Organic Gardening News

Once summer’s peak is over, the price of plants plummets and there are some great deals to be had. You see, most folk simply don’t want to buy summer bloomers once they’re done blooming, because of the long wait till next year to be rewarded for their outlay. Consequently, nurseries are stuck with lots of pots to overwinter, so many slash prices to clear them out.

Add in some extra Labor Day plant deals, and we're talking big savings. And you, dear gardener, have the patience to capitalize on this summer-bloom bonanza. Buy these perennial plants and shrubs now and you’ll not only save a heap of money in your yard but getting them into the ground in late summer or early fall means they’ll grow bigger and better. Planting summer bloomers at this time of the year brings a magical combination of warm soil and regular moisture, and plants will use their energy to grow a supportive root system rather than flowers. By the time they’re ready to flower next year, they’ll be far stronger plants than if you had planted them in spring, so are better able to deal with heat- and drought-stress.

Just choose perennial plants that are cold-hardy for your zone, get them into the ground as soon as possible, and keep them watered through fall if it doesn’t rain. To give them a little extra insulation over winter, it’s a smart move to lay a duvet of mulch over the soil, using homemade compost or an organic mulch such as Back to the Roots Premium Mulch, available from Amazon. As a gardening editor for over a decade, I think all these plants are a must for every garden on account of their easy-going nature, beautiful flowers, foliage or fruit, and reliable performance year after year.

1. Lavender Phenomenal

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Plants That Work Phenomenal Lavender

If you want to save money on plants, start your journey right here. An exceptionally tough lavender, Lavandula ‘Phenomenal’ thrives harsh winters and hot or humid summers alike in zones 5 to 9, and brings vibrant violet-blue flowers atop a neat, rounded evergreen mound of silver-green foliage. Though it’s a lavender hybrid, which usually have a sharper, more camphorous scent than true lavender, its fragrance is beautifully sweet and can be harvested to dry. Phenomenal also blooms for significantly longer than standard English lavenders, often throwing out a repeat flush of flowers in fall.

(Image credit: Burpee)2. Jolly Good Clematis

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Proven Winners Jolly Good Clematis Vine

If ever I’m stuck for a present for a friend, whether they’re a gardener or not, I buy them a Jolly Good clematis. It’s one of the most easy-going clematis vines to grow, and is a hybrid of the already incredibly dependable Clematis ‘Jackmanii’. With lavender blooms from June to September, it’s happy in a pot or the ground in zones 4 to 9 and happily scrambles up a fence, trellis or post. It only grows to 6-7 feet high and 2-3 feet wide, though, so stays a tidy size. It’s a Group 3 clematis which means it's super-easy to prune – it blooms on new wood so you simply chop all the stems to around 2 feet from the ground in early spring, and let it scramble off all over again.

3. Kansas Peony

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Kansas Peony

A gold medal winner from the American Peony Society, Paeonia lactiflora ‘Kansas’ is a peach of a peony. It boasts globe-shaped buds which open into ruffles of carmine-red petals that don’t fade, its stems are extremely strong and its scent is simply dreamy, drawing in bees and butterflies from all around. Flowering in mid to late spring, this perfect peony kickstarts your garden year, then the glossy dark green foliage remains a good foil for other blooms. Kansas peony can live up to 50 years in zones 3 to 8 so consider it a fabulous investment!

4. Star Jasmine

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Star Jasmine Shrub

Is there a plant with a more divine fragrance than star jasmine? I don’t think so. Trachelospermum jasminoides, also known as confederate jasmine, is a versatile vine that thrives in sun and shade and its tiny white pinwheel flowers can fill a whole yard with their sweet, honey-like scent in late spring and summer. What’s more, star jasmine’s blooms open in the early evening and release the strongest fragrance just at the point of the day when you should be relaxing on your patio with a sundowner! Hardy in zones 8 to 11, its glossy green leaves are evergreen so the plant looks good year-round.

