Organic Gardening News

Some garden plants earn their space in beds and borders twice: first with a showy display of flowers and later, once the flowers have faded, with structural elements that lend a little extra something to look at in fall and winter. These include seedheads, tall stems, interesting foliage, or even winter color.

Many gardens lose visual interest once the blooms are done, but structural plants continue to shine even in fall and winter. When choosing plants for your garden, consider what they’ll look like after the flowers are done. Look for plants, like some of our favorites below, that both bloom and have interesting structure after flowering. For best results, make sure your choices are suited to your USDA zone, soil type, and sun exposure.

1. Sedum

(Image credit: schnuddel/Getty Images)

• Botanical name: Hylotelephium and Sedum
• USDA zones: 3–9
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, on the dry side
• Best for: Rust-red and bronze dried flower heads

Sedum, or stonecrop, is a big family of succulent plants that flower in late summer and fall. They bloom with very small flowers clustered in large, flat-topped heads. Sedum grows best in full sun and well-drained soil that stays mostly dry. While stonecrop flowers are attractive and great for pollinators during the growing season, the plants have more to offer.

In fall, the flower clusters on many sedum varieties change color and dry in place in attractive rust-red, copper, or bronze shades perfect for the season. Additionally, the fleshy leaves provide ongoing visual interest, so resist cutting this pretty perennial back in the autumn. Let it shine, even in winter, as snow collects on its dried blooms.

For a standout variety, try Autumn Joy sedum, pictured above and currently on sale at Trees.com. Its large flower heads open pink in late summer before deepening to coppery-red and eventually drying to brown for winter interest. For something different, Back in Black sedum, available from Plant Addicts, pairs near-black foliage with pale flowers and persistent seedheads, while Mr. Goodbud, available from Nature Hills, has huge, richly colored flower heads on sturdy reddish stems.

2. Coneflower

(Image credit: Katarzyna Derbich / Shutterstock)

• Botanical name: Echinacea
• USDA zones: 3–9
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained
• Best for: Sculptural seedheads that feed birds

Always popular in gardens for its tall, elegant stalks and striking summer blooms, coneflower is a native plant that supports pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. It’s a great addition to beds and naturalized areas where it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.

Don’t be quick to cut back the stems after coneflowers have faded. They’re about to put on the second act of their show. The cone-shaped seedheads remain atop the tall stems, feeding birds and also providing striking structural interest in beds. These act like winter yard sculptures, so leave them in place until warmer weather returns.

For the classic look pictured above, try purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), available from Walmart, with its familiar pink-purple petals and prominent orange-brown cones. For more color, Cheyenne Spirit coneflower, available from Garden Goods Direct, produces flowers in a vibrant mix of red, orange, yellow, cream, and purple. If you want to grow a larger drift economically, this coneflower seed mixed color pack from Sow Right Seeds on Amazon is an easy way to get plants started.

3. Sea Holly

(Image credit: Alexmak72427 / Getty Images)

• Botanical name: Eryngium
• USDA zones: 5–9
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Dry, well-drained, even sandy
• Best for: Spiky, sculptural dried flower heads

Sea holly is a unique non-native perennial that grows well in zones 5 through 9 in full sun and well-drained, even sandy soil. It blooms in summer and fall with silvery blue, thistle-like flowers. These flowers, as well as their bracts, dry prettily in place once the growing season is over, leaving behind sculptural flower heads atop stiff, structural stems.

For particularly vivid color, try Big Blue sea holly, available from Plant Addicts, with large, intensely blue flower heads and matching spiky bracts. Another striking option is Blue Glitter, available from Walmart, which produces masses of smaller steel-blue blooms on branching stems and is especially good for cutting and drying.

4. Ornamental Alliums

(Image credit: Joe Kuis / Shutterstock)

• Botanical name: Allium
• USDA zones: 4–9, depending on variety
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained
• Best for: Striking spherical seedheads

These ornamental relatives of culinary onions are favorites in garden beds for their unique, spherical flower heads that tower over other flowers. They’re also easy to grow, requiring only full sun and a spot with soil that drains well. Once established, they don’t need a lot of water to thrive.

Alliums bloom in spring and early summer, but don’t cut them down when they’re done flowering. The spherical seedheads will remain in place, providing an interesting sculptural element to your bed. They look good long after the flowers have faded and can even last into winter if the stems remain upright and in good condition.

For a dramatic display, try the pictured Gladiator allium, available from Walmart, with huge purple globes held high on sturdy stems and attractive dried heads after flowering. For something a little different, Bobblehead allium, available from Plant Addicts, produces pale lilac globes followed by perfectly spherical seedheads, while drumstick allium (Allium sphaerocephalon), available from Burpee has smaller burgundy-purple flower heads that bring a more delicate, naturalistic effect to borders.

5. Jerusalem Sage

(Image credit: Alamy)

• Botanical name: Phlomis
• USDA zones: 5–10
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Dry, well-drained
• Best for: Architectural, pom-pom-like seedheads

Jerusalem sage – often known as Turkish sage or its botanical name phlomis – is a small shrub native to the dry climate of the Mediterranean. In zones 5 to 7, it is deciduous but evergreen in zones 8 through 10. Give it a sunny spot with dry soil, and it will thrive and bloom with yellow flowers in summer.

Phlomis offers a dramatic architectural and visual effect in fall and winter if you leave the seedheads in place. The flowers grow on tall spikes, and when they fade and set seed, you’re left with interesting pom-pom-like structures that look like beautiful yard art. Even without evergreen foliage, the dried stems also add to the visual appeal of this unique plant.

For a particularly architectural choice, try Phlomis russeliana, available from US Perennials. Its pale yellow flowers appear in distinctive tiers up sturdy stems, leaving behind sculptural seedheads that can provide interest well into winter.

6. Astilbe

(Image credit: Chamomile_Olya / Shutterstock)

• Botanical name: Astilbe
• USDA zones: 3–9
• Light: Partial shade
• Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained
• Best for: Feathery dried plumes in tan and bronze

Astilbe is a small, shade-tolerant perennial with feathery plumes of summer flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, and red. Partial shade is ideal for astilbe, but it will tolerate full shade or even more sun. The soil should be rich and moist.

The pretty flowers will have faded by late summer, but leave them on the plants. They retain their feathery shape and texture as they dry to muted tan and bronze colors, bringing visual interest and lightness to shady beds and borders.

For a similar frothy pink display to the picture above, try Younique Silvery Pink astilbe, available from Plant Addicts, which produces masses of soft, feathery pink plumes. For something more dramatic, Dark Side of the Moon, also from Plant Addicts, pairs rosy-purple flowers with striking chocolate-brown foliage, while Fanal, also at Plant Addicts is a compact choice with rich red plumes. Leave the faded flower heads standing to provide texture and interest later in the year.

7. Ornamental Grasses

(Image credit: Inna Reznik / Shutterstock)

• Botanical name: Varies by species
• Light: Usually full sun, with a few exceptions
• Soil: Varies; most prefer well-drained soil
• Best for: Airy seedheads, texture, and winter movement

You can hardly go wrong with any type of ornamental grass for visual interest at any time of year. These grasses grow in clumps, some strictly upright, others with an arching shape. Some grow several feet tall, while others grow much shorter, giving you options for beds, borders, privacy screens, and even containers.

Grasses aren’t known for their flowers, although they do bloom with feathery flower heads in summer. In fall and winter, the blades, airy seedheads, and movement in the wind all offer great visual appeal. As long as they remain upright and in good condition, leave your ornamental grasses in place and wait to trim them next spring.

For some of the best varieties, try pink muhly grass, pictured above and currently on sale at Trees.com, which produces clouds of pink flowers in fall before fading to soft tan. Little bluestem adds coppery fall color and fluffy silver seedheads – in particular, Standing Ovation little bluestem, available from Plant Addicts, is prized for its strong, upright habit. ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass, available in a three-pack from Walmart, is a great choice for tall, upright structure that lasts well into winter. For a shadier spot, try All Gold Japanese forest grass, available from Plant Addicts, which brings graceful, arching foliage and bright golden color to beds that receive less sun.

Shop Structural Beauties

Plants That Work Mr. Goodbud Sedum

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

CZ Grain Blue Glitter Sea Holly – 3 Plugs

Mappe Garden Gladiator Allium Bulbs – 5 Pack

Younique Silvery Pink Astilbe

Proven Selections All Gold Japanese Forest Grass

Take inspiration from this list and find plants that work for your garden and that provide more than just summer flowers. Consider how any plant will look after its colorful blooms fade to get more year-round visual interest.

For the best results when planning a garden that goes beyond the standard growing season, consider diversity. Use a mix of textures, like a combination of airy ornamental grasses with spiky sea holly. Create layers with short, medium, and tall plants. And don’t forget containers. They can also add to the fall and winter landscape with versatile, interesting plants. Choosing plants based on their entire life cycle creates a garden that remains interesting long after the blooms peak.

The world’s largest human composting facility just opened for business in Maryland, offering organic reduction as an alternative to traditional burial and cremation. Capable of composting 2,000 humans a year, Earth Funeral’s new 37,000 square foot facility has 126 individual vessels where bodies are turned into soil. A body yields around 250-300 pounds of nutrient-rich soil – that’s around 7 regular retail sacks of compost – and personal testimonies on Earth Funeral's website show the many ways gardeners are using the nutrient-rich soil to remember their loved ones.

Dianne Stanciel from New Jersey added some soil from her husband, Kenneth, to a houseplant – ironically, a struggling houseplant Kenneth hadn’t liked – that’s now thriving. In Washington, Emily spread some of the soil composted from her husband of 53 years, Wayne, on the circle garden of azaleas and wild strawberries they’d created together. Kimberly has signed up for a prepaid plan and given her husband instructions to use her soil among the camellias, lemon trees and Japanese maples growing in the yard she’s nurtured for the past 18 years.

And it begs the question, would you like to be part of your garden forever?

(Image credit: Earth Funeral)How Are Humans Composted?

In the new Maryland facility, the body is wrapped in a biodegradable shroud and laid along with wildflowers on natural mulch and wood chips in a sealed stainless steel vessel (pictured below). With levels of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and water balanced to create ideal conditions for naturally-occuring microbes to break the organic material down on a molecular level, the mix is composted into soil over 30-45 days. Temperatures reach over 130°F, killing any harmful pathogens, and the soil is independently tested to make sure it’s safe for plants and animals as well as humans.

(Image credit: Earth Funeral)

The compost retains 90% of the body's nutrients, forming an enriched soil full of the components gardeners will recognise from any fertilizer sack. Nitrogen from body proteins fuels leafy growth and supports photosynthesis; phosphorous from bones and DNA promotes root development, flowering and fruiting; and potassium from cellular fluids increases drought resilience. Plant and soil structure is enhanced with calcium from bones, and trace minerals support key plant functions such as chlorophyll formation.

Families can choose the volume of nutrient-rich soil they wish to keep, and the remainder is donated for use in a local conservation project.

Is Human Composting Legal?

It’s probably best to mention that human composting is only legal if done through a licensed premises, but even then, it’s only legal in 14 states. However, transferring bodies interstate by air or ground transport to these states for human composting is permitted across all 50 states, as long as it’s done by licensed professionals and a transit permit is obtained. It’s also legal for the soil to be shipped back to you, making this service available nationwide.

Can Human Compost be Used in the Garden?

Soil created from human remains looks no different from regular garden compost. It's full of nutrients, so rather than using it as a standalone potting soil, think of it as a soil improver. Mix it at a ratio of 10-20% into garden soil or with container potting soil, or use it as a nutritious mulch.

(Image credit: Earth Funeral)

As long as a body is legally composted, and the resulting compost safety-tested, soil created through a terramation process can be used in gardens in many states, but local restrictions vary. While it's prohibited to use human-composted soil to grow crops in some states, most allow the entire volume of soil to be taken home for personal use, whether that’s in a flower bed or to plant a memorial garden or tree. Do check what your locality allows, as even states where human composting has been legalized can have very particular exemptions. For example, in New York soil can only be used in dedicated cemetery grounds or conservation sites.

Selling the soil, using it in a commercial venture or spreading it on public land or someone else’s property without permission from the landowner is banned in most states.

(Image credit: Earth Funeral)The Rise of Human Composting

The USA is pioneering the process of soil transformation, also known as terramation and natural organic reduction, which first became legal in Washington in May 2020. Elsewhere in the world, a small pilot project is underway in Germany, human composting by freeze-drying is legal (though not operational) in Sweden, and terramation is under consideration in UK and Australia. With human composting now legal in 14 American states, the US is the only country to offer this end of life option on a widespread basis.

As the first state to legalize human composting, most operations are based in Washington. Earth Funeral opened its first facility here in 2020, and other end-of-life organic reduction companies that operate nationally from Washington state include Return Home in Auburn and Recompose in Seattle. While Earth Funeral’s second site in Nevada also served the West, its new East Coast hub (pictured below) in Elkridge, Maryland, marks clear confidence in the trend for human composting.

(Image credit: Earth Funeral)

This East Coast facility is by far the largest of its kind in the world, showing that human composting is now moving beyond a niche concept to become an increasingly popular alternative to burial, green burial or cremation.

How Do You Feel About Being Composted?

Sustainability is a strong factor driving the human composting trend. Burial can leach chemical embalming fluids into the ground, while cremation has high energy needs. Earth Funeral cites that its human composting process has a net CO2 emission of zero, compared to a typical cremation rating of 535 pounds.

With prices starting from around $6,000, the cost is comparable to that of a burial, green burial or cremation, too. But perhaps the real driver of end of life composting is its personal nature. Depending on your state rules, human composting allows you to return as soil to your yard, or to the gardens of your loved ones – perhaps as part of a legacy garden or used to plant a remembrance tree – or physically contribute to a conservation effort.

(Image credit: Getty Images)Roses to Remember

Roses grow so well in nutrient-rich soil and make an enduring tribute to a lost loved one.

Bring Me Sunshine

Yellow is symbolic of happy times and this reflowering English shrub rose has wonderfully fragrant blooms. Grows 4’ high and wide, zones 5-11.

Crazy Love Sunbelt

With petals that turn from copper and gold to soft peach and pink, this unique rebloomer is one of a kind. Grows 5’ high and 3’ wide, zones 5-9.

Dancing in the Dark

Red symbolizes deep love and remembrance, and this bewitching beauty blooms from spring till fall. Grows 4’ high and 3’ wide, zones 5-9.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

I love my in-laws. Really, I do. But when you share a boundary, there's something to be said for a little greenery between you, and that's where my blue passionflower (Passiflora caerulea) comes in.

Every year it races across my fence, covering it in lush foliage and extraordinary blue-and-white flowers, turning what was once an ordinary boundary into a living privacy screen. And when I say it's fast, I mean it is fast. Give it something to climb and it gets to work, scrambling up fences and trellises with startling levels of enthusiasm.

