Ina Garten recently shared a short clip of her very Parisian-inspired water feature to her socials, and the internet collectively sighed while adding “stone fountain” to their Amazon wishlists (plus, the chairs looked soooo comfy).

The most encouraging part for those wanting to copy the look in their own garden is that you don’t need a house in the Hamptons or the budget of an influencer living in a Parisian apartment to try it for yourself. An elegant water feature can easily come in at under $300 – you just need to know what actually makes it work. Fortunately for our readers, I’ve consulted some experts who can help.

Elegance Is About Restraint, Not Spending

Every expert I spoke to said the same thing, independently, without being asked: the difference between a gorgeous water feature and a garden-center-looking eyesore is all about restraint.

Angelene Padilla from Bloomfield Farms, put it well: "The difference between an elegant water feature and a water effect that is simply a water ornament is a matter of moderation. The Paris-inspired style is more about one clean look than two competing looks. A simple stone bowl fountain is deliberate and sophisticated, compared to an elaborate tiered fountain that does not have a reflecting pool or any floating plants. The less it comes across as trying to impress, the more it does."

Jerry Moore, founder of Your Pond Pros, agrees: "Restraint and proportion. The most Paris-inspired garden fountains share one quality – they feel like they belong to the space rather than competing with it. The moment a water feature tries to do too much – too tall, too wide, too many spray patterns – it loses that quiet elegance."

In short: one beautiful thing beats three busy things every time.

The Best Budget Options

For those working with a real-world budget (which, let’s be honest, isn’t much these days), you don’t need a lot to make some real impact. You can even DIY a garden water feature with a floating solar fountain, like this Aisitin one from Amazon.

Loren Taylor, owner of Outdoor Fountain Pros, gives some genuinely encouraging numbers: "A terracotta pot with a mini-solar water pump and a couple of stones in it will definitely be perceived as an elegant addition to the garden if placed correctly and surrounded by other objects."

Padilla's budget suggestions follow the same logic: "A recirculating fountain from a large glazed ceramic pot or a simple preformed basalt column provides the visual and aural serenity for a couple hundred dollars or less, if you're budget conscious." She also flags something most people haven't considered: "A rill is a narrow channel of flowing water and can be made at an affordable cost with a simple liner and edging with stones and will give a garden path or border an incredibly elegant linear feature."

And Moore makes the case for self-contained units as the smartest starting point: "Self-contained garden fountains are consistently the highest-impact, lowest-effort upgrade for a patio or garden space. They arrive complete with pump and basin – no pond, no excavation, no electrician required. A quality tiered fountain or wall-mounted fountain in the $300–$800 range delivers both the visual focal point and the sound of moving water that defines the atmosphere of a well-designed garden."

This Glitzhome terrazzo fountain on Amazon ticks all of Moore's boxes.

Sound Matters More Than You Think

The thing about water features that most people never consider (which is actually surprising) is the sound. The sound of a fountain is just as important, if not more so, than how it looks.

Moore is emphatic about this: "Sound is the underrated element. The gentle cascade of a tiered fountain creates a frequency of falling water that masks ambient noise – traffic, neighbors, wind – in a way that transforms how a small garden feels. Placement near a seating area amplifies this dramatically. We consistently advise customers to position a fountain where they'll hear it from where they sit, not just see it from across the garden."

Taylor echoes it: "The gentle trickle has a soothing effect that will help you relax and reduce stress, even if you do not pay it much attention initially."

Padilla nails the specifics: "A trickle is always the best sound for a water feature, as it doesn't seem to be a nuisance; it seems to be soothing. It becomes more of a reality when you place it in the middle of the garden, instead of at the end, and it is placed close to other plants so that it does not look like it was put there instead of growing there."

The Paris aesthetic Taylor references has a useful design rule built in: "The fountain should be symmetrical. This means that it should be placed on the central line with trimmed greenery on both sides and a seating area nearby."

Scaling for Small Spaces

If all you have is a small patio or courtyard, then it’s highly important to get the scale and proportions correct, as this can make or break the look you’re going for.

Moore is specific: "For patios under 200 square feet, a wall fountain or a compact tiered fountain under 30 inches tall keeps the water element present without dominating. For small patios, a wall fountain is often the better choice over a freestanding unit – it adds the sound and visual interest without consuming floor space."

When floor space is precious, a wall-mounted fountain like this Takamota vintage model on Amazon with a pump included delivers the sound and elegance Moore recommends without taking up an inch of floor space.

Daniel Crowley, CEO of Hello Gravel, adds a helpful framing: "A fountain must be proportional to its surroundings. It must not be too overwhelming or the opposite." And Padilla keeps it beautifully simple: "One compact, small element at eye level or slightly below is an effective way of bringing a small garden or patio space together in a very beautiful way without overpowering it."

The Five-Minute Maintenance Plan

The most common mistake people make with a water feature (after buying something much too large) is total neglect. Nobody wants to look at a murky, algae-filled disaster. While most people fear maintenance, it’s actually much simpler than they think.

Moore's practical advice: "The main tasks are keeping the pump intake clear of debris and topping up the basin during hot weather when evaporation increases. Running the fountain continuously rather than intermittently prevents the algae buildup that comes from stagnant water sitting in the basin between uses."

Padilla flags the most common overlooked issue: "Most problems can be avoided by maintaining the plantings around the pump so that no twigs or leaves collect in the pump to clog it."

Taylor even has a solution if the pump gives up: "The submersible pump is washed periodically, which requires buying a new one for $9." Nine dollars?! That’s the price of a couple of coffees these days, so you genuinely have no excuse not to buy one (unless you really like your Starbucks, of course)

If your pump does need replacing, the Uniclife submersible fountain pump on Amazon is even cheaper at just $7, and takes just minutes to swap out (so now you really have no excuse).

Shop Soothing Fountains

When I moved into my house, I knew I’d have to invest in raised beds if I ever wanted to grow edible plants. My soil was full of weeds, broken glass, trash, and a whole host of other unappetizing and unsafe items. Plus, there is a black walnut tree growing right next door in my neighbor’s yard. So I started looking for the best budget raised beds.

My search brought me to Amazon, of course, where I found a fantastic deal on these FOOWIN Galvanized Raised Garden Beds. I was on the hunt for a high-quality, yet low-cost dupe of the beloved Vego Garden raised beds, which our Senior Editor Liz added to her own front yard a few years ago. And I found just what I was looking for in this 2-pack of metal raised beds from Amazon.

I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about these affordable raised beds before buying, from the pros and cons to installation tips. But don’t take too long to make your decision because these beds are on sale right now for Amazon Prime Day!

Price & Availability

This 2-Piece FOOWIN Galvanized Raised Garden Bed Kit is available on Amazon for $127.79 for Prime Day, which is a 33% discount off the regular price. You can also get this raised garden bed kit on sale from Walmart now for $128. It is only available online.

One of the biggest benefits of this raised garden bed is the price. Each bed costs less than $65, which is an incredible price for a metal raised bed of this size.

Setup

The setup wasn’t that difficult, but it did take quite a bit of time to complete. I did the first bed on my own and it took about 2-2.5 hours to put together.

The instructions were very limited. They didn’t include any images other than for a list of the parts and had very brief, unclear written descriptions for the setup process. But these beds are fairly simple to put together just using your own logic.

However, I still made a couple mistakes that I had to fix on the first bed. I wasted quite a bit of time undoing one of the ends of the first bed after I screwed it on because I thought I did it wrong. It turned out I did it right and ended up redoing it again.

It also took extra time putting together the first bed because I did it by myself. I was able to put the bed together just fine, but I enlisted the help of my sister and dad to assist with the second bed. That ended up going faster because I had another person helping to screw all the pieces together while I worked on other parts of the bed. It also helped to have someone hold the sides up while I screwed them together.

Thankfully all of the parts, including screws and nuts, were included in the packaging. There were even extra screws and nuts, which came in handy when a couple screws were damaged and I couldn’t use them. However, you do need to provide your own tools, which include a ratchet and wrench.

Design

These raised beds are 8 feet (2.4 m) long, 4 feet (1.2 m) wide, and 2 (0.6 m) feet deep. They are really quite large, which is exactly what I was looking for when I chose these beds. I wanted to fill as much of my yard as possible with these beds. I even put the one bed over top of an old tree stump. I’m hoping that turning these planters into hügelkultur beds filled with logs, sticks, compost, and plants will suppress the suckers that keep sprouting out of the tree stump.

I will easily be able to grow vining plants like pumpkins, butternut squash, and cucumbers in these beds as well as tons of tomatoes, herbs, and even some flowers for cutting. I plan on adding a trellis to the one raised bed as well to create a privacy screen on the patio that doubles as usable vertical growing space.

These metal raised garden beds are made of steel with a zinc alloy coating and non-toxic paint finish. They come in six different colors: silver, brown, yellow, navy, dark green, and black. I opted for the black powder-coated finish. The beds also come with plastic covers for the corners to prevent any accidental cuts or scrapes while you’re working in your garden, which is a nice touch.

These raised beds have an open bottom, so I recommend laying down cardboard at the base before filling with your growing medium to prevent weeds from coming up from the ground. They also have three turnbuckles in the center of the beds to help stabilize the sides and prevent them from bowing out when you fill the beds with soil.

User Reviews

The FOOWIN Galvanized Raised Garden Beds have over 700 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.3 stars. Reviewers frequently mention the good quality and sturdiness of these beds, which I noticed as well when I put these beds together. Other reviewers on Amazon also had difficulty assembling these raised garden beds, which I did a bit at first as well.

Our Verdict

All in all, I’m impressed by these metal raised garden beds. I have not filled them or planted in them yet, so the real test of durability and usefulness is still yet to come. But I have high hopes. Because the beds are so large, I intend on filling the bottom half to two-thirds with old logs, dead brush, and finally compost and soil before planting.

I think the height of these beds will make them great for planting and tending to my garden. I won’t have to crouch all the way down to the ground like I have in the past with my in-ground beds.

These raised beds also look great around the perimeter of my patio at the back of my house. Even with nothing planted in them yet, they add privacy and make the space feel more intentional. Once they’re filled with tall green plants and vine-covered trellises, they will be absolutely beautiful.

Also Consider

The best gardening deals aren't necessarily the products with the biggest discounts – they're the ones that have earned a permanent place in gardeners' sheds, greenhouses, and backyards. That's why we've rounded up the Amazon Prime Day gardening deals on products our Gardening Know How experts genuinely use, trust, and recommend.

As a team of passionate gardeners, we're constantly testing new tools, planters, grow lights, and outdoor accessories. While plenty of products pass through our hands each year, only a handful prove themselves season after season. These are the items we reach for time and again because they've made a real difference in our own gardens.

This Prime Day, many of our tried-and-tested favorites are on sale. From Senior Editor Liz's prized raised beds, to indoor gardening pro Tyler's favorite grow lights to the hori hori knife several members of our team swear by, these are the gardening products we'd happily buy ourselves again – now available for less.

Everyday Essentials

Little Helpers

Grow More

Indoor Gardening

Wildlife Helpers

Better Soil Essentials

Okay, I’ll admit that when I first heard David Beckham had a rose named after him, my eyes rolled so hard I thought I might have pulled something. A celebrity rose? For a soccer player? Surely this was just another bit of brand fluff designed to get people to buy a David Beckham garden fork, if it existed. Well, I consulted some gardening experts and have now come to the conclusion that I might have been wrong.

The Sir David Beckham rose was commissioned by his daughter, Harper, for his 50th birthday (actually, this is super sweet!) and was unveiled to the public at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It's not yet available in the USA, but you can view it at David Austin Roses in the UK.

Gardening experts have told me the rose is tapping into one of the most popular design trends at the moment: a “quiet luxury” garden. We already know Victoria Beckham loves elegant white roses, so we expect to see this new variety fitting seamlessly into the couple's garden for years to come.

Behind the Bloom

The backstory is super charming. Harper Beckham, who is just 14 years old, called legendary rose breeder David Austin Roses and asked them to name a flower after her dad. The result, originally known by the breeding number Ausa34b16, is now officially the "Sir David Beckham" rose.

It's a glorious white English shrub rose with subtle pink and yellow tones, deeply cupped petals, and a complex fragrance that has been described as "banana-ish" yet fresh, before developing into a warm, honeyed musk layered with hints of nougat, clove, and myrrh. The result is a fragrance that's both zesty and earthy – sophisticated, distinctive, and perhaps not entirely unlike the confident character of Sir David's own Instinct fragrance.

Growing upright to around three or four feet, it works equally well in borders and containers. Better still, a portion from every sale will be donated to The King's Foundation.

With the launch of the Sir David Beckham rose, he joins a small and highly exclusive circle of famous names immortalised by David Austin Roses. Among the most notable are King Charles III and Dame Judi Dench, both of whom have had David Austin varieties named in their honour.

And Beckham's rose is already receiving royal approval: King Charles was even spotted stopping to smell it at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Gardening expert Liz Bury sums up the celebrity appeal with some honesty: "The Sir David Beckham rose is a stunning flower. While I haven't yet seen it in person, I don't think it's particularly surprising that it's popular – who isn't going to want a celebrity rose in a container on their patio? Brand Beckham is strong and, honestly, it could have been the Sir David Beckham dandelion, and people would still be mad for it."

Liz definitely makes a fair point, but it’s also interesting for gardeners who care about more than celebrities.

Get the Look

More Than a Famous Name

Anthony Croke, Plant Manager at Almondsbury Garden Centre, is clear that star power only takes a plant so far: "Celebrity endorsements create curiosity, but gardeners are notoriously hard to fool. A famous name might encourage people to take a closer look, but a rose only earns a place in the garden if it performs."

Landscape architect Noé Lerma of GreenMex agrees, with a note of caution: "Roses are currently trending due to the importance we're placing on them, as they're associated with celebrities. However, the reality is that this is just an initial and temporary trend. Ultimately, it comes down to horticultural qualities that determine whether a plant stays in the garden or fades into oblivion."

It turns out there are quite a few of those qualities. The Sir David Beckham rose itself took over 10 years to develop, as it was first raised in 2012 and put through many years of trials before being released. White roses are notorious for being hard to breed, as white is a recessive color trait. This means that a white variety of rose is quite the horticultural achievement. Not only that, but it’s a repeat-flowering rose and blooms in flushes from late spring through early winter, meaning you don’t only get a single show as you do with, say, peonies.

The Pollinator Factor

Sir David's rose has open blooms, which are enormously for pollinators. Liz Bury notes a change she's seeing in what gardeners are actually reaching for: "My general feeling is that there is a little shift away from the double-bloomed varieties because people are becoming increasingly aware of the need to be doing much more for pollinators in their gardens. Sir David's open-flowered rose is not only genuinely gorgeous, but it helps the bees, wasps, and beetles get straight to the pollen without having to expend extra energy by trying to fight through layers of petals."

Anthony Croke echoes this from the retail side: "Gardeners are becoming far more conscious of what they're planting and the impact it has on local wildlife. They want plants that not only look beautiful but also provide real benefits for pollinators. Open blooms give bees and other beneficial insects easier access to pollen and nectar, so we're seeing growing demand for roses that combine traditional beauty and fragrance with genuine ecological value.”

The 'Quiet Luxury' Garden: What It Actually Means

If your Instagram algorithm has brought you into the gardening realm lately, you may have noticed a shift. Gone are maximalist borders crammed with bright flowers all in competition with one another. In their place are softer palettes and romantic layering. This is what designers call “quiet luxury,” and the Sir David Beckham rose fits the description perfectly.

Anthony Croke explains the appeal: "White and blush-toned roses have become increasingly popular as they fit perfectly into the 'quiet luxury' trend that's been influencing both interior and exterior design. Unlike maximalist design with bold color palettes, many homeowners are gravitating towards softer palettes featuring whites, creams, blush pinks, and silvery foliage. These colors create a timeless, elegant look that feels calming."

Crystal Olenbush, an interior design and staging expert, describes what the look is really about: "Quiet luxury in the garden means an absence of obvious elements of design. Instead of drawing attention to some plants or garden decorations, the main emphasis is on atmosphere, which can be achieved through layered planting, natural movement, softer color palette, and change of seasons."

Noé Lerma points to a broader design shift: "A new design direction is emerging, leaning more towards minimalism; that is, people are seeking something more serene and enduring. If I had to choose a style, it would be Mediterranean. In short, it's an evolutionary approach to landscape design."

He also makes a point worth underlining: "You don't need expensive plants to have a premium garden. We can design and create green spaces with accessible, economical, and long-lasting species, bringing together plants that generate authenticity, aesthetics, and elegance without resorting to exotic choices."

How to Steal This Look for Your Own Garden

Here’s the real practical advice: as we all know, looking at a stunning garden at the Chelsea Flower Show and recreating it at home are very different things.

• Start with the color palette: Whites, creams, blush pinks, and soft greys are the foundation. Resist the urge to try to spice it up with anything neon. Crystal Olenbush notes a common mistake: "One of the major mistakes people can make is focusing on plants and forgetting about the composition. Most likely, it will be achieved with the help of layers."
• Think in layers, not clumps: Anthony Croke advises: "To recreate a quiet luxury garden, focus on a soft color palette of whites, creams and blush pinks. Layer these with textured plants and ornamental grasses to create movement and depth. The aim is to achieve a romantic, naturalistic feel that looks elegant and effortless rather than overly structured or formal."
• Choose your companion plants carefully: This is where you can really make the look sing. Anthony Croke recommends: "White English roses pair beautifully with airy perennials such as verbena bonariensis and lavender, while foxgloves and salvias add height, structure and a classic cottage garden feel. Ornamental grasses can be used to soften the planting scheme, bringing movement and enhancing the elegant, romantic aesthetic." Crystal Olenbush adds to the plant list: "Gaura, astrantia, verbena bonariensis, nepeta, foxgloves, and ornamental grasses will suit perfectly because they won't conflict with the romantic nature of white roses." And Liz Bury's personal pick? "I think I'd pair it with English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) for a lovely color contrast and haze of scent – now, I just need to get one!"
• Don't overthink the sun situation: Noé Lerma keeps it simple: "If you still want roses, go for it, but you have to make it work. You must analyze how much sun your space receives and the type of soil you have." Most roses, including this one, want at least six hours of sun per day and well-drained soil.
• Pots work brilliantly: The Sir David Beckham rose grows to three to four feet and is perfectly suited to container growing. It’s ideal for patios, balconies, or anyone who wants to try it without committing to a whole border redesign. "For the quiet luxury look, go for something in aged concrete or stone rather than terracotta or bright glazed ceramics. These magnesium oxide planters nail the aesthetic without the weight of real stone (available here on Amazon).

The Verdict

Is the Sir David Beckham rose a gimmick? Well, it's definitely trading on a famous name, but there's nothing wrong with admitting that. Celebrity endorsements get eyeballs, and if they bring new people into gardening, then that’s just fine by me. But this particular rose has substance behind the story: a decade in development, open-pollinator-friendly blooms, complex fragrance, repeat flowering, and tones that slot beautifully into the most trendy garden aesthetic of the moment.

Now if someone could just get Victoria Beckham to commission an ornamental grass, we'd have a full border sorted.

Martha Stewart recently posted throwback pictures to her Instagram, and the results were, predictably, immaculate. Layers of hydrangeas, phlox, irises, and ornamental grasses, all flowing together in that way that looks effortless but definitely isn't. Basically, that’s the very definition of Martha Stewart herself. The comments, as usual, were full of people asking the same question: how?

While it may be frustrating, the real answer is that it’s not one thing; it’s a system. The good thing is that once you understand the principles, you can apply them to any border, even in your own garden, no matter the size. Here’s what the experts say Martha does so well.

Structure, Color, Texture – In That Order

McCauley Adams, Principal Designer and Owner at Ramble on Rose Garden Design, cuts straight to the point: "The core principles behind a great perennial border are structure, color, and texture. When those three elements work together, you have something beautiful in every season, not just peak bloom." That last bit may be the most important.

Anyone, even a novice gardener, can make a border look good in June. It takes a real expert to make it look good in February, October, or in that awkward gap between spring bulbs and summer perennials when everything just looks as if it feels a bit sorry for itself.

Adams is clear on what holds a border together when the flowers aren't doing the work: "Both evergreen and deciduous species that hold their form through winter make the biggest difference. You are really planting for all four seasons, and structure is the foundation."

Stop Buying One of Everything

If you've ever come home from a garden center with seven different plants, one of each thing that caught your eye, and arranged them in a border that somehow looked worse than when you started, well, this section is for you.

Adams identifies this as the most common mistake home gardeners make: "The most common mistake is going to the garden center, buying whatever is in bloom at that moment, and purchasing only one of each. Without a plan for succession and without repetition, the border never coheres, and it usually looks beautiful for about three weeks and then trails off."

Martha Stewart's approach is the exact opposite. She works with a tight plant palette and repeats it, giving borders rhythm and rather than the chaotic energy of a plant collector who lost the plot (no pun intended). As Adams puts it: "A tight plant palette, used confidently, makes a border feel tailored and considered rather than collected."

The practical takeaway: pick three to five plants you genuinely love, buy multiple of each, and plant in odd numbers.

