, also with white flowers that attract pollinators.

Cultivars like Ruby Spice or Hummingbird produce vertical flower spikes from July through August, filling the yard with a heavy fragrance. For wine-soaked flowering spires, try Clethra Ruby Spice Live Plants from Wayside Gardens. Summersweet blooms reliably even in shade, making it a perfect choice for gloomier corners. Because sticky summer humidity can breed foliar issues on transplants, you might find it helps to keep some Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart handy. Apply as a foliar spray to keep leaves protected against powdery mildew.

Shop Summer Shrub Heroes

Indulging in some new shrub appreciation in summer doesn’t have to mean endless hours of stressful plant care. By picking natives and weather-resilient varieties that shrug off humidity, drought and intense sun, you can fill your borders, pathsides and porchways with immediate color that often leads to dazzling multi-seasonal interest. These curated selections establish quickly in warm soil, providing lush foliage and gorgeous blooms that keep your garden looking lush and pretty through fall.

Summer Shrub Trio

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Many people assume that flowering plants can be neatly divided into two categories: those that bloom and rebloom throughout the season, and those that only bloom once. The truth is a little more complicated. Careful deadheading of the first wave of fading flowers can trigger a rebloom on a few so-called one and done flowers.

An ornamental flower isn't just blooming to make your yard look pretty – it is flowering to reproduce by setting seeds. Once pollination occurs and seed heads form, the plant receives a signal that its seasonal work is effectively complete, causing it to transfer energy into seed maturation. By stepping in with some well-timed snips, you interrupt this cycle.

These cuts trick the plant into believing its mission is not over, driving it to develop a vibrant bonus round of fresh blooms. So don’t fret about summer’s charms fading all too soon. You can cheat the system and secure a stunning second flush of blooms with this simple, well-timed trim.

Simple Snips for Reblooming

First, it helps to know which flowers will not rebloom, no matter what cuts you make. These include peonies, oriental poppies, irises, and true lilies. With the plants you cab cut in summer, timing is key: you need to avoid trimming plants back while they’re still actively blooming. But you also don’t want to wait until the spent flowers have developed seeds to deadhead, as then it’s too late.

A good pair of sharp pruning shears is your best friend for extending summer blooms. Slicing through tender stems with dull, rusty blades creates ragged, bruised wounds that invite bacterial rots and fungal infections. For soft-stemmed bloomers, use precision shears, scissors or snips. Our team rates the Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Shears from Amazon for clean, surgical snips. Cut right above emerging nodes so you don’t tear surrounding foliage.

USDA hardiness zone also impacts timing. In USDA zones 3-5, trim in early July to give the second flush enough warm days to flourish ahead of late fall and first frosts. Meanwhile, in the south, summer soil conditions can be parched. Trimming in a drought can be stressful for plants. Always give your borders a deep watering 12-24 hours before you deadhead. Water again after trimming, especially on hot days. Avoid feeds with excess nitrogen, which encourage leaves rather than flowers.

1. Delphinium

Delphinium (aka larkspur) is beloved for its dramatic, tall spikes of early summer flowers. But these statuesque perennials (hardy in zones 3-7) fade way too quickly, and if left alone, they won’t rebloom. So it’s tempting to think they are true one-and-done flowers. But you can get a secondary flush if you cut the first spent flower spikes to the base, or to where you can see a side shoot forming. Do this after the flowers fade and before they develop seeds, and you’ll get secondary spikes.

While the secondary flush won’t be the same towering columns as the first wave, these bewitching blue spires will look stunning alongside late-season ornamental grasses. If you neglect to deadhead them, the plant will produce unsightly brown seed pods, rapidly declining into a tatty mound. To nourish that second wave, mix a few spoonfuls of phosphorus-rich Down to Earth Fish Bone Meal from Lowe’s into the surrounding topsoil immediately after deadheading.

2. Roses

There are a few different categories of roses, including modern types that have been bred to rebloom throughout summer. Older rose varieties generally only bloom once, though, unless you do some attentive deadheading. If you have an older variety that only gives you one flush of flowers, trim back spent blooms as soon as you see the flowers fade. You should get a small additional rebloom late in the season.

When tackling classic shrub, old garden, or hybrid tea roses, the way you deadhead matters. Rather than simply snapping off the faded flower head, follow the stem down to the first leaf axis with 5 leaflets. Make a clean 45-degree cut, one-quarter inch (0.6 cm) above this outward-facing bud. If left untrimmed, roses grow decorative but energy-consuming rose hips, shutting down future flower production. To help roses bushes bounce back from summer heat stress, treat them to a bi-weekly application of Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer from Amazon.

3. Catmint

Catmint (nepeta) is a perennial that gives a spectacular flush of purple flowers in early summer. Hardy down to zone 3, it is a joy for low-stress gardening. But once the flowers are spent, you’re left with a mess of floppy stems. When you see the flowers fade in midsummer, cut the entire mound back to about half its height. Grasp the floppy outer stems and shear the entire mound into a tight, neat dome using sharp hedging shears. It is very forgiving and responds well to this simple trim.

If you don’t deadhead, you’ll wind up with a sprawling, messy center that looks untidy for the rest of the year. Water well after trimming for a vibrant second round. Nepeta prefers lean, poor soils, so avoid heavy fertilizers. Instead, enrich the bed with Worm Bliss Premium Earthworm Castings from Amazon. This slow-release treatment boosts moisture retention while encouraging a lush second wave of lavender-blue.

4. Coreopsis

Also known as tickseed, coreopsis is a cheerful perennial that blooms abundantly in early summer. But when the spent blooms go to seed, they look messy. Coreopsis can keep blooming well into fall and responds well to deadheading. Do this regularly, whenever you see spent blooms. Treat threadleaf varieties like catmint and shear the top third of the plant away once the first massive wave finishes.

For large-flowered varieties, use micro-tip snips to cut spent stems down to the nearest healthy side bud. You might find it helps to add some Hoffman Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix from Walmart around the root zone for drainage. Follow up with a sprinkle of Dr Earth Premium Gold All Purpose Fertilizer from Amazon as the optimum foundation for non-stop color well into fall.

5. Salvia

Salvia is a popular perennial that gives a dramatic profusion of early-season flowers in shades of blue and purple. Perennial salvias (such as 'May Night' or 'Caradonna') thrive in zones 4-9, and are loved for their rich texture and high drought tolerance. Once they fade, the plant can look messy, but the show doesn’t have to be over. Right after the first flush fades, trim plants back by one-third. When deadheading, locate the main stalk and cut it down to the base, where you’ll see new shoots.

If you don’t deadhead, these vibrant spikes dry into brittle black sticks that ruin the neat look of your borders. After deadheading, water deeply and add a light feed. New flower spikes should appear in weeks. Because dense salvia clumps are highly susceptible to powdery mildew, keep the foliage healthy with a little Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart. This protects the new, emerging leaves from fungal pathogens without harming the local pollinators that will drop by.

6. Garden Phlox

Once the large clusters of flowers stop blooming on this hardy perennial (Phlox paniculata), it’s easy to assume that’s it. But as soon as your garden phlox looks spent, trim back the flower clusters, cutting just above the upper leaves. The second flush triggered by deadheading will consist of smaller, more delicate terminal flower clusters, extending your color window by up to four weeks.

If you leave the old heads intact, they drop inferior, non-true-to-color seedlings that can crowd out your original.Keep your deadheaded plants well-watered and add some fertilizer to encourage side shoots to develop where you’ve made cuts. To stop your phlox drying out during its secondary bud formation, dress the soil surface with a good organic mulch, like Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from Amazon. This locks in vital root moisture and shields the soil from intense summer sun stress.

7. Shasta Daisies

These pretty daisies flower in spring and summer. Shasta daisies are tough in zones 5-9, but they turn a muddy brown as they fade. And once they fade, they look unsightly, and turn into seedheads if you leave them in place. Instead of letting that happen, cut spent Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum) flower stems to the base or a side bud. Do this regularly as each individual flower fades. Keep the plants watered to encourage fresh growth, and remove any foliage that goes yellow.

Slide your shears down the flower stem to where it connects to the foliage clump, making your cut hidden. Plants push out dense growth to support secondary blooms, so they are highly vulnerable to drying out. Give your Shastas a deep drink, and add a handful of Espoma Organic Chicken Manure from Walmart. This provides the slow-release nitrogen punch required to fuel fresh white blooms through to first frost.

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For some reason, I regularly “forget” that I can propagate more than a few plants from cuttings in summer. Then July arrives, and I have to look up the list of plants. It’s particularly odd since I grow (and love!) most of the plants that are top candidates for rooting from cuttings in July.

What are the best bets in July if you want to root plants from cuttings? It’s the best time to take softwood and semi-ripe cuttings – cuttings taken from the current year’s growth – of some of my very favorite plants, including herbs, shrubs, climbers, and perennials. Grab your favorite set of pruners (our editors are particularly fond of the affordable and sturdy Fiskars bypass pruners from Amazon) and get to work before July ends.

Ready, set, let’s propagate!

Take Cuttings From These 6 Plants in July

Taking summer cuttings is particularly easy because you don’t have to dig around to find a good branch to cut. You just snip off the top few inches of new growth from plants. Yes, you’ll need to clip off the bottom few leaves of each cutting, but that’s it. Then just push the cut end of each one into a small pot of moist potting soil.

1. Rosemary

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) can be grown year-round in USDA hardiness zones 8-11, but can be grown indoors during colder months. This aromatic herb is always a popular addition to herb gardens given its use in cooking and its amazing, indigo blue flowers that appeal to pollinators. So no bi surprise that folks may want to start up a few additional plants.

Taking cuttings to propagate rosemary is easy. Just look for flexible, green tips of stems and snip off cuttings some 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long. Remove the leaves from the lower half, then carefully remove the outer layer of tissue on the bottom inch (2.5 cm) with a sharp garden knife. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone, which can be found at Amazon, and pop into a small pot filled with well-draining soil. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet. Expect roots within a month.

2. Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) are the work horses of my flower garden, creating large, rounded bushes full of large, bright flower heads in summer. Double or triple your pleasure by propagating your favorite hydrangeas in July. They thrive in USDA zones 3-9.

Whatever hydrangea variety you grow (I grow smooth, panicle, and mophead), you can take cuttings in July. Snip off healthy, flexible, non-flowering shoots that have grown this year. Make the cuttings 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long, then remove the lowest leaves. Many recommend cutting the remaining leaves in half before “planting” the cuttings in pots filled with well-draining potting mix. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet. New roots should form in a few weeks.

3. Lavender

With its glorious fragrance, silver-green foliage, and purple blooms, lavender (Lavandula spp.) has many fans. This versatile herb might be in your herb garden or in your flower beds, but regardless of whether or not you use lavender for cooking, you can root cuttings and propagate new lavender plants in July. Summer is a good time for propagating lavender while it is actively growing.

Take cuttings from healthy stems that grew this year. Pick non-flowering stems that have grown this year and clip off 4-6 inch (10-15 cm) cuttings. Remove the lower leaves, dip the bottom in rooting hormone, and place the cuttings in pots filled with well-draining soil or compost. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet. Expect roots in a month.

4. Fuchsia

Fuchsias (Fuchsia spp.) are classic, colorful and reliable flowering plants and that has made them popular for centuries. With bold, bell-shaped flowers in pink, purple, red and white, fuchsias put on a show in summer.

Have one fuchsia? You’ll definitely want a few more. Fortunately, fuchsias are among the easiest plants to grow from cuttings and summer is the perfect time to act. Take 6 inch (15cm) cuttings from new growth that is healthy and full of leaves. Remove all leaves from each cutting other than the top two. Dip the cut ends in rooting hormone, then stick them into pots filled with well-draining soil. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet. You should see roots appear in a month.

5. Annual Geraniums

Now, annual geraniums (Pelargonium spp.) are not really annuals. They are hardy in USDA zones 9-12 (which includes my home in San Francisco), but are grown in cooler zones as annuals. Mine offer beautiful red flowers all summer and fall. They too are plants that tend to spread, but you can also “make” new plants by taking and rooting geranium cuttings in July.

Take firm, green shoots without any flowers some 4-6 inches (10-15cm) long. Remove leaves on the bottom half and push the cut ends into well-draining potting soil. Keep the soil moist but not wet. Look for roots in 3-4 weeks.

6. Sage

Was there ever a plant that grows more joyfully than sage (Salvia spp.)? These perennials shoot up so readily into long-lasting flower spikes and spread so merrily that they always look to me as if they are singing. They have a lovely fragrance and bright petals too, yet are tough as nails, drought-tolerant and low-maintenance.

Salvias do tend to spread, but if you want more plants to offer neighbors, July is the time to take and root cuttings from your sage plants. These guys are so eager to grow that potting soil is not necessary. Take 4-6 inch (10-15 cm) cuttings from healthy, non-flowering stems, clip off the lower leaves, then pop the cuttings in water. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet. Roots appear in about four weeks.

If your summer containers are anything like mine, there will be a few that already look like they’ve done their time and seem ready to curl up in the heat. Summer is a weird season: it seems to take forever to arrive, but when it does, it can feel like everything happens in a few days, only for key plants to lose their joyful tones almost as soon as the colors finally pop. If your pots and planters are looking a little crispy, don’t fret. You don’t have to spend ages giving your containers a summer makeover.

The beauty of this timely summer refresh is that it involves key planting choices that adapt and establish quickly in these intense yet changeable summer weeks. These gorgeous container ideas don’t require loads of ongoing care, and they flourish in spots where early-season tubs may have faltered and faded. So don’t spend your precious outdoors time staring at drab, weary containers. There’s plenty of summer left to enjoy, and these zingy superheroes can carry you all the way into fall.

Best of all, they hit their stride quickly and keep going, maintaining their richness and intensity where others bolt or bleach. Plant these container champs as nursery starts or plug plants, and you cut out weeks of waiting. Whether you’re after vibrant blooms or high contrast foliage, these favorite summer pick-me-ups deliver in abundance. And as a bonus, they also keep local pollinators happy. So make some room for prolific, saturated color that lasts, courtesy of some special drought-tolerant dazzlers.

Plant These Container Superheroes

In sweltering midsummer weeks, container garden planting requires a different approach to early spring labors. Fresh root systems need a little initial care so they don’t fall victim to transplant shock, and even the most colorful plants need to be matched to the right garden spot. If you are reusing tubs, you’ll also need to check for dry, spent soil. To ensure these drought tolerant perennials and annuals thrive right out of the gate, use a diagnostic tool like the Yamron 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon to check your existing potting mix isn't depleted, overheated, or compacted.

Where it does feel spent, it’s best to breathe some new life into your potting medium. Don’t chance it and stuff a new plant into old, compressed soil. Even superheroes deserve a little treat. Ideally, you need pots that offer a coarse environment where fresh roots can anchor fast. Scoop out the top few inches of old soil and clear away any decaying roots or debris from faded annuals. Summer watering can cause some standard potting mixes to compact like cement, so blend a decent scoop of perlite or some coarse sand like Hoffman Western Desert Sand for Potting from Walmart into upper container layers to help with drainage.

Another way to improve drainage ahead of this second wave of color is to prime the base of your pots. If a large container sits flat against a hot wooden deck or a humid stone patio, the drainage holes can trap stale water inside and cook plant roots. To maximize airflow, slide in some pot toes, like sturdy Kigeli Resin Pot Feet from Amazon. It’s a simple way to keep pots healthy and keep these superheroes happy. Then you’re ready to welcome the stars of the show!

1. Lantana

For neon zinginess that keeps glowing, lantana (L. camara) thrives where lesser plants crumble. This rugged bloomer is often used as a select spiller, but fills a space well as a specimen, with vibrant clusters of color. Treated as a fast-growing annual in zones 3-8 and a tough perennial in zones 9-11, this neon queen pumps out lush pops of color right up until the first frosts. Container soil temperatures can get 10°F (5.6°C) hotter than garden beds, causing sensitive flowers to wilt. Lantana shrugs off these issues thanks to its sandpapery leaves, which prevent moisture loss.

Choose compact, mounding midget varieties like Bandana, Little Lucky, or the 'Luscious Series, which only reach 12 inches (30 cm). For a buttery gold beauty, buy 'New Gold' Lantana from Fast Growing Trees as potted starts. In terms of ongoing care, just avoid overwatering and allow the potting mix to dry out slightly between deep soakings. While lantana loves lean living, a tiny sprinkle of Dr. Earth Premium Gold All Purpose Fertilizer from Walmart mixed into the potting mix at planting time give nursery roots a gentle nutrient lift without burning. Then just sit back and enjoy the swallowtail butterflies, hummingbird moths, and lantana-loving bees.

2. Coleus

Coleus (C. scutellarioides) is the ultimate superhero for instant container color, because you don’t have to wait for flowers to open. Its fiery visual foliage pops from late spring all the way until first frost, delivering dense, velvety volume that fills a tub in no time. Honestly, I’ve grown coleus in containers that can take on a shrub-like mass that definitely turns heads with little encouragement. Sun-tolerant stars include the Main Street Series, compact Wizard, or dazzling Inferno. Try Coleus ‘Dipt in Wine’ from Amazon as starter plants for high-contrast burgundy and bright chartreuse. Grow as an annual in zones 3-9, though it keeps going in zones 10-11.

What makes coleus a true superpower is its ability to provide uninterrupted color without requiring a drop of flower-building energy. However, it has thin, fleshy stems, so it is the thirstiest on my list. If a container dries out completely, coleus will shed its lower foliage. So skip clay pots and go for glazed ceramic or plastic, and water frequently as temperatures spike. Misting the foliage weekly with a little Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart can also protect against mildew and leaf drop. Pinching off the fuzzy flower spikes will keep fresh foliage at its zingy best, though it’s good to keep a couple of blooms for hummers and bumbles.

3. Salvia

Not everyone goes for hot colors in the heat, I get that. So if you‘re looking to ramp up the cool notes in the summer heat, roll out some potted salvia for instant, lush structure and refreshing dynamics. Compact salvia varieties like S. nemorosa offer an elegant palette of cobalts, electric blues, and velvety plums that keep their cool well into high summer and beyond. Treat them as fast-growing, non-stop annuals in zones 3-8, and perennials in zones 9-11. Their dense, dramatic spires double as a nectar bar that delights local bumbles, migrating monarchs and visiting hummers.

While giant varieties like S. guaranitica can outgrow a pot, modern bred cultivars are tailor-made for tight root zones. Alongside violet temptress 'Amistad', you can enjoy the compact Miracle Series (such as 'Blue Marvel') or the Sensation Series for enduring color that keeps its shape, around 12-20 inches (30-50 cm). Try airy, compact Sky Blue Marvel Salvias from Fast Growing Trees. Just make sure your pot has a large drainage hole, and add a fortnightly splash of Neptune's Harvest Organic Fish & Seaweed Formula from Amazon for continuous cool-toned splendor.

4. Coneflowers

If you don’t love coneflowers, you might be dead: there, I’ve said it. Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) are exceptionally hardy perennials (in zones 3-9) and bring raw, rugged vibrancy to any space, from mass planter drifts to modest terracotta pots. They are uniquely suited to pots and will happily overwinter in cold container soil to return year after year. Just keep the root ball well watered in the first fortnight, and add a bit of bonemeal, such as Down To Earth Organic Fish Bone Meal from Lowe's, into the planting hole to encourage resilient root growth.

Choose compact, dwarf coneflower varieties for the longest-serving heroes. I will stubbornly grow the occasional towering echinacea, like the lovely 3ft (90cm) Green Twister. But there are gorgeous stout options, like Sombrero or PowWow, which settle at 12-20 inches (30-50 cm). These substantial varieties produce thick, stocky flower stems that stand proud without staking. Try Hirt’s Gardens Sombrero Lemon Yellow Coneflower Plants from Walmart for sunshine-rich vibrancy. Your pollen-rich cones will draw in a flurry of native bees and swallowtail butterflies, while the late seed heads will delight local goldfinches.

5. Zinnias

Yes, zinnias! These triumphant mega-bloomers (Z. elegans) are a revelation for container gardeners who crave the intense folds of popular potted dahlias without any fuss. While dahlia tubers can rot easily and require continuous feeding, these annual superstars throw everything into one memorable and generous season – and they really can flourish in pots. Just remember to water zinnias at the base, and blend a handful of Worm Bliss Premium Earthworm Castings from Amazon directly into the top layer of your container's potting medium. This will enhance your pot's water-holding capacity and will help make those late-summer petals pop.

What makes zinnias a perfect long-flowering annual for containers is their love of hot, dry soil conditions. Thanks to their desert heritage, they keep producing crisp flower heads long after many other annuals are packing up for the season. Try compact varieties such as Dreamland and Magellan, or disease-resistant Profusion, which reaches 10-14 inches (25-36 cm). That said, you can grow taller zinnias like feisty California Giant if you pinch them back at the main stem tips. This restricts their height, forcing the plants to bush out laterally. Buy California Giant Zinnia Mix Plants from Walmart for the ultimate summer refresh you’ll still be admiring come fall.

Container Care for Summer

As promised, you don’t have to spend loads of time pampering these container heroes. Just a few little attentions here and there will keep the flower show epic, lovely and enduring. One big thing to factor in is some deadheading. For your zinnias and coneflowers, follow the stem down to the next node, where you’ll see tiny green leaves emerging, and snip right above them. Try to do this once a week with a trusty pair of shears, scissors or snips. I’m a big fan of Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Shears from Amazon to slice through pot-based stems without bruising the foliage.