Every spring and summer, mine bursts back into life, quickly transforming a very visible fence into a lush green wall. Which, considering my brother-in-law and his girlfriend live on the other side, is no small thing. Honestly, I genuinely love having them next door... but I also love the fact that this clever passionflower makes it so I no longer feel like we're sharing quite the same garden.

And that's not all, folks!

Why I Let My Passionflower Take Over My Fence Every Summer

Yes, there's another reason I love my passionflower: it is tough. Mine has sailed through heat and drought, carrying on growing while other plants have looked decidedly sorry for themselves. It's deciduous, so it disappears over winter, but every spring it comes roaring back as though nothing happened, ready to cover the fence all over again.

Then there are the fruits! Those bright orange fruits that appear after flowering are another reason I love having the birth month vine for September babies around – and, yes, they're edible when fully ripe (although they're unlikely to become the stars of your fruit bowl).

Shop Passionflower Essentials:

Urban Meadow Nursery Passiflora Incarnata Maypop Live Plant, Purple Passionflower Plant, Well Rooted 4 to 6 Inc Tall for Home Garden

First on the list of passionflower essentials? The plant itself, of course, and this live plant is a great way to do it!

GIVE SUPPORT

Expandable Garden Trellis

This expandable trellis can fit almost any space and gives your climbers an excellent support to climb up.

A HELPING HAND

Plant Support Clips

Plant support clips are incredibly helpful in training your passionfruit vine to continue growing up.

My toddler, of course, has developed her own relationship with them. Every time the fruit appears at exactly her height, she methodically squishes every single one she can reach into garden mush.

Honestly, though, it's hard to complain. The passionflower provides the privacy, the bees get the flowers, she gets an extremely satisfying sensory activity, and I get to enjoy one of the hardest-working plants in my garden. Everyone's a winner!

(Image credit: Kayleigh Dray/Future PLC)

Of course, the passionflower is is a vigorous vine, so it needs something sturdy to climb and the occasional prune if you don't want it wandering absolutely everywhere. Still, though, that's a small price to pay for all the benefits it promises, and that's the magic of it. It isn't just a pretty climber or ; it's a fast-growing privacy screen, a pollinator magnet, an occasional source of edible fruit and a remarkably tough survivor – all wrapped up in one gloriously unruly vine.

And if it happens to blur the boundary between us just enough to make the garden feel a little more peaceful? Well, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Summer is a beautiful time of the year but it's an incredibly tough season for your lawn. From sunny weather drying out the blades to increased foot traffic stamping your grass down more than usual, it has to withstand a lot of wear and tear.

Now fall is only around the corner (somehow!), it's a good time to begin thinking about how to assist your grass in its recovery. Not only will this help your lawn to look better, but it'll help it survive the cooling temperatures as the end of the year rolls in.

I asked an assortment of lawn and soil experts for their top product recommendations for fixing frazzled grass so you have an easy go-to guide to get the job done. Rest assured your grass will more than likely be able to U-turn with ease.

The Most Common Reasons for Frazzled Grass in Summer

These are the most common reasons grass suffers in the summer. It's important to consider which of these may apply to your lawn so you know what problems you're trying to remedy:

• Drought stress and/or underwatering
• Heat stress
• Diseases from increased humidity levels
• Over-mowing
• Soil compaction from increased foot traffic
• Lack of airflow
• More pests

Product Recommendations From the Pros

Spear & Jackson Traditional Stainless Steel Digging Fork

Angelika Zaber, a lawn care specialist and gardening specialist at Online Turf chatted to me about the importance of aerating a lawn after heavy foot traffic and recommended the Spear & Jackson Digging Fork for the job.

She explained: "The increased foot traffic that summer brings can cause soil compaction, making it harder for grass to get the oxygen, water, and nutrients that it needs. Hard ground can also create a physical barrier for the roots, blocking them from spreading."

This product works to loosen up soil by being repeatedly stabbed into your lawn's soil, helping your frazzled grass to better be able to breathe.

The Spear & Jackson Digging Fork is a great buy too for its versatility. When it's not needed for aerating you can also use it for turning over soil or breaking up compacted ground.

Core Aerator Lawn Tool With Non-Clogging Hollow Tine

If your grass is incredibly frazzled, Angelika recommends opting for a plug lawn aerator like this Ergonomic Core Aerator Tool as an alternative to a classic model that simply pushes into the soil.

This tool makes larger holes in the soil by removing plugs of soil, allowing water and nutrients to better penetrate the soil and reach the roots of your frazzled grass.

Angelika elaborated: "Plug aeration uses hollow tubes to remove small plugs of soil. These can then be left on the lawn to break down and act as a natural fertilizer, giving your lawn a little nutrient boost.

"Because the holes created are bigger, it allows water, oxygen, and nutrients reach deeper into the ground. This method is best for heavily compacted soil."

Dr.meter Soil Moisture Meter

Summer sun and heat dry out your yard's soil fast, resulting in browning or yellowing grass. Using a soil moisture meter like the Dr.meter model will help you to be able to gauge when your grass could use a good drink.

As Angelika notes: "Hot temperatures and longer days also mean that water is evaporating much quicker from the soil, causing your lawn to dry out more easily. Some of the signs that your lawn is struggling include grass turning yellow or brown, slow growth, and feeling dry and brittle underfoot."

It's best to place your moisture meter somewhere central if your yard isn't shaded, or to purchase two so one can be placed in the sun and another in the shade if your yard receives differing levels of sunlight.

Scotts Turf Builder Rapid Grass Sun & Shade Mix

Frazzled grass needs to be remedied from the source: the soil it's in. Therefore a quality lawn fertilizer will do just the trick when it comes to revamping your grass and its lease of life, making it grow back more lush as well as stronger to fend itself from diseases and pests.

As Ramy Colfer Ph.D, Vice President of Research & Development and Agronomy at True Organic Products, Inc., explains: "The healthiest lawns aren't created by forcing rapid green growth, they're built by improving the soil. Organic lawn fertilizers feed the biology beneath your feet, helping develop stronger roots, better drought tolerance, and healthier turf that naturally performs better throughout the season."

The Scott's Turf Sun and Shade Mix is a great option if you're looking to fertilize and overseed your lawn at the same time, as the bag contains a mixture of nutrient-rich fertilizer and grass seed.

Though Ramy swears by the True Organic Lawn food in Liquid Form and Granular Form for de-frazzling your grass. Both are designed to nourish the soil while providing balanced nutrition for thicker, greener, more resilient lawns.

Uptthow Grass Gauge Tool

A common reason why grass becomes frazzled in the summer is because it's mowed all the time. As a result, the roots of the grass become more shallow, pulled up closer to the surface of the soil from repeated exposure to lawn mower blades.

Ramy also adds: ""Scalping" the lawn is one of the fastest ways to stress turf during summer. Short grass exposes the soil to more sunlight, causing moisture to evaporate faster while allowing weeds to gain a foothold."

Using a grass gauge like this one from Amazon can help to hold you accountable before you decide it's time to give the grass another chop. Simply insert it somewhere into your yard's soil and the gauge will tell you when your grass is getting on the longer side.

We have all heard the old saying “good fences make good neighbors,” but lawyers still get asked a lot of questions about the legality of fencing. A “good” fence is one that both neighbors agree is beneficial, but problems arise when opinions differ.

When one neighbor’s fence ideas differ from the preferences of the person living next door, the question a lawyer hears is usually: Is it legal? Unfortunately, this is usually hashed out after the fact, when the controversial fence is already standing. If you are considering screening your yard with a privacy fence, it’s important to know the laws first, including height and setback requirements, as well as the “spite fence” concept that can transform a fence into a private nuisance.

I tackle this question (and others in my Gardening Lawyer series) by drawing on my experience as both a gardener and former attorney.

The Problem with Fences

The first fences were built some 7,000 years ago as humans abandoned the nomadic life and settled into fixed farming communities. Fences were useful for keeping domesticated livestock in and wild animals out. Today, fences in urban areas are not often related to livestock or crops.

Fencing has become a way of defining property ownership and creating privacy and security. And the areas fenced today are often postage-stamp-size city lots rather than untold acres of ranchland. That means that fencing can and does have a direct impact on neighbors. A tall, solid fence can cut off a view and reduce sunshine to an adjoining property, as well as make both parcels look smaller.

It’s perhaps no surprise that property boundaries are a common source of disputes: in a FindLaw survey, 17 percent of Americans who reported a neighbor dispute said it involved a property boundary.

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)What Does the Law Allow?

One of the reasons that fence issues cause disputes is that there are many levels of regulation – including state laws, city codes, and even HOA or subdivision rules. And laws vary from state to state and even from one urban area to another. That makes it difficult to figure out what law applies.

But it’s critical to know the laws that apply to the installation of a new fence and whether a permit is required. Ask at the local building department to get started. Or contact a local attorney.

Is It a Spite Fence?

Have you heard of a spite fence? It’s not a term that comes up frequently in conversation, but it is still a concept in the law. A spite fence is a fence built by one homeowner – not for any beneficial use, but simply to annoy or harass a neighbor. The fence might be excessively tall or unsightly, but the element that makes it a spite fence is the malicious intent behind it.

How does a spite fence anger a neighbor?

• It might be so tall that it reduces the light to the neighboring property. (Some states have laws that define a spite fence as a structure exceeding a certain height – 10 feet in California, for example – that lacks a proper purpose.)
• The side of the fence facing the neighbor might be so ugly that it ruins the peace and beauty of the neighbor’s backyard.
• The fence might be placed in a way that blocks the neighbor’s view.
• The fence might be tall enough to cut off light and air from the neighbor’s yard.

Courts will consider the effect the fence has on the neighbor’s property and will also look at whether it provides a benefit to the person who built it. Another factor courts consider is the timing of the fence. If the neighbors had a dispute about something, and the next day the fence was constructed, it could give the impression that the fence was built for malicious purposes.

If a fence appears to be constructed to annoy a neighbor, that neighbor can take legal action. They can ask the court to declare the fence a private nuisance, order it to be removed or shortened, and award damages for loss of enjoyment of the property. This is not a pleasant event for anyone, so those constructing fences should take every step possible to avoid a spite-fence lawsuit.

(Image credit: Elenaleonova / Getty Images)Tips for Avoiding a Fence Problem

• Think long and hard before making a decision to build a fence. Keep a notebook of what you’re thinking about, whether it is a safety issue, a way to keep your dogs from wandering, or a question of privacy around your swimming pool. Consider alternatives.
• Find out what rules and regulations your state, city, and subdivision have in place that apply to fence construction.
• Talk to a contractor to get their thoughts on the height required for your purposes (and allowed in your region) as well as the different types of fencing that might meet your needs. It’s also worth measuring the proposed fence line carefully; a 100-foot-long measuring tape, like this Amazon Basics tape, will make it easier to calculate the length of fencing required and map out where it will sit.
• Talk to your neighbors and share the reasons you want to put in a fence. Don’t ask for their permission, but ask for their understanding. Tell them your thoughts about how high you need the fence to be and the material you plan to use, and get their thoughts. Share the sketch of what it will look like.
• Listen to any concerns they express and determine – with your contractor – whether you can accommodate any of them while still accomplishing your purpose.
• Get a permit, if required.
• Give the neighbor a heads-up a few days before construction begins.

Remember, good fences might not make good neighbors, but good neighbors should only make good fences. Do your best to accommodate your neighbor and include them in the discussions, and you’ll reduce the risk of ending up in a “spite fence” dispute.

More from the Gardening Lawyer

• Can You Cut Your Neighbor’s Tree If It Hangs Over Your Yard?
• Can an HOA Fine You For Weeds in Your Yard?
• If Your Tree Falls Into a Neighbor’s Yard, Who Pays for the Damage?
• Can You Take Garden Plants With You When You Move House?
• Is Your Neighbor's Tree Blocking the Sunlight in Your Yard? Here’s What You Can (and Can’t) Do About It

As your summer annuals fade and you start to cut back perennials, tough weeds will take the opportunity to fill in the gaps left behind. What you need is to fill those spaces with something even tougher.

Ground covers are low-growing plants that will fill empty areas with attractive foliage. They’ll shade the ground and compete with weeds. August is a good time to start planting ground covers, as they have time to establish roots before winter. Make sure you water them well to speed this process along and ensure success.

These are some of the best ground cover plants to prevent weeds now and that you can enjoy next year, too.

1. Creeping Phlox

(Image credit: bazilfoto / Getty Images)

Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a low, mat-forming perennial that creates a dense carpet of evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage. While prized for its abundant and colorful spring flowers, creeping phlox is also attractive long after the blooms fade.

The dense growth of this phlox does a good job of shading out weeds. The evergreen leaves continue to do the job into fall and provide some winter color. Plant creeping phlox in a sunny spot in well-drained soil and allow space between plants to allow them to grow and spread.

For an elegant twist, try this white creeping phlox called 'Amazing Grace' from American Meadows.

2. Creeping Thyme

(Image credit: Laszlo Podor / Getty Images)

Another great creeping plant for this job is creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum). This is a very tough perennial that grows well even in poor conditions, making it an excellent competitor for weeds. There are bonuses too: an attractive aroma, evergreen foliage, and pretty little summer flowers. This thyme is also deer-resistant and can take some foot traffic.

Creeping thyme is very easy to grow and spreads readily. It needs a sunny location and soil that drains very well. It can even grow in rocky or sandy soil and has excellent drought tolerance. Plant creeping thyme in rock gardens, around pavers, and along pathway borders.

Late summer to early fall is the perfect time to sow creeping thyme seeds, which you can get in bulk on Amazon, to fill in large areas of your landscape with this fragrant ground cover.

3. Bugleweed

(Image credit: Katerynap / Getty Images)

Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) grows low to the ground and spreads rapidly by runners. It grows very vigorously and is good at outcompeting weeds. This means it can also be a nuisance, so grow bugleweed in areas where aggressive spread won’t cause issues or keep an eye on runners. Pull up unwanted runners as needed during the growing season.

Bugleweed has glossy green leaves that are evergreen or semi-evergreen and spikes of purple flowers that bloom in summer. Grow this ground cover in full sun or partial shade, depending on the type. Plant in well-drained soil, but water regularly all fall to get bugleweed established.

'Burgundy Glow' bugleweed from Home Depot is a lovely option for the fall garden with its reddish foliage.

4. Creeping Jenny

(Image credit: HHelene / Getty Images)

Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) is similar to bugleweed in that it is easy to grow but can be a rapidly spreading nuisance if you’re not careful. However, its rapid, creeping growth is a great way to manage weeds in tricky areas. Also known as moneywort, the leaves are bright and round, resembling coins. Small yellow flowers bloom for a short period in summer.

Creeping Jenny can grow in full sun or partial shade. It prefers soil that stays consistently moist, so it’s a good option for wetter areas where other ground covers might struggle. Water well after planting creeping Jenny and manage its spread by redirecting or removing stems that get into areas you don’t want them.