The Succession Planting Blueprint

The reason Martha's borders always seem to have something going on is succession planting. What exactly is this, you may ask? It’s the art of stacking flowers so that as one dies, another takes over. Adams maps out exactly how this relay race works:

"Early in the season, snowdrops, hellebores, and crocus carry the border before much else wakes up. As those fade, hyacinth, daffodils, and early flowering trees like redbud and dogwood take over. Into early summer, hostas emerge alongside astilbe and allium. Then the hydrangeas begin their long relay: oakleaf first, then Annabelle, then bigleaf, then Limelight, which alone can carry a border from late spring well into fall.

"Late summer is when zinnias, cosmos, and dahlias hit their stride. As the season winds down, ornamental grasses like Karl Foerster and Pink Muhly bring movement and warmth. Then the evergreens hold the space through winter, and it begins again." For shade gardens specifically, Adams recommends astilbe, ferns, brunnera, and hosta. For sun: agastache, veronica, butterfly bush, gaura, and iris."

Planting so many bulbs can be backbreaking, so try the Colwelt Bulb Planter with a long handle (available on Amazon).

That's a year-round border in one tidy paragraph. Screenshot it, print it, tattoo it somewhere visible.

Shop Perennial Border Classics

The Part Nobody Talks About: Drainage

Here's the thing about beautifully layered perennial borders: they die. Not always dramatically, not always immediately, but somewhere in year two or three, patches go brown, plants don’t reestablish, and you stand there blaming the soil or the weather or your own incompetence. And then you go eat a tub of Ben & Jerry’s; it’s okay, we’ve all been there.

Emily Demirdonder, Co-founder and Director of Operations at Proximity Plumbing, has seen this pattern so many times she can predict it: "The border was well maintained after the first year, but once the second or third year arrived, the plants in the border were partially or completely dead. To me, this typical pattern can almost always be attributed to poor soil grading or lack of subsurface drainage."

The culprit, almost every time, is invisible: "Water will collect just beneath the surface of the soil, causing the roots of the plant to rot before they even have the time to establish roots. It happens more in clay-heavy ground but honestly, I've seen it in well-amended beds too."

Her fix isn’t exactly glamorous but is effective: "By relocating or adding a French drain or downspout 30–40 cm below the plant bed can positively affect plant border performance throughout the entire growing season, not just during the spring planting."

Martha Stewart's gardens, Demirdonder notes, rely on proper grading and water management infrastructure that most home gardeners never consider: "That's not a gardening decision, that's a water management decision. And it's the part homeowners skip." To avoid too much water, try this Digital Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon.

So before you spend another penny on plants, get down on your hands and knees after heavy rain and watch where water pools. If it's sitting anywhere near your border for more than an hour, you've found your problem. If your knees are aching from doing this, try a kneeling pad like this one from Walmart, which folds up and has handy little pockets on the side for your tools.

Scale Doesn't Matter as Much as You Think

One of the more reassuring things about this approach is that the recipe works regardless of garden size. Adams is straightforward about this: "A beautiful border can work in three to four feet of depth or ten or more feet wide. The recipe scales. The key is restraint: choose plants you will genuinely love at different points in the year, combine ones that hold their architecture year-round with ones that flow and shift with the seasons, and plant in odd numbers whenever possible."

And on the question of whether this maximalist, layered approach to planting is genuinely coming back into fashion or just a Martha thing: "I do think there is a growing appetite for borders that feel layered and generous, gardens that reward time and attention rather than staying out of the way." Which is really just another way of saying: gardening takes effort, the results are worth it, and Martha Stewart has been right about this for decades. Annoying, but true.

I only have a small garden shed, so storage and organization is critical to prevent it from becoming a black hole of gardening supplies. Unfortunately, it has gotten out of control in the last year. I have stacks of nursery pots – that I swear I will use again! – in corners, plant labels and tools scattered across every flat surface available, shovels and rakes piled along the walls, and extension cords and irrigation lines hanging from hooks I can’t reliably reach.

I was doing a little perusing of IKEA’s website the other day, trying to get inspiration for a bedroom redesign, when I stumbled upon furniture in the Kids department that is marketed as “toy storage.” Immediately, I thought how useful it would be to spruce up my shed! I think IKEA’s TROFAST storage system is an ingenious solution for gardeners and packrats alike.

I fell in love with the solid pine TROFAST frame because it will fit in my shed perfectly and hold just about everything but my spade, rake and lawnmower and I can customize the drawers to my needs.

IKEA’s TROFAST System for Shed Storage

Technically, the TROFAST system is made for kids to easily clean up and store their toys, but the recycled plastic bin drawers and the wire mesh draws are perfect for storing gardening tools and accessories.

The system features a sturdy wooden frame that has tracks into which tubs or drawers slide. The drawers can be fully removed and carried to wherever they are needed which makes taking your twine, plant labels, soil knife, and pruners out to the garden simple easy peasy and then you just slide the drawer right back into the frame when you are done with it.

There are so many different configurations for the TROFAST system including a tall, room divider version, a wall storage version to hang above a work bench to utilize vertical space, and even a tall, skinny version to slip into a corner.

The TROFAST system is so versatile with many different styles of drawers. The standard recycled plastic tubs come in a rainbow of colors, the mesh drawers are perfect for drying and storing bulbs, and there are storage trays that feature compartments for easy organization.

Large drawers fit a small bag of potting soil , perlite, that collection of extra nursery pots you keep holding on to, and fertilizer. They also make a great bin to mix your own soil in and then carry right over to your pots.

Medium drawers are the perfect place for storing your twine, extension cords, rags, and coiled irrigation hoses.

And the small drawers neatly keep plant labels, pruners, trowels, a soil knife, and your favorite pair of garden gloves.

I love the stair-step design of the solid pine TROFAST frame which allows for storage on top of the different levels. I can see my watering can, a bag of compost, and my extra terracotta pots sitting comfortably on top!

I don’t know about you, but I am adding this neat storage unit to my IKEA shopping cart now. I am (almost) excited about organizing my shed this weekend!

One thing every household seems to have a lot of is cardboard. It’s cheap and bountiful, especially in these days of online shopping, when many homes might be getting packages every day. Every week, a seemingly endless stream of corrugated boxes lands on the doorstep, and for many of us this prompts repeated recycling chores. But for the eco-conscious, budget-savvy grower, there is another use for this recycled cardboard. This unremarkable item represents some clever opportunities and benefits.

We all know how expensive gardening can feel at times, especially during spring and summer, so any ways to hold onto some cash have to be welcomed – and since we all have some cardboard lying around, this is such an easy win. Reusing and upcycling gives us a great way to garden more sustainably, cost-effectively, and creatively. These cardboard upcycles are useful for every stage of gardening, from the seedling stage to soil conditioning to pest prevention. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to put that card in your yard!

Why Cardboard is a Game Changer

Despite its utility, cardboard is frequently overlooked as a gardening resource. Yet with its sturdy, tensile strength and texture, it has several brilliant uses in every size and shape of yard. From protecting fragile spring seedlings to restoring neglected patches of turf, these simple yet brilliant uses for cardboard in the garden will save you money, time, and headaches. The best thing about recycling cardboard is that it’s one of those easy ways to do something great for the planet and your pocket.

Unbleached, corrugated cardboard is best for these tricks, and chances are you’ve got some lying around right now. Look for plain, unprinted kraft cardboard. Avoid boxes covered in heavy color inks, glossy wax coatings, or plastic laminate window inserts, as these can disrupt soil microbes. Take a few moments to strip away plastic packing tape, shipping labels, and metal staples before using cardboard in the garden.

Before repurposing those unwanted delivery boxes in your vegetable patches, you may also need to cut your card with heavy-duty utility shears or a blade. If you don’t have one, it’s worth investing in a quality cutter to prep your cardboard for the great outdoors. You can buy a WorkPro Premium Utility Knife from Amazon for precision cutting. Then you’re ready to recycle cardboard in a proactive and practical way in your yard using these brilliant, cash-saving ideas.

1. Sheet Mulching and Bed Preparation

This one may well be on your radar already, but it’s a goodie. Flattened cardboard boxes are great for covering big patches of ground in the garden. If you’re into no-till gardening, prepare a bed by laying out sheets of cardboard to smother weeds and kill grass. The cardboard will raise the temperature of the soil underneath it, forcing weed seeds to germinate. With the light blocked, those seedlings will die, and you’ll be left with sterile soil for planting. For the best results, make sure your cardboard sheets overlap by at least six inches (15cm).

You can also use cardboard as part of your mulching strategy for garden beds. Lay the cardboard down and soak it well with water, then layer with compost and mulch. A thick, nutrient-dense layer of Charlie's Compost Organic Gardening Amendment from Amazon can accelerate paper decomposition and draw earthworms upward. Earthworms will go to work on the cardboard, breaking it down, making it part of the mulch, and adding valuable browns to the compost. This is a brilliant way to condition the earth without having to keep digging it into shape.

2. Seed Starting Pots

Cardboard is a good alternative to plastic seed starting trays and pots. Toilet paper and paper towel rolls are ideal for this, as long as you adapt the shape to prevent stunting seedlings. Make four evenly spaced, one-inch (2.5-cm) cuts in one end of the tube. Fold the flaps in to create the bottom for the pot. Fill the tubes with potting mix. Because cardboard breaks down and adds carbon to the soil, you can plant the entire roll in the bed when it’s time to move seedlings outside. You can also use old cardboard egg cartons for seeds.

This is great for sensitive, deep-rooting seedlings like sweet peas, beans, and corn. The cardboard cylinder provides a perfect natural channel for young taproots to push down straight and true. Pack the filled tubes closely together inside a watertight structural tray to prevent them from tipping over when watered. You can use the Homemaxs Vintage Garden Mister from Amazon to gently hydrate your delicate seedlings without collapsing the paper walls.

3. Browns for Your Compost Pile

Cardboard is a good source of carbon. It acts as brown material in compost. Good compost requires the right balance of green (nitrogen-rich) materials with brown (carbon-rich) materials. The ratio should be about three to four parts brown to one part green. Shredded cardboard adds carbon and structure to compost that can otherwise get too nitrogen-heavy and slimy. Before adding it to the mix, remove any plastic or waxy coatings, staples, and tape. Tear the cardboard into small pieces, at least two by two inches (5 by 5cm), and soak them in water.

Introducing shredded cardboard creates crucial micro-air pockets within your compost bin. This increased airflow prevents anaerobic conditions, eliminating unpleasant odors and transforming kitchen scraps into sweet-smelling organic matter much faster. You can accelerate the breakdown of tough corrugated fibers by tossing in a scoop of Jobe’s Organics Compost Starter from Amazon. Just don't dump massive wads of flat cardboard into your bin all at once. It will quickly mat together into a water-impermeable layer that stalls the entire decomposition process.

4. Cold Weather Protection

Spring gardening can be fraught with the risk of sudden temperature drops and even late frosts and freezes. If a cold dip is coming, you can use cardboard to protect sensitive plants. Bend big pieces of cardboard to make tunnels to cover seedlings, and place boxes over sensitive plants. You can also use cardboard to winterize containers. Wrap them in cardboard to stabilize temperatures and prevent the cracking that often results from freeze-thaw cycles.

Corrugated cardboard serves as a great natural insulator. Its hollow inner channel design traps a protective layer of dead air. It’s ideal for shielding tender emerging perennials, early tomato transplants, or prized spring blooms from unexpected overnight micro-frosts. Place protective boxes over crops late in the afternoon before the sun dips to trap residual ground heat inside. Use simple wooden stakes, such as Hydrofarm Bamboo Stakes from Amazon, around your plants to hold things steady.

5. Protect Your Knees

Why buy a fancy kneeling pad for the garden when you have abundant cardboard? Corrugated types are great for protecting your knees. Simply stack up as many layers of cardboard as you need to make some cushioning for your knees, or to sit on while you work in the garden. You can tape the layers together to help keep them in place, or stick them in an old pillowcase.

Wrap your custom pad in waterproof tape, like Gorilla All-Weather Duct Tape from Lowe’s, to create a durable, damp-proof exterior shield. Stash a few of these homemade pads inside your greenhouse or garden shed to keep them dry and ready for use. Where you aren’t waterproofing your cardboard kneepad, don't leave it lying directly out on wet, muddy grass between weeding sessions, or it will rapidly lose its structural springiness and may even wind up harboring slugs.

6. Scare Away Pests

Scarecrows have become cutesy fall decorations for many, but the original purpose of these straw people is still valid – scaring away birds and other large pests that might otherwise go after your plants. Instead of a traditional, straw-stuffed man, why not create a life-sized person out of cardboard? This is a fun, creative project to do with kids. Simply cut shapes out of flattened cardboard and decorate to make them look like people.

You can dress them in real clothes, attach yarn for hair, and use silvery streamers, which move in the wind. Staple strips of reflective De-Bird Scare Tape to the arms to create flashing, noise-making bird deterrents in the wind. You can buy Holographic Bird Scare Ribbon from Walmart. Bear in mind that wildlife quickly adapts to static figures left in the same spot for weeks. Move your cardboard figures to different sectors of your vegetable garden every few days to keep local pests guessing.

Reusing all that cardboard that arrives on your doorstep is a great way to increase the sustainability of your gardening habits. From prepping beds to supporting seedlings, cardboard has so many great applications – and it’s a brilliantly budget way to safeguard the health of your future gardens. So, instead of throwing your next delivery box in the bin, why not give it a second life?

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Royal walkabouts go like clockwork: the royal rolls up in an expensive car with security following behind, they step out, and immediately a waiting child steps forward with a bouquet of flowers clutched in their little hands. The royal family member crouches down, accepts it, and the whole thing is photographed from 17 different angles. It’s one of the sweetest rituals of public royal life. Plus, the public brings hundreds of bouquets as well.

But what happens next? After the cameras stop rolling and the engagement wraps up, Kate Middleton isn’t going home and putting the flower bouquet in her kitchen or on her nightstand.

How Many Flowers Are We Actually Talking About?

While it’s not publicly recorded how many bouquets of flowers the royal family receives every year, the scale is obviously significant. Senior working royals carry out hundreds of official engagements every year, and flowers are presented at almost all of them. On a busier walkabout like a jubilee celebration or a royal tour, a single royal might receive dozens of bouquets in an afternoon alone. Over the course of a year, the volume of flower bouquets can approach the thousands.

That's a lot of flowers. And they have to go somewhere.

What Actually Happens to Them

Many gifts from the public must go through a strict security check before the royal family can even keep them, but flowers are treated very differently. You may also see royal family members politely accepting a flower bouquet and handing it over to a member of staff or an equerry to carry, most often out of practicality (it’s pretty hard to shake hands while holding an armful of roses).

Things can vary quite a bit, depending on location. If the royals are on tour and staying in a hotel, the flowers are often brought back to their room and displayed in a vase. It’s a small detail that gives a lovely human feeling to the whole thing. If you also like the look of flowers displayed in a vase, try this one from Target that has lovely blue flower detailing.

In the United Kingdom, however, the flowers rarely stay with the royal family for long. Those close to the royals have revealed that the flowers often end up going to churches or charities at the end of the day. Keith Roy of the Monarchist League of Canada told Good to Know, "The gifts are often given away to the different charities that they're highlighting."

It's a very royal, very practical solution to an impractical amount of flowers, and one that makes the gesture that much sweeter. Someone gives flowers to a royal, and those same flowers end up at a hospice or church somewhere: a natural cycle.

The Flowers Left at Palace Gates

A separate category altogether, but still worth mentioning, are the flowers left by the public at palace gates during moments of significance. When Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, the sea of flowers outside Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Sandringham became one of the defining images of mourning. The amount of flowers was astounding, but it still raised the question: what actually happens to them?

In those circumstances, it’s often managed by palace staff who work to make sure the floral tributes are handled respectfully. Often, the public is asked to remove plastic wrapping from a bouquet of flowers before leaving it, to help with composting. Most of the floral material is eventually composted and used on royal estates; so, flowers return to their soil in the most literal sense. If you also want to compost in your own garden, this Cozurra 45-gallon Compost tumbler is available on Amazon for a great price.

The Tradition Behind Royal Bouquets

The giving of flowers to royals is one of the oldest and most universal forms of showing the public’s admiration and affection for them. And, there is also a lot of tradition behind flowers within the royal family itself.

For example, every royal wedding bouquet dating back all the way to Queen Victoria has to carry a sprig of myrtle. And that sprig of myrtle isn’t just picked up from any old garden store. When Prince Albert’s grandmother gave Victoria a posy containing myrtle during a visit to Gotha, Germany, Victoria planted a sprig of it at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, where it still grows today. Queen Elizabeth II carried it, Diana carried it, KateMiddleton carried it, and Meghan Markle carried it. If you like the look of myrtle, you can get the seeds from Seedville USA at Walmart.

The next time you see a royal getting flower bouquets from the public, it’s worth knowing it won’t go to waste. It’ll end up in a vase, or a church, or charity, and occasionally, if the timing is right, in the hands of someone who needed it far more than the palace did.

On September 21, 1996, Carolyn Bessette walked down the aisle of the First African Baptist Church on Cumberland Island, Georgia. She wore a bias-cut ivory silk gown and carried what would become one of the most influential bridal bouquets in history, despite its simplicity. No roses. No peonies. No overflowing cascade of the usual wedding flowers. Just a small, simple cluster of lily of the valley, barely larger than her hand, and tied together with a white satin ribbon. It looked as effortless as Carolyn Bessette herself.

However, the choice of lily of the valley was no accident, and actually had more meaning than most people knew. Jackie Kennedy, the mother-in-law she would never get to meet, adored lily of the valley throughout her life. She chose it for her formal wedding portraits and regularly requested that the flowers be arranged at the White House when she became First Lady. The flowers were even placed on her breakfast tray each morning so she could wake up to their sweet scent. And, when she died, Jacqueline's mahogany casket was covered in ferns, and a white cross made up of lilies of the valley.

Carolyn, a woman who was known for being deeply thoughtful, was acutely aware of the Kennedy legacy she was marrying into. Therefore, the lily of the valley felt less like an off-the-cuff choice and more purposeful; a fragrant nod to the woman who had walked this path before her.

Ryan Murphy’s FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette may have reignited interest in the Kennedy family earlier this year, but Carolyn’s bouquet – and the poignant story behind it – continues to resonate far beyond the show itself. For gardeners especially, the enduring appeal of lily of the valley lies not only in its delicate beauty, but in the symbolism behind one of the most iconic bridal looks of the 1990s.

The Flower Itself

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) has centuries of symbolism behind it. It represents purity, humility, and the return of happiness, which gives Carolyn's bouquet an almost unbearably poignant quality in retrospect.

It’s not showy, yet immediately stops you in your tracks. Lily of the valley bloom in spring, disappear quickly, and are super intense. Much like Carolyn herself, it’s not a flower that announces itself or demands attention. For the people who truly notice it and get up close, they are rewarded with its mesmerizing fragrance.

Why It Still Matters

Nearly thirty years later, the lily of the valley bouquet remains one of the most referenced and replicated bridal choices in the world. Brides who weren't born when Carolyn walked down that aisle still request it by name, especially now with the new show. Florists still cite it as a turning point – the moment the industry began to embrace the idea that less is more.

What makes Carolyn’s bouquet timeless, however, isn’t just because it was simple – plenty of minimalist trends have come and gone. What still makes it popular is the sense that every element of Carolyn’s wedding look was purposeful, even if it appeared that it wasn’t the case. She wasn’t simply choosing a bouquet; she was writing a love letter to the legacy that she was choosing to honor. The image below – captured by wedding photographer Denis Reggie and widely shared online – remains one of the clearest glimpses of the iconic arrangement.

Growing Lily of the Valley at Home

If you’ve been binge-watching the new Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette series, or just really like lily of the valley, you’re in for a treat, because they’re actually surprisingly easy to grow and don’t take much effort – you can even buy pips or roots for planting from Amazon.

It makes such a gorgeous cut flower to use in home-grown flower arrangements. The real key is planting them at the right time and in the right place. If you get those two things right, this flower will essentially look after itself.

In fact, lily of the valley is the unicorn of the gardening world, as it actually thrives under conditions where other plants would struggle. That makes it perfect for an awkward dark corner under a tree or along a north-facing fence.

However, lily of the valley does have a darker side: the plant is highly toxic, so it’s best avoided in gardens frequented by curious children or pets.

Planting Tips

Plant the pips (the small rhizomes that look a little like tiny white fingers) in the fall, ideally between October and November. They require a shaded or semi-shaded place.

The pips should be planted about an inch below the surface and roughly six inches apart, with the pointed tips facing upward. Water them thoroughly and then leave them alone (really, they don’t need all kinds of fussing-over, even in winter).

A hand dibber, like this one from Berry&Bird makes it a lot easier to plant lily of the valley pips.

A Breathtaking Fragrance

When spring arrives, those first stems will push through the soil, and within a few weeks, you’ll have the same intensely fragrant flowers loved by both Jackie and Carolyn.

If you don't have any patience or need them right away, you can get surprisingly realistic artificial lily of the valley stems, including these ones from Hanaive on Amazon. They make great wedding bouquets or home displays.

The real magic of the lily of the valley is that it spreads slowly and steadily over time. It will naturalize into wider and wider areas without any human intervention. This means that just by planting a dozen pips, you could end up with a breathtaking carpet of lily of the valley within five years.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t bloom for long (about two to three weeks at most), but the fragrance during that small window makes it absolutely worth it.