By late August, lantana’s trailing stems might start looking a little sparse near the root crown. Snip back the tips of the longest branches by a couple of inches (5cm). This quick pinch once a month in late summer forces your neon queen to shoot out new side stems, keeping your container display packed with fresh, bushy color.

Because containers require daily watering during heat waves, vital nutrients can leach out. To prevent salvia spikes shrinking or your coleus losing its saturation, give your pots a deep water flush in the morning once a fortnight to wash away stale salts. Follow it up the next evening with a little liquid organic feed to replenish your potted color champs. And that’s all it takes to keep these heroes going strong.

Shop Summer Container Heroes

Creating a high-impact, long-lasting container garden doesn’t require hours toiling during precious summer weekends. These tough, drought-tolerant container plants handle midseason heat with effortless grace. They root fast, and keep pumping out glorious hues to charm local pollinators as well as visitors. So, grab these heroes for a lush, saturated container summer makeover that will last well into fall.

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When the dog days of summer arrive, your borders may start to look tired and droopy. Those plants you joyfully tucked in or started a couple of months back are losing their vigor (after all, they’ve performed well for weeks now). And perennial mainstays that have already bloomed are leaving unsightly gaps. If you want to save your borders from this noticeable slump, it’s high time for a midsummer refresh!

To give your yard a midsummer pick-me-up, you can deadhead faded summer blooming plants, shear spent perennials for a second flush, and renew mulch if needed. But for an instant facelift, replace the worn-out annuals that are buggy, diseased, leggy, or are going to seed. At this point, you need tough yet beautiful annual bloomers that thrive in summer heat and humidity, or perennial all-stars that are famous for their heat and drought tolerance.

By introducing some select established plants now, you can bypass the fragile seedling stage and enjoy a festival of color that will take you easily and cheerfully into fall. These resilient beauties hit the ground running, instantly closing gaps and turning a weary, fading border into a vibrant, texturally rich sanctuary. Meet the rescue squad that can pump out color all the way through to the first frost.

Try These 8 Summer Rescue Plants

Planting in July is fundamentally different from planting during a cool, damp spring. The soil is likely baked, which means new root systems could be vulnerable to thermal shock and moisture loss. Before planting these instant color plants, take a moment to evaluate your USDA hardiness zone and localized microclimate. Deeply sun-baked, wide-open spaces suit heat-loving tropicals, while partially shaded gaps are best for resilient options that can bloom without full-day sunshine.

To give these floral rescue workers the best start, ground-level preparation is key. You need to create a loose, highly moisture-retentive pocket, so new plant roots can anchor instantly. Gently clear out weeds and old plant roots from the vacancy. Then use a soil diagnostic tool like the Yamron 4-in-1 (Moisture, Temperature, Light and pH Meter, available from Amazon, to check your planting site isn’t too depleted from spring's heavy feeders.

If your soil feels heavy, packed down, or spent, give it a quick pick-me-up with a little aged compost, plus some perlite or coarse sand for drainage. You might also like to try a scoop of Wakefield Biochar Premium Soil Conditioner from Lowe’s to add beneficial microbes at the root level. Then check out the following summer-slump rescue plants to add instant color to your garden borders.

1. Madagascar Periwinkle

Vinca or periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is one plant that needs its praises sung more often. These summer rescue plants love heat and humidity, and don’t need a lot of water – and their bright flowers bloom until the first frost. Perennial in zones 9-11, they are usually treated as an annual. Plant them in full sun, where their mounding, shiny green foliage can reach 16 inches (41cm) tall and 22 inches (56cm) wide. You can buy vinca seeds from Park Seed.

The number-one golden rule with vinca is to avoid overwatering, as these plants despise wet feet. Plant them in fast-draining soil alongside fine-textured partners like ornamental grasses or blue salvia varieties for a gorgeous contrast. And sprinkle some Espoma Organic Plant-Tone Plant Food from Amazon around the base for a gentle way to nourish that glossy foliage during intense August heatwaves.

2. Begonia Big Series

The Begonia BIG Series (B. x benariensis) is always in bloom and grows quickly. Its succulent stems will forgive a lapse in watering. Loose clusters of single or double flowers bloom in white, pink, red, or bicolor. Foliage is dark green to bronze on compact plants reaching 12-18 inches (30-46cm) tall and wide. Flowers are also self-cleaning, so this plant doesn’t need deadheading. It tolerates sun or shade, so you can use it anywhere the garden needs a pick-me-up. Grow as an annual except in zones 10-11. You can buy red Begonia BIG plants from Cheryl’s Greenhouse.

While these begonia varieties are highly self-sufficient, they appreciate a timely feed. Scratch a handful of Espoma Organic Chicken Manure from Walmart into the surrounding soil to give them the slow-release nitrogen required to keep those heavy, fleshy stems multiplying without snapping in summer storms.

3. Crossandra

Crossandra (C. infundibuliformis) is another great garden performer that needs more love. It sails through summer without a care, always looking pristine with its shiny, green leaves and bright orange flowers. The flower petals stack on a center spear, giving the flower layers. This rescue plant will even bloom indoors. It only needs part shade, moderate water and well draining soil. Once or twice a season, feed it with a slow-release balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food from Lowe’s for continuous blooms.

Often called the firecracker flower, it brings a vivacious splash to the garden with its overlapping fan-shaped blossoms. It is an exceptional rescue choice for brightening up awkward, humid gaps. Deadhead spent spears to keep it tidy. Hardy in zones 9-11, you can treat it as an annual or bring it indoors for winter. You can buy Crossandra by the Tropical Plants of Florida Store from Amazon as potted plants.

4. Garden Phlox

Garden phlox (P. paniculata) blooms from summer to fall on stems 2-4 feet (0.6-1.2m) tall. Its clusters of fragrant flowers remind me of hydrangea blooms. Pollinators love phlox, especially butterflies. This rescue plant just needs full sun to keep powdery mildew at bay. In hot climates, partial shade is fine. Hardy in zones 4-8, phlox prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soil. You can buy Coral Creme Drop Garden Phlox from Nature Hills.

Plant towards the middle or back of borders, pairing with spiky coneflowers or golden rudbeckia for a classic cottage look. Water deeply at the base, and feed every fortnight with Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer from Amazon to deliver rich organic trace minerals that maximize blossom size and perfume strength.

5. Coleus

Coleus (C. scutellarioides) is perfect for instant color in a partially shady area. Heights average 1-2 feet (0.3-0.6m), and their colorful foliage is a glorious combination of green, pink, chartreuse, cream, burgundy, red, yellow, or purple. Pinch off the flower spikes as they appear, so the plant will focus on leafy growth. I often leave a few spikes on one plant for the hummingbirds. For a burgundy splash, buy Coleus ‘Dipt in Wine’ by the Plant Nook Store from Amazon as starter plants.

These plants need fertile, moist soil. They are hardy in zones 10-11, so most folks treat them as annuals. If you want to overwinter your favorite coleus, take cuttings in fall and root them in water or potting soil. To prevent lower leaf drop and downy mildew, mist the foliage with Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart.

6. Sunflowers

Sunflowers (Helianthus x annuus 'TMSNBLEV01') are summer icons, especially when it is hot and dry. Variety SunBelievable ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ is a great summer rescue plant, as it doesn’t set seed. Instead, it produces flowers continuously until the first frost. Its multi-branched stems grow up to 3 feet (0.9m) tall and wide. Plant in rich, well-draining soil in full sun and only water when the soil is dry. You can buy Sunflower SunBelievable Brown Eyed Girl Helianthus by Monrovia from Armstrong Garden Centers, as potted plants.

What makes this hybrid an unparalleled rescue option is its non-stop branching habit. Traditional single-stem sunflowers are a one-and-done show, but this bloomer fills border vacancies in no time and keeps going. Topdress the planting zone with Worm Bliss Premium Earthworm Castings from Amazon. This improves moisture holding capacity, while releasing a steady stream of essential nutrients.

7. Coneflowers

Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) are quintessential rescue plants for heat tolerance in high summer. Purple coneflower is great for the pollinator garden, while new forms and hybrids feature white, yellow, red, pink, orange, and multi-color blooms, many with compact forms. They bloom continuously until first frost, especially if deadheaded. Hardy in zones 3-9, they thrive in moist, well-drained soil. Buy PowWow Coneflowers from Fast Growing Trees for vibrant drought-tolerant color.

For ultra summer grit, compact cultivars like Cheyenne Spirit or Sombrero offer thick, sturdy stems. When introducing it in summer, just don’t let the rootball dry out. Add a scoop of Down to Earth Fish Bone Meal from Amazon for rapid root establishment, and keep it watered deeply twice a week until it settles into its new home.

8. Pentas

Pentas (P. lanceolata) are some of my favorite pollinator plants and my yard is never without them. Their colorful clusters of flowers bloom from spring to frost, and attract plenty of butterflies and hummingbirds. Pentas prefers moist, well-drained soil, but are drought tolerant once established, and happy in full sun or partial shade. Typically grown as an annual, these rescue plants are hardy in zones 10-11. You can buy vivid purple Pentas Lanceolata from Amazon.

Known affectionately as Egyptian starclusters, their striking flower heads are made up of dozens of tiny stars, creating a rich texture in front-of-the-border displays. Add a bit of micronutrient-dense Dr. Earth Premium Gold All Purpose Fertilizer from Walmart into the surrounding soil at planting time for seamless, gorgeous growth.

Midsummer Maintenance

To keep perennials blooming, shear back early bloomers like catmint, yarrow, salvia, and bee balm for a second flush. Some varieties, like Walker’s Low catmint, will continue to bloom whether or not they are cut back. You should also remove any dead or damaged stems you see.

Deadheading will encourage annuals like cosmos and zinnias to repeat-bloom rather than set seed. Perennials such as coneflower, blanket flower and phlox also benefit. Phlox is sneaky, though: when the petals first fade and drop off, new buds appear. So wait until you don’t see any more new buds before trimming phlox. Use a sharp pair of shears, scissors or snips for clean cuts. We love Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips from Amazon for their ability to slide between tight nodes.

A fresh sprinkling of mulch will help the plants retain moisture. Add a two-inch (5cm) layer of organic mulch, such as Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from Amazon, so your rescue team stays happy, hydrated, and blooming beautifully. It’s best not to fertilize during the hottest part of summer, unless a plant is showing signs it lacks nutrition, such as yellow leaves. Revamping the yard now will carry it through summer into fall so it keeps looking lush and lovely.

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Who doesn't love the timeless charm of a cottage garden? Overflowing borders packed with roses, foxgloves, delphiniums and lavender have been enchanting gardeners for centuries. Yet while many traditional cottage garden favourites are undeniably beautiful, some demand regular watering, staking and plenty of attention to keep them looking their best. And when midsummer heatwaves strike, some dreamy varieties can collapse into brown, crispy disappointments.

Fortunately for us, there are plenty of resilient cottage garden flowers that deliver all the nostalgic appeal without the high-maintenance routine. These hardy perennials and flowering shrubs are tougher than they look, coping with everything from prolonged summer drought and poor soils to freezing winters and unpredictable weather. By integrating these robust, resilient cottage garden ideas into your yard, you can simplify seasonal maintenance and enjoy your displays for longer.

As our gardens experience hotter, drier summers alongside colder snaps in winter, choosing plants that can adapt to these up-and-down conditions has never been more important. So, if you want resilient cottage garden flowers that look abundant without demanding constant care, I’m showcasing a handful of my favourites that prove you don't have to sacrifice beauty for toughness.

Try These 5 Resilient Cottage Garden Plants

Whatever you choose to plant in your yard, giving new additions a thorough soak during the first few weeks and the first growing season will help them establish strong roots. It's also worth matching each plant to your USDA hardiness zone and growing conditions. If you have a sunny, free-draining border, Mediterranean flowering plants and daisy varieties will thrive. Pick the right plant for the right place and resilient cottage garden flowers will reward you with years of dependable color.

While these resilient cottage garden flowers are famous for surviving poor soil, they cannot tolerate wet feet or dense, compacted clay. If you are planting these cottage garden beauties in heavy clay soil, you risk rotting their roots before they ever have a chance to show off their heat-tolerant capabilities. Good soil drainage is key to the health and heartiness of these tough bloomers.

To ensure your soil quality and structure are at their best, take a quick reading before planting. Using the Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Tester from Amazon is an excellent way to quickly analyze your pH and nutrient levels. For heavy clay or depleted soil, incorporate a high-quality soil amendment like coarse sand or perlite. Mixing some Back to the Roots Organic Compost from Lowe’s into your planting hole will also help to loosen the dirt, introduce vital beneficial microbes, and improve drainage.

Whether you are planting these cottage garden flowers directly in wide-open borders or styling them in patio containers, ensure your location receives 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily to fuel those midsummer blooms.

1. Lavender

Lavender is one of the most resilient cottage garden flowers. Fragrant, colourful and adored by bees of course, it has all the romance of an old garden border, plus it is remarkably tough once established. In my new book, The Ethical Gardener, available to preorder now on Amazon, I dedicate a chapter to gardening for the future, and plants like lavender are exactly what I have in mind.

As summers become longer and hotter, with parts of North America experiencing temperatures above 100°F (37.7°C) for days at a time, it makes sense to grow plants that are beautiful, resilient and capable of coping with increasingly challenging conditions. Lavender is hardy in zones 5-9, and while we focus on the blooms, its secret weapon is the foliage. Covered in oil-producing glands, it reflects harsh sunlight and traps moisture, making lavender a master of water conservation.

Whether you prefer English, Spanish or French lavender, the growing advice is much the same. Plant it in a sunny spot with free-draining soil and avoid waterlogging at all costs. Make sure you grow it in dry, sandy, or gravelly spots. Overwatering is the fastest way to kill this Mediterranean native, so water only when the soil is dry.

Once flowering has finished in late summer (usually around August), give plants a light trim to remove the spent blooms and help prevent them from becoming woody. For exceptional drought tolerance and extended flowering, try Spanish Lavender from Amazon and Phenomenal Lavender from Nature Hills.

2. Mexican Fleabane

Fleabane is one of my go-to plants. Whether tumbling over retaining walls, weaving through cracks and crevices or softening the front of a sunny border, it somehow looks right wherever you grow it. Mexican fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) produces masses of delicate white flowers that age to soft pink, creating a dual-tone display that seems to go on for months. Buy Mixed Erigeron Flower Seeds from Amazon.

Hardy from US zone 6, it thrives in poor, dry, shallow and rocky soils, shrugs off drought once established and happily self-seeds into the smallest spaces, making it one of the most useful cottage-garden plants around. But, while it is a wonderful garden plant, fleabane is often considered invasive in some regions, including Hawaii, so check with your local government or local extension office before planting.

Plant your Mexican fleabane in full sun to partial shade. To prevent it from spreading too aggressively, shear back by half after the main summer flowering flush. Feed lightly in late spring with Espoma Organic Holly-Tone Fertilizer from Walmart for a steady, slow-release nutrient boost that supports extensive blooming.

3. Nepeta (Catmint)

Catmint (aka nepeta) is one of those resilient cottage garden flowers that more than earns its spot in the yard. It is hardy down to zone 3, easy to grow, and produces clouds of blue flowers from late spring through summer that bees cannot resist. It performs beautifully even in clay soil, as long as it doesn’t sit wet through winter.

As a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), the foliage is highly aromatic, which is one of the things I love most about it. Plant it alongside a path or at the front of a border and, every time you brush past, it releases the most wonderful scent. Once settled, nepeta is very drought tolerant and needs little attention beyond a light trim after flowering to encourage a second flush. Buy Better Versions Junior Walker Nepeta from Fast Growing Trees for exceptional structure and flower power.

To keep its foliage looking lush and vibrant through the peak of summer, you can just give it a splash of Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer on Amazon once every few weeks. Nepeta gets a major foliage boost from the trace minerals, keeping that beautiful silver-blue sheen vibrant all summer.

4. Shasta Daisy

What to say about Shasta daisies? With crisp white petals and golden centers, Leucanthemum × superbum brings a classic cottage-garden look to any border, flowering for weeks through summer. Typically hardy from US zone 5, these upright, sturdy perennials are remarkably resilient once established. They cope well with heat, dry spells and poor soils, provided they have good drainage. Look for 'Becky' or 'Snowcap', with stiff stems that won't flop over in storms.

Plant your daisies in a sunny spot, deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers, and cut plants back in fall. Shasta daisies are heavy summer feeders, so mix a few handfuls of Espoma Organic Chicken Manure from Walmart into the surrounding soil when planting to fuel heavy, continuous summer blooms.

You can buy Clovers Garden Shasta Daisies from Walmart as live plants that settle fast for elegant white blooms that hold their own until first frost. As a lovely bonus, these hardy cottage garden classics can be an effective mosquito repellent.

5. Russian Sage

Russian sage (or Salvia yangii) will keep performing in the most challenging conditions. Hardy in zones 4-9, it produces airy blue flower spikes above aromatic silver-gray foliage from early summer into fall, creating a soft haze of colour that pollinators love. Once established, it shrugs off heat, drought and poor soils with ease. You can buy live Clovers Garden Russian Sage Plants from Amazon.

Reaching up to 4 feet (1.2m) in height, this sub-shrub brings structural texture and height to the back of sunny borders. It is virtually bulletproof, resisting deer, rabbits, salty coastal air, and intense heatwaves without dropping a leaf. Just avoid over-feeding or overwatering, which can make stems weak and floppy.

In late spring, when humidity levels rise, Russian sage can sometimes fall victim to powdery mildew. To keep your display immaculate, apply a little organic remedy such as Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart. This safe spray destroys harmful fungal pathogens, keeping silver stems pristine all summer long.

Shop Cottage Garden Essentials

Creating a natural, traditional aesthetic in your backyard doesn’t need to involve breaking a sweat. These drought tolerant beauties can handle whatever summer throws at them with easy grace. Make some room for these natural wonders that deliver dreamy blooms with massive impact from now until well into fall.

To find out more about inspirational gardens and gardening, read The Garden Through Time by Thomas Rutter, available from Amazon. From Persian paradises to New York’s High Line, this volume offers practical ideas and plant selections to help you design a gorgeous, low-maintenance garden. Telling the story of 45 gardens found worldwide, it is an essential read (or gift) for gardeners looking for timeless inspiration.

Summers today are hotter than summers in yesteryear. But for those of us who want to enjoy the sights and sounds of backyard birds in summer, it’s important to keep our little friends hydrated in the best way, despite the rising temperatures. Birds feel the same discomfort in hot weather as humans do, but birds don’t sweat. Instead, they try to regulate their body temperature by panting. This can all take a toll on garden birds, resulting in rapid moisture loss.

Your bird bath can help garden birds make it through the summer – but simply setting out water isn’t always enough to attract your bird friends, especially when intense heat quickens the rate of evaporation and encourages the potential for algae. When temperatures spike above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32°C), you quickly wind up with a stagnant, sun-baked bird bath or an empty bowl. Providing consistently chilled, reliable hydration will boost your bird numbers, but how do you ensure this in a way that isn’t too draining on your own time?

If you don’t want your bird bath to become a hot tub or an empty bowl, and want to save yourself some time while enjoying the view, this trick is perfect for you. Discover how a simple Tupperware tub holds the key to happy, hydrated birds that stay cool and refreshed for longer, freeing up more of your time for relaxing in the yard!

Birds Just Want to Stay Cool

A garden without birds is more like a photo than a living ecosystem. It’s the butterflies winging by, the hum of bees, and, mostly, the twitter of wild birds in the trees that make a landscape come alive. When the heat is oppressive, birds suffer just like we do, and the most important survival step is to stay hydrated. While we can open the refrigerator and pull out a bottle of cool water, cardinals and robins cannot – and that bird bath needs to work extra hard when temperatures soar.

During peak July heatwaves, you can fill a shallow bird bath in the morning, only to find it bone-dry or hot enough to steep tea by noon. Constantly running out with the hose or watering can is a chore that quickly loses its charm, and birds won’t visit your bird bath if it is left to stagnate. Added to which, warm, stagnant water is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and mosquito larvae.

Keeping water fresh and cool is the single best way to prevent the transmission of avian diseases in summer, as well as keeping them refreshed. But unless there happens to be a sheltered river running through a forest near your property, it’s up to you to take action to keep your local finches, sparrows, robins, cardinals and bluebirds hydrated in a heatwave. Luckily, the following trick really can help you protect birds from heat exhaustion and illness, while sparing yourself endless trips to and from the faucet.

Keeping a Bird Bath Cool in a Heatwave

Icecubes are a wonderful thing in a heatwave. Have you ever taken a tall kitchen glass full of ice cubes and water or lemonade out to the patio during summer heat? The beverage stays cooler longer, giving you more time to finish the drink at a nice temperature. Well, you can also use the ice cube principle to keep your birdbath cool in summer heat. First, make sure your bird basin is placed in dappled shade, under trees or shrubs. Water features are best in areas that receive some afternoon shade to naturally block out the most punishing UV rays.

As for the bath, ceramic and stone bowls are ideal. One great ceramic option is the Sunnydaze Avignon Freestanding Ceramic Bird Bath from Walmart. Exercise caution with metal bowls. A thin, cheap metal dish in direct sunlight can quickly reach temperatures that are painful to avian feet. However, heavy-duty cast iron or shaded aluminum baths can work under dense tree cover with a cooling element. There are also some excellent plastic and resin options, such as the popular Best Choice Vintage Fleur de Lis Standing Bird Bath from Amazon. With these elements in hand, you’re ready to deploy the secret weapon for thirsty birds: the giant ice cube!