You can get a 4-pack of creeping Jenny plants from the Home Depot to fill in large garden beds fast.

5. Wild Ginger

(Image credit: Alamy)

Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a good choice if you prefer to plant native species. This is a woodland perennial native to the eastern U.S. Don’t let the name fool you, though. This is not culinary ginger. It’s a low-growing herbaceous plant with kidney-shaped leaves that are naturally dark green. You can also find cultivars with different colors.

This is an excellent native ground cover option for managing weeds in shady areas. Grow wild ginger under trees or in shady beds where the soil is rich and moist but also drains well. Make sure it gets enough water after planting and well into the fall before it goes dormant.

Wild ginger plants can be a bit difficult to find in stores, but you can buy bare root plants on Etsy from Cane Creek Meadows.

6. Bunchberry

(Image credit: shakzu / Getty Images)

Another native option is bunchberry (Cornus canadensis). It is a woodland plant, so it is also another choice for shady areas. It’s also good for northern gardeners, as it is hardy to zone 3. The leaves create a broad canopy that shades the ground very well, keeping weeds down.

In addition to the green leaves that turn shades of red and purple in fall, bunchberry blooms with striking white bracts in spring and develops bunches of bright red berries later in the season.

Bunchberry needs a cool spot in shade or partial shade with soil that will stay consistently moist. Water the plants regularly this season to help them get established. This is especially important in the late summer heat.

You can find bunchberry plants for sale online from White Flower Farm.

Whatever you do, don’t leave your beds wide open this fall. They’ll be vulnerable to weeds that are tough to dig out later. A pretty ground cover won’t totally solve the problem, but it will reduce it. So give your new plants the right start with a weed-free bed, plenty of water to get established, and a layer of mulch.

• RATING: Easy
• TIME: 10 minutes
• REWARD: Bigger, better rose blooms next year

When a rose is under stress, it often produces suckers that steal food and water from your plant, resulting in fewer, smaller flowers next year. August is a prime time for rose suckers to form, and you can bet your bottom dollar that after this hot, dry El Niño summer, your rose plants are feeling pretty stressed right now. So, the chances of them growing some pesky rogue suckers? Sky high.

The problem with rose suckers is that they grow from a part of the plant that can produce very vigorous growth, so if you leave them to grow they can quickly take over, starving the flowering stems. But it’s an easy 10-minute job to remove rose suckers, even if you’re a beginner gardener, and then your plant can direct all its energy into growing the stems that will support next year’s flowers instead.

Ready for this important element of August rose care? Here’s exactly how to prune rose suckers.

Why Rose Suckers are a Problem

Most modern roses are a result of grafting (fusing) a rose variety with the desired flowers onto the root system of a different, far more enthusiastic rose variety. So, the top of the plant is one rose variety, and the bottom is another variety. This achieves the happy combination of beauty and strength and a plant that produces exquisite blooms month after month and survives winter unscathed.

However, the problem with stress-induced rose suckers is that they emerge from the other rose variety that has its roots sunk into the ground. That means the suckers are vigorous and grow quickly, using up a lot of energy and overtaking the main stems. Leave them be and they will flower – but you won’t get blooms like those on the main plant, but flowers from the other variety. Because this rootstock variety has been chosen for its vigor and not its ornamental value, these will likely be small, single-petaled flowers in a pale pink, white or plain red.

Those suckers can be so boisterous that they can starve the main plant entirely – and that's why getting rid of suckers is such an important part of summer rose care.

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)How to Get Rid of Rose Suckers in August1. Find the Knobble on the Main Stem

(Image credit: Getty Images)

All grafted roses have a thick, swollen section low down on the main stem, right at the base. This might be just above the soil surface or a couple of inches below it, so you may need to scrape away the top layer of dirt to find it. This is the graft, or bud union, the point where the desired rose variety was fused onto the rootstock variety. Everything on or above this bulge is the rose variety you want to grow; everything below it is the vigorous rootstock that's fuelling that ornamental variety.

2. Identify the Suckers

Any stems that grow out of the sides of or above this bulge belong to the rose variety you do want. Your rose may well be growing new stems from this bulge right now, and these are called basal stems. Leave these be, as they’ll mature and eventually grow flowers of the variety you want.

However, any new stems growing from below that bulge are suckers belonging to the variety you don't want to flower. You might spot new vertical stems emerging from the soil away from the main base, too, and these will be suckers emerging from lower down the rootstock.

The stem’s appearance can give you clues as to whether it’s a beneficial basal stem or a pesky sucker. Suckers tend to be green with duller leaves and fewer thorns, and shoot straight up. Sometimes the leaves of suckers can look lighter to those on the main portion of the plant, and sport a different number of leaflets.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Basal shoots are likely to have more thorns and may have a hint of red on the stem and leaves, and the foliage will better match that of the main plant.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Once you start regularly checking your roses for suckers, you’ll quickly learn to recognise the difference, and the longer you leave them to grow, the more obvious the differences become. But while you’re getting to know your rose, the only sure way to identify whether that stem is a keeper or a loser is to find its point of origin.

3. Remove the Suckers

Wearing a pair of thornproof gauntlet gloves like these Rose Pruning Gloves from Walmart, dig down as far as you can towards the point the sucker emerges from the rootstock. Aim to disturb as little soil as possible, so use a narrow, pointed transplanting trowel such as this Corona Transplanter from Lowe’s or a Hori Hori Garden Knife like this Workpro Hori Hori from Amazon. You’re not creating a hole, just freeing the sucker so you can pull it out at its point of origin.

Then grip near the bottom of the sucker and give it a sharp, firm tug to tear it from its base. Ripping it out is a better method than cutting as the sucker is far less likely to regrow. To finish, firm any displaced soil back around the roots.

What About Suckers on Tree Roses?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Standard or tree roses are those with a ball or crown of flowering stems atop a taller trunk. The graft union on standard roses is at the top of the trunk, and you’ll clearly see a swollen bulge from where all the flowering stems emerge.

Because the main vertical stem is part of the vigorous rootstock, as well as tearing out the suckers that emerge from the ground, you need to trim any side stems that grow from this trunk. Simply use a pair of hand pruners such as these Fiskars Steel-Blade Pruners from Walmart to cut these shoots off flush with the trunk. Do sharpen your blades first as clean cuts are easier for the plant to heal, and it’s a two-minute task with a tool such as this $7 Garden Guru blade sharpener from Amazon.

Keep an Eye Out for More Suckers

August is peak time for rose suckers and the younger those stems are when you pull them, the easier it is to remove them, and the less energy they’ll suck from your plant. But do keep an eye out all through spring and summer, checking around once a month and removing any that you spot.

While summer heat stress is a big trigger, any stimulation to the rootstock or graft union such as an accidental knock with the lawn mower or frost damage, can cause suckers to grow.

As you learn to recognise what’s a sucker and what’s a basal stem, you’ll be able to remove suckers when they’re very small, saving your plant valuable energy.

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)

Add removing suckers to your list of what to do with roses in summer as, left to their own devices, these rogue stems can sap the plant of energy, for fewer flowers next year. In the worst cases, suckers can weaken the ornamental stems to such an extent that they die, and you’re left with a rampant, plain rose variety you never intended on growing. So do find 10 minutes to pull out rose suckers this weekend, and you’ll be rewarded with prime blooms next year.

This feature is part of the Weekend Win series, and there’s still time to do the other August Weekend Wins:

• Use a $4 dog comb to groom ornamental grasses and save yourself hours weeding in spring.
• Trim lavender so it has time to grow a duvet of dense foliage to survive winter well.

By mid-August, many backyards are showing the strains of summer displays that are edging past their best (if they haven’t already started to get decidedly crinkly around the edges!). Grass might be starting to crunch underfoot, tomato leaves are curling by noon, and once-vibrant summer annuals are beginning to look ratty and scorched. But while the great outdoors might not always be looking so great as summer winds down, there is a place where things can quickly be much lusher.

While August leaves many yards brown and brittle, indoors the picture is reversed. Pick the right leafy companions for your indoors retreat, and they remain vital and glossy through late-summer ravages, and well beyond. These resilient houseplants hit their stride as summer ends, holding color and shape while outdoor beds are winding down for the season. So rather than fighting a losing battle against the heat outside, why not turn your focus indoors and create a lush, tranquil sanctuary?

Many heat-loving tropical houseplants use these long daylight hours and warm ambient room temperatures to unfurl fresh growth and massive, glossy leaves. These low-maintenance houseplants love this warm air and extended daylight, not to mention humidity levels that would flatten a peony. Current conditions make them reassuringly low maintenance. And far from being background fillers, they hold their space with lush drama, metallic leaf swirls, outstanding structure, and even flowers. So skip the crispy yard, come indoors, and settle into a stress-free retreat, surrounded by gorgeous plants that look luxe way past summer’s end.

Grow Luxe, Low-Maintenance Plants

Nearly everything on this list shares the same short set of requirements, so these lush beauties really are low maintenance. Before setting up your indoor leafy retreat, just give some thought to the pot and the immediate environment. Pot drainage is critical. A pot without a hole is a slow death sentence in warm weather, as roots will risk sitting in water. A gritty mix with perlite or bark worked through it is best for drainage and root health, so be sure to add some to your potting soil of choice. A dedicated formula like Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix for Tropicals, available from Amazon, comes blended with pine bark and lava rock for superior drainage.

(Image credit: Kseniia Soloveva / Getty Images)

Watering trips up more people in summer than in any other season. Heat dries the top of the pot quickly, but the lower half can stay saturated, so surface dryness is a poor indication. Pushing a finger down a couple of inches (5cm) gives a truer reading, or a dedicated soil meter like the Expert Gardener Digital Soil Meter from Walmart, which is super-easy to use and includes light readings. A ceiling fan on its low setting can also discourage fungus gnats and powdery mildew once the air turns muggy.

Light is the other big consideration to factor in before you expand your indoor plant family. While your local USDA hardiness zone dictates when outdoor temperatures drop in fall, indoor environments need to balance any magnifying window light and any dry airflow from air conditioning units. Cold AC blasts can shock tropical foliage, causing leaf drop or browned leaf margins. So position your plants out of drafts, and pull sensitive foliage back a few feet from south or west-facing windows. This will reduce the risk of shock or scorch. So now to meet the indoor stars of the show…

1. Pothos

(Image credit: Zhengshun Tang / Getty Images)

Few people put pothos (Epipremnum aureum) at the top of a list for excitement. But it earns this position on merit for its low-maintenance credentials. It is virtually indestructible, and can flourish in a west-facing hallway or even a bathroom with one small window. Pothos even holds up in a dim corner where nothing else establishes. Those epic trailing vines can reach 6 feet (1.8m) indoors in just a couple of seasons.

For striking visual variety, there are some cool variegated varieties such as Marble Queen or vibrant Neon. For ultra low maintenance with vibrant gold star credentials, Costa Farms Golden Pothos Plants from Walmart quickly fills a vertical space with lush, full color. While tolerant of low humidity, you’ll find your pothos plant produces larger leaves when provided a support like a moss pole. Water once the top 2 inches (5cm) go dry: weekly through August, closer to every other week by November. Just note that the foliage is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, so keep out of harm’s way.

Golden Wonder Costa Farms Costa Farms Golden Pothos Plant

2. Rex Begonia

(Image credit: Danielvfung /Getty Images)

Foliage this striking usually comes at a cost. But Rex begonia varieties (Begonia rex) are very easygoing in the right indoor setting, particularly as summer winds down outdoors. Its silver and plum leaves carry gorgeous metallic patterns and swirls that do the work of a flowering plant with little of the expectation. For an exquisite pink, green, and burgundy foliage swirl, buy BubbleBlooms Harmony Foliage Harmony’s Ghost Whisperer from Amazon. Just keep this plant clear of direct sun.

Bright indirect light suits August dwelling, maybe a few feet back from an east window indoors. Water at the soil line instead of over the top, as wet foliage in warm still air can invite powdery mildew. A light spritz with Arber Organic Bio-Fungicide Concentrate from Walmart is a great way to protect velvety begonia leaves in summer. Grouping these metallic darlings with other tropicals helps to keep ambient humidity high.

Art Swirl Foliage BubbleBlooms Harmony Foliage Harmony's Ghost Whisperer Rex Begonia Plant

3. ZZ Plant

(Image credit: Colnihko / Getty Images)

The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is the king of low-maintenance indoor greenery, holding up in low-light hallways where other plants eventually fail. Two weeks without water is no big deal for the ZZ, which stores moisture in thick rhizomes. So your August routine will amount to a deep soak every 2-3 weeks and little else. ZZ copes with low light, though growth accelerates in bright indirect conditions, sending up new spears through the warm stretch.

Arching stems carry glossy leaflets that look constantly polished. Standard green ZZ varieties are effortlessly glossy, and for something even more luxe, the Black Raven ZZ Plant from Plant Addicts develops lush near-black foliage. Overwatering is the one real threat for your ZZ. Yellowing lower leaves usually indicate too much water rather than too little. Just use a well-draining cactus or succulent soil mix, and ensure the pot has ample bottom drainage holes to prevent rhizome rot.

Deep Impact Plant Addicts Black Raven ZZ Plant

4. BIrd of Paradise

(Image credit: Darrell Gulin / Getty Images)

Scale is the main draw with these tropical plants, which are well suited to indoor living as summer ends. Birds of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) send up paddle leaves on long stalks and reach 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5m) indoors, turning a bare corner into a focal point. With huge, banana-like leaves, it brings tropical grandeur and even flowers in orange or white. If you can’t decide which color flower to choose from, the Fam Plants Store Birds of Paradise Plant Bundle from Amazon includes two of each.

A summer outdoors on a bright patio speeds growth noticeably, though the indoor transition needs easing in over a week or so. Adding a shade cloth, such as the Coolaroo 70% UV Block Shade Cloth from The Home Depot, over the patio for the first few days can prevent scorch. Just give this tropical beauty plenty of bright, direct sunlight. It also appreciates having its massive leaf blades wiped to keep them lush and healthy. Don’t panic if you see splits in older leaves, as these are normal and help the plant handle wind in its native habitat.

Flights of Fancy Fam Plants Bird of Paradise Plants (4-Pack) With Orange and White Flowers

5. Snake Plant

(Image credit: Raththaphon Wanjit / Getty Images)

Durability is the entire pitch with this low-maintenance plant. Snake plants (Dracaena trifasciata) throw up stiff, upright leaves that hold their own water reserves, and a photosynthetic quirk lets the plant take in carbon dioxide overnight instead of during the day. Renowned as one of the easiest houseplants in existence, its sword-like leaves feature striking horizontal banding and yellow margins. It thrives in almost any lighting condition, from dim corners to bright sun.