(Image credit: Getty Images)5. PowWow Echinacea

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PowWow White Coneflower

Because they’re such reliable, abundant bloomers, PowWow coneflowers can command a high pricetag. So if you're wondering what to plant in September, deals on these reliable bloomers shouldn't be missed. PowWow is a compact, award-winning series bred from the native Echinacea purpurea, retaining their resilient nature but with more branching for lots more flowers and sturdier, shorter stems that don’t need staking. Requiring no deadheading, drought-resistant once established and growing well in zones 3 through 9, these no-fuss flowers are a must-have for any sunny border.

6. Meyer Lemon Tree

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Meyer Lemon Tree

Does every garden deserve a lemon tree? If you’ve got room to overwinter it indoors then the answer is a resounding yes. Citrus x meyeri ‘Improved’, more commonly called the Meyer lemon tree, is a cross between a tart lemon and a sweet orange, producing fruit that’s delightful in desserts and juices. You won’t have to wait long, either, as it’s quick to bear fruit in 1-2 years. Grow this pretty lemon tree outdoors year-round in zones 9-11 and overwinter it indoors in zones 3-8.

7. East Friesland Salvia

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East Friesland Salvia

Salvia nemorosa ‘Ostfriesland’ is a real favorite among landscape designers for its intensely purple flower spikes that bloom all summer long from June through September. Color-drenching is a big landscaping trend at the moment, as is using a purple palette, and East Friesland Salvia is perfect for both. Drought-tolerant and so easy to grow, this salvia is a naturally neat, compact plant growing 2 feet high and wide without flopping in zones 4 to 8. Pop it alongside a path or at the front of a border as its wrinkly leaves release a fresh herbal scent when brushed.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)8. Dark Lavender Chiffon Rose of Sharon

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Proven Winners Dark Lavender Chiffon Rose of Sharon

This variety has far more impressive flowers in a richer shade than the original Lavender Chiffon rose of Sharon – and that was pretty lovely to begin with! Don’t be beguiled by the beauty of this plant because it’s one tough cookie and copes with heat, humidity, drought, clay soil and even salt-laden winds. As a Proven Winners variety, I don’t need to tell you that it’s a reliable bloomer, and pollinators appreciate this summer-long source of nectar. Start this shrub off in a patio pot to enjoy those flowers up close then transplant into the ground as it can grow to 8-12 feet tall, though is easily kept smaller by pruning.

9. Summerlong Coral Agastache

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Summerlong™ Coral Agastache Plant

If you love to share your garden with wildlife then Agastache mexicana ‘Balsumlora’, more commonly known as Summerlong Coral Agastache is a must. Living up to its name, it brings vibrant coral colors from April or May throughout summer into September in zones 7 to 10, which in turn attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Unlike most other agastache, this variety has a tidy habit, growing in a neat mound with a dense volume of flowering stems reaching just 22 inches high. This resilient drought-tolerant perennial has foliage with a gentle, pleasant scent, too.

10. Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea

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Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea

Why anyone grows azaleas other than the Encore series, I don’t know! Bred to bloom from spring, all through summer into fall, this shrub couldn’t be easier to grow and it rewards your efforts richly with beautifully vibrant flowers month and month. Growing to 4-5 feet high and 4 feet wide in zones 6 to 10, the reblooming Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea is a fabulously low-maintenance choice for a front yard.

(Image credit: Getty Images)If You Need More Planting Space…

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Patiozen Elevated Mobile Self-Watering 30" Planter Box

This compact self-watering mobile bed has a simple but smart water-level float, drainage holes and 360° lockable wheels. Super for growing herbs that you can wheel from barbecue to outdoor dining table.

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Garden in Minutes All-In-One Raised Garden Bundle

This comprehensive kit includes an open-bottomed 17”-tall 2’ x 6’ raised bed with a watering grid for even moisture. It’s ideal for growing veggies, lots of other sizes are available and beds can be connected together.

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Keter Splendor 31.7 Gallon Raised Garden Bed

This stylish raised bed has a water reservoir and a drainage system that can be opened or closed, so you can use it indoors or out. Perfect for growing flowers, veg or herbs on a patio or balcony.

