Small-space gardeners are always getting told to grow up. It’s fine advice, but this advice gets more interesting when you have a top layer and bottom layer made up of two completely different, high-performing plants pulling from different parts of the same soil. Rather than staring at an empty potting mix beneath a single tall stem, small-yard and balcony growers can use vertical stacking to build a lush, multi-tiered planting medley, turning teensy spaces into genuinely high performing partnerships.

The core logic behind high and low vertical plants comes down to how differently plants can use the same space. A sun-loving specimen and a low, shade-tolerant ground cover aren’t competing for the same needs. Rather, they live in perfect vertical gardening harmony. The trick is finding combinations where that relationship is useful in both directions, not just tolerant. By matching contrasting canopy levels and root depths, neither plant crowds out its neighbor. A plot that’s working on two levels at once doubles your growing potential at a stroke.

Good landscape design uses vertical layers to create depth in large borders, but you can also apply this to high and low intercropping in small spaces to be more efficient and productive. It stops being just an aesthetic design trick when the layers protect and nourish each other. So stop feeling you need to choose between fresh veggies and gorgeous summer blooms in smaller spaces. These high-low duos let you grow a range of vibrant climbers and groundcover showstoppers in perfect harmony.

Best High and Low Plant Pairs

Achieving a productive double-decker display requires more than popping two random plants into a single container or raised bed and hoping for the best. But it isn’t too tricky, either. Just ensure the soil is pre-loaded with sufficient energy to support a heavy feeding schedule, as two crops are drawing resources from one footprint. Your high and low vertical plant garden just needs a solid base.

Before planting out your pairs this June, check soil conditions with the Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Meter from Amazon, to asses moisture and pH levels. Where you feel it is necessary, add a little aged compost, or some perlite or coarse sand, to adjust the soil consistency. It’s also worth blending in a handful of Espoma Organic Chicken Manure from Walmart. This gives a steady, slow-release shot of nitrogen that heavy summer growers require to build strong structural frames.

Because June can bring intense sun and rapid evaporation across USDA hardiness zones 4-9, your high-low duos need excellent drainage and regular watering. Also, stacking a climber with ground cover means you’ll likely need support. Add stakes, trellises, teepees, or obelisks at the time of planting to prevent disrupting roots later. Place containers where they can receive at least 6 hours of sun, ensuring the upper tier thrives while casting a protective dappled shelter for the understory below.

1. Tomatoes and Purple Basil

This classic pairing is a dream for anyone growing food in tight spaces. Indeterminate or vining tomatoes grow up a central stake, leaving a modest ground-level gap. This is where an aromatic basil like 'Purple Ruffles' or 'Crimson King' basil steps in. You can buy August Breeze Farm Purple Basil Live Plants from Walmart. Planted around the tomato stalk, the basil frills and spills, thriving in the dappled shade cast by lower tomato branches. This cooling shield keeps the basil from bolting in the July heat. Tomatoes root deeply to anchor their heavy vines, while basil maintains a shallow root system, so they never squabble over soil territory.

For the best results in USDA zones 3-10, choose a patio-friendly cherry tomato. You can buy Bonnie Plants Super Sweet 100 Tomato Live Plants from Amazon and secure them to a sturdy climbing frame or Bamboo Supports from Amazon. Keep in full sun for 6-8 hours daily. Regularly pinch back the basil's central tips to encourage bushy growth and prune away the lowest tomato leaves to maximize airflow.

2. Patio Citrus and Trailing Thyme

On a south-facing patio, a dwarf citrus tree planted in a large container looks beautiful, but that bare soil at the base is wasted space and dries out rapidly under the midday sun. Creeping or trailing thyme stays low enough to avoid competing for fresh air or light, creating a lovely dense covering that suppresses weeds and locks moisture into the tree’s root zone. As a bonus, its tiny summer flowers attract pollinators towards your crop.

This sun-worshipping duo is perfect for zones 8-11. Select a dwarf citrus variety like Meyer Lemon Dwarf Citrus from Fast Growing Trees. Around the base, plant a heat-tolerant thyme cultivar like Clovers Garden 'Creeping Lemon' Thyme Starter Plants from Amazon. Both demand sharp drainage, so choose a sandy, gritty potting mix. Let the thyme trail freely over the edges of your container for a casual, elegant look that provides a constant supply of fresh culinary herbs.

3. Sunflowers and Nasturtiums

Sunflowers provide structural muscle in abundance, but because they grow straight up, they leave both a gap and a useful support that nasturtiums greatly appreciate. They spread like a living mulch, keeping soil temperatures regulated and minimizing evaporation. Once they gain momentum, they begin winding up the stalks, filling the mid-level space with color. This teamwork also includes great pest control, as nasturtiums draw aphids and blackflies away from sunflower stems.

Both of these heat-lovers are direct-sow plants that germinate rapidly in warm June soil across zones 2–11. Plant 'Mammoth' Sunflower Seeds from Burpee alongside trailing salmon pink 'Vesuvius' Nasturtium Seeds from Eden Brothers. Just make sure your spot receives full sun, and water regularly during the initial 2 weeks to establish resilient root systems. Get ready for a joyful tableau of giant golden faces and vibrant edible flowers and peppery leaves. Now that’s multitasking!

4. Clematis and Strawberries

This is an elegant but also highly efficient combination. Clematis is a classy vertical ornamental, but it demands cool feet and a warm head to thrive. Planting a dense ring of everbearing strawberries around the base keeps the roots cool in the loveliest, lushest way. The running strawberry foliage protects the clematis root zone from harsh summer rays. In return, the clematis climbs high, leaving the lower level free to produce sweet fruit that trails safely over your raised bed’s or pot’s edge.

This combination works beautifully in zones 4-9, especially in spots that receive morning sun and soft afternoon shade. Plant a vibrant clem variety like 'Jackmanii' Clematis Live Plants from Nature Hills against a central trellis or obelisk. Surround it with berry starts like 'Ozark Beauty' Everbearing Strawberry Runners from Amazon. Both prefer rich, fertile soil and consistent moisture. Apply a balanced fertilizer at planting time to support clematis blooms and recurring strawberry flushes. This setup yields fresh berries until first frost, alongside waves of purple flowers.

5. Pole Beans and Morning Glories

For sheer speed and a dense screen of color, these summer climbers are both technically growing upwards. But where morning glories focus their initial energy on carpeted lateral growth across the bottom foot of your support system, the pole bean varieties race directly for the top before branching out, filling your vertical plane without leaving bare gaps. When sown together, their vines quickly interlace to form a living wall of heart-shaped leaves, blue flowers, and crisp edible pods.

This high-speed duo thrives in full sun in zones 3-10 and is perfect for bare fences, arches, a trellis, or a teepee. Push seeds of 'Kentucky Wonder Brown' Pole Beans from Eden Brothers and lush purple 'Royalty' Morning Glory Seeds from Burpee directly into the soil. Just avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen later in summer, and keep vines well-watered in dry spells to sustain this lovely bean and bloom duo.

6. Baby Eggplant and Sweet Alyssum

This pairing offers a gorgeous blend of deep color, rich texture, and built-in pest control. Miniature patio eggplants display large, velvety leaves, purple star-shaped blossoms, and glossy dark fruit. However, they are frequently targeted by destructive flea beetles and aphids in midsummer. Planting a frothy, honey-scented carpet of sweet alyssum around the base will attract beneficial insects like hoverflies and predatory wasps. The fine, cloud-like alyssum flowers also create a stunning visual contrast against bold eggplant foliage and glossy fruit jackets.

To maximize your summer growing window in zones 4-10, plant nursery-started transplants like Clovers Garden 'Fairy Tale' Eggplant Live Plants from Amazon. Set it in a wide pot, then tuck in some purple ‘Royal Carpet’ and white ‘Carpet of Snow’ Sweet Alyssum Seeds from Amazon. This pair loves baking summer heat and requires 6-8 hours of direct sun. Eggplants are also heavy drinkers and require consistent moisture to develop tender, glossy fruit, while the alyssum helps shade the soil to reduce evaporation. A truly lovely partnership for purple plant lovers.

Shop High-Low Planting Essentials

Give your vertical plant duos the ultimate care package with these proven, high-performance soil treatments and specialized plant goodies. These curated options are selected to help you maximize your high-low plant partnerships, improve root development, boost beauty, and secure heavy yields without breaking the bank.

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Backyard decks represent sanctuary and social cheer. They host our summer barbecues, support our favorite patio furniture, and elevate our morning coffee rituals. Yet under the stained lumber lies a space few of us spend much time thinking about: the under-deck dead zone. For many of us, this hidden ground becomes an accidental graveyard of lost dog toys, dusty gravel, and opportunistic weeds, leaving a frustrating visual gap right where we enjoy our outdoor spaces most.

Dark, dry, and neglected, ideas for under deck space might seem like a tough sell for planting. But you don’t have to settle for an ugly, barren wasteland or a mass of plastic landscape fabric. While this gloomy gap world can feel inhospitable at first glance, it’s an exciting opportunity for texture and color with a specific group of shade-loving plants. And it’s a surprisingly easy place to introduce some self-sustaining living dynamics, filling the void with minimal effort.

The shade-dwelling survivors in this selection flourish in the dead zone, bringing easy color and texture to create a simple landscaping win. It’s just a question of shifting your perspective from viewing this space as a problem to treating it as a kind of woodland floor, receptive to several dynamic perennials. Here’s how to turn this notoriously tricky yard space into a lush and lovely haven with these 6 gorgeous under-deck plants. They’re just begging to move in.

Planting in the Deck Dead Zone

Landscape design in the dead zone is tricky, but it can be done. Just keep in mind that full shade means less than 3-4 hours of direct sunlight. But don’t try to grow anything under a truly dark spot that gets no light. For a successful under-deck garden, your site needs to receive partial sunlight, or at least filtered, dappled light or bright indirect ambient light entering from the sides of the deck. These under deck space ideas are primed to make the most of limited light, as long as there is a bit of light to play with.

Moisture can be an issue in the dead zone. Decks block sunlight but also rainfall, so you can get a dry space under deck boards. Be sure to water your dead zone plants regularly, especially in the first season as they take hold. Furthermore, low airflow is common under many low-slung decks. Without regular breezes to circulate air, moisture from ambient humidity can get trapped, so fungal diseases like powdery mildew can strike if the wrong plants are selected. Conversely, higher decks can create a wind-tunnel effect that paradoxically dries out foliage even faster.

Dead zone soil can get compacted during the deck building process. You don't have to be a landscaping expert to fix this. Just loosen the soil and work in some compost or other material to lighten it and improve drainage. If your soil is heavy then a little coarse horticultural sand or perlite, such as Hoffman Horticultural Perlite from Amazon, can alleviate compaction and improve aeration. Working in a balanced, slow-release organic amendment like bone meal will also give your new plants a steady supply of phosphorus to encourage resilient root systems.

The type of deck has some bearing on what you grow. A high deck standing 8 feet (2.4m) off the ground will clearly offer more ambient light and easier access than a low-slung platform style option elevated 2 feet (60cm) from the ground. If your deck is very low, focus your planting efforts along the outer edges, where light and natural rainfall can reach the soil. Planting under deck areas is then a question of selecting these low maintenance shade plants and resilient perennials.

1. Hostas

The hosta plant is the classic shade superstar and is uniquely suited to anchor the design of an under-deck bed. These rugged, dependable perennials thrive in partial or even full shade. Their structural foliage will effortlessly transform a dusty void into a dynamic sea of leaves. Hostas are cold-hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3-9 and are easy to plant in spring. Their massive leaves act as a natural weed suppressant that shields the soil from whatever stray light filters through the decking boards.

Varieties with a blue color do best in full shade, such as ‘Blue Cadet,’ ‘Sieboldiana var. Elegans,’ and ‘Halcyon.’ The blue color is a protective waxy coating. In direct hot sun, this wax melts away, leaving the plant vulnerable to scorching, so the deepest sections of your under-deck space are precisely where blue hostas want to be. Add a 2-inch (5cm) layer of organic mulch to conserve moisture, and water deeply at the base during the first growing season. You can buy gorgeous Hosta Plants from Burpee, as well as the lush ‘Blue Angel’ Hosta from Fast Growing Trees.

2. Ferns

Another classic shade plant, ferns come in a lot of unique varieties, with different sizes, colors, and textures to choose from. Fern growing is an ancient design trick for adding soft, airy, and ethereal texture that perfectly contrasts against the hard, geometric lines of wooden deck posts and joists. These easy perennials are masters at capturing ambient moisture, and can tolerate lower airflow levels with ease. Some good options for dry shade include Christmas fern, autumn fern, lady fern, Japanese painted fern, and eastern wood fern.

Varieties like Christmas fern and autumn fern feature leathery, thick fronds that are uniquely adapted to withstand periods of drought. However, they need regular water in their first year to develop the strong roots needed to thrive in dry conditions later. Water deeply once or twice a week in the first growing season. Also, ensure soil has a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Buy ‘Brilliance’ Autumn Ferns from Nature Hills for coppery fronds that mature to a glossy green, bringing a warm glow to shady spots.

3. Spotted Deadnettle

Deadnettle (lamium) is a tough ground cover suitable for even the most challenging conditions. It spreads readily and naturally fills in spaces where grass doesn’t grow, with several key varieties casting a luminescent glow in the shade. It blankets barren earth with a dense, low-growing rug that reaches only 6-9 inches (15-23cm) high. The small, silvery leaves and light pink or white flowers are ideal for brightening up the gloom. Cultivars like 'Beacon Silver' and 'White Nancy' have silver-centered leaves that act like mirrors, bouncing ambient light around the under-deck space.

It can spread aggressively, though. Use a stone border to contain it, and pull out any plants that stray from the dead zone. Lamium can look lovely if you let it trail over under-deck retaining walls or stone borders, and it thrives in dry shade once established. Just don't plant it in areas with poor drainage, where standing water can accumulate. You can buy Perennial Farm Marketplace’s ‘Purple Dragon’ Deadnettle Plants from Amazon for luminescent foliage and neon pinky purple blooms.

4. Barrenwort

Another sturdy, weed-suppressing ground cover is barrenwort (epimedium). Also known as fairy wings, barrenwort (epimedium) has delicate, pretty foliage and spring flowers. It thrives in full shade and is widely acknowledged by landscape designers as the king of dry shade, so it’s perfect for the dead zone. If you have an established deck where nearby tree roots or structural posts have sucked out all the nutrients and moisture, it will flourish. Barrenwort spreads readily but slowly, so you don’t have to worry about it taking over areas where it doesn’t belong.

Epimedium have tough, wiry rhizomes, allowing them to carve out a home in compacted, dry soil. They produce spider-like or heart-shaped leaves that emerge with bronzy tints in spring, maturing to a deep green, with reddish-purple hues in the fall. You just need to clip back old overwintered foliage in April so the dainty spring flowers can be seen clearly without being choked out by old growth. You can get dramatic Red Barrenwort from Nature Hills and cheeky Perennial Farm Marketplace ‘Lilafee’ Barrenwort from Amazon, with flowers that look just like little pixies.

5. Astilbe (False Goat’s Beard)

It’s not easy to find flowering plants that thrive in the dead zone, but astilbe (aka false spirea or goat’s beard) is a stunner. It grows best in partial shade, but can cope in full shade. Astilbe’s tall, feathery flower plumes give long-lasting color, in dynamic splashes of hot pink and purple, as well as shimmering white. Blooming from late spring into midsummer, these feathery panicles look like miniature fireworks bursting out from beneath your deck, contrasting nicely with hostas, ferns, and groundcovers.

Astilbe does need rich, moist soil, so water well if planting in dry areas under the deck. Mulch is a must to keep available moisture in the soil. To make these stunning plumes pop against dark wooden siding or deck lattices, look for bright white astilbe cultivars like 'Bridal Veil' or glowing red 'Fanal' astilbe. Don't let the soil dry out completely, or the fern-like leaves will crisp along the edges and the plant will prematurely enter dormancy. You can buy dazzling Astilbe Plants at Nature Hills, like feisty ‘Vision in Purple’ and purple ‘Chocolate Shogun’ varieties.

6. Coral Bells

Coral bells (aka heuchera) will tolerate partial and even full shade. It has flowers but also lush and vibrant foliage to brighten up dark areas. You can find varieties with leaves that are bright lime, purple, bronze, and nearly black. While they do send up dainty bell-shaped flowers that hummingbirds adore, they are grown primarily for this textured foliage that looks spectacular year round. Plant bright chartreuse varieties like 'Lime Lime' next to dark options like 'Palace Purple' for high-contrast dynamics.

Good drainage is key, which makes coral bells well-suited to dry areas under decks. Heuchera species are prone to crown rot if forced to sit in heavy, waterlogged clay soil. The dry, sheltered environment under a well-ventilated deck is a huge asset for heuchera, provided the soil is lightened with organic matter and drains freely. Plant with the crown slightly elevated above the soil line for perfect drainage. You can buy dazzling Heuchera Plants from Fast Growing Trees, including purple ‘Dolce Wildberry’ and ‘Caramel’ varieties. Your dead zone area will be dead no more!

Shop Below Deck Superstars

Transforming a dark, dusty under-deck space into a lush perennial sanctuary deserves gorgeous easy-care perennials. These varieties will ensure that your under-deck garden transitions seamlessly from a dusty void into a lush, thriving oasis. These curated selections are physically hardy, visually stunning, and perfectly tailored to conquer the unique challenges of the deck dead zone. Get ready to turn your shady underneath space into a design victory.

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For many of us, the time spent in our gardens is our daily reset. Those moments spent cultivating plants in the yard can be some of the happiest of our day. Maybe it’s the joy of a visiting songbird or the tactile satisfaction of damp earth, combined with the pleasure of watching plants and flowers fill out with incomparable beauty.

But what if your plants did more than just soothe your mind? What if they could raise your beauty game with a veritable garden glow up? The “glow up” is more than a fad – it’s a return to ancestral wisdom. In a world of complex, synthetic routines, there is a profound power in the slow beauty movement, using plants that you’ve nurtured to nourish your hair and skin.

By cultivating your own beauty garden with these 6 flowers, plants and herbs for skin and beauty, you control the purity of your ingredients. And knowing how to glow up with homegrown ingredients doesn’t have to be complicated or drawn-out. Whether you have an expansive backyard or a modest sunny patio, these plants are the game-changers of the botanical beauty world. Here is how to transform your beauty care and grow your way to a radiant new you.

6 Best Plants for a Garden Glow Up

Selecting a garden glow up collection is like curation for a skincare shelf. Basically, you need ingredients that are high-performing, versatile, and reliable. I’ve chosen these 6 because they represent the gold standard of botanical beauty care, but also because they are remarkably forgiving for the home gardener. You don’t need loads of space, time, or technique – just the belief that you deserve the best, and that it is possible to grow it. These plants are easy wins that thrive in most USDA hardiness zones. They just need a sunny spot and (in the case of the flowers) a bit of deadheading to keep their beauty benefits flourishing.

In terms of extracting the goodness from the plants for these garden glow up tips, the process is surprisingly low-tech. Most remedies rely on simple infusions or solar-infused oils, where the sun does the hard work of pulling the nutrients into a carrier oil. To get started, just gather together a few clean glass mason jars, a cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer, like the Cuisinart Mesh Set from Amazon, to ensure your toners are silk-smooth, plus a spray bottle for any finished mists. By keeping these preparations simple, your garden glow-up remains a relaxing ritual rather than a chore.

1. Roses

It’s no secret that roses and beautycare are intrinsically linked. Beyond their lush blooms, velvety textures, and (in may cases) heady fragrances, they are widely acknowledged as enduring symbols of grace. While there are are untold varieties and cultivars in all sizes and colors, many roses have powerful fragrances. Grow your roses in full-sun sites with well-draining soil. Roses need at least six hours of full sun and heavy feeding. Use a rose-specific organic fertilizer in early spring.