Watering can drop to roughly once a month even now. Stronger light produces sharper banding, though a north window will do fine. Always allow the soil to dry out between waterings. When in doubt, wait another week! If you fancy a compact form for smaller spaces that grows outward, try the Starfish Snake Plant from Plant Addicts with its thick leaves. For a taller variety with gold variegations, Gold Flame Snake Plant, also from Plant Addicts, is the definition of low maintenance.

Small Space Snake Plant Addicts Starfish Snake Plant

6. Ponytail Palm

(Image credit: Ekaterina Fedulyeva / Getty Images)

Featuring a distinctive swollen trunk base (called a caudex) topped with a fountain of long, cascading leaves, the ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) is like a living desert sculpture. That swollen bulb at the base is a water reservoir, hence a big reason why it is so undemanding. Word to the wise, though: it isn’t really a palm, despite the name. Ponytail Palm from Perfect Plants is a great option for showcasing on a coffee table or windowsill, and you can currently get 18% off.

Full sun suits this easygoing houseplant – and that includes a genuinely hot windowsill that would cook a fern. Watering every few weeks is basically all the plant care required, along with some fast-draining succulent soil. One further point in its favor is that the ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats and dogs, which puts this playful house-dweller ahead of much of this list for growers with a pet inclined to chew.

Mini Palm Style Perfect Plants Nursery Ponytail Palm Tree Plant

7. Wax Plant (Hoya)

(Image credit: Ovidiu Ghitulescu / Alamy)

Clusters of waxy little stars sit in a near-perfect dome, heavily scented after dark. And these are just a couple of the charms of this easygoing summer houseplant, with as many names as waxy star blooms! The wax plant (Hoya carnosa), native to East Asia and Australia, is also known as the Hindu rope plant, porcelain flower plant, and the Krinkle Kurl (depending on variety). Rope Plant Hoyas from Plant Addicts are perfect for an indoor spot with bright indirect light.

This plant reaches peak bloom around late summer, so this is the perfect time to set one up. The main care tip is simple: never cut off the spent flower stalk. Those stalks, called peduncles, are permanent, and the plant reflowers from the same point year after year. Beyond that, this plant just needs bright indirect light and a container on the small side (they thrive when kept slightly root-bound). Train vining stems up a plant trellis, like the WellSign Honeycomb Potted Plant Trellis from Amazon, or just let them spill over a hanging basket to display their pretty form.

Porcelain Pretty Plant Addicts Rope Plant Hoya

8. Croton

(Image credit: Sergio Amiti / Getty Images)

For a plant that combines an easy gloss factor with dazzling colors, look no further! Here is the plant that earns the word shine. Croton (Codiaeum variegatum) carries foliage streaked in red and gold, with deep oranges running through older growth, and those colors intensify under strong light. Indeed, your croton craves high light levels, so place it near a sun-drenched window for the best displays. For a reliable croton with the iconic neon hues, Nature’s Way Farms Croton Petra from Walmart is a lush statement piece that requires little ongoing care.

Aim for temperatures around 60-85°F (16-29°C) for a happy croton. It doesn’t like being moved around, especially near an AC vent. A tabletop humidifier, like the Levoit Classic300 Humidifier from Amazon, keeps the edges from crisping once indoor air dries out. Apart from that, your croton is unfussy. Just settle it into a bright, stable spot now, protect it from drafts, and the color will retain its dazzle long after the beds outside have finished for the year.

Color Blast Nature's Way Farms Nature's Way Farms Croton Petra Live Plant

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

Everyone thinks that a beautiful garden is the result of back-breaking labor, but I have finally accepted that I am not doing my garden any favors by tidying it too much. Especially when it comes to my perennials.

Yes, I am very much of the opinion that some perennials genuinely look better when you leave them alone (which suits my gardening style and generally lazy demeanor) right down to the ground. Honestly, stop deadheading, cutting back and generally fussing over them, and you'll find that their seedheads become architectural, their stems add movement, and the whole border takes on a wonderfully Secret Garden vibe that is so much more appealing than a garden where everything is standing to attention.

That doesn't mean I let everything go. My lupins, for example, are spectacular for the five minutes they're in flower and then spend the rest of the time looking like they've escaped from a Tim Burton film. Those, I am still tempted to tidy away. Still, there are plenty of perennials that become more interesting as the flowers fade, and I've become increasingly convinced that we should give them the chance.

6 Perennials That Look Better When You Let Them Go Wild

Look, it might appeal to my lazy side to let my perennials do their own thing, but there's an added bonus; leaving plants standing can also be better for wildlife, too.

Yes, faded flowers and seedheads provide food and shelter, while their stems and foliage add structure long after the main flush of flowers has passed. And, selfishly, there is something rather lovely about doing less work and ending up with a garden that looks more abundant.

The trick is knowing which plants to leave alone. These are the ones I've found can handle a little benign neglect – and, in many cases, actually look better for it.

1. Alliums

(Image credit: Annie Shropshire / Shutterstock)

Alliums are perhaps the easiest place to start if you're trying to break the habit of tidying everything the moment it finishes flowering. I love them in flower, but I think I might love them even more once those purple globes have faded and turned into sculptural seedheads.

Rather than cutting them down, I leave them standing among grasses and other perennials. The dried heads hover above the planting like little skeletons of the flowers that were there before, catching the light beautifully, particularly later in the season. And because they hold their shape for so long, they give the border something to look at when many early-summer flowers have disappeared.

If you fancy an unusual twist on the trend, go for the Nevskianum Allium Bulbs from Burpee; this rare red allium blooms from May to June. If you prefer that classic purple hit, though, Burpee's Globemaster Allium Bulbs are widely considered the best for color intensity.

2. Agapanthus

(Image credit: Flower Garden / Shutterstock)

Agapanthus is another one of those perennials I am very reluctant to cut back too soon. Those spectacular blue or white flowerheads are obviously the main event, but the fading heads can remain attractive for weeks afterwards, gradually drying into something that looks almost as though it belongs in a flower arrangement.

There is also something very satisfying about allowing a plant to go through its whole performance (from bloom, to flower, to fading petals, to seedhead) rather than treating the end of flowering as a cue to get the scissors out.

Shop Agapanthus:

Daylily Nursery Yonder Blue Agapanthus

CZ Grain White Agapanthus

LATROPIC Live Blue Agapanthus Plant

3. Coneflower

(Image credit: Mieneke Andeweg van Rijn / Getty Images)

Coneflowers are practically designed for the stop-tidying approach. The flowers are beautiful, but once the petals fall, those prominent central cones remain, giving the plant an entirely different look.

I leave mine standing for as long as possible, particularly into fall. The seedheads add useful structure when the border is starting to lose its summer fullness, and they provide food for birds.

It's a perennial that serves as a good reminder that a flower doesn't necessarily stop being useful – or beautiful – just because it has stopped flowering. Although, yes, there are ways around this; something like the Magnus Purple Coneflower from Nature Hills is great as it never droops or goes floppy!

4. Salvia

(Image credit: CBCK-Christine/Getty Images)

I have salvia in pots out front, and for years I have done absolutely nothing to it. It comes back, flowers, gets a little unruly and generally looks lush without asking for much in return. It's one of those plants I planted and then more or less forgot about.

Recently, though, I will admit that I've had to start watering it. And honestly, if salvia is telling you it needs a drink? Yeah, then you know it's been hot; no surprise, then, that this year's heat and relentless sun have left it looking a little more scorched than usual, but normally it just gets on with things, filling its pots with flowers and foliage without any careful shaping or constant deadheading from me.

That's exactly what I love about it. I'm increasingly drawn to plants that don't need me hovering over them, and salvia has more than earned its place in the garden on that basis alone. Let it grow, let it flop a little and let it do its thing – the result is much more relaxed than anything I could achieve by trying to keep it perfectly tidy.

Shop Salvia:

Nature Hills Nursery May Night Salvia

Nature Hills Nursery Bumbleberry Salvia

Nature Hills Nursery Marcus Salvia

5. Mexican Fleabane

(Image credit: AL Hedderly/Getty Images)

I have spoken before about my undying love for this invasive perennial, because Mexican fleabane is truly the ultimate “please just leave me alone” plant. I grow it in pots (every container garden needs one plant that thrives on neglect, right?), where it spills over the edges in clouds of tiny daisy-like flowers and somehow manages to make the whole container look more generous than anything I deliberately planted in it.

While you should never let it loose near sensitive habitats or encouraging it to spread unchecked, it's a beautiful pot plant. And a very, very, very easy one, too.

6. Yarrow

(Image credit: N Stertz / Shutterstock)

Yarrow is another perennial that gets more interesting as it ages, not least of all because it is one of the longest-blooming perennials going. Its flat-topped flowerheads have a lovely meadow-like quality when they're in bloom, but I also like the way they gradually dry and turn into little architectural platforms above the foliage.

Instead of cutting them down as soon as they fade, let them remain through fall and even into winter if you like the look. And, if you want one that looks like the picture above, you need the Strawberry Seduction™ Yarrow from Nature Hills in your life.

BONUS: Plants I Want to Grow

The lazy side of me is always on the lookout for plants that look fantastic while requiring approximately zero fuss. So there are a few more perennials firmly on my wish list.

Bee balm, catmint, Russian sage and tickseed (Coreopsis) are all calling my name, largely because they seem to have that same wonderfully unfussy quality – plenty of flowers, plenty of movement and very little need for me to hover over them with secateurs.

I'm particularly tempted by Russian sage for its silvery foliage and hazy purple flowers, while tickseed has the kind of cheerful, easygoing look that makes a border feel instantly more abundant. And bee balm? Anything that brings flowers, pollinators and a slightly unruly presence to the garden has my attention.

Shop Perennials That Love To Be Left Alone:

Clovers Garden Russian Sage Plants

Clovers Garden Bee Balm Balmy Purple

CATMINT

EKT Nursery Purrsian Blue Catmint

Basically, my ideal perennial is one that looks like I've put considerably more effort into the garden than I actually have.

If that's not a planting strategy, I don't know what is.

Shrubs that bloomed beautifully in May can still disappoint the following spring, and late summer dryness is usually the reason. A weekly soak from now through autumn protects the buds forming for next year right now.

Azaleas and rhododendrons look after themselves for much of the year. That reputation is fair, right up until late summer. What happens to these shrubs in August and September rarely shows at the time, and the consequences arrive eight or nine months later as a sparse, patchy flush of flowers.

Both belong to the genus Rhododendron. Both set next spring's flower buds during July and August. Watering azaleas through that window is the one job that carries real weight, and it gets skipped easily when the plants show no obvious distress. A weekly soak usually covers it. How and when the water goes down matters as much as the amount.

Late Summer Is When Next Year's Flowers Are Set

(Image credit: cjmckendry / Getty Images)

Flower bud differentiation happens in midsummer, usually across July and August in temperate gardens. By the end of that stretch a shrub has committed to a finite number of buds. No amount of spring feeding raises the count afterward. Fat, rounded buds at the branch tips are the ones to look for, sitting alongside the slimmer pointed leaf buds. Deciduous and evergreen types run on the same schedule.

Drought during that window thins the display. A shrub short of water pulls resources away from bud formation, and buds that started never get to finish. The damage stays invisible through August. Often there is no obvious sign beyond some afternoon leaf curl. The plant heads into autumn looking healthy enough. The bill comes due next spring, when half the branch tips leaf out and never flower.

How Much Water, and How Often

(Image credit: Francesca Leslie / Shutterstock)

Aim at roughly 1 inch (2.5cm) a week, rainfall included. Below that, supplementary watering will be necessary. A rain gauge from Amazon settles the question and ends the guesswork about whether an afternoon storm actually delivered anything. Plenty of summer showers amount to far less than they appear to. Shrubs in their first two seasons need closer attention.

One long soak beats several short ones. Aim to wet the soil down to roughly 8 to 10 inches (20-25cm), which takes a slow trickle rather than a quick sweep across the bed. Shallow sprinkling wets the mulch and very little underneath it. Push a trowel in near the drip line to see how far it actually traveled.

Location, Location, Location

(Image credit: Roman Beliakov / Getty Images)

Both plants carry a shallow fibrous root mat, confined almost entirely to the top 6 to 12 inches (15-30cm) of soil. There is no taproot reaching down for reserves. That mat spreads outward as well, so water poured tight against the stem misses much of it. Work out to the drip line and slightly past it. A soaker hose from Home Depot laid in a loose ring around the shrub can handle the whole job unattended.

Morning is the better slot. Foliage dries before evening, which keeps fungal trouble off evergreen leaves. Overhead sprinklers are the weakest option for that same reason. A fair share evaporates before it lands. Water at ground level and go slowly. Sloped beds may want two shorter passes with a pause between.

Holding Moisture Steady Without Drowning the Roots

(Image credit: Jurgute / Getty Images)

Mulch buys time between waterings. A 2 to 3 inch (5-8cm) layer of pine bark mulch from Walmart holds moisture in the root zone and cools the soil underneath. What it will not do is change the pH, whatever the bag implies. Surface mulch rarely shifts a reading at all. Elemental sulfur dug in, after a soil test, is the reliable route to the 4.5 to 6.0 range. Keep mulch clear of the stems by an inch or two. A pile against the trunk traps moisture right where crown rot starts.

Too much has its own cost, though. Ground that stays waterlogged sets up Phytophthora root rot, usually Phytophthora cinnamomi. Infected shrubs wilt. So they get watered, and the rot moves faster. Anything drooping in soil that is already damp probably has a drainage problem rather than a thirst one — check with a finger before reaching for the hose. Heavy clay may never drain well enough on its own. A bed raised 12 inches (30cm) or more above grade sidesteps the question entirely.

These are low-effort tasks you can spread out between now and the first hard frost. Keep it up, and the buds now forming on those branch tips should open next spring in the numbers they were meant to.

Even the dogs have noticed a difference.

“It took them no time at all to enjoy the grass and the smells and tree cover like at Clark Park and Trout Lake,” says Jesse Ray-Contreras.

In early March, Ray-Contreras and their husband Gabriel Ray-Contreras, along with their two Boston terriers Olly and Ella, took possession of their new home at 12th and Commercial. They moved from a 620-square-foot one-bedroom rental in Yaletown to a 1,100-square-foot three-bedroom in Ace, a Wesgroup Properties development.

“We wanted to live somewhere with a different pace than downtown — more trees, more grass for the dogs, a variety of architecture, smaller businesses, that type of thing.”

The six-storey building holds 61 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, with remaining homes ranging in floor space from 512 to 1020 square feet. North-facing homes have views of downtown, the North Shore mountains, and the shops and restaurants lining Commercial. South-facing homes look out over a second-floor courtyard with two barbecues and a sink, and a kids’ play area. The courtyard connects to a shared-use room with multiple lounge and game areas, a kitchen and a bathroom, for 2,900 square feet of amenity space.

A work hub sits off the lobby on the main floor, which is home to several retail spaces including a café, Merci Boulangerie. A hair salon, wellness and meditation studio and electronics repair shop will also be moving in.