Many of us are short on outdoor space, so choosing pieces of furniture that do double duty is essential. Outdoor storage benches are the ideal solution for small patios, porches, or balconies. You can use them to add much-needed outdoor seating and also store your gardening tools, hoses, grilling essentials, and seat cushions out of sight.

But with so many types of outdoor seating and storage benches available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for your yard. That's why I scoured all my favorite online shops for the best rated and best priced deals I could find.

The storage bench options below cover a range of materials, trending styles, budgets, and storage needs that should suit almost every outdoor space.

Durable Resin Storage Benches

Resin is one of the most popular materials for outdoor storage benches. It's durable, weather-resistant, and easy to clean.

Most resin outdoor storage benches require assembly and many cheaper options can be flimsy or break easily. The picks below, though, are all easy to assemble and highly-rated for their durability, weight capacity, and storage size.

Classic Wooden Outdoor Benches

Wooden outdoor storage benches provide a classic look that suits just about any landscape. They are beautiful and durable with a little bit of upkeep.

Most wooden benches do require annual oiling or staining every few years to keep them looking their best. Check the specific care instructions for the bench you choose. Then cozy up your wooden bench with some of the beautiful outdoor pillows and throws from Terrain.

Trendy Yet Timeless Wicker Benches

Grandmas everywhere have always understood the timeless beauty of this style, but the rest of world just seems to be catching on. Wicker is one of the hottest outdoor trends of 2026 and it's easy to understand why.

This style is so beautiful and adds a casual, natural-looking element to your patio furniture. These wicker picks bridge this old-fashioned material with more contemporary shapes, so these benches will fit in with almost any decor style.

I’ve always believed that making a backyard garden is one of the most creative things one can do. Mapping beds, planting seeds, nurturing shrubs – all of these involve imagination and resolution – and, in my book, that spells creativity.

Upcycling is a natural part of creating a beautiful garden space. Items that have worn out their original purpose can usually find a whole new life in the garden – from old car tires to that claw-foot bathtub that doesn’t work in your redesigned bathroom.

Old Mason jars have a place in upcycling too, and we want to start a list of ideas for how to let these cute little glass jars find a happy new life in the garden.

Hello Mason Jars

Fun fact: Mason jars were invented by John Landis Mason well before any of us were born. He introduced the glass jars with screw-on lids in 1858 as home canning aids. Many of us gardeners don’t include home canning in our gardening plans, yet Mason jars keep appearing in our kitchens.

Original Mason jars were made of molded glass and have a threaded metal lid that seals securely to keep the canned veggies airtight. Today, antique old-fashioned jars serve as rustic memorabilia, symbols of pioneer sustainability. But in fact, as long as a jar is glass and offers an air-proof lid, we tend to call it a Mason jar. They remain a popular packaging option.

Mason Jars in the Garden

Although considered a collector’s item by some, Mason jars are not difficult to find at garage sales and second-hand stores. And brand-new replicas are available in commerce. Assuming you aren’t canning, there will come a time when you want those jars to serve some new purpose - and the garden welcomes them with open arms.

Mason jars can be repurposed in a number of clever, creative ways in the garden. Not only does reusing these glass jars encourage you to think “outside the jar,” it also promotes sustainability.

9 Ways to Upcycle Mason Jars in the Garden

Yes, one of the benefits of upscaling Mason jars in your garden is to give you an outlet for creativity, but we’ll prime the well with a short-list of ideas. Use them as a jumping-off place and let us know what else you come up with.

Here are nine fun things you can do in the landscape with Mason jars.

1. Water for Wildlife

As we mentioned, all Mason jars are waterproof, so that makes them a great “dish” for water around the garden. You can fill those jars with water, poke holes in the metal lid, then suspend it upside down. Bees and other insects will happily come to the jar for a sip.

2. Herb Jars

These tough glass containers make great homes for growing herbs on your kitchen counter. Add potting soil to each jar, then sprinkle with herb seeds. Since the jars are clear glass, they allow sunlight from the kitchen window to stream through to the plant roots. This idea is perfect for herbs you use a lot like basil and parsley.

3. Twilight Candles

It’s hard to find just the right outdoor lighting for the gorgeous moments after sunset. Electric lights are too bright, solar lights too dim. Use your empty Mason jars to create a magical evening ambiance. Add a candle to each jar, then hang them with rustic twine. Suspended from branches or other sturdy supports, they bring a romantic candle-light glow to the garden. You can find small tea light candles from Amazon.

4. Torch Light

Okay, we admit it. Candlelight is not perfect for each and every outdoor gathering. If you are having a noisy party, livelier lights work better. Make Mason jar tiki torches for these occasions. You’ll want to poke a hole in the center of the lid. Then fill the jars with lamp oil and thick wicks, pulling the wicks through the hole in the lid. Mount the torch lights in secure locations, either hung with wire or set on sturdy wood stakes. Light them up and rock and roll. Clean-burning lamp oil and tiki torch wicks can be found at Amazon.

5. Pollinator Water Station

You may be wondering what on earth to do with the Mason jar lids after using the jar for herbs. Here’s the answer: you can use the lids to make small water stations for bees. Just fill the jar lids with small pebbles and water. Place them around your garden. Cute blue and clear glass pebbles can be purchased from Amazon and can be used for other garden crafts, too.

6. Bird Feeders

Mason jars come in many sizes, and you may be struggling with how to repurpose a larger model. It’s for the birds! The idea is to hang the Mason jar on its side. To do this, you’ll need to be creative, using wire or tough rope that won’t rot in the rain. Attach the cord or wire to a tree branch, then fill the containers with seed. Don’t put the lid back on of course! Chewy has a wide selection of bird seed to suit whatever backyard birds you have!

7. Mason Jar Windchimes

Upcycle Mason jars to make musical magic in the back yard. This is truly a creative project, since you can use any recycled materials that appeal to you. Weight the jar with collected river rocks or agates, then make a string harness to hang it on a tree branch. Create five or six long strings of glass beads, small bells, and other music makers, and attach them to the bottom of the harness. They will tinkle and chime in every summer breeze. You can find a variety of small bells at Michaels, there are even some really colorful options!

8. Propagation Station

Many of us gardeners are skipping the plant store and instead making new plants by propagating cuttings. Taller Mason jars are perfect for this effort. Paint them if you like, or decorate them with old necklaces or beads, then fill them with water. Pop the cuttings into the jars and watch the roots grow. Be sure to change out the water regularly.

9. Seed Storage

Do you save seeds from this year’s plants for next year’s garden? If you do, take note: Mason jars are perfect storage units for the seeds. They provide an airtight seal that keeps seeds dry and free from moisture, keeping them viable until planting. It’s a good idea to mark each jar with the type of seeds inside and the date they were collected. Then store the jars in a cool, dark location.

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Mother's Day is quickly approaching, and if your mother is anything like mine, she has a whole list of garden chores she’s been champing at the bit to get to. My mom has always told me to wait until after Mothers Day to transplant seedlings and clean up my garden.

The last frost date for my USDA hardiness zone is technically April 25, but, here in the Midwest, there always seems to be a late frost that sneaks up. There’s nothing sadder than babying seedlings indoors for months only to have them ruined overnight by a cold snap after you’ve transplanted them. This year, Mother's Day is May 10, so I am waiting until then to get my garden projects fully underway. My mom’s advice hasn’t failed me yet!

I’ll be working with my mother in our respective gardens for Mother's Day, and I’m sharing our combined garden wish list in case you're looking for some Mother's Day garden ideas. These tools, accessories, and clever garden items are sure to please your mom, stepmom, grandma, aunt or any other garden-obsessed mother-figure in your life! Happy Mother's Day!

For the Weekend Warrior Mom

Mom's do the most. Keep her safe and make her gardening jobs easier with these smart tool and accessory picks.

For the Mom Who Needs a Chill Moment

Help your mom create a backyard oasis so she can relax in style. She works hard and deserves a beautiful respite!

For the Mom Who Wants to Help Pollinators

Fill out the garden and help pollinators with these wonderful plants that are delivered straight to your door. They are sure to make mom's day!

We wish you and your mom a wonderful Mother's Day!

As someone who adores nature and a good DIY project, I’m always on the lookout for garden ideas that feel both beautiful and hands-on.

That’s exactly why kokedama caught my attention. These moss-wrapped plantings are sculptural, a little unexpected, and surprisingly achievable at home. They turn a simple plant into something living and display-worthy – part gardening project, part natural artwork. And when they’re made with spring-flowering bulbs, the effect can be especially charming, with vibrant blooms appearing to float above a sphere of moss.

To help you make your own, I spoke to plant experts to find out exactly how to create kokedama, the steps worth taking your time over, and the most common mistakes to avoid. Once you’ve made one, don’t be surprised if you start planning a whole collection.

What is Kokedama?

Kokedama is a Japanese gardening technique in which a plant’s roots are wrapped in a ball of soil, covered in moss, and secured with twine or string. The finished piece can be displayed on a dish, pedestal, or shelf, or suspended for a more dramatic look.

It’s a wonderful way to add interest to a yard, porch, or indoor space, and it gives even a humble plant a more thoughtful, artistic presence. Kokedama works especially well when you want to highlight the shape of a plant, show off seasonal bulbs, or try a planting project that feels more creative than simply filling a container.

Part of the appeal is that making kokedama asks you to think a little differently. You’re not just planting something up – you’re creating a self-contained form that supports the plant while becoming part of the display itself. That balance of practicality and beauty is what makes it so satisfying.

If you’re new to it, don’t be intimidated. With the right materials and a bit of patience, kokedama is very doable for beginners. It’s easy to see why gardeners and plant lovers – including creators such as Gabrielle Beck, whose beautifully made examples (below) have helped introduce more people to the idea – have fallen for it.

How to Make a Spring Bulb Kokedama

Before you begin, it helps to gather everything in one place. Having your materials ready will make the process far more enjoyable – and far less messy.

What You'll Need

• Spring bulb flowers (such as narcissus, crocus, hyacinth, or grape hyacinth), or small flowering plants like primroses, pansies, or even anemones
• 50:50 mix of multipurpose compost and bonsai potting mix (for improved drainage)
• Sheet moss (fresh or preserved)
• Twine, string, or thin ribbon
• A bowl or bucket for mixing
• Water

Once you’ve chosen your bulbs, take a moment to think about the overall look you’re after. You might keep things simple with one variety for a cohesive display, or mix different bulbs for a more relaxed, natural feel. If you already have healthy bulbs growing in your yard, you can carefully lift and use those – just make sure the roots stay intact.

Kokedama Essentials

Spring Kokedama Step-by-Step

1. Mix your soil
   Combine equal parts multipurpose compost and bonsai potting mix in a bowl. The addition of bonsai soil improves drainage, which is key to keeping the roots healthy inside the moss ball. Team it with a standard potting mix, like this Harris All Purpose Potting Mix.
2. Add water gradually
   Slowly add water and mix until the texture resembles a wet cake batter. As gardening expert Angelika Zaber of Online Turf explains, "Achieving this consistency will make it easier to take the compost mix that you created and form it into a ball."
3. Form the soil ball
   Shape the mixture into a firm ball in your hands. It should hold its shape without crumbling or dripping.
4. Insert the bulb
   Gently split the ball in half, position the bulb so the roots sit inside the soil, with the shoot pointing upward, then press the halves back together and reshape the ball so it’s secure.
5. Wrap with moss
   Take a sheet of moss and wrap it around the soil ball, covering it completely. This outer layer helps retain moisture and gives kokedama its signature look.
6. Secure with twine
   Wrap twine or string around the moss, crisscrossing as you go to hold everything firmly in place. Tie it off securely.
7. Add a hanger (optional)
   If you’d like to suspend your kokedama, leave a generous length of string when tying. Angelika recommends allowing enough excess to comfortably hang it. "You can also wind ribbon around the moss for further security and visual appeal," she adds.

Kokedama Care

Kokedama do have a few specific care needs, but once you understand the basics, they’re very straightforward to look after.

• Watering is the most important part. The moss ball should be kept consistently moist, but never waterlogged, as overly wet conditions can quickly lead to rot. Rather than relying on light misting alone, it’s best to soak your kokedama when it starts to dry out. Simply submerge the ball in a bowl of water for 10–15 minutes, then lift it out and gently squeeze to remove excess moisture. You’ll notice it feels noticeably heavier when fully hydrated.
• Between soakings, you can lightly mist the moss to keep it looking fresh and green, especially in warmer or drier conditions.
• Place your kokedama in bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight can dry out the moss too quickly and may scorch more delicate plants, particularly spring bulbs and small flowering varieties.
• As the moss grows, you can trim it with a small pair of scissors (like these Japanese bonsai scissors on Amazon) to maintain a neat, rounded shape. This is purely aesthetic, but it helps keep your kokedama looking its best.

What Else Can I Kokedama?

Kokedama aren’t just for spring bulbs. While they’re a lovely seasonal choice, this technique works just as well with a wide range of plants – particularly those that enjoy consistent moisture and don’t mind having their roots gently contained.

Dan Jones, founder of Terrarium Tribe, shares a few alternatives to try: “There are plenty of good houseplant candidates to use if you’d rather not try this DIY with spring bulbs. Moisture-loving temperate and tropical plants like orchids are a natural fit, as you’ll need to keep the moss hydrated anyway. Compact species tend to fare better and look more visually balanced, too. Ferns are a good choice, or you could go a little more bonsai-traditional and use a ficus ginseng.”

If you live in a rainy climate like I do, you know that spring gardening usually involves battling a lot of rain and mud. I recently realized I desperately needed a garden path to reach my garden beds without completely ruining my shoes. But honestly, I absolutely hate complicated DIY projects. The thought of digging up my lawn, hauling heavy stone pavers, and meticulously leveling gravel sounded completely exhausting.

I wanted a beautiful, rustic garden path, but I wanted it without the back-breaking labor or the massive landscaping bill. That's when I discovered roll-out wood garden paths, and they are officially my favorite budget-friendly outdoor hack of the season. If you want to effortlessly upgrade your yard this spring without breaking a sweat, this is the exact product you need.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Roll-out garden paths are exactly what they sound like. They're made of of durable wooden planks connected by flexible wire or heavy-duty rubber backing. To install them, you don't need a shovel, leveling sand, or a single tool. You literally just take them out of the box and unroll them over your grass, dirt, gravel, or mulch.

In under five minutes, you get a stunning, high-end wooden walkway that keeps your feet out of the mud.

Because they aren't permanently installed in the ground, they are incredibly versatile and completely renter-friendly. You can easily roll them up to store them during heavy winter snows, or move them around your yard as your garden layout changes. The flexible backing even allows them to bend, meaning you can easily curve the path around flower beds, trees, or tricky corners!

Whether you need a clean walkway to your garden hose, a mud-free path to your trash cans, or just a chic upgrade for your outdoor space, here are three brilliant roll-out paths to add to your yard this spring.

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If a roll-out wooden boardwalk doesn't quite match your garden's aesthetic, you can still get a gorgeous, no-dig pathway using clever stepping stones!

Who doesn't love a bouquet of flowers? They're an incredibly thoughtful gesture to give or receive as a gift, they make for an amazing centerpiece, and they instantly invite a pop of nature into any room.

If you're looking to spruce up your store-bought bunches or make your own bouquets using flowers from your yard, adding filler foliage is a great way to go the extra mile in terms of visuals. All you need to have the perfect foliage for the job, according to Donna of Busy B Blooms on Instagram, are some chickpeas. They grow into the loveliest greenery!

To learn more about this nifty hack I spoke to a flower pro. Here we delve into the the beauty sprigs of greenery add to a bouquet, why this hack works, and more.

What is the chickpea hack?

Donna's chickpea hack is an amazing solution that's cheap and quick to execute for anyone looking to bulk out their floral bouquets. It's also an ideal project for anyone wishing to try their hand at growing something for the first time.

You simply sow any dried chickpeas into soil and water them to keep them moist. Then within 10 to 12 weeks you will have a lush, leafy plant perfect for pruning to obtain foliage for your bouquets.

If you're hoping for a consistent supply of foliage, Donna recommends sowing some more chickpeas every few weeks.

Is there anything I need to be careful of when trying the hack out?

Though Donna's chickpea hack is pretty easy to do, there is one major thing gardeners need to be aware of according to Genia - not all of your chickpeas will successfully sprout, especially if you're using ones from a grocery store.

Genia explains: "Chickpeas purchased in bag at the grocery store are intended as food, not seeds for planting. Although some of them will sprout when planted, the germination rate or yield is likely to be much lower than if you purchase a packet of certified seeds. On the seed packet, you will find listings that read “Certified Organic” or “Non-GMO” or “Heirloom” proving that those seeds are intended for planting rather than cooking."

Genia also recommends using some chickpea-specific inoculant on soil where you intend to start your seeds. An inoculant is designed to help prevent diseases and bacteria for your plants, as well as to boost their potential yield.

The MicroLife Bio Inoculant from Amazon is a good choice, plus its slow-release for long-lasting impact.

Why do people add greenery to their floral arrangements?

There are so many reasons why people enjoy adding sprigs of greenery to their bouquets of flowers, from enhancing visuals to bulking out their arrangements.

Genia Silva, the founder and creative director of Lush Petals, shares: "Greenery from the foliage adds extra texture and colour to the bouquet and creates an opportunity for intended negative space and air in a bouquet."

Foliage can also help to strengthen the structural integrity of your bouquets, protecting flowers from drooping. This is especially important for flowers with heavier heads, which can be prone to snapping.

Genia continues: "Heavier-headed blooms can be rested on the foliage and use it as support as well. The leaves could be totally stripped or hidden if the designer just wants to use foliage for its structural function, but it can look amazing too."

What other foliage looks fabulous with flowers?

The foliage that suits your flower bouquet will largely depend on your preferences as well as what flowers are in the arrangement. Though these are Genia's top four foliage recommendations aside from greenery grown from chickpeas:

• Eucalyptus: With its silvery green leaves and clean fragrance, eucalyptus adds both volume and graceful drape to the bouquet. Eucalyptus is extremely long lasting and exists in many varieties, each with leaves in a unique variety of shapes.
• Lemon Leaf: Glossy and deep green, its tear shaped leaves provide a polished backdrop and a very long vase life.
• Dusty Miller: Its soft, frosty, pale-green foliage introduces unique velvety texture and it dries beautifully in arrangements.
• Ferns: Arching fronds create an elegant, natural structure with varieties suited to nearly every floral style.

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When it comes to decorating an outdoor space, "nautical" can sometimes walk a very fine line between looking chic and looking a bit kitschy. But Target’s newest outdoor drop has completely nailed the coastal aesthetic. It's packed with subtle shell motifs, dusty ocean blues, and elevated textures that make your backyard feel like a high-end seaside resort, no matter how far you actually live from the beach.

From a gorgeous fringe umbrella with a hidden print to the cutest illuminated clam shell lamp, I'm completely obsessed with this entire line. If you want to give your patio a fresh, breezy upgrade this season, here are 9 perfect nautical pieces to grab before they inevitably sell out.

The Coastal Bistro Set

Whether you are working with a tiny apartment balcony or a sprawling backyard patio, creating a dedicated spot for your morning coffee is a must. These three pieces pair together perfectly to create a dreamy coastal seating area.

Subtle Shell Accents

If you don't want to overhaul your entire patio setup, adding a few well-placed coastal accessories is the easiest way to lean into the trend.

Nautical Soft Goods

Swapping out your textiles is the fastest, most budget-friendly way to refresh your outdoor space for the new season. These three pieces add instant comfort and coastal charm.

One of my favorite parts about gardening is the feeling that I'm creating and caring for something in this huge universe. In those moments I'm devoting all of my time and attention to the process of planting, growing and nurturing with complete intention.

I love the idea of making some DIY air-dry clay plant markers like Anna King of Making Home Matter and Sostrene Grene posted to Instagram to take this hands-on approach even further. It sounds like a fun, mindful activity as well as one that will come in super handy to keep your crops labelled!

I chatted to some plant pros about the markers in the videos to learn what they love about them, plus one pro shared an amazing alternative that they use in their own yard. Read on to learn all about it.

What are plant markers?

Plant markers are a simple identification label used to help a gardener to know what they have planted, as well as where they have planted it. It's so easy to mix up your crops and not know what's where, which can quickly become stressful if certain plants require certain care while growing and you don't know where they are!

Through using a plant marker all of this is remedied, permitted that the label on your marker remains clear to read, that it doesn't break, and that it stays firmly in the ground in the place it's supposed to go.

What do plant pros love about the plant markers on Instagram?

The two sets of air-dry clay plant markers on Instagram are both rather different but they definitely share a commonality - they're both incredibly stylish.

Shane Pliska, CEO of Planterra and an indoor gardening expert, feels the same way and loved the decorative element of the markers. He shared: "If you’re going to label your plants with a garden DIY, you might as well do it with style. It is more common to see plant markers made of tin or plastic, so these markers definitely elevate the category. They are not just functional, they’re decorative objects. They bring a sense of craft and permanence to the garden, turning something ordinary into a small moment of art."

Tammy Sons, the founder and CEO of TN Nursery, is also a fan of how decorative these air-dry clay plant markers are, but more specifically loves the unique shape of Sostene Grene's design.

She said: "I have seen air-dry clay plant markers a lot online lately, but I love how shaped and durable those markers look!"