Rose petals are smooth, delicate and gorgeous, three adjectives most of us would love applied to our skin. It’s no surprise these petals are frequently used in natural beauty products. What is perhaps less well known is that they contain high levels of Vitamin C and phenolics, which act as natural anti-inflammatories. Old wives' tales suggest that rose water makes the eyes sparkle, and they weren't far off. Distilled rose petals contain mild astringents that tighten pores without stripping moisture.

Roses hydrate and soothe the skin. You can rub the petals on your face and neck to rejuvenate the skin and diminish fine wrinkles. However, it’s a mistake to think all roses are equal when it comes to skincare. For the best glow up results, a damask rose (Rosa damascena) or cabbage rose (Rosa centifolia) rate highly. Top varieties for homemade remedies include Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll' for scent and Rosa rugosa for high-vitamin rosehips. If you would like to add a rose to your garden for future glowups, you can buy Hansa Hybrid Rugosa Roses from Nature Hills.

For a great 24-hour rose glow toner, place two cups of fresh, pesticide-free petals in a glass bowl. Pour boiling distilled water just over the top. Cover and steep for 24 hours. Strain and then spritz on your face after cleansing. You can get pretty Yocasii Atomizer Spray Bottles from Amazon.

2. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera (Aloe barbardensis Miller) is a pretty lsucculent, its plump leaves standing upright like so many green puffy fingers. Its thick leaves fan out from a central step, the margins serrated with tiny teeth. Aloe is the ultimate emergency room plant and is known for the cool gel in its leaves that soothes burns and rashes. However, this garden glow-up essential also increases collagen synthesis and skin elasticity.

In ancient Egypt, Aloe was referred to as the plant of Immortality. Cut open an aloe finger, and the clear gel inside is a star ingredient, used in many natural beauty treatments from moisturizers to face masks, and even used to condition hair. The gel works a treat in homemade face creams, or used directly on your skin to hydrate and rejuvenate. It also works as an anti-inflammatory, reducing swelling and redness.

Just don’t use the yellow sap just under the aloe’s skin, as it can be an irritant. In terms of how to get a glow up from this plant, only use the clear, inner gel when harvesting. For a homemade remedy, try making an overnight hydration mask. Mix 2 tablespoons of fresh gel with 1 teaspoon of honey. Apply a thin layer to the face before bed (with a towel over your pillow) for a replenishing sleep.

In terms of plant care, aloe thrives on neglect, so beware of overwatering. Use a cactus mix soil and a pot with excellent drainage, and keeo in a sunny spot. You can buy Costa Farms Live Aloe Vera Plants from Amazon to boost your beauty garden.

3. Lavender

Lavender is a garden favorite, a Mediterranean native which thrives in full sun in well-draining, sandy soil, offering stunning blooms with a soothing scent. If you are looking for particularly good varieties to grow for enduring fragrance and oil quality, then Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead' or 'Hidcote' are ideal. You can buy ‘Munstead’ Lavender plants from Burpee.

Lavender is one of the best herbs for skin treatments, with a hundred uses in beauty products. Its ability to lower cortisol (the stress hormone) directly impacts skin clarity, and it is one of the few essential oils that can (in small amounts) spot-treat acne. Alongside this, it is also a powerful circulatory stimulant. Lavender-infused oil reduces puffiness, and also does an excellent job building skin health.

To incorporate it into your garden glow-up beauty routine, try drying some harvested blooms and adding to your bathwater. Pulse a handful of dried buds with one cup of rolled oats in a blender. Tie the mixture in a muslin bag and drop it into a hot bath for a milky, skin-softening soak.You can get Reusable Drawstring Muslin Bags from Amazon for your glow-up garden-grown bathing treats.

4. Chamomile

Often called the plant doctor because it seems to heal the plants around it, chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) does the same for your complexion and is one of the better herbs for better skin. It contains chamazulene, a compound that works as a massive anti-inflammatory. It is also a delicate and loving skin soother. So while you may associate this dainty bloomer more with herbal tea, it is a lovely glow-up go-to for calming sensitive skins and soothing eczema and rosacea.

To make an easy de-puffing eye compress, brew 4 tablespoons of chamomile flowers in a cup of water. Let it cool completely in the fridge. Soak cotton pads in the cold tea and then rest them over your eyes for 10 minutes. Just one little note of caution: if you are allergic to ragweed or daisies, patch-test chamomile carefully, as they are in the same family.

German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is an easy-to-grow annual that loves full sun and will happily self-seed. Buy some Chamomile Plants or Seeds from Burpee, and let this carefree herb run riot in a large planter or sunny border, keeping you well serviced in gentle skin care for years.

5. Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a secret weapon for the flower grower. These playful umbels of color are virtually indestructible. Plants seem to thrive in poor soil and are highly drought-tolerant once established. For some growers, they are dismissed as weed-like. But for glow-up gardeners, yarrow is one of the most effective natural toners around. Wild white yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is the most potent, but 'Moonshine' (yellow) is a stunning garden performer. You can buy Greenwood Nursery’s ‘Moonshine’ Yarrow Live Plants from Amazon.

In skincare, yarrow acts as a powerful astringent, meaning it shrinks pores and tightens the skin's appearance. It is also excellent for oily skin and reducing redness, and is believed to have anti-ageing properties. For a lovely pore refiner, simply steep some dried yarrow flowers in alcohol-free witch hazel. Leave this for 2 weeks in a dark cupboard. Strain, then use as a daily toner to balance those oily T-zones.

6. Elderberry/Elderflower

Elderberries are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and rich in vitamin C. Commonly associated with immune health, this vibrant flowering and berrying bush is so much more than just a pretty face – although it’s an undeniable looker as well. Victorian ladies would use elderflower water to fade freckles and spots. Today, the flowers and berries of Sambucus are great for skin brightening and renewal.

You can knock up a quick brightening steam using fresh flowers or cooked berries (raw berries contain cyanogenic glycosides and should not be used in DIY skincare). Place umbels in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Drape a towel over your head and the bowl, steaming your face for 5 minutes. You can also boil berries for 20-30 minutes and use the cooked juice for topical applications like toners.

When growing, several elderberry varieties can get large. Give them space and plenty of nitrogen-rich compost, as well as slightly acidic soil. With its dark foliage and pink-tinged flowers, 'Black Lace' will bring natural beauty to your borders as well as your skincare routine. You can buy ‘Black Lace’ Sambucus from Nature Hills.

Growing a Glow Up Garden

To get the most pampering from these plants, you need to pamper them first. A stressed plant will produce fewer of the essential oils you need for your skin. Make these key growing pointers an integral part of your collective beauty care:

• Keep the soil around your glow-up plants in good condition. Use compost tea or liquid seaweed on the soil around flowering plants. Avoid heavy synthetic nitrogen, which can lead to lush green growth but weak concentrations of medicinal oils.
• Because elements of these plants are going on your skin, it’s important never to use chemical pesticides on your plants. If you spot aphids on flowering plants, use a strong blast of water or a diluted neem oil spray.
• Always harvest your beauty botanicals in the morning, just after the dew has evaporated but before the heat of the sun can sap those volatile oils.
• If you are making oil infusions (like rose oil), check your petals are 100% dry. Even a drop of water can cause your homemade beauty products to grow mold, which is the last thing you want anywhere near your skin.

Gorgeous Glow-Up Essentials

If your garden beauty counter is still in the “development” stage, there's no need to worry. You can look and feel great while you wait, with the help of these botanical beauty essentials:

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A clever and creative vertical gardening approach may be just what your space needs to go from so-so to stunning. These up-and-down plantings – where plants are elevated, towered up, encouraged to climb, or staggered vertically – can increase your growing horizons in more ways than one. Maybe you’re looking for cheap fence ideas in a quiet corner of your yard? Maybe you need inventive ways to grow specific crops in a way that helps support them and encourage maximum growth? Or maybe you fancy growing a green wall for an instant wow factor?

A vertical garden can take several forms, and is not just a lovely and unusual addition to your regular garden, but it also has many advantages. But how do you get started, what plants are best, and which vertical methods should you try? Here, we reveal some of the main considerations, and show you three easy methods for ‘growing up’ with your gardening ambitions: trellis, stake and cage. Follow our guide on how to put the basics in place to raise your planting game to the skies!

What Is Vertical Gardening?

Vertical growing means growing up and down, with plants staggered vertically rather than horizontally on the ground. This could be growing crops that climb – or it could be a climbing ornamental such as a rose or clematis. It also incorporates an element of man-made elevation based on living situations or planting intentions – for example, gardening with a balcony or an elevated planter, a tower garden, stacks of pallets or hanging baskets.

There are no detailed specifications for a vertical garden, and they can take many different forms. For example, growing pole beans up a trellis is a small vertical garden. But most take the form of rows of plants staggered vertically. Where would be a good place to put in a vertical garden? Try a balcony, fence, patio or wall.

Benefits of Vertical Gardening

Esthetically, vertical gardening creates interest in a garden. For instance, a green wall of plants can be a striking focal point. But that’s just the beginning. One of the hardest parts of gardening for seniors is getting down to soil level to weed, seed, and harvest. With vertical gardens, there is no need to work on your knees. The plants are at eye level or almost, and easy to take care of.

Another key vertical gardening benefit is being able to free up vital growing space. This type of growing enables you to maximize even small domestic areas (or footprints), utilizing walls, fences, trees, trellises and other structures where ground-level space is in short supply. Even aspirational gardeners living in tiny high-rise flats can successfully grow a range of crops and ornamental plants with vertical gardening.

In addition, the up-down shape of the garden makes efficient watering easier. It allows you to catch falling rain above ground, which then filters excess water down to lower rows. This is one way to tackle issues of water runoff and excessive rain overflow. It helps local water systems by lessening the effect of stormwater on the landscape.

Furthermore, for certain plants that are naturally inclined to climb, vertical gardening allows you to provide ample support for healthier, more prolific plants – whether you are growing ornamentals or edibles.

Best Plants for Vertical Gardening

There are many different types of vertical gardens. If you create a structure that will hold plant pots on shelves, almost any species of plant will work. Otherwise, you’ll be relying on flowering vines and evergreen climbing vines to grow up and cover the wall. Any plant that can crawl up a wall or hang down from the top is ideal for inventive vertical gardening ideas.

On the ornamental side, choose flowering plants that present with well supported flower heads and which are stable and adept at climbing or trailing across a trellis or pergola – so, flowering plants like climbing roses, passionflowers, clematis vine varieties, wisteria, Virginia creeper, chocolate vine, and so on.

If you are looking to grow a vertical vegetable garden, good edible plants include pole beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers. If you install a strong support system, heavier fruit and veggies are also possible including melons, gourds, and pumpkins. Clever vertical vegetable gardening ideas will enable plants to flourish in relatively compact quarters, utilizing light and height while allowing plants to drain and feed.

How to Build a Vertical Garden

Before you jump into building a vertical garden, decide first which crops you’d like to grow. This choice can make a big difference in how to construct the garden. You can use very simple structures for creative raised garden ideas, like wooden crates stuffed with potting soil, pots hung on wire, shelves attached to a fence with zip ties, or hanging plastic bottles filled with soil. However, for the best supported structures for vertical gardening, consider one of these effective plant-lifting methods: trellising, staking, and caging.

1. Trellising

Trellising involves building sturdy vertical supports that can hold up a lattice for plants to climb up. A creative homemade trellis could be something simple, like using steel t-posts as supports, connecting them horizontally with wire or wood pieces at the top and bottom. You could also use wooden supports that are strong enough to hold the mature weight of your crops.

To make effective trellising in gardens, insert the posts several feet into the ground to ensure stability. Use the trellis structure to hang plastic netting, wood lattice, nylon fencing, or woven wire cattle fencing materials that allow plants to climb easily.

2. Staking

When choosing plant support, staking is a common garden practice. You can use wooden stakes, rebar stakes, tomato stakes, or PVC stakes cut to the preferred length. Make sure wooden stakes are thick enough to hold up your plants. Stakes can be made of wood, bamboo, PVC, metal conduit, or rebar, and cut to the desired length with simple home tools. Wooden stakes should be at least one inch thick to ensure sufficient strength to hold growing plants.

A single stake can work well for a single tomato or pepper plant. For rows of tomatoes or peppers, install stakes between young plants. When the plants grow to about a foot high, weave lines of garden twine between the stakes, wrapping it once around each individual stake. The twine holds the plants upright. As the plants grow taller, add additional lines of twine.

For longer rows of tomatoes and peppers, consider the ‘stake and weave’ method. To begin, drive a tall stake between every other plant when the plants are still small. When the plants are 12 inches (30cm) tall, weave the first line of garden twine between the stakes 10 inches (25cm) off the ground, wrapping the twine once around each stake. The plants are held upright between the two lines of twine woven on either side of the stakes.

3. Caging

When you are contemplating the heaviest crops, like pumpkins or melons, caging is a good way to go. These crops can be too heavy to be held up by twine or trellising. The caging method also works well for supporting the vines of indeterminate tomatoes.

You can buy pre-made cages, or you can easily make them out of chicken wire. Use a few stakes to anchor each cage to the ground. Sizing depends on the crops and how they are spaced. If the crops are especially heavy, add slings made from mesh bags to cradle the fruit.

How to Care for a Vertical Garden

Vertical gardens require no weeding or row tilling. But they do need water. While outdoor vertical gardens will get some irrigation from rainfall, they will need water in dry periods. Be sure that any containers used have good drain holes so that excess water can drain. You can add a water-soluble fertilizer to provide nutrients for the plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Downsizing your garden typically takes a bigger emotional toll than expanding your garden. That’s because you must make choices between plant A and plant B, rather than just saying “What the heck, I’ll plant both!” Yet the idea of downsizing a garden is to lessen the time and physical effort needed to keep your yard looking great. If creating a low-maintenance landscape appeals to you, read on for tips on how to downsize your garden.

Should You Start Downsizing Your Garden?

Only you can determine whether it is time to start downsizing your garden. It could be that you are busy with other things and no longer wish to invest so much time in your backyard plants. Or perhaps you are moving from a home with a huge yard to a house with less land, but still want to create a garden in small spaces around your new property. Often the desire to downsize a garden has to do with our changing physical strength as we get older.

Whatever the reason, one day you may realize that you no longer want to put so much time and effort into maintaining a garden. When this time comes, it’s definitely a good idea to think about downsizing the garden.

Benefits of Downsizing Your Garden

Downsizing a garden has obvious benefits in terms of the effort you need to invest in garden maintenance. A downsized garden will, by definition, require less of the hard, physical effort a big garden needs: less mowing, weeding, trimming, pruning, dividing perennials, preparing for spring planting, and even less autumn clean-up.

But there are other benefits as well. You get to focus on plants that you really love. These always get to stay, while plants that are in lower “like” categories and higher maintenance categories are sent packing. You can tailor your garden to your preferences as you downsize, eliminating those that require a lot of work and keeping the easy-care varieties. In the end, your new low-maintenance front yard landscaping may bring the same joy but require a fraction of the physical effort.

How to Downsize a Garden Gracefully

Many of us get emotional when we think of eliminating parts of the garden, especially if it is a garden we have loved and nurtured for years. But keep in mind, the idea is not to get rid of your garden, but, rather, to make it work better with your current lifestyle, fitness level, and priorities. Move gently toward rethinking the garden.

Every downsizing is going to look different since no two gardens or gardeners are exactly alike. But here are some gentle baby steps you can take toward reducing the workload in your garden.

• Delegate. You don’t have to do everything yourself in your garden. If money is not an issue, hiring garden landscapers will help with the most strenuous garden tasks: the digging, the weeding, the pruning, the mowing and save you the work. The helpers will act at your direction but your physical effort will be minimal.
• Swap out annuals for perennials. Both annuals and perennials can create a beautiful, colorful garden, but annuals need to be replanted every spring. Preparing the soil for spring planting is hard physical work, as the dead plants have to be taken out, the soil worked, and the seeds planted. Low-maintenance perennials live for more than one season, and, if you pick right, can beautify the garden for many years without much effort on your part.
• Swap out perennials for shrubs. Although perennials are less work than annuals, shrubs are even easier. Perennials often need to be divided after a few years, which involves digging out the root ball, cutting it into several pieces, and then replanting each one. This is on-your-knees work. Low-maintenance evergreen shrubs just need occasional pruning and can thrive and flower in your yard for decades. They provide the same seasonal changes as perennials yet require less work. They also attract wild birds and pollinators.
• Ditch all or part of the lawn. Watering, mowing, aerating, fertilizing, reseeding – that square of green grass that used to epitomize the American dream takes a lot of work. If you replace it (or even half of it) with a bower of trees, a meadow of wildflowers, or plant alternatives to traditional lawn grass, the work and water required are seriously reduced.
• Replace the fussy plants with easy-care varieties. Everybody with a garden has one prima donna plant that makes extraordinary demands on your time and energy. Some need frequent fertilizer, others want daily water or covers on sunny days. While you are downsizing, you can say goodbye to these problem plants and hello to drought-tolerant plants or better-behaved versions of the same species.
• Replace exotics with natives. Plants that are native to your area already know how to cope with the soil, sun, and weather there. Since native garden plants can survive in nature without human help, they aren’t going to tax your energy budget either. See what’s available at the garden store. You’ll be amazed at the glorious array of native grasses and flowers available.

When it comes to creating the perfect outdoor space the options are virtually limitless – but what if you’re pushed for space? Here we’ll explore small backyard oasis ideas that are affordable, easy to implement and guaranteed to transform any spot into a sanctuary.

Though most of us have our own vision of what the ideal backyard should look like, it’s helpful to know how to design a low-maintenance garden. These landscapes are appealing for their ease of care, seasonal interest, and (of course) beauty. Features can range from easy-care perennials and containers to novel DIY touches. Explore these low maintenance backyard oasis ideas for small spaces and small budgets.

1. Pick Privacy Plants for Floral Screens and Dreamy Evergreens

For many beginning the process of designing a low-maintenance oasis, privacy reigns supreme. Various species of plants are well-suited to the task, growing quickly to form hedges or screens. Evergreens and other perennial trees and shrubs are most popular. However, annual vines and flowering plants used for screening are also practical and beautiful.

2. Switch up Color Quickly with Long-Flowering Vines

Flowering vines are an invaluable asset to a landscape. Annual and perennial types, most frequently made available in spring, can add privacy as well as dimension to a growing space. Vertical accents further their appeal. The ultimate flowering vines have extended blooming, with some of the best flowering consistently from late spring until early fall.

3. Create Soothing Sounds with Easy Water Features

The soothing sounds of water are associated with peace and a sense of calm. These same feelings can be attained in a home garden. Water features or garden fountains are especially pleasing for small backyard oasis ideas, allowing a true escape from the bustle of everyday life. Popular water features for the home garden include bird baths, container fountains and even small ponds. You can find affordable bird baths and stunning garden fountains on Amazon.

4. Boost the Backyard Mood with Fragrant Hedge Plants

Though many species are planted solely for their fragrance, most bushes and shrubs used in the garden serve a dual purpose. Well selected fragrant hedges are one such example. Though their pleasing scent is their most notable attribute, hedge plants also add a sense of privacy or create flow within the garden’s design. Their duality makes them great backyard oasis ideas on a budget. Hedges of this type also help to diversify the landscape and create meaningful habitats for backyard wildlife. You can get fragrant hedge plants like lilac from Amazon.