Nearby restaurants include The Burrow, the vegetarian Mexican restaurant formerly known as Banditas, and perennial Szechuanese favourite ChongQing. The Rio Theatre and City Avenue Market, formerly Donald’s, are a few blocks north.

The Ray-Contreras began looking for a presale home in 2023. Ace’s 2026 completion date “gave us time to get our affairs in order,” Ray-Contreras says. Both are psychotherapists with their own practice, In Good Company Counselling. They wanted to be close to the SkyTrain for easy transit to their practice’s downtown location.

“You’re so close to the SkyTrain station. Getting just about anywhere is faster than by car.”

They came across Ace shortly after beginning their search and knew of the developer through a friend who lives in the River District, which was master-planned by Wesgroup.

“We started conversing with a colleague-slash-friend who’s also an agent on a Saturday. By Wednesday we had signed the paperwork and given our first part of the deposit.”

According to Wesgroup senior sales manager Richard Alvarez, as of this writing, 60 per cent of the homes had been sold. Buyers have mostly been in their 30s and 40s, many first-time homeowners.

For the Ray-Contreras, ACE checked a lot of boxes: price, location, size, and esthetic.

“We wanted something modern but still cosy, nothing too sterile. It very much feels like Ace was developed by and for millennials — said with compliments.”

The homes have an open layout. Bedrooms are designed with walk-through closets and ensuite bathrooms. High ceilings, 8’8” add to the feeling of spaciousness. Balconies range in size. The Ray-Contreras’, for instance, is 174 square feet, while the home’s floorspace is 1020 square feet.

Kitchen features include a herringbone white tile backsplash and Italian cabinetry and appliances like Fulgor Milano gas cooktops, wall ovens and integrated fridges. The two colour schemes, crema and coffee, provide Oreo-cookie-sharp contrasts.

“It feels modern, not kitschy, and designed to age well. I also think the layouts pay a lot of mind to the utility of space. All of the bedrooms in the suites we looked at are separated, they don’t share a wall. And the flow works quite well.”

They originally purchased a two-bedroom home but decided to upgrade a year later to a three-bedroom.

“Neither of us is from Canada, so having enough space to host friends and family from out of town is really important. Now we have not only a guest room but a flex space that acts as an exercise/game/dog room.”

Other building features include a ground-floor dog-wash station and, in the underground parking lot, a bike storage and repair station and stalls pre-wired for EV charging.

“We don’t have an electric vehicle, but it’s something we would like to do,” Ray-Contreras said. So having the option gave us a lot of flexibility.”

Olly and Ella aren’t the only ones enjoying the new neighbourhood.

“There’s a friendliness to East Van. You can tell that folks invest in the neighbourhood, not to say that folks in other parts of the city don’t. I just think that there’s a hustle and bustle to downtown that maybe squeezes some of that out. And there’s a slower pace, quite literally, in some cases in East Van. It’s been a welcome change for us and for our two dogs.”

Project: Ace

Project address: 1680 E. 12th Ave., Vancouver, B.C.

Developer: Wesgroup Properties

Architect: Ciccozzi Architecture

Interior designer: Wesgroup Properties

Project size: 61 homes

Price: One-bedroom homes from $555,900

Number of bedrooms : One-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments

Sales centre: 1680 E. 12th Ave., Vancouver, B.C.

Centre hours: By appointment

Phone: 604-571-9904

Website:wesgroup.ca/ace

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• New Westminster townhomes blend heritage-style facades with contemporary living
• Interior design rules that can — and can’t — be broken

Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

8529 Ashleigh McIvor Dr., Whistler

Type: Four-bedroom, five-bathroom detached

Size: 4,320 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $4,878,000

Listed for: $5,395,000

Sold for: $5,000,000

Sold on: May 17

Days on market in this listing: 143

Listing agent: Bob Cameron PREC and Sally Warner PREC at ReMax Sea to Sky Real Estate

Buyers agent: Nick Swinburne PREC at Angell Hasman & Associates Realty

The big sell: This modern four-bedroom detached home was built with an eye firmly on contemporary style and an aim to capture the breathtaking views that span Green Lake, Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, and Black Tusk. Set within the Baxter Creek community on the north side of Whistler, there is ample opportunity to enjoy all four seasons with access to a swimming pool and hot tub at the strata’s clubhouse, and proximity to myriad recreational activities that the town is renowned for. The house was built in 2014 with warm wood finishes, radiant heated tile floors, an open-concept living area complete with a floating gas fireplace and glass doors that open to a sun-filled deck, a well-equipped kitchen, a large mud room, and a gym and family room on the lower of the three levels. A legal one-bedroom suite offers additional accommodation. The home has an integrated double garage, and a monthly maintenance fee of $220.13.

2323 Graveley St., Vancouver

Type: Four-bedroom, two-bathroom detached

Size: 1,882 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,506,600

Listed for: $1,750,000

Sold for: $1,695,000

Sold on: June 10

Days on market in this listing: 21

Listing agent: Adam Chahl PREC at Oakwyn Realty

Buyers agent: Jessica Smith PREC at ReMax Select Realty

The big sell: Vancouver’s eclectic Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood is the venue for this 1920’s house that exudes Craftsman detailing. The exterior has stone pillars supporting a gabled roofline with exposed wood elements including rafter tails and purlins, and the recent addition of a new roof adds to the value. The interior was renovated in 2014 and features a fully-finished basement with a two-bedroom legal suite with its own entrance and address, while the main floor has a modern bathroom and kitchen with Shaker-style cabinets and stainless-steel appliances, a living room with an electric fireplace and linear stone tiles above the mantelpiece, two bedrooms with the primary enjoying a walk-in closet, and the attic provides additional storage. High ceilings are finished with crown moulding, laminate floors flow through each room, and the walls are finished with designer paint colours or wallpaper. Outside, the front and backyards are fully fenced.

136 — 1350 Mitchell St., Coquitlam

Type: Four-bedroom, four-bathroom townhouse

Size: 2,002 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,352,000

Listed for: $1,289,900

Sold for: $1,270,500

Sold on: June 27

Days on market in this listing: 53

Listing agent: Rod Bahari PREC at Sutton Group — West Coast Realty

Buyers agent: Krista Lapp PREC at Royal LePage Elite West

The big sell: The four-year-old Ballantree development comprises a collection of townhomes that were built by Polygon on Coquitlam’s Burke Mountain. Set among nature, the three-level units offer four bedrooms and a range of floor plans. This particular home has an end-unit position with just over 2,000 square feet of internal living space. There is an open kitchen with a large island, stone counters, a marble backsplash, and stainless-steel appliances including a gas cooktop, nine-foot-high ceilings, vinyl floors, a custom feature wall with built-in cabinets, and a flexible area that could be used as a home office. Three bedrooms reside on the upper floor served by two bathrooms, while the lower level offers a fourth bedroom and bathroom. A side-by-side double garage provides an electric vehicle outlet, and the property comes with a monthly maintenance fee of $346.40 and the balance of the New Home Warranty.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

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• Sold (Bought): 100-year-old Shaughnessy home showcases refined finishing touches

Boxwood has long been the go-to choice for creating evergreen privacy around a home, but it definitely has its problems. Thankfully, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick's Los Angeles garden proves there's a much better alternative.

Oh yes! Instead of relying on clipped hedging that's prone to blight and ravaging by box tree moth, the couple have embraced a layered planting scheme that delivers all of that wonderful privacy, texture and year-round interest you get from an evergreen boxwood.

Better still? Why, the fact that it does it all in exchange for far less water, too! No small thing, considering how hot and dry our summers have been of late.

Kevin Bacon's Privacy Planting Is Better Than Boxwood

From the street, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick's front garden is framed by a loose and natural-looking arrangement of drought-tolerant plants rather than a formal hedge. Towering California pepper trees create a high canopy, while bold agaves, birds of paradise and fragrant rosemary (aka the 'it' plant of the future) fill the space beneath.

The result? A living screen that feels lush and secluded without the rigid appearance and dramatic goings on of traditional boxwood.

Check it out:

(Image credit: GTCRFOTO/Alamy)

Rather than depending on a single evergreen hedge (or putting all of those metaphorical eggs into one box tree moth-addled basket), several plants have been used here to soften views into the property.

The taller trees filter sightlines from above, mid-height birds of paradise provide dense evergreen foliage, and lower-growing agaves and rosemary add volume at ground level. It feels softer and more contemporary than a wall of box, and it is also 100% made for a warming climate.

Think about it: agaves store water in their thick leaves, rosemary thrives in hot and dry conditions once established, and California pepper trees are well adapted to drought. Together they require significantly less irrigation than thirsty hedging plants, making them an attractive option for gardeners looking to reduce maintenance and water use.

Shop Kevin Bacon's Planting Scheme:

CitronellaKing 3 Creeping Rosemary in 2.5” Nursery Cubes

Daylily Nursery Agave "Blue Glow"

Kauai Garden California Tree Pepper Seeds

None of this means boxwood has become obsolete, of course. Once a go-to for formal gardens and neatly clipped borders, though, there's no getting away from the fact that it is increasingly falling out of favor. And, in areas where drought is becoming a concern, or where homeowners want a more relaxed Mediterranean-inspired aesthetic, Kevin Bacon’s planting scheme offers a compelling alternative (especially if you don't want your heart broken by box caterpillar drama later down the line).

A single hedge might be the obvious choice, but, as Kevin Bacon might put it, there are degrees of separation. Combine drought-tolerant trees, evergreen shrubs and architectural planting, and you can create privacy in a far more interesting way... and all with more texture, less water and a garden that feels distinctly of the moment.

Welcome to the big time.

We’ve all been there. One second you are having a great time with your family and friends. The next thing you know, you are swatting left and right. These pesky bugs can turn a nice evening into a nightmare, and I’m here to sort out what works and what’s just garden hype.

Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying. They’re actually a real health threat, carrying stuff like West Nile virus or Zika that can knock you flat, quickly. I, myself and plenty of friends have dealt with itchy bites that turned into fevers, and it’s no joke at all. These mosquito repellent plants might help, but they’re not a magic shield, by any means. Most do best as backyard mosquito control in beds or big pots where they can spread out. I’ve tested a few myself, and with the right know-how, you can cut down those bites. It’s all about setting realistic hopes!

Every yard’s a battleground against these biters, and shade or standing water can make it worse. If you’re looking for more tricks, check out backyard mosquito control to team up with your plants. Let’s get into what these green helpers can do!

Why Mosquito Repellent Plants Might Help (Or Not)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Mosquitoes are a pain, but can planting certain types actually keep them away? The idea’s been floating around forever. Some folks swear by a yard full of these plants to scare off skeeters, while others call it a stretch. Certain plant scents can throw off mosquito senses, but it’s not like a commercial bug spray.

You need to plant them in big clumps in the ground for the best shot, not just a lonely pot. Crushing leaves to rub on your skin or brewing a tincture to spritz can amp it up, though it’s more of a mild nudge than a knockout punch. I usually use it by rubbing marigold tincture on my arms at a cookout or any other outdoor fun. It cut the bites down a bit, but a good picaridin bug spray like this one from Amazon is much longer lasting.

The trick is using them right. Rubbing crushed leaves gives a quick scent burst, while a tincture (steep leaves in water or oil, strain, and spray) lasts longer but takes effort. Editor Emma Kendell made her own highly effective catnip mosquito spray!

Placement matters when using plants to repel skeeters. Plant them near seating areas or paths where you hang out, and refresh the rub or spray every couple hours. I’ve found it works better on calm days than when the wind’s blowing the scent away.

Top Mosquito-Repelling Plants and How to Use Them

Let’s talk plants that might give mosquitoes the boot. You can try them for yourself!

1. Citronella Grass

(Image credit: Kcris Ramos / Getty Images)

Citronella grass is that tall, lemony stuff you see in yards, loving USDA zones 9-11, especially down south. Crush its leaves and smear them on your skin for a faint citrus shield, or steep them into a spray tincture if you’re up for it. It flowers with feathery tops in summer, but it needs room in ground beds to really let that scent fly. I planted some near my patio, and it’s been a decent buffer.

2. Marigolds

(Image credit: Orest lyzhechka / Shutterstock)

Marigolds with their bright orange blooms fit zones 2-11 and can handle a pot or bed. Rubbing crushed petals on your skin works for a quick fix, and they flower all summer, pulling in good bugs too. I keep a pot by the back door and dab it on before stepping out.

3. Lavender

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Lavender is a beauty, thriving in zones 5-9 with purple spikes blooming in late summer. Crush the flowers for a rub or whip up a light spray. It’s best in ground plots with good drainage. I’ve got some by the fence, and it adds a nice touch.

4. Basil

(Image credit: Joseph De Sciose / Aurora Photos / Getty Images)

Basil is a kitchen star that handles zones 4-10, flowering with small white blooms if it bolts. Crush fresh leaves for a skin rub or mix into a tincture. This works best in ground beds where it can bush out. I grow it near the grill, and a quick crush before flipping burgers helps.

5. Catnip

(Image credit: AlpamayoPhoto / Getty Images)

Catnip is one that loves zones 3-9, flowers with little white blooms in summer and can be rubbed on skin or turned into a spray. It’s strong stuff. Cats love it, but mosquitoes hate it. I keep it in a ground bed away from my pets!

Other Yard Practices to Kick Mosquitoes Out

(Image credit: Kathleen Walters / Future)

Plants alone won’t win the war. Other moves can team up with them. Clearing standing water from buckets or gutters is a must, since mosquitoes breed like crazy there. I dump mine out every few days, especially after rain. You can also create a "bucket of doom" that uses Mosquito Dunks from Amazon to prevent mosquito larvae from reaching maturity. Adding a fan on the patio stirs up air, which makes it a lot harder for them to land.

Some plants can lure mosquito predators like dragonflies or bats. They are hungry little creatures. I’ve got a small pond with water plants that draw dragonflies, and they snack on larvae like it’s their very last meal! I’d say that it is a good idea planting nectar-rich flowers like yarrow near your repellents can attract these helpers too. It’s not instant, but over time, it builds a natural defense. I’ve noticed fewer biters since adding that mix!

Mosquito repellent plants aren’t a miracle, but they sure can help you to lighten the load if you use them just right. Pair them with smart yard habits, and you might just enjoy those summer nights again.

Frequently Asked QuestionsDo plants that repel mosquitoes actually work?

Do you catch yourself wondering if those mosquito repellent plants can really save you from a swarm? It’s a big question, no doubt, and honestly, it’s not a straight yes or no. Some folks swear by plants like citronella or lavender, saying the scents throw off those pesky bugs, and I've even noticed fewer bites when I rub crushed marigold leaves on my arms during a backyard hangout. But science says it’s more of a mild deterrent.