Making your markers: A step-by-step guide

To make your own plant markers from air-dry clay, you first need to decide what design you're going for. Would you like something more muted like in Anna King's example? Or perhaps something more shaped and colorful like Sostrene Grene's which will require purchasing paint?

1. Once you're clear on your vision, begin to gather your supplies. The bare minimum essentials for this DIY are air-dry clay and a glaze to make the clay waterproof. However, paints, stamps, a detailing tool, and a cutting mat may also come in handy.
2. Begin by crafting your clay shapes, whether free-handedly or with the assistance of using tools. If you're wishing to stamp any designs onto the clay like Anna, you need to do this before the clay dries out, otherwise the stamp won't be able to imprint properly. Ensure the shapes you make are at least a couple of inches thick, otherwise your dried clay will be rather brittle and prone to snapping.
3. After forming the shape you want and adding any stamps you wish to add, poke any holes you want into the clay. In Sostene Grene's video the clay pieces were cleverly hung up onto hooks to form the plant markers. It's best to make any holes you need while the clay is still soft, otherwise it may crack when you try to add them in later.
4. Then, your clay is all set to dry. Leave it for at least a day, when it should feel dry to the touch, but if you have longer three days should give the clay plenty of time to dry out.
5. Permitted your air-dry clay is entirely dry you can paint on any color or designs you want, and then finish everything off with a waterproof clay coating after your paint is completely dry. Don't forget to allow your glaze enough time to dry before using your plant markers in any soil, otherwise it may rub off and your clay won't be waterproof. Modge podge, acrylic sealant or any clay glaze will do the trick, and shall be all set after 24 hours.

What's a good alternative option?

If you love the idea of this DIY but don't have the budget to spend on craft supplies, Matt Tutt, a gardener at Aguacateros, has an amazing alternative option.

He shared with me: "It looks like a lot of effort to do this DIY, and that you need to buy various things – the clay, the stamps, and the glaze. Some people are lucky enough to have clay in their garden – this would be a great option (and the most sustainable choice!).

"But if you're looking for an alternative or a more affordable option, I have started using offcuts of wood or tree prunings to make my plant markers. I expose the wood using an axe or knife, and then I simply draw onto the wood with pencil or pen. They should last a decent length of time - and it will all naturally decompose eventually too."

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When the weather finally starts warming up here in the Pacific Northwest, my immediate instinct is to take my morning coffee and my latest book outside. But finding a comfortable, cozy place to lounge that doesn't cost an absolute fortune — or take up my entire patio footprint — is always a challenge. Massive outdoor sectionals and trendy egg chairs are gorgeous, but they often come with a staggering price tag.

That's exactly why my jaw dropped when I saw that ALDI just dropped the Belavi Hanging Hammock Chair. Priced at only $19.99, this hammock chair gives you that highly coveted, boho-chic aesthetic for a fraction of the cost of high-end retailers. It's perfect for hanging from a sturdy porch beam or a strong tree branch, and instantly gives you a cozy spot to gently sway in the breeze without cluttering up your floor space.

The Ultimate Cozy Upgrade

There's something inherently relaxing about the gentle sway of a hammock. Unlike traditional patio furniture that forces you to sit completely upright, this hammock chair features a soft, flexible weave that essentially hugs your body. It cradles you perfectly as you sink in, completely taking the pressure off your joints and perfectly cocooning you for a good reading session.

Because of its relaxed, unstructured design, you can easily curl your legs up inside with a plush blanket on chillier mornings. It's designed for pure comfort, giving you a serene spot to gently sway in the breeze. Whether you hang it from a sturdy porch beam, a pergola, or a strong tree branch, it instantly turns any corner of your yard into the ultimate boho reading nook.

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As with all brilliant seasonal drops at ALDI, this hammock chair is practically guaranteed to sell out in a matter of days. If you miss the drop, don't have a local ALDI, or simply want a different color to match your aesthetic, don't worry! There are plenty of gorgeous, high-value alternatives available online.

When I was renting, my balcony gave off strong "forgotten utility space" energy instead of "relaxing, watch the sunset in the evening" vibes. Now, as I work on transforming my current yard into a personal retreat, I'm facing a very similar issue: trying to make my small deck feel private without feeling completely closed off.

When you have a small balcony or a compact patio, establishing a sense of privacy from nosy neighbors can feel like an impossible task. We often resort to buying massive, heavy wooden privacy screens to block the view. The problem? Those bulky screens also block the sunlight and the breeze, quickly making a tight outdoor footprint feel completely claustrophobic.

If you want to make a small yard feel bigger, the secret isn't walling it off — it's "zoning" it into distinct areas. Enter IKEA's new VISINGSÖ plant stand. It's green mesh construction allows you to create a lush, freestanding living wall that offers privacy and divides your patio, all while maintaining a beautiful, airy aesthetic.

So Low Profile, It's Practically Invisible

Rather than acting as a solid wall, this stand is constructed with a deep green mesh. Because of that specific color and texture, the stand itself essentially fades into the background of your garden. Instead of looking at a piece of furniture, your eye is drawn entirely to the plants it holds, creating the illusion of a floating "living wall" that separates your patio without blocking the sunlight, breeze, or generally making it feel claustrophobic.

While the stand itself has a low profile (and footprint), it is built from incredibly robust materials that can easily support the weight of large, heavy pots. By placing tall, established plants directly onto the shelves, you instantly add significant height and visual intrigue to your outdoor space.

Those larger plants transform the airy green mesh frame into a towering privacy screen that offers true seclusion from your neighbors. You can even use this trick directly out in the garden — simply set the stand up in bare spots where you don't currently have any tall plants growing to create an instant, lush barrier without having to wait years for a hedge to mature!

Seasonal Flexibility

Unlike traditional planter boxes, the VISINGSÖ gives you the ultimate seasonal flexibility. You can easily swap your plants in and out as the seasons change, moving your sun-loving blooms to the top and keeping your shade-tolerant trailing vines on the bottom. Plus, raising my plants off the ground is an absolute game-changer for keeping my two curious cats, Iris and Archie, out of the foliage! It gives you all the lush, zoning benefits of a garden divider with none of the heavy lifting.

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Part of the beauty of gardening is that your yard can be whatever you want it to be. If your heart desires a garden abundant with flowers and paving stone pathways, it's more than possible. Or if something with lots of greenery and trees is calling your name, planting up some new growth will only take an afternoon.

Gardeners often look to incorporate tasteful pops of color into their yard to enhance the visuals of the space even further. These accents stand out in a great way, whether it's to purposefully create a focal point or to provide a sense of contrast from the rest of your yard's color palette.

If you're interested in adding some more color to your yard, you've come to the right place. I asked an assortment of plant pros for their top colorful shrub recommendations that will instantly add an extra something to your outdoor area. Read on to hear their top picks, as well as why they're ideal in terms of elevating your yard's design.

1. Oakleaf hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are an amazing choice of shrub for adding color to a yard but if you're going to pick just one variety for impact Taylor Olberding, co-owner of Heroes Lawn Care in Omaha and a degree holder in Turf and Landscape Management, would highly recommend "Oakleaf".

Taylor explains: "Oakleaf hydrangeas are my number one choice because they give you something to look at year-round. In summer, they produce large, creamy white blooms, followed by rich burgundy foliage in the fall. Even in winter, the peeling bark adds texture, so the landscape never feels empty."

Oakleaf hydrangeas are hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 9. They're a highly adaptable plant, able to withstand colder climates as well as climates on the more hot, humid side. For an Oakleaf hydrangea shrub to thrive, make sure to regularly provide it with water but do not overwater the plant. Well-drained, slightly acidic soil are also key points of care.

Find an eye-catching 'Gatsby Pink' oakleaf hydrangea shrub at Fast Growing Trees. Rich pink blooms in summer give way to burgundy foliage in fall.

2. 'Royal Purple' Smokebush

Taylor is also a huge fan of the 'Royal Purple' Smokebush, also called American smoke tree. It's another stunning shrub that shifts with the seasons, and as its name suggests it brings a beautiful hue of purple into a garden.

He says: "If you want more color, go for ‘Royal Purple’ smokebush. It has deep, velvety foliage that shifts into vibrant orange-red tones in fall, and its airy, smoke-like blooms add a soft, almost hazy texture during the summer."

The Royal Purple Smokebush is hardy in zones 4 through 9, thriving in full sun and well-draining soil. Despite being very sought-after by gardeners due to its beauty, it's actually a rather low-maintenance choice of shrub. Just be sure not to overwater it, as it's naturally drought-tolerant.

Royal Purple can be purchased from Fast Growing Trees for stunning color shipped straight to your door.

3. Azaleas

Azaleas are another great shrub for elevating a yard through color as their blooms come in so many bright varieties. From bold reds and yellows to punchy pinks and purples, whatever color you feel your space is missing can likely be remedied through the addition of one of these plants.

Gene Caballero, co-founder of GreenPal and part of the landscaping industry for over 25 years, shares: "Azalea's have beautiful spring colors and are very low maintenance. They do best in clusters near entryways or pathways or as foundation plantings that create a strong visual focal point immediately when people approach the home."

Different varieties of azaleas grow best in different plant hardiness zones, so there's probably something out there to match where you live. Though make sure to do your research before planting to help you find the best fit.

'Autumn Majesty' azalea shrubs, available from Lowe's, have almost electric purple flowers that will light up any shady corner of the yard!

4. Lavender

Lavender is a much-adored classic in the world of plants, but many gardeners don't realize it counts as a shrub AND can bloom in colors other than just purple! Known for its signature scent, it's a lovely way to add color to your space while also attracting local pollinators.

Angelika Zaber, a lawn care specialist and gardening expert at Online Turf, says: "Lavender comes in a variety of colors, including purple, blue, violet, pink, and even white. It is a great shrub if you want to attract butterflies and other pollinators into your garden, since it is rich in nectar, their main source of food, while also adding an injection of color into your yard."

According to Angelika, lavender can be grown in USDA hardiness zones 5 through to 11. If you live in hardiness zones 5 through 9, consider growing English lavender for the best results. And for zones 10 and 11, French lavender is usually an excellent choice. French lavender can also be grown in zones 8 and 9 if you prefer it over the English variety.

True English lavender seeds from Seed Needs, a family-owned business, can be found on Amazon.

5. Rosemary

Rosemary grows beautiful little flowers from late winter through to late spring, with the color depending on which variety you opt for. If you enjoy herb gardening, growing rosemary is a great way to double up expanding your collection of herbs while adding color.

Angelika shares: "This perennial shrub has needle-like leaves and produces a fresh, herbal scent that can spread around your garden, making it smell lovely and repelling multiple pests, including mosquitoes. When left to bloom, rosemary produces beautiful, small, tubular flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, or white from late winter through to late spring."

For the best results, plant rosemary in zones 8 through 11 along your pathways for a fresh hit of fragrance every time you walk around the yard, and prune it to maintain a beautiful shape. Be careful how often you water your rosemary though - despite loving full sunlight it doesn't need drowning in water as it's naturally drought-tolerant! Seed Needs also offers heirloom rosemary seeds through Amazon.

Supplies for Shrub Success

If you're a houseplant lover, you're probably familiar with the exact moment you officially run out of horizontal space. Your console table is full, your windowsills are packed, and the floor is completely cluttered. At a certain point, the only way to keep growing your collection is to look up and start utilizing your vertical real estate.

But hanging plants can be a massive headache, especially if you're renting. Most hanging planters and wall-mounted stands require drilling heavy-duty hooks into your ceiling or walls, putting your security deposit at risk.

If you want a renter-friendly way to display your trailing vines, you don't need a specialized plant stand. Using a basic rolling clothing rack from IKEA or Amazon to hang your plants is my absolute favorite indoor gardening hack — and it'll cost you less than $20.

The Ultimate Small Space Hack

When you search for heavy-duty rolling racks made specifically for hanging plants, they're often incredibly bulky, strictly utilitarian, and can easily cost well over $100. A standard clothing rack, on the other hand, gives you the exact same benefits for a fraction of the price.

Clothing racks are designed to fit into tight corners and narrow closets, meaning they take up a tiny footprint while maximizing your vertical space. It gives you that cascading garden feeling while keeping your floor completely clear. Plus, there's absolutely no leveling or drilling required.

But the real genius of using a clothing rack as a plant stand is that it makes your plants mobile. Because the rack is on wheels, you can easily chase the sun from room to room as the seasons change. Even better, when your plants need a good watering or a "spa day," you can effortlessly roll the entire rack outside onto your patio or balcony, hose them down, let them drain, and roll them right back inside with zero heavy lifting.

My Clothing Rack Picks

While the exact rack I use is this simple, budget-friendly white frame from IKEA, there are plenty of great alternatives out there depending on your personal style and exactly how many plants you need to hang. Here are a few ways to pull off this hack:

Styling Your Plant Rack

But beyond just protecting your greenery, a clothing rack offers so much versatility for styling. You aren’t limited to just standard hanging planters. I use cheap metal S-hooks and macrame plant holders to suspend my pots at varying heights, creating a lush, staggered wall of cascading foliage. Because the rack is so sturdy, I even use the side posts to hang my small watering can and pruning snips. It acts as an all-in-one storage station, so my indoor gardening tools are always right where I need them!

When we think about garden kneelers, we usually just think about avoiding bruises from the hard dirt. But the truth is, investing in ergonomic garden tools is actually about "future-proofing" your garden — and your body.

We often think about future-proofing our yards by planting drought-tolerant shrubs or laying down mulch, but we rarely think about future-proofing our own bodies. Protecting your cartilage and joints from long-term wear and tear is the only way to ensure you can continue to enjoy your outdoor space comfortably for decades.

By making this one simple, ergonomic swap to your toolkit, you can completely take the strain off your joints and keep gardening for years to come. Whether you need a heavy-duty foldable seat to help you stand up, a budget-friendly grab-and-go cushion, or a stylish kneeling pad that perfectly matches your aesthetic, here are the kneelers I highly recommend to keep your knees happy and healthy.

Future Proof Your Garden

The physical toll of gardening goes far beyond your knees. If you're constantly bending over at the waist to pull every single weed or plant every new seedling, you are working way harder than you need to be and putting immense strain on your lower back.

A good kneeler forces you to lower your center of gravity and work closer to the ground, which naturally straightens your posture. More importantly, getting up and down from the ground is where most garden injuries happen. Upgrading to a kneeler — especially a foldable one with sturdy side arms, like this one from Amazon — gives you the perfect leverage to push yourself back up without straining your back.

By making this one simple upgrade, you're taking the pressure completely off your joints and ensuring you can keep gardening for years to come.

My Garden Kneeler Picks

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We've all been there. It's late August, and the tomato cage that looked so big and imposing in the spring is being crushed or just plain toppled under the weight of a massive tomato plant.

This is just one of the many reasons I said goodbye to traditional tomato cages several years ago. (The main reason was that storing them in my shed was driving me insane). I traded them in for modular tomato cages, and I have never once regretted my decision. Here they are on Amazon if you want to take the plunge yourself.

Or maybe you want something a little more aesthetically pleasing. Because if there's one drawback to my beloved plastic cages, it's that they aren't particularly pretty.

If you want something sturdy to hold your tomato plants up, why not make it beautiful? I'm a big proponent of garden art, and the best kind is the kind that incorporates the plants around it. There are plenty of arches, obelisks, and trellises that not only provide the heavy-duty support big plants need, but also create a gorgeous focal point. Here are some of the coolest ones out there.

The Best Trellises for Garden Art

1. The Showstopper Arch

2. The Metal Obelisk

3. The Cedar Pyramid

4. The Heavy Duty Wall Trellis

5. The Minimalist Spiral

6. The Modular Option

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I live in the Pacific Northwest, so managing spring rain is a full-time job. I spend a lot of time trying to effectively route heavy rainfall away from my home's foundation, but I recently discovered a brilliant solution that completely changed my approach: rain chains.

These clever, cascading chains not only help with practical rain management by gently guiding water down from your roof, but they also look absolutely incredible, instantly turning a clunky, utilitarian metal gutter into a stunning, soothing water feature.

Right now, ALDI is making waves with their new spring drop of Belavi Rain Chains. At just $9.99 for adorable mushroom, bird, and flower designs, they are an absolute steal. But as we all know, whenever ALDI drops a brilliant garden collection, it sells out in minutes.

If you don't have an ALDI nearby, or your local store's shelves are already empty, don't worry. I've tracked down the absolute best rain chains across every price point to give your garden that exact same magical upgrade this spring.

Why Buy A Rain Chain?

ALDI's Belavi Bird Rain Chain is an absolute steal at just $9.99, which is a big reason why this specific collection consistently goes viral and sells out so incredibly fast.

Instead of standard cups or modern links, this specific design features beautifully sculpted birds that catch and guide the rainwater down the chain. It perfectly captures that whimsical, "fairytale" garden aesthetic.

Not only is it a stunning, decorative piece, but it's highly functional. Rain chains are designed to replace a traditional metal downspout, gracefully slowing the flow of water to protect your soil and delicate plants from heavy spring showers. It turns a boring utility feature into a soothing, sustainable water feature for your garden.

Rain chains generally also make it incredibly simple to collect and reuse rainwater. You can guide the chain directly into a rain barrel or trough to save water for the dry summer months. Many clever gardeners are even using them to guide rainwater directly into a bird bath or miniature garden pond, giving local wildlife and pollinators a beautiful place to drink and thrive.

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If you don't have an ALDI nearby, or your local store's shelves are already empty, don't worry. I've tracked down the absolute best rain chains across every price point to give your garden that exact same magical upgrade this spring.

Ever since I was little, I've always been fascinated by the beauty of nature. I'd spend hours gathering leaves to admire the different vein patterns and pick stunning flowers to press between the pages of books.

But when I learned that you can make gorgeous nature prints by hammering flowers or leaves onto paper, it blew my mind. I hadn't ever seen it before, and the results are so lovely. It's a trend currently popping up on Instagram, and it couldn't be easier to do.

To learn more about why it works and the best ways to do it I asked Genia Silva, the founder and creative director of Lush Petals, for advice. Here's what I learned.

What is Flower and Leaf Hammering?

Flower and leaf hammering is a rather self-explanatory process that can produce some beautiful botanical prints. It involves picking leaves and flowers, laying them flat against a sheet of paper, and hammering them to imprint their pattern onto the paper. The same process can also work to leave prints on pieces of fabric.

According to Genia, the reason hammering leaves and flowers produces prints is down to science. She explains: "Hammering leaves and foraged flowers to make lovely DIY artworks works because when you hammer flowers and/or leaves, you physically break their cells and release their pigments onto a surface.

"Mechanical pressure then pushes these pigments into the fibers of fabric or paper. Paper and fabric have gaps between their fibers, so they act as a sponge, binding pigments to the material."

It's recommended to place some grease-proof paper or another kind of sheet over the plant you're hammering to ensure it stays secure and won't disintegrate as easily.

Flower Hammering Supplies

If you want to try flower and leaf hammering as a hobby, here are some items that will come in handy.

Why Do It?

If you're looking to create a unique gift or enhance a greeting card, hammering floral and/or botanical designs is a guaranteed way to create something one of a kind.

It's also entirely free to do, only requiring a hammer and paper, which you likely already have at home.

Genia noted how it's also a great way to preserve special flower bouquets received from events such as Valentine's Day or your wedding. She said: "For example, one might want to use flowers from their wedding bouquet or florals collected during travels and create a collage on a linen/silk piece of fabric or craft paper/card." This way, memories can be preserved for years to come, whether they're kept in a book, framed, or worn on a shirt.

How to Protect Your Prints

Depending on whether you're making prints onto paper or fabric, there are several things you can do to keep them in pristine condition.

Genia explains: "When it comes to preserving botanical prints, the first rule of thumb is to keep them away from direct sunlight, as bright direct sunlight makes botanical pigments fade away.

"Secondly, if transferring floral prints onto fabric, use only natural fabrics like silk, linen, and cotton [as the fibers will hold the design better]."

To make the natural dye last longer on fabric, pre-soak it in alum (available on Amazon), allow it to dry, and heat-set the design after hammering.

"For paper botanical print, cotton paper and heavy watercolor paper work best due to their fibrous structure. You can also use the heat of the iron to fix the pigments into the paper or fabric. Wait for the print to dry and then iron for 3-5 mins using baking paper or cloth between the iron and printed surface.

"Lastly, do not wash the fabric once the imprints are done. Again, this will wash all delicate pigments away."

Which Flowers and Leaves Are Best?

Certain leaves and flowers work best for the hammering process, primarily those darker in color. This is because they're naturally richer in pigment, meaning they will produce prints that are both clearer and more vibrant. Genia recommends using pansies, cosmos, marigolds, or geraniums.

If you're keen on using leaves, it's best to opt for non-waxy kinds. If the leaf looks shiny on the surface, you'll know it's a "waxy" kind. This shiny layer forms a barrier between the paper and the pigment cells, making it harder to produce a good print.

Don't forget to put a protective layer on your table underneath where you're hammering. This will protect the surface from damage as well as possible staining from the pigment.

Spring is upon us, and with the increasingly beautiful weather comes an abundance of wildlife returning to our yards. I always adored sitting by the window and keeping an eye on the bird feeders in my garden growing up. I'd even jot down the names of each species I saw, seeing how many new birds would arrive as the season unfolded.