As summer turns to fall, many garden centers move large amounts of their stock into the clearance section. That means now is a great time to look for deals on cheap plants that you were eyeing at the nursery earlier in the season. However, not all plants in the clearance section are good candidates for your garden.

That’s why I talked to Amy Draiss, our Digital Community Manager and in-house plant shopping expert. She’s a former garden center manager with 20 years experience, so she knows all the pro tricks about how to pick the best plants in the clearance section at the nursery.

This is the first article in our new series Garden Center Secrets, where we share insider tips only garden center employees know to help you shop smarter at the nursery. Here are the plants Amy says you should always pick up on sale at the end of summer and the ones you shouldn’t waste your money buying.

Best Plants to Buy on Clearance

The end of summer and beginning of fall are prime times to peruse the clearance section at the garden center. Amy says to look for these sought-after choices on your weekend visit to the nursery.

1. Any Hardy Perennial

(Image credit: Danita Delimont / Alamy)

Even if they’re out of bloom, the foliage is a little spotted, or they’re already starting to die back for the season, hardy perennial plants are an excellent choice to purchase from the clearance rack.

It is usually later in the year when plants go on sale at a significant discount, so you’re basically buying the root system and the plant’s future potential rather than what it looks like that day.

Many hardy perennials can be also planted well into late fall, giving their roots time to become established before winter. I’ve even planted perennials as late as November here in Ohio – including bee balm, veronica, and agastache – and they all came back beautifully the following spring.

Other plants that may not look their best at clearance time, such as daisies, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, and ornamental grasses, can also be fantastic bargains.

If you prefer to shop online, American Meadows has a huge selection of perennials on sale on their website.

2. Shade & Flowering Trees

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Don’t be afraid to plant a tree in the fall! In fact, fall is a great time to plant trees, especially those larger shade and flowering trees that are often marked down to make room for new inventory the following spring.

The cooler temperatures and more consistent rainfall in the fall give trees a chance to establish their root systems without having to battle the heat and drought conditions that can come with summer. Then, when spring arrives, you’ll be rewarded with fresh growth and a tree that already has a head start in your landscape.

Of course, you’ll want to make sure the tree you choose is hardy enough for your area. It’s also a good idea to talk with a garden center associate about the location where you plan to plant it. Is the area wet or dry? Does it get full sun, partial shade, or mostly shade? How much room will the tree eventually need? Taking those factors into consideration will help you choose a tree that not only looks great, but will thrive for years to come.

Trees.com (formerly FastGrowingTrees.com) is another great online source for sale trees, shrubs, and other plants. Plus, they have a helpful and responsive customer service team that can aid in your online shopping.

3. Hydrangeas

(Image credit: Olga Seifutdinova / Getty Images)

Hydrangeas are another plant I would always look for on the clearance rack. They can wilt and crisp up just from looking at them the wrong way, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the plant is unhealthy or not worth buying.

By the end of summer, hydrangeas can look pretty rough above the soil, while the root system is still healthy and intact. This is especially worth considering with larger potted shrubs, which can be pretty pricey at full price.

If the plant is simply stressed from the summer heat or lack of water, it can often recover beautifully once it’s planted in the ground and given consistent moisture. And when you can get a larger, established shrub for a fraction of the original price, those savings can really add up and mean you have room in the budget to buy even more plants!

Looking for a crowd-pleasing hydrangea that looks beautiful all summer? Try a 'Limelight' panicle hydrangea that's on sale now at the Home Depot.

4. Spring-Flowering Bulbs

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Okay, I’ll admit it. I only buy spring-flowering bulbs when they’re at least 50% off. Unless there’s some hot new bulb that I absolutely have to have, like this 'Chandelier' tulip from Burpee that looks like a peony, I’d rather wait and see what’s left on the clearance rack and use the savings to boost my early-spring color. Daffodils, tulips, alliums, crocuses, and other spring-flowering bulbs can be fantastic clearance finds.