5. Choose Easy Care Container Plants for Patios and Decks

Pots and containers are essential as part of your low maintenance backyard oasis ideas. Don’t let limited space stop you: low-maintenance plants for patios can add color and life to otherwise unusable areas. Easy-to-grow plants, such as those tolerant of drought, are often among the best candidates. Other popular patio plants include herbs, ferns and other shade-loving perennial species.

6. Enhance Space and Sanctuary with a DIY Moon Gate

If you have limited space, interest can be added through the use of unique structures and designs. A DIY moon gate is one such example. Stemming from traditional Chinese landscape, this is a fascinating feature for a low-maintenance oasis on a budget. It’s a great way to switch up elements within a space, repurposing materials and creating instant depth and flow. If you'd prefer not to DIY, you can also purchase a moon gate on Amazon.

7. Get Creative with Long-Lasting Exotics & Tropical Plants

Exotic or tropical plants add a relaxed, vacation-type feel to any backyard space. Living in frost-free regions makes it easy to achieve this vibe, but if you’re a gardener who’s living in a cooler area, you can also create your own tropical space. If you fancy gardening with exotics, hardy species such as hibiscus, cannas, banana and even palms are among the best choices.

8. Tap into Nature with an Affordable Backyard Bird Sanctuary

For bird watchers, creating a habitat for their feathered friends is a high priority. Still, it is possible to appeal to birds if you wish to design a low maintenance oasis on a budget. You can best attract birds to your backyard space by making sure to meet their needs, including water, shelter and food. Bird-friendly perennial plants require the least care, but if you’re exploring backyard oasis ideas on a budget you should also consider planting annual beds. Once you attract birds to your backyard, be sure to check on them using a smart bird feeder from Amazon.

9. Grow a Rock Herb Garden for Fragrance and Edible Interest

You might have tricky or poor soils in your backyard, but worry not. Rock herb gardens are ideal for making use of inhospitable ground, offering growers lasting beauty and seasonal flavor in compact spaces. Fresh herbs are unmatched in terms of quality and taste. Though home chefs and those who enjoy their cuisine benefit from such a space, so too will pollinators and beneficial insects.

10. Use Garden Statues to Boost Tranquility and Whimsy

Even those working on a budget can afford a touch of whimsy, and landscaping with statues is a perfect way to boost mood on a shoestring. Some are purely decorative, while others can help to convey personality, are symbolic of your beliefs, or serve as focal or statement pieces. Sculptures and other art works may also convey a specific theme, or enhance the overall presentation of established plants.

Frequently Answered Questions

Love your backyard, but longing for quick inspiration? Most of these easy ideas for backyard landscaping can be adapted to fit any circumstance, making them suitable for both novice and experienced growers. You may be thinking that creating a beautiful outdoor space takes time, effort and hard work. But it doesn’t have to, as these suggestions demonstrate.

Though many great gardens are the direct result of careful planning and planting, there are plenty of simple things you can do to boost the allure of your go-to spaces. Here are some of my favorite tips for adding fun, color and a bit of whimsy into the home garden. Just follow these 10 steps for quick and easy backyard bliss.

1. Add Pretty Edible Florals and Climbers

When it comes to easy backyard landscaping ideas, no space would be complete without the addition of edible plants and flowers. Plants of this type can be used in a variety of ways, in the kitchen and in craft projects. You can expect most of these colorful species to bloom in profusion, attracting pollinators and serving as an interesting conversation-starter, when planted in containers or near patios.

Popular edible flowers include roses, pansies, nasturtiums and chives. ‘The flowers of many herbs are also edible, such as bee balm, anise hyssop and borage,’ says professional landscaper Bonnie Grant.

2. Start a Pollinator Patch for Color and Wildlife

Starting a small pollinator garden is the perfect way to help local insect populations. Growers in search of easy backyard landscaping plants should opt for those that are both hardy and resistant to disease. Carefree flowers, such as native species, prove to be most adapted. Plants of this type will require only little care from growers, with perennials returning to the garden season after season.

3. Maximize Sunny Spots With Hanging Baskets

Among the most popular easy backyard ideas is the use of hanging baskets. Highly versatile, elevated containers can be crafted to meet the needs of any space. This includes full sun hanging baskets or those that are shaded throughout the majority of the day. Though most baskets need only minimal care, routine watering is essential. Some of the best plants for hanging baskets include calibrachoa, geraniums, lantana and petunias.

4. Grow Easy-Care Perennials for Quick Color Bursts

If you’re looking to create easy backyard beauty, you should definitely make some room for perennials. Perennials will return year after year, making them ideal for establishing dependable, low-maintenance flower beds. Though some are grown purely for their attractive foliage, many hard-to-kill perennials offer impressive floral displays, making them very easy ways to add beauty to a backyard. Popular perennial flowers include aster, baptisia, echinacea and liatris.

5. Try Plants With Striking or Unusual Foliage

Though many envisage a growing space bursting with bloom, using attractive foliage can also contribute greatly to the overall appeal of garden beds. Plants with unique colors, interesting patterns and distinguishing textures are easy ideas for backyard landscaping. Their use within the landscape meets the needs of growers in a variety of ways, including as a ground cover or even as a focal plant. Unusual species that are suited to the home garden include canna, coleus, elephant’s ear and heuchera.

6. Add Climbing Vines For Color and Fragrance

If you’re looking for easy ways to add beauty to your backyard, consider planting fragrant flowering vines. Ornamental vines can impart lasting seasonal interest to porches, patios and even containers. Climbing plants are appealing because they draw the eye upward, creating a sense of dimension and attracting pollinators. Popular flowering vines include hyacinth beans, sweet peas, morning glories, jasmine and wisteria. Don’t forget secure support using plant netting or trellises.

7. Grow Easy Ornamental Grasses for Pollinators

Ornamental grasses are favored by landscapers for their ease of growth and airy appearance. Native species add further value to backyards, serving as a vital source of food and shelter to local wildlife. ‘Native grasses will survive the winter and require little maintenance,’ says gardening expert Mary Ellen Ellis.

If you’re considering adding ornamental grasses to beds, you’re never without options, as hundreds of named cultivars are available. These plants range in size, texture and color. Common ornamental grasses for easy landscaping include tufted hairgrass, Mexican feather grass and switchgrass.

8. Add Colorful Leafy Crops to Edible Beds

Just as colorful foliage adds dimension to ornamental spaces, so can edible plants. Bright veggies in containers and beds are pleasing and enhance the overall look of the garden. Colorful edibles such as purple leafy greens are also highly regarded for their antioxidant content, believed to be among the most nutrient-dense garden plants. Add color to your garden with purple varieties of lettuce and cabbage or various types of amaranth and kale.

9. Get Creative With Garden Wall Plants

Incorporating easy DIY backyard ideas is a great way to add interest to the garden while maintaining your budget. Garden plant walls are especially attractive and allow you to maximize your space. This is helpful for people with small backyards or those who live in apartments. Though plant walls can be constructed in a variety of ways, most make use of upcycled materials. The best plants for this unique type of vertical growing are herbs, ferns and several annual species that are used as bedding.

10. Make Things Bright with White Flowering Shrubs

Flowering shrubs are an ideal addition to low-maintenance landscapes. They return seasonally and bloom well with little care from growers. White-flowering shrubs are particularly easy ideas for backyard landscaping, adding classic beauty to beds and borders. Pristine blooms attract pollinators and complement a wide range of other annual and perennial species. Popular white flowering shrubs include buttonbush, mock orange, hydrangea, and viburnum.

Frequently Answered Questions

Growing a vertical garden is not a new concept, but is increasingly embraced by gardeners with small spaces. Utilizing vertical space allows you to grow more with less. Use these small veggie garden ideas to make the most of your tight space.

Space-Saving Vertical Vegetable Garden DIY Ideas

Who can benefit from vertical vegetable gardening ideas? Anyone with limited space and a desire to grow their own veggies.

1. Grow Vegetables Upside Down

A really unique idea for a vertical balcony vegetable garden or any type of small space is to grow veggies upside down. The idea is that the plants grow through drainage holes in a hanging pot. You can also use a bucket with holes drilled in the bottom or look for a kit specifically for a hanging vegetable garden.

Plants well suited to this arrangement include tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and peppers. To make even more of the space, grow lettuce or herbs upright in the top of the container.

2. Plant Onions in Bottles

Sneak some onions into your kitchen garden by growing them vertically in an old plastic bottle. You’ll need at least a two-liter bottle, but five-liter water jugs also work. Cut holes in the side and fill the container with soil. Regrow onions using the bases of old bulbs or sow seeds in the holes of the bottle. Place it on a sunny windowsill to grow onions vertically year-round, or add it to a winter windowsill garden for fresh produce in the dead of winter.

3. Try a Tasty Herb Hanging Basket

Hanging herb baskets allow you to grow more in a smaller space. Hang the container outside in summer or indoors during winter for year-round fresh herbs. You can grow several types of herbs in one container if your space is very limited. Mint, rosemary, lavender, sage, thyme, marjoram, chives, oregano, and cilantro are all good options for container growing.

4. Build a Strawberry Tower

Onions are not the only plants that readily grow through holes cut into a container. You can also make a vertical strawberry tower and grow fruit in your small garden. Old, five-gallon buckets can easily be upcycled into a vertical strawberry garden. PVC pipes also work.

Cut two to three-inch (5 to 7 cm) holes in your chosen material, spacing them about a foot (30 cm) apart. Fill the piping or buckets with soil and place strawberry plants in the holes. Buckets will stand upright on their own. If you use PVC pipes, dig the base into the soil.

5. Save Space With a Squash Arch

Squash plants take up a lot of space when grown on the ground. An alternative way to grow squash is to allow the vines to climb a vertical surface, like a trellis or arch. An arch does double duty, holding up the vines and adding a pretty decorative touch to the garden. The developing squashes will hang down inside the arch.

Create a squash arch out of metal frames or PVC pipes. You may be able to find garden arches already constructed online or in garden centers.

6. Add Elegant Espalier Fruit Trees

Among the most elegant ideas for small spaces is to espalier a fruit tree. An espaliered tree is a tree that has been trained to grow flat against a wall. It’s decorative but also a practical way to grow fruit in a small space. You can train a fruit tree against the wall of a house or shed or against a fence or trellis.

Creating an espalier takes time and patience. It requires training the tree over several years, attaching flexible young branches to the chosen support. Your efforts, however, will be rewarded with a pretty display of fruit.

7. Make a Rustic Tree Branch Trellis

A trellis is a tried and true way of using vertical space in a garden. It can also be a fun DIY project. A rustic tree branch trellis you have to pick up from the yard anyway creates a unique structure for growing vining and climbing veggies.

Choose sturdy sticks and sink them into the ground to create the vertical space. Attach diagonal or horizontal sticks to strengthen the trellis. Let plants grow up the sticks or use twine to train them to the trellis.

Rain gardens and bioswales are similar, but not exactly the same type of garden feature. Either can be both useful and attractive in a yard or garden. Learn more about the rain garden and bioswale definitions to learn which is best for your space.

What is a Rain Garden?

A rain garden is a planting or bed designed to capture runoff from a house, driveway, or road. It is often situated in a depression or a low area of the yard. The plants are types that tolerate or thrive with a lot of moisture.

What is a Bioswale?

A bioswale, or bioretention swale, is a feature designed to carry storm runoff, typically from a road, parking lot, or driveway. It carries the water to a different location, sometimes a stream or pond.

The shape and size of a bioswale varies somewhat, depending on the location and the needs of the area. In general, it is like a channel or trench, longer than it is wide.

A bioswale filters stormwater and is an alternative to a storm drain. The best plants for a bioswale tolerate drought for dry periods, are native species, and have deep roots to help the water infiltrate the soil.

Bioswale vs. Rain Garden

Both of these features can be useful in a garden, but they don’t serve the same purpose. Both provide important benefits:

• If designed and planted correctly, bioswales and rain gardens filter pollutants out of storm runoff.
• They manage rainwater and prevent standing water.
• They replenish groundwater.
• With native plants, both features offer habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.

Consider using a bioswale if you get a lot of stormwater from a street or your driveway or if you want to convey the water to a more distant location.

A bioswale has a more complicated design, so it will be more difficult and time-consuming to build than a rain garden. Depending on the size you need, consider working with a landscape company to construct a bioswale.

It will probably also cost more to make a bioswale. You might need to amend the soil to make it easier to infiltrate. If it’s a large bioswale, you will need to buy more plants.

A rain garden is much simpler to create but it won’t move the water to another location. Consider a rain garden if you have a natural depression in your yard. This is an ideal spot to plant moisture-tolerant native species.

Maximalism is experiencing a big comeback in interior design. Once thought to be old fashioned or cluttered, younger generations are embracing the look and making it shine. If the trend appeals to you, consider designing a maximalist garden to show off all your favorite plants, garden art, patio furniture, and more.

What Is Maximalism?

Maximalism is a design style and trend more often associated with interior design than landscape design. It’s not a new style, but it has experienced a resurgence in recent years.

Although it sometimes gets a bad rap, maximalism isn’t about clutter and having more stuff just for the sake of it. It’s really about displaying items that matter to you, that have meaning or that you find beautiful, or both.

Maximalist is big and bold. It embraces color and multiple textures and patterns, including things that bring you joy. A garden should be an extension of your home, so if you love the look, try creating a maximalist patio, yard, or other outdoor space.

Maximalist Garden Design Ideas

A maximalist backyard, like an interior space, is all about layering color and texture, being bold, and showcasing what you find attractive and what brings you joy.

Create Layers

The maximalist style isn’t just throwing a bunch of different things together. It’s about thoughtfully creating layers in a space. Layer patterns, textures, and colors to get the right look.

In the garden, the easiest way to create layers is to use plants of different heights. Place tall plants toward the back. Plant medium-height plants in front of them and low or groundcover plants in front of those. You can also use raised beds, planters of varying heights, and other vertical spaces to create more layering.

Use Texture

Texture is important in maximalist interior design, and you can utilize it in a garden as well. Choose plants with different types of foliage to layer textures. For example, a feathery fern in front of a large, smooth-leaved hosta gives an interesting look.

Layering plants by height will also add texture variation. Walkways and other features can bring texture into the mix: gravel paths, stone walls, a slate patio.

Choose Big, Bold Plants

Maximalism isn’t subtle. Choose plants that are large, brightly colored, and showy. Some examples of plants perfect for this kind of garden include:

• Sunflowers
• Hollyhock
• Large ornamental grasses
• Yucca
• Japanese aralia
• Smokebush
• Canna
• Ostrich fern
• Bougainvillea
• Dahlias
• Flowering vines, like honeysuckle or wisteria

Think About Scale

To keep your garden manageable and to prevent it looking like a mess, keep scale in mind. Big, bold plants like giant sunflowers or the biggest variety of yucca might be appealing, but they might not fit in your space. Choose plant types and the number of things you put in your garden based on how much space you actually have.

Let Plants Grow Wild

An overly-manicured garden is not going to give you the maximalist look. Let your beds go wild, to an extent. You don’t have to let weeds take over or allow a dominant plant to cover all the others, but it should look more natural than carefully pruned.

Add Maximalist Outdoor Furniture

Complete your maximalist outdoor space with a living area. You want to be able to sit outside to enjoy it. Use an eye for maximalist interior design to create a garden sitting and entertaining space. Choose bold colors, fabrics in different patterns, and lots of cushions and cozy blankets. Don’t be afraid to add sculptures and other types of garden art to the space. If it speaks to you, add it.

Regardless of how much space you have to work with, it’s possible to create a maximalist outdoor area you’ll love to spend time in. To keep it from becoming a mess, plan first. Choose a color family for outdoor furniture, select plants that scale to your space, and only use items you truly enjoy.

Denmark continues to rank as one of the happiest nations on earth. If you want what they have, it’s time to learn about hygge garden ideas. Hygge is a concept that seems to escape Americans with our hustle and bustle and “go get ‘em” attitude, but it seems we could learn a thing or two from our Danish friends. They celebrate the concept of hygge outdoors or inside. A hygge outdoor space may include a hygge patio and hygge backyard, but don’t misconstrue the idea behind hygge -- it belongs with you wherever you go. Keep reading to learn about hygge and how you can incorporate it into your lifestyle.

What is Hygge?

Hygge is a little hard to explain. In 2017 this term was added to the Oxford English Dictionary, so it looks like it’s here to stay. Pronounced “hue-gah,” hygge loosely means taking pleasure from small things like coziness, togetherness, relaxation and the pursuit of everyday happiness with the goal of a better quality of life.

The modern meaning of hygge dates back to about 1800, but it predates this definition and can actually be traced back to an Old Norse word from the Middle Ages that meant “protected from the outside world.”

How to Bring Hygge Outdoors

In Denmark, Danes are taught to enjoy the outdoors from the time they are babies. Winter’s cold temperatures are no deterrent and most people spend some time outside even on the chilliest of days.

That said, Danes also like to cozy up indoors with plenty of food, drink and social gatherings. It is this concept that the Danish refer to as hygge. They also tend to bring the outside indoors by bringing in cut flowers, houseplants, or using their own produce, honey or herbs. When at all possible, the windows of Danish homes are situated to look out upon their gardens or other outdoor features, effectively bringing the outdoors in.

Hygge doesn’t just take place during the coldest months. When the weather is pleasant, indoor hygge is simply moved outside. How do the Danes move hygge outdoors?

Hygge Garden Ideas

As the days shorten, temperatures cool and winter is imminent, there is sometimes a tendency to hibernate, sometimes with seasonal sadness. The Danes have no use for this indulgence. Instead they focus on everything they have that will give them joy, comfort and camaraderie during the bonding experience of a deep, dark winter.

To this end, fire and uplighting are important features of creating hygge. Whether it's uplighting exterior features of the home or a stand of trees, or celebrating with friends and family over a rip-roaring bonfire outside, light is used to chase away the blues and the boogie man, to illuminate the dark and warm the chill from the air, all accompanied by close family and friends.

Along with a cozy fire or candle, you will need a place to curl up. This might be under a pergola, a patio or even under the stars, complete with layers of snuggly blankets and deep pillows.

To further warm our friends and family, provide a seasonal aperitif: a warm glass of mulled wine or thick, rich cocoa along with a spread that will warm everyone up from the inside out. Cooking outside on a fire, grill or outdoor oven fosters that cozy, friendly, casual feeling and also gives everyone a place to warm their hands or toes as the case may be.

Create your own Hygge

Hopefully you have some ideas about how to create hygge in your backyard. While hygge can be achieved more or less solo while reading a book, at its heart it’s all about sharing with loved ones – relaxing, talking, singing, eating, drinking together.

The pursuit of everyday happiness is the goal. Take what you have and with a grateful heart, and share it for the well-being of everyone. Focus on your work/life balance and learn to incorporate relaxing into your lifestyle making it as imperative as every other area.

Carefully planned and designed outdoor spaces can increase the square footage of the home. Developing a cozy outdoor space is key to opening up the home and enjoying the finer weather with style. Whether it's a cozy patio or an intimate deck setting, outdoor living ideas can get you started on the garden space of your dreams.

How to Create a Cozy Backyard

The first steps to creating a cozy backyard setting are very personal. Consider what the space will be used for and who will use the area. How many people will occupy it at one time? When will it be used? How can you honor your personal taste?

After deciding on the purpose of the area, it's time to consider the size available. Very few people have unlimited outdoor space, so thinking about the existing square footage will be key to furniture placement as well as the layout of other items such as decking or patio squares. Cozy backyard ideas should include as many items of comfort as possible without overwhelming the area.

Ideas for a Cozy Outdoor Space

Thematic outdoor spaces help add a personal touch to a cozy patio or deck. Tropical plantings and decor can enliven even a northern garden space. They bring a touch of the exotic and call to mind tropical get-a-ways.