Putting food out for wild birds is a sure-fire way to win their hearts, and this DIY bird feeding garland by Miriam of Unfollow The Path on Instagram is a great place to start. It's easy to make, very bird-friendly and contains a wide variety of nutritious nibbles.

Here's some info on how to make your own, as well as what a bird pro thinks of the DIY overall. You'll have feathery friends flocking to your yard in no time.

Why is a garland like this a good idea?

There are so many different ways to leave food out for birds, from special feeders and tables to hanging grazing blocks, sprinkling loose seed, and more. But a major pro that comes with making a garland like this, according to Bob Mulvihill, lead ornithologist at The National Aviary, is how customizable it is.

He shared: "A project like this garland can be incredibly fun, and you can even involve your kids in the process. It's also a great way to use up foods you may not be able to finish eating before they go bad in your home - permitted that they're bird-friendly."

Especially if you're using leftovers in your garland, it's also a highly inexpensive way to feed birds in your local area as they prepare to breed in spring.

How do I make this garland?

Making this garland only requires three things: a drill, a long, flexible branch, and an assortment of goodies for the birds to feast on.

You simply drill a hole into each item you want to feed your birds, thread it through the flexible branch, and then tie your branch up for the birds to use.

It's best to aim for the middle of each item when you're drilling your holes. That way, they will be the most secure they can be and it will take longer for your birds to nibble through to the center and cause the snack to fall off the flexible branch.

If you're hoping to incorporate seed or other small pieces on your DIY bird feeder, it won't be possible to drill holes into them. However, there's a simple remedy that will make adding seeds more than possible - pinecones and peanut butter!

What else can I add to my garland?

In the video, Miriam added apples, oranges, peanuts, peanut butter and bird seed but there are so many other great additions to choose from.

Though if you're adding nuts, Bob notes how it's vital to use unsalted ones. He said: "Unsalted peanuts are an excellent food for birds, but they have to be unsalted. Otherwise, they pose health risks!

"It's also important to remember that whole peanuts strung on your garland would only be able to be eaten easily by birds that can break open the shells. However, small birds can still chisel away at them over time!"

Here's a list of other great additions for a bird food garland:

• Oats
• Raisins
• Saltanas
• Leftover rice or pasta
• Corn
• Currants
• Strawberries

How to add seeds and small items

Seeds are adored by birds, and varieties like sunflower seeds are amazing at providing them with healthy essential fats. To add seeds onto your bird food garland, simply gather some pinecones, twine, and 100 per cent peanut butter.

Tie a piece of twine around your pinecone so you will be able to loop the string around your garland.

Next, smother the pinecone in peanut butter. Now you can easily roll the pinecone in a mixture of seeds and they will stick to the peanut butter.

It's important to opt for 100 per cent peanut butter as it won't have any added salt or sugar. It's often available in grocery stores, so just take a moment to read the packaging!

If you notice birds aren't coming to your garland, try moving it. If nothing seems to help though it's best to take the garland down to ensure ants or rats aren't attracted to it.

Shop Supplies

If you've been on gardening TikTok or Instagram lately, you've probably seen the absolute frenzy over Aldi’s new spring garden collection. They just dropped a line of incredibly fun, whimsical pieces — including a stunning mushroom rain chain, a cottagecore mushroom birdhouse, and the most adorable little frog figurines.

But if you're like me and don’t actually have an Aldi nearby (or your local store completely sold out in five minutes), the FOMO is very real.

But don't worry, I did some serious digging to find the absolute best budget-friendly alternatives that will add that exact same magical, whimsical touch to your space. Whether you want to attract feathered friends or simply make your flower beds feel a little more enchanted, here are my favorite whimsical garden finds you can order right now.

Whimsical Woodland Bird Houses

We know that inviting garden guests like songbirds and hummingbirds is one of the most rewarding parts of spring gardening. Why settle for a boring wooden box when you can hang something straight out of a fairytale?

Playful Garden Figurines

You don't need to completely overhaul your landscaping to add a touch of magic. Tucking a few playful, unexpected figurines among your groundcover or potted plants is the easiest way to make your garden feel uniquely yours.

Magical Rain Chains

If you live in the Pacific Northwest like I do, you are intimately familiar with gutter runoff. Rain chains are a brilliant, functional garden upgrade that guides rainwater down from your roof visually, replacing ugly metal downspouts.

The fashion world has almost always taken inspiration from nature with floral prints, leaf motifs, and earthy color palettes; a moodboard, if you will, for designers. But, Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2026 took that ode to the garden one step further with a detail that kept appearing in runway shows: moss. That soft, ancient, fluffy green stuff was draped across runways and woven into the set designs in a way that made it feel genuinely new, and not like the stuff you’re always trying to get rid of.

Miu Miu was the show that most people talked about, and their runway felt like stumbling into The Secret Garden rather than a fashion show. Hermès took a different approach, with models walking along mossy banks after emerging from a “portal of light.” Yet, both shows arrived at the same place.

Pay attention, because moss is about to become very interesting to a lot more people than just gardeners. So, how can you embrace this trend? Let’s start with the basics and a few experts.

Why Moss?

There's something about moss that feels right for the cultural moment we’re currently in. It's soft where everything else feels hard. It's slow-growing in a world obsessed with getting everything right away. It requires almost no maintenance, like feeding or deadheading, and mostly just wants to be left alone. In a time when most of the gardening community is looking for low-maintenance, eco-friendly, wildlife-supporting plants, moss is suspiciously perfect.

It’s also genuinely beautiful in a way that’s easy to overlook until someone points it out (so, here I am, pointing it out for you). Moss is actually quite extraordinary when you look at it up close. It’s a dense landscape of tiny structures that photograph with a richness that most flowers just can’t match. Fashion designers probably took notice since their entire job is to pay attention to texture and material, and the rest of us are just catching up (as per usual).

According to Serge, an MSc Plant Biology and Environmental Biology specialist from the University of Eastern Finland, its appeal makes complete sense. "Moss is becoming more popular because it works both visually and practically – it's low-maintenance, thrives in shade, and brings a softer, more natural look compared to structured planting." Hard to argue with that.

What Garden Designers Are Taking From the Runway

This "Moss Moment" in fashion – as I’ll now be calling it from now on – is confirming something that garden designers have known for a while: a garden doesn’t need to be full of flowers to be considered beautiful. Texture, tone, and the play of light on surfaces can be just as interesting and compelling as color.

Anh Ly, CEO and designer at Mim Concept, has been thinking about exactly this. "Moss resonates culturally because it feels like the opposite of polished perfection," she says.

"It brings age, softness, and a sense of calm that many people are craving after years of hyper-curated interiors and outdoor spaces." In her work, which focuses on how natural materials shape emotional response in a space, she's found that moss does something few other design elements can. "Moss gives a space instant memory, even when it's newly planted." In landscape styling, she notes, moss makes a garden feel settled rather than decorated, which is precisely the look that's resonating right now.

There's also the sustainability argument that is feeling increasingly hard to ignore. Moss requires no watering once established, no feeding, no mowing, and no pesticides. In shady areas where grass struggles and most plants just get depressed, moss doesn't just survive – it actually thrives.

How to Bring the Look Into Your Own Garden

Encouraging moss to grow is much easier than growing most things, so there’s that. If you have a shady, damp area where even grass is struggling to grow, moss will often colonize this area naturally if you let it. Rake away any dead material, keep the area moist, and let it do its thing.

If you prefer to make the process faster (as most of us have grown to rely on instant gratification), you can make a moss slurry. What exactly is this, and how do you make it?

Gather some moss in a nearby forest or other place in your garden and blend it with buttermilk or plain yogurt. Paint it on rocks, walls, or bare soil in shady spots. It sounds crazy, but it actually works, and it’s deeply satisfying in a way that’s as hard to explain as ASMR.

That said, both Serge and Anh Ly urge caution about over-relying on the method. "Moss slurry can help inoculate a damp surface, but it is not reliable on its own," says Anh Ly. "Gardeners usually get better results by improving shade, limiting competition from grass, and pressing live moss directly onto a suitable surface." Serge agrees: "While moss slurry can work, it really comes down to getting the conditions right first." So think of the slurry as a bonus rather than a shortcut.

Quick Moss Accents

Getting the Conditions Right

Before you try to establish moss anywhere, it's worth understanding what it actually needs, because the wrong spot is the only real way to fail here. And it's a mistake both our experts flagged independently.

"One thing I see quite often is people trying to grow moss in dry or sunny spots," says Serge, "but moss does best in consistently moist, shaded areas – usually where other plants struggle."

Anh Ly echoes this from a design perspective: "The biggest mistake people make is trying to grow moss in the wrong conditions – usually full sun, dry soil, or highly trafficked spots. Moss is not a shortcut plant. It needs moisture, shade, and patience."

Something That Looks Like Its Been There For Decades

Once you've found the right spot, clear away any grass, weeds, or debris and firm the soil down. Moss actually prefers compacted, poor soil over the rich, loose stuff most plants want, which is what makes it so perfect for those frustrating corners of the garden where nothing else wants to grow.

Keep the area consistently moist while the moss establishes. A gentle misting every couple of days when the weather is dry is really all it takes. Within a few months, you'll have something that looks like it's been there for decades.

Which, as it turns out, is exactly what both Paris and your garden are going for right now.

Jennifer Aniston’s Bel Air home is one of the most envied properties in California. While the mid-century architecture designed by A. Quincy Jones deserves plenty of attention, it’s the garden that seriously catches my eye.

The garden was created by the late landscape designer Marcello Villano, and it’s a true masterclass in East-Meets-West gardening. It’s restrained, layered, and serene in a way that feels so effortless yet is deeply purposeful, just as most everything in Japan.

Japanese garden design is seriously on trend in 2026, and Aniston’s garden will forever stand out as the starting point. I spoke to a few experts to see how you, too, can get this look in your own garden, even if you’re far from Japan in the US suburbs.

Japanese-Style Planting vs. Traditional Western Gardens

To really get an idea of what makes Aniston’s garden so different from anything else we’ve seen, you need to understand what sets Japanese-style planting apart from the Western approach most of us are used to.

Mark McAteer, founder of fine landscape design and construction firm The Laurel Group, draws a clear distinction. "Japanese garden style relies heavily on enclosure as part of the creation of a space, the feeling of which is one of simplicity and serenity. Minimalist gravel in a fluid pattern, a groundcover of moss (try this live moss, available on Amazon), selections of boulders, and a few plants are typical in the Japanese aesthetic. Color palette is minimal and narrow."

Western gardens, by contrast, tend toward the opposite. "Typical Western landscape designs stress openness, views for outsiders, complex foundation plantings and gardens with far more color," he says. "They often have a broader color palette, are far more complex in composition, and are more recreational and fun than restorative in feeling."

The Plants That Make Jennifer Aniston's Garden Work

Villano’s planting scheme took inspiration from just a small palette of species, and each one was chosen for its architectural qualities as well as its year-round presence. Yucca gives a tall vertical look to the pool area, while creeping juniper, prostrate rosemary, and low-growing thyme all form a groundcover that gives the space a lovely, wavy quality. It feels as if you have just escaped to a zen, meditation, relaxing, peaceful, and any other synonym for a calm retreat in Japan.

You can start with a small yucca plant, available at Lowe’s, in sets of 2 or 4.

To give the garden height, Villano added Japanese maple, ornamental cherries, and rhododendrons. These have the added benefit of seasonal interest without becoming overwhelming.

Anh Ly, CEO and designer at Mim Concept, explains why this approach works so well. "Plants like yucca bring architectural tension, while creeping juniper, prostrate rosemary, and low thyme soften the edges and create that layered, settled look people associate with high-end landscapes."

She also points to a broader shift in why this style resonates so strongly right now: "I see this aesthetic resonating with homeowners for the same reason minimalist interiors do: people are craving outdoor spaces that feel calm, intentional, and easier to live with."

Jen-Inspired Plant Palette

How to Recreate the Layered Structure in Any Backyard

A layered approach – tall structural plants, mid-level plants, and low groundcovers – is the technical foundation of the Japanese planting style, and you can easily achieve it, even in your own garden.

Nikki Bruner of My Perfect Plants recommends starting with the ground layer. "Evergreen groundcovers are especially effective because they create the base layer without adding clutter or overcrowding. One of my go-to recommendations is Blue Rug Juniper – it creates a beautiful cascading growth pattern that works well along edges or hills. Asiatic Jasmine is another good option for creating a dense groundcover look with year-round coverage."

For the mid-level, she suggests spreading yew: "It adds a structural element that is unique while also staying compact and easy to maintain. These types of plants work together to create that layered, minimalist look, where everything feels intentional, but nothing feels overdone."

McAteer's advice for smaller spaces is the most useful takeaway of all: "A small backyard can be a garden jewel that takes the user away from everything that surrounds it.” He tells me to consider things like:

• Japanese Forest Grass
• White flowering Mazus (as a groundcover)
• A few spherical items like Boxwoods
• A solitary sculptural tree like a Japanese White Pine
• A perimeter of Bamboo or organic fencing
• A terrace of gravel or stepping stones with moss joints.

He concludes, “Restrain your hand and your impulses to do more than using just a few items. When in doubt, do less."

If you live in a high-rise apartment and don’t even have a balcony, but you still want the zen of a Japanese garden, try this Island Falls Home Store Zen Garden Kit (available on Amazon).

Jennifer Aniston’s garden works so cohesively because every choice is made in service of calm. That discipline is the real lesson, and it costs nothing to apply.

As the weather finally starts warming up here in the Pacific Northwest, I always get the sudden urge to expand my growing space. Whether I want to try a new cut flower garden or squeeze in some extra vegetables, I inevitably find myself wanting raised beds. But the truth is, I absolutely dread complicated projects. Between measuring, drilling, and fighting with confusing instructions, building a traditional raised bed is my least favorite spring chore. What can I say — I'm just a bit lazy.

That's exactly why my jaw dropped when I saw the Belavi Raised Growing Planter from ALDI's. Not only is it an incredibly budget-friendly $19.99, but the absolute best part is that it requires absolutely zero tools to assemble. You simply slot the pieces together and you're immediately ready to start planting.

However, there is a catch. Any time ALDI drops a brilliant gardening essential like this, it's practically guaranteed to sell out in a matter of days. If you want to effortlessly upgrade your patio or yard this spring without breaking a sweat, you need to act fast.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

As I've admitted before, I'm totally guilty of stocking up on exciting home or garden accessories and then never actually getting around to building them. But the beauty of the Belavi planter is how blissfully easy it is to put together. Rather than dusting off your drill and fighting with screws, you simply slot the pieces together.

Within minutes, you have a sturdy, dedicated space to grow vegetables, herbs, or a stunning cut flower garden. Because it's raised, it also gives you complete control over your soil quality while providing much better ventilation and drainage than a standard ground-level bed.

My Pro Tip: Seal the Wood!

If you live in the Pacific Northwest like I do, you know our garden gear takes an absolute beating from the rain. Sacrificing durability is a very common raised bed mistake, and because this planter is made of untreated wood, it is likely to rot in harsh weather if left exposed.

Before you add a single drop of soil, take ten minutes to coat the outside of the planter with a premium wood sealer, like this one from Amazon. It's an incredibly low-effort step that will significantly extend the life of the frame, ensuring your $20 investment survives the spring showers for years to come.

Shop More Budget Raised Beds

Because ALDI's gardening gear is notorious for flying off the shelves in a matter of days, there is a chance your local store might already be sold out. If you miss the Belavi, here are a few other hassle-free, budget raised beds I'm eyeing right now:

Living in the Pacific Northwest, every winter I come across the same issue — I don't get to enjoy my yard past 4:30 p.m. With short days and early sunsets, my yard used to completely disappear the second the sun went down. For a long time, I assumed the only way to get that cozy, glowing evening oasis was to hire an expensive electrician to dig up my lawn and hardwire a complicated landscape lighting system.

But if you know just one thing about me, know that I'm a massive fan of easy, high-impact outdoor upgrades that don't require any power tools, wiring, or drilling. What can I say — I love taking a lazy, low-effort approach. That's exactly why I'm completely obsessed with solar outdoor lights. You get all the ambiance, safety, and aesthetic appeal of professional landscape lighting with absolutely zero wiring required.

And now is the absolute best time to upgrade your outdoor lighting setup, because Amazon's Big Spring Sale is live and full of amazing discounts. I've combed through the event to find the absolute best deals on reliable, weather-tested solar lighting. Whether you want to illuminate your walkways with classic path lights, hang cozy string lights and lanterns around your patio, highlight your favorite garden beds with powerful spotlights, or add some fun decorative lights to your planters, here are the editor-approved deals I'm loving right now.

Classic Path Lights for Instant Curb Appeal

Hiring a professional to hardwire landscape lighting along your walkways can cost thousands of dollars and completely tear up your lawn. These classic solar path lights are the ultimate lazy-gardening hack — you literally just stake them right into the dirt. They instantly illuminate your walkways, keep your guests safe in the dark, and make your front yard look incredibly polished and expensive.

Cozy String Lights for Patio Ambiance

Nothing creates that magical, "evening oasis" vibe faster than a warm set of string lights. If you are working with a smaller patio or balcony, these solar-powered options are brilliant. They let you drape cozy, cafe-style lighting absolutely anywhere, with zero outdoor electrical outlets required!

Powerful Spotlights to Highlight Your Garden

Spotlights are the ultimate secret to high-end landscape design. They are absolutely perfect for uplighting your favorite trees, highlighting your home's exterior, or showing off the garden beds you've worked so hard on all spring. These heavy-duty solar picks give you that dramatic, professional look and let you perfectly angle the beam without having to bury a single wire.

Unique Decorative Accents & Lanterns

Sometimes, you just want to add a little whimsical personality to your outdoor space! These fun, budget-friendly lighting deals do the heavy lifting to make your yard feel completely custom. From gorgeous solar lanterns you can rest on your outdoor dining table to clever decorative stakes you can tuck right into your favorite planters, these unique accents bring your garden to life after dark.

The quiet, well-behaved garden is out, and maximalist gardens are in – more flowers, more color, more chaos. Joanna Gaines recently shared a video on Instagram in which she was creating a faux floral arrangement that stirred something deep in my soul.

The Magnolia founder was seen arranging tulips, ranunculus, delphiniums, anemones, and lilacs, all tumbling out of a low vase that felt joyful and distinctly un-minimalist. And the comments? They were absolutely feral, with people wanting to create it immediately.

It’s not just a simple arrangement, either, as it feels like an entire cultural shift all packed into one seemingly simple video. More is more. Color is good. Flowers should misbehave a little and overflow out of their containers to spill onto the table. Basically, they should act in a way that would make a Scandinavian interior designer deeply uncomfortable. Welcome to the maximalist garden era; it’s about time.

Get the Magnolia Look

If you love the Magnolia look, the brand sells the dreamiest range of artificial blooms. And, if you are on a budget, Hearth & Hand with Magnolia at Target also sells some delightful faux flowers.

What Even Is Maximalist Gardening?

Maximalist gardening is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the opposite of restrained. Where minimalist garden design prefers clean lines, lots of gravel, and three carefully chosen plants with plenty of breathing room between them, maximalist gardening is abundant and untamed.

It covers every single inch of space and is the antithesis of everything your prim and proper grandmother would want. Tall plants behind short plants behind trailing plants. Colors that shouldn’t go together somehow absolutely do. Roses climbing over foxgloves, climbing over alliums, with sweet peas threading through the whole thing like they own the place.

It’s the gardening equivalent of that friend who walks into the party with so much energy that they immediately make the mood better. It’s loud, generous, and not at all interested in being subtle.

Why Now?

Many millennials grew up in an era where there was too much of everything, and houses looked slightly chaotic; there was simply too much stuff. So, we wanted everything that was the opposite of our parents’ homes.

We wanted relentless beige interiors, quiet luxury, and minimalist everything. Now, people are getting tired of restraint. They want color. They want their gardens and homes to feel full of life rather than looking carefully curated within an inch of its existence.

Social media has also played a huge role. This Instagram video from @figmentcottagegardens in which she shows off her maximalist garden, is just the start. These gardens and floral arrangements stop you mid-scroll; the minimalist ones almost never do. They’re the gardens overflowing with peonies, dripping with wisteria, stuffed with dahlias in seven different colors, and Joanna Gaines knows this. That’s why her floral arrangement had so many layers of flowers.

The Principles (Such As They Are)

Maximalist gardening isn't actually as lawless as it looks – there are a few loose principles that stop it tipping from beautifully full to completely chaotic and wild.

• Repetition is your friend: Joanna’s arrangement works so well because it repeats colors and textures. The white runs through the ranunculus and lilac, and the soft peach of the tulips matches the pink of the anemones. In your garden, plant the same color plant in multiple areas rather than dotting it in single pieces in random spots. This will create a rhythm while still keeping the maximalist feel.
• Layer your heights: Put taller plants, like delphiniums, foxgloves, and verbena bonariensis at the back. Layer in medium mounding plants like roses, peonies, and salvias in the middle, and put low sprawlers like creeping thyme, geraniums, and alchemilla at the front. This is what creates a lush, full look rather than a flat jumble.
• Your taller plants might need some help, otherwise they will sag down, which can give the opposite look of what you’re trying to achieve. These plant stakes from Amazon come in a pack of 20, and they’re very budget-friendly.
• Let things self-seed: A maximalist garden always rewards looseness. If Nigella pops up between your roses, let it. If foxgloves appear in unexpected places, you’re not a bouncer at a club; leave them be. The garden doing its own thing is all part of the vibe.
• Don't be afraid of color: When people first try a maximalist look for their garden, they often make the mistake of playing it safe with a restricted color palette. Resist this with everything you have. The gardens that really shine are the ones where it looks like someone threw in a burgundy dahlia next to a coral rose, along with a purple salvia for good measure. And somehow, it completely works.