Plants need to be in big clumps or used up close, like crushing leaves for your skin or making a tincture, to make a dent. They won’t clear your yard like a commercial spray, but paired with draining standing water, they can help. I’ve tried it, and it’s worth a shot on a calm evening!

How should I use mosquito repellent plants to keep bugs away?

Figuring out how to use these plants is half the fun! You’ll want to plant them where you spend time. Think like near the patio or by the door. Using ground beds for big ones like lemongrass or pots for portability with basil isn’t a bad idea, either.

Crush the leaves and rub them on your skin for a quick scent boost, or steep them in water to make a spray tincture if you’re feeling crafty. I’ve done this with rosemary and it lasts a bit.

Keep them trimmed to release more oils, and refresh every couple hours since the effect fades. I also toss some near a fan to spread the scent, and it’s made my summer nights a little more bearable!

My kitchen garden and veg beds look a bit crumpled around the edges. Beans have gone a bit stringy this last week, and my favorite butterhead lettuce has turned bitter. Pulling out spent zucchini vines feels like conceding the season: it’s not over yet, though. Soil that’s still this warm is a precious commodity, so why not put it to work?

Salad greens sit near the top of any list of easy vegetables to grow, and in late summer they get easier still. Seeds that might sit sulking for a week in April can be up in three days at the moment. Sow before the month is out, and there’ll be pickings by mid-September, with more coming clear through to the first hard frost. The bed need not be empty first, since these new crops can go in wherever a crop came out.

So treating these empty gaps as lost space is a wasted opportunity. Warm August soil can accelerate germination, root development, and subsequent nourishment. By growing fast-maturing crops in the warm, vacant pockets left by cleared peas or early potatoes, you’re fast-tracking your next harvests. You can dodge peak summer pest cycles, enjoy early maturing flavors, and fill salad bowls straight through to late fall.

Fast Salad Crops to Grow in August

Before you rush to fill those gaps, think about the condition of the earth, and the general light and drainage. The spent crop has left a space, sure – but what gets left behind will be lumps and root holes that fine seed has no chance in. So before you sow these crops, rake the space until the surface resembles coarse sand. An inch (2.5cm) of compost forked into the top 3 inches (8cm) can help restore a little of the goodness. It will also hang onto water better than sun-baked ground. Skip the deep digging, though: none of these crops will root far enough down to notice.

While warmth is appreciated in the earth, baking heat can be problematic. Lettuce and spinach flatly refuse to germinate once the soil is baking, and corn salad is no better about it. Water the furrow before the seed goes in (rather than after), since watering over the top washes fine seed into clumps. Add some sifted or aged compost or a fine potting mix, such as Espoma Organic Land & Sea Compost from Amazon, which restores critical nutrients and moisture for late summer plantings. Anywhere that puddles in a downpour will need a raised row.

(Image credit: Westend61 / Getty Images)

Regional climate differences will have some bearing on sowing success. Gardeners in USDA hardiness zones 3-6 need to move quickly to ensure crops reach maturity before daylight drops below 10 hours a day. Growers in zones 7-10 face 90°F (32°C) heat spikes, so an overhead shade cloth can help to keep seedbeds under 75°F (24°C). Direct sowing is usually better than plugs for these fast crops, as transplant shock can waste precious growing days. Don’t forget to keep the seedbed damp to prevent surface crusting once you get these fast-growing crops in the ground…

1. Arugula

(Image credit: Vaivirga / Getty Images)

Nothing else in the salad bed moves this fast. Arugula (Eruca vesicaria) germinates in 3-4 days in warm ground and gives a picking of baby leaves inside 3 weeks. The August advantage is flavor as much as speed: summer-sown rocket leaves are fiercely peppery. Cooler nights soften it back toward something usable. Wild rocket has a narrower leaf and more heat. You can buy Organic Arugula Seeds from Eden Brothers for a nutty kick that matures in 28-40 days and also flourishes in large pots.

Thriving in zones 3-10, arugula prefers full sun and requires rich, moist soil with a pH between 6-7. Flea beetles are the biggest threat, so cover with a lightweight mesh. Plant alongside carrots or bush beans, which won't crowd its shallow roots. Protect dense growings from downy mildew with some Arber Biofungicide Spray from Walmart. Cut outer leaves for harvesting. One sowing can carry on for 6-8 weeks.

Eden Brothers Arugula Seeds (Organic Rocket)

2. French Breakfast Radishes

(Image credit: Maryna Laroshenko / Getty Images)

Radishes (Raphanus sativus) are the usual recommendation for a child's first crop, and the reason is timing. They take 3-4 days to germinate, and less than a month to be ready to pull. Little else in the garden moves that fast. Sow the French breakfast type instead of a globe. Crops come up tapered with a white tip, and stay milder in warm weather than the round sorts do. Snatch up packs of French Dressing Radish Seeds from Burpee for crunchy pink and white gems that mature in 25-35 days.

Thinning is the step nobody bothers with. Crowded radishes make tops and nothing below. Pull one at 20 days to check. An inch (2.5cm) between plants should do it. The thinnings can go in the bowl too, since the tops taste like mild mustard. Suitable for zones 2-11, radishes just need light, well-draining soil. Uneven watering can cause roots to crack or turn woody, so maintain consistent moisture.

Burpee French Dressing Radish Seeds

3. Mizuna and Tatsoi

(Image credit: Julia Sudnitskaya / Getty Images)

These Japanese greens, both forms of Brassica rapa, behave almost identically. Mizuna throws up feathery, deeply cut leaves with a faint mustard bite. Tatsoi makes a flat, glossy rosette that shrugs off frost. Both give baby leaves in 3 weeks and full heads in 6 weeks. You can buy Tatsoi Spoon Mustard Seeds from Eden Brothers for hearty Asian greens that mature in as little as 30 days, and Mountain Valley Seeds Red Streaks Mizuna from Amazon for a vigorous red and green leaf in 45 days.

Reliable in zones 4-9, they thrive in full sun or partial shade. Tatsoi is impressively cold-hardy, surviving to 15°F (-9°C). Flea beetles are the only problem, but throw a floating row cover over the bed at sowing time, and it won’t be an issue. The Hortifan Plant Cover from Amazon is great for repeat use. To harvest, shear baby leaves an inch above the ground or let the rosette mature for a single-harvest cooking green.

Mountain Valley Seed Company Mountain Valley Seed Co Organic Red Streaks Mizuna Seeds

4. Corn Salad (Mache)

(Image credit: Rouzes / Getty Images)

Corn salad (Valerianella locusta), or mache, rewards a little more waiting. Its seed sulks in hot ground, so the end of the month works better than the start. Performing best in zones 5-9, mâche requires soil temperatures below 68°F (20°C) to break dormancy, making late August and early September the sweet spot for sowing. What it gives back is cold tolerance: the small rosettes of soft, nutty leaves even keep going under snow. Buy minty sweet Ohio Heirloom Seeds Lamb’s Lettuce (Macha) from Amazon for frilly rosettes of nutritious leaves that mature in 40-45 days.

It tolerates poor soils well, but benefits from light, moist ground in full sun to partial shade. Pair with slow-growing winter brassicas or garlic, and avoid overwatering once established. It requires little feed and is largely ignored by late-season pests. Harvest the rosette with a knife just below the crown. Nothing else here will still be standing in February.

Ohio Heirloom Seeds Corn Salad Seeds by Ohio Heirloom Seeds

5. Land Cress

(Image credit: Dorling Kindersley Ltd / Alamy)

The sticking point with watercress is that its feet have to stay wet. Land cress (Barbarea verna) gives the same hot, peppery hit and grows in ordinary ground, which is why catalogs also sell it as upland cress. Either does fine in a pot sat in a saucer of water, topped up daily, but land cress gives you another option with veg bed gaps. Buy Tomorrow Seeds Upland Cress from Walmart for a zippy, vitamin-rich fresh green leaf machine that’s perfect for small spaces and containers.

Hardy in zones 5-9, land cress thrives in full shade where other greens struggle. It behaves as a biennial, often overwintering to produce spring greens before going to seed. Plant alongside moisture-loving herbs like mint or chives. Keep soil wet to maintain its crisp, peppery bite. Usable pickings follow within 5 weeks. Cut sprigs from the outside, and it regrows.

TomorrowSeeds Tomorrowseeds Upland Cress Seeds

6. Spinach

(Image credit: Istetiana / Getty Images)

Half-empty rows can often be the story with August spinach (Spinacia oleracea), as the seed can stop germinating reliably once the ground warms past a certain point. The fix is to cool the ground first to under 75°F (24°C). Place a shade cloth, like the Coolaroo 70% UV Block Shade Cloth from The Home Depot, over the bed for 4-5 days ahead of sowing, and you’re golden. After that it behaves, with baby leaves in around 30 days, then repeated cuttings from the outside right through fall.

Thriving in zones 3-9, spinach needs neutral-to-slightly alkaline soil (pH 6.5-7.5). Plant alongside radishes or strawberries to maximize space efficiency. Stick to deep watering to encourage strong taproots to withstand cold snaps. You can buy lush and hearty classic Heirloom Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach from Burpee for a late summer fiesta of nutty goodness that is slow to bolt but quick to mature (40 days).

Burpee Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach Seeds

7. Red Mustard

(Image credit: Mary Salen. Getty Images)

Deep purple over green, with veins darkening almost to black as the nights cool, is not a color combination the salad bowl often sees. Red mustard (Brassica juncea) earns its place on looks alone. Then there is the heat, which is close to horseradish and builds as leaves get bigger. Suitable for zones 4-10, it thrives in full sun and adapts well to most soil types if drainage is good. Try Red Giant Mustard from Eden Brothers for lush leaves that are bolt-resistant and take only 40 days to mature.

Baby leaves are ready in about 3 weeks, while plants left to size up can survive cold snaps that flatten everything around them. Excellent plant partners include onions, garlic, and rosemary, which help to deter brassica-loving pests. Harvest frequently using a cut-and-come-again approach, leaving the central growing point intact to ensure a steady supply of fresh, spicy foliage until heavy frosts set in.

Eden Brothers Red Giant Mustard Seeds

8. Claytonia

(Image credit: ImageBROKER Karin Jaehne / Getty Images)

Claytonia perfoliata makes small heart-shaped leaves on tender stems, each one eventually holding a little cup with a white flower at the center. Thriving in zones 4-9, claytonia prefers cool, damp, partially shaded conditions, making it ideal for tucked-away garden corners or under taller crops. Soil should be rich in leaf mold or compost and kept moist. Buy MYS Miner’s Lettuce Claytonia From Amazon for a rich vitamin load at a bargain price that should flourish well into winter.

This fast-growing salad green is ready in 40 days and is super-hardy, carrying on under a cloche long after the rest has stopped. It germinates better once the ground cools, like mache, so treat it as a late-August job. Plant with mâche or winter pansies in cold frames. Snip stems gently near the base to encourage multiple harvests, and allow a few plants to flower at season's end for free self-sown crops next year.

MYS Miner's Lettuce Seeds

(Image credit: Tim Gainey / Alamy)

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Fall-planted bulbs are such a simple, easy way to add drama to your garden. Plant them in autumn then forget all about them, and they’ll bring striking blooms to borders and patio containers all through spring into summer – and these are flowering plants that practically grow themselves. But here’s the thing: when new bulb varieties are introduced, there aren’t very many to go round. That’s for commercial reasons, to test the market and see if we gardeners are ready for diva-ruffle daffodils or modern-art alliums, but also because of the time it takes to produce large quantities of a fresh variety.

So, if you want to have the newest, most fabulous flowers in your garden, you need to buy your bulbs a good few weeks before it’s time to plant them. And if you look at any online retailer selling fall-planted bulbs, you’ll see that plenty are already sold out. And it's such an easy task to store bulbs. They'll arrive in a dormant state so it's as easy as popping them in breathable paper bags – Kraft brown paper lunch bags such as these from Amazon are perfect – and stashing in a cool, dark, dry spot with good air movement. A shed or garage is a good choice, or a spare bedroom if it’s baking hot outdoors; the ideal temperature is between 50 and 60°F.

And your reward for getting organised and buying bulbs early to plant in fall? Just take a look at these easy-to-grow beauties, all offering plenty of blooms for your bucks, and all raised from bulbs that can be planted in fall. Some are brand new cultivars, others are fresh to the US market, so you can be sure they’ll grab everyone’s attention in your garden.

Top 10 New Bulbs to Order in August for Fall Planting1. The Rare Tulip that Stops Everyone in Their Tracks

Tulip Strawberry Cream (10 Bulbs)

• Zones 3-8
• Full sun or partial shade
• Flowers mid-late spring
• Grows 24" high

Grow this amazing tulip and prepare to be dazzled! Tulipa ‘Strawberry Cream’ starts off looking like a perfectly ordinary tulip, albeit a green one. But then layer upon layer of sugar-pink petals start to peek though, creating this incredible dome shape. And – there’s more! – the flowers finally splay open, looking far more like roses than tulips. Despite its fancy appearance, this rare bulb is easy to grow, making it one of the best tulips to add to your garden this year.

2. The Allium with Crazy Attitude

Allium Art (25 Bulbs)

• Zones 3-9
• Full sun
• Flowers May-June
• Grows to 20" high

We all went wild for Allium ‘Hair’ (available from Dutch Grown) with its curious crown of green tepals when it was introduced by Dutch breeders, and now there’s a new kid on the block hailing from the Netherlands. Allium scorodoprasum ‘Art’ grows its small purple flowers on the ends of long, wiry stems. Butterflies adore alliums, so expect those blooms to be regularly topped with some colorful wings, too. With each flower lasting 2-4 weeks, and the structural seedheads for months more, these bulbs offer great value for garden space as well as your hard-earned dollars.

3. The Daffodil with Diva Ruffles

Daffodil Bellabombe (10 Bulbs)

• Zones 3-8
• Full sun or partial shade
• Flowers mid-late spring
• Grows 18-20" high

If Lady Gaga were a daffodil, she would undoubtedly be Narcissus 'Bellabombe'. With extravagant bursts of petals in peach and apricot-yellow tones layered like an over-the-top tulle gown, this flamboyant bloom sure likes to be the center of attention. Leave the green leaves to die back naturally so they can feed the bulb, and this perennial has staying power, returning year after year for another fabulous show, and it will become one of the best daffodils in your yard. It lasts well in a vase so makes a great cut flower, which will allow you appreciate its delicate fragrance, too.

4. The Anemone that’s Highly Prized by Florists

Anemone Fullstar Red/White (10 Bulbs)

• Zones 7-10 (2-6 if overwintered indoors)
• Full sun or partial shade
• Flowers early-mid spring
• Grows 18" high

You can understand why florists are falling over themselves to get hold of this joyful anemone. It’s a double-flowered variety with densely-layered petals in a dream combination of blush white to coral red, and stems lasts for over a week in a vase. And will you just look at that dramatically dark center! Happy in pots as well as well-drained borders, the filigree foliage of Anemone Fullstar Red/White is pretty, too. While it’s hardy in zones 7-10, by growing in a pot you can easily overwinter it indoors in cooler climes.