Modern, contemporary design can also achieve the “ cozy” vibe. The key is in the tones used to bring a soothing feel to the area.

For the ultimate retreat, develop a woodsy feel by installing trees and shrubs or using existing ones. Go native with plantings to enhance a natural, calming sense. An Asian feeling will foster a zen atmosphere and may include statuary and traditional Japanese garden plants. A country or farm inspired backyard space can feature all the traditional elements of a conventional Americana inspired landscape.

Cozy Space Elements

It’s not necessary to do an entire landscaping remodel to design a peaceful retreat. Simply placing a favorite chair in a secluded and attractive nook of the garden may suffice for some purposes. If there is unlimited space there are some things to consider.

Privacy

Is there a hedge or privacy fence that will lend a secluded air to the space? Screening is available to purchase, or the crafty gardener can build a gazebo, arbor, or fencing to enclose the site.

Flooring

Where the peaceful space rests is an important consideration. Poured concrete, a brick patio, patio pavers, rock, grass, or even moss and groundcovers can keep furniture out of the mud and level the site.

Vertical plantings

Trees, shrubs, and other plants add texture, dimension, privacy, and shade to an outdoor entertainment or meditation space.

Entry and exit points

Cozy patio ideas must include ins and outs, or a comfortable way to occupy and leave the area. Paths are helpful in directing the visitor to a secluded site, and give a welcoming nudge to those who are trying to find a peaceful place.

A transitional aspect

Similar to entry and exit points, this might be a door, gate, wall, or arbor that both defines and borders the outdoor space.

Furniture and Decor

Furniture and decor are both functional and personal. They are the primary element that provides the “cozy” feeling. Selecting furniture that is comfortable enough to spend time in will create an inviting sense to the space.

The size of the furniture will depend on the number of people that will occupy the area and the actual square footage of the space. Overly large furniture can dwarf and narrow small patios, but a large footprint can handle a big sectional that will provide plenty of seating.

The color of the furniture and any accents such as rugs and pillows will also be important. Loud, bright colors may not bring the serenity desired. Earthy tones are natural and calming and may be augmented with a few brighter touches.

Decor such as statutory, wall and garden art, lighting, and other touches tie everything together.

Planting a Cozy Outdoor Space

Existing plants may be planned around and even utilized to make a snug retreat. Bordering beds define the space and may include bushes, flowers, or even ornamental grasses to reinforce the theme of the space. Screening plants like hedges or tall grasses enclose and enfold a cozy patio and provide privacy. Container plants are a large part of the cozy space. Large and small planters bring the outdoors even closer, and hanging plants will provide verdant greenery and lushness.

Do harmony and balance in an environment design bring the occupants peace and prosperity? The answer is yes according to the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui. Using Feng Shui principles means arranging objects and space in your living space in a way that will accomplish these goals.

What is a Feng Shui garden layout? Read on for the basics of creating a Feng Shui landscape.

Feng Shui Garden

Many gardeners find peace and harmony in their outdoor space. But you may be able to increase that serenity and the benefits it brings by using Feng Shui for gardens. While this ancient Chinese art is often associated with indoor spaces, it works for the garden as well.

For thousands of years, Feng Shui has been used in China to facilitate and increase the flow of positive energy into a home. But the flow of energy starts from the outside of a home and travels inward, which means that feng shui landscaping is one of the keys to improving the flow of “chi” energy.

Wind and Water

Feng shui is a Chinese term that translates as “wind and water.” The dual goals of feng shui landscaping are to attract the life force energy - termed chi - into the space and to avoid destructive energy, termed sha.

Feng shui accomplishes these goals by balancing yin/yang forces -- opposing but complementary forces that cannot be separated. You can think of this as balancing male/female energy or light/dark energy. Too much yin energy decreases energy and prosperity, while too much yang is associated with accidents and misfortune. By balancing yin and yang elements, feng shui improves the flow of positive chi and keeps away negative sha.

Feng Shui Landscaping

Feng shui is a method of balancing yin and yang, and improving the flow of chi by arranging items in a house or garden in a beneficial way. Placement of items near entryways or passages is particularly important since these are the ways that energy enters or leaves from a space.

How to change the feng shui in a landscape or garden? The easiest way to change feng shui is to add or transform one of the basic Taoist elements of feng shui:

• Water
• Wood
• Fire
• Earth
• Metal

Rearranging or combining these elements in a garden is said to quickly improve the flow of positive chi.

In a landscape, the five elements are not difficult to identify. Wood can take the form of trees and shrubs. Fire can be an element like an outdoor fireplace or flowers in fiery colors. Water can take the form of moving water features or flowers in cool colors. Metal might be metal lawn chairs or chimes, while earth is obviously soil, but also rocks and pottery.

Feng Shui in Garden Landscaping

If the landscaping is felt to have too much yin energy, this can be resolved and balanced by increasing yang in the space. A garden with too much yang energy is balanced by decreasing yang or increasing yin.

How exactly might this work? As an example, you can decrease yin and increase yang by planting trees or foliage plants, growing a garden, or cutting back trees to allow in more sunshine. To decrease yang and increase yin, you can bring in a water feature or plant a lush lawn.

When something is whimsical, it is playful, fun, fanciful, and not too serious. Your style or your home décor can be whimsical, but what about your garden? If you enjoy the world of whimsy, take it to the outdoors and design a quirky and imaginative space.

What Makes a Whimsical Backyard or Garden?

Being whimsical can mean being unpredictable or impulsive, but in terms of garden design, it implies creativity, imagination, and humor. A whimsical yard or garden might contain some unusual, even odd elements, but it’s all in good fun and has a lighthearted spirit.

Whimsical garden design is laid back and free-spirited. It isn’t too rigid. It involves trying new and unusual things and finding out if they work. If you enjoy creating and designing on the fly rather than sticking strictly to a plan, whimsical gardening could be just right for you.

DIY Whimsical Garden Ideas

Whimsy is fun, so why not embrace it in your yard and garden? Here are some whimsical garden ideas to help you create a unique and enjoyable outdoor space:

Create mixed beds

Whimsy is far from formal. Keep this in mind when creating flower beds. Use a mix of plants to vary texture, size, and color. Blend foliage plants with flowers. Don’t overthink it or over plan. Just plant and see what happens.

Choose whimsical plants

Look for plants that are bright, bold, or unusual in some way. A plant with very giant flowers, like a hollyhock, for instance, or a boxwood trimmed into fun shapes definitely add whimsy to beds and gardens. Vines and dwarf trees are also good options.

Upcycle

Upcycle or repurpose old objects or those that don’t traditionally belong in the garden for a touch of the unexpected. Turn an old headboard into a fanciful bench or trellis for a vine. Use an old door to make a potting bench. Turn a vintage dish or platter into a birdbath or teacups into a fountain.

Use unexpected containers

Extend upcycling to your container garden. Instead of growing annuals and other ornamentals in flower pots, use other objects. Some fun examples include an old wheelbarrow, a half a barrel, a watering can, an old rain boot, baskets, or even a vintage, clawfoot bathtub. If drainage is an issue, use standard pots placed on top of or inside unexpected items like these.

Create garden art

Outdoor art pieces are great for adding whimsy to a garden. It’s even better if you make it yourself. Use durable materials that will last outdoors and consider upcycling things like antique furniture and fixtures to make something really creative.

Make a fairy garden

What could be more whimsical than fairies? Fairy gardens have been popular for several years, but it’s always a trend worth revisiting. Find a small space in your garden to create a diminutive village for fairies. Or, small doors to trees and fences to act as fairy doors.

A whimsical garden is informal and fun, but it shouldn’t be chaotic. Avoid going too far in adding too many elements to the space or crowding plants and containers. A garden style like this can easily cross that line.

Creating a whimsical flower garden or yard is a fun way to get creative in your outdoor space. Reject formality and embrace the whimsy. Use these ideas to inspire your own creativity.

Gardening is a healthy, rewarding hobby. It can also be practical for growing your own food. On the other hand, it’s not always cheap. Gardening costs money, but doing it on a budget is possible. If money is tight for your family, consider these small garden ideas on a budget to grow in less space and at a lower cost.

How Much Does a Small Garden Cost?

One of the most obvious ways to save money on gardening is to keep it small. With less space, you need fewer plants and other resources, which means less money. Of course, it will still cost something. Exactly what you will pay depends on the choices you make, but expect these expenses:

• Plants, transplants, or seeds
• Soil and soil amendments
• Fertilizer
• Garden tools, such as shears, shovels, and trowels
• Water

Low Budget Small Garden Ideas

If money is no object, you can spend big on your garden: exotic plants, new trees and shrubs, fancy tools, new soil, and garden structures, just to name a few. Most people can’t spend that way. If that includes you, grow smaller and use these small front garden ideas on a budget to create your dream space for less:

1. Define Your Space and Make a Plan

A garden without boundaries or a plan tends to get out of control quickly. It will take over your space and your wallet. Start with a defined space if you have a yard, and then make a plan. Think about what you want to grow.

You can create a vegetable garden, a flower or butterfly garden, a perennial garden, or a little bit of everything. Plan the space and which plants you need to fill it so that you know exactly what you need and don’t overbuy transplants or seeds.

Consider your space and growing region so you can choose plants most likely to survive and thrive. This will save you money when you don’t have to buy new plants to replace dead ones. For instance, purchase full sun plants if you have a lot of sun and those that tolerate shade for shady spots.

2. Work the Soil

Another way to keep plants going is to start with good soil. Consider getting a soil test to find out if you need any amendments. If you don’t want to shell out cash for a test, you can still improve the soil by turning it, pulling out weeds and rocks, and adding any organic material you can get your hands on.

3. Track Down Free Compost

The best organic material to help your plants thrive is compost. If you haven’t been making it, you can probably find some free sources. Now is a great time to get to know neighbors and fellow gardeners. They might have compost to share. Once you’re gardening pals, you can swap seeds and cuttings to save on buying new plants. Your city could also be a source of compost. Many cities collect yard and kitchen waste to make and distribute free compost.

4. Choose Native Plants and Perennials

Whenever possible, select plants that require little maintenance and return year after year to save money. The best option for this is a native perennial. Perennials regrow and rebloom every year. Native perennials are best suited to your local environment. They require less water and fertilizer and are more likely to survive difficult conditions like drought.

5. Start with Seeds

By far, the cheapest way to get all the plants you dream of for your garden is to use seeds. Transplants are easier, but they cost a lot more. Seeds cost less, and there are also many free sources. Share with fellow gardeners and check with your local library. Many public libraries now offer free seeds for gardens. Once you get your garden going, you can save seeds to use in subsequent years and to swap with friends.

6. Upcycle

If you want to add decoration and structures to your small garden, doing so can be expensive. This is where you can get really creative. Upcycle old materials you find for free or cheap. For example, a shipping pallet set vertically makes a great vertical garden for herbs. Find patio furniture someone has set out with the garbage and freshen it up with a fresh coat of paint.

For small or even very small garden ideas on a budget, get creative. Be willing to put in the work to use seeds and make some of your own garden structures. Gardening doesn’t have to be too expensive for anyone.

Bloomcore, also known as flowercore, is an aesthetic trend that is just right for gardeners. It embraces the natural world, and most importantly, flowers. Putting nature first, it creates a pretty, flowery look both indoors and outside in the garden.

What is Bloomcore?

Bloomcore is one of many trending aesthetics that has arisen on social media sites like TikTok, and specifically with Gen Z. These aesthetics are numerous and sometimes niche. They often include very specific elements and can refer to overall style, fashion, or home and garden design.

Recently cottagecore was all the rage, and bloomcore is similar. Cottagecore was all about coziness, rural settings, shabby chic design, and traditional cottage gardens.

Bloomcore is all about flowers. It embraces the bright and varied colors of the garden and all kinds of blooms. There is definitely an English garden feel to bloomcore, both for outdoor and interior design. Think quaint English villages with trellised roses, cottage gardens in full bloom, fruit trees, strawberries, wildflowers, and floral wallpaper and fabrics. The trend embraces gardening and quiet, slow afternoons spent outdoors.

While the idea of floral prints can seem hopelessly old-fashioned, there is a lot of room for interpretation in the bloomcore trend. Bright colors, bold prints, and updated styling can make this a perfectly modern look for interior design if you want to bring the aesthetic inside from the garden.

Using the Bloomcore Aesthetic in Your Garden

Bloomcore is probably the best aesthetic match for a garden. An abundance of flowering plants will give you the right look... but be thoughtful about it. The right choice of flower types, bloom times, and bed designs will optimize the bloomcore attitude. Here are some tips and ideas to get started on your bloomcore garden:

Grow a wildflower meadow

Native wildflowers are the epitome of the bloomcore trend, which embraces nature. Naturalize an area of your garden and sow native wildflower seeds to create a pretty meadow.

Think cottage garden for beds

As a gardener, you want to do more than just let nature take its course. Design cottage garden style beds that overflow with herbs and flowers. They should look informal and include rustic flagstone or pebble paths.

Choose flowers to bloom all season

To enjoy maximum blooms, choose your plants carefully. Use a mix of spring, flower, and fall blooming species to make sure your beds are colorful throughout the growing season.

Go vertical with blooms

To maximize the flowers in the garden, use trellises, arbors, and gates to grow them vertically. Roses and vining flowers are great additions to a bloomcore garden.

Create a cozy outdoor sitting area

"Cores" are not just about a look. They are a way of life, and a big part of the bloomcore trend is spending time outside among the flowers. To nail this aspect of the aesthetic in your garden, create a comfortable space for enjoying it. Include cushy seating, somewhere to rest your feet, and plenty of soft pillows and throws.

Bloomcore Flower List

Arguably the most important part of achieving the flowercore aesthetic is the choice of flowers. Truly any flowers will do, but these are some of the best options to get the right look:

• Roses -- The fragrance, the color, the romance—you can’t go wrong with an abundance of roses in this aesthetic.
• Peonies -- The large, romantic blooms of peonies fill in spaces in beds to help create a cottage garden look.
• Daisies -- The originators of bloomcore particularly love small white flowers. Daisies fit the bill perfectly.
• Strawberries -- Another white flower, strawberries also provide tasty fruits, another emblem of the trend.
• Hollyhock -- A quintessential cottage garden flower, hollyhocks produce huge, bright blooms that tower over other plants.
• Wisteria -- Any vining plant is a great addition to a bloomcore garden. Wisteria has some of the most bountiful and romantic flowers. The sturdy vine can be trained to grow over a pergola or arbor for a cozy sitting area.
• Sweet Pea -- Include delicate but prolific sweet pea blooms for their soft colors and sweet fragrance.

Most importantly, don’t forget native species. Bloomcore embraces flowers but it’s really about nature, and what is more natural than native plants?

A DIY backyard beer garden is easier to create than you might think. Some shade, seating, and good beer is really all you need. But to create a dedicated space and a more special home beer garden, use these ideas for inspiration.

What is a Beer Garden?

A beer garden, or biergarten in German, is an outdoor space that serves alcohol. It usually serves food as well. Beer gardens originated in Bavaria in the 1800s. At that time, laws in many local areas forbade brewers from making beer in summer due to fire hazards.

Brewers began storing more beer in cellars to get them through the summer. To keep the beer cool, they planted trees to shade the cellars. This created a pleasant area to drink outside. Breweries capitalized on the gardens to expand seating.

Today, a beer garden serves only the latter function: to give people a nice outside space in which to enjoy a cold beer. Modern beer gardens typically include trees and other plants to make it a more pleasing space and to create shade.

Beer Garden Backyard Ideas

Seating and beer might be all you need, but these beer garden ideas for the home will help you create a space that is unique and great for entertaining:

• Consider the views when picking a spot. The first step in creating the perfect beer garden is choosing a location. If you already have a nice garden, you’re most of the way there. It should be a nice spot with views of your garden beds and flowers. Part of the fun of a beer garden is being outside and enjoying the scenery.
• Create shade. Take a cue from the originators of the beer garden and include shade to make the space more enjoyable on hot summer days. Ideally, you’ll have some dappled shade from trees. If that isn’t possible in your space, use vines and a structure they can climb to create a green ceiling for the beer garden. For bonus points, stick with the theme and grow hops vines. Of course, you can also use umbrellas, awnings, and shade sails to create pockets of comfortable shade for guests.
• Add seating. This is a fundamental part of any beer garden. Include multiple seating areas for entertaining with chairs, benches, and barstools. Every seat should have access to a table or bar top for holding drinks. For an authentic beer garden feel, use communal seating, like long tables with benches.
• Put in a sound system. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but being able to play music will level up your entertainment space. You can install outdoor speakers or just use Bluetooth speakers you can take outside as needed. Sounds from a water feature can add a pleasant ambience.
• Light it up at night. String lights will allow you and guests to enjoy hot summer days that transition into warm evenings. String lights are great for setting the mood.
• Consider building a bar. A bar isn’t necessary for a home beer garden. You can use coolers or bring drinks and food from the kitchen indoors. On the other hand, a bar allows you to put in a kegerator and taps so you can serve freshly poured beers outside.
• Don’t forget snacks. Snacks are a must in a beer garden. If you want to be authentically German, serve wurst, sauerkraut, pretzels, and good bread. Charcuterie boards work well too. You can make them in advance and set them out for guests as they arrive.
• Set out games. Keep your guests entertained with a few yard games. Good options include corn hole, lawn darts, ladder toss, oversized Jenga, bocce ball, and if you have room for it, a croquet set.
• Finally, the beer. The most important element of all is the beer. Keep a supply of several varieties (including non-alcoholic options) on hand so you have something for everyone. German lagers are great for hot days outside, but choose whatever beers you know your guests will enjoy.

A DIY biergarten is a fun project for summer. You can enjoy it at the end of a long day as a way to relax after work, or use it as a gathering space for friends and family. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but a successful beer garden should be welcoming and relaxing.

The 70s seem like a simpler time. The past often does, and while that might not be the reality, it’s fun to spend some time there. If you love the decade, why not do some 1970s landscaping? Choose popular 1970s houseplants, accessories, and décor to create an homage to your favorite times past. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Keep it Natural

Many people in the 1970s wanted to get back to nature. They were pushing back on the perfectly manicured lawns and white picket fences of the 1950s and 1960s and were embracing the hippie sensibility.

A natural lawn alternative is making another comeback today, so you won’t be too out of place converting some of your yard to a meadow, prairie or natural wetland.

Start a Vegetable Garden

There was nothing new about vegetable gardens in the 70s, but they certainly came back into fashion. The trend in growing vegetables was another rejection of the sterility of the suburban turf yard. Tuck a vegetable patch into a corner of your natural yard for the ultimate 70s throwback.

Grow a Lush Indoor Garden

Millennials have brought back this trend that began with young people in the 1970s. At the time, it was unusual to grow a lot of plants indoors. Young adults of the era rejected 1950s and 1960s cookie-cutter homes and interior design and opted for a more natural look.

Especially popular in the 1970s were jungle-like indoor gardens, overflowing with houseplants. Young people of the 1970s also embraced balcony or fire escape gardens when faced with small or non-existent outdoor spaces.

Choose Popular 1970s Plants

Whether gardening inside, outdoors, or both, select some of these plants that were trending in the 1970s:

• Wildflowers -- In keeping with the natural theme of the 70s, choose wildflowers to craft natural beds in the garden or even open meadows. Species native to your area are best.
• Indoor Oak -- A New York Times article from 1970 described Nicodemia diversifolia as a welcome and woodsy change from green plants. This small shrub native to Madagascar does have green leaves, but it’s very woody too. Grow it as a shrubby container plant.
• Variegated Wax Ivy -- Often called parlor ivy or jade vine in the 1970s, variegated Senecio macroglossus is best known today as variegated wax ivy. A trailing plant with ivy-shaped leaves and white and green coloring, this is a gorgeous house or hanging plant.
• Philodendron -- As a houseplant, philodendron never goes out of style. Varieties popular in the 1970s include the then new Red Emerald with big, waxy leaves and red stems and flowers and Emerald Queen, a climbing philodendron.
• Mini plants -- A fun novelty in the 1970s was any diminutive houseplant or groundcover. Popular examples include mini begonias and prostate peperomia. The latter is particularly good for terrariums, another 70s trend.