The Maximalist Garden Is Finally Getting Its Moment

The minimalist garden had its moment, but right now, the cultural mood has shifted towards gardens that look as if someone planted them with genuine joy rather than careful restraint. Joanna Gaines' recent Instagram post is simply a sign of something that many of us have been feeling for a while. More flowers, more color; just more everything.

I love meeting people with unique names – especially when they're botanical themed. They’re always so beautiful and often come with a great backstory. So when I recently learned that a friend had used flower seeds to help name her daughter, I was instantly intrigued.

It’s an incredibly simple idea, but very exciting, and ever so appropriate for garden lovers out there. All you need is a selection of fast-growing flower seeds, somewhere to plant them, and a bit of patience.

Here’s how to use flower seeds to help name your baby – or perhaps a pet – as well as a touching story from someone who named their child after a flower.

How to Use Flower Seeds to Pick a Name

To use flower seeds to come up with a name, you first need to purchase a selection of seeds to plant. If you’re planning on calling your child something like Primrose, Daisy, or Poppy, pick up some seed packets of each to plant.

However, it is not necessary to name your child after the bloom itself – indeed, unless the seeds have a similar number of days to germination, it won't be a fair race. Instead, the better option is to plant three flowers with similar growth rates and assign a different child’s name to each one. Whichever one sprouts or blooms first is the winner! This is exactly what my friend Melanie did.

"My husband and I just couldn't decide between the names Josephine, Joni, and Summer, so we decided to leave it in the hands of nature," she explains. "We planted cosmos next to a plant label named Josephine, zinnias next to Joni, and marigolds next to Summer. The cosmos not only broke through first, but was first to flower. It felt like the name Josephine was meant to be, and silenced any doubts I had.

"I think we would have regretted not choosing Josephine now, as it's such a classic that isn't very commonly used these days, whereas the other names felt a bit more on trend at the moment. I realized afterwards that cosmos normally takes a day or two longer to germinate, so nature knew what it was doing.

"Even more touching was that the flowers were all still blooming when I gave birth. My husband brought me a little bouquet of Josephine's cosmos to the hospital while I was recovering."

This is a great way to make an event out of naming your baby, as well as to get your friends and family involved, as they could place bets. It’s also a fun tie breaker if you’re stuck on a selection of names. Let nature guide your decision and feel excitement build day by day, waiting to find out what your baby’s name is going to be!

Fast-Growing Flower Seed Picks

Botanical Name Ideas to Start From Seed

If you want to stay true to the botanical name idea, then pay attention to days to germination, as this affects how evenly your plants will sprout and establish. Picking varieties with similar germination times helps ensure a more uniform display and avoids some seedlings racing ahead while others lag behind. Here are some ideas that work as baby names, including average days to germination.

• Alyssum (Alyssa) – 5–8 days
• Amaranth (Amara) – 5–10 days
• Anise – 7–14 days
• Ash (Asher) – 7–14 days
• Basil – 5–10 days
• Calendula (Cal, Callie) – 5–10 days
• Calla lily (Cal, Calla) – 10–14 days
• Celosia (Cece) – 8–14 days
• Clarkia (Clark) – 7–10 days
• Coreopsis (Cora, Corey) – 7–10 days
• Cosmos (Cosmo, Cosima) – 5–10 days
• Daisy – 7–14 days
• Linum / Flax (Linnea) – 7–10 days
• Lunaria (Luna) – 10–14 days
• Marigold – 4–7 days
• Nigella (Nella, Nigel) – 7–14 days
• Petunia – 7–10 days
• Poppy – 7–14 days
• Rowan – 14–21 days
• Sage – 7–14 days
• Sorrel – 7–14 days
• Verbena – 7–14 days
• Zinnia – 4–7 days

The Story of Primrose

Dr. Hezekiah Herrera, a special education teacher, named his daughter Primrose for a very special reason. His story is a beautiful example of the power of floral names.

He explained: “In addition to feeling an overwhelming sense of responsibility about naming a daughter (and first daughter and first granddaughter on my side of the family), I wanted the name to reflect who she was going to be.

“I will always remember the instant that I knew she had arrived. I was strolling along the Western Wall in Jerusalem when a sudden, fierce gust of wind came barreling down upon us, and as if by divine intervention, church bells began ringing nearby. The wind was so forceful that it literally stopped me in my tracks. Before I could check my phone, I instinctively knew that something was unfolding before me. An answered prayer. And just seconds thereafter, the message I was expecting arrived: it was time. I quickly boarded a flight and returned to California; she was born healthy and beautiful.

“What I could not have anticipated was that she was born on the very first day of spring. Rather than believing this was simply a coincidence, I felt as though the name had somehow anticipated it prior to our knowing. Primroses are one of the first flowers of spring, announcing the season's arrival long before other signs indicate its coming. This felt perfectly fitting for who she would become.

“Primrose is certainly not a common name, and that is part of why I liked it. It is derived from reality – from nature, from meaning, from a sacred moment at an ancient wall thousands of miles away. Each year, as the flowers begin to bloom in the spring, I am reminded of the wind, the bells, and the moment I knew she was there.”

As I started planning my garden this year, I knew I wanted to finally add a few raised beds to my yard. Like any ambitious gardener, my first thought was to simply build them myself. How hard could it be to screw some wood together, right?

But then I actually sat down and priced out the materials. By the time I added up the cost of even the most basic lumber and those handy metal or brick corner pieces, my "budget-friendly DIY" was going to cost a small fortune. I quickly realized that building them from scratch was actually going to be way more expensive than just buying them pre-made.

So, I officially abandoned my hardware store shopping list and went on the hunt for ready-to-use options that wouldn't drain my entire gardening budget before I even bought the soil. If you're looking to expand your growing space without breaking the bank, save yourself the hassle. From galvanized metal to clever fabric options, here are the nine budget raised beds I found that are actually cheaper than buying the raw materials.

Sleek Metal & Galvanized Steel

Metal is having a major moment in garden design right now. These budget-friendly metal raised beds are incredibly sturdy, weather-resistant, and completely eliminate the rotting issues that eventually happen with DIY wooden beds.

Wood & Fabric Raised Beds

If you don't love the industrial look of metal, these three budget-friendly picks give you the warmth of wood and the incredible convenience of fabric without the expensive DIY price tag.

Countless studies show that spending time in nature is seriously good for you. Do you want to reduce anxiety or soothe your nervous system, lower blood pressure or increase serotonin levels, regulate sleep or simply improve wellbeing? Research shows that being outside among natural elements can help to bring all these health benefits. So, if – like me – you’re a little blue after a long winter, the solution to feeling a whole lot better is right outside your back door.

We gardeners are so lucky to have a concentrated dose of natural beauty ready and waiting to boost our mood whenever we want it. Simply spending half an hour every day in your garden will leave you feeling more optimistic (and that’s a fact!), but if you want to maximize the effect, then these particular things will naturally induce all sorts of mood-boosting benefits. Ready to grow some happiness? Try just one idea and see the results for yourself – then do the rest. Happy days!

1. Get Your Fingers in the Soil

Ditch those gardening gloves and get some soil beneath your fingernails and you’ll naturally boost your levels of the feel-good chemical, serotonin. Soil contains a microorganism called Mycobacterium vaccae and studies have shown its effect on neurons is similar to modern antidresspant drugs.

If you’re worried about getting your hands clean afterwards, then try adding a little abrasion to your soap. This Gardener Grime Away bar from Amazon contains pumice, or simply add a half-teaspoon of salt or sugar to your squirt of hand soap.

2. Grow Foliage Spheres

Research shows that human brains react differently to soft curves and harsh angles. We're naturally drawn to rounded features (such as faces) that signify safety, as opposed to angular shapes (like sharp teeth and thorns) that may be dangerous. And spheres are the most soothing shape of all.

Try a little experiment now: simply look at this image and see where your eyes focus. You’ll likely be drawn to the spheres of foliage and these are reassuringly pleasing to your brain.

Add some topiary foliage spheres to your garden and they will provide soothing resting points for your eyes whenever you're outside. Boxwood (Buxus) has evergreen foliage for year-round spheres, and the cultivar ‘Green Velvet’, available from Fast Growing Trees, has particularly dense leaves for a well-rounded effect. If you don’t want the bother of pruning your sphere into shape – though it’s hugely satisfying with a hand-held battery-operated shrubbery trimmer like this one from Amazon – then there are plenty of evergreens that naturally grow into rounded shapes all by themselves. Tater Tot Arborvitae, available from Nature Hills, creates 2-feet-round orbs, and Cryptomeria ‘Globosa Nana’, available from Fast Growing Trees, naturally grows into a wonderfully textured 5-foot-diameter ball.

3. Choose Low Maintenance Plants

We all like to be properly rewarded for our efforts, and the effort-reward imbalance is a well-documented negative human reaction to a perception of getting less out of a task than you put in. It’s usually a term we hear in the workplace but it applies equally in the garden: spend hours tending a plant over several months to get a few flowers that only last for a week or two simply isn’t a satisfying outcome.

There are so many low maintenance plants that deliver abundant flowers for months on end or year-round foliage for very little effort, that it’s a wonder we gardeners ever bother with the more demanding plants!

4. Connect to Nature

Multiple studies show that people who spend time in nature and feel connected to it are happier, more able to regulate their emotions and have better physical as well as mental health. And you have the perfect spot to get connected with nature right outside your back door.

Make it a habit to spend 15 minutes watching the sun go down with a drink on the patio and you’ll become far more aware of the shortening and lengthening days. Add some pollinator-friendly flowers to your borders and enjoy watching the bees and butterflies they attract. Install a birdbath to see the bathtime antics of feathered backyard friends, and marvel at the lifecycle of docile solitary bees with a bee hotel.

5. Look For Fibonacci Spirals

Ever marvelled at the perfect patterns in a sunflower centre or pinecone base? Then you’ve already felt the joy of a Fibonacci spiral. Leonardo Fibonacci was a mathematician in the 12th century who included a sequence of numbers in a book he wrote, that we now recognise as a golden ratio. This numbers create a spiral that’s seen in natural objects time and time again, from coneflower seedheads to snail shells.

The sequence is so simple: start with 0 and 1, then add them together (0+1=1) so you have 0 1 1. Add the last two numbers of the sequence together (1+1=2) and you get 0 1 1 2. Continue to add the last two numbers and you end up with a sequence that can continue forever: 0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55… and so on. Incredibly, the ever-bigger spiral this creates can be found in over 90% of plants and even in other natural forms such as weather patterns and spiderwebs.

Our brains find it very easy to understand this basic pattern of life, and so we find it pleasurable. Go hunt for some Fibonacci spirals in your garden and see for yourself.

6. Add Some Dopamine-Inducing Blooms

Bright, saturated colors can trigger the release of dopamine, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, motivation and happiness. Many flowers are vibrantly colored to attract pollinators, in particular annual plants that must be pollinated to set seed and survive to the next generation.

Add a few of these cheery color-pops to your borders, or just grow a patio pot-full, and challenge yourself not to smile whenever you see them! These darlings are all simple to grow from seed and bring a whole heap of joy

7. Share Your Gardening Passion

Oxytocin is the hormone behind bonding, and it’s not solely produced during sex and childbirth – positive social interactions will trigger its release. In particular, sharing a common bond brings high levels of oxytocin, which is linked to trust and feelings of safety and connection. So why not share your passion for gardening with others?

Join a gardening group, get to know neighbors with backyards as beautiful as yours, volunteer with gardening-based charities or share your garden with others on Instagram. This is a win-win situation as the very act of social connection will increase oxytocin levels, and higher oxytocin levels contribute to forming strong emotional bonds. Take advantage of this positive spiralling effect to deepen a relationship with a friend who gardens: you could offer to help them for a couple of hours in their backyard in exchange for time spent gardening together in yours.

8. Benefit From Nostalgic Scent

Our sense of smell is closely linked to memories because of human anatomy. Your limbic system is the bit of your brain that forms and stores memories, and when you smell an aroma, your brain's reaction to it passes right by it. That’s why smells can make you feel emotional and trigger very specific memories.

The plant that evokes happy memories for many of us is lavender, probably because it’s a fragrance we may have experienced in our childhood. The two major scent compounds in lavender oil, linalool and linalyl acetate, are known to calm the human nervous system, too. And this isn’t just an effect studied in modern-day research: in its native countries, lavender has a lengthy history of medicinal use as a sedative and mood stabilizer.

So if you don’t already have a pot of lavender growing on your deck, put that right. Lavandula angustifolia is known for the high quality of its fragrant essential oils and ‘Munstead’ is a reliable variety in zones 5–9, available from Burpee: position a pot by a favorite garden chair and rub a leaf between finger and thumb for a welcome hit of calming fragrance. Lavender ‘Grosso’, though less potent, has far bigger flower spikes and retains its fragrance best when dried, so you can enjoy its soothing effects indoors, too. ‘Grosso’ is also available from Burpee.

9. Enjoy Soothing Green Hues

Green is the easiest color for our eyes to process, which is why it has such a soothing effect. So, as well as adding some eye-poppingly bright blooms to your backyard, consider creating a corner that’s a quiet sanctuary of calming green hues. A garden privacy screen is all you need to section off a small area of your patio or garden, then add a comfy chair – even better if it’s a hanging chair that brings relaxing movement. Surround it with leafy greens and you have yourself a tranquil oasis that you can retreat to for quiet, reflective moments.

Choose lush foliage in a mix of leaf shapes for a deeply textured look. Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’), available from Fast Growing Trees, is a super ornamental grass as it has an elegant upright habit. Hosta ‘Guacamole’ has wide ribbed foliage in a lovely chartreuse green and is also available from Fast Growing Trees, while ostrich fern, available from Burpee, grows fancy 3-foot-high feathery fronds, adding horizontal leaves to the mix.

A few accent green blooms and you have yourself a personal mood-stabilizing paradise.

When I was renting, my balcony gave off strong forgotten utility space energy instead of relaxing, watch the sunset in the evening vibes. Now, I'm facing the exact same issue with my current front porch — it's incredibly cute, but the tiny footprint makes it so tough to style without feeling completely cluttered. And because my front porch is the first impression anyone gets when they visit, it's a top priority to make it feel like a welcoming extension of my home.

That's exactly why I am officially obsessed with IKEA's new outdoor collection. It's packed with smart, double-duty pieces and zero-footprint upgrades that let you maximize every single square inch without sacrificing style, and is absolutely perfect for small patios and balconies. Here's exactly what I'm snapping up to transform my small patio into a true garden retreat.

Space-Saving Furniture

You don't have to sacrifice your morning coffee spot just because your balcony is small. These pieces are designed to fold up, tuck away, or hug the perimeter of your space.

Zero-Footprint Upgrades

When your floor space is limited, your best strategy is to utilize the surfaces you already have — like your walls and corners.

Double-Duty Beauties

When you’re short on space, every item needs to earn its keep by serving more than one purpose.

Little Upgrades, Big Impact

Sometimes you don’t need to completely overhaul your balcony to make it feel brand new. These small, budget-friendly additions do the heavy lifting to completely change the vibe of your outdoor space.

Lately, my TikTok feed has been showing me oodles of videos of ducks paddling in cottage ponds, wildflowers spilling from woven baskets, and impossibly idyllic vegetable gardens. While it definitely makes my jealousy perk up, it also reminds me of the pleasure I get when the sun finally shows its face after a long, cold winter. “Finally!” I say to myself. “Spring is here.”

Cottagecore – an aesthetic that celebrates soft, pastoral living and romanticizes life’s simplest pleasures – is having a full-blown renaissance on TikTok, and I’ve been eating it up with a vintage spoon.

Creators like @cottagesnature, @outdoor.hannah, and @cottagerenovationcwmrhys are racking up thousands of views with footage of spring flowers nodding in the breeze, freshly picked veggies arranged “just so” in a basket, and butterflies landing on white hydrangeas as if they’ve fluttered straight out of a Disney movie. It’s so dreamy, it has me reconsidering my entire approach to gardening.

The Cottagecore Garden Aesthetic, Explained

The essence of a cottagecore garden is about letting go. It gives off an “I just stumbled upon a secret garden in the English countryside” vibe – even if you live in suburban Ohio. We’re talking overgrown rather than manicured, wildflowers mixed with tomatoes, and an overall look that suggests things grow freely here with zero human intervention (even though we all know better).

The TikTok videos that capture the cottagecore trend tend to share a few common threads: wildflowers dotting a garden path, lingering shots of golden hour when everything looks just perfect, and the inevitable ducks paddling around in a pond. There are always wicker baskets full of eggs, vegetables, or freshly cut flowers. And there’s almost always a cottage, barn, or other charming outbuilding in the background, quietly proving that yes – this is someone’s actual life.

1. Start with Wildflowers and Meadow Vibes

The real foundation of the cottagecore garden is the flowers, obviously, but the look is that they planted themselves. Wildflower mixes, naturalized bulbs, and flowers that self-seed in the most unexpected places.

Naturally, spring is when this trend really shines. Plant daffodils in groups that don’t look regimented. Add grape hyacinths, species tulips, and hellebores. Throw in some violets and primroses on the edges of paths. If something spreads and self-seeds, it’s not a problem; that’s exactly what you want.

For later in the spring season, and the beginning of summer, add some classics like foxgloves, hollyhocks, cosmos that seem to reseed everywhere, and wild daisies or ox-eye daisies. All together, these create that meadow-in-the-garden effect. Your goal should be to have your garden look like nature did most of the work.

Best Wildflower Seed Mixes

2. Mix Flowers with Edibles

The cottagecore trend blends flower and food gardens seamlessly. You’ll see footage of someone picking vegetables from a garden bed framed by flowers, or baskets filled with cherry tomatoes and cut blooms, as if it’s the most natural combination in the world.

This is actually a time-honoured cottage garden design. Historically, people who worked the land didn’t separate edible plants from ornamentals – everything grew side by side because space was limited and every inch had to earn its keep.

Plant climbing beans or peas up wooden trellises alongside sweet peas or morning glories. Tuck lettuce and herbs in among your flowering perennials. Let your tomato cages show instead of disguising them. Edge your vegetable beds with lavender, catmint, or calendula. The mix of color and texture is what creates that relaxed, lived-in cottagecore feel.

3. Create Charming Pathways

Almost every cottagecore TikTok video features a garden path – and never a perfectly pristine brick walkway. It’s always soft and natural: gravel paths with flowers spilling over the edges; stepping stones with creeping thyme growing between them; worn dirt tracks flanked by wildflowers and herbs.

A path serves two purposes. Obviously, it’s functional – you need to be able to access your garden – but it’s also part of the cottagecore narrative. It creates a sense of discovery and gentle wandering, the sort you remember from childhood. Even if you have a small space to work with, a simple trail of flat stones threaded with low-growing plants will do the trick

4. Add Water Features (Even Tiny Ones)

Many cottagecore TikTok videos feature pond ideas with ducks paddling peacefully across the water. Water adds life, movement, and reflection – all hallmarks of the cottagecore mood.

If you don't have space for a pond, try a simple birdbath where butterflies and birds can gather. You could even sink a half barrel to create a miniature water garden, planting water lilies alongside moisture-loving flowers like astilbe. And if you really want to flex, a small pond with aquatic plants – and perhaps a few goldfish – would certainly qualify.

If you’d like to recreate the look without major landscaping, a weathered bronze birdbath (like this one from Wayfair) leans beautifully cottagecore. For something a little extra, a floating solar-powered bird bath fountain, like this one from Amazon, can add gentle movement and the soft sound of water.

5. Embrace the Basket Aesthetic

Wicker baskets are a cottagecore non-negotiable. They’re good for everything – gathering flowers, collecting vegetables, even carrying eggs. A basket works as both a practical tool and a photo-worthy prop.

Yes, it’s aesthetically pleasing, but it also signals that you have a real relationship with your garden. You’re not simply maintaining it – you’re harvesting from it.

If you’re in the market for one, this long, low-sided vegetable and flower gathering basket from Amazon is especially practical – the shallow design helps prevent freshly picked produce from getting squashed.

The Cottagecore Mindset

It’s not only the impending arrival of spring driving TikTok’s obsession with cottagecore – it’s that the aesthetic represents a different pace of life. When you watch someone slowly picking wildflowers and gathering vegetables against a backdrop of rolling hills, you’re watching someone who appears to have time.

Whether or not that’s their real life is debatable, but the fantasy is powerful. And your own garden can be a place to practise that slower rhythm, even if it’s just for twenty minutes before dashing off to work.

We all have those awkward, "dead" corners in our homes that just feel… unfinished. Recently, I was looking at an empty corner in my dining room and realized it desperately needed a little life and visual intrigue. The problem? I am notoriously short on space, and I definitely didn't have room to bring in any additional pieces of large furniture to fill the void.