Using the Tupperware Trick

Now, our ice cubes are designed to fit into glasses and beakers. These small pieces of ice would cool off the bird bath water, but only for a short period of time. Just set an ice cube on the deck in the next heatwave and see how fast it turns into a puddle of water. Instead, you need to make a large ice cube, specially for the birds. For this, you need to use a tupperware or other large, plastic container. It’s all about the surface area-to-volume ratio. Tiny household ice cubes melt in mere minutes under a hot July sun because of their high surface area. However, a dense block of ice in a standard 32 or 64-ounce Tupperware container has a much lower surface area relative to its thermal mass, so it takes a lot longer to thaw.

Ensure your container is made of flexible, freezer-safe plastic, so the frozen block slides out easily after a quick rinse under the tap. If you haven’t got any Tupperware, you can pick up packs of mixed-size food storage containers online. The Rubbermaid EasyStore 18-Piece Set from Walmart is a good option for freezing large, easy-release blocks of ice. You can also get GladWare DeepDish Containers (64 oz) in packs of three from Amazon. Fill your tub with water and freeze it overnight. In the early morning, add your giant ice cube to the bird bath. As it slowly melts, it will create chilled water for your wild birds to enjoy.

Variations on the Tupperware Trick

Alternatively, you can use small plastic water bottles to freeze the water. By freezing water inside sealed, reusable plastic bottles, the cooling effect is transferred directly through the plastic barrier without raising the water level of your bath as it thaws. Fill each one up about three-quarters of the way before you freeze them. This gives the water room to expand as it freezes. In the morning, change out the water in the bird bath. Then take out one or two bottles and lay them directly in the water. These act as big ice cubes, cooling the water in the bowl for hours. Later in the day, switch these out for new bottles and refreeze the old ones.

For an extra touch of summer fun, use your giant ice cubes or bottles of ice alongside a floating solar aerator. A solar-powered floating fountain will create sparkles and splashes to attract your birds. Furthermore, mosquitoes require still water to lay their eggs, so a moving, chilled bath disrupts their breeding cycle. Try the Mademax Solar Bird Bath Fountain Upgrade from Amazon, which can be dropped into an existing bath and runs without wiring.

Other Summer Bird Bath Essentials

Your giant ice cube will keep water cool for longer and save you loads of time at the faucet – but it’s still important to keep an eye on the general cleanliness of things every few days. Make sure your bird bath is kept free of organic debris, bird droppings, and algae. It’s a good idea to scrub your bird bath once or twice a week using a stiff brush, such as the Songbird Essentials Bird Brush from Amazon. Use a simple solution of nine parts water to one part white vinegar. Rinse and dry completely before refilling.

For a more relaxing way of keeping your bird bath water clean, try placing a copper disc into the bowl. You can pick these up inexpensively online. Our team loves the Melbree Bird Bath Purification Discs, also available from Amazon. They are a simple way of preventing algae buildup, helping to keep the basins cleaner for even longer.

Shop Bird Bath Extras

Ready to finetune your summer bird sanctuary? These curated backyard essentials are guaranteed to keep your feathered friends happy, hydrated, and returning to your yard even when summer temperatures spike. Slide these avian treasures into place as summer heats up, so birds know your backyard is the place to be!

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Lavender is one of the classic sun-loving, drought-tolerant plants from the south of France and Italy, so it’s easy to think that it’s tough enough to take whatever summer extremes come your way. But this iconic beauty with its vibrant purple blooms and aromatic foliage needs some help to make it through the season. July can bring sweltering heatwaves and intense bouts of sunshine that can wilt many a perennial. So a little midsummer TLC is key to sustaining those vibrant hues and potent oils.

Just because lavender originates on sun-baked Mediterranean hillsides, that doesn’t mean it thrives on neglect. While established plants are drought tolerant, some midsummer lavender care can make all the difference to its vitality and longevity. If you leave your lavender to its own devices during a hot July, you risk accelerating its transition into seed production, which shuts down the flowering cycle early. Worse, improper care now can trigger root rot or stunt growth, leading to that leggy look every grower dreads.

Fortunately, keeping your lavender in peak health is easy. By dedicating less than an hour this week to these 5 simple checks, you will promote a lasting splash of purple vigor and vitality throughout the season, guaranteeing a garden filled with humming pollinators and intoxicating scent all summer long.

How to Help Your Lavender in July

It’s finally July and time to reach for the sunscreen! As the month begins, your garden is thriving, and hopefully you’ll be seeing flowers everywhere. However, the scorching sunshine and limited rain will soon take its toll, wilting blooms and baking leaves. Certain perennials do very well in hot sun, and lavender is actually one of them. But these timely lavender care tasks will help you to get even more from your blooms, both in terms of flowering windows and aromatic potency.

How you approach midsummer care will depend on the type of lavender you are growing and your local climate. The three main lavenders are English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia, such as Hidcote or Munstead), French or Spanish lavender (L. stoechas), and the robust hybrid Lavandins (L. x intermedia, like Grosso). These respond slightly differently to the midsummer elements. English lavenders are cold-hardy (USDA zones 5-8) but can struggle with excessive humidity, while Spanish types thrive in warmer hardiness zones (7-10) but have a shorter individual lifespan and a different blooming rhythm that peaks earlier.

Whether you’re growing your lavender in the ground or in containers presents its own challenges. Ground-based lavender benefits from an expansive, deep root system that can search for subterranean moisture, making it resilient against all but the most severe droughts. In contrast, container lavender lives in an artificial microclimate. The limited soil volume inside a pot will heat up rapidly under the July sun, drying out within hours and running the risk of baking the delicate root network.

Take a few minutes to check your soil’s existing condition. Investing in a multi-purpose soil diagnostic tool like the Raintrip 4-In-1 Meter, available from Amazon, is an excellent way to eliminate the guesswork, allowing you to check root-zone moisture and also light levels. If need be, amend with a little coarse sand or perlite to ensure the site is well draining before starting on these tasks.

1. Water Deeply but Infrequently

Lavender is not a plant that needs a lot of water. In fact, keeping lavender’s soil wet is a sure way to kill the shrub. But that doesn’t mean that lavender has no need for water. While lavender is very drought tolerant, every plant needs some moisture, and that need comes to the fore in summer. The question is not whether to water lavender in summer, but how to do it.

In July, water your lavender deeply, once a week. Prioritize depth over frequency. When you give a plant a frequent, shallow sprinkle of water, you encourage its root system to stay near the surface of the soil, where it remains vulnerable to being scorched by the afternoon heat. Watering deeply gets water to the bottom of the plant’s roots, around 24 inches (60cm) below the soil surface.

By applying a slow, deliberate drench directly at the base of the plant once a week, you encourage the roots to plunge deeply into the ground, reinforcing the plant’s natural drought defenses. This is especially true for heavy-blooming English varieties like Munstead, which require a reliable touch of moisture to sustain their heavy flower flushes without dropping their lower leaves.

Use a targeted delivery system like the Teknor Apex Zero-G Lightweight Vinyl Hose from Walmart to deliver a gentle stream at the soil line. For containerized lavenders, check them every 2-3 days using a moisture probe. When the top couple of inches (2cm) of compost feel dry, drench until water leaks from the drainage holes.

2. Move Containers into Full Sun

Lavender loves full sun, so July is a perfect time to check the positioning of all potted plants. Just because your container was in full sun back in May, that doesn’t mean it is still getting adequate light in July. As trees leaf out and neighboring perennials reach maximum height, a potted lavender can easily get thrown into partial shade.

If your plant doesn’t get 6-8 hours of unobstructed sunlight daily, its essential oil production plunges, stems grow weak and floppy, and soil stays damp for longer. Avoid tucked-away corners, north-facing shadows of walls, or dense groupings beneath patio umbrellas. And where you see potted lavender sulking in the shade, this is your time to take action and move it somewhere with more direct sunshine.

At the same time, check the soil in the container. Be sure that it is sandy or gravelly so that it drains well. If you find that the soil is clay, repot the plant and mix gravel or sand to allow the water to drain away from the roots. If your container plants are struggling with dense, compacted soil, add a little Miracle-Gro Potting Mix, available from Home Depot, along with some coarse grit or sand for the perfect porous base.

3. Avoid Pruning Lavender in July

Lavender plant care involves both actions you need to take and actions you must avoid. You probably pruned your lavender plant in spring to clean it up after winter. Another pruning is needed – but the timing is important. You need to prune lavender for the second time after the plant has stopped blooming, and that time is not July.

Pruning stimulates aggressive new, tender green growth. In the middle of July, these young shoots will be scorched by the intense sun, draining the plant's core energy reserves and leaving it susceptible to winter dieback. So resist any structural pruning until late August or early September, once the final flowering cycle has concluded.

However, you can (and should) deadhead spent lavender blooms through July. Remove faded flower spikes down to the first set of clean leaves, just above where new buds are forming. This channels plant energy into a second summer flush of color. To do this cleanly without crushing stems, use a razor-sharp tool like team favorite Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears, available from Amazon.

4. Monitor for Pests and Diseases

Lavender has grown happily on sun-baked Mediterranean hillsides for thousands of years. The general idea in France is: plant it in direct sun, give it top drainage, and leave it be. But you need to watch out for two different threats in midsummer. The first (and worst) is a plant disease known as root rot. It results from wet soil and can kill the plant.

If your plant seems to be turning brown or yellow, dig in the soil and look at the roots. If they are black or mushy, pull out and toss the plant. In July, root rot is likely caused by overwatering, which means you can avoid this problem if you water your plant appropriately and check air flow. Where plants are healthy, drenching the surrounding soil with a little Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide from Walmart can help suppress the fungal spores and protect adjacent healthy tissue.

Pests are the second threat, though less serious. Keep a look-out for aphids, whiteflies, and spittlebugs. Wash them off with the hose, or apply an insecticidal soap. Avoid harsh chemical pesticides that wipe out bees and butterflies. Instead, opt for a gentle blast of water from the hose, or use a pre-mixed, pollinator-safe soap, like Bonide Ready-to-Use Insect Soap from Amazon.

5. Add Mulch to Keep Down Weeds

Usually, you mulch plants to help hold moisture in the soil. This is not the case with lavender, which does best in dry, well-drained conditions. Traditional mulches, such as shredded hardwood or bark chips, are not a good idea. These trap moisture and form a cool, damp layer over the soil surface, inducing wood rot and fungal blight.

That said, you do still need to add a layer of mulch beneath your lavender. The idea is to keep down weeds and prevent the soil from getting too hot. But the best mulch for lavender is mineral based. A two-inch (5cm) layer of clean pea gravel, washed river stone, or crushed white quartzite helps to reflect heat, bouncing the intense July sunlight back up into the lower canopy of the shrub.

This extra light exposure directly stimulates the oil glands within the foliage, resulting in a noticeably more fragrant growing space. Furthermore, these stones dry out instantly after a summer storm, keeping the crown dry. For a quick and efficient lavender mulch, buy light-colored Fantian Pea Pebbles from Amazon and distribute them precisely around the base.

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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.

Watching birds flock to our yard is one of the true delights of gardening, right? Most of us are nature lovers, so we get a lot of pleasure out of seeing and hearing the many varieties of local birds feed, nest, and roost in the backyard. Native plants, shelter, and food sources are important, but to attract birds and keep them healthy, a water source is also vital. A bird bath is a simple solution. It provides backyard birds with water to drink, bathe in, and cool off in.

But here is the thing: a simple basin of water left out in the blazing summer sun can quickly turn from a refreshing oasis into a stressful hazard. In the peak of the nesting season, our backyard birds aren't just looking for a casual splash; they are battling heatwaves, hunger pangs, and parasites like biting mites and ticks. To attract birds to your water station, you need to turn it into a true sanctuary. And to do this, you need to think beyond the concrete pedestal, and look at the surrounding plants.

By planting certain herbs around your bird bath, you can create a “bird spa” that offers shelter, perching spots, insect control, and even nutritious food. Most of these herbs are easy to grow and can be planted around a bird bath in summer, when birds are raising their young and seeking relief from summer heat. Setting up these aromatic plant shields now requires very little effort and can make a massive difference to the health and happiness of your garden birds. Here’s how to keep your feathered neighbors healthy all summer long.

How Herbs Help Birds

Bird baths naturally attract wildlife as a source of drinking and bathing water. Unfortunately, water sources also attract insects and pests. Standing water is a magnet for mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and more. This can make the area less pleasant and less healthy for birds (and you). Herbs around your bird bath provide a good remedy for this issue, while also providing other birdy benefits. Many release aromatic oils that insects dislike, reducing pest pressure without chemical sprays.

This summertime bird bath checkpoint is a vital moment to take action. If you leave things to chance, stagnant water can become a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes, while the surrounding open space can leave damp, waterlogged birds highly vulnerable to swooping predators – a classic bird bath mistake. Acting quickly with herbs is a genuine game-changer (and a nice smelling one). Yes, it’s important to keep water fresh using a wiggler or fountain, such as a Mademax Solar Bird Bath Fountain Upgrade from Amazon. But planting heavily fragrant herbs creates an extra level of protection against flying gnats, ticks, and mites in a potent way.

Dense herbal foliage can offer quick cover from predators, while woody stems and flower spikes provide convenient perches where birds can preen after bathing. Flowers that produce edible seeds or berries are also useful as an additional food source. The volatile essential oils of herbs act as an organic chemical shield. When birds brush past the foliage before or after a dip, they coat their feathers in subtle traces that discourage parasites, making bathing safer and more restorative.

8 Herbs for Happy Bird Baths

Transforming your water station into a safe and clean sanctuary is simple. July is an ideal time to get these key herbs into the ground or arrange them in pots around your water feature. Just give some thought to your yard’s microclimates and possible herb locations. Aim for a layered ring design. Use low-growing ground covers at the base of the bird bath, medium shrubs at the mid-tier, and tall structural stalks further back.

Most high-potency culinary herbs in USDA zones 3-10 will crave blazing full sun and sharply drained, gravelly soil. Before planting these herbs, verify light levels around your bath with a Sonkir 3-in-1 Light and Soil Moisture Tester from Amazon. You can also use this to determine moisture levels for new plants, adding some coarse sand or horticultural grit as needed, to ensure your new plantings get the perfect balance of warmth and drainage to thrive dynamically all season long. Then have fun planting bird-friendly herbs to create a spa-like sanctuary for feathered friends.

1. Lavender

Lavender is most well known for its characteristic and strong smell. The smell comes from essential oils in the plant that deter pests like mosquitoes. The oils can even deter mites, which can be harmful to birds. As well as being a lovely fragrant plant for pollinators, their flower spikes and stems are a great height for small birds, which can use them to perch on while surveying their surroundings before taking a bath. Grow lavender in full sun with well-draining soil. You can pick up Phenomenal Lavender Live Plants from Nature Hills for a rugged, humidity-resistant variety.

This perennial evergreen subshrub thrives in zones 5-9, hitting peak oil potency during July and August. The strong, clean aroma of linalool acts as an active pest-repellent field that shields delicate songbirds (like American goldfinches and black-capped chickadees) from blood-feeding avian mites. Just don’t let the plant roots sit in waterlogged soil from bird bath splashbacks. Position on the sun-baked, windward side of your water feature to allow the breeze to diffuse the fragrance.

2. Rosemary

Rosemary is another fragrant herb that provides a good staging point for birds. This small, woody shrub has sturdy branches that even medium-sized birds can use for perching and surveying or for hiding under. The woody stems stay in place in winter, providing year-round shelter. The smell of rosemary can discourage flying pests, like mosquitoes and flies, making the entire area more comfortable. Rosemary thrives in full sun, hot weather, and soil that drains well. You can buy Tuscan Blue Rosemary Starter Plants from Amazon.

Hardy as a permanent perennial in zones 7-11 (and a great container plant to overwinter further north), rosemary’s stiff, resinous branches support the weight of heavier, highly desirable yard birds like gray catbirds and northern cardinals, giving them a perch to dry their flight feathers and preen safely. The pungent, pine-like camphor oils are most potent under the midday sun, keeping biting flies far away. Pick an upright variety like Tuscan Blue for maximum height, or a cascading type to soften a stone pedestal base.

3. Mint

The scent of mint has long been regarded as refreshing and cooling. It’s an ideal herb for planting next to a water feature. It won’t suffer from any splashback from a bird bath and it creates a lush, green border that can help deter pests. Mint is very easy to grow but it can be quite invasive, so it’s best to only grow it in containers around the edges of your bird bath to prevent it from spreading into the lawn or beds. You can buy Black Robert Mitchum’s Peppermint from Walmart for a continuous blast of refreshing pest-repelling menthol.

Mint is a lifesaver for partial shade across zones 3-11. Varieties like peppermint (Mentha x piperita) or spearmint adore heavy water splashback, thriving on the overflow from bathing robins and blue jays. Its sharp, refreshing menthol oils peak in midsummer, driving away frustrating swarms of gnats and midges. Keep it confined to heavy patio containers or window boxes placed around the base of your bird bath. Its dense, lush canopy keeps low-foraging ground birds safe from summer predators.

4. Lemon Balm

Lemon balm has a bright citrus fragrance with natural compounds to discourage gnats and mosquitoes. The essential oils are similar to those found in citronella, a natural and powerful insect deterrent. As with mint, it provides a soft and lush leafy border around bird baths. The dense leafy coverage helps birds feel safer near their water source. Lemon balm is a fast grower, so keep up trimming it to encourage manageable growth through the season. Buy August Breeze Farm’s Lemon Balm Plants from Walmart for a lush, aromatic mound of citronella-rich leaves.

This ultra-hardy perennial flourishes across zones 3-9 in partial shade. The leaves release a strong, clean lemon fragrance whenever birds brush against them, making the surrounding air uncomfortable for invasive mosquitoes. Small, skittish songbirds like tufted titmice and house finches love slipping into its soft, dense foliage to dry off out of sight. Shear the plant back hard by half in mid-July to encourage fresh leaves.

5. Fennel

Fennel is a tall herb that you can grow as part of a second ring of plants around the bird bath. The tall, feathery arches provide visual interest, but also good perching areas for birds looking to bathe safely. Another great benefit of fennel is that it attracts insects that serve as a food source for your birds – for instance, it is a host plant for swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. These (and other insects drawn to fennel) provide a high-protein buffet for backyard birds. Buy Organic Bronze Fennel Live Plants from Amazon for height, texture, and beneficial insect activity.

This architectural perennial giant thrives in zones 4-9, reaching 5 feet tall (1.5m) by mid-July. Its delicate chartreuse or bronze fronds provide a semi-transparent privacy screen that filters harsh sunlight without blocking the view. Just don’t plant it near cilantro or wormwood, as they can stunt each other's growth. Its sturdy, umbrella-like seed heads offer an ideal landing deck for acrobatic indigo buntings and chickadees.

6. Catnip

While our feline friends are drawn to this herb from the mint family, flying insects don’t like catnip. So it’s another great choice for keeping pests away from your bird bath. Catnip produces a compound called nepetalactone, known to deter mosquitoes. Plant this, along with mint and lemon balm, to create a zone that is inhospitable to gnats, mosquitoes and other pests. Buy Catnip Starter Plants from Walmart for bushy clumps loaded with high-potency, pest-repelling compounds.

Of course, one potential issue with growing catnip is that it can draw in cats. To keep birds safe, plant your catnip 10-12 feet (3-4m) away from the bird bath, on the far side of a protective barrier. This clever spacing creates an excellent, highly effective aromatic drift that purifies the air without creating a dangerous ambush point for visiting songbirds. Also, don't let it flower continuously if you want to maximize its bug-repelling leaf potency. Pink it back frequently so it keeps coming back strong.

7. Common Thyme

A popular culinary herb, common thyme is also an attractive ground cover. Grow it around the edges of your bird bath to create a natural, softer, and safer surface for birds. The edge of a bird bath can be slippery for little birds' feet. This creeping herb provides some grip to give birds confidence landing at your water source. Thyme is easy to grow, as it tolerates heat and loves full sun. It just needs soil that drains well, but otherwise it is easy to maintain in the growing season. Buy Creeping Thyme Starter Plants from Amazon for an aromatic plant mat around the bird bath.

Hardy in zones 2-10, varieties like 'Creeping Red' or 'Elfin' form dense, springy, texturized carpets that wrap around slippery stone or plastic rims. Furthermore, the warm, earthy scent of thymol is released every time a bird lands on it, creating protection against crawling pests and skeeters. Just don't allow mud or wet leaves to sit on top of its foliage, as it requires clean air circulation to do its best work.

8. Echinacea

We don’t often think of this as a herb, but echinacea is absolutely a herb, and it’s a great companion plant for a bird bath. It provides a useful food source for birds that eat seeds. Also known as coneflower, echinacea flowers produce abundant seeds in large cones in late summer. The large cones mature into nutritious seeds and will feed birds through fall and even into winter, depending on how many flowers you grow. Grow in full sun close to your bird bath. You can buy Greenwood Nursery Store Magnus Coneflower Live Plants from Amazon for vibrant bird-friendly blooms.

This must-have structural perennial, hardy in zones 3-9, bridges the gap beautifully between your water feature and the surrounding yard. While its coarse leaves offer excellent mid-tier cover during the high-heat spikes of July, the real magic happens once the petals fade and those giant, oil-rich seed cones can support American goldfinches, pine siskins, and tufted titmice. So do leave the dead flower heads intact on the stalks near your bird baths. Pair your echinacea with native grasses to create a high-reward playground right next to your splash pool.