5. The Tulip that Thinks it’s a Peony

Tulip Mystery Dream (10 Bulbs)

• Zones 3-8
• Full sun
• Flowers April-May
• Grows to 20" high

Imagine if your front yard was full of these eye-catcher tulips that look just like peonies: all your neighbors would want to know what they are! Tulipa ‘Mystery Dream’ does indeed look like a tulip that was conjured up in dreamland, with double petals that shift color in changing light from a velvety magenta to almost black. They make excellent cut flowers, too, so plant plenty.

6. The Bulb No-One's Ever Heard Of

Scilla Peruviana (2 Bulbs)

• Zones 5-9
• Full sun or partial shade
• Flowers late spring-early summer
• Grows 6-12" high

Have you ever seen this blue bombshell before? Because if you have, I’ll be very surprised! Scilla peruviana, the Portuguese squill, grows dome-shaped clusters of star-shaped flowers in the most glorious violet-blue hue. Because each flower blooms from the outside, inwards, this is a treat that lasts for weeks, and the foliage is a wonderfully fresh green that’s just perfect in a late-spring garden. The plant is smaller than you might imagine, and each bulb grows one flower, so plant plenty, along border edges and in patio pots, or use them to underplant bigger perennials that enjoy the same well-draining conditions.

7. The Candy-Cane Oxalis that Unfurls in the Sun

Oxalis Versicolor (10 Bulbs)

• Zones 7-9 (2-6 if overwintered indoors)
• Full sun or partial shade
• Flowers spring, summer and fall
• Grows to 8-12" high

This little firecracker may only grow to a handspan height but, boy, it’s a feisty flower unlike any other. For a start, its blooms have white petals edged in red, giving a striped candy-cane appearance when closed – and because these flowers only open in full sun, they regularly unfurl then return to this fabulous funnel shape. While they’re only fully hardy in zones 7-9, Oxalis Versicolor is a cracking choice for a patio coffee-table pot, and growing it in a container means you can easily overwinter it in a warmer spot.

8. The Whimsical Crocus that Graces Winter’s End

Crocus Whale Shark (25 Bulbs)

• Zones 4-8
• Full sun or partial shade
• Flowers late winter-early spring
• Grows 4" high

The level of elegant beauty Crocus ‘Whale Shark’ brings to a late-winter garden far outweighs its diminutive size. Though it only reaches 4 inches high, the flowers account for pretty much its entire height and purple petals are brushed with a silvery white that’s simply divine. It blooms earlier than most crocus so pop this little gem at the front of borders, in pots and under trees and it will cheer up those short end-of-winter days a treat. Add groups to your lawn, too, as you won’t be mowing your grass at this time of the year.

9. The Tiny Tulip with a Huge Personality

Tulip Little Beauty (25 Bulbs)

• Zones 3-9
• Full sun or partial shade
• Flowers mid-late spring
• Grows 4-6" high

Yes, yes, this tiny tulip only reaches 6 inches high, but don’t let that fool you. Tulipa ‘Little Beauty’ brings a riot of color in spring with hot-pink petals around an azure blue center. And, because flowers close up every night into tight buds to protect pollen until day-flying pollinators return, and may not open at all on cloudy or rainy days, the vibrant show is a real treat. A reliable perennial, Tulip ‘Little Beauty’ slowly multiplies so you can easily create naturalized drifts in your lawn.

10. The Exquisitely Elegant Deep Burgundy Allium

Allium Atropurpureum (10 Bulbs)

• Zones 3-9
• Full sun
• Flowers May-June
• Grows to 34" high

Alliums are some of the best bulbs to grow in your garden if you like plenty of bloom for your buck, as plants require little to no maintenance and by growing a few varieties, you can have flowers all through summer. Favorites include six-foot-tall July bloomer ‘Summer Drummer’ (available from Dutch Grown) and the pretty little bobbing balls of Allium Sphaerocephalon (also available from Dutch Grown) – but their color palette is firmly centred around violet.

Allium atropurpurem, however, is the most exquisite burgundy tone that somehow manages to be both dark and vibrant at the same time, making it a firm contender to join the list of best alliums to grow. Originating from Eastern Europe, this exotic beauty has seriously sturdy stems so while the flowers are over by the end of June, the seedheads bring texture to borders for months more.

When to Plant Bulbs in Fall

The exact best time to plant depends on the bulb and your zone. Bulbs are best put into the ground when soil temperatures drop consistently below 55°F, which is easy to measure with a simple soil thermometer like this $12 temperature probe from Walmart. This is typically around 6 weeks before your first frost.

Spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils and crocus do best if they’re put into the ground by the end of September so they have time to start growing roots. Late-spring and summer-flowering bulbs like to get into the ground in September or October, while tulips are better planted a little later in November.

(Image credit: Nicola Stockden / Gardenpix Ltd)How to Plant Bulbs in Fall

• The biggest secret to planting bulbs in fall is excellent drainage because, left to sit in soggy soil all winter, they can rot. That’s easily achieved by mixing coarse sand, fine gravel or horticultural grit such as Jacks Gritty Mix from Walmart into soil before planting, whether that’s in a pot or the ground.

(Image credit: Nicola Stockden / Gardenpix Ltd)

• Pick a sunny spot. Nearly all fall-planted bulbs need plenty of sun – while some will tolerate partial shade, they need sunshine for part of the day.
• Plant bulbs two or three times their own height, and twice the bulbs’ width apart. So, a bulb that’s 3 inches high and wide would need to be planted 6-9 inches deep and around 6 inches apart. In a container, you can reduce the spacing to one bulb-width apart.

(Image credit: Nicola Stockden / Gardenpix Ltd)

• If you’re planting multiple bulbs in the ground, a bulb planter speeds the process. For bigger bulbs, a hand-held tool such as the Zenport Bulb Planter from Lowe’s is best, and long-handled stand-up bulb planters are also available from Lowe’s. Another speedy option is to use an auger such as this from Amazon which attaches to a standard 3/8" hex drive drill, to create the planting holes. If you’re planting drifts of small bulbs in a lawn, then a tool that removes plugs such as this ProPlugger bulb planter from Lowe’s is a better option.
• Place the bulb in the hole, pointy-end up, and fill with soil, firming with hands or the back of a rake. There’s no need to water in when planting bulbs in fall.

(Image credit: Nicola Stockden / Gardenpix Ltd)

• We've chosen to recommend bulbs from Dutch Grown because they come with a 100% grow guarantee.

If you live in an area that gets wildfires, you take steps to keep fire away. You don’t burn your trash, you don’t let your kids play with matches, and you don’t install highly flammable plants in the landscape. We’ve all seen photos of flames racing through pine forests, even during the growing season.

As you work in the back yard this year, think about firescaping your lawn and garden. There are few absolutes in life, and there’s not a single plant that is 100 percent fireproof. But swapping out plants that burn easily with plants that don’t simply makes sense.

Let's explore which plants you should avoid and what plants to use instead.

Replacing Flammable Plants

Late summer and fall are good times to do some revisions in the garden to make your landscape less fire-prone. Although summer is a big fire season, autumn is too, as green leaves dry and fall, creating masses of flammable groundcover.

We’ve identified five of the plants you don’t want in your garden during wildfire season. But don’t think we’ll leave you with a bare landscape. We’ve found a great replacement for each flammable shrub you remove.

1. Pine Trees

(Image credit: Meunierd / Shutterstock)

This might not sit well with the kids, but it’s time to say goodbye to all those living Christmas trees – pine or spruce – that you’ve replanted in the yard. Most conifers have needles that contain oils and resins. Pine needles, bark, and wood contain volatile, sticky compounds that burn hot and fast. Firefighters are known to call these trees “fire food”, and they are definitely not the trees you want to have in the backyard as a wildfire approaches.

Pines (Pinus spp.) tend to have low-hanging branches. These act as “fire ladders” to bring ground fires up and into the crowns of the trees. The other problem with these conifers is that they drop dead needles to the ground below them. While pine needles are considered good mulch for acid-loving plants, they are also highly flammable. These dry mats of needles catch fire easily and serve as great fuel for surface fires.

Finally, there are those cool cones. In France, people collect pine cones to use to start the wood fires in their stoves, which is to say that pine cones burn readily too. And in the wild, the burning cones can explode, sending glowing embers flying long distances in the breeze.

Plant Instead: Coast Redwood

(Image credit: Stuart Walmsley / Getty Images)

Now not everyone can grow coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), but if you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 7-9 in a climate that has mild wet winters and deep-soil moisture, this is your best substitute for pine trees or any conifer. While pines and spruce trees have flammable resins in their needles and bark, redwoods do not. They have developed thick, tannin-rich bark and high moisture content that resist fire. You can grow your own redwood with this kit from Tractor Supply.

2. Rosemary

(Image credit: Toni Jardon / Getty Images)

Many of my friends plant rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) to use for cooking, but I am not among them. I planted a few rosemary bushes for the gorgeous and unexpected indigo flowers and because these herbs never seem to need human attention. In fact, rosemary seems to resent it if you give it water, which makes sense given its native environment in the toasty, dry Mediterranean region of Europe.

But I’ve learned that rosemary (and lavender for that matter) contain oils that are super flammable. Those oils are why they have such a strong, appealing smell. That means that large aromatic bushes can ignite in record time during periods of drought or extreme heat. They are highly combustible.

Plant Instead: Bush Germander

(Image credit: Zummolo / Getty Images)

Bush germander (Teucrium fruticans) is a similar, tough plant with aromatic leaves as well as blue summer flowers, and it’s native to the Mediterranean region as well. But this plant is a spreading evergreen shrub in the mint family, containing no volatile oils. That means it doesn’t burn easily. It grows to 3 feet (1 m) tall and twice that wide, offering arching, soft shoots and shiny leaves. Like rosemary, bush germander likes a full sun location, tolerates poor soil, and requires little water.

3. Juniper

(Image credit: Rizky Panuntun / Getty Images)

Junipers (Juniperus spp.) have short green needles that are tightly crowded on the twigs. Some varieties are tall shrubs, but many forms of juniper make good ground cover plants in hot, sunny sites.

But they might be the most flammable of garden plants, having a very high content of volatile resins and oils. They also hold onto their dead inner needles inside the dense crown and this accumulation can ignite rapidly and burn with high-heat flames that can ignite structures in the vicinity. They are sometimes called “gasoline bushes” by firefighters. They ignite so explosively that they should be eliminated from any garden in a zone with a high wildfire risk.

Plant Instead: Coyote Brush

(Image credit: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock)

Coyote brush, also called coyote bush, looks a bit like juniper. It’s a hardy evergreen shrub that grows in a variety of dry areas ranging from sand dunes to dry mountain slopes. Like juniper, coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis) comes in upright, shrubby forms and low, spreading forms. No variety has resins and many, like dwarf variety Twin Peaks, are wonderfully dense and fire-resistant groundcover. Coyote brush seeds can be purchased from Sleepy Cat Natives on Etsy.

4. Bamboo

(Image credit: jia yu / Getty Images)

Many people plant bamboo in the landscape as a screen or hedge, but is it a fire hazard? Yes it is.

Seeing bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) on this flammable list may surprise you, since a live bamboo cane is virtually impossible to burn. An individual live cane will have high silica and water content, making it hard to burn. But the cane quickly loses its moisture during dry, hot, windy weather. And bamboo forms tight clumps of compact clusters of stems that collect dead material, dry leaf litter, fine twig fuel, and dead interior stalks. This creates a serious fire hazard during times of drought and heat.

Plant Instead: Fern Podocarpus

(Image credit: Photography By Tonelson / Getty Images)

Fern Podocarpus, also known as fern pine, is a great alternative to flammable bamboo. Like bamboo, it can grow quite tall - to 50 feet (16m) - but can be kept smaller with regular pruning. It has narrow, soft leaves that have a high moisture content and does not accumulate dead inner leaves. Unlike bamboo, Podocarpus (Podocarpus gracilior or Afrocarpus gracilior) lacks explosive, heavy resins or volatile oils that feed fast-moving crown fires. Fern pines can be purchased from TropicalPlantsFL on Etsy.

5. Pampas Grass

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Pampas grass is a tall, popular ornamental grass native to South America. It is known for its gigantic clumps and large, pale, feathery plumes. It can grow taller than the gardener, thrives in full sun, and is widely used in landscaping. But it is known as a fire enabler, thanks to its low moisture content, and volatile oils. Even its growth pattern makes it dangerous in fire-territory, since its airy vertical growth is flammable, easy to ignite, and can become fire torches.

Plant Instead: Pink Muhly Grass

(Image credit: inho Lee / Getty Images)

If you are taking out pampas grass, you’ll want to replace it with a safer, fire-smart option that still gives you a vertical accent and soft texture. We suggest pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris). It grows in clumps to 3 feet (1 m) tall, offering soft, airy pink flowers. The blooms are lovely, often compared to clouds or plumes. This is a low-ignition, high-moisture perennial that - like pampas grass - grows in full sun locations, but doesn’t present a fire danger. Pink muhly grass can be shipped straight to your door from Garden Goods Direct.

A prolific bloomer, zinnias are long-favored by both pollinators and gardeners for their brilliant color and lasting appeal. If you’re growing zinnias for the first time, you are certain to find delight in their ease of growth and ability to persist throughout the entire summer season.

Zinnia flowers (Zinnia elegans) are a colorful and long-lasting addition to the flower garden. Once you learn how to plant zinnias for your area, you'll be able to add this popular annual to sunny areas that benefit from their perky blooms.

This guide aims to explore the needs of this classic annual flower in greater detail to help you keep plants looking their absolute best and blooming all summer.

Quick Zinnia Facts

Botanical Name

Zinnia elegans

Plant Type

Annual

Height

12-48 in (30-122 cm)

Spread

6-18 in (15-46 cm)

Light

Full sun

Soil

Well-draining

Hardiness

USDA zones 2-11 (Not in the US? Convert your zone)

Flowers

Summer to first frost

Native Range

Mexico, Central America

(Image credit: Getty Images)Planting

If you're looking to add some bright color, grow some zinnia flowers in your summer garden this year. Here's what they need to thrive and how to start plants from seed.

Soil Requirements

When provided with good drainage and fertility, zinnias are adapted to a wide range of soil types. This includes those that are neutral, slightly acidic, or even slightly alkaline. Plants do well to tolerate varying soil compositions, including those that are sandy or consist of heavy clay.

Light Requirements

Zinnias grow best in beds that receive at least 6-8 hours of sun each day, often preferring much more. Ample light will aid in the production of strong stems, and large numbers of flowers.