Enter the IKEA ASKHOLMEN corner plant stand. When I realized I needed a way to display my greenery without sacrificing my precious square footage, this chic, dark brown wood stand caught my eye immediately. It is the perfect solution for transforming a forgotten, empty space into a stunning, rustic focal point. Best of all? It lets you layer several different plants to create a gorgeous, cohesive look — while taking up basically zero floor space.

The Smartest Way to Reclaim Your Space

At some point, every plant lover runs out of horizontal surfaces. The console table is full, the windowsills are packed, and yet, the urge to bring home “just one more” trailing pothos remains undefeated. That’s where looking to your corners becomes less of a design trend and more of a survival strategy.

Corner stands like the ASKHOLMEN are brilliant because they capitalize on unused vertical real estate. Instead of crowding your floor with heavy, oversized pots or trying to squeeze another bulky piece of furniture into a tight dining room, a tiered stand tucks neatly out of the way while still delivering serious visual impact.

Regardless of where you utilize this stand, the benefit is the same: creating instant vertical visual intrigue. Maybe you've run out of tabletop surfaces indoors, leaving your collection looking a bit flat and monotonous on one single level. Or maybe pots are cluttering up your limited ground space on your balcony or patio. Whether you need to get your outdoor plants off the ground or you want to break up the single-level look of your indoor jungle, a tiered corner stand bridges the gap perfectly while taking up very little floor space in often under-utilized corners.

Why Shoppers Love This Plant Stand

Let's get this out of the way: plenty of furniture pieces promise to be a "quick upgrade" and then end up requiring hours of frustrating DIY. But much like the snap-together IKEA RUNNEN deck tiles I've previously tested, the ASKHOLMEN stand is the rare exception. It is incredibly simple to put together — no power tools required. You can easily have your new display unit built and fully styled in just a few minutes, instantly bringing that neglected corner to life.

Beyond being a breeze to set up, this stand is designed with actual plant care in mind. The dark brown wood adds a warm, rustic charm that elevates any space, but the real star is the slatted shelf design. If you're using this outdoors on a patio or balcony, those slats are a lifesaver. They allow water to drain away freely, preventing moisture from pooling and ensuring your display stays pristine.

You don't just have to take my word for it. Shoppers consistently praise IKEA's outdoor shelving for its clever footprint and durability. Reviewers love how sturdy these units feel once assembled, and how perfectly they tuck into tight spaces. Whether you're using it to break up an indoor room or finally get your balcony pots organized, the ASKHOLMEN easily serves double duty: acting as a gorgeous, eye-catching plant display while making the most of every single square inch

Shop More Plant Stands for Tight Spaces

Complete the Look: Shop The ASKHOLMEN Line

The garden can be many things: a refuge from life’s storms, a grounding environment when anxiety takes over, and a space to find yourself again and again as you pare back to the basics and pour your heart into the Earth.

If this resonates, then you'll appreciate the upcoming film The Gardener. Produced by Sunflower Films, the movie explores an array of quietly poignant themes through the eyes of its protagonist, Sabena, and intertwines the beauty of being human with the restorative power of nature in a perfect balance.

The Plot

After losing her husband as well as her father, a devastated Sabena Weathers (Radha Mitchell) fights to do all she can to preserve their family's cosmetics business. It's a tough battle with numerous hurdles thrown her way. Seeking solace, she makes an impulsive decision: the purchase of a remote mountaintop garden cottage glimpsed from a car window. What she cannot yet know is how this impromptu purchase is to be pivotal to her healing journey.

Sabena begins to fall in love with gardening, largely thanks to the encouragement of a mysterious gardener (William Miller) she encounters on the property. From that moment, the garden becomes Sabena's place of sanctuary. It helps her begin to unpack her grief.

The gentle rhythms of tending to nature remind her of the power she yields in her own hands to turn her pain into something beautiful. And though it may be hard to fathom blossoming while feeling so many difficult emotions, we get to watch Sabena transform and evolve – while her garden grows alongside her.

Words From the Director

The Gardener is more than a film; it is, by all accounts, a labour of love – shaped slowly and with intention to reach both heart and mind.

Reflecting on the journey to screen, director Dabney Day shares: "The Gardener has lived with me for many years – not simply as a project but as a presence asking for patience and trust in timing. It wasn’t something I could rush or force – it needed to be tended, much like the act of gardening itself.

"I was most fortunate to gather around me such a creative and dynamic cast and crew who formed a family of gardeners to nurture the gentle power of knowing. Our two leads, Radha and William, connected from day one, captivating us as they brought truth and joy to moments small and grand.

"This film is an offering, meant to be received in whatever way feels right for each person. Its presence, our dream, is now a reality. I'm excited to share our work with you and to experience together the transcendent beauty of “The Gardener.”

The Gardener blooms in theaters from April 17. You can learn more about this touching movie via the official site, as well as submit a request for the film to be screened in your community.

The film’s theatrical distributor, Area 23a, is also behind acclaimed documentaries, including Fantastic Fungi and Common Ground.

TikTok has entered its wild era, and I’m not talking about invasive plants taking over. I’m talking about gardeners purposefully embracing chaos, celebrating when things don’t look perfect, and letting their yards go gloriously wild. And, let me just say, the results have floored me.

A TikTok creator by the username @allieesarasmith showed footage of her overflowing gardens that featured pink coneflowers, daisies, and orange blooms with a caption that said, “Dream gardens are started in March.” And I thought, perfect timing!

Another TikTok creator by the username @tayyluuh evangelized the idea of “chaos gardening with minimal maintenance,” which I’m so here for.

And, @stayinghomewithstacey documented a dramatic before-and-after, writing, “Less than a year ago, I planted a wildflower garden here,” over footage of bare grass. This was followed by, “and this is what it looks like now,” with a riot of red, white, and multi-colored wildflowers that look like nature made its own Pinterest board.

This isn’t your grandmother’s perennial border; it’s an all-out anti-manicured lawn movement in full swing. Why is it resonating with so many users? It promises something we all desperately want: a garden that doesn’t require us to spend every weekend on our knees with a towel.

What "Untamed Gardening" Actually Means

It’s important to clarify terms, because when I say “untamed" or "wild garden,” there are many things that it isn’t. It doesn’t mean letting invasive species run rampant through your yard or abandoning all maintenance. It’s about a deliberate approach that prioritizes native plants and lets them do the work while you do less fussing.

The gardens that have gone viral on TikTok share some key characteristics: everything is planted densely with a mix of wildflowers and perennials that make it look like almost too much. They have the slightly unplanned aesthetic where colors and heights are allowed to vary naturally. There is life and movement to these gardens: they sway in the breeze, pollinators are welcome, and self-seeding causes them to pop up unexpectedly.

It’s highly important to note that these gardens are not entirely maintenance-free; they’re a different kind of maintenance. You’re not religiously deadheading every day or keeping a strict color scheme. You’re occasionally weeding, and maybe doing some strategic thinning.

Start with a Wildflower Base

The fastest path from a “regular yard” to a “wild garden” is scattering wildflower seeds over bare ground or already existing lawn, but you have to be willing to commit.

The process is surprisingly straightforward:

• Remove or kill the existing grass where you will be planting your seeds.
• Rough up the soil surface. This stainless steel rake from Amazon is perfect for roughing up soil.
• Scatter your wildflower seed mix (appropriate to your region).
• Rake lightly to make sure the seeds have contact with the soil.
• Keep it consistently moist until the flowers have started to sprout.

Pro Tip: Make sure you choose a wildflower mix that includes annuals (for color in the first year) and perennials (for the longer term). If you’re going for a TikTok-worthy garden, go with a mix that includes everything from different heights to bloom times and color. Try going for something with coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, daisies, poppies, cosmos, and wildflowers native to your area.

Best Wildflower Seed Mixes

Embrace "Chaos Gardening"

The term “chaos gardening” used in @tayyluuh’s video is basically the unofficial name for what a lot of us have been doing accidentally for years. So, what is it, exactly? It means planting things, seeing what thrives, letting successful plants self-seed, and stopping fighting your garden’s natural desires.

To give chaos gardening a try:

• Plant much more densely than most spacing recommendations.
• Allow your plants to self-seed.
• Mix heights and colors without obsessing over everything needing to be the perfect combination.
• Don’t feel the need to maintain a strict border.
• No more deadheading; let some flowers go so they can seed.

Choose Self-Sufficient Plants

If you want a wild garden that actually stays looking nice without intervention, plant selection is the most important thing. You need tough, adaptable plants that will actually thrive on neglect and don’t need constant deadheading or maintenance.

Wildflower Winners

• Coneflowers (Echinacea): A perennial that self-seeds and is drought-tolerant.
• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): These spread like crazy and bloom for a long time.
• Blanket flower (Gaillardia): These are very heat-tolerant.
• Coreopsis: These yellow daisies are almost impossible to kill.
• Cosmos: An annual that self-seeds quite a bit.
• California poppies: These self-seed and don’t require any maintenance.

Perennials for Wild Gardens

• Yarrow: These herb flowers spread easily but never aggressively.
• Bee balm: If you’re a bird watcher, hummingbirds love these.
• Asters: These will give you a bit of color later in the season
• Joe-pye weed: These love pollinators. Invest in a bee house, such as this adorable yet practical design from Amazon, to attract more bees to your garden.
• Goldenrod: These plants are often unfairly blamed for allergies, but they’re actually stunning

Time Your Planting Right

That caption from @allieesarasmith, “dream gardens are started in March,” is actually great advice. For most of the country, planting in early spring gives perennials and wildflowers a whole growing season to get established before winter.

Alternatively, fall planting can also work in your favor, as many wildflower seeds actually benefit from the cold over winter and will germinate better. And, bonus, planting in the fall means you don’t need to water them as much since it rains more often.

The Upside to a Wild Garden

TikTok’s untamed garden trend isn’t simply aesthetics. It’s part of a larger cultural shift towards gardens that work with nature and not against it. These gardens are genuinely better for pollinators, birds, and insects, and they’re beautiful in a way that feels alive and dynamic rather than controlled.

Plus – and this is no insignificant thing – they free up your time. All the hours you would normally spend mowing, deadheading, and edging can be spent actually enjoying your garden.

It's easy to think of plants in their very simplest terms – as food or ornamentation. For centuries, though, they have also been tools of survival, healing, and quiet resistance, particularly in the hands of women.

Yes, long before scientific institutions claimed authority over medicine and agriculture, women cultivated deep relationships with the plants around them, using this knowledge to care for their families and communities. This botanical wisdom was passed down through oral tradition, practice, and observation – and yet, as control over medicine, land, and labor tightened, this shared knowledge was increasingly marginalized, dismissed, or deliberately suppressed.

Rather than submitting in the face of this pressure, many women continued their work anyway. They healed quietly, taught selectively, and adapted their practices to survive under scrutiny. In doing so, they transformed care itself into an act of defiance, using plants to maintain autonomy, wellbeing, and cultural continuity when other forms of power were denied.

Botanical Resistance Across History

Even in formal movements for rights and representation, plants have long played symbolic and practical roles. Flowers and gardens became part of suffrage iconography and collective protest, while women-led environmental movements affirmed land stewardship as a form of resistance.

Seen through this lens, seemingly everyday acts – tending gardens, gathering familiar plants, sharing remedies – were actually strategic forms of preservation and resilience. What follows are just a few of the ways women have used plants not only to endure (and grow healing plants), but to resist.

1. Keepers of Plant Knowledge

Before colonial conquest, Indigenous women throughout the Americas were respected for their deep understanding of native plants and their uses as food and medicine. European colonists quickly relied on this expertise to cultivate unfamiliar crops such as peanuts and cassava.

As colonization intensified, however, Indigenous women’s contributions were erased from written histories – even as many continued to protect, adapt, and pass on plant knowledge within their communities, ensuring cultural survival despite displacement and violence.

2. Medieval Herbalists

In Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries, many women served their communities as healers, using local plants to help with childbirth, treat wounds, and ease illness. As medical authority became more concentrated in male-dominated institutions, women’s hands-on knowledge was increasingly treated with suspicion... and sometimes fear.

Accusations of witchcraft, and the violence that often came with them, were part of a broader effort to suppress independent, non-institutional knowledge. But many women didn’t stop. They continued to heal quietly, practicing at the margins and passing on plant-based traditions, turning everyday care into a subtle but powerful act of resistance against a system that tried to control their work and their bodies.

3. Gardens of Resistance

In the Americas, enslaved women and their communities often tended small garden plots or “provision grounds” near their living quarters. They grew vegetables, medicinal herbs, and familiar crops that helped supplement meager rations and kept their communities healthy.

These gardens were some of the few spaces that Black women felt as if they had some aspect of autonomy. Caring for them became a way to maintain family bonds, pass down familiar food traditions, and keep healing practices alive, all under a system designed to strip people of autonomy.

The knowledge of medicinal plants was passed quietly from one generation to the next, often blending African and Indigenous traditions. These everyday acts weren’t just practical; they were a powerful form of resilience, helping communities preserve their culture even in the face of brutal oppression.

4. Reproductive Empowerment

Throughout history, women have used plants for more than just healing. They also used them to take some control over their reproductive lives, especially when formal medical care was unsafe, inaccessible, or controlled by others.

In these situations, knowledge about fertility and pregnancy became part of a larger body of women’s health wisdom, passed quietly from person to person, generation to generation. These practices weren’t without risk, and they were often shaped by necessity rather than choice – but they gave women a way to keep some control over their own bodies.

In this sense, reproductive plant knowledge wasn’t “medicine” in the modern sense. It was something else: a quiet form of resilience, a tool for survival and self-determination when safer options were simply not available.

5. The Language of Flowers

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, women’s suffrage movements in the United States, the United Kingdom, and beyond used flowers and gardening imagery as symbols of unity, determination, and political identity.

Through floriography (the symbolic language of flowers), many activists wore specific blooms and colours at rallies, in petitions, and in public actions to convey messages of loyalty, purity, and resilience.

What might have been dismissed as mere decoration became a visual strategy of resistance, turning the language of nature into a tool for demanding political rights.

6. Plant Stewardship

Women have often been at the forefront of environmental activism, especially where plants and land intersect with social justice. In India’s Chipko Movement of the 1970s, women literally embraced trees to stop commercial logging, protecting forests and the resources their communities relied on. This simple, non-violent act reshaped forestry policy and inspired conservation movements around the world.

Later, leaders like Dr Vandana Shiva resisted corporate control over seeds and biodiversity, defending traditional plant knowledge and community rights. These efforts show how caring for plants and ecosystems became more than conservation: they were collective acts of resistance, and a way for women to protect both nature and the communities that depend on it.

Expand Your Knowledge:

7. Ethnobotanists

In the 18th and 19th centuries, women naturalists and botanists played vital roles in documenting plants and traditional knowledge, even while being excluded from formal scientific recognition.

By collecting specimens, recording Indigenous plant uses, and exploring the natural world, they kept local and traditional knowledge alive despite male-dominated institutions trying to erase their contributions.

Their work helped preserve centuries of botanical wisdom and laid the foundation for future generations of ethnobotanists and conservationists, quietly but powerfully ensuring that this knowledge survived.

Across history, women’s relationships with plants have been acts of care and resilience. Those same threads continue today, as women around the world lead efforts that connect ecological knowledge, cultural survival, and collective wellbeing.

In the Amazon, Indigenous Xikrin women are protecting forests not just as ecosystems but as sources of life and knowledge. In India’s Odisha region, Indigenous women are creating “dream maps” that document, protect, and restore dwindling natural resources. And women like Kararaina Te Puni, who work at the intersection of Indigenous forest carbon sequestration, cultural restoration, and intergenerational action, highlight how plant‑ and land‑based stewardship can be a source of empowerment and global climate leadership.

It's little wonder then, that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other global bodies increasingly recognise that women are essential to climate solutions – not because they are passive victims of change, but because their knowledge, leadership, and care are indispensable.

Long may women’s care for plants, land, and knowledge continue to shape a more resilient and sustainable world.

Plants are amazing, but the vast majority of them would be absolutely nothing without soil. After all, it's where their roots live, where they absorb many forms of nutrients, and what retains water for them to take up when we give them a good watering.

I always find it interesting to hear what kinds of potting mix other gardeners use for this very reason, so I had to do a bit of digging into this recipe by Erin Benzakein, founder of popular flower farm Floret Flowers. Erin swears by this potting soil recipe, known for its nutrient density and excellent drainage.

In the video, Erin explains that her team has been experimenting with different recipes for the last few seasons and has landed upon the perfect mix. She shows the incredible difference between calendula seedlings grown with and without her special recipe. After talking to a couple of pros, I learned what's so amazing about it, as well as one lesser-known tweak you may wish to make.

What’s in the Potting Soil Recipe?

Erin's potting soil recipe contains a blend of nutrient-rich ingredients ideal for kick-starting plants into optimal growth. This wide nutrient profile is superior to many store-bought potting soils on the market due to the complexity of its composition.

Here's a breakdown of what's inside, in case you'd like to make your own or refresh your potted soil in time for spring:

• 1 bale of pro-mix BX potting soil, available on Amazon.
• A 15-gallon bucket of high-quality screen compost (they use SeaCoast Compost). Something like this Espoma Organic Land and Sea mix is a good pick, and you can sift it through a compost screen for a finer texture.
• 6 cups of bonemeal, like this Earth Science Natural Bonemeal
• 3 cups of kelp, like this Kelp Bliss Fertilizer
• 2 and ¼ cups of blood meal, like this Gardenera Organic Blood Meal Fertilizer

Why is This Recipe Effective?

Young plants require all kinds of nutrients that you may not have even thought about. It isn't always enough to stick them in a pot with some compost and water if you're aiming for plants that truly thrive.

Jessica Mercer of Plant Addicts explains how Floret Flowers' recipe strikes the right balance of nutrients for seedlings and young transplants.

She says: "Many basic potting soils are designed primarily for structure – drainage, aeration, and water retention – but contain minimal nutrition or only a starter charge of fertilizer. By amending it, Floret Flowers ensures seedlings and transplants have steady access to macronutrients and micronutrients from the outset, which can translate to sturdier stems, faster establishment, and fewer growth stalls.

"The compost increases microbial life, improves moisture retention, and adds a broader spectrum of nutrients than peat-based potting mixes alone. Bone meal supplies phosphorus for strong root development, blood meal delivers a fast-acting source of nitrogen for leafy growth, and kelp meal contributes trace minerals and natural growth hormones that support early vigor and stress tolerance. Together, these additions transform a relatively neutral, soilless base into a biologically active, nutrient-rich growing medium."

Are There Any Downsides to This Recipe?

Jessica also noted that Floret Flowers' potting soil recipe may not be the most suitable for seed starting delicate plants. The complexity of the ingredients might be to

If your garden is prone to pests such as raccoons or skunks, you may want to be careful about how much bone meal you're including in the recipe.

David Joles, chief operating officer at PURCOR Pest Solutions, explained to me how this soil recipe can attract pests if a person isn't careful with their ratios.

He said: "Speaking from a pest control perspective, bone meal, while having nutrient benefits, is very attractive to pests. It has a particularly strong odor that attracts digging animals, so people using it often find their plants dug up by raccoons or skunks.

"Kelp meal and blood meal, on the other hand, can do a decent job of deterring pests. Looking at the ratio of those ingredients, I would recommend using a little less bone meal to ensure the kelp and blood meal are more prominent overall in that regard."

Jessica also noted that Floret Flowers' potting soil recipe may not be the most suitable for starting delicate seeds. The complexity of the ingredients might be too enriching unless carefully managed.

She explains: "Enriched blends like Floret’s are often better suited to transplants that already have true leaves and stronger root systems. For seed germination, I would start seeds in a lighter, low-nutrient mix and transplant them into this enriched blend once true leaves appear.

"For heavy feeders like dahlias or cut flowers grown in trays for several weeks, the recipe is well balanced as written. If anything, I might add a small amount of additional perlite for sharper drainage in humid climates, or incorporate a mycorrhizal inoculant at transplanting to support root expansion."

Every once in a while, Aldi drops a garden piece that makes you do a double take.

This time? It’s the subtle Belavi oval shaped string patio chair, which looks like it belongs in a boutique showroom — not the middle aisle next to snacks and seasonal candles, and certainly not $49.99.

What I love most is how light this chair feels visually. It has that easy, relaxed look that instantly transforms an outdoor space and can feel modern or retro depending on styling. It's in available in black and a neutral beige that can really by styled in any space. It’s the kind of chair that makes you want to sit down with a coffee and admire your plants for a while.

This Versatile Chair Does It All

If your patio is feeling flat or unfinished, a single statement piece can change everything, and this chair is no exception. It’s not bulky. It doesn’t dominate a small patio. And the open weave keeps everything feeling light and airy — which matters when you’re working with balconies, small outdoor nooks, or cozy backyard corners.

It’s also incredibly versatile. Style it with terracotta planters and trailing greenery for a warm, Mediterranean vibe. Add crisp white pots and modern foliage for something more contemporary. Because the frame is neutral and clean, it works well with pretty much any plant palette you already have and won't distract from your garden.

In other words, it can do a lot of visual heavy lifting without screaming for attention.

The Aldi Factor (And Why You Have to Move Fast)

If you know Aldi’s garden finds, you know the deal: when they’re gone, they’re gone.

Their seasonal outdoor pieces tend to sell out quickly, especially when they lean into that designer-dupe energy. And this chair absolutely fits that category. It has the look of something you’d expect to see priced far higher.