The nice thing about bulbs is that they generally stay pretty fresh in their packages, even late in the season. That said, you should always check the quality of the bulbs before heading to the checkout. Give them a gentle feel. If a bulb is soft or squishy, you can easily smoosh it or push a finger through it, or if you see mold or notice an unpleasant odor, choose another package.

You want firm, healthy bulbs because they’re much more likely to produce strong growth and an abundance of flowers in the spring. And don’t worry if the packages look a little less than perfect on the outside. As long as the bulbs themselves are firm, healthy, and free of mold or rot, you can often get a great deal on next year’s garden.

5. Houseplants

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Garden centers are often looking to find new homes for houseplants that aren’t looking their best in the fall, especially as they make room for holiday plants and flowers. Looking at you, poinsettias!

Luckily, many houseplants can be surprisingly resilient. Even if a plant is a little brown, lethargic, or slightly wilted, a few weeks at home with the right care can be enough to help it bounce right back. The key is knowing the difference between a plant that is simply stressed and one that has a serious problem.

Before buying, check that it isn’t severely root bound and that there are no obvious signs of pests or disease. I also like to look underneath the leaves and around the stems, since that’s where some pests can hide.

Snake plants, pothos, spider plants, and fiddle-leaf figs can all be good candidates for the clearance rack. I’m a little more 50/50 on orchids because they can sometimes be challenging to get to rebloom, but if the plant is healthy and the price is right, it can still be worth taking a chance.

You can shop clearance houseplants online from the Home Depot or visit the store in person.

Clearance Plants You Can Skip

Not every plant in the clearance area is a good deal. Amy says to avoid these problem plants that will never thrive, even with lots of love and care.

1. Evergreens With Brown Spots

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Evergreens, including trees and shrubs, especially dwarf Alberta spruce with significant brown or dead sections, should be left behind. Evergreens will often not push new growth in these areas, and browning is typically a sign of insect or disease infestation, winter injury, or stress.

Flowering evergreens, such as azaleas and rhododendrons, are a different matter. If only a small branch is brown, it can usually be trimmed out without affecting the health or appearance of the entire plant.

2. Tender Perennials & Annuals

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Annuals and tender, non-hardy plants are quite tempting when they’re significantly marked down at the end of the season. But they’re often not worth buying, especially if you live in an area with cold winters.

As fall approaches and bargains are plentiful, these types of plants will have little time to recover and flourish before a hard freeze comes along and kills them off. Unless you tend to bring a tender plant indoors or plan to use it for cuttings in the future, it’s usually better to spend your money on hardy perennials instead.

3. Severely Root Bound Plants

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Checking the root system of any plant you’re about to purchase, clearance-priced or not, is always a good habit. Simply slide the plant out of its container and take a look at the roots.

If they’re circling the outside of the root ball but aren’t excessively tangled or matted, the plant is likely only mildly root bound and can usually be corrected at planting time by making a few vertical cuts through the root ball to encourage the roots to grow outward.

However, if the roots are extremely tightly wound and have formed a dense, matted mass, the plant is severely root bound and may have a much harder time establishing after it’s planted. In that case, it’s best to leave it behind, even if it’s heavily discounted. A clearance price isn’t much of a bargain if the plant never recovers or thrives, leaving you to waste both your time and money.

Seasonal Gardening Shopping Inspiration

As we head into the colder months, now is a great time to create next year's perfect plot. This is what our team is shopping:

17" Tall, 2x6ft All-In-One Raised Garden Bundles

"Raised beds are on my wishlist for my garden in 2027, and after this year's droughts, built-in irrigation is a must. I'm coveting these smart bundles from Garden In Minutes which offer a pre-spaced grid for my crops" - Kayleigh Dray, Content Editor

Outsunny Portable Mini Greenhouse

"I never feel like the growing season is long enough, so this fall I'm investing in this affordable mini greenhouse that I can pop over top of the plants in my raised beds to grow a late crop." - Laura Walters, Content Editor

Specollect European Vintage Pedestal Planter

"I love the Romanesque planters I am seeing everywhere and had my eye on some very spendy versions to add some grandeur to my patio. These sturdy iron planters from Walmart look the part, but cost a fraction of antiques" - Emma Kendell, Content Editor

A fall hanging basket packed with bright flowers and colorful foliage is a showstopper addition to any garden, not least because most folk consign these suspended displays to the summer months. Hang a fall basket from your porch and it’s sure to get noticed, especially if you choose container plants that thrive in cooler weather so the vibrant show carries on into winter.