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The prospect of sweet cherries is tantalizingly close as midsummer arrives. Cherry season usually peaks around this time, although the exact timing depends on your specific location, local weather conditions, and the type of cherry you are growing. If you’re cultivating sweet cherries like 'Bing', 'Rainier' or 'Stella' then a few timely tasks are going to influence the size, sweetness and bulk of your crop. Accomplishing these chores will have a direct impact on how sweet, juicy, and beautifully bird-free your harvest of summer cherries will be.

Fortunately, the work required for cherry tree care in July won’t break your back nor dampen your summer mood. These tasks are simple, fast, and intensely rewarding, as the payoff will be the sweetest, plumpest, and heaviest harvest of summer cherries you’ve ever had. But don’t put off these tasks: they are essential to protect and maximize the sugar and moisture content of your developing fruit.

You don’t want your precious fruits to fall foul of unexpected heat waves or sudden summer downpours. By stepping in with some simple deeds right now, you aren't just protecting this year’s bounty, either. You are also safeguarding the reserves your tree needs to return even stronger next season. So, here’s how to make the most of your July cherries and nourish your tree for future fruit.

Best Cherry Care in July

Taking time for cherry care in July is a win-win for your home orchard. Whether you live in a mild coastal zone or a blazing interior valley, cherry trees are under intense pressure to support heavy fruit loads while fending off seasonal pest surges. These basic care strategies prevent fruit splitting, premature dropping, and bird raids, ensuring your harvest lasts longer and tastes vastly superior across USDA zones 4-9.

These protective measures for cherries in early summer don’t just protect your harvests, they also replenish the tree. July is a great time to boost soil moisture, light penetration, and nutrient availability, to help your tree finish fruiting without depleting energy reserves. It also helps your tree transition into setting fruit buds for next year, protecting against biennial bearing, and keeping trees vigorous and productive for decades.

Before diving into these tasks, ensure your cutting tools are sharp, clean, and sterilized to prevent the introduction of systemic disease. Before adding anything else to the soil around your tree, check moisture levels in the ground using a soil diagnostic tool. The XLUX Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon can help you to gauge soil moisture deep within the root zone before you water or add any supplements.

1. Deep, Consistent Watering

Everyone knows that cherry trees need water to grow, thrive, and produce juicy fruit. But how much and how often depends on the growth stage and the weather. Sweet cherries are preparing to fruit and trees need deep, consistent watering. Temperatures are rising as we get to July. It’s easy to overcompensate by dramatically increasing the amount of water you give the tree, or watering twice a day. But this is neither ideal for the tree nor good for your summer cherry harvest. Instead, think deep, consistent watering to stop fruit from splitting.

Deep watering a cherry tree encourages strength and resilience, by encouraging the tree’s roots to dive deeper into the soil. You can deep water with a garden hose or a soaker hose, just as well as with a complex sprinkler system. Focus water around the drip line, not near the trunk (since this can cause disease). Go for a 50ft option such as the RainPoint 50Ft Flat Soaker Hose from Amazon. Try to set up a regular irrigation schedule and stick to it. Overwatering or inconsistent watering can cause cherries to split. Bear in mind that cherry trees in containers will dry out more quickly.

Aim for one deep soaking per week that penetrates 12-18 inches (30-45cm) into the ground, rather than shallow daily sprinkles. For container-grown varieties, check pots daily, as they can dry out entirely in a single hot afternoon, arresting fruit development and turning skin bitter. Use Pro-Mix Premium Moisture Potting Soil Mix from Walmart to help regulate water retention and enhance nutrient uptake.

2. Apply a Thick Mulch

Cherry trees grow best in soil that neither gets waterlogged nor dries out for long periods. Organizing your irrigation is an important step toward making this happen for your tree, but there’s another easy way to lock moisture into the soil beneath the tree and keep that soil cool, and that’s mulching. You may have mulched your trees in early spring, but by July we need to add more. Garden compost works well for cherry trees, but any well-rotted organic matter will do just fine. Try a sprinkling of an organic compost like Charlie's Compost from Amazon to help microbial life.

A properly applied midsummer mulch layer functions as a protective shield, reducing surface evaporation by up to 70%. When applying your organic matter, layer it 3-4 inches (8-10cm) thick, extending all the way out to the tree’s drip line where the active feeder roots reside. Don’t let the mulch touch the bark, though. Keep a clear 6-inch (15cm) ring around the base of the trunk. Burying the root flare traps moisture directly against the wood, inviting collar rot, fungal cankers, and boring insects. For an extra boost to your soil, consider mixing fine wood chips with rich leaf mold to encourage beneficial mycorrhizal networks that enhance nutrient uptake.

3. Deploy Bird Netting

We love to watch garden birds on our backyard feeders, but it’s not so pleasant to watch them chowing down on our ripening cherries. But face it, birds love to eat cherries, so a polite sign is not going to help. The trick is to cover your tree with bird netting before you think you need to (in other words, before the fruit turns red). If your tree is small enough, cover the whole structure. Otherwise, cover individual branches. Keep the netting above the fruits, stretch it taut, and fasten it securely.

For whole trees, try a zip-bag such as Homada Fruit Tree Netting Cover with Drawstring from Amazon for a tangle-resistant mesh that won’t harm wildlife. For targeted cluster protection, use Agfabric Fruit Protection Bags from Home Depot. These are great for wrapping individual high-yielding branches or protecting patio cherry tree crops with ease. For container trees, consider a fruit cage or move the trees into the greenhouse until fruiting is done.

When installing protective netting, pull the netting tight over a framework (like PVC pipes or bamboo stakes) to keep the mesh suspended away from the outermost branches. If the netting rests against the fruit, clever birds will sit on top of the mesh and peck through the holes. If it is taut like a trampoline, birds will fly away safely without getting caught. Look for a mesh size of 20mm or less.

4. Tackle Aphids and Cherry Blackflies

Bugs are obviously annoying, especially when they are crawling on our favorite plants and trees. But biodiversity is important, so don’t make it your goal to take out every cherry blackfly or cherry aphid you spot. Cherry blackfly (Myzus cerasi) is an aphid that sucks sap from the foliage. This insect overwinters on the tree as eggs, and the aphids hatch in summer. Check the undersides of the leaves this month. If they are covered with shiny black aphids, you’ve identified the issue. You may also see leaves that are crumpled and curled. However, the aphids will leave the tree in summer, so if the damage is not severe, it might be better to leave them.

While a minor aphid infestation won't ruin your crop, severe leaf curling can compromise the tree's ability to photosynthesize, reducing the overall sweetness of this year’s fruit. If you must intervene, avoid harsh chemical insecticides that harm native pollinators. Instead, use a firm, targeted blast of water to dislodge colonies, or apply a gentle organic insecticide or insecticidal soap late in the evening. Arber Organic Bio-Insecticide Concentrate from Walmart is an exceptional planet-safe biological treatment that targets sap-suckers. Alternatively, import predator bugs. You can get a box of live ladybugs at garden stores and let them eat the aphids.

5. Trim Gently for Light and Airflow

It’s not a good idea to do a major cherry tree prune while cherries are ripening, for obvious reasons. But after your cherry harvest, it is a good idea to prune in July. It’s useful to prune sweet cherry trees every year to keep them compact. However, it's more important for tart cherries, since they bear their fruit on the ends of the branches. If branches get long and scraggly, they can break under the weight.

If you are gentle and reasonable with your cuts, July trimming can open up the inside of the canopy to airflow and sunlight. Take a good long look at the tree first to determine which branches are causing blockage problems and limit your trimming to these. Using clean shears or pruners, remove the least amount possible to open up the canopy. Use team favorites Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears from Amazon, or Corona Forged Steel DualCUT Bypass Pruners from Walmart, for razor-sharp cuts that make clean, fast-healing cuts on fruit wood.

Cherry trees are highly vulnerable to fungal diseases like silver leaf and bacterial canker when pruned during cold, wet seasons. So the warm, dry midsummer window is perfect, as the exposed wood heals rapidly. Good pruning basics include removing dead, damaged, or diseased wood, alongside aggressive water sprouts shooting up through the center of the canopy. Opening up the center allows sunlight to reach the lower interior branches, which is beneficial for future ripening and sugar conversion.

Shop Cherry Care Essentials

Caring for your backyard orchard doesn’t have to be a chore. These pro-approved care essentials will streamline tree maintenance and help you give timely checks and support in a way that is kind to trees during their most energetic phase of the year, while also great for your pocket.

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Gardening in a small space can initially feel limiting, but it is actually a golden opportunity to throw out the old rule book, get creative, and think outside the box. The secret weapon for tiny patios, balconies or compact courtyards is container gardening. Planting in pots allows you to maximize every square inch of available space, and gives you the flexibility to rotate, shift, and restyle your displays as the seasons change or the sun moves.

The easiest plant combinations for a container garden are those that require similar conditions. For example, mixing desert succulents with tropical understory plants in one pot is asking for difficulties. Also consider size, and make sure one plant won’t overshadow another completely. Once you have addressed these considerations, you can think creatively and focus on high-impact visual design. And it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.

Flowers are obvious choices for pots, but they’re temporary. A great trend for 2026 gardening is to combine unexpected foliage textures. Strong plant texture contrasts create the illusion of depth and abundance in small spaces, while leaves give visual interest all season long. These unlikely container plant pairings break old design rules, and give unexpected combinations that are easy to source, put together, and maintain. So add some high-contrast, touchable drama with big impact texture in plants for small spaces that look instantly luxe.

Grow Texture Clashing Containers

The core principle for planting texture partners in containers is simple, and you don’t need to be a design guru to master texture clashing like a pro. Just look for plants with wildly opposing leaf shapes, surfaces, and growth habits, and plant them in tandem. When fine, wispy blades collide with massive, velvety leaves, a unique visual friction occurs that draws the eye, creating a dynamic sense of depth and luxury that simultaneously makes small yards look significantly larger.

Before you start assembling your design pairs, a little baseline preparation is essential to ensure your containers thrive all summer long. Always choose a pot with excellent drainage holes. Waterlogged roots will ruin a foliage display faster than any weather event. Since container plants rely on you for their sustenance, invest in a premium, lightweight potting medium rather than heavy backyard garden soil, which packs down and stifles root respiration.

To guarantee your dynamic duos have the perfect foundation, check your baseline moisture and soil conditions regularly. Use a soil meter or kit like the Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Test Kit from Amazon to ensure soil pH is balanced and the texture is well draining. Where your soil feels tired, add a little aged compost. If your potting mix feels a bit too dense for your chosen selections, you can easily alter its structure before planting.

For added drainage in your textured planter, add a little perlite or coarse sand. Add a handful of Hoffman Western Desert Sand for Potting from Walmart to create a lean, gritty environment. Conversely, if you are planting moisture-loving varieties, mixing in organic matter like premium compost or worm castings will help retain vital hydration. Once your pots are primed, match your plants to your specific sunlight patterns so your texture-clashing masterpieces will look stunning until first frosts.

1. Senecio ‘Angel Wings’ + Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’

This is a fun pairing of two plants that love hot weather and tolerate dry conditions. Both are native to warm regions, making them great options for container and patio growing. Give them pots with good drainage and a spot with full sun. From a texture perspective, this is an extreme contrast. Senecio ‘Angel Wings’ has large, chalky silver leaves with a velvety soft feel. ‘Diamond Frost’ is a shrubby perennial with delicate, small leaves that create a cloud of airy green leaves. Together, these two create a unique, silvery arrangement that looks luxe and modern.

Plant chunky, structural senecio slightly off-center as your focal thriller, and let the wispy euphorbia weave around its base as a filler. To give your euphorbia a quick boost at planting time, incorporate a tiny sprinkle of a slow-release granular fertilizer to help roots establish rapidly. Let the top two inches (5cm) of soil dry out completely between waterings to protect the velvety senecio leaves from rotting. This pair is hardy in USDA zones 8-11, and both are great summer annuals for northern patios. You can buy Angel Wings Senecio Live Plants from Amazon for frosty summer pop.

2. Blue Agave + Creeping Thyme

Blue agave has large, fleshy, and lance-shaped leaves that are a dusty blue-green or gray-green color, depending on the species and variety. Creeping thyme is the opposite, a low-growing groundcover with tiny, delicate leaves. Both thrive in warm weather and tolerate dry soil. This combination is special for their high contrasting foliage. Agave leaves spike upward and outward and are very thick, while thyme creeps along the edges and spills over the sides of pots with delicate and thin leaves. Together, they look like a unique desert landscape garden in a container.

Agaves have shallow but wide root systems, so choose a wide, bowl-style planter. To give these desert dwellers the sharp drainage they demand, amend a standard potting soil with coarse sand, grit or perlite. Position in your brightest, hottest microclimate, such as a concrete balcony or south-facing patio step. In midsummer, the thyme will erupt in tiny pink or purple blooms, adding a soft, fleeting wash of color against the blue agave's imposing, rigid spikes. You can buy Blue Agave Live Plants from Amazon.

3. Colocasia (Elephant Ear) + Maidenhair Fern

These are both warm-weather species that thrive in heat with rich, moist soil. They also both grow well in partial shade. The elephant ear plant is bold and dramatic, while maidenhair fern foliage is intricate and airy. The combination feels modern and fresh. Elephant ear species and varieties have very large leaves that come in a range of colors, even dusty purple-black and striped. Maidenhair ferns are mostly a shade of medium green. With this pairing, you can play with both texture and color. You can buy Maidenhair Fern Plants from Amazon for the ultimate texture-softener.

Give this pair a large, heavy ceramic or resin container to support the top-heavy weight of the elephant ears as they mature. Plant the maidenhair fern directly under the shadow of the massive colocasia leaves, which will naturally shield the delicate fern fronds from intense afternoon sunbeam. Top the container soil with a protective layer of Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from Amazon to lock in hydration and prevent evaporation.

4. Curly Parsley + Purple Fountain Grass

This is an interesting clash of textures and plant types. It’s not at all typical to match ornamental grass with an herb, but in this case it works in a very modern way. The curly parsley forms dense mounds of ruffled foliage, while the fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum') creates arching blades and feathery plumes. The contrast of the densely-packed parsley curls with the fountain of ribbon-like grass is delightful, as is the contrast of green against purple. Both of these plants grow best in full sun. Make sure the soil can drain well and keep it consistently moist.

Use the purple fountain grass as your central vertical thriller and encircle it with the curly parsley. Give the container a little general-purpose plant food every few weeks to keep both the edible leaves and the ornamental grass blades vibrant. Harvest the parsley from the outer edges all summer long to ensure the container maintains its pristine, balanced shape. You can buy Purple Fountain Grass Live Plants from Walmart for soft, kinetic movement in your container designs.

5. Phormium (New Zealand Flax) + Rex Begonia

Where New Zealand flax is spiky, Rex begonia is known for its ruffly leaves, but both are vibrant and splashy. The contrast of narrow, upright spikes, with broad, ruffled, foliage is highly versatile, and both plants give you a variety of colors to choose from. Both of these plants will grow best in bright, indirect light, dappled shade, or a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade. The soil should be rich and drain well, while also staying consistently moist.

Select a container color, like deep charcoal or brushed pewter, that complements the metallic silver or rich burgundy tones in your begonia leaves. Rex begonias can be sensitive to fungal issues and stem rot if their leaves stay wet overnight, so always water the base of the container. Snip away old, yellowing foliage from the base of the plant to maintain excellent airflow through the lower section of this dense, structural pairing. Buy Rex Begonia Flame Live Plants from Amazon for lush and sultry swirls.

6. Leatherleaf Sedge + Sweet Potato Vine

These two plants combine differing leaf shape and density to dramatic effect. Leatherleaf sedge (Carex buchananii) has narrow, wiry blades that grow upright before curling, while sweet potato vine trails over the edges of pots with wide, flat leaves. This sedge is bronze colored, while sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) is chartreuse or burgundy. This combination also provides a unique contrast between a grass that almost looks dormant and a vibrantly alive vine. Both thrive in full sun or light shade, and are easy to grow. They just need consistent watering over the summer. You can buy RedCrocus Sweet Potato Vine Deep Purple from Walmart.

This container setup is an excellent choice for framing front entryways or setting on a patio pedestal where the vine can cascade freely. Sweet potato vines are fast growers in the summer heat and can easily outpace the slower-growing sedge if left unchecked. To support the massive energy requirements of the trailing vine, feed this pot a balanced fortnightly nutrient blend such as Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer from Amazon.

7. Blue Spruce Stonecrop + Broad-Leaved Kalanchoe

Pairing succulents is an easy match. All succulents store water in their fleshy leaves, so they tolerate or even thrive in dry, sandy soils. This combination also grows well in full sun and plenty of heat. They’re great for sunny, hot areas where you might not water often. Blue spruce stonecrop (sedum) is a low-growing, carpet-like plant with narrow, blue-green, fleshy leaves. Kalanchoe has broad, fleshy leaves. Look for varieties with the broadest leaves for the biggest contrasting impact. Kalanchoe luciae (flapjack) has pancake-like leaves, while K. beharensis (felt plant) has large, triangular leaves with a fuzzy texture, and standard florist kalanchoe (K. blossfeldiana) has glossy leaves with scalloped edges.

Under the stress of full summer sun, the edges of the flapjack kalanchoe leaves will turn a brilliant, fiery red, amplifying the intense color contrast against the icy-blue sedum. Plant this succulent duo in a terracotta pot, so the soil medium can breathe and dry rapidly. Water only when the potting mix is bone-dry, and avoid heavy fertilizers. These hardy plants prefer a lean, rugged environment. You can buy Blue Spruce Stonecrops from Amazon.

Shop Texture Superstars

Ready to bring these high-contrast, texture-clashing designs to life in your own yard? Investing in robust live plants is the fastest way to achieve instant volume and designer flair on your patio without waiting months for seeds to mature. These premium, curated selections establish rapidly into warm summer potting soil, ensuring your small spaces look lush, high-end, and vibrant with minimal fuss.

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Gardening life is full of the unexpected, like discovering a rogue tomato plant growing randomly behind my ranunculus, or (less good) finding a snail hiding in my hanging basket this morning (seriously, how?). But in the realm of things that are totally expected, my mixed cosmos plants are starting to rise, and I couldn’t be happier to see their delicate, feathery foliage dancing in the breeze.

Few annuals capture the carefree, sun-drenched spirit of summer quite like cosmos. However, recent heat waves have me feeling hyper-vigilant, and the initial excitement of my spring cosmos planting is quickly morphing into the reality of grappling with blistering midsummer sun. Left to their own devices in the heat, cosmos can quickly lose their structural integrity. So if your plants look tired or overwhelmed by the elements, you’re definitely not alone. July is the tipping point for these generous bloomers, and a little focused attention right now is exactly what they need to thrive.

Intense summer sun can trick cosmos into a reproductive panic almost as quickly as flowers start arriving, accelerating the process of setting seed rather than pushing out new flower buds. All that dizzy energy can leave plants exhausted. Without help, your beloved late summer blooming flowers will prematurely shut down before they hit their prime. So the stakes are high if you want to dodge this midsummer slump. Luckily, there are some easy ways to safeguard your cosmos from these seasonal stressors. Just a few little gestures now will yield sturdier stems, larger flower heads, richer color saturation, and an extended flush of cosmos that lasts right until fall frost.

Make Time for Cosmos in July

Some of these July essentials will hinge on when you planted your cosmos. Spring-sown varieties will be presenting feathery foliage and a scattered preview of their first vibrant blooms. Meanwhile, young cosmos are still developing the structural foundation for their floral debut. But no matter where your plants are at, midsummer represents the crossroads for their full seasonal potential. The simple steps you take right now will dictate whether you see staggering fall cosmos or premature collapse.

Cosmos thrive in USDA hardiness zones 2-11, but regional variations may throw up more humidity (in the south) or arid conditions (in the west). Regular checks are key to plant health. A minimum of 6-8 hours of sunlight daily is non-negotiable, or else those hard-working stems will weaken and flop. It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on soil moisture levels. Your cosmos needs fast-draining, lean conditions. You can buy the highly rated XLUX Deep Probe Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon to gauge moisture levels at the deep root zone without disturbing fragile root networks.

It is a common misstep to pamper your cosmos plants with rich soils. Planting cosmos in highly organic beds will backfire. They crave poor-to-average soils, so don’t fuss with too many fancy amendments. When forced to struggle slightly, their survival instincts kick in, and that’s ironically what triggers that abundance of flower heads. Just ensure decent spacing between plants, as a crowded patch restricts airflow and runs the risk of powdery mildew. Aim for 12-15 inches (30-38cm).

Now for these quick July cosmos tweaks! They’re really not going to take long, and I promise they will greatly improve the vitality, strength, saturation and abundance of your display. Just find yourself 10 minutes and a mild day, and your cosmos will thank you with a vibrant, long-lasting display redolent of a bloom factory.

1. Support and Staking

Providing reliable structural support is one of the most critical things you can do for your cosmos in July. These high-octane bloomers grow with mad speed during the long, warm days, so their top-heavy blooms can quickly outpace the strength of their stems. And spring-sown cosmos varieties have reached a height where they are susceptible to shifting winds. So take action now to help the gang maintain their mighty stature.