Include 1970s Décor and Accessories

Plants alone will not give your garden or home the 70s vibe you crave. Accessories are essential for getting the right aesthetic, which in the 1970s included bold, earthy colors, psychedelic and hippie influences, natural materials, soft lines, and swirly patterns.

Incorporate some of these styles, aesthetics, and trends to add authenticity to your 1970s indoor plants and gardens:

• Macrame planters -- Few materials are more emblematic of the 70s than macrame. A simple knotting of cords led to these complex designs, often used for hanging plants. You can’t have a throwback indoor garden without a 1970s macrame plant hanger or 20.
• Rattan garden furniture -- Natural materials were all the rage in the 1970s, and rattan was especially popular. Rattan is a palm that creates sturdy vines perfect for weaving into even sturdier furniture. Choose rattan pieces for your patio or sunroom and add cushions with groovy fabric prints.
• Garden ornaments -- Garden ornaments have come and gone, but they were very trendy in the 1970s. A quick online search will turn up authentic vintage pieces you can still buy, including 70s garden gnomes, animal figurines, lanterns, and more.

Some people want the 1970s to stay in the past. But if you embrace the decade, expressing the 70s in your garden is a great way to enjoy it.

Our yards can be a source of inspiration and peace, a place to relax and push the cares of the world away. Providing serenity in the garden may be a combination of furniture, decor, plants, and other features. Designing a garden of serenity produces a therapeutic scene which enhances feelings of calm and zen. Such outdoor sanctuaries may include a spiritual element or a meditative space. Planning the site is very personal and will encourage garden relaxing in a thoughtfully designed space.

There are a host of relaxation garden ideas and products to help you produce a holistic space that is surrounded by calm. A personal retreat in the garden fosters renewal and relieves stress. Such areas are different from the entertainment deck or family patio. They are deeply personal and reflect the individual's tastes and needs.

Simple Serenity Garden Ideas

Outside of our work lives and other hectic activities, a healthy approach to living should feature some personal time. Having a space developed especially for relaxing can combat the effects of our busy lives. Outdoor sites are especially effective because nature and greenery produce a feeling of calm. The most basic tenets of a serenity garden are:

• Keep it simple
• Include personal items
• Border the site as an outdoor room
• Plant enjoyable trees, shrubs, and flowers that are low maintenance
• Encourage wildlife
• Provide comfortable seating
• Provide some shade cover
• Connect nature with art and furniture

Avoid jarring colors, sharp edges, and rigid furniture. Think soft, cozy, protected, private, and peaceful. An area that brings nature to life and doesn’t try too hard to change existing features, but instead embraces them, is the simplest way to create a zen garden.

Features of the Serenity Garden

Objects can enhance the calming effects of being outdoors. The furniture you select should be comfortable, neutral, and inviting. It should also serve the purposes the space requires.

Features like ponds or waterfalls provide gentle noise and quiet contemplation sites. A water feature doesn’t have to be large to provide soothing sounds, and the play of light on water that is so hypnotic.

Use a trellis, arbor, or hedge to give screening and privacy. If the area is in full sun, plant a tree, use umbrellas, or an awning to keep the space comfortable during the hottest part of the day.

Install statuary, garden art, and solar lighting. Pathways will encourage a visit and set off garden beds. Outdoor rugs and carpets give a cozy feel. Any of the objects in the garden haven should be well chosen and appeal to all of the senses.

Plants for a Serenity Garden

The plants you select will depend upon the exposure and zone of the area, but they should reflect your personal taste. Selecting plants that need minimal care reduces the stress of maintenance.

Arborvitae are fast growing, attractive, and easy hedges. Clematis will scramble up a trellis and produce large, beautiful flowers. A scented night jasmine perfumes the evening air. Consider what traits are most important to you and then choose your favorite plants to surround the space. Some ideas might be:

• Hosta
• Lamb’s ear
• Lilac
• Ornamental grasses
• Moss
• Perennials
• Flowering bulbs
• Japanese maple
• Privet
• Mock orange

Regardless of what the gardener chooses, there is no wrong plant... unless it is in the wrong site. The idea is to provide a private retreat. Layering plants with the tallest at the back of a bed gives great texture. Utilizing plants of all sizes in containers further brings nature into the space. A diverse group of flora awakens the senses and calms the mind.

Self care is an important step to living a healthy life. While going to a spa regularly may be something available to certain folks, it is by no means inexpensive. A long term solution might be to set up your own spa. Installing a greenhouse bath or jacuzzi will provide healing soaks in the privacy of one’s home and will pay for itself in the long run. Can you put a hot tub in a greenhouse? All you will need is a level floor, water access and electricity and your at-home spa will be complete.

Greenhouses are fairly efficient buildings that capture solar energy and maintain a consistent temperature during the day. Heated greenhouses can keep the building warm at night, as well. The numerous windows allow users of the building a 360 degree view and the plants that grow inside, bring the outdoors into the interior. Such a scenario is perfect for a greenhouse hot tub, a relaxing item to enjoy in the calm and serenity of your plant house.

Why Use a Greenhouse for Hot Tub

A greenhouse is a perfect way to protect a hot tub or jacuzzi. The unit will not get dirt, leaves, and other items blown in, keeping it fresh and clean. The windows will warm the greenhouse during the day, but the large amount of water will retain and reflect back that heat. This will keep the greenhouse warmer longer. The hot tub is also a great way to provide humidity for plants. Slow evaporation will moisten ambient air and provide light humidity to the interior of the greenhouse. Since the hot tub will be heated, it provides energy efficient benefits as the heat escapes and warms the greenhouse. Putting a spa in the greenhouse allows you to enjoy the view from around and towards the sky. The building will also protect tub users from the elements. As an added bonus,when it rains you get to enjoy the delicate tinkle of drops on the roof.

Things to Consider

In order to turn the dream into a reality, some necessary items need to be ticked off. The greenhouse will need a nice flat surface. In greenhouses with gravel floors, the unlevel surface is not ideal for a spa. A poured cement or concrete pad is the best idea. Before purchasing a hot tub, verify the size of the unit. Not all greenhouses are large enough for such an item. Also, most spas need electricity unless they are wood heated. Ventilation is a necessity with either type of spa. Buildup of moisture can cause issues with the building itself and the plants. In the case of a wood heated jacuzzi, a permanent chimney or other venting method must be in place to prevent carbon monoxide build up.

Downsides to Putting a Jacuzzi in Greenhouse

Having a spa in your greenhouse is a lovely dream. But it doesn’t come without some detriments. The biggest is chemicals. Hot tubs do not warm sufficiently to kill many microbes and bacteria. Therefore they need to be chemically treated, either with chlorine or bromine. While plants need a bit of chlorine, they can become sick if exposed to too much. Additionally, the hot tub will off-gas, releasing potentially irritating smells and irritants. Finally, size is a potential problem. Hot tubs and jacuzzis are large units. So unless the greenhouse is built around the tub, it may be impossible to fit one in through the door. The notion overall, however, is a good one. Having a jacuzzi in a greenhouse could be a win for you and your plants.

A secret garden is more than just a courtyard or separate area of the garden. It should be a magical space and a retreat. Its location shouldn’t be immediately obvious. It should be special. Use these tips and ideas for how to create a secret garden in your backyard for a relaxing sanctuary and to add a little bit of magic to your outdoor space.

Why Build a Secret Garden?

The Secret Garden is a classic of garden literature. It showcases these hidden spaces in gardens that inspired the young heroine of the book to become a better person. The growth of the garden symbolizes her personal growth and that of her family. It’s a positive, uplifting symbol that highlights how special gardens are in general.

When you think of a secret garden, you probably picture an urban space, a small hidden sanctuary surrounded by busy streets, pollution, and noise. If you need a retreat from an urban landscape, creating a secret garden is a great solution.

But you don’t have to be in the city to create and enjoy this kind of space. Make a secret room in your garden to enjoy no matter where you live. It can serve as a relaxing retreat, a place to meditate or just get some peace and quiet.

How to Create a Secret Garden – Tips

You can design a secret garden to be whatever you want it to be. There are no rules and only your imagination to limit you. But, if you’re a little unsure of where to begin, here are some tips to make it more successful:

• Pick the right spot. The location is the foundation of your secret garden, so take some time and choose it wisely. A lesser-used area of the garden is ideal. It should be a little out of the way, so it takes some effort to discover. In other words, it shouldn’t be obvious.
• Create walls. A secret garden wouldn’t be so secret without enclosing structures of some type. These can be walls, which provide a courtyard feel. But the enclosure can also be more natural. Use shrubs, trees, fences, or a combination of elements to make the space feel enclosed even if it isn’t fully. You can even use an arbor or pergola with vining plants to create walls. The walls do not have to be impermeable. They only need to provide a sense of enclosed space.
• Consider the entry. A secret garden should be a balance between hidden and inviting. A visitor should have to work a little but also be able to find the entrance. A curving walkway, for instance, is like an invitation to see what lies beyond. An arbor that opens into a courtyard is also a welcoming entrance. You might even want to use a gate to create even more division from the rest of the garden.
• Choose your plants. If this is a personal retreat, it’s important to use the right plants. Select species that help create the enclosed space but also that you enjoy and get peace from. Consider things like flowering times, density of the foliage, the ability to trim and shape, and also the aroma the plants will create in your secret room.
• Create a place to sit. A secret garden is not a place to simply walk through. It’s a spot in the garden to linger, so you need somewhere to sit and enjoy it. This could be a bench or just a comfortable patch of grass. A stump from an old tree can also be seating or even the focal point around which you build the space.

These secret garden design ideas serve as a launching point. Let them spark your creativity and inspire you to make a garden retreat for yourself and for others to discover and enjoy. Remember to be patient. A garden takes years to develop. With time, you’ll have thick shrubs and plants that hide your personal garden sanctuary.

Presidents' Day can be more than a day off school for the kids. It's the perfect time to teach our children about the impact our Founding Fathers had on agriculture. Even if a day trip to Mount Vernon or Monticello is not in the picture, growing a pack of George Washington or Thomas Jefferson heirloom seeds is a great way to spark interest in both gardening and American history.

Growing Monticello Seeds

For more than 50 years, Thomas Jefferson called Monticello home. Located outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, Monticello is now a National Historic Landmark. Owned by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc., the house, grounds and plantation have been restored to how they looked when Thomas Jefferson was alive.

If you're looking for some of the same plants grown by Thomas Jefferson, consider these beautiful Monticello flower seeds:

• Bachelor's Button -- (Centaurea cyanus) Also known as cornflower, the striking blue flowers of this annual average 1.5 inches (4 cm.) in diameter.
• Blackberry Lily -- (Iris domestica) The six-petaled, red-spotted, orange flowers can rise up 4 feet (1.2 m.) from the clump of spear-like foliage.
• China Pink -- (Dianthus chinensis) Jefferson used these fringed-petaled flowers as a border for his winding flowerbeds. Dianthus is a biennial which is usually grown as an annual.
• Eastern Red Columbine -- (Aquilegia canadensis) A North American native, Eastern Red Columbine has beautiful red and yellow flowers with upward spurred petals.
• Mexican Prickly Poppy -- (Argemone mexicana) Looking very much like a type of thistle, the Mexican Prickly Poppy has deeply lobes leaves with prickles.The bright yellow flowers measure approximately 2.5 inches (6.3 cm.) across.

Flowers aren't the only plants gracing the acreage of Monticello. A variety of vegetables were grown in Thomas Jefferson's era. Try planting these interesting Monticello heirloom seeds:

• Florence Fennel -- (Foeniculum vulgare azoricum) This bulb-forming type of fennel has a rich anise flavor with a crunchy texture like celery. Jefferson's Florence Fennel seeds came from Italy by Thomas Appleton in 1824.
• Lacinato Kale -- (Brassica oleracea var. acephala cv.) This Italian heirloom variety of kale graced Jefferson's vegetable garden in 1777. Lacinato has a more delicate flavor and is less bitter than curly leaf varieties.
• West Indian Gherkins -- (Cucumis anguria) Recommended by Thomas Jefferson to his brother in 1813, these bite-sized gherkins have all the flavor of cucumbers without any of the bitterness.
• Zatta di Massa Melon -- (Cucumis melo cv.) In 1774, Jefferson planted 18 hills of these deeply ribbed, ancient melons. The extremely sweet flesh has a brilliant orange color.

Growing Mount Vernon Seeds

It's no wonder Mount Vernon is one of America's most visited historic homes. In addition to George and Martha Washington's stately mansion, the house is surrounded by four gardens hosting plant collections from around the world. Consider growing some of these same flowers and vegetables which graced the gardens of our first president:

• Boston Marrow Squash -- (Cucurbita maxima “Boston Marrow”) It's no wonder this large hubbard-type heirloom was the most popular squash variety for over 100 years. The bright orange flesh earned Boston Marrow Squash the title of “true pie squash” by seeds salesmen of the era.
• Broom corn -- (Sorghum vulgare) In colonial times, the coarse, fibrous seed head of this sorghum was used to make brooms. Give this heirloom plenty of overhead room as the Broom corn plant can reach heights of 10 to 18 feet (3-5.5 m.).
• Fish peppers -- (Capsicum annuum) The variegated immature fruit and foliage make Fish peppers an interesting specimen in the vegetable garden. This medium-hot chili cultivar has historical significance in African-American cuisine.
• Love-Lies-Bleeding -- (Amaranthus caudatus) An unusual cottage-type flower with cascading crimson flowers, Love-Lies-Bleeding blooms from July through frost.
• Mangelwurzel -- (Beta vulgaris 'Mangelwurzel') With roots more than a foot long, this variety of beets was used as animal fodder in colonial times. Harvested at smaller sizes, Mangelwurzels can be added to soups or served mashed with butter. George Washington grew this heirloom in 1788.
• Silver Standard Tulip -- (Tulipa 'Silver Standard') Although it can take six years for this tulip to bloom when planted from seeds, the gorgeous red and white streaked flowers of the Silver Standard tulip are worth the wait.

For a plant lover there’s rarely anything more enjoyable than a visit to a botanical garden. Such gardens were originally designed for the enjoyment of the visitor, but today botanical gardens’ benefits go well beyond just strolling around a beautiful landscape. Botanical gardens are not only involved in the conservation of plants, but also focus heavily on botanical research. Read on to learn more about how botanical gardens have become integral to science, education and the future of our planet.

What is a Botanical Garden?

The world’s oldest academic botanical garden was created in Padua, Italy in 1545 by the Venetian Republic. Orto Botanico di Padova is listed on UNESCO’s world heritage site and still fulfills its original mission representing the birth of botanical science: the fostering of scientific exchanges while fostering an understanding between nature and culture.

This and other botanical gardens are a collection of plant resources devoted to the conservation and study of plants while educating people on the diversity of plant species.

In fact Botanic Garden Conservation International updated their criteria for accreditation as a botanic garden vs. a display garden to reflect the former’s focus, which is to conserve rare and threatened plant species while complying with international policies in a sustainable and ethical manner.

Botanical Garden Research

Public garden collections have been around for thousands of years. The first examples date to about 3,000 years ago in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia but the first “true” botanic gardens came about in the 16th and 17th centuries; those that were designed specifically for academic study of medicinal plants.

What do scientists and laymen learn from botanical gardens? Of course, the layout of most botanical gardens is a gardener’s dream and as such, lends itself to gardening ideas for the homeowner’s landscape but the primary purpose is to educate and conserve.

Scientists study the living common and rare specimens found in botanical gardens to learn about historical or present day uses, the role such plants play in evolution, and to learn about indigenous cultures both to aid in their preservation and to learn from the past.

Plant life is the basis for all ecosystems. As such it is important to understand as much as possible about the roles of various species. After all, plants provide us with not only medicine as mentioned above but food, shelter, clothing, and the raw materials from which innumerable products are produced.

Rare Plant Research

Given that plants are a major reason life exists on earth, their conservation is imperative especially as more and more species face extinction. Plant diversity is invaluable. It not only provides food and shelter for animals but it plays a major part in climate, erosion, watershed protection, and the balance of ecosystems.

Botanical gardens focus on protecting and conserving plants both as living species in their native settings or as living collections and in the form of seed banks.

To do so the botanical garden uses a combined management technique called “integrated plant conservation,” a method combining development selection, management of protected areas and species, culling of invasive plant species, environmental restoration and community outreach promoting sustainable plant usage and land management.

Rare plants, those that are extinct or on the brink, are links to the above work of integrated plant conservation. In some cases seeds may not even exist but some botanical gardens also collect herbaria or dried plant collections.

Herbaria may be centuries old. It is used for taxonomic research and aids in helping to pinpoint new species or those that have been misidentified. Herbarium is the collection of plant parts mounted on paper and stored with information regarding the location and time found. These dried plant parts also provide genetic information, aid in portraying a picture of the original biodiversity of an area and help locate the distribution of species and ecosystems in a geographic space.

One of the most recognized elements in Chinese architecture and landscaping is the moon gate, or yuemen.

A garden moon gate frames and emphasizes certain glimpses of the landscape. It is the formal entry to an Asian garden and offers a welcome and good fortune to those who pass through the gate.

You can duplicate this art form with a wooden or stone moon gate, or by using other materials such as brick. The round portal provides a keyhole glimpse into the cultivated garden, outlining the beauty and splendor of the setting.

In Chinese landscape tradition, moon gates for gardens were often featured. These were in very formal, cultivated sites, and often were featured in the yards of noble persons.

Chinese artistry features symbols which is reflected in the inclusion of a moon gate. The gate is a symbol of birth and renewal and also acts as a formal invitation to enter the area.

Traditional moon gates were often slightly raised, requiring visitors to step over the threshold and reinforcing the privilege of entering a private space.

A Simple DIY Moon Gate Arbor

Some moon gate construction can be costly and difficult to attain for the home DIYer. The aspect brings a peaceful influence to the garden space and provides a quiet reflective point.

If you want to construct your own moon gate, consider using an arbor. This can be purchased or made. A very easy method is to use slender willow boughs. Weave these together into the arch. This is very popular for weddings where the couple exchanges vows.

Another material that's inexpensive and easy to work with is PVC. These plumbing pipes can be forced into an arch form and anchored at each end. Cover up the PVC by training vines around the material. If you want a moon gate without any inorganic material, gradually widen a hole in an existing hedge. Do this gradually to avoid damaging the plants. Just as with pruning, do not take more than 1/3 off the plant at one time.

Building a Stone Moon Gate

This project will take a bit of masonry know how, but it is achievable. Select your material. This could be easy to acquire brick, large rocks, or stones. Brick is very easy to work with but will need some mortar between each piece to reinforce the structure.

For a gate built from stone, making a plywood form is essential for early support. The form can be whatever size you wish. Use 2 by 4s as your base (legs) material and secure them to the ground. Top this with another 2 x 4. Slowly bend the plywood to form the top arch and screw it into the upper 2 x 4.

Once this form is finished, decorate it with the stones, rocks, or other material by mortaring them around the form. This must be done with care, as an unstable setting could fall.

Moon Gate Ideas

There is a myriad of materials for moon gates. Many of these should use a professional for installation to ensure stability. An arch made of granite blocks offers not only Asian flavor but adds a twist of English classicism.