The secret to a flourishing fall basket is to plant it early. Get your basket planted in September and the weather is still warm enough for strong growth so your plants will quickly make themselves at home. That way, by the time temperatures plummet, the plants will be strong enough to withstand the harsh conditions that hanging in an exposed spot brings.

There are plenty of fall bloomers to choose from but add cool-hardy plants to your autumn hanging basket too, and you'll create a container display that performs well for many months to come. Bother to move the planter to a more sheltered spot in prolonged cold snaps and your basket will still be looking good for the holidays, and even last long enough to get spring off to an early start.

How to Plant a Fall Hanging Basket1. Use a Big Hanging Basket

While summer bedding plants bred to flower abundantly in hanging baskets have relatively small root systems, many plants used in fall displays are perennial plants with bigger roots. So, unless you’re sticking with small plants such as pansies, it’s best to go up a size. Hanging baskets are exposed to the air on all sides so the soil will freeze far more quickly than in the ground, so a bigger volume gives roots more protection, too.

While summer hanging planters are often 12 to 14 inches in diameter, look for a basket that’s 16 to 20 inches for a fall display.

16 inches

Arcadia Garden Products Hanging Basket

18 inches

Living Accents Steel Hanging Basket Black

20 inches

Style Selections Black Metal Hanging Planter

2. Get the Lining Right

Your hanging basket will typically come with a coco coir liner and while this does a great job of holding the potting soil and providing a little insulation, this organic material is extremely porous. Because fall winds quickly dry out the soil in hanging baskets, it’s a smart move to add a second liner inside. Use some sturdy waterproof plastic – an old compost bag is perfect – and cut a size that sits just below the rim of the coco coir so it's not visible once the basket is planted. The easiest way to get the plastic to sit flush is to cut a large circle, snip a straight line from the edge to the center point, then place this in the basket and trim to size.

Next, use a knife or scissor tips to carefully poke plenty of drainage holes through the plastic. You see, you don’t want to create a watertight layer or compromise drainage, especially with heavy fall rainfall due, but simply provide a barrier between the soil and the coco liner so wind doesn’t continually pull moisture from the basket.

3. Half-Fill with Potting Mix

To fuel a generous display, use an enriched potting soil designed for containers such as Miracle-Gro Potting Mix, available from Amazon, which already has slow-release fertilizer mixed in. If you’re using a regular potting mix, add a broad-range slow-release granular plant food such as Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food, available from Walmart, to the soil at the recommended dose.

Half-fill the double-lined container with the fortified potting mix. Unclipping the hanging chains and standing your basket in a big plant pot first makes this much easier to do.

4. Add Long-Lasting Plants

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)

There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing cool-season plants for containers that last not just through fall but well into winter, too. You’ll need to take a very different approach to planting summer baskets, though, and look to fabulous foliage as well as fall flowers to provide color.

Plan your planting based on three elements: thrillers, fillers and spillers.

Thrillers

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When you're container gardening, every planter needs a thriller or three. These are the standout plants that will sit in the center of your hanging basket, around which all the other blooms and leaves spill. You’ll probably only need one thriller plant in a basket as by its look-at-me nature, it’s likely to be fairly big.

Look for cold-hardy plants that bring texture as well as color such as compact varieties of Scotch heather (Calluna vulgaris) such as Scarlet Scotch heather, available from Plant Addicts, and ornamental kale such as ‘Red Kamone’ available from Trees. Another standout option that hits both tone and texture is a small heuchera variety such as Caramel coral bells, available from Plant Addicts.