The catch? Aldi’s limited stock and in-store availability can make it hard to grab one before they disappear.

So if you love the look but can’t get your hands on it, or if you don't have an Aldi nearby, don’t worry. I've found a few similar styles out there that capture the same vibe (and are a little easier to add to cart).

Shop Belavi Chair Dupes

Shop More Woven Patio Chairs

When I was renting, my balcony was… not it. The concrete was dull, slightly stained, and gave off strong forgotten utility space energy instead of morning coffee oasis vibes. As a renter, my options for big balcony upgrades felt limited — until I discovered IKEA’s RUNNEN deck tiles.

I installed them in a single afternoon, and the transformation was honestly dramatic. Instead of a sad metal balcony floor, I had texture, pattern, and personality underfoot — all without drilling, staining, or risking my security deposit. If you’re working with a balcony, patio, or small outdoor space that feels uninspired, this might be the easiest upgrade you make all season.

Tried, Tested & Easy to Install

Let’s get this out of the way: plenty of outdoor flooring options promise “dramatic upgrades” and then underdeliver. But IKEA’s RUNNEN deck tiles are the rare exception — and you don’t have to take just my word for it. They boast over 1,600 five-star reviews from customers who consistently mention how easy they are to install and how much character they add to outdoor spaces of all sizes.

Each tile simply clicks into the next — no tools, no drilling, no adhesives. That means they can be installed incredibly quickly, and also easily lifted up and taken with you when you move. Even better, they won’t damage your balcony or patio's original flooring.

Plus, they can hold up to almost anything. I live in the Pacific Northwest, which means my balcony didn’t just see a little drizzle — it saw full-on sideways rain, strong wind gusts, and long stretches of damp, gray weather. Add in a good dose of afternoon sun in the summer, and it was a real test of whether these tiles could handle the elements.

Through rainstorms and sunny afternoons, my RUNNEN tiles held up beautifully. Even better, they were incredibly easy to clean. When I inevitably spilled potting soil (or knocked over a bag mid-repotting session), I could just sweep or rinse them off, and they looked as good as new.

How To Choose & Style Deck Tiles

Installing deck tiles isn’t just about covering up less-than-lovely flooring — it’s about creating an outdoor room you actually want to use. Here are a few styling ideas to take your tile setup from functional to fab:

1. Mix Textures for Visual Interest — When I installed mine, I primarily used the beige wood-look tiles, alternating their orientation for subtle patterning. Then I a border of the artificial grass tiles to create visual contrast and a garden-y spot for my plants (and cat) to land.
2. Define Zones — If you have a larger patio, consider breaking up the space into zones using tile direction or subtle texture shifts. It’s a simple design trick that makes the space feel more purposeful.
3. Pair With Your Favorite Outdoor Furniture — Because they come in a variety of tones and textures, you can make RUNNEN tiles feel rustic, minimalist, cottagecore, or modern — whichever matches your aesthetic.

More 5-Star Deck Tiles

Spring, glorious spring! It’s so wonderful to see nature wake up in our gardens, and the color I’m happiest to see in March is a bright buttermilk yellow that’s as warm and hopeful as these newly sunny days. Because it’s not just home interiors and fashion collections that have seasonal color palettes – our gardens do, too, and I love to follow Mother Nature’s lead and highlight whatever hue is at its fabulous, flowery height.

I theme my successional planting around monthly colors, so the garden cycles through a stylish rainbow of tones as the seasons shift. It gives me the perfect excuse to shop for a low-cost addition to highlight the accent color, too.

For March, I’m diving into the splashes of buttery yellow that are already blooming abundantly in my garden.

The show got off to a strong start with wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), bursting with scented yellow flowers since last month. These are tough shrubs, their bijou blooms laughing in the face of bad weather, and all the prettier for flowering on bare stems. It’s joined in March by Forsythia, and ‘Spring Glory’ is a particularly free-flowering variety, available from Nature Hills. With a spectrum of soft to rich yellows, it’s spring on a stick.

I prefer subtle drifts of daffodils, so I choose cultivars with pale flowers that announce spring’s arrival with a whimsical whisper rather than shouting it loud. While you can’t plant Narcissus bulbs now, you can bookmark some beauties to order for fall planting, so you get a glorious show next spring. Petite and perfectly formed, ‘Hawera’, available from Burpee is my forever favorite with six-inch blooms in the loveliest of lemon shades. They look stunning mixed with taller ‘Regeneration’, also available from Burpee, which have creamy white trumpets surrounded by a halo of light yellow, in generous clusters of 3–5 flowers on each stem.

Let's Get Growing

You can pick up cheap pots of sunny yellow crocus and violas at the grocery store, and these provide valuable nectar for early-flying bees when little else is available. Violas are easy to grow from seed, too, and ‘Lemon Chiffon’ is hardy enough to be perennial in Zones 3–9: you can start seeds, available from Amazon, indoors now. Do leave a few dandelions in your lawn for the bees, too, at least until plenty of other flowers are out in your yard.

Another way to get a lovely burst of mellow yellow tones is to sow some hardy annuals that will shrug off the cold. ‘Alba’ California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are much paler than their bright orange cousins, and their ivory petals and yellow centres bring a fresh vibe to spring borders. They bloom March to May and readily self-seed: seeds are available from Eden Brothers, get them in the ground right now!

Columbine is another super-pretty spring bloom, and ‘Earlybird’, available from Nature Hills, is an elegant mellow-yellow cultivar that flowers earlier than most. Aquilegia is tough enough to be reliably perennial in Zones 3–9 and, once established, gets growing well before winter’s out. Ranunculus (Persian buttercup) generally flowers in April but also likes to get a head start if winter ends early in warmer Zones 8–10 where it acts as a perennial. If you’re in colder Zones 4–7, treat it as an annual and get some corms started indoors now – Eden Brothers stock a buttercream variety with opulent double flowers that are just divine.

Instant Patio Upgrade

To complement all these butter-yellow blooms, arm yourself with a pot of paint and add an accent color to items you already own, or upcycle an object into a garden treasure. Acrylic paint, available in light yellow from Amazon, can be used for exterior crafts such as painting pebbles – why not create a mandala pattern for a pretty effect? For an enduring finish on wood, brick, concrete and primed metal, Glidden Total Exterior Paint is available from Amazon in a wide range of yellow shades, including a soft but still-sunny Demeter. A soft yellow tone makes a fabulous foil for all the brighter colors of summer to come, so you could even paint a feature wall.

Adorable Garden Accents

Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore both plants and design. I actually began writing about interior design before anything else, and the love of patterns, colors and general visual beauty has never escaped me.

After spotting the latest season of Queer Eye live on streaming services, I couldn't help but feel the itch to try combine both of these worlds. It was incredibly fun to say the least, and I discovered some gorgeous planter ideas I think you'll fall for just as much as I did.

Here you'll find an assortment of planters inspired by Jeremiah Brent's interior design work. He's an acclaimed designer who joined Queer Eye for seasons nine and ten. With the help of interior design expert Elana Mendelson we broke down why each planter is so Jeremiah Brent, as well as what greenery would suit each one. Let's dive in!

Finger Lakes Estate

Jeremiah designed the interior of a stunning lakeside getaway in Upstate New York. It features a breathtaking marble bathroom splashed with abstract paint-splatter-esque detailing.

The design reminded me and Elana of the Napco Faux Marbled Pattern Ceramic Planter from Amazon, which shares similar hues as well as a similar color palette.

Elana says: "This marbled succulent planter really reminds me of Jeremiah Brent’s Finger Lakes Estate project as both the planter and bathroom showcase soft green marbling and organic irregularity. The best plants to pair with this planter would be either succulents because they’re sculptural yet calm or a mini snake plant that would add vertical height to the short, rounded pot."

Park Avenue

Park Avenue combines the beautiful warmth of brown tones with sleek lines and purposeful empty space to craft an inviting sense of minimalism.

The Vogue Planter from Amazon would be an ideal match for the design, combining a gradient of warm tones without breaking the simplicity of Jeremiah's vision through boasting in incredibly bold pattern.

Elana agreed, noting: "This burnished brown gradient planter beautifully aligns with Jeremiah Brent’s Park Avenue interior because of its rich, patinated, gradient bronze color. Much like the fireplace surround, the planter plays with depth, shadow and warmth. I think a great plant pairing would be a rubber tree as its bold leaves would amplify the richness of the planter and would beautifully contrast with the rust finish."

Brentwood

Jeremiah's Brentwood is so gorgeously earthy, adding an injection of natural tones to a minimalist canvas. The interior speaks for itself, void of bold colors and finishes as well as floods of patterns.

I thought these Modern Decorative Garden Pots from Amazon would be a great match for the design. They keep to the same color palette and embrace a minimal pattern without going "overboard". The pattern also ties in with the interiors natural theme.

Elana added: "This large outdoor planter shares the same vibes as Brent’s Brentwood II home because its texture reads architectural, almost like a column, which doesn’t compete with the home’s clean lines. It reinforces them. I would love to see either an olive tree or fiddle leaf fig tree paired with this planter because the olive tree brings a mediterranean softness and the fiddle leaf fig brings more of a sculptural, modern, familiar aesthetic."

DC Rowhouse

Airy, modern and grand are the three words that come to mind when I think about DC Rowhouse. The interior looks effortlessly classy and inviting, through tasteful pops of color and thoughtfully-chosen shaped accent furniture.

This Ceramic Plant Pot from Amazon would suit the design super well, embracing the color palette as well as the room's desire for some shaping. I love how it looks somewhat like a shell too, not being perfectly smooth but still being completely beautiful.

Elana thought: "This gorgeous ceramic bonsai planter shallow form and ceramic finish feel curated echoing the DC Rowhouse’s sculptural, monochromatic and quiet beauty. I think any sculpted plant would pair beautifully with this planter, but if I had to choose one I think a bonsai tree would be the winner as it is also sculptural in addition to being meditative."

Vermont Ski House

A gray and brown color palette wash over the rooms, bringing an inviting earthy feel. There's a notable focus on natural textures and silhouettes in the space, from stones and woods to twigs and warm lighting over something more stark and artificial.

I feel the Samma Grey Marble Vase from Amazon would compliment Jeremiah's design vision as it's in-keeping with the tones and textures of the space, and it has a lovely silhouette to boot.

Elana says: "The Samma Grey Marble Vase belongs in Jeremiah’s Vermont ski house because it truly taps directly into the alpine retreat’s design language of stone, sculpture and grounded elegance. The marble brings in a geological design element that blends perfectly with this home that is rooted in landscape and seasons. A beautiful plant pairing for this vase is birch branches as they combine a soft, wispy, sculptural element with the solid, grounded vase."

Oh my – have you seen Terrain’s new Flower of the Month Stoneware Mugs? Each is adorned with a different bloom that’s associated with a particular month. Because they’re handcrafted in stoneware ceramic, every one is ever-so-slightly different, so your mug really is your mug. We love the idea of having a mug that’s personalised with your birth month flower, and don’t forget that Mother’s Day is coming up in May, and this would make a perfect, personal present.

Holding 16 ounces, the mugs are ideal for a cup of tea or coffee on the patio, perhaps while you're watching out for your birth month bird! They're dishwasher and microwave safe – and all us gardeners are guilty of getting waylaid by a spot of weeding then needing to reheat our drink. As pretty as they are practical, the raised designs of Terrain's collection are beautifully detailed, and we love how a leaf or two cleverly wraps around the mug handle.

One of these adorable mugs would look fabulous planted up with some grocery-store-bought spring bulbs, too. To plant without drilling a drainage hole, simply put a layer of grit or gravel into the cup base to create a space for excess water to settle away from the bulb roots. Buy small potted ready-to-flower bulbs such as dwarf daffodils, grape hyacinths or Iris reticulata, and you can transfer them straight into the cup. Water sparingly but evenly so as not to swamp the bulbs – and you’re done!

Which Flower Matches Your Birth Month?

I don’t know about you, but I’m seriously ready for spring this year. All those snowy days that thawed into rainy days and revealed bare borders of brown stems – enough already! But stepping outside my back door – which now happens daily rather than weekly – the sunshine feels warm and it might be wishful thinking, but I’m sure the birds are singing a little louder. But what’s also bringing the joy of spring? Target’s fabulous (and affordable) Hearth & Hand with Magnolia collection.

There are sweet faux Sedum stems popped in a simple glass vase, promising of blissful garden days to come. The touch-me textured woven hanging basket would be perfect to hang in a summerhouse or porch, spilling with the stress-free leaves of a hoya leaf artificial plant. And oh, this rattan outdoor urn had me at hello – throw in a pot of grocery-store tulips and it would turn any garden from winter-dowdy to spring-ready.

Do you shop through gardeners’ eyes too? When I spotted this wooden-lidded glass infuser mug, I immediately thought it would be great at keeping the bugs out of my tea in the garden. This 2-inch-high cup-and-saucer matchstick holder would be adorable with a shot-glass of darling grape hyacinths inside, and this wooden serving trivet? A super-stylish stand for a houseplant pot. And speaking of plant pots, how divine are these terracotta-look indoor planters?

Although astronomically speaking, spring doesn’t actually spring until March 20, I’m sticking firmly to the idea that meteorologically, this finest of all seasons starts on the first of the month. And don't forget, the clocks go forward for Daylight Saving Time on March 8, when the lighter evenings will lure us all out into our gardens again.

The three silver birch trees in my garden are already adorned with hundreds of teeny-tiny catkins. My peony has plump pink shoots in the soil, poised for growth. And I’m ready for the season change, too, now these Target goodies are bringing Magnolia spring style into my home without breaking the bank.

The Showstopper Stems

Welcome to Our Home

Simply Beautiful

Get Garden Cozy

Layer Up the Loveliness

Easy Evergreens

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the humble potato. A few years ago, I even dramatically declared that “potatoes make life worth living”. There’s never a time when there isn’t a stash of these perfect carbs in my kitchen, ready to be chopped into fries or roasties, or whipped into the fluffiest mash.

What I don’t love, though, is how enthusiastically spuds can grow, popping up where they’re not wanted and quickly turning a tidy lawn into a bit of a nightmare. As a renter, I’ve avoided growing my own for years, worried about accidentally taking over the garden. That’s why I was so excited to come across this charming solution from influencer Nicole Burke on her Gardenary Co's Instagram – and you can see exactly how it works in the video below.

All you need is a whiskey barrel to create an aesthetically pleasing potato container that keeps your crop contained and your garden intact. Here’s everything you need to know about planting potatoes using this charming idea, with expert insight from the pros.

Why Grow Potatoes in a Whiskey Barrel?

Growing potatoes is an amazing way to have a kitchen staple on hand, but if your yard is on the smaller side, it can be hard to find space. Planting them up in a whiskey barrel is a great remedy for this, providing a spacious container for your potatoes that doesn't take up too much square footage.

Gardening expert Steve Corcoran from Lawn Love explains why it's important to give potatoes their own designated area away from other plants and the lawn. "People often make the planting mistake of forgetting that potatoes need a more controlled environment than other root vegetables to ensure they don't take over your lawn or other plant beds. They can grow incredibly quickly with little care and become a problem if they aren't being properly contained."

A whiskey barrel is perfect for containing all types of potatoes, as the structure is sturdy and deep, allowing the potatoes plenty of room to develop strong roots.

Using a whiskey barrel to grow potatoes is also a great way to keep pests away from your produce.

As David Joles, chief operating officer at PURCOR Pest Solutions, explains: "Pests like voles, moles, pocket gophers, and even certain insects like mole crickets, make their way around through digging tunnels under the ground, which means they can get to your plants from below. So, when you grow your potatoes in a whiskey barrel, you prevent that from happening, because all of the soil is contained within that barrel."

How to Do It

The whiskey barrel potato setup is incredibly simple and only requires a few things to get started: your whiskey barrel, a drill, and some burlap. From there, you just need to add compost and seed potatoes, and you’re all set.

• Whiskey barrel – if you're struggling to find an old barrel from a thrift store or fleamarket, this set of three wooden planter barrels from Amazon is a good price.
• Seed potatoes – these Gold Rush Russet and Yukon Gold Seed Potatoes are popular, well-rated options.
• Drill – the FADAKWALT Cordless Drill is portable, easy to use and comes in four different colors if you don't already have a drill.
• Burlap – you'll have plenty for present and future projects if you purchase this Gardening Burlap Roll.
• Compost – this R&M Organic Compost is filled with plant-beneficial ingredients.

After selecting your whiskey barrel, drill a minimum of four holes in the bottom and then flip the barrel back over so it's standing up. These holes will ensure that excess water is able to escape from the soil, because otherwise your potatoes may rot.

Next place a couple of layers of burlap at the bottom of the barrel, ensuring that the holes you just drilled are completely covered. This will stop your soil from falling through the holes but it's important not to use too many layers or water may have a tough time draining.

Now you're ready to add your soil or compost and seed potatoes. It's recommended to begin with a layer of organic compost before adding your seed potatoes in around six inches apart. Then cover them over completely with soil, water, and wait for them to sprout. Don't forget to water your seedlings!

What Other Containers Can I Use?

You can technically follow this method using any container that's waterproof, spacious and deep enough to allow your potatoes to properly form roots. It needs to be at least 18 inches (46 cm) wide and deep. Growing potatoes in bags is a popular method. My dad has gotten creative before and used an old wheelbarrow and spare plastic storage containers to grow his crops. He's also considered using an old tire for a creative look.

I can't wait to try out this stylish container gardening solution, and I hope you'll enjoy it just as much!

Daisy Edgar-Jones recently starred in an Estée Lauder commercial that made me want to twirl around like a ballerina or throw on a feminine dress and walk the French Riviera. It was a masterclass in all things girly and romantic; everything was light pink, delicate, and impossibly pretty.

In the background of the video, sitting on a table, was a bouquet that made me immediately want to redo my entire makeup table. Is “makeup table” too generous a term for the corner of my dresser where I keep a mirror and some products? Probably, but I’m all about manifesting.

Want the same look? Keep reading below to learn how you can style your own vanity (or dresser, bathroom counter, etc.) with that same delicate feel.

Get the Look

Start with One Perfect Small Bouquet

While the flowers in the Estée Lauder commercial were quite substantial, a vanity requires a small floral arrangement; we’re talking 5-7 flowers max. It’s not meant to be a large floral installation or a major statement centerpiece in the middle of a large dining room table.

Choose flowers with a romantic energy, like garden roses in light pink and cream tones, lily of the valley, lisianthus, and freesia. For a more whimsical, airy-fairy vibe, go for baby’s breath, astilbe, and sweet peas. If you like a little fragrance, add in some hyacinth, peonies, and gardenias. Just skip anything that is too bright or structured. We’re channeling date night, not corporate lobby.

What you put the flowers in matters enormously for the look we’re going for. A small glass bud vase is perfect, or a vintage-style ceramic vase in white or blush pink. Make sure you keep it compact so it doesn’t dominate your limited space. This arrangement is more like a finishing touch, not the main event.

If you prefer the look of a few bud vases, these small glass ones from Amazon come in a variety of sizes and textures, which is exactly the look we want.

Layer in Delicate Accents

Once you have your bouquet arranged, you can add your complementary decorations that have the same soft, feminine energy without making it look like a cluttered house from the 90s. Adding extra elements is where many people go wrong, as they often add too much and suddenly their elegant vanity looks more like a gift shop display, and you have nowhere to actually set your makeup.

Choose 2 or 3 additional accents, and that’s the max number. Here are some ideas below:

• A small tray (marble, mirrored, or white ceramic) to keep your (vintage?) perfume bottles and jewelry
• One candle in a simple container (cream, blush, or clear glass). If you’re looking for a good candle, this Pink Lady and Peony Jar Candle from Target has a lovely lace look on the outside that just screams all things girly.
• A piece of delicate jewelry casually draped (a pearl necklace or thin gold chain adds some sparkle without looking bulky

Pro tip: Something that goes by the name “bath tray” can actually be used for jewelry. This Pink Quartz Resin Tray from Target is exactly the look we’re going for.

Master the Height Balance

Your vanity decor requires several variations in height to make it feel alive, though everything should stay relatively low since you still need to actually use it. Think of it as gentle hills rather than Mt. Everest.

Try this formula:

• Tallest element: Your floral arrangement (6-8 inches above the surface)
• Medium height: A candle or small decorative object (4-6 inches)
• Low elements: Your tray, scattered products (preferably your prettiest ones), or a small jewelry box

Add Texture Through Materials

Texture is everything when it comes to styling, especially when you’re going for such a light, girly energy. For this look, you really want to mix opposites that work together.

For example, a smooth glass vase with a matte ceramic tray. Add a velvet jewelry box next to metallic perfume bottles. Tie a linen or silk ribbon around your bouquet or drape it next to your mirror. Textural contrasts keep the styling from feeling flat or too one-dimensional.

Pro tip: Don’t go for anything too rough or rustic. This is certainly not the moment to pull out weathered wood or a chunky rope.

The Final Touch

You may be happy with your arrangement, but you can’t just decorate and leave it. Dead flowers kill the light, delicate energy faster than anything else. Change the water every few days, trim stems, and replace the flowers when they start looking sad.

The goal with this vanity is to make everything feel like a small luxury rather than a rushed obligation. Beauty is a ritual, and self-care is an art.