Some shade, throughout the hottest parts of the afternoon, can be beneficial to plants where summer temperatures often climb. It should be noted, however, that excess shade may result in poor flower production and stems that are weak or leggy.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Temperature & Humidity

Most zinnias found in the garden are considered tender annuals. This means that they grow best where conditions are warm and are unable to withstand cooler temperatures. Ideal temperatures for growth range between 70-85°F (21-29°C) during the day and no less than 60°F (15°C) throughout the night.

Though zinnias are heatwave-proof and able to tolerate brief periods of high humidity, prolonged moisture or poor circulation can lead to the development of disease.

Planting Step-by-Step

Though planting zinnia seeds is relatively simple, knowing when and how will be essential to success. You generally have two options: growing zinnia from seed indoors or planting zinnia seeds outside.

If you want to sow zinnia seeds inside, you should do so approximately 2-3 weeks before the last frost date in your local area. This will allow ample time for germination, but prevent seedlings from growing too large before they are ready to be moved into the garden. Keep trays in a warm, sunny window or under lights until the seeds begin to sprout.

Seeds can also be sown directly into prepared beds. This is best done after the soil has warmed and all chances of frost have passed. New plantings should be watered well and kept consistently moist until germination can occur, in approximately 5-7 days.

(Image credit: Verediana Hille / Shutterstock)Zinnia Care

Once you plant your zinnias, it's time to learn how to care for them so they thrive and produce blooms that last all summer long. Here's what you need to know about caring for zinnias in the garden.

Watering

After planting, zinnia beds should be kept consistently moist. Established plants will prove themselves much more water-wise, withstanding brief periods of drought with relative ease. Though rainfall is usually more than sufficient in meeting the needs of zinnia plants, weekly irrigation may be required where conditions are especially hot or dry.

Water zinnias at the base of the plant. A soaker hose, like this affordable option from Walmart, is ideal for keeping foliage and petals dry while providing much needed irrigation. The best time to water plants is early morning, which allows the foliage and flowers ample time to dry off before nightfall.

(Image credit: Olga Yastremska / Getty Images)Fertilizing

The addition of a well-balanced feed, compost, and other amendments into the soil at planting is usually more than enough to see zinnias through a successful season.

Beyond planting, zinnia beds will only seldom require the use of fertilizers, with the exception of those with particularly poor fertility. If you want to encourage extra blooming, you can continue to feed plants on a monthly basis with the use of a fast-acting and bloom-boosting fertilizer, like this organic plant food from Espoma.

Pruning

Plants are beloved among those growing zinnias for cut flowers for their “cut-and-come-again” habit. Simply put, the more flowers that are cut from plants, the more each will produce. This makes deadheading, or the removal of spent blooms, an especially important aspect of zinnia care.

In addition to prolonging the production of the flowers, clipping faded buds will help to keep beds tidy and prevent the plant from going to seed. Though zinnias do not require traditional pruning, many gardeners choose to pinch plants early, which promotes branching and bushy growth.

(Image credit: Getty Images)Varieties

There are a huge array of different zinnia varieties available as both seeds and plants. You can explore dozens of different zinnia seeds and plants for sale from Burpee. But here are a few common types to try growing in your garden.

• ‘Benary’s Giant Series’ Celebrated as a cut flower, the Benary’s Giant Series produces large, showy blooms in a wide range of colors. Held atop strong stems, the cultivar is ideal for use in bouquets and boasts an impressive vase life. Available colors include pink, coral, red, lime, and many more.
• ‘Oklahoma Series’ Producing small, button-like blooms, the Oklahoma Series zinnia is ideal for cutting and pollinator gardens alike. Fully-double flowers are highly ornamental and attract hummingbirds with ease. Plants are available in a wide range of color, with salmon among the most popular.
• ‘Queeny Series’ The Queeny Series is known for its incredible double form and unique palette. Truly unlike any other, gardeners can expect plants to produce flowers in vibrant shades of lime, orange, pastel, and rosy pink.

Propagation

Those hoping to propagate the plant most commonly do so by growing zinnia from seed. This is most beneficial when increasing numbers of heirloom or open-pollinated types. A variety of cultivars can be found at garden centers in spring, though you may prefer to save your own zinnia seeds to grow your collection for free.

Though much less common, you can also propagate zinnias by cuttings. Small stem segments are removed from plants in spring, prepared, and placed into a damp rooting medium. With consistent warmth, humidity, and moisture, growers can expect rooting to occur in approximately 2-4 weeks.

(Image credit: Ade Andriyani / Shutterstock)Common Problems

Though most would consider the plant easy to grow, they are affected by several common garden diseases. Most prevalent among these are powdery mildew, leaf spot, and various other fungal infections. These are most likely to develop as the result of weather, poor air circulation, or haphazard watering.

To help prevent common zinnia problems, you should allow ample space between plants and water each carefully to avoid wetting or splashing foliage. Though zinnias are only rarely affected by pests, aphids and Japanese beetles can be causes for concern. Neem oil or insecticidal soap, both of which you can get from Amazon, can help with these pests.

Frequently Asked QuestionsCan I Grow Zinnias In Containers?

Though more traditional types are often ill-suited to growth in containers, newer hybrids are ideal. In fact, many dwarf varieties are considered to be prolific bloomers. Seeds of this type can be planted into containers as soon as the weather has warmed in spring. Provided good soil, ample light, and consistent moisture, gardeners can expect container-grown plants to flourish throughout the entirety of summer.

How Do I Keep Zinnias Blooming?

Zinnias are celebrated for their “cut-and-come-again” growth habit. Though plants that have been left unattended will continue to flower throughout summer, deadheading can greatly increase the quality and quantity of blooms.

Zinnia Care Must-Haves

Home Grown Zinnia Dahlia Seeds Pack

Grow huge dahlia-like blooms with these stunning zinnia seeds.

Burpee Superseed 36-Cell Tray

This reusable tray makes starting zinnia seeds easy year after year.

SEWANTA 2 Hummingbird Feeders for Outdoors

Hummingbirds will flock to your yard for the zinnias. Give them an extra treat with these feeders.

Whether you are growing pumpkins for Jack o’ lanterns, fall decor, fairs, or food, now is the time to push that extra oomph to ensure a bountiful autumn harvest. August may be a challenge in your area due to excessive heat, drought periods, or an increase in bug and disease activity. That is why it is important to keep up with consistent watering, proper feeding, and insect scrutiny this month.

The vines should have ample fruit set by now so it’s important to support their development in the final stretch rather than coaxing more fruit or leaves. Decreasing nitrogen fertilizer and ramping up the potassium will focus plant energy on the developing fruit.

Growing pumpkins doesn’t need to be overwhelming, but following a few tried-and-true suggestions will keep your pumpkins from withering on the vine or becoming a bug buffet.

What to Do for Pumpkins in August

Here are four tasks to perform in August to keep your pumpkins on the right track to maturity and harvest.

1. Water Deeply

(Image credit: Valeriy_G / Getty Images)

Water pumpkins deeply once or twice a week. They need from 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) per week. Pumpkins are 90 percent water, so keeping up with consistent watering will ensure your pumpkin vines are hydrated and can carry nutrients from the soil to the pumpkins.

Water will prevent leaf wilt and stress, but often wilting pumpkin leaves occur on hot afternoons then perk up in the evening. If they don’t perk up by morning, there is cause to suspect vine borers.

Always water from below and keep the water from splashing on the leaves to prevent fungal diseases. Drip irrigation is ideal. Content Editor Laura has used this easy-to-install drip irrigation kit from Home Depot for years and loves it.

Cleaning up the vines and removing them to the trash at the end of the season also will help prevent fungal spores from overwintering in the debris. To keep the fruit dry and rot free, place a thin board, shingle, tile, or stone under developing fruit. Also, carefully rotating the pumpkins every week or two keeps them developing evenly.

2. Reduce Nitrogen Fertilizer

(Image credit: Iryna Inshyna / Getty Images)

The pumpkin vines are already set with fruit by now. They do not need more vegetative growth, but they do need a potassium boost to support strong stems and fruit quality.

If you have been fertilizing pumpkins regularly, reduce the nitrogen from now on and supplement with a fertilizer that's higher in potassium, like this one from Espoma on Amazon. Or you can sidedress the pumpkin patch with compost to enrich the soil.

About 4 to 6 weeks before you expect to harvest, stop all feeding so the pumpkins focus on ripening.

3. Monitor for Insects & Disease

(Image credit: Michael LaMonica / Shutterstock)

Squash bugs, squash vine borers, and powdery mildew are still a threat to pumpkins in late summer. Check the undersides of leaves for orange to red squash bug eggs or the grayish adults. Pick off these common pumpkin pests when you see them and drop them in a bowl of soapy water. They will be slower in the early morning. Lightly squash the eggs or remove them with masking tape.

Vines that stay limp likely have a squash vine borer tunneling inside the vines. Inspect the limp vine for an entry hole with frass below. If there is only one entrance, you may be able to save the vine by removing the larva.

Using a clean blade, make a vertical cut an inch or two (2.5-5 cm) from the entry hole. If you see the larva, remove it, kill it, and cover the cut with soil. With any luck new roots will grow at the nearest node. If unsuccessful, remove the failing vine so the borers do not pupate in the ground to emerge next year.

Powdery mildew thrives in humid, shady conditions and is characterized by a white, powdery substance on the leaves. Keeping water off the leaves helps with prevention. But once the problem starts, you can’t cure it. However, you can stop it from spreading.

Remove the leaves that are most infected with the mildew and increase air circulation. There are organic and chemical controls available, but they work better when used as a prevention. You can use a sulfur-based fungicide now, according to label directions, to stop the spread. This copper fungicide from Bonide on Amazon is another good choice.

Powdery mildew doesn’t usually kill the vines, but it is unsightly. If powdery mildew is a problem every year, you might consider starting a spray program before it starts or at the initial onset until the humid weather subsides. Some resistant pumpkin varieties are available, too.

4. Stop New Fruit Production

(Image credit: Georgiy Datsenko / Getty Images)

To stop any new pumpkin production that probably won't mature by fall anyway, pinch off new female flowers and new growing tips at the end of main vines. Female flowers have a bulbous growth below the petals. Pruning pumpkins this way redirects energy to the existing squash.

Any new fruit that sets after mid-August should be removed as well. This forces the plant to focus its energy on ripening the existing fruit and encourages bigger pumpkins. Though you may be sacrificing more squash, each pumpkin will be larger.

Pumpkins are a popular and fun plant to grow, and providing consistent water, feeding, and vigilant care right up until pumpkin harvesting time will ensure your squash make it to the finish line.

Some plant pairings become classics for good reason, and asters with sedum is one of those great combinations that just always seems to work. In my garden, these vibrant perennials don’t even hit their stride until summer starts to wind down. Then, they fill borders with gorgeously rich color while providing a vital food source for pollinators when the rest of the garden has faded.

What I particularly love about this newest addition to our Plant Matchmaker series is that, while the plants look completely different, they make each other look better – it’s soft abundance meets bold structure. The upright sedum (Hylotelephium), also known as stonecrop, produces broad, flattened flowerheads packed with tiny flowers, while asters bloom with clouds of delicate daisies on slender branching stems.

As both plants peak in late summer and fall, they offer a brilliant final display of color. But the pairing isn’t all about flowering time – both plants thrive in sunny borders and are inherently low-maintenance, requiring little effort once established.

Which Varieties to Choose

While there are numerous varieties of these plants you can mix and match, it’s hard to go wrong with the ever-popular ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum, available from Plant Addicts. It’s a staple in my garden. Yes, it’s a predictable choice, but it’s popular for a reason and never puts a foot wrong.

Other winning sedum options include the richly hued Mr. Goodbud sedum, from Nature Hills; Rock N Grow Back in Black sedum, from Plant Addicts, for a more dramatic color contrast; or, for extra height in the border, pastel-pink Matrona.

Autumn Joy Stonecrop Sedum

Plants That Work Mr. Goodbud Sedum

Proven Winners Rock N Grow® Back in Black Sedum

For asters, I grow the amellus type – aka Italian aster – which is naturally neater and more compact at around 1–2 ft tall, with lovely large lilac-blue daisies. But as long as you avoid an excessive height difference between the two plants, there is a huge range to choose from.

In particular, compact dwarf varieties – like the purple October Skies asters, available at Plant Addicts, or pink Woods Pink asters from Garden Goods Direct – work well in this pairing as they are more balanced with the sedum. But even a taller variety like New England asters, which you can start from seed with this Kviter pack from Amazon, can work when the sedum is used to disguise the legginess of the asters.

Flowers can range from classic daisy forms to unusual types that look like cornflowers (see Peachie's Pick Stokes asters at Plant Addicts), zinnias (like these bold pink Henry III asters), or even mums (like this gorgeous Grape Crush variety from Nature Hills).

American Beauties Native Plants October Skies Aster

Proven Winners Henry™ III Pink Aster

Plants That Work Grape Crush New England Aster

Why Sedum and Asters Work Together

There is something so joyous about the colorful combination of sedum and asters. The warm pink, bronze, or red tones of tall stonecrop flower heads contrast and harmonize beautifully with the purple or pink daisy-like blooms of aster, while the yellow centers of the asters add a lovely sunny accent.

Yet, the biggest reason this pairing works so well is the plants’ form. Sedum is such a strong structural plant, while asters are looser and wilder. The architectural form of the stonecrop is softened by the frothy asters, keeping the overall look neat but natural.

When planting, avoid isolated single plants or an ordered alternating pattern. They will look more natural planted in loose groups. Position taller asters towards the back and use sedums to form generous forms in front. Dwarf asters give more flexibility for positioning. Let the edges of the plants mingle slightly. In large borders, repeat the plant combination at intervals for good design rhythm.

(Image credit: Alamy)How to Grow Them Together

As well as looking good together, stonecrop and asters have compatible growing requirements. Both thrive in full sun and well-draining soil. There are sedums and asters suitable for gardens across a broad range of USDA zones, although exact hardiness varies somewhat by species and cultivar. Certainly, there are options to make this pairing work in zones 3–8.

The main consideration is moisture. Sedums are tough, drought-tolerant perennials that dislike wet, rich soil, while many asters appreciate more consistent moisture. A moderately fertile, free-draining site that doesn't stay soggy is a good compromise. Neither plant needs heavy feeding, either, and overly rich soil can encourage soft, floppy growth.

As flowering winds down, don't be too quick to cut the plants back. Asters are an important late-season nectar source, while the fading flowerheads of sedum continue to change color and add interest long after the blooms have peaked. If you leave the spent stems standing through winter, cut them back before fresh growth begins in spring.

The architectural flower heads of Autumn Joy can persist well into winter, adding structure and color to an otherwise sparse garden. Cut them back before new growth begins in spring.

It’s this long season of interest that makes sedum and asters such an enduring fall combination. They take over when most summer stars are beginning to fade and ensure the garden heads into fall with a flourish.

More Plant Matchmaker Articles

• This Dreamy Combination Shines Late in the Season
• These Fiery Perennials Make Borders Glow Into Fall