Ceramic tile adhered to a form will produce a modern effect. Metal allowed to oxidize has a rustic feel that compliments the greenery it highlights. A wooden structure should be made of cedar or pressure-treated wood to withstand the elements. Stacking cut wood rounds around a slender metal frame has country charm.

There are many more design options and materials with which to work that will produce a gate that reflects a gardener's individual personality.

Warm, summer days means it’s time for a backyard picnic. What could make your summer picnic more inviting? Fresh, colorful food, fragrant container plants, and comfortable surroundings will liven up your next backyard picnic party. We’ve gathered up some picnic-in-the-garden ideas to make sure your next soiree is a winner. 

Backyard Picnic Ideas 

Summer is the best time for picnics and, while you might think a park is the place to go, we think your backyard is the perfect spot to celebrate the occasion with family and friends. These summer picnic ideas will help you create the perfect garden for entertaining. 

• Food: Ramp up your food a notch by ditching the old standby hamburgers and potato salad. Visit the farmers market or grocery store for delectable fruits in season and combine several for a mouth-watering fruit bowl. Pack finger foods to keep the kids happy (and full) while playing. Quick dips like peanut butter, hummus, and ranch go well with carrots, crackers, whole grain chips, and celery. Sandwiches are a great picnic food and kids, as well as adults, will enjoy making their own. Just bring the fixings such as meat, cheese, veggies, pita pockets, and slider buns. A few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches prepared ahead will satisfy the kids. String cheese, cubed cheese, and mixed nuts also are easy finger foods. For dessert, don’t forget the watermelon and cookies!
• Fun: Round up a few yard games like bean bag toss, croquet, dodgeball, or an easy game of football. If you found a watermelon with seeds, try a seed-spitting contest for fun!
• Surroundings: Add seating areas around the yard, such as on the patio or deck, near water features, or privacy “rooms.” It can be a nice table and chairs set in wrought iron, aluminum, or teak for weatherproofing or wood, iron, or concrete benches. Fire pits are very popular and come in sizes and shapes for every budget. Surround the fire feature with comfortable chairs. If the budget can afford it, go beyond the barbecue grill and update to an outdoor kitchen!
  
  Plant shrubs or add container plants that release pleasing scents near the seating areas. Fragrant flowers include gardenia, dianthus, lavender, and heliotrope. Sweet smelling shrubs include rose, jasmine, lilac (spring), and butterfly bush.
  
  Add lighting to create ambiance and provide safety during the evening hours. Illuminate pathways and spotlight trees and shrubs with LED or solar lights.

Create an inviting as well as functional backyard for every garden party picnic with these ideas.

If you are planning to garden against a south-facing wall in a warm climate, be sure to choose plants that will tolerate the extra heat generated in that location. Brick or masonry walls, especially, can churn out the heat. Soils will dry out quickly, so it’s important to keep the plants watered and mulched well. 

Here are plants for a south-facing wall that can withstand summer’s heat. 

Heat Tolerant Plants for South-Facing Wall

Plants for hot walls need to be tough, drought tolerant plants that can withstand full sun. Succulents, such as agave, aloe, yucca, bromeliad, and cactus, are some of the best plants for hot locations in the landscape. They love full sun and hardly need any water. They do require well-draining soil, however. 

There are many benefits to planting a green wall (where plants are growing on a vertical structure). For example, vines along an exterior wall can cool the wall, reducing indoor cooling costs. Additional benefits of a green wall include:

• It covers an unattractive wall space
• Creates a layer of insultation on building sides
• Reduces traffic and noise pollution
• Creates additional wildlife habitat

Other plants besides vines can be used for a green wall. Freestanding structures with modular units can accommodate several plants. 

Whether you are planting shrubs, vines, annuals or perennials, the following plants should perform well. 

Shrubs for south-facing wall:

• Abelia, Glossy (Abelia x grandiflora)
• Althea or Rose of Sharon, (Hibiscus syriacus)
• Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
• Bluebeard or Blue-mist shrub (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
• Desert-willow (Chilopsis linearis)
• Holly, Chinese (Ilex cornuta)
• Holly, Yaupon (Ilex vomotoria)
• Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis spp.)
• Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
• Nandina or Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
• Rose, rugosa (Rosa rugosa)

Perennials for south-facing wall:

• Autumn sage (Salvia greggii)
• Blanket flower (Gaillardia pulchella)
• Blazing star (Liatris spicata)
• Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium atlanticum)
• Clover (Clover spp.)
• Coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora)
• Painted daisy (Tanacetum coccineum)
• Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Red salvia (Salvia coccinea)
• Red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)

Annuals for south-facing wall:

• Cockscomb (Celosia cristata)
• Gazania (G. rigens)
• Melampodium (M. divaricatum)
• Moss Rose (Portulaca grandiflora)
• Ornamental pepper (Capsicum annuum)
• Poppies (Papaver spp.)
• Spider Flower (Cleome hasslerana)
• Strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum)
• Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)
• Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)

Heat tolerant climbing vines:

• Bougainvillea (B. spectabilis)
• Clematis (Clematis spp.)
• Confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
• Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
• Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)
• Evergreen wisteria, (Callerya reticulata)
• Grape (Vitis species)
• Lady Banks climbing rose (Rosa banksiae)
• Maypop (Passiflora incarnata)
• Morning glory (Ipomoea spp.)
• Native clematis (Clematis virginiana)
• Rose of Montana (Antigonon leptopus)
• Smilax (Smilax spp.)
• Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus virginicus)
• Yellow jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens)

Minimalist garden design is an effective way to bring a sense of order to the garden. It is low maintenance, with clean, strong lines; features mostly green, sculptural plants; it uses lots of hardscape and triggers a sense of enduring beauty. 

Grow a Minimalist Garden

A minimalist garden isn’t for everyone. It should be an extension of your style from inside your home to the outside. It also can work to open a small space such as a minimalist balcony garden. The tips below will help you learn how to create a minimalist garden.

How to Use Minimalism in Your Garden Design

Once you’ve decided to create a minimalist garden, it’s important to plan your garden. A minimalist garden looks spacious and well defined. Even with few elements, it still needs balance and harmony. Follow these design principles:

• Consider the plants. Minimalism features a monochromatic feel, with shades of green and a punch of color in one or two places. Plants should have structure, provide yearlong interest, and require little maintenance. Boxwood, agave, bamboo, ornamental grass, deciduous trees with interesting bark or form, all can add structure to the garden. But don’t overdo; less is more. Choose native plants when you can; they are the ultimate low-maintenance plants. 
• Choose hardscape materials that will endure, such as steel, natural stone, rock, and concrete. Use the hardscaping to define the edges of your minimalist garden, as well as create living space. Planters should blend in with the hardscape materials, so choose metal, stone, concrete, etc., and no plastic. To avoid a sterile look, add warmth with wood or by choosing concrete that is colored in amber tones.
• Design your space with simple, geometric shapes, straight lines, and sharp corners. There should be open spaces with an emphasis on hardscaping, not labor-intensive grass. Avoid the often-touted design principles of soft edges, curving boundaries, and many varieties of foliage.

Using these ideas for minimalist garden design will produce a clean, uncluttered look with a calming, modern garden appeal.

There is just something appealing about an English cottage style garden. This popular aesthetic is both romantic and charming with its abundance of brightly colored flowers, bold textures and its free flowing, carefree look. Read on for design tips and a listing of classic cottage garden plants.

Cottage Garden History

While cottage gardens are trendy in the modern era, they did provide a solution to those with a lack of garden space in the days of old England. Many of the workers in the villages owned small homes with even smaller gardens. These gardens would have to supply the family with fresh produce. Many families would have gone hungry if they had not had the benefit of home-grown food.

Their gardens would consist of vegetables and mixed fruits, along with flowering plants to help attract pollinators to their crops.

As time went on and the era of romance evolved, these particular plants were considered to affect us emotionally, giving birth to what we know today as the cottage garden.

How to Design a Cottage Garden

The informal design of a cottage garden lends itself well to both large gardens and small spaces. Don’t be afraid to add plants close together or intermix shrubs with perennials. Plus, the closer you plant, the less of a chance that weeds have a chance to germinate and grow.

Go for a variety of shapes, textures and flower colors just keeping to the best rule of thumb, to plant tall in the back and short in the front. For a more aesthetic look, try planting the same type of plant in groupings of odd numbers, such as 3 or 5.

Hardscaping elements may also be added to a cottage garden. This type of garden is often walled off by a fence or attractive stone wall. You could also add bird feeders, bird baths, walkways, arbors and a bench for seating..

Perennials

Perennial plants are often featured prominently in a cottage garden design.

You will need to select plants that accommodate the garden’s light conditions, soil type and moisture levels. The plants are generally grouped closely together, so it is best to choose ones that will work together in unison.

Starting in the back of the border, these tall perennials provide a nice backdrop for their shorter growing neighbors:

• Foxglove
• Delphinium
• Hollyhock
• Tall Bearded Iris
• Baptisia
• Sweet Pea Vine

In the middle of the border you will find perennials usually growing 18-36 inches (45-90 cm.) tall:

• Bee balm
• Lupines
• Peony
• Lavender
• Black-Eyed Susan
• Butterfly Weed
• Yarrow
• Coneflowers 
• Shasta Daisy
• Garden Phlox
• Daylily

To edge the border, these low-growers are all good choices:

• Dianthus
• Catmint
• Campanula

Annuals & Bulbs

While perennial plants are most common, some annuals grown from seed and some fall planted bulbs can also be a part of the design:

• Zinnias 
• Cosmos
• Daffodil
• Globe Allium
• Tulips
• Herbs
• Produce

Shrubs

If you have a bit more space to work with, there are a few traditional shrubs to use in a cottage garden. The most popular cottage garden shrub is the rose. Whether a shrub rose or climber, the heavy petal count of an English rose is right at home in the space.

Hydrangeas come in many different shapes, colors and varieties making them a good choice. They are generally easy to care for with a bit of maintenance in spring and fall.

The butterfly bush is also a lovely addition to add color, fragrance and butterflies. Climbing vines such as clematis, wisteria or sweet peas will add bloom power and vertical interest.

Container Cottage Garden

Whether you have a small space or just do not have the time to care for such a garden, then a container garden will allow you to capture the essence of this look without a lot of fuss.

Use a variety of pots that will offer bloom succession from spring to fall. Select one cottage garden plant to play the center role in each container and fill in with smaller plants. Do not be afraid to pack the plants in tight as you need a tight mix of color and texture to get that cottage garden look.

The late 1800s into the early 1900s were a period where home gardens became popular. They weren't just for the rich anymore, and evolved into something more than a vegetable plot. The typical 1920s garden was rich in color, texture, and movement. The biggest change was in the front yard, where attention to detail accented the home. It was also a time when colonial revival landscape design was a popular theme. The 1920s landscape was a place to show off the garden and provide a place for birds and wildlife. 

1920s Landscaping Trends

Early gardens usually focused on the back of the home. This is where life was lived, parties occurred, and children played. Around the early part of the 1900s, lawns were a must-have feature of the landscape. Cavorting around these were flower beds, bushes, evergreen shrubs, and smaller trees. The heritage garden also featured hardscape details and items like bird baths. 

The early 1900s saw gardening as a pleasure, where plants and other features lived in harmony. A green lawn was a must, and pathways snaked through decorative bed areas. Bird watching was a common pastime, and selection of plants included those that would attract them. To further encourage birds, feeders and baths adorned the landscape. Other water features were also common. These might be waterfalls, ponds, and gazing pools. On estates, 1920s garden design had Victorian gardens, flower beds, a goldfish pond, and even a sundial garden. These were all elements of colonial revival landscape design and were bordered very intentionally with walkways, drives, and beautiful graded lawns. 

Plants of the 1920 Garden

Gardens of the 1920s were in their prime in spring and summer, but also boasted plants that would be showy in winter. Red and yellow twig dogwoods grew brightly colored twigs that were set off by winter snow. Cultivated boxwood hedges produced living borders to compartmentalize the landscape year around. Small topiaries of evergreens dotted the garden, and a pair of spiral formed trees commonly graced the entry to the home. Wildflowers of all types were popular, as were cultivated varieties. Old fashioned flowers like lilacs, hollyhocks, and heirloom rose stock came back into fashion. Entire beds would be dedicated to spring blooming bulbs, followed by summer flowering varieties. The effect was a bit wild, but also very organized due to the courtyards, paths and other hardscape features which divided the categories. 

Modern Colonial Revival Landscape Design

Today this style of gardening has come back into vogue. Partly due to patriotism, partly due to honor heirloom gardens, but most certainly due to the variety and charm of such spaces. Modern gardeners are borrowing bits and pieces of 1920s garden design. The "old fashioned" plants are back in favor and elements such as courtyards, fountains, and ponds can be found in average gardener's design. 

Today's outdoor furniture is even mimicking that of the 20s, with wicker and wrought iron pieces readily available. These historic gardens are available to view in many municipalities, where garden clubs and preservation societies have restored them to their former glory for today's gardeners to wander and generate new landscape ideas. 

The term “cottage garden” most often refers to an informal ornamental planting of flowers near small homes or other garden structures. By concept, cottage gardens are meant to have a less organized, free-flowing design aesthetic. They are also characterized by bright color and an immense quantity of blooms. Those who wish to create a cottage garden of their own are truly limited only by their imagination. Below, we have outlined many popular cottage garden plants.

10 Must-Have Cottage Garden Flowers

1. Allium - Allium flowers in a cottage garden are quite common. In fact, most gardeners delight in the production of large, attention-grabbing floral spikes. Though the size and color of allium flowers will vary, many may even naturalize to return season after season. 
2. Bee Balm - Many cottage garden flowers also serve to attract pollinators to the growing space. These perennial flowers can be easily grown from seed, and thrive under a wide range of growing conditions. 
3. Daffodils - Spring flowering plants for a cottage garden are essential. Daffodils, for example, are often among the first flowers to produce blooms in early spring. Though yellow daffodils are more traditional, cultivars in shades of white and pink can add unique flair to growing spaces. 
4. Delphinium - Delphinium plants are celebrated for their bright, true-blue flowers. Delphinium flowers are also prized in ornamental gardens for their magnificent tall spikes, which are covered in florets. Many taller species of delphinium may require staking to make certain their flowers remain upright. 
5. Dianthus - Biennial and perennial species of dianthus add both color and fragrance to the garden. Blooming in shades of white, pink, and red, open-pollinated varieties of dianthus are known for their sweet, clove-like fragrance. 
6. Foxglove - Foxglove plants produce tall, prominent floral spikes. As a biennial, ornamental gardeners should expect flowering to begin in the second season of growth. Like many ornamental plants, it should be noted that foxglove is highly toxic. 
7. Hollyhocks - Among the tallest cottage garden plants, hollyhocks serve to add interesting height and appeal to the growing space. Mass plantings of hollyhock flowers are also useful in the creation of a living privacy screen between neighbors. 
8. Roses - A cottage rose garden is sure to add fragrance to yard spaces. Both shrub and climbing roses can help to frame flower beds and bring attention to garden structures.
9. Sweet Pea - When allowed to climb a tall trellis, ornamental sweet peas can quickly fill the garden with a profusion of bloom. Though also quite beautiful, many choose to grow Lathyrus odoratus for their enchanting fragrance. 
10. Tulips - Tulips are commonly used in cottage gardens to border paths and frame patios. These bulb flowers can also add a great amount of curb appeal when planted in front of fences or near mailboxes. 

Outdoor green walls are vertical gardens, plants growing on a vertical surface. A green wall can be purely decorative in your garden. It also serves a bigger purpose in urban areas, cooling and filtering the air, and providing respite from the city setting in a small space. It’s easier than you think to create your own backyard vertical garden. 

The Origin of the Outdoor Vertical Garden

Outdoor living walls are fairly common today, but the first modern incarnation didn’t appear until the 1930s. Stanley Hart White, a University of Illinois professor of landscape architecture invented and patented what he called botanical bricks used to create vertical gardens. 

The idea of a vertical garden is popular today because of climate change. A green wall allows people to grow more carbon-storing, air-filtering plants in smaller, urban spaces. Green walls even lower temperatures amid the heat islands of cities. 

Important Considerations for an Outdoor Wall Planter

Before crafting your own vertical garden, consider some of the most important factors for success. First and foremost, you need a supportive structure. This could be a wall, fence, arbor, or other sturdy structure. Know its load-bearing strength before adding plants. 

You’ll also need some type of container for the plants that drains well and an appropriate soil mix. Determine how you’ll water the plants. For instance, will you build in an irrigation system, or will it be within reach of hand watering? Of course, you also need to be sure the plants you use will work in the given conditions of light exposure, wind, and temperatures. 

Ideas for Creating an Outdoor Plant Wall

A plant wall can be as simple as hanging lightweight pots from your fence using florist wire or twine. It can also be as complicated as building a structure solely for the purpose of creating a green wall. Here are some ideas to get you started in your own garden: 

• Shipping pallet. This is a great starter project. All you need is a pallet, some landscaping fabric, and a staple gun. Wrap the fabric around the back and sides of the pallet and secure it with staples. You can then fill the front with soil and put plants in between the slats. Lean it up against a wall or fence or hang it. 
• Lightweight pots. Another easy project uses lightweight pots hanging from a structure. You can use plastic but also Styrofoam containers. Just poke a hole in the side of a container near the top and use floral wire hang the container from a fence, trellis, or arbor. Pack the containers in tightly, and as the plants grow, they’ll cover them, giving you a green wall. If you want to create this type of garden on a wall, use trellis lattice cut to the size you want. Attach it to the wall and hang potted plants. 
• Succulent frame. Succulents are great for creating patterns in a vertical garden. Buy a succulent frame online or from a garden center, and you just need to fill it with soil and insert small succulent cuttings. Leave it horizontal for a few weeks or up to three months so the cuttings take root. You can then hang the frame anywhere.

Cottagecore gardening is a popular aesthetic that brings a charming essence to the landscape. A cottagecore garden is simply one where various plants, fruits, vegetables, and especially flowers reside. It is not a manicured space, but instead relies upon its variety and bounty to lend whimsy to the garden. Cottagecore plants are generally smaller and feature local flora paired with edible crops. 

The cottage garden lends itself to images of English countrysides and farmhouse landscaping. The concept wouldn't be valid without cottagecore flowers, which are essential to the plan. The informal design is perfect for setting off small homes, but can also be used in a grander estate. Cottagecore design relies upon different colors and textures that work together creating a moving, living space. 

Planning a Cottage Garden

The most important part in planning a cottagecore garden is plant selection. No matter where the area is situated, plants selected need to accommodate the soil, lighting, and other cultural needs provided by the site. Plants are generally grouped together closely so that when they are mature, the garden is a sea of movement, texture, and color. Most cottagecore plants are smaller, and trees are seldom featured in the design. The exception would be dwarf fruit trees which add some dimension and provide food for bees. Cottagecore flowers are a key element. They were originally just wildflowers planted to attract pollinators, but graduated to classics such as roses. The garden is often walled off by attractive fences or stone walls. There may also be bird feeders and baths, walkways, arbors or trellises, and seating. 

The Elements of Cottagecore

While the design may seem arbitrary, there still needs to be planning. Consider how large plants will get, which will spread, and how tall everything will become. The main rules of cottage gardens are:

• Composition or grouping
• Harmony
• Focal point
• Proportion
• Balance
• Texture
• Sight line
• Color
• Flow from each item

This may seem like an impossible set of rules, but basically they simply mean the whole garden should work together to produce a pleasant view and useful plants. There should be peaceful energy in the space with gentle movement and lush color. 