In borders or raised beds, the most efficient method is a grid technique. Instead of staking every single stem (who has the time, friends?), simply slide sturdy bamboo canes or wooden stakes carefully into the ground around the perimeter of the plant cluster, spacing them 2-3 feet (60-90cm) apart. Weave soft jute twine between the stakes to create a supportive matrix the cosmos can lean against. Buy Bamboogro 4Ft Natural Stakes from Walmart for back-of-border cosmos varieties, and soft twine like Kinglake Green Jute from Amazon to keep stems in check without friction or stem slicing. Allow for a bit of natural sway.

If you are growing cosmos in containers, opt for low-profile, circular link-stakes or a miniature dark green trellis slipped into the back of the container. This keeps the presentation uncluttered while preventing calamity during high summer gusts. Do a little ‘wobble test’ once a week, just to be on the safe side, and adjust accordingly.

2. Smart Watering for High Heat

Smart watering: what’s that? You might well ask. Basically, when it comes to potentially heavy bloomers like cosmos, the way you water directly impacts longevity. It’s tempting to give flower beds quick, daily sprinkles. But this superficial watering keeps moisture trapped in the top inch of soil, which quickly evaporates and forces the plant's roots to stay near the surface, which isn’t good for them in the heat. A different approach is needed to ensure plants remain crisp, vibrant, and strong.

What your cosmos needs in July is deep hydration. Instead of a daily splash, give your plants a thorough soak a couple of times a week, ensuring the moisture penetrates 6 inches (15cm) into the earth. Watering the base of plants allows you to direct hydration where it is needed. For larger drifts of cosmos, try an automated or manual low-pressure soaker hose system. Try the Water Right 50-Foot Soaker Hose from Amazon for uniform, slow hydration for healthier root zones.

Potted cosmos have severely confined root zones and dry out with alarming speed. If the top inch of potting mix feels dry, water them thoroughly until moisture runs out of the drainage holes. Check daily, and water early in the morning to give your cosmos time to absorb the moisture before the midday sun intensifies.

3. Controlled Feeding (But Not Too Much)

The most powerful tool in your cosmos care kit can often be restraint. This sounds like a strange thing to put in an action plan for July, but hear me out. I get the urge to sprinkle feeds and supplements hither and yon, but cosmos detest being pampered. Remember what I said about them responding better to a little bit of struggle? When these plants receive an excess of nutrients (particularly nitrogen), the plant starts producing a mass of leaves, forgetting to push out flower buds. So the better course of action now is to go sparing with any extra goodness.

For cosmos in beds and borders that are thriving, you can step away from the fertilizer entirely if the soil is average or poor. Only if your cosmos seem stunted or pale, or blooming has ground to a halt, do they require a minor pick-me-up. Opt for a small, diluted dose of a liquid organic fertilizer that is rich in phosphorus and potassium, which stimulates root vitality and blossom size rather than foliage growth. Gentle, organic tonics like liquid seaweed or kelp meal are nice low-stress options for July. For a light seaweed boost, add Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer from Amazon to protect your cosmos from intense sun and heat stress.

For containers, essential nutrients will likely be getting washed out much quicker. Treat potted cosmos to a half-strength, diluted dose of a liquid bloom-boosting formula just once or twice through the month. This tiny gesture keeps things balanced without overwhelming the roots. Try Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Bloom Booster Flower Food from Walmart for a little phosphorus lift (in low doses, only).

4. Strategic Pinching

Strategic pinching this month is one of the most effective ways to prod your cosmos into a multi-branched display (which means more heads, and more flowers). Left to their own devices, cosmos grow as single stems. They produce one lone flower at the top, before quickly becoming top-heavy, leaning into walkways, and prematurely setting seed. But if you pinch out the main growing tips, you double or triple your blooming power. The pinching process activates dormant side nodes along the stem, and the result is a flower party where everyone’s invited.

The way you pinch depends on plant maturity and growth stage. For successional or later-sown varieties that are 12-18 inches (30-45cm) tall but haven't generated flower buds, July is prime time for a pinch. Use your fingertips or a sharp tip-pruning tool, like our team favorite Fiskars Micro-Tip Snips from Amazon, for clean cuts. Snip away the top couple of inches (5cm) of the main shoot, just above a sturdy set of leaves. This single action will multiply the number of lateral branches, creating a denser, sturdier plant canvas that can hold plenty more future blossoms.

For older, spring-sown cosmos varieties that are already tall but look leggy or top-heavy, you can try tip-pruning. Look closely down the stem to find a strong new branch junction, and prune the main stem back to that point. This keeps the overall shape tidy, encourages a fresh wave of blooms lower down the plant, and eliminates the risk of one stalk snapping and killing the party dead.

5. Deadheading

I’ve left the best until last. And I can’t believe I’m suggesting you ignore everything else in this guide, but if you can only do one thing for your cosmos this month, please make it deadheading. This is what transforms your plants into a seemingly relentless bloom factory. The science is both simple and profound: once a cosmos flower fades and forms a seed pod, it signals to the plant that its mission is complete. The plant will divert its energy away from flower production, causing new buds to grind to a halt. By removing cosmos heads now, you trick the plant to push out fresh blooms. Sorry, cosmos (well, sorry, not sorry).

It is virtually impossible to over-deadhead your plants, and it’s wise to do this at least twice a week, where you see flowers fading. But don’t yank the head off with your fingers. Instead, trace the spent flower stem down to the next node or set of healthy leaves, and make a clean, angled cut above that junction. This routine is the same across borders, raised beds, and containers. Save yourself a little back and forth while deadheading with a bucket or basket. Modanu Mesh Baskets from Walmart do excellent double duty as garden trimming carriers and picnic baskets. Oh, and in case you aren’t sure which buds are new and which are spent: new buds are round, hard, and chartreuse-green, while spent heads are cone-shaped and soft.

Shop Cosmos Companions

Keeping on top of your cosmos display deserves a reward. Investing in a few high-impact companion plants provides an insurance policy for a high-vibrancy summer. These floral partners carry plenty of visual clout and turn your beds and borders into a wealth of contrasting textures and relentless color, for an unforgettable late-summer display. Go on, treat yourself.

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For me, the epitome of lush and healthy lavender tends to be tied up with picturesque scenes of rolling hillsides, coated with fragrant purple. Trouble is, the reality of growing lavender can often be a little less picturesque (and how many of us are lucky enough to have rolling hillsides to fill with plants?). Summer comes round, and we hope for those nascent spikes of baby blooms – and it can be genuinely gutting when our own lavender plants seem to be losing their mojo.

Visions of intoxicating evenings inhaling evocative fragrance seem mocking when the reality is a sad, woody clump that looks like it’s giving up on life. It can be tough when you feel like you're doing everything right by your lavender. You’ve given it a sun-baked spot and resisted the urge to drown it, yet the blooms are sparse and the fragrance is barely a whisper. Seeing this quintessential tough beauty underperform, it's tempting to just chalk it up to fate and assume you don't have the magic touch.

But don’t give up just yet. The thing is, your lavender doesn't want to be pampered with expensive, rich fertilizers. In fact, the secret to unlocking a flurry of billowing summer blooms is likely hiding in a box of school supplies, by which I mean ordinary chalk. Now, I know, the idea of crumbling kiddie’s chalk into your flower beds sounds like a playground prank. But chalk really can work wonders for your glum-looking lavender in early summer, and here’s how it works….

Why Does Lavender Crave Chalk?

To understand why a humble piece of chalk can transform your lavender’s fortunes, consider where this fragrant diva feels most at home. Most backyard soil across the US is naturally rich, slightly acidic, and dense, which is basically the exact opposite of what lavender wants. Native lavender enjoys clinging to the sun-baked soils of Provence or the rugged coastal cliffs of Greece, and thrives in lean, alkaline earth.

Now, back to that packet of chalk. Standard white chalk is pure calcium carbonate. Basically, when introduced to your garden bed, it acts like a soothing antacid, neutralizing the acidity and mimicking the chalky, high-soil pH environment that your lavender is secretly homesick for. This gateway to high summer is your best chance to take action. As we hit the peak of the sunny season, your lavender is working overtime to push out those iconic spikes. By introducing chalk to your soil now, the plant has both the energy and the incentive to grab that chalk with gusto.

Of course, it’s all a balancing act, and chalk isn’t going to be a magic fix if your soil is claggy or sulking in full shade. But allowing for your lavender type, growing zone, sunshine exposure, and soil drainage, checking in with your soil pH levels is vital. When the soil is too acidic, lavender is unable to absorb the nutrients around it. By lifting that barrier, you allow the plant’s roots to freely drink in what they need to produce robust stems, vivid purple spikes, and potent essential oils.

What Kind of Chalk is Best?

If you are eyeing a dusty box of chalk in your kid’s art box or play closet, let’s clear a few things up. Yes, you absolutely can use traditional white blackboard and sidewalk chalk, which is primarily composed of calcium carbonate (the ingredient found in agricultural lime). However, leave the neon, glittery, and washable outdoor chalks alone. Those modern varieties are loaded with artificial dyes, polymers, and binders. Stick to plain, old-school white chalk. You can grab Crayola Anti-Dust White Chalk (12 Count) from Amazon for a safe calcium carbonate top-up.

The way you use it is also important, though: this isn’t about burying chalk sticks randomly in your borders. It’s best to apply your chalk either as a fine powder or a chalk tea. And don’t expect overnight results: this is a slow-release treatment. For growers who don't fancy tucking into art supplies for that chalk fix, you can also lower acidity in your soil by using agricultural lime or finely crushed eggshells or even oyster shells. They all do the exact same job: boosting alkaline levels for your lavender. You can buy Espoma Organic Garden Lime from Walmart. This granular garden lime is formulated to dissolve quickly into the soil with larger lavender beds.

How to Tell Your Lavender Needs It

Signs of an underperforming lavender plant are most apparent during June and July. Midsummer is the ultimate stress test: the sun is super-hot, and your lavender is likely burning through massive amounts of energy trying to push out those signature summer spikes. If your soil pH is off, this is when things grind to a halt quite noticeably. Telltale signs can involve yellowing on the lower leaves, while the rest of the plant stays a dull gray. If lavender growth has stalled, or you pinch a leaf and barely detect any sort of fragrance, your plant is sending out a definitive SOS.

If any of this describes your lavender right now, don’t panic: this is just a time to stage an intervention. Where the soil has likely become too acidic, this is your cue to take action, However, the maxim is: don’t guess, always test. Don’t just throw chalk into the mix before testing your soil first. Use a good diagnostic tool like the Luster Leaf Rapitest Digital Soil pH Meter from Amazon to get a precise reading of your soil's current acidity levels. It can let you know in minutes whether your lavender is genuinely homesick for an alkaline boost. If it reads below a neutral 7.0, it’s fine to get that chalk working for you.

Are All Lavenders Chalk Addicts?

Before you start sprinkling your new secret weapon, just bear in mind that not all lavenders share the exact same level of chalk dependency. Our yards are usually home to the Big Three lavender types (English, French, or Spanish), each with their own personality. English lavender (L. angustifolia) is a real chalk lover. If you want sweet culinary blooms and potent oils, a high-soil (alkaline) pH is non-negotiable. French (L. dentata) and Spanish (L. stoechas) lavenders are slightly more laid back about a neutral soil, but they still heavily rely on the structural calcium that chalk provides to develop strong, heat-resistant stems.

Plant age matters, too. Tender, young transplants need a gentle hand so you don’t shock their developing roots. Woody, established old-timers will happily welcome chalk to rejuvenate their stale beds. Where you are growing lavender in containers, take note: several commercial potting soils still have peat moss, which is acidic, so check the bag. Container-grown lavenders are susceptible to shifting soil conditions. Potted lavenders in container gardens can run out of steam quickly and almost always require a regular pinch of chalk to keep their root zones sweet.

If you’re looking to extend your lavender family, Southern Living Phenomenal lavender, available from Nature Hills Nursery, handles US humidity and summer stress like a champ. It pairs beautifully with a sweet, chalky soil mix.

How to Add Chalk to Your Soil

Transforming a stick of blackboard chalk into garden gold is simple. But again, please don't just bury a whole stick in the earth. Instead, place a couple of sticks of plain white chalk per plant into a heavy-duty zip-top bag. Use a rolling pin or a pestle and mortar to smash them into a coarse powder. Take your freshly crushed powder and gently sprinkle it around the drip line of your lavender. Using a light hand tool, carefully scratch the chalk into the top two inches (2cm) of the soil, being careful not to dig too deep or disrupt the shallow root system. Dutch-crafted DeWit Forged Hand Cultivator from Amazon is a lovely hand tool for delicate soil scratching.

There is an alternative, especially if you have a container-grown lavender or a plant that is actively sulking in a heatwave: you can use chalk tea. Dissolve your crushed chalk powder directly into a watering can, giving it a vigorous stir, and then pour around the base of the plant. Whichever method you choose, give the area a light, gentle drink of water immediately. This helps to further dissolve the calcium carbonate particles and wash them down to the root zone, where they can get to work. However, when if you think you need faster results, you can use a bit of Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal Plus for Acidic Soil from Lowe’s for a fast-acting calcium formula that gives instant root relief.

Best Summer Care for Your Lavender

Once your chalk has been watered in, you can step back. In the blazing heat of July and August, watering sobriety is advised. Overwatering in a heatwave can steam the roots and trigger root rot. Instead, if you do wish to give your lavender a little TLC in the weeks after adding your chalk, try a light midsummer haircut. Use sharp bypass pruners to snip away faded flower spikes, cutting to the first two sets of green leaves. Don’t cut into the woody part, which will stunt the plant. Trimming forces the lavender to channel its newly unlocked energy into fresh, fragrant growth.

While feeding is not generally necessary in summer, you can treat your lavender to a teeny splash of organic liquid seaweed or tomato feed. A liquid tonic like Neptune's Harvest Seaweed Fertilizer from Walmart can help to deliver a gentle, potassium-rich multivitamin hit that intensifies flower color. Finally, if you have organic wood mulch packed around your lavender, replace it with a clean ring of light-colored pea gravel such as best-selling Kolor Scape 0.5 cu. ft. Multicolor Pea Gravel from Lowe's. This protects the root crown from rot and reflects the hot summer sunlight back up into the foliage, keeping the base of your plant bone-dry.

Shop Lavender Essentials

Bringing out the best in your lavender doesn't require plenty of pricey extras. However, a few little care treats can make a huge impact on plant health, flower volume, and essential oil production. This curated trio can help you nurture your favorite fragrant shrubs through the summer heat and set them up for a breathtaking extended season of vibrant color and gorgeous fragrance. Chalks away!

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Shopping for a new raised garden bed can feel a bit like standing in the middle of a crowded plant nursery: where do you begin? Unlike shopping for plants, it’s not as if you can buy in bulk. I get it, these really can feel like big purchases, and you’ll want to know that the raised bed you pick is durable, generous, and nice to look at, while also blending well with the aesthetic of your yard, patio, or balcony.

Do you fancy heavy-duty steel or warm, natural wood? Do you need a vertical tiered setup to save your back, or a built-in trellis for climbing crops? Trying to balance durability, drainage, and style with a price tag that doesn't make your eyes water is enough to cause serious overwhelm. Well, panic no more, because this guide to the best Amazon Prime Day deals for raised beds can help you skip the endless scrolling. This curated cart-friendly collection hones in on the uber-cool raised bed bargains that can truly raise your growing game while saving you cash.

Maybe you’re just starting out and want something simple, or maybe you’re feeling adventurous and like the idea of building out (or up!) from an existing raised bed plot? This “best of the best” raised bed bonanza covers off some of the loveliest and most practical picks currently available with generous price reductions as part of the Prime Day Event. Take advantage of some of the most bargain-stuffed beds around, freeing you up to focus on your next big planting project – and spending that extra cash on even more plants (don’t worry, we won’t tell).

Big & Beautiful

Raised beds are intended to be practical but that doesn’t mean they can’t look good. They’re going to be housing some precious cargo, after all. Just like a picture frame defines something beautiful, the right bed can also be a thing of beauty. These stylish raised bed ideas balance impressive functionality with sleek aesthetics, all while helping you score generous discounts. Whether you’re after an extra-deep bed for root vegetables or a greenhouse-style combo for large-scale growing adventures, these big and beautiful beds offer longevity, weather resistance and plenty of room.

Compact Corners

If you’re like me, space is not something you have loads of – which is why I love these smaller-sized raised beds, as they still hold their own for all kinds of growing projects. If you are working with a cozy patio, a sun-drenched balcony, or a spare corner of a paved courtyard, compact raised beds are your ultimate ticket to raising your growing game. These space-saving designs prove that limited square footage shouldn't limit your ambitions. You can grow high-yielding salad greens, tumbling patio tomatoes and vibrant ornamentals outside your back door: no digging required.

Tiers and Trellises

When horizontal ground space is at a premium, the only way to go is up. Vertical gardening is one of the smartest ways to maximize your space, turning bare walls, tight patios, or blank fences into lush towers of verdant joy. Choosing a raised bed that features built-in tiers or integrated trellises allows you to cultivate deep-rooted vining plants alongside shallow-root herbs. These multi-dimensional setups create a striking structural focal point, while giving climbing crops like sugar snap peas, pole beans, and flowering jasmine the sturdy support they need to reach for the sky.

These raised garden deal ideas are for a limited time – so don’t miss out. Whether you’re after a compact unit or a big-capacity beast, these super-bargains are sure to take your gardening adventures to the next level. Don’t forget to keep your eye out for any Clip Coupon boxes as part of these deals. A lot of garden brands stack an extra 10-20% off coupon on top of official Prime Day discounts, so you might bag an even bigger bargain.

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I’m spending time on my mountain in France, waiting for the canicule the radio is predicting, with temperatures rising to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7°C). Here in Basque Country, the weather can top out at 70-75° (21-24C) during June. But the climate has warmed and I, for one, am grateful for all the trees I’ve planted. With my land full of mature trees, I feel sheltered from the worst of the heat. Oaks, chestnuts, and beech all provide excellent shade. That said, small shade trees are also useful, creating a mid-tier pocket of cooling shelter in areas of partial shade.

You might wonder, if an area is already cast in shadow, why on earth does it need a tree for cooling shelter? Well, while a high house wall or an overhanging neighbor’s roof can block direct sunlight, they can also trap radiant ambient heat, turning small courtyards and dark corners into stagnant, stuffy pockets. Introducing a mid-tier understory tree for shady areas breaks up this dead air. The process of transpiration (where leaves release moisture into the atmosphere) acts as a sort of natural air conditioner, lowering ground-level temperatures right where you sit.

If you seize the June planting window, you’ll get an immediate head start on reclaiming these underutilized areas of your yard, before any heatwaves bake the soil solid. There are a host of lovely smaller trees you can consider. These hand-selected small trees are adapted to limited sunlight, transforming parts of your yard you probably never thought were good for growing. These lovely small trees that grow in shade can filter breeze, offer visual privacy, and provide majestic shape and color that shifts gracefully from summer through to winter. These special trees are really cool, and they will help you stay cool, too.

Small Shade Trees for Color and Structure

Successfully integrating a small shade tree into a compact and partially shaded yard just requires a quick assessment of your available vertical space and soil condition. Understory trees naturally grow beneath a larger forest canopy, meaning they are hardwired to thrive on limited sunlight. However, small yards often suffer from soil compaction due to construction. Depending on your local climate, hardiness zone and nearby buildings, your yard can also suffer from dry shade, a common issue where dense overhead structures block natural rainfall from hitting the ground.

To guarantee your new tree establishes itself rapidly with a June planting, you must cultivate a loose, highly welcoming root zone. Before planting your tree, make sure your soil is in good condition. Use a comprehensive soil diagnostic tool like the Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Tester from Amazon to check pH and nutrient levels. That way, you won't inadvertently plant an acid-loving specimen into highly alkaline concrete-adjacent earth before you have made necessary amendments.

If your soil is dense, heavy clay, or stripped of vital nutrients, mix a mycorrhizal-infused amendment, like Wakefield Biochar Premium Compost with Mycorrhizal Fungi from Lowe's, into the wider planting hole. Organic biochar will stimulate root branching in young small trees for shade. It’s great for June planting, helping to lock in the moisture needed to carry your tree through its first summer.

Here are seven small shade trees that grow fast and are lovely in a small landscape. Don’t procrastinate! Add these dinky shade-friendly beauties now for years of cooling shelter and transform the smallest courtyard into a multi-dimensional retreat.

1. Japanese Maple (Bloodgood)

Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are beautiful small trees that grow in shade. They are among the trees with four-season appeal, offering blossoms in spring, lush green or burgundy foliage in summer, fiery fall foliage, and eye-catching bark in winter. Yes, they will grow in sunny spots too, but do best when you give them protection from hot afternoon sun. There are as many Japanese maple trees as there are stars in the sky. One we particularly like is the ‘Bloodgood’ cultivar. It grows rapidly and matures to about 20 feet (6m) tall and wide. The cultivar name refers to the bright red leaves in springtime. Plant in dappled shade with well-draining soil. These diminutive beauties thrive in USDA hardiness zones 5-8.

The 'Bloodgood' cultivar holds its rich wine color through the blistering heat of midsummer. From April through October, this tree behaves like a living stained-glass window, beautifully filtering soft understory light. Just ensure it is protected from harsh winds that can scorch its delicate, palmately lobed leaves. For a texturally diverse layout, underplant with low-growing Japanese forest grass or blue hostas. Buy ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese Maple Trees from Fast Growing Trees for exquisite foliage all summer long and excellent cold-hardiness.