Plants for the Cottage Garden

Perennials feature prominently in the cottagecore garden. But self seeding annuals, bulbs, vegetables, fruiting plants, and ornamental bushes, are also part of the design. Evergreen shrubs will ensure some color even after flowering plants have died back or lost their leaves. A small tree will add a vertical focal point. Vines draped dramatically over a retaining fence continue the feeling of movement and lushness. Cottagecore flowers are without doubt the most know feature of such gardens:

• Wildflowers
• Lupine
• Sweet Pea Vine
• Witch Hazel
• St. John's Wort
• Foam Flower
• Roses 
• Passion Flower Vine
• Ornamental Kale
• Chrysanthemum
• Goldenrod
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Hydrangea
• Tickseed
• Camellia
• Lilies
• Hollyhock
• Zinnia
• Lavender
• Herbs - Thyme, Rosemary, etc.
• Bulbs

Rain gardens have become popular ways of dealing with excess water in the landscape. Using a rain garden for drainage prevents boggy spots in the yard, while also filtering the moisture and preventing it from running off into the storm drains. Landscaping for water drainage should include a rain garden drainage ditch for excess moisture that can percolate into soil. This important step will keep the sod and surrounding areas dry. 

The 3 basic components necessary for rain garden water drainage solutions are; inflow, basin, and outflow. The inflow is the area where extra water enters the garden. The basin is what catches that moisture, while the outflow is the rain garden’s overflow area. This is often a ditch dug in such a way that it moves the extra moisture off the property. 

Planning Landscaping for Water Drainage

Attractive and useful water drainage solutions can come in the form of rain gardens. Using a rain garden for drainage may provide habitat for wild animals and birds, filter runoff from roofs and eaves, and provide plants with a consistent amount of moisture during the rainy season. 

Plant selection is important, as is the placement of each plant. Some plants thrive when under water, while others will suffer. Aquatic plants that can perform well in submerged conditions can go in the center, while those that need plenty of water but cannot withstand submersion should be planted at the edges. 

In addition to these concerns, there needs to be a plan for overflow to keep water from damaging sod and other garden beds. 

What to Do With Rain Garden Overflow

Inevitably a dousing rain will occur that drops more water than the rain garden can handle. This water needs to be diverted away from the home and other areas of the landscape. You may do this with a rain garden drainage ditch. The ditch can be lined with gravel or have a percolating PVC pipe inside. The water may be diverted to successive rain gardens or directed straight into storm drains. The ditch should be created at the downhill side of the garden, where gravity and slope will remove it easily. A rain garden should not be installed close to a home, especially one with a basement, where excess water could collect and cause damage. 

Other Ways to Direct Overflow

While using a rain garden for drainage is a fairly simply way to manage extra water, it isn't fool proof. An estimate of the amount of water the area collects is possible but never completely accurate due to the capriciousness of nature. 

Using a berm on the downhill side can provide material necessary to collect extra water. Installing native prairie plants is a good idea, as their roots will suck moisture up like a sponge. 

Another way to manage overflow is by installing a bio-swale. This is similar to a drainage ditch, but is shallow and heavily populated by plants. The bio-swale should have a gentle slope, just enough to re-direct water but also allows plants in the swale to uptake moisture. 

It’s hard to believe that the year’s rolled on to March again, so yes, Saint Patrick’s Day is looming. While you may regularly fete this Irish holiday by raising a few glasses of Guinness at the local pub, there are also fun projects to do with your kids or your friends. Creating a leprechaun fairy garden is a great project for kids, but by grouping plants native to Ireland, like the shamrock, you can turn it into a creative activity for adults, too. 

Irish Garden

Let’s start with native Irish plants, fun for an Irish garden. Most of us know about the shamrock, but have you ever heard of Irish moss, aka pearlwort (Sagina subulata)? It’s a groundcover plant of small, emerald green for sandy or gritty soil. Irish moss will happily cascade over the lips of steps and occupy any empty corners in the garden. Hardy to zone 4, Irish moss appears rapidly to create an Irish carpet – and you can almost imagine fairies dancing on it.

For taller occupants of an Irish fairy garden, add Digitalis purpurea. You might normally call it foxglove, but for March, refer to it as fairy thimbles. It produces masses of gloriously freckled, fuchsia-to-purple blooms on tall, straight stems. In Ireland, fairy thimbles grow wild in nature -- in wooded areas, ditches, beside the sea, and on the moors. Plant seeds from the Camelot series for same-year flowering.

Leprechaun Trap

The myths tell us that leprechauns are shy of people and have to be lured into the garden. Creating an Irish garden with shamrocks is said to create a leprechaun trap, an invitation for the mysterious creatures to come on in.

What exactly are shamrocks though? Curiously, although everyone knows they have three leaves, nobody is certain of the species. Was it a wood sorrel (Oxalis spp.) or a clover (Trifolium spp.)? While both can have three leaves, Trifolium leaves are rounded while Oxalis leaves are heart-shaped. If it’s all the same to you, go for easy-to-grow Oxalis, happy with indirect light. 

Adding Fairy Garden Leprechauns

If you are working with kids, or the child inside cries out for leprechaun figurines in a leprechaun fairy garden, go for it. For smaller projects, build a leprechaun fairy garden in a shoebox; for larger ones, try a wheelbarrow outdoors or just set aside a garden bed for fairy garden leprechauns.

You can buy little figurines around Saint Patrick’s Day at the garden or art stores. Add tiny accessories if that seems appropriate, maybe a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Leprechauns are said to play fiddles, so fiddles are good too. Design the leprechaun fairy garden to suit your fancy and, above all, have fun with it.

What is a forever garden? Simply put, it's a long-lived garden filled with beautiful perennials and hardscaping features such as fences, walkways, and fountains. The benefits of planting a forever garden include a reduction in the cost and labor associated with growing annual flowers. Plus, forever flower gardens can be used to improve curb appeal, to beautify a backyard retreat or wherever homeowners want to add color and texture to the landscape.

Planning a Forever Growing Garden

Naturally, the first step in creating a forever-growing garden is developing a garden design. As you look around your available space, consider the placement of paths, seating and other hardscaping elements. Once these features are in the design, it's time to designate space for the forever-growing garden beds. 

When creating flowerbeds for forever-garden plants, consider which types of flowers and foliage plants you wish to include. Do you want a three season forever growing garden where flowers are always blooming? Would you like evergreens and ornamental grasses to give the winter garden texture and structure?

To ensure your vision on paper will convert accurately to the yard, use a can of spray paint to mark out the plans on the ground. Layout where the hardscaping elements will go and outline the flowerbeds. If all looks well, begin the actual work by first installing the hardscaping elements. If you are not skilled in this area, contract the work to a professional.

Once the hardscaping is in place, it's time to prepare the beds for the forever flower gardens. Remove the sod and clear out old plants where the flowerbeds will go. Now is the time to work in plenty of organic compost, perform soil tests and adjust the pH. Make a mental note of the lighting conditions in each area of the forever flower gardens before heading to the nursery to select plants.

Choosing Forever-Garden Plants

The selection of forever garden plants begins with the larger specimens. When choosing shrubs and small trees, consider varieties which flower early or have interesting foliage. These plants can add height and winter interest to the garden, but can grow quite large in time. To prevent shade from eventually overtaking the garden, try these smaller species:

• Azalea 
• Dogwood
• Hydrangea 
• Lilac
• Magnolia

Once these larger specimens are in place, begin choosing your favorite perennial flowers and foliage plants. Choosing easy-to-propagate plants can reduce costs, especially if you're willing to wait a year or two to fill in empty spaces. Consider these long-blooming flowers when purchasing forever garden plants:

• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
• Coneflowers (Echinacea) 
• Coreopsis
• Russian Sage

Species such as hosta and sedum have shorter bloom times, but also make wonderful additions to forever-flower gardens due to the diversity of their foliage. Both tall and short varieties of ornamental grasses can also be included for four-season eye appeal. Finally, note where the addition of spring daffodils, tulips, crocus and hyacinth bulbs would add early color to the garden.

Russian dacha gardens are something to be admired. They provide more than half of the Russia’s food supply, and they do it without pesticides, tractors, tillers or animals. 

Many have evolved into small businesses. After the gardeners make sure they have enough for winter, relatives and neighbors, they sell the overage to the public. Besides the economic profit, Russian dacha gardens ensure food security and sustainability, preservation of heirloom fruits and vegetables, and contribute to a feeling of community and a oneness with nature and the land.

Gardens in Russia: What We Can Learn from Russian Gardening Style

Russian gardening style reflects a centuries old work ethic: Work hard and reap the benefits of your labor. Families either tend the yard around their homes or drive to a plot of land devoted solely to their gardens. Adults toil daily among fruit trees, herbs, and vegetables, while children run up and down outside with no fear of harm. It is an idyllic, picturesque scene that belies the fact that these chores are their livelihood. 

Many people already have incorporated Russian gardening style into their backyards without even realizing it. If you are growing fruits and other edibles packed alongside the flowers and trees, then you are learning to do what Russian families have been doing for centuries. 

And if you know anyone who gardens, sharing the bounty is only natural when there is a surplus. People bring their extra produce to church, to school, to work and to neighbors and relatives. The difference with the Russian community might be that their sharing is a planned necessity, a give-and-take arrangement that benefits all.

Growing Food Russian Style

Besides growing tree fruits such as apples and plums, as well as ramblers such as raspberries, strawberries and gooseberries, Russian dacha gardens often grow staples like potatoes, onions and garlic. Plenty of dill grows all season; it is essential for use in pickling the produce. Perennial crops, plus tomatoes, squash, radishes, cucumbers, and carrots fill the Russian gardens. 

Some of the ornamentals among Russian garden plants are grown for medicinal uses. For example, Rosa Rugosa hips are grown for their high vitamin C content. Phlox is grown for its roots that are used as therapy for cold and stomach aches. Yarrow is revered as a cure all. 

The pièce de résistance for the Russian garden is Perovskia atriplicifolia, or the native Russian sage.

Some people think that “Shaker” only refers to a type of furniture, but the Shakers were actually a religious group known for leading a simple way of life. They made everything they needed as a community, and anything left over was sold. Thus the Shakers became known not only for the sale of seeds but also for medicinal Shaker herbs. There were hundreds of herbs grown in a Shaker garden useful for a variety of medical ailments. 

Shaker Herb Garden Info

The early Shakers relied primarily on faith healing and the laying on of hands to treat medical ailments. A doctor was called upon only for the most severe injuries or illnesses. Instead, Shakers focused on prevention by living a life of regular routine comprised of work, exercise and rest, three meals per day and little to any use of alcohol or tobacco. When all else failed, the Shakers looked to the gardens they planted and indigenous plants. 

All well and good, but what exactly is a Shaker herb garden? 

What is a Shaker Herb Garden? 

For the Shakers, gardening was a spiritual task; a way of creating heaven on earth utilizing their belief system. Some of these basic tenets include “keep learning”, “nurture the soil”, “know your plants”, “work faithfully” and “care for your tools.” 

The Shakers kept annual records noting such timings as when birds arrived in the Spring, when certain trees and shrubs leafed out, and other natural observations that served as a gauge of outdoor temperatures suitable for planting.

The Shakers believed a garden was “an index of the owner’s mind”. This meant that herbs in a Shaker garden were planted in neat, tidy rows in square beds usually delineated by a low stone enclosure, picket fence or brick edging. 

Equally important was keeping the herbs in a Shaker garden weeded. Weeding was considered a spiritual cleansing as akin to the cultivation of a garden as to the cultivation of the mind. Removing weeds was like removing impure thoughts and following the tenet “cleanliness is next to godliness.” 

Herbs in a Shaker Garden

Shaker gardens were comprised of a variety of vegetables and plenty of herbs. The herbs Shakers grew however, were rarely used in food with the exception of thyme, sweet marjoram, savory, sage and parsley. 

They began selling surpluses of the above herbs along with medicinal Shaker herbs like bee balm, sweet basil, lavender, hyssop, fennel, dill, coriander, lemon balm, pot marigold, rosemary, and more. 

By 1820 and through into the next century, herbs grown by Shakers were sold dried and as herbal extracts, oil, and patent medicines. At the peak of the business in 1850 the New Lebanon, New York community was producing 100,000 pounds of dried herbs and several thousand pounds of extracts each year. The 1851 catalogue lists 356 medicinal herbs, 4 common culinary herbs, 181 fluid extracts and more. 

At one time there were around 17,000 Shakers across several states. Today there are only seven Shakers in a tiny community of Sabbathday Lake, Maine. Despite their reduced numbers, the Shakers continue to garden much as they did 150 years ago and you can too by instituting the above Shaker herb garden info into your own landscape and growing the herbs Shakers grew.

Shakespeare often referenced plants and herbs in his many plays. These herbs from Shakespeare quotes are often used when constructing a Shakespearean herb garden. It's also common to add a bust of the Bard of Avon, as Shakespeare is sometimes called.

How to Make an Elizabethan Herb Garden

If you have an empty flowerbed or gardening space, you may wish to create your own Shakespearean herb garden. The Elizabethan style was formal in tone as these gardens were owned primarily by the wealthy. Symmetrical patterns using squares or rectangles were common and often contained an herbal knot garden at the center. 

The entire garden was usually surrounded by English holly, which was planted and pruned into a hedge. Stone pathways led to various areas of the garden and it was common for the nobles to sit directly on the aromatic herbs. In a time when social class dictated fashion, the Elizabethan herb garden offered a way to add a fresh scent to those hard-to-clean wool, silk and satin fabrics of the elite. 

Herbs in Shakespeare-Inspired Gardens

If your Elizabethan herb garden will have a “Bard of Avon” theme, consider planting these herbs from Shakespeare plays:

• Chamomile (Henry IV)
• Fennel (Hamlet)
• Lavender (A winter's Tale)
• Lemon Balm (Antony and Cleopatra)
• Marigold (Pericles)
• Marjoram (King Lear)
• Parsley (The Taming of the Shrew)
• Rosemary (Hamlet) 
• Savory (A Winter's Tale)
• Wild Thyme (A Midsummer's Night Dream)

In Elizabethan times, herbs and flowers had many interesting uses. Fragrant plants were used in small bouquets or nosegays to cover up foul odors. Strewing herbs were scattered over the floor for the fragrance they imparted. Some plants were believed to have magical properties. And of course, many plants were used medicinally. Here's a list of popular plants often found in an Elizabethan herb garden: 

• Bachelor's Buttons (Insect repellent)
• Chives (Insect repellent) 
• Daffodils (Enjoyed for their spring beauty)
• Dianthus (Medicinal)
• Hellebore (Magical properties)
• Hyssop (Magical properties)
• Johnny Jump Up (Magical properties)
• Lavender (Flowers used to scent laundry, especially undergarments)
• Mint (Used medicinally and in toiletries)
• Rose (Distilled rose petals to make rosewater)
• Rue (Strewing and medicinal herb)
• Saffron Crocus (Used as a fabric dye and aphrodisiac)

A garden is not just attractive to the eyes; it is truly a feast for all the senses. While many people first see gardens, the second sensation is usually the fragrance. The smell of a garden can be just as delightful as how it looks. Without sacrificing the visual, consider planting a fragrant garden. 

What is a Scent Garden? 

The best garden hits all the senses, and the idea of a scent garden is just as it sounds: choosing and arranging plants to maximize pleasing fragrances. When you walk into a scent garden, you should know immediately, even with eyes closed. 

How to Grow a Scent Garden

There really are no rules when it comes to planting a fragrant garden, but some ideas help. A scent garden can be a free for all; simply choose the plants that smell best to you and use them. Or, you can choose these to make a themed scent garden: 

Rose garden. Roses are among the most fragrant of flowers. Create a rose garden choosing varieties based on scent rather than appearance. 

Relaxation garden. Scent is powerful for triggering emotions. Many garden smells are relaxing. Choose plants that soothe you and create a corner of the garden for sitting and relaxing. 

Night garden. Gardens can be enjoyed at night too. Choose fragrant, night-blooming flowers. 

Seasonal garden. A garden that changes by the season is ordinary, but what if you focused on how fragrances change? You could choose spring flowering trees and shrubs, followed by summer flowers, and fall blooms and trees that smell nice. 

Choosing Scented Garden Plants

The plants you choose for your scented garden will follow your theme or simply be the aromas that call to you. Here are some of the most fragrant options to get you started: 

Roses. It goes without saying that these flowers have a classic, beautiful smell. Some rose varieties smell better than others. 

Other flowers. Roses can’t take all the credit for fragrance. Also try jasmine, lily of the valley, hyacinth, wisteria, freesia, sweet alyssum, and scented geranium. 

Herbs. An herb garden is one of the most scent-laden types of plantings you can create. Every type of herb has its own unique, powerful fragrance, so choose the ones you like the most. 

Flowering trees. Choose Japanese flowering cherry, linden trees, apple, and crabapple, among others, give you sweet, spring scents. 

Fragrant shrubs. Don’t forget the flowering shrubs that also smell sweet, like lilac, butterfly bush, honeysuckle, daphne, and Korean spice viburnum. 

Night fragrance. For a nighttime scent garden grow evening primrose, moon flower, four o’clocks, and flowering tobacco.

Want more ideas for unique and interesting garden spaces? Visit our complete guide to outdoor living today.

Balconies can be oases of peace and greenery. Even an urban apartment dweller can transform the space with a few balcony garden ideas. What is a balcony garden? It can be a place to drink in nature, grow your own veggies and flowers, or play with ornamental plants. Balcony garden design interplays containers with plants that will echo your needs and personality. 

What is a Balcony Garden?

Think you can't have a garden on a balcony? You just need some tips on how to garden on a balcony while you also think outside the box. You can design a traditional, retro, edible, flowering, or other planting scheme. Or mix it up. Just be prepared to haul a bit of potting soil to your space. 

Your balcony can be a place to bring nature in and provide a peaceful retreat. Or it can be where you cut your grocery bill and grow organic, healthy food. It might be as simple as an herb trough to give you fresh seasonings for your cooking. The use for the space is up to you. 

First check with the management of your building and find out if there are any restrictions, such as weight load or prohibition of hanging planters. Then get planning. Consider the lighting, mature height and width of plants, how you will water, and maintenance needs. Gardening on a balcony takes some planning but is well worth the effort. 

How to Garden on a Balcony

The fun part is the balcony garden design. You will need containers. You can buy them new or haunt a thrift store for some you can refurbish. Make sure any pots have plenty of drainage holes. It might be a good idea to get saucers so extra moisture doesn't spill all over the place. Assemble a few tools like a spade, pruners, garden gloves, watering can, and anything else that will make tending the garden easier. You will want fertilizer at hand for most plants at least annually. You may also need stakes, trellises, plant ties, or even wall pockets. 

Plants for Gardening on a Balcony

The most important thing to consider is the plants. Get starts or start seed indoors for vegetables. If you have a high enough space in full sun, consider getting a dwarf fruit tree. Plant herbs for a simple and useful way to green up the balcony. Choose low maintenance plants, especially those that are tolerant of dry conditions, since containers dry out more quickly than in ground plants. If the balcony space has room for a table and some chairs but that is it, make a dish garden as a center piece for the table. Build a trellis and plant some ivy to screen you from the neighbors and give some privacy. Easy to grow plants:

• succulents
• small evergreens
• dwarf trees
• bulbs
• annuals
• veggies that grow vertically or cut and come again such as lettuces
• shady solutions- hosta, begonia, impatiens, ferns, coleus
• herbs
• hardy perennials like rosemary, salvia, heuchera, hellebore, vinca, lavender, salvia

With a little planning, gardening on a balcony can be a joy.

As we know, rainwater is among the best ways to water our plants and our gardens. However, collecting and using rainwater can sometimes be a complicated and time-consuming process. A different way to utilize this valuable source of water can be accomplished through the creation of a downspout or rain gutter garden. 