2. Pagoda Dogwood

Got a shady spot in the landscape? Plant a pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)! This easy-going, easy-growing species grows fast, but stays small enough for smaller landscapes. Pagoda is particularly lovely with its alternating tiered branches. In its preferred partial shade location, it will top out at 15-25 feet (5-8m) tall. The new foliage grows in a shade of purple-red. Spring brings flattened clusters of pale yellow flowers. These are followed by bluish-black berries that hang on the trees through winter, providing winter interest. This dogwood grows up to 2 feet (60cm) per year. It grows best in dappled sunlight in understory conditions in zones 3-7.

I love this tree’s tier-layered branching structure. Its open horizontal habit allows filtered light to pass through gracefully, creating an eye-catching sculptural focal point in dim courtyards. Apply a 3-inch (8cm) layer of organic mulch across the root zone to keep its shallow root system cool and damp. Underplant with native woodland ferns or wild ginger for a serene, low-maintenance shade sanctuary. You can buy Pagoda Dogwood Trees from Amazon for striking structural elegance.

3. American Hornbeam

This small hardwood shade-loving tree (Carpinus caroliniana) is native to the east coast of North America. It is also known as musclewood, because its fluted trunk and branches resemble muscle tissue. It’s an appropriate nickname, since the wood is very strong. Hornbeam grows slowly and tops out at 25 feet (8m) tall. Its foliage is dark green until fall, when the leaves blaze orange before falling. It thrives in zones 3-9.

American Hornbeam is great for urban environments, demonstrating glorious resilience even in heavy clay soil, occasional pooling water, and deep structural shade. Its summer canopy is dense and crisp, providing a superb privacy screen as well as cooling relief. Give it plenty of space to exhibit its smooth, fluted bark, which provides architectural interest even in winter. It pairs brilliantly with spring ephemerals like bleeding hearts or native columbines. Buy American Hornbeam Trees from Fast Growing Trees for impeccable structural growth.

4. Common Serviceberry

The name “serviceberry” makes this species sound like a short bush, but it’s not. Common serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is one of the small shade trees that grow to about 25 feet (8m). It offers year round interest with snowy white spring blossoms, dazzling late summer and autumn foliage, tasty fall berries, and lovely winter bark. Serviceberry is native to North America and makes a great garden tree. The fruits are delicious and can be eaten right off the tree. These multi-season beauties grow in zones 5-9, and can also grow in full sun.

Don’t neglect annual pruning, since good airflow is crucial. It’s a good idea to selectively prune out crowded inner branches during late winter to protect against rust and powdery mildew. Surround its base with a soft carpet of creeping phlox or bunchberry to catch any falling fruit and create a lush, edible garden aesthetic. You can buy Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry Trees from Fast Growing Trees.for glorious disease-resistant foliage and many years of refreshing pleasure.

5. Fringe Tree

You won’t see the fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) in many of your neighbors' yards. It is uncommon outside of its native range tree in the eastern United States, but it is utterly lovely if you can track one down. This small tree offers showy white flowers in late May and June which are extremely fragrant and look like clouds of hanging lace. Fringe tree leaves turn bright yellow in autumn. When they fall, you can enjoy the tree’s striped bark. The fringe tree tops out at 20 feet (6m) tall and makes a great specimen tree. These trees are hardy in zones 3-9.

This tree adapts flawlessly to partial shade understories and can easily tolerate tricky, damp soils. Look for female trees for the added benefit of its late-summer navy blue fruits, which local songbirds adore. Frame your fringe tree with deep green evergreens like rhododendrons or yews, to give those luminous white blooms a dramatic backdrop. You can buy White Fringe Trees from Amazon for a plentiful fragrant, flowering display and effortless cooling shade.

6. Vine Maple

Vine maple (Acer circinatum) is native to northern California and southern Oregon, a small deciduous tree that prefers shady settings. This little maple grows to 20 feet (7m) tall, often in the understory of taller trees, and can also grow in open sites. Planted in part-sun settings, vine maple turns into an upright, bushy tree, but when it grows in deep shade, it sprawls close to the ground. In early spring, tiny but beautiful red and white flower clusters appear. Foliage is tinged with red in spring, but matures to vibrant green. In the fall, trees that get some sun develop fiery tones. Check out ‘Pacific Fire’ with its bright red stems, or ‘Sunglow’ with peachy spring leaves that fade to chartreuse in fall. These trees are hardy to zones 6-9.

This maple shows great versatility in shaded urban spaces. In dense shade, its branches twist and drape, creating an artistic shape. You can take advantage of its sprawling habit to soften harsh structural fence lines or heavy stone retaining walls. Pair it with shade-loving companions like Western sword fern or bunchberry to create an authentic woodland vibe. You can buy Vine Maple Trees from Wilson Bros Gardens for gorgeous multi-seasonal interest, which includes bright winter bark.

7. Pawpaw

The pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) is another North American native. It looks like a tropical tree and bears tropical-looking fruit: large, edible pawpaws that taste like a blend of banana and mango flavors. You aren’t likely to see pawpaw fruits in your local grocery store, since they don’t last long once picked. That makes planting one in your yard a special joy, but you’ll need two different trees for pollination. Pawpaw trees grow to 25 feet (8m) tall and 15 feet (5m) wide. In the wild, they grow as small shrub-like trees in a shaded forest understory, but they get taller and straighter when grown in dappled shade. They thrive in zones 5-8.

Pawpaw brings a lush tropical aesthetic, showing off huge, drooping, foot-long leaves that create a dense canopy of cooling shelter. In mid-spring, branches produce velvety maroon blossoms before the leaves emerge, followed by clusters of custard-like fruits that ripen in September and October. Plant your pawpaws near a shady patio edge, alongside big-leafed caladiums or golden creeping Jenny, for a dramatic jungle theme. Buy Pawpaw Nursery Pots from Amazon for huge tropical leaves and (if you are lucky) those delicious banana-mango fruits.

Shop Shade Superstars

Introducing understory trees is an amazing long-term investment to help lower local temperatures and transform tricky, light-deprived zones into stunning focal points. These highly resilient varieties offer incredible structural diversity, encompassing everything from delicate white flowers to bold, tropical canopies. But they are really easy to manage once their roots anchor. Try these curated picks to add impact, beauty, and breezy relief to your yard for decades to come.

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Nothing deflates a summer evening outdoors faster than a lungful of someone else’s lighter fluid, or the exhaust drifting off a busy road. Patio season should be the easy part of summer – a drink, a chair, and the light going gold over the fence. Then a neighbor fires up the grill with a bit too much lighter fluid, and your hard-earned relaxation time is hijacked. Or you might find rush hour stacks up on the road out back, and the air suddenly smells like anything but a garden.

You can’t always stop these things from happening, of course – but the right fragrant plants can help you create a buffer of scent (a sort of fragrant force field or fragrant bubble, as it were) that allows you to reclaim your outdoor moments and enjoy your patio in peace. It comes down to choosing fragrant plants that actually push their scent around. These scented patio plants are backed by leaves that are thick enough to block out unwelcome aromas, while amplifying desirable fragrance.

By introducing these high-potency container plants and fast-growing shrubs this month, you can enjoy the benefits of gorgeous scent and privacy screens together. These fragrant plants for outdoors are also lovely to look at, so you can carry off this exceptional aromatic force field in style and enjoy the benefits all summer long. Here’s how to choose high-impact summer patio plants to make a beautifully scented sanctuary.

Best Plants for a Scent-Proof Patio

Fast results matter when summer’s already here, so these 8 fragrant plants lean toward quick establishment and a strong, reliable perfume. Most can be added and planted this June and be pulling their weight within weeks, whether in a border or a big container by the door. In order to create this aromatic forcefield around your patio, you just need to be mindful of local microclimates and plant behavior.

Consider your local USDA hardiness zone and wind direction. Position the highest potency, dense-foliage shields on the windward side of your patio to catch and diffuse incoming air pollution before it reaches your chairs. June planting can put young root systems up against intense summer heat waves. Focus on maximizing soil health inside patio containers or borders for rapid, deep root anchoring.

Before planting, make sure your soil is in good condition. Use a comprehensive diagnostic tool like the Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Tester from Amazon to check soil pH and nutrient levels. If your soil is heavy, tired, or dry, amend the drainage by adding a little coarse sand or perlite into the planting hole, or nourish the earth with some moisture-retaining organic matter. An amendment like Back to the Roots Organic Compost from Lowe's will lock in vital hydration and protect tender summer roots from early heat shock, ensuring an immediate explosion of defensive growth.

To prevent creating a cloying perfume overkill, where competing heavy scents clash like a department store counter, be sure to layer your plants based on their diurnal patterns. Some varieties unleash their essential oils under the blazing afternoon sun, while others wait for dusk to release volatile organic compounds. By mixing daytime performers with evening champions, you maintain a balanced, non-stop barrier against rogue odors – and all without exhausting your senses.

1. Mock Orange

Few shrubs announce June quite like mock orange (philadelphus). For a couple of weeks, it throws out clusters of white blooms that smell unmistakably of orange blossom, heavy enough to roll across a yard on a warm evening and bury whatever the grill is doing. It’s a big, arching plant (as high as 10 feet/3m in most gardens) so it works as a loose screen along a fence line, foliage filling in to soften both noise and sightlines. It thrives in zones 4-8, thriving beautifully in full sun to partial shade. The intense, citrusy perfume peaks during the late afternoon and warm June evenings, making it the perfect antidote to summer barbecues.

To maximize its impact, it demands sharp, well-draining earth. Pair it with dark purple salvias or low-growing catmint to create a stunning visual contrast while the mock orange handles the odor control. Prune it immediately after its flowering cycle wraps up, but don't cut back into old wood or you will sacrifice next year’s aromatic canopy. You can buy Proven Winners Illuminati Spice Mock Orange Plants from Amazon for an intense, rich orange-blossom smoke shield around your patio.

2. Star Jasmine

Got a railing you’d rather not see? Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) pulls double duty. The foliage is evergreen and glossy, holding all winter and screening long after everything else drops. By early summer, it’s covered in small white pinwheel flowers. That sweet, honeyed jasmine smell travels, too: you’ll pick it up across the yard. Grow up an obelisk or trellis, so twining stems have something to grab. A woody perennial vine in zones 8-11 (and an exceptional annual or overwintered plant further north), it is great for continuous scent. Its peak perfume release triggers as daylight fades, weaving a rich, honeyed shield.

Just provide consistent weekly moisture during its first summer to establish a deep root system. Plant it alongside trailing rosemary or silver dichondra, as the herbal notes perfectly balance its sweetness. You can buy Pixies Gardens Star Jasmine Plants from Walmart for a thick privacy screen of honeyed evening scent. Give it a year to find its feet, then it hits 10-15 feet (3-4.5m) and wants nothing but the odd trim. Full sun gets the most flowers, while part shade works, just a lighter show.

3. Gardenia

Gardenia (G. jasminoides) is a bit of a diva, but well worth the fuss. The smell genuinely stops conversations (thick and creamy, almost tropical), but the plant comes with demands. It wants acidic soil and steady moisture, and it feels the cold; let any of that slip, and it sulks. So keep this beauty in a pot. Fill a large pot with an ericaceous mix, and stand it by your chairs so the perfume lands where you sit. Somewhere cold? Bring it in before the first frost. Through summer, feed it something made for acid-lovers and shade it from harsh afternoon sun, and the waxy white flowers will keep coming for weeks.

This elegant evergreen perennial shrub thrives in zones 7-11. Its signature creamy fragrance lingers strongly throughout daytime hours and humid summer nights. Just add a dedicated iron supplement if you notice yellowing leaves with green veins. Frame container gardenias with acid-loving companions like dwarf blechnum ferns or trailing blue lobelia for a lush, moisture-retentive microclimate beside your patio lounger. You can buy Frost Proof Gardenia Plants from Nature Hills for a resilient, heavy-blooming variety that tolerates cold snaps and thrives in patio pottery.

4. Lavender

Lavender (lavendula) turns up on every list of scented patio plants, and fair enough. This fragrant beauty is tough and barely needs watering once it’s settled. What really sells it, though, is that the fragrance works even with nothing in bloom. One brush of the foliage does it. So put it somewhere you’ll make contact, like edging your patio. Every contact will release that clean, resiny smell. The English type takes cold better, while bigger hybrids flower harder and punch out a sharper note. Both want full sun and sharp drainage, and wet feet will finish them, so ease off on watering once roots take. A light shear after the first flush can buy a second, smaller round later.

This sun-lover is hardy in zones 5-9, and its essential oils are most volatile under midday heat, cutting cleanly through heavy barbecue smoke. Mix plenty of coarse sand or fine gravel into your potting medium to guarantee lightning-fast drainage. Pair with ornamental oregano or yellow coreopsis for a highly drought-tolerant shield that repels pests while refreshing your air. Buy Phenomenal French Lavender from Fast Growing Trees for a refreshing barrier against stale and smoky air.

5. Sweet Autumn Clematis

This one’s all about timing. While the rest of the garden packs it in for the year, sweet autumn clematis (C. terniflora) is just getting going. From late summer into fall it buries itself under tiny white stars, and the vanilla-almond smell carries way past wherever you planted it. Fair warning, though: it grows fast. A single season can put on 15-20 feet (4.5-6m), so give it a fence or a solid arch. This perennial vine is exceptionally hardy in zones 4-9, preferring a setting where its roots are shaded but its climbing canopy can enjoy full sunshine. Its potent scent reaches maximum strength under the late-afternoon sun.

The flip side of all that energy is that it self-seeds like mad in mild areas and shows up where you never put it. Chop it down hard in late winter, 12 inches (30cm) from the ground, and it comes back thicker and tidier. Plant alongside boxwood or blue star juniper to mask its bare winter base. Not much else hides an ugly chain-link fence this quick while smelling this good. You can buy Hirt’s Garden Stores Sweet Autumn Clematis Vine Plants from Amazon for late-summer structural screening.

6. Heliotrope

Stick your nose in a heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) and you’ll swear someone’s baking; it has a lovely warm vanilla scent, with a hit of cherry pie. Cherry pie is the old name people gave it, which tells you plenty. It’s a small plant, a foot or two (30-60cm) tall, so it tucks into a pot or window box, holding its deep purple flower heads down low, right at nose height when you’re seated. Frost kills it, so most folks grow it as an annual or haul it indoors for winter. It runs thirstier than lavender, too; let it bake bone-dry and it sulks. Keep pinching the dead heads off and it flowers all summer. Pound for pound, on a small patio, almost nothing throws this much smell.

Hardy in zones 10-11, it thrives in rich, consistently damp soil with full morning sun and light afternoon shade. Its comforting, bakery-sweet fragrance is steadily active throughout the day, intensifying in high-humidity. Deadhead faded violet clusters continuously to stimulate new blooms. Place heliotrope alongside chartreuse sweet potato vine or white bacopa for a lively color contrast. You can buy Heliotrope Plants from Walmart in groups of three, for dense, fruity pie-scented blocks.

7. Fragrant Roses

Nothing says perfumed garden quite like a rose, provided you pick for scent, not looks (plenty of modern roses were bred for color and lost the fragrance). Old garden roses (rosa) and the heavily perfumed modern shrubs (like ‘Fragrant Cloud’ or ‘Gertrude Jekyll’) definitely deserve a spot near a seating area, throwing real scent on warm, still evenings. Repeat-flowering kinds run from early summer to frost if you deadhead. They thrive beautifully in zones 5-9, demanding six hours of sunlight daily to fuel their blooms. Classic damask and tea aromas peak in the early morning as the dew evaporates, providing a refreshing morning shield against street exhaust.

Apply a thick layer of shredded bark mulch to protect roots and maintain moisture. Add some white alyssum or silver sage around the base of your rose containers to cover bare lower stems. Give roses sun and decent airflow, plus a yearly feed, and they reward the attention generously. Set one in a roomy container near the table and the perfume meets you before you’ve sat down. You’ll find a gorgeous range of Hybrid Tea Rose Varieties available from Nature Hills, many offering exceptional fragrance and continuous summer rebloom.

8. Flowering Tobacco

Save a spot for the evening crowd. Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) keeps its scent under wraps by day, then lets go at dusk. Its sweet, jasmine-ish perfume that arrives just as you’re heading out with a drink. For anyone who lives on their patio after dark, it’s your ultimate late-evening shield against neighborhood lighter fluid and smoky grills. The tall white varieties are especially potent. Nicotiana shoots up fast to 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5m) and flowers for months if you deadhead and water. Most are annuals, and are a cheap and quick way to plug a gap. Tuck a few in among chairs where the night scent settles, and the patio will get a second life after sundown.

Flowering tobacco loves rich, well-draining soil and a location with full sun or partial shade. Just handle with care, as all parts of the plant are toxic if ingested by curious pets. Nicotiana needs uniform, moderate moisture to sustain its trumpet blooms. Group these luminous beauties behind low-growing night phlox or dark leaf coleus for a glowing evening retreat that smells exquisite. You can get some lovely Nicotiana Seeds from Eden Brothers, including Lime Green and Sensation Mix.

Shop Fragrant Superstars

High-potency aromatic plants represent highly effective natural ways to neutralize intrusive neighborhood odors, while also adding an extra dimension of tranquility and harmony to outdoor spaces. Combining daytime citrus notes with rich evening honey undertones creates a multi-layered fragrance shield that effortlessly takes care of the dirty work. Make some room for these potent and pretty summer scent heroes.

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Big, bold, colorful, and dazzling: these are the words that naturally pop into our minds when we picture our summer borders. We’ll often spend fortunes hoping to keep that early-summer color palette firing on all cylinders. And, typically, what we tend to imagine are dazzling perennial flowers with bright, showy blooms. But often, the joy that comes from vibrant blooms can leave your garden looking exhausted by June. Flowers are lovely, but their displays can be fleeting. Once their petals drop, you’re often left with a mass of plain, uninspiring green stems.

Furthermore, while flowers are pretty, foliage lasts longer. And foliage can be big, bold, colorful, and even dazzling. Pick the right foliage plants, and you’ll get jaw-dropping foliage that is often more impressive than the flower show. June is a great time to introduce some high-impact architectural foliage heroes into your garden beds and borders. By shifting your focus to hard-working perennials, you aren’t just planning for a quick burst of color, you’re also securing a lush, structurally gorgeous framework that anchors your yard from early summer to first frost.

The best part? Getting these vibrant foliage superstars settled now is simple and yields immediate, long-lasting rewards. We’ve lined up the hardest working foliage plant ideas to deliver structural, colorful foliage as well as flowers. Whether you’re dealing with sun-baked backdrops or damp, shady corners, these multi-talented gems offer a texture-rich appeal that pulls together different parts of your yard, just as it helps you transition between seasons with effortless style. Discover the assorted foliage plant heroes that prove leaves can easily steal the show!

Perennials for Showstopping Foliage

Have you ever said, "Oh, it’s just a foliage plant"? Trust me, you will never utter those words again once you meet these stunning, leaf-forward perennials. When leaves are this massive, deeply textured, or intensely colored, they easily outshine even the most delicate blossoms. To get the best out of these leafy icons, regardless of your USDA hardiness zone, just keep a few basic rules in mind.

Some of these perennials crave full-sun environments to deepen their pigments, while others require a damp, dappled retreat to protect variegated surfaces from getting scorched by aggressive UV rays. Make sure you know which zones best suit your plant, and choose foliage perennials with the best regional fit.

Before you plant, ensure you are setting these perennials up for long-term success, and check underground conditions first. Carry out a quick reading with a soil moisture tool, such as the XLUX Long Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon. This will help you ensure good drainage and moisture retention, so plant roots don’t risk sitting in stagnant puddles. Verifying hydration will also ensure your lively leafy perennials can handle any afternoon sun.

Topdress new foliage plants with a layer of organic compost to fuel massive leaf production without forcing leggy growth. Then you can decide which of these foliage beauties best fits your space. Remember, some foliage plants love shade, while others need full sun, so pick wisely!

1. Heuchera (Coral Bells)

Coral bells (Heuchera spp.) are mounding shade-loving perennials with pretty flower spikes. They bring gorgeous color, texture, depth and variety to the darkest corners of your yard. While pollinators appreciate their delicate, airy blooms, the real magic of these plants is generally in their lively scalloped leaves. The species plant offers leaves in lime green, wine, silver, purple, and nearly black. But if you pick a cultivar, there are plenty of other glorious options.

With standout cultivar 'Caramel', the ruffled leaves emerge in sun-kissed gold before deepening into a velvety apricot shade. Coral bells thrive in zones 4-9, requiring only a rich, organic soil that drains sharply. To create maximum drama, plant alongside fine-textured Japanese forest grass or wide-leaved blue hostas. Make sure to plant in partial or filtered shade, as intense afternoon sun will bleach those rich pastel tones. Don't let them sit in soggy, clay-heavy puddles, as their shallow root crowns are susceptible to winter rot. There are some amazing heuchera varieties available from Nature Hills, including lush Forever Purple Coral Bells.

2. Sea Holly

If you want to inject some dramatic metallic architecture into your backyard, sea holly (Eryngium planum) is highly memorable. This sun-worshipping marvel produces striking, thistle-like steel blue flower heads. However, its spiny-toothed, bluish-green foliage and intricate silver veining can steal the spotlight all season. Growing up to 3 feet (90cm) tall in USDA zones 5-9, it forms dense, structural clumps that look like living sculptures. It is highly prized for its unique, coarse texture and its rare ability to flourish in poor, sandy, bone-dry soils where other plants might wither.

For an unforgettable summer border setup, position sea holly next to soft, feathery ornamental grasses or bright yellow yarrow to make that icy blue pop. Full sun is mandatory to help it develop its signature metallic sheen. Don't overwater it or amend the soil with heavy fertilizers, though. This tough customer thrives on neglect, and too much rich food will cause those spiky stems to flop lazily. Buy Votaniki Blue Glitter Sea Holly from Amazon to add structural edge to sunny dry borders.

3. Japanese Forest Grass

For fluid movement and illumination in dark corners, flowers need not apply when it comes to Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'). This perennial forms a dense, cascading mound of slender, 10-inch (25cm) golden leaves adorned with delicate emerald-green stripes. It ripples beautifully in the slightest summer breeze, mimicking a sunkissed waterfall pouring over your border edges. While loose panicles appear in midsummer, they are secondary to this weeping ribbon of gold that brightens USDA zones 4-9.

Plant as a lush groundcover in partial or dappled shade, and pair it with broad, dark purple foliage plants for a high-contrast visual. Don't let the soil dry out during summer heatwaves, though. Consistent, uniform moisture is the secret to keeping delicate leaf tips from turning brown and crispy. This is an easy garden guest and requires little maintenance. You can get similarly bright chartreuse All Gold Japanese Forest Grass from Nature Hills for impressive cascading structure.

4. Blue Hosta ('Sieboldiana')

Hostas are the classic foliage champions of the shade garden, but 'Sieboldiana' takes things to another level of grandeur. Cultivar H. 'Sieboldiana' features colossal, 10-inch (25cm), heart-shaped leaves, bathed in silvery slate blue. You can get them bluer if you plant them somewhere with light sun. As the season progresses into late summer, the foliage develops a gorgeous, deeply puckered texture that adds structural depth in zones 3-9. While pale lavender flowers ascend in July, the true prize is the massive, cool-toned foliage.

Place your blue hostas alongside fine-fronded ferns or bright chartreuse coral bells. Plant in full to partial shade, and avoid harsh afternoon sun which will melt away the delicate waxy coating. Slug protection is also a good idea, as these magnificent leaves are a magnet for hungry pests. Buy Hosta Sieboldiana Elegans Live Plants from Amazon for the ultimate jumbo blue-shade anchor.

5. Ligularia ('Britt Marie Crawford')

For gardeners who want maximum, unapologetic drama, 'Britt Marie Crawford' ligularia has enormous, glossy, rounded leaves with a dark chocolate-purple hue on top and maroon undersides. Unlike many dark plants that fade to green in summer, this cultivar holds this lush, deep pigmentation all season long. In midsummer, the plant additionally launches 3-inch (8cm) golden-orange daisies, creating a high-contrast display in sun or partial shade with zones 4-9.

This 4-foot (1.2m) tall perennial beauty looks stunning as a back-of-the-border accent, especially when paired with lime-green hostas or gold-variegated forest grass. Plant in a consistently damp, moisture-rich location. It loves soggy ground, making it perfect for rain gardens or pond edges. Don't allow this plant to sit in full afternoon sun, or these dramatic purple leaves will wilt in protest. You can buy Perennial Farms Rocket Live Plants from Amazon for a low maintenance, high impact perennial.

6. Siberian Bugloss (‘Jack Frost’)

Close your eyes and picture a huge, shimmering silver, heart-shaped leaves with green edging. Now say hello to the Jack Frost cultivar of Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla), an incredible foliage plant that grows like a champ in partial to full shade and thrives in zones 3-8. While it produces a sweet mist of forget-me-not flowers in the spring, it is grown primarily for this luminous, crackled silver foliage that lights up dark, gloomy garden spaces all summer long.

Reaching 2 feet (60cm) tall and wide, it makes an exceptional groundcover or specimen plant when paired with solid-green ferns or dark-leaved coral bells. Don't leave it untended as winter approaches, though, and prune away spent leaves at the end of the season to keep the crown clean and healthy for next year's flush. Buy Jack Frost Brunnera Live Plants from Nature Hills for shimmering shade accents.

7. Elephant Ears (‘Black Magic’)

Bring tropical drama to your summer yard with the 'Black Magic' elephant ears plant. This lush and lovely low-maintenance giant features massive, dusty charcoal-purple leaves that hang elegantly from long, dramatic petioles. Growing up to 6 feet (2m) tall in USDA hardiness zones 8-12 (and easily dug up and overwintered indoors in cooler climates), this plant transforms plain spaces into an exotic oasis.

Plant in damp, boggy areas, alongside chartreuse sweet potato vines or silvery grasses. Provide ample waterings and rich soil. Don't place it in dry, windy spots, where gales can tear those velvety purple-black sails. Buy Black Magic Elephant Ear Live Plants from Amazon for a high-impact perennial to bring instant dark drama. Once you get this perennial in your yard, you’ll be making up reasons to go outside.

Superstar Foliage Essentials

Give these gorgeous foliage perennials the support they deserve. Perennial foliage requires a different approach to flowering annuals. Make sure you can keep those giant elephant ear sails glossy, protect pristine hosta leaves from unsightly spots, and ensure cascading grasses don't get scorched by summer heat, and make some room for targeted plant treats. These curated high-impact treatments ensure your landscape remains lush, vibrant, and high impact all season long.

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It might sound a little goofy, but for me, spotting a robin feels like the universe’s way of telling me it’s all going to be OK. I know how that might sound, but their plucky spirit really does give me a singular joy, and catching glimpses of them when I’m volunteering at the local park does something for my mood that nothing else can match. I’ve got a few mates who do believe that seeing one is a sign that a loved one is near – and while I love many, many birds, I have a particular soft spot for robins.

Growing up with British roots, I always associated these birds with winter. But I’ve fallen head over heels for American robins, and this early summer period is peak time for these multitasking feathered friends. Right now, they are dashing through yards with beaks stuffed full of grubs, or squeezing into shrubs to tend to rapidly growing families, and all while temperatures rise. So alongside any usual measures we take to attract our birds, this is a critical moment to step up our summer care.

Extreme summer heat can quickly foil our best intentions. Untended bird baths can become stagnant or dry out, and natural sources of nourishment are in huge demand as bird numbers multiply. This puts immense pressure on harried birdie moms and pops trying to protect vulnerable babies and juveniles. Don’t worry, though – these little acts of kindness are simple, quick, and budget-friendly. Here are 5 easy ways to help American robins in summer so they survive and thrive. Consider it our collective way of letting them know that they are going to be OK.

How to Help American Robins in June

When June starts cranking up the thermostat, our backyard routines shift toward iced teas and shady patios. But for robins in summer, June isn’t a time to relax: it’s one of the most exhausting months of their lives. This is peak breeding season, and adult robins are simultaneously trying to keep themselves cool, defend territories, build nests for a second brood, and forage on a loop for hungry baby beaks.

In the spring, damp soils push earthworms to the surface. But by mid-June, allowing for your USDA hardiness zone, earthworms will burrow deep into cooler soil layers. A robin’s primary food source vanishes just as their numbers are multiplying. Growers in zones 8-11 will be dealing with rapid water evaporation and dangerously high temperatures. Even in zones 4-7, there are sudden, unpredictable June heat spikes that can quickly dehydrate feathers and overheat tiny nests.

So anything you can do to attract robins and help them combat summer heat is well worth folding into your weekend plans. These things might seem fairly small or trivial, but to a thirsty, hungry, weakened, or frazzled robin, they are a lifeline. If a robin learns that your yard is a reliable source of nutrients, shade, and comfort when the rest of the neighborhood is dry as wood chips, they will come back day after day.

Luckily, stepping up your bird care doesn’t require a massive budget or hours of hard labor. Read on to find out about little summer gestures that make a big difference. Don’t forget to grab your binoculars and keep them close once you’ve ticked these little weekend jobs off your list. If you need a cute but powerful pair, compact Occer 12x25 Compact Binoculars from Amazon can help you enjoy your robins in action.

1. Upgrade Your Water Care

A bird bath is the single most powerful way to help robins in June. But in a heatwave, a stagnant bath can be dangerous. Standing water turns into a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and mosquitoes. Also, deep or slippery basins would be a mistake for robins, as they make them feel insecure. To support robins in summer, make sure the bird bath is shallow, stable, and filled with moving water. Use a water wiggler or agitator. The Mademax Solar Bird Bath Pump from Amazon adds movement to keep water oxygenated and ensure birdies are happy.

Robins hunt and explore using sight and sound. The gentle ripples created by a wiggler catch the sunlight, acting as a sparkling visual beacon for birds. Even better, that bubbling acoustic cue lets local birds know fresh water is near, while preventing mosquitoes from laying eggs. Make sure your bird bath is in dappled shade. This keeps the water cooler and gives drenched, heavy-feathered robins a quick escape route if a cat wanders past. You can get the Alpine Corporation 28-Inch Bird Bath with Scrollwork Base from Walmart for a durable bath that you can fill with gravel or small pebbles to help birdie feet.

2. Guard the Ground for Fledglings

An American robin fledgling is an endearing sight. Speckled, fluffy, and stubby-tailed, these oversized babies leap into the unknown weeks before they can fly, landing on the lawn. This ground-dwelling phase is a natural part of a robin’s life cycle. For several days, the parents remain close by, hidden in the canopy, tracking their clumsy young and dropping down to feed them treats. But in the heat of summer, youngsters are at risk of rapid dehydration and heat stress, so adapt your growing routine a bit to give these brave little explorers a fighting chance.

Make a few compassionate gestures for young robins this month. Place a heavy, shallow saucer of fresh water directly on the ground in a deeply shaded spot near safety bushes, so low-dwelling fledglings can hydrate without having to fly up to an elevated bath. You can buy the Bakayoyo Ground Bird Bath from Amazon which sits at turf level for a shallow sip and splash zone that a juvenile American robin can enjoy in safety. Also, leave the hedge trimmers and heavy pruning alone so you don’t terrify a hidden fledgling. Stick to small pruning tools like the Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears from Amazon to tidy paths without disturbing robin junior.

3. Plant a Summer Buffet

Earthworm-loving robins struggle to source protein-rich nibbles in the dog days of summer. To survive, they consume berries and fruits. Introducing container-grown native fruiting plants in June is a great way to supplement the American robin diet in summer in a way that also adds color and crops to your yard. Look for arrowwood viburnum, American elderberry, native highbush blueberry, mulberry or serviceberry, all of which establish rapidly and yield heavily. You can buy Autumn Brilliant Serviceberry Plants from Fast Growing Trees.

While adult robins gorge on juicy berries, hungry fledglings need soft-bodied insects like caterpillars and grubs. Add a native species that can serve as a host for larvae protein in June, before ripening into a berry bonanza in high summer. Plant native white oaks, knockout native wild sunflowers, or chokecherry. These draw in grubs and caterpillars adult robins rely on to feed second-brood nestlings. Native cherries are ideal for hosting native butterfly and moth caterpillars. You can buy 2-foot Black Cherry Starter Trees from Walmart which establishes beautifully in warm June soil.You can also leave a thick 3-inch (8cm) layer of organic mulch or fallen leaf litter under shrubs to create a thriving microclimate for beetles, grubs, and wireworms.

4. Create Cooling Zones

When summer heat waves strike, American robins are prone to heat stress. To escape the midday sun, robins crave deep, layered shade and cool microclimates. To counter this, it helps to create designated cooling zones using dense native shrubs and trees. You can buy Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae from Fast Growing Trees for a rapid growing evergreen. This can provide a rich canopy through summer. Other great choices include spicebush, oakleaf hydrangea, and American holly, all of which love dappled light and establish well in warm soil.

For smaller spaces, decent-sized container shrubs can also help. You can even plant native ferns or hostas under an existing tree, for a chilled pocket of damp soil where robins can rest. Leave a patch of your lawn under a shady tree slightly unmowed and well-watered. You can also install a gentle mister high in your shaded tree branches to manage local temperature extremes. Attach a specialized misting nozzle to an existing hose and drape it over a high, shady branch. Try Homenote’s Misting Cooling System from Amazon for fine vapor to help robins stay refreshed.

5. Open a Mud Bar for Nests

This is my favorite section because it highlights a hidden summer struggle that most bird lovers overlook: the need for mud. It’s tempting to think that the nesting season might be winding down once the first brood has flown the nest. But American robins are prolific, often raising 2-3 separate clutches of eggs between April and August. So in June, some robins are putting together new nests. For this, they need wet mud to bind twigs, coarse grasses, and fine feathers into a solid bowl. But in the baking heat, a single beakful of usable mud can become an exhausting mission.

Creating a simple mud bar in a quiet corner of your yard saves robins miles of travel and ensures their eggs have a sound, safe base. Keep your mud bar close to a water source or under a shady shrub, and make sure it is a thick, sticky consistency. Use organic materials for your mud. You can buy Burpee Organic Premium Potting Soil from Walmart as a safe base for a malleable, gooey mud puddle. Add a couple of handfuls of grit or sand, like GardenWise Fine Horticultural Sand from Amazon, to increase the integrity of nests for busy robin moms.

Shop Bird Essentials

Crafting a vibrant, safe haven for your robins comes down to a thoughtful blend of natural habitat additions and some timely supporting treats. Once you’ve got your new shade zones and damp mud patches off and running, these high-quality extras will ensure your yard is fully optimized for both busy adults and adorable fledglings. Grab this handful of colorful, robin-approved essentials to keep your backyard buzzing with color, birdsong and joyful splashing all summer long.

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June is a busy month for hummingbirds, making it one of the absolute most joyful times of the year for backyard bird lovers. These tiny, jewel-toned dynamos are operating at a dizzying pace, as adults frantically feed their newly hatched fledglings, fiercely defend nesting territories, and seek out fuel for their unique style of flight. A hummingbird’s metabolism is so high, that they must consume up to half their body weight in sugar and insects daily just to survive. So helping hummingbirds in summer isn’t just about putting out a casual treat – it’s about providing a lifeline.

Attracting hummingbirds with bright colors and tasty nectar is the first step, but keeping them coming back requires a bigger understanding of summer challenges. As June temperatures climb, a host of seasonal pitfalls can put them at risk. Natural wildflower patches face heat stress, synthetic red dyes in cheap commercial foods threaten avian health, and stagnant water can breed fungi. Furthermore, aggressive alpha hummers can turn solitary feeding stations into combat zones, driving exhausted mothers and vulnerable fledglings away from the nourishment they need.

Fortunately, just a few simple actions this month can transform your outdoor space into a safe, bustling hummingbird sanctuary. By introducing a few thoughtful extras over a single weekend, you can address their needs with care and confidence, and it doesn’t take loads of skill or money. Hummingbirds are creatures of habit, and once they know your backyard provides safe water, abundant insects, and clean nectar, they will return multiple times a day. The small things make a massive difference, so make some room for encouraging these charming tiny garden guests.

How to Help Hummers in June

June signals the arrival of the most calorie-demanding phase of the hummingbird lifecycle: rearing fledglings. While keeping a single sugar-water feeder filled is an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to attract birds and see them in action, it is far from a complete solution. Indeed, relying on one station during the summer rush can inadvertently trigger a kind of turf war. Whatever you can do to scale up over summer can help keep the peace for more feathered visitors. A bird's energy spend is everything right now, so your yard needs to evoke calm and comfort.

When it comes to supporting these micro-aviators, even a patio balcony decorated with knockout natives can make a huge difference. But core acts of kindness can go a long way as summer ramps up. Irrespective of hardiness zone and yard size, the key to nurturing a happy hummingbird sanctuary this summer is consistency and accessibility. You can do this by adding key summer flowers for hummingbirds, as well as by adding simple elements that contribute to their health and harmony.

In smaller urban gardens, natural resources may be sparse, making these backyard upgrades vital – but anyone can benefit from making these simple additions. Yes, it’s great to be keeping a high-quality nectar on standby, such as Kaytee Hummingbird ElectroNectar from Amazon, which has no artificial colors and comes with added electrolytes to keep hummers perky and healthy. But it also helps to understand a few of the seasonal behavioral habits of common hummer species, to curate an environment that nurtures them, protects them, and keeps them happy.

These simple steps can all be tackled in a few moments over the weekend, and can bring immeasurable benefits that will have these jeweled charmers vibrating hither and yon in your backyard all summer long. Don’t forget to keep a pair of binoculars handy so you can snatch a better glimpse of their dazzling, animated antics. A set of teeny-weeny yet powerful Vulness Compact Bird Watching Binoculars from Amazon help you get a better view of your hovering backyard residents as they explore your space. So let’s get into these quick-win tasks to maintain a healthy, humming haven.

1. Set Up Multiple Feeding Stations

While they seem like amiable, easygoing creatures, territory disputes come to a head for hummingbirds in June, as their food demands reach a seasonal peak. It is common for a dominant alpha male (particularly a fiery Ruby-throated or feisty Rufous hummingbird) to chase away newcomers and competitors. If you only have one nectar feeder set up, it can inadvertently cause tension, prompting exhausted females and newly fledged chicks to flee rather than fueling up.

If you want to feed hummingbirds in summer in a way that is really effective, place multiple feeding stations in separate parts of your yard. To help birds in June, aim for 2-4 feeders, positioned so a bird at one feeder can’t see another. Use trees, shrubs, and physical corners to space feeders and block lines of sight. Place them 10-15 feet (3-4.5m) apart. No matter how vigilant an alpha is, he cannot guard every station at once, allowing peaceful access for gentle Costa’s or Black-chinned hummers.

Place each one in dappled shade to prevent the sugar water from fermenting rapidly under the fierce June sun. If you’re looking to add to your collection, try the Aspects HummZinger HighView Excel Feeder from Amazon, with its cheerful red visual lure and feeding ports. Or, for a vintage twist on a bright red feeder, the More Birds Glass Jeweled Bottle Nectar Feeder from Lowe's offers vibrant yet durable feeding.

2. Add a Water Mister

While traditional bird baths are wonderful for songbirds, they aren’t always the best for a creature that weighs less than a nickel. In the wild, they prefer to clean their iridescent feathers by darting through a gentle spray of water or the ambient mist of a rushing waterfall. As mid-June temperatures climb in your area, a dedicated water source becomes vital for preventing heat exhaustion. But what they really appreciate is a way to fly through water to bathe and to cool off in hot weather.

Consider a continuous water mister to attract and help your local hummers. You can use a simple hose mister or a solar-powered fountain that produces running water and mist. You can attach a specialized misting nozzle to an existing hose and drape it over a high, shady branch. For an easy all-in-one option, try Homenote’s Misting Cooling System from Amazon to create a gentle refreshing spray for flying jewels.

Alternatively, place a floating solar fountain insert into a shallow, gravel-lined bird bath to create a bubbling, moving spray. You can get wigglers and solar pumps that spark curiosity Mr or Mrs Hummer through sound and light play. Buy the Mademax Solar Bird Bath Pump from Amazon to add instant movement and enjoyment. Keep the water pressure to a gentle, fine mist where possible.

3. Plant June Bloomers

Nectar feeders are an excellent way to support hummers, but they can’t completely replace the rich, complex nutrition found in native flowers. Hummingbirds seek out tubular, downward-facing blossoms that match the curve of their long bills. Planting a rich mix of midsummer flowers for hummers provides them with key micronutrients, pollen, and native insects that sugar water alone cannot replicate.

Look for robust perennials that are ready to bloom. Key hummer-friendly options include salvia, fuchsia, bee balm, cardinal flowers, penstemon, honeysuckle, and trumpet vine. Group these summer flowers in clusters of 3-5 plants. Grab pre-started Jacob Cline Bee Balm Plants from Nature Hills for a burst of high-nectar blooms that Ruby-throats adore. You can also buy Hirt’s Gardens Trumpet Vine Plants from Walmart to keep hummers topped up on good vibrations through to early fall.

Use a mix of plants that bloom early and later to provide continuous food sources, and plant a mix of varying heights. If you have limited space, containers of these blooms can still be highly effective. These species thrive in zones 4-9 as long as you give them at least 6 hours of sunshine daily to maximize nectar production.

4. Create Safe, Shady Perches

We are so used to seeing hummingbirds suspended in mid-air that it is easy to forget that they do need to stop and rest. They will often need to perch on branches or other landing spots to conserve energy and digest food. However, perching out in the open in June heat leaves them vulnerable to heat stress and predators. They need shady perches, ideally near food sources, so they can eat, rest, and repeat.

Place feeders near trees and shrubs, so the birds can perch on small branches within sight of food sources. Make sure you see a few fine twig-width stems. Place perches deep within the protective foliage of a deciduous shrub like a dogwood or viburnum to shelter birds from predatory wind and sun. Grow vining plants over trellises where birds can perch under the leaves. Perches should be between 5 and 15 feet (1.5-4.5m) from food sources.

Make sure any perch is thin enough for little bird feet, about the width of a wire hanger. Our team loves the Copper Heart Hummingbird Perch from Uncommon Goods. There are also some lovely copper swings such as the Pop’s Birding Hummingbird Swing available on Amazon, which you can place above or alongside your primary feeder. This gives females and shy fledglings a hidden, shaded vantage point while they wait for a safe moment to dart in and drink.

5. Provide Protein for Fledglings

While pure sugar water provides the raw fuel required for hummingbird flight, they need protein to survive, grow and repair muscle. This need skyrockets in June, as newly hatched fledglings leave the nest. A rapidly growing chick relies entirely on a diet of soft-bodied insects, and an adult mother bird will spend hours hawking for fruit flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and spiders to feed her brood.