If you’re intrigued by this concept, read on to learn more about growing downspout vegetables. Of course, fruit, herbs and ornamental crops can be planted and watered like this. Most all crops benefit from rainwater gardening. 

Starting a Rainwater Vegetable Garden

Collecting the runoff from the roof and directing it into your garden uses a one-time set up that distributes the water into areas where it is needed most. Plant to accommodate this managed natural watering system as an important part of the plan. Provide consistent irrigation to a downspout planter for veggies or to an entire garden area. 

The south side of a building is not the best place to start a rainwater garden, as its prone to dry out more quickly. Other places where there are downspouts will usually be fine. Start the garden on the sunniest side of the house or building, whether it be the west, east, or north side.

Dig a water catchment depression under the downspout. This should be approximately 18 inches (46 cm.) wide by 12 inches (30 cm.) deep, then filled with one to two inches (2.5 to 5 cm.) of gravel or small stones. Use a slight slope around the sides of the catchment basin to direct water away from the foundation. 

Create your garden here or set up a distribution system to move the water to a downspout garden further out into the landscape. Use an elbow and an extension to direct the water. 

There are several options for the downspout garden. You can keep it small, near the gutter, and create a native planted bog or even an edible bog garden lined with plastic. For a typical vegetable garden, dig trenches between rows and direct the water to fill the trenches. Plant hills or rows above these with seeds or small vegetable plants that do best in moist to wet soil. Downspout gardens vary in size. 

Plants for Downspout Vegetable Gardening

Watercress can grow even if submerged. American groundnut or arugula grow with consistently wet roots. 

Celery, garden peas, and those in the Brassica family, like cabbage and cauliflower, prefer moist soil. Even tomatoes can thrive here. There is no shortage of vegetables to grow in the downspout garden.

Sources say not to use rainwater from roofs treated with anti-moss or other algae killing chemicals. Rainwater that crosses enameled steel and glazed tile roofs is acceptable, but sometimes that from wood-shingled and other roofs is not. 

Most states allow the full collection and use of rainwater, but a few have restrictions. Be sure to check with your local cooperative extension office to see what, if any, restrictions or specific instructions for this type of garden exist in your area.

A lively, flourishing garden offers an endless supply of great plant shots for photographers. With garden photography, you get a great double prospect, opportunities for beautiful images and the chance to shoot them close to home.

If you want to make your backyard into a wonderful spot for taking pictures, read on for information about how to create a photographer’s garden. You’ll also find tips for garden photography.

What is a Photography Garden?

What is a photography garden? It is, quite simply, a garden filled with images that someone with a camera would love to snap. This could be a hummingbird sipping from a salvia, a bee on a rose, a tree standing bare in winter moonlight, or dew drops on a birch leaf.

Healthy plants are graceful and colorful. They evolve through the seasons, often budding in spring, blooming in summer, dropping leaves in fall, and standing serene and quiet in winter. Any backyard garden filled with flowering plants and trees is a perfect photography garden.

Creating a Garden for Photographers

Garden photographers are interested in vivid, detailed images of the different chapters of a plant’s life. To make a photographer’s garden, invest energy in the garden you have, helping the plants grow and thrive.

A garden for photographers is one that is constantly evolving. Add plants with visual interest, foliage plants with texture, or twining vines with beautiful blossoms. When your garden is thriving, you will have a range of plant life a photographer can work with – seedlings and mature plants, buds and flowers, and pollinators of different kinds.

You can also create a photographer’s garden by bringing in romantic or interesting hardscape things such as bridges, trellises, or statuary. Add a winding footpath lined with poppies, a birdbath near the hydrangeas, or a wooden chair beneath the oak tree. These will offer the kind of images that make photographing a garden interesting.

How to Do Garden Photography?

If you create a photographer’s garden, you will probably want to engage in this type of photography as well. Remember, you don’t have to do it perfectly right away. Simply take your camera into the garden and shoot images that capture your attention.

While you are out in the garden, practice different photography skills, like working with varying light conditions at different times of the day and year. Try taking shots of moving images like buzzing wings of an insect or windblown grasses. Don’t worry if it doesn’t come out the way you want. Just keep trying until you like the result.

Theme gardens are fun to create and a delight to enjoy once you’ve completed the design and construction work. If you have a love for Japanese aesthetic, a garden that embraces those elements can be a wonderful way to celebrate the culture. There are many different factors to consider, but including plants that thrive in the sun and are native to or popular in Japanese gardens will be essential. 

All About Sunny Japanese Gardens

If you’re considering creating a Japanese garden in your sunny yard or sun-drenched bed, you’ll need the right plants. But there is much more to this style of garden than simply plant choice. These are some of the elements you may want to include along with the full sun Japanese plants: 

• Streamline plantings and pay attention to space between plants. 
• Don’t overcrowd plants -- minimalism is key.
• Consider all elements of the garden and find balance between them, including trees, rocks, the house, walkways, and even the view from your garden. 
• Embrace the moss in your garden and let it grow. 
• Make contemplation and serenity the guiding themes in your Japanese garden. 

Choosing Full Sun Plants for a Japanese Garden

To create a Japanese garden in full sun, you will need to select plants that won’t dry up or wilt in the intense light. Here are some native and typical Japanese garden plants that will love your sunniest garden spots:

• Iris. If you have a boggy or wet area of the garden, embrace the water-loving iris. There are plenty of Japanese varieties. 
• Lotus. For a Japanese pond garden, you must include lotus. These pretty water flowers love the sun. 
• Azalea. This flowering shrub is a staple in Japan, and while it will tolerate shade, it also loves sun. 
• Creeping sedum. Moss growing between rocks is a staple of Japanese gardens, but if you don’t have cool, shady areas it may be tough to grow. Creeping sedum varieties thrive in the sun and will fill in spaces between rocks and walkways with shades of green. 
• Japanese maple. Popular as an ornamental tree in many gardens, this small tree comes in beautiful shades of red and pink. 
• Ornamental cherry. Few trees are more associated with Japan than cherry. The spring flowers are unparalleled. A weeping cherry will provide some shade for other Japanese plants that can’t tolerate full sun. 
• Bamboo. This tall, fast-growing grass relative adds an Asian element to any garden space. While some varieties prefer shade, you can find clumping bamboos that love the sun. And, unlike running bamboo it won’t rapidly take over your yard.

The kitchen garden is a time honored tradition. What is a kitchen garden? It is a centuries-old way to ensure fresh fruits, vegetables and seasonings, within easy reach of the kitchen. Today's kitchen garden design takes notes from the past, but adds in more whimsy and personality. 

Grocery prices are going up. It's something we can't escape from, and probably a trend of the future. But you can cut those bills in half if you grow a kitchen garden. A kitchen garden bed is one of the better ways to ensure fresh produce, know what is going into your food, and enjoy the great outdoors. 

What is a Kitchen Garden?

Our grandparents had great kitchen garden ideas. Kitchen garden design relies heavily upon what your family enjoys eating. It can be simple, with fresh herbs and a cutting garden to beautify the table. But some gardeners grow a kitchen garden to fulfill all their fruit and vegetable needs. Dwarf fruit trees, fruiting vines and canes, greens and root vegetables, summer foods like corn and tomatoes, all feature prominently. Even small spaces can produce plenty of food if you sow successive crops, use vertical supports, and plant small amounts of diverse foods. The space can be as simple as a raised bed, or a large plot with room to expand. 

Simple Kitchen Garden Bed

Much of what we eat can be grown. You have to take into consideration your zone and make sure your selections will thrive where you live. In smaller gardens, a raised bed is a great start for a kitchen garden. Raised beds warm up earlier in the spring and are accessible due to their elevation. They can hold a lot if you use vertical supports for things like beans, peas, cucumber, and other climbing plants. Select a site with plenty of sun, since most produce appreciates plenty of light. Fill the bed with good organic soil and consider using a drip system to keep all the plants well hydrated. 

Large Kitchen Garden Ideas

In areas with plenty of space, you can add in more than just some lettuces and root crops. Grow your favorite fruit with a dwarf species. Train grape vines on a fence. Add pollinator attractions in the form of lavender, Calendula, bee balm, and other flowering plants. Keep pests away with companion plants and herbs. Rotate your seed plants annually to prevent disease and insect problems. Learn about techniques like espaliering to keep the area tidy and easy to access. If you have enough space and plan carefully, there is almost nothing that can't be grown in your kitchen garden.

The creation of a lush, ornamental landscape is often considered a key characteristic of outdoor spaces that are both inviting and beautiful. The careful selection of flowering plants and shrubs can transform the overall look and feel of backyard flower beds and areas used to entertain friends and family. Though eager to begin planting, many gardeners find themselves severely limited by space. This is especially true for those living in apartments and condos. It is for this reason that container gardening, specifically on balconies, continues to grow in popularity. But, what are the best flowers for a balcony?

Planning a Balcony Flower Garden

Before planting any outdoor balcony flower boxes or containers, you should first refer to rules and regulations provided by your building management or homeowners association. These guidelines will provide an easy reference as to what may or may not be allowed. Rules related to gardening often include the number or types of containers allowed, the maximum size/height of plants and any associated structures, and even which species of plants may be grown. 

Balcony Flower Care

When planting flowers on a balcony, you will also need to consider the plant’s needs. Balcony flower care involves selection of the containers and the growth requirements of the plants, as well as routine maintenance. Many growers choose lightweight, easy to move containers. Still, you will need to take care to ensure that each planter is properly weighted. This will help to make certain that planters cannot be knocked over. All trellises, hanging planters and/or rail planters should be especially secure, as these can present a very real danger of harm to those below if they should break or fall.

Watering flowers on a balcony can prove difficult in many cases. It may be exceptionally problematic for those living in hot climates, as containers are prone to dry out more quickly. Many experts suggest the use of timed drip irrigation or capillary mats, as other techniques may result in too much water loss. When growing a balcony flower garden, water should never be allowed to drip or flow from the balcony. This is likely to result in unhappy neighbors and passersby from below.

What Are the Best Plants for a Balcony?

Successfully growing a beautiful collection of plants on an outdoor balcony relies greatly on a selection of flowers which can tolerate the location’s unique growing conditions. Gardeners should consider factors such as the amount of sunlight received each day, as well as the speed and frequency of wind. 

While annual flowers like petunias, geraniums, impatiens, and begonias are extremely popular; many choose to explore more specialty plants. Drought tolerant plants, such as those found in rock gardens and used in xeriscaping, have gained notable interest in recent years. 

Regardless of the types of flowers you grow, planting a balcony flower garden can greatly increase the seasonal enjoyment of your outdoor spaces. 

If you have a small garden space, you can still grow plenty of plants. You just need a plan. A tiny raised bed is a great way to maximize space while also giving you better control of soil composition, drainage, and even soil temperature.

The beauty of a small raised bed design is its versatility. Building a small raised bed is fairly easy, but if you are challenged by carpentry, there are numerous varieties to purchase. 

A small raised garden bed can be used anywhere. On a lanai, on the grass, even on concrete. But how small can a raised bed be? It depends upon the amount of space you have to devote to plants. A raised flower trough can still hold plenty of blooms with some herbs added in to the fun.

If your goal is to raise food for yourself, even a tiny raised bed of 2 x 4 feet (0.6 x 1.2 m.) will provide plenty of fresh produce. 

Small Raised Bed Design

The first thing to consider is the amount of space you have for the project. Once you have dimensions, you can build the bed yourself. It can be on a stand, or simply raise up the soil with borders. These borders can be anything; large rocks, bricks, a wood framework, cement blocks, and other items.

Consider the area carefully with an eye to the plants you wish to grow. For food crops you will need at least 6-8 hours of full sunlight for success. You will also need a water source. Carting out watering cans is one option, but ideally a drip system or something similar will be easier and more beneficial. 

Next, turn your attention to soil. For the best results, amend the soil with plenty of organic matter, and make sure the soil will drain well by making it loose and adding drainage holes in standing beds. 

How Small Can a Raised Bed Be? 

Gardeners who only have a small patio or balcony will want to take into consideration useable space. Balcony owners will also need to consider weight load, as a raised bed filled with soil is quite heavy.

If you are size-challenged, there is good news. You can utilize dwarf species, grow vertically, and practice succession and inter-planting. Succession planting will ensure a constant supply of crops, while inter-planting increases diversity.

When building a small raised bed, you can utilize any available space. The shape doesn't have to be a square or rectangle, either. You can squeeze in a triangle or any other configuration that makes the most use of space. 

Small Raised Garden Tips

Choose plants that will fit the season. Lettuces, many cole crops, spring peas and beans, are all great for fall or spring.

During the hotter part of the year, choose small tomato plants, peppers, herbs like basil and cilantro, even cucumbers.

Items that trail can be grown up small trellises or other vertical structures.

For items that mature quickly, start more seed before the crop matures. This will ensure a consistent supply of produce.

Practice the cut-and-come-again method. This works great on lettuces and other greens. Cut off leaves and allow the plant to produce more.

With a few adjustments and good planning. your small space raised bed can produce plenty of fresh food.

A backyard wellness garden is a healthy area to relax and reduce the stress of daily life. It's a place to smell fragrant flowers and plants, roll out a yoga mat or grow organic vegetables. Sometimes referred to as a therapeutic or healing garden, this type of peaceful backyard garden provides both mental and physical benefits. 

Grow Your Own Wellness Garden

Anyone with a little outdoor space can create their own therapeutic garden. The first step is designing your garden to suit your health needs. Here are few ideas to get you started:

• Aromatherapy Garden– Feeling tense? Can't sleep? Fill your peaceful backyard garden with scented plants to help relieve anxiety, manage pain and improve sleep. Choose wellness garden plants like chamomile, lavender, and rosemary. Surround a lounge chair with these aromatic herbs all summer and harvest the leaves and flowers for indoor aromatherapy sessions during the winter.
• Healthy Eats Garden – Looking to improve your diet? Use your backyard wellness garden to organically grow your favorite or hard-to-find fruits and veggies. Cultivate white asparagus, Belgian endive and black raspberries or create your own blend of homegrown herbal tea. Include an outdoor dining set in your design plan for a convenient place to take meals or enjoy refreshing beverages.
• Outdoor Exercise space – Are you bored with your exercise routine? Fresh air and sunshine can brighten the mood and revitalize any workout session. A peaceful backyard garden is the perfect spot for yoga, aerobics or a brisk ride on a stationary bike. Grow your own wellness-garden privacy hedge with boxwood, forsythia or lilac.
• After-Hours Retreat – Are you a busy parent who can't catch a break until the kids are in bed? Plant a moon garden, hang string lights or create a solar-light path through your backyard wellness garden. Then escape for a little R&R while keeping the baby monitor close at hand.
• Disconnect, Then Reconnect – Are your electronic devices messing with your internal clock? Put down your laptop, tablet or phone and grow your own wellness garden for butterflies and songbirds. Reconnect with nature by including wellness garden plants like milkweed, trumpet vine and coneflowers.

Tips for Creating a Peaceful Backyard Garden

Once you've decided to grow your own wellness garden, it's time to implement your plan. Consider these points when creating a healing garden design:

• Go chemical-free – Choosing organic methods for gardening reduces exposure to pesticides and herbicides, both of which have been shown to cause health issues.
• Water conservation – Protect this valuable and life-sustaining resource by installing a drip irrigation system, only watering when needed or planting drought-tolerant plants. .
• Manageable – Select low maintenance plants so you can spend more time enjoying the backyard wellness garden rather than working in it.
• Safety – Smooth walkways and lighted nighttime paths reduce the chance for falls and injuries.

You don't need a large space to create a beautiful outdoor living area. Designing a cozy balcony is a great way of utilizing tiny spaces and enjoying the outdoors. What to do with balcony space? The only limit is size. You can still have plants in vertical arrangements, and develop a balcony outdoor seating area. Keep reading for some ideas on making a small balcony outdoor space your own. 

Balcony living space can contribute to a relaxing home life. Envisioning your space starts with outlining your goals. Do you simply want a quiet balcony outdoor seating area, or do your aims include growing your own food, or decorating with plants? Once you realize what objectives your space can attain, it's time to start planning. 

What to Do With Balcony Space

By all means, utilize your outdoor areas. If all you have is a postage stamp sized step out, you can still decorate with lighting, hanging plants, and maybe even some fold up chairs to use when viewing the sunset. Putting your style on display, think about the things you like and make you feel at home. Even if the space is only large enough to store your bike, you can still pretty it up with over the rail containers filled to the brim with colorful flowers, edible greens, or freshly grown herbs. If you get good sunlight, consider adding solar touches such as bubbler fountains. You can also enjoy wildlife on a cozy balcony. Attract wild birds with feeders and hang a hummingbird feeder. 

Ideas on a Balcony Outdoor Seating Area

There are tons of items available for purchase to make a living space on a balcony. You can even DIY small benches with storage, tables, and other furniture. Hammocks or ceiling hung swings can leave room for side tables, plants, and other decor. Give yourself some privacy with vines, wicker screens, or curtains. They will give some shade while preventing prying eyes investigating your small balcony living space. Hang colorful prints, masks, garden art, and plants to bring your personality into the area. Bring the cozy in with seating cushions, outdoor rugs, and throw pillows. 

Other Balcony Living Space Touches

If you just want to grow, the sky's the limit, literally. Use vertical planters to maximize space. Grow vines up trellises or lines affixed to the ceiling. Make a wall planter with landscape planter fabric pockets, chicken wire forms, hanging pots, painted or natural wood, or hanging wooden crates. You can even get funky by painting metal cans (just remember to drill drainage holes in the bottom). Choose plants that do well in containers such as succulents, herbs, and annuals. 

Move your houseplants outside in warm weather to add an exotic touch. Vertical trellises can help you grow things like tomato vines, peas and beans, cucumbers, and more. Enjoy your home grown food on the balcony with a little table and chair set up. 

There is little doubt that working in the garden is an excellent source of exercise, no matter your age or skill level. But, what if it could also serve as a garden gym? Though the concept may sound somewhat odd, many homeowners have started to explore the option of creating an outdoor workout space in their backyards. 

Whatever the reason, the decision to make a “fitness garden” will require thought and planning in order to be implemented successfully. Before starting your own garden gym, there are several considerations to take into account to determine whether or not this concept is the right fit for your yard. 

What is a Fitness Garden?

While the concept of a gym in the garden may seem far-fetched to some, there are actually quite a few valid reasons that many grow to consider it. Foremost, the decision to make a fitness garden allows for the optimization of space. This is especially helpful for those who live in smaller homes. Creating an outdoor workout space will look dramatically different from one person to the next. However, the ability to personalize garden gyms to suit your own specific needs is one of major reasons that exercise enthusiasts cite for beginning the building process. 

A Gym in the Garden

Before starting to make a fitness garden, designers will need to determine if the “gym” will be completely outdoors and exposed to weather (without any type of structure), or if it will be contained by a small shed or other building. Regardless of the gym type, weatherproofing the materials used will be absolutely essential. These requirements will contribute to safe use of equipment, as well as longevity of the project. 

Creating a gym in the garden may also be difficult due to considerations concerning the location. Elevation, climate, and even structural stability will all need to be accounted for before any construction begins. This is especially true if you plan on the use of heavy weights, barbells, or exercise machines. While natural air flow may be sufficient in some regions, others may need to plan for air conditioning units to cool the space for optimal comfort. 

A Great Workout Environment

Regardless of the type of outdoor workout space constructed, the finished project is sure to offer convenience for those who plan to exercise on a regular basis. Making use of backyard spaces by creating a gym in the garden seems to be an ideal solution for working out without the stress of leaving home.