You can make this job easier and more efficient for your hummingbirds by putting out a fruit fly trap or protein buffet in a quiet corner of the yard. Fruit flies are the ideal size for little hummers. Put some overripe banana peels, melon rinds, apple cores or other fruit scraps in a shallow, open-air hanging dish. Within a day, the fermenting sugar will attract a cloud of tiny fruit flies, providing an easy hunting source for adult hummers.

To keep the setup sanitary, place this dish away from your patios, and replace the scraps every few days. Allow small areas of your lawn to grow wild and native, as these undisturbed spaces are natural breeding grounds for gnats. You can buy Autumn Brilliant Serviceberry Plants from Fast Growing Trees. Its summer fruit naturally attracts soft insects while providing excellent nesting structure.

6. Clean Nectar Feeders Regularly

As temperatures heat up in June, nectar in feeders can go bad quickly. Keeping feeders clean is one of the most important tasks of the summer to help your hummingbirds stay healthy. Sugar water is an ideal breeding ground for black mold, wild yeasts, and deadly bacteria. Pathogens can be dangerous, even fatal, to little birds. Replace nectar and clean feeders at least every two days in hot weather.

Keep a rotating stock of spare feeders on hand, so you can easily swap out dirty units for fresh ones instantly. When cleaning, empty any remaining sugar water and scrub the internal chambers using hot water and a dedicated bottle brush. For a safe, deep sanitize, use a simple solution of 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water. Thoroughly rinse with cold water to ensure no vinegar scent remains behind.

If you’re looking for good brushes to keep your stations pristine, the Perthlin Store Hummingbird Brush Set available from Amazon features ultra-slim micro-brushes designed to reach into tiny feeding ports. If you are making homemade nectar, use a strict ratio of 1 part plain white granulated sugar to 4 parts clean water, and never add red dye. Don't use raw cane sugar, honey, brown sugar, or artificial sweeteners.

7. Add Red Accents to Guide Visitors

As you probably know, hummingbirds are most attracted to the color red, as it signals a food source (like trumpet creepers and columbines). This is why hummingbird feeders are usually red. Adding bright, eye-catching red accents to your yard will act like a billboard for hungry beaks, guiding passing migrants and inquisitive fledglings straight to your backyard.

You can easily leverage this natural instinct without using harmful artificial dyes in food (which you definitely shouldn’t do!). In addition to red feeders and red flowers, you can add red hanging baskets, red garden art like globes, red flags, and red ribbons tied to garden furniture, to signal your yard is a friendly place for hummingbirds. Add red cushions to your patio space, hang crimson ribbons from trellises, or position red glazed planters near your primary feeders.

You can get pretty suncatchers, wind chimes and garden mobiles with red accents to attract hummers. Try the KingDuhu Hummingbird Suncatcher with Red Wings from Amazon (just don’t hang it too close to a window). This is a lovely way to help create a hotspot for little hummers. Tackle these tips this weekend, and before you know it, you’ll have an abundance of beautiful birds.

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June is when the yard suddenly fills with the joyful, chaotic sound of baby birds; half-feathered, clumsy, and utterly clueless, hopping along garden gates and begging relentlessly from worn-out parents. These first weeks out of the nest can be the most dangerous they’ll face. And here’s the secret that catches many backyard birders off guard: what to feed a fledgling bird almost never means seed mixes.

During early summer, nearly every songbird species rears its young on live insects, favoring protein-rich caterpillars above all. A single pair of Carolina chickadees might need between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars to fledge one brood. That’s a staggering number of bugs, and traditional feeders barely scratch the surface of a growing fledgling's daily caloric demands. So what to feed a fledgling bird comes down to smart growing strategies. While supplemental feeding always has its place, essential bird food options are often tied directly to your garden habitat during summer.

Key flowers and native plants are major sources of nourishment for fledglings. They act as hosts to caterpillars, invite beneficial predatory insects and yield early-summer berries for vulnerable birds. Stack the plantings by height, and you ensure something stays on the menu at every level, from the canopy right down to the leaf litter. Making small, thoughtful planting adjustments is a win-win for hungry young birds as well as your personal tastes. Try these plant combinations, and you’ll be rewarded with a new generation of feathered friends to fill your summer with song.

Plant Combinations for Baby Birds

Think of each of these curated plant combinations as an exquisite, three-course meal for your baby birds and fledglings, meticulously pitched at varying heights to cover different food groups at once. One layer pulls in dynamic insects. Another keeps nectar-seekers happy, while a third holds hard seeds and rich berries for later in summer. Really, knowing what to feed a fledgling comes down to planting the right company rather than topping up a tray all the time.

Pick even one of these planting companion trios this June, and your yard starts doing the work on its own. Of course, these combinations are adaptable, depending on your growing zone and yard size. The core objective is simply to minimize your feathered forager’s energy spend – and once they know that the good stuff is readily available in your yard, you can just sit back and enjoy the show. If you’re in need of a cheep and cheerful way to watch them from indoors, Vulness Compact Bird Watching Binoculars from Amazon lets you enjoy the action from a distance.

June is your prime window to establish these plant trios, allowing their root systems to develop at pace, while foliage flourishes and serves as a hunting ground. No matter your zone or yard size, these low-maintenance knockout natives and high-reward planting combinations create a secure, sustaining and vibrant source of fledgling bird food right outside your window. Birds are creatures of habit, so once you establish a one-stop-shop that offers safety from predators and easy-to-digest food, you’ll see an immediate increase in activity and diversity.

1. Serviceberry, Elderberry & Wild Strawberry

Serviceberry (Amelanchier) goes by the name Juneberry for good reason. It yields masses of succulent fruit earlier than almost any other native woody plant, dropping its bounty in the thick of fledgling season. These sweet purple pomes are highly compelling. American robins and sleek cedar waxwings arrive in droves, and you’ll also see gray catbirds, wood thrushes and Baltimore orioles stripping branches.

At ground level, native wild strawberries (Fragaria virginiana) fruit across the same summer window, providing easy foraging for ground-dwelling fledglings learning the ropes. American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) runs on a slower clock. Its broad, flat flower heads open through June, pulling in bees and beetles to feed insect-eating birds. The berries mature in late summer, offering a vital lifeline just as many bird species begin rearing a second brood.

Plant them in a sunny to partly shaded location with well-draining, acidic to neutral soil (zones 3-9). Avoid planting elderberries in high-traffic footpaths, as their sprawling nature requires room to stretch. Applying a 2-inch (5cm) layer of organic hardwood mulch in June keeps soil moisture stable and encourages sweet fruit production. You can buy Autumn Brilliant Serviceberries from Fast Growing Trees for an abundant summer crop and refreshing cover, and Proven Winners Black Lace Elderberry from Nature Hills for that high-impact flurry of bugs and berries.

2. Trumpet Vine, Bee Balm & Salvia

A nectar garden often looks like it feeds hummingbirds liquid sugar and nothing else. Adult hummers do run on nectar, and a stand of trumpet vine (Campsis radicans), bee balm (Monarda didyma), and perennial salvia helps them to stay energized, but their nestlings require protein. A mother hauls in thousands of gnats, mosquitoes, and soft-bodied spiders. These flowers concentrate these insects into one zone.

Bee balm pulls double duty: beyond the nectar reserves, its aromatic foliage serves as a vital host plant for several native moth caterpillars. Prioritize a location featuring full, blazing sun and rich, moist soil (zones 4-9). Trumpet vine comes with a warning, though. It climbs hard and spreads harder, and it’ll want a sturdy support plus room to misbehave before it swallows a fence.

For the bee balm and salvia, deadhead the first spent blooms in late June to spark a secondary wave of bug-attracting flowers that will carry your local birds safely through August. You can buy American Beauties’ Jacob Cline Bee Balm from Nature Hills. And you can buy Hirt’s Gardens Trumpet Vine Plants from Walmart, guaranteed to anchor nesting hummingbirds to your yard for the summer.

3. Sunflowers, Cosmos & Zinnias

Most baby birds can’t handle seed, but there’s one cheerful exception, and this trio is it. All summer, sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), cosmos and zinnias hum with pollinators and caterpillars that chew their foliage, an insect buffet for nesting songbirds. Then, as summer matures, comes the seed. American goldfinches are some of the latest seasonal nesters, holding off until midsummer for a reason: they raise their chicks on a protein-rich seed mash harvested from plants like these.

So whatever you do, don’t deadhead or tidy up your spent flower heads as summer begins to wane. Leaving these stalks standing tall transforms a row of sunflowers into a bustling goldfinch nursery come August, while native sparrows, indigo buntings, and house finches will eagerly work the drying seed heads well into fall.

This trio thrives in a sun-baked garden bed with well-draining soil (zones 2-11). June is the perfect time to direct-sow these seeds or plant nursery starts, as the warm soil triggers rapid growth. Select multi-branching sunflower varieties like Autumn Beauty, which produce dozens of seed heads that juvenile finches can easily grip. You can buy popular Sensation Mix Cosmos Seeds from Eden Brothers, and Autumn Beauty Sunflower Seeds from Burpee to cultivate those delectable seedheads.

4. Dogwood, Highbush Blueberry & Native Ferns

Native flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is one of the better caterpillar producers around. It’s a big host plant for spring azure butterflies and giant silk moths. It’s these soft-bodied larvae that provide easily digestible, nutrient-dense goodness for nestlings.The berries are a fall event, feeding migrating thrushes and bluebirds.

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) contributes its own native caterpillars, alongside early-summer fruits that you and your juvenile birds will compete for. Ferns such as the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) don’t fit the pattern at first glance, but their work happens at ground level. A stand of ferns creates a cool, damp microclimate that sustains spiders, beetles, and cutworms. On bare ground, a couple of bags of LeafGro Leaf Compost from Home Depot jump-start this layer.

This structural trio thrives in partial shade, favoring rich, organic soils (zones 4-8). You can buy Ostrich Ferns from Walmart, so young fledglings can safely practice foraging for beetles and ground spiders. Alongside this, you can buy Blue Jay Highbush Blueberry Plants from Nature Hills for that tasty bug and berry combo.

5. Wild Rose, Blackberry Brambles & Purple Coneflower

Native wild roses (Rosa carolina) and blackberry brambles (rubus) grow into a thorny, tangled thicket, and that’s exactly the point. Almost nothing pushes through. This makes them about the safest nesting cover a clumsy fledgling could hope for. Cardinals settle deep inside, along with catbirds, thrashers and song sparrows. The food side holds up too. June blossoms attract a wealth of native pollinators, while juicy berries provide a continuous sugar rush.

Occupying the sunny perimeter, purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) gracefully bridges the seasonal gaps. Its prominent center cones are landing pads for bumblebees and butterflies in June, eventually drying into seed-stuffed goodies that finches will pick clean by late summer. The thorns are the real gift. They give the smallest birds a fighting chance while feeding on the collective treats.

Plant in an open, sunny border with well-draining soil (zones 3-9). Prune brambles selectively only after fruiting, ensuring you do not disturb any nests. Let it flourish along property lines, creating an invaluable fortress of food. Buy Purple Coneflower Seeds from Eden Brothers for the ultimate native snacking. You can also buy Apache Blackberry Plants from Amazon for a dense, berry-rich summer thicket.

6. Spicebush, Coral Bells & Foamflower

Shade doesn’t have to be a dead zone for birds. The workhorse is native spicebush (Lindera benzoin), the main host for the spicebush swallowtail and other native moths. Its aromatic foliage will attract caterpillars through the season, and the glossy red berries in late summer are a gorgeous draw for thrushes, vireos and catbirds.

Around it, coral bells (heuchera) send up airy spikes that shade-dwelling hummers work for nectar hits. Meanwhile, foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) carpets the ground, its frothy blooms opening early to sustain vital pollinators. Using a north-facing wall, a shadowed side-yard alley, or a dense tree canopy can end up doing just as much for your local birds as any sunny flower bed.

This trio requires moist, rich soil in partial shade (zones 4-9). Apply a generous layer of decomposed leaf mold or shredded bark mulch around the spicebush. You can buy a phenomenal range of Coral Bells from Nature Hills to bring vital nectar and small insects to shaded spaces. Plus, you can buy a Greenwood Nursery Spicebush from Amazon, the definitive shade-loving host plant for swallowtail caterpillars.

Make a Start This Season

Nurturing a thriving sanctuary for summer fledglings does not require a big overhaul. One serviceberry by the patio, a patch of bee balm along a fence or a few ferns tucked into a shady corner will help both birds raising families and the fledglings making their first forays into foraging. Buy The Harvest Company’s Compressed Coir Bricks from Lowe’s for a compressed soil amendment to retain moisture around your baby bird-friendly plants. Mother nature handles the tricky timings; your primary task is to get these living resources into the soil.

Along with food, give a little thought to water, shelter, and safety. Because baby birds cannot fly well, they can’t easily reach elevated bird baths, leaving them vulnerable to ground predators. Add an extra water dish that you can keep near ground level. Make this wide and shallow, filling it no deeper than 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4cm) so fledglings can drink and bathe safely. You can buy the lovely Bakayoyo Ceramic Shallow Ground Bird Bath from Amazon. Add a flat stone to the base so they don't slip.

You can give this bathing spot extra curiosity and fascination for young birds with a water agitator, wiggler, or solar pump. You can buy the Mademax Solar Bird Bath Pump from Amazon to add instant movement and enjoyment to your bird bath. The continuous ripples catch the light and emit a unique sound signature, while also preventing mosquitoes from laying eggs – adding to the allure and security of your bird-friendly yard.

Other Essentials for Baby Birds

Crafting a vibrant, safe haven for young birdies comes down to a thoughtful blend of natural goodies and some well-selected supporting treats. Once you’ve got your plants and flowers off and running, these little extras will ensure that your yard is optimized for a broad range of young feathered guests, including juvenile hummers – and best of all, they are great for budget-friendly yards. Grab this trio of baby bird extras to keep your backyard busy and thriving with birdsong all summer long.

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Deadheading is one of those habits that becomes automatic after a while. You spot a spent, browning bloom, clip it back to a leaf node, and move on, confident that another flush of fresh flowers will rise to take its place. For most of the season, this instinct is the right one. It keeps beds tidy, prevents disease, and encourages your plants to put their energy into continuous color. By June, though, a few flowers are better off left alone. Let these iconic cottage garden favorites set seed, and they hand you next year’s plants at zero cost, scattered where they fall.

For these flowers, the purpose is ultimately to produce seed to ensure the survival of their lineage. The moment you don’t deadhead flowers, these plants shift the focus from flower production to seed development. By letting nature take the wheel in June, these plants will drop a bounty of ripe, resilient seeds right into your beds. The resulting offspring will emerge completely free of charge, filling open gaps with an organic, natural flow that no human designer could ever replicate.

Leaving these key ornamentals to seed is a satisfying way to save some dough (or keep the cash for other flowering fancies). Just let these canny self-sowers set about creating a wave of dependable future color. These plants thrive on minimal fuss, take root, and burst into life in effortless style, and often in spots you’d never have thought to plant them. So make sure you allow these iconic border beauties to do their thing.

Leave These Flowers to Seed in June

None of these cottage garden flowers will need babying to self-sow. The whole technique is really about restraint. Elsewhere in your yard, there are of course some flowers you do need to keep deadheading in June to encourage more flowers. But for the flowers in this roundup, just let the final flush of flowers dry out right on the stem until the seed pods swell, ripen, and naturally split open.

While most are adaptable across USDA hardiness zones 3-11, their ultimate self-sowing success relies on the conditions of the soil beneath them. Seeds that drop onto hard, compacted earth or choked-out weed beds will struggle to establish. To set the stage for success, ensure your borders feature loose, well-draining soil and plenty of bright sunlight, which acts as the ultimate incubator for fallen seeds.

Before you let your plants go wild, a tiny bit of ground-level preparation ensures these future seedlings can anchor in well. Keep the planting area clean of aggressive weeds, and check your soil health to maximize germination rates. Use a soil meter or testing kit such as the Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Meter from Amazon to determine moisture levels and make sure soil pH is balanced for upcoming generations.

If your soil feels tired or heavy from the season's heaviest feeders, add a light layer of mulch, such as Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from Amazon. Scatter this over the topsoil to help lock in vital moisture. This will help to create the perfect environment for rapid germination once seed pods burst, setting the scene for beautiful future blooms. So let’s meet the cottage garden beauties where it’s absolutely for the best if you don’t deadhead the flowers!

1. Forget-Me-Not

Here’s the honest truth: forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica) self-sow so willingly that your main task as a gardener is often slowing them down. These charming biennials produce cloud-like drifts of sky-blue flowers through spring, but by June, the show is beginning to fade. As the petals drop, they leave tiny, burred seed pods that catch on clothing and hitch a ride on whatever brushes past, which is how they wind up several beds over from where they were planted. Leaving the fading plants standing in June all but guarantees a carpet of seedlings by the fall. They are cold-hardy, thriving across USDA zones 3-9, and happy in partial shade.

To get the best out of forget-me-nots, try adding other partial shade companions like bleeding hearts or hostas. You can buy White Feather Hosta Bare Roots from Eden Brothers. While forget-me-nots aren't too picky about soil, they loathe bone-dry, compacted clay. Keep the area moist but well-drained, and skip the heavy fertilizers. You can trim the ugliest leaves with precision snips like the Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips from Amazon to keep plants tidy while the seed pods finish ripening.

2. Calendula

Few annuals throw their seeds around with as much joyful abandon as the cheerful pot marigold or calendula (C. officinalis). If you leave a healthy plant unpicked, it will rapidly develop crescent-shaped seed heads. These develop in a few weeks and plop into the soil around the parent plant. Depending on how mild your climate is, these seeds either germinate instantly for a bonus flush of fall color, or sit tight through winter to flower in spring. Because calendula blooms continuously from late spring to first frost, you lose nothing by sacrificing a few spent June flowers to seed while the rest of the plant carries on flowering.

Calendula thrives in full sun to partial shade in zones 2-11, preferring a lean, well-draining soil. Try growing them alongside purple herbs like Survival Garden Seeds Opal Basil Seeds from Amazon for a rich contrast that also helps to repel pests. While these rugged annuals are tough, they can occasionally succumb to powdery mildew if humidity spikes in summer. To keep your seed-producing plants in peak condition, apply a morning spray of Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide from Walmart to protect the foliage and ensure the ripening seed heads remain healthy and viable.

3. Columbine

Columbine (Aquilegia spp.) is a perennial, so the original parent plant will return next spring. However, if you’re interested in spreading the love around, skipping the scissors can turn one clump into a sweeping drift. By early summer, flowers give way to crown-shaped capsules. As these pods dry, they split open like tiny salt shakers, scattering shiny seeds across garden beds. Varieties cross-pollinate with ease, so if you grow multiple colors and let them go to seed, the next generation will yield surprise color combinations and unique shapes.

These resilient perennials flourish in zones 3-9, and love dappled light, rich soil, and well-drained borders. Add some fine-textured plants like meadow rue or ornamental grasses like 'Karl Foerster' Feather Reed Grass from Nature Hills. While columbine is highly self-sufficient, leaf miners can sometimes tunnel through foliage in June. Instead of panic-cutting the plant back and losing your seed, simply pick off the damaged lower leaves and give the root zone a drink mixed with Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food from Lowe’s to help the plant power through.

4. California Poppy

Poor soil is where California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) does its best work, which makes it an odd thing to chase around with scissors. Left alone, it forms slim seed capsules that dry, twist and fling their seed a surprising distance, so next year’s plants often turn up a couple of feet (60cm) from the parent. Grown from seed this way, seedlings are highly resilient. They develop drought-busting taproots that make them tough and heat-tolerant, as well as prolific and reassuringly low maintenance.

California poppies require full sun and sharp drainage in zones 3-10. They look lovely with native desert beauties or Mediterranean staples like lavender. You can pick up Southern Living Phenomenal Lavender Plants from Fast Growing Trees. Just don’t let them sit in heavy, waterlogged clay soil, which rots their roots. If your soil is heavy, add a scoop of Hoffman Horticultural Sand from Amazon into the surrounding topsoil to give seeds the fast-draining base they need to sprout.

5. Love-in-a-Mist

The spectacular seed pods are half the reason to grow love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena). Once the whimsical, feathery blue, pink, or white blooms drop their petals in June, the center of each flower swells into a balloon-shaped papery capsule adorned with deep maroon stripes. When these capsules fully ripen, they develop small vents at the top, allowing the black seeds to spill out and scatter into the soil. Nigella hates being transplanted, so allowing the plant to self-sow naturally results in healthier, happier, more productive specimens.

This old-fashioned favorite thrives in full sun or partial shade in zones 2-11, adapting to almost any soil type, as long as it doesn't hold standing water. They look right at home alongside cottage classics like larkspur or fluffy 'Zinderella Lilac' Zinnia Seeds from Eden Brothers, weaving open gaps together with dreamy, fine-textured foliage. To support parent plants through the reproductive phase, add a light sprinkle of Dr Earth Premium Gold All Purpose Fertilizer from Lowe’s around the base to deliver a gentle, organic nutrient release.

Shop Cottage Garden Classics

Hopefully you’ve set up next year’s flower show in style, but if you’re keen to make a headstart on some fresh cottage garden color, this trio is the ultimate shortcut to a seamless high-impact landscape. These hardy cottage champions settle in with lightning speed, requiring minimal fuss while they establish robust root systems. Introduce this vibrant flowering trio to your yard for even more dazzling blooms.