Fillers

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The next element in your hanging basket will be fillers: flowers or foliage that work hard to bring abundant color or texture to your display. Plant these around your thriller plant. Cool Wave pansies, available from Trees (previously Fast Growing Trees), if planted in September, will start flowering in October and won’t stop till May. Carex are evergreen grass-like perennials that also work brilliantly in a hanging basket, with highly ornamental arching foliage. Evergold carex, available from Plant Addicts, is a particularly good choice for a fall basket as leaves have an appealing golden stripe.

Spillers

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The final element in a hanging basket are the spillers, adding trailing plant stems that cascade downwards. Again, choose evergreen plants that will look good all through fall and winter into spring. Corralling English ivy, available from Garden Goods Direct, in a hanging basket focuses its enthusiasm on throwing out a waterfall of long leafy stems. Hedera helix Glacier, also available from Garden Goods Direct, is a more ornamental English ivy with pretty variegated leaves.

Another good choice for trailing fall foliage is Ajuga reptans, such as ‘Chocolate Chip’, also available from Garden Goods Direct. Ordinarily a groundcover plant, bugleweed’s spreading habit means its stems will creep over the rim of a hanging basket and trail artfully down.

4. Top Up with Compost and Water

With your plants arranged in the basket, top up the container with more potting mix, firming it down well and leaving a half-inch gap below the rim to make watering easy.

Now all that’s left to do is hang up your basket, water it well, and enjoy! Don’t forget to add a few decorations to suit the season, too. Tucking in a few mini gourds adds a lovely fall touch, especially while plants mature to fill the gaps. Swap them out for pinecones in winter, and use fairylights or baubles to bring a festive sparkle.

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)

Keep your hanging basket watered when it doesn’t rain and snip off faded pansy blooms and your container will flourish all through fall. As temperatures drop, if you move the container to a more sheltered spot during long spells of cold weather, plants will carry on looking good all through winter and into spring. While snow falls and sudden temperature drops may temporarily stop growth, all these plants will quickly bounce back, so you can enjoy the colorful display for many months to come.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Dahlias are among the most lush, dramatic and beautiful of garden flowers, appearing in tropical-punch shades. I have heard the blooms called “swoon-worthy,” and though I have never in my life used that term, it does seem appropriate. The flowers appear delicate, almost fragile, but they are actually tough and durable. blooms in gorgeous “tropical punch” hues. These blooms look delicate, but they are tough and hold up well to handling.

Given the fragile beauty of the flowers, you might think that dahlia care is complex, but not so. They are surprisingly easy to grow and care for. However, your flowers may experience late-season issues that lead to small, dull, or dropping blooms. But if you give your dahlias appropriate late September care, you can help them shine right through the fall.

Why Are My Dahlias Looking Sad?

(Image credit: Joyce Grace / Getty Images)

Dahlias are late-season favorites, blooming happily from mid-summer through the first frost in fall. But as summer shifts into fall, problems sometimes arise, with dull, wilting, or dropping blooms.

If you want to point a finger at the culprits causing these issues, you’ll need both hands. Some of the issues are simply seasonal, like the shorter day length and the hot sun of August. Some are fungal, like powdery mildew and tuber rot; some are nutritional like potassium and phosphorus shortages after months of growth. If this is the problem, you might need a dose of dahlia fertilizer, which you can get on Amazon.

Others are caused by pests, and still others by well-meaning but inept humans (like improper deadheading and too much fertilizer.)

How to Solve September Dahlia Problems

(Image credit: Nik_Merkulov / Getty Images)

You can’t stop the day length from shortening nor the sun from blazing hot in August. But you can solve a lot of dahlia’s early-autumn blues by taking these five easy steps.

1. Change Your Irrigation Practices

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As the hot dry summer transforms into cool, rainy autumn, your dahlias need less water from you. As the local rainfall increases, you need to adjust your watering. Water pooling around the dahlia stems can result in rotting stems and fungal issues.

This isn’t an exact science. You don’t have to measure the amount of rainfall and reduce the amount of water you provide by that amount. Just keep an eye out for weather, and if an appreciable amount of rain falls, water your dahlias less each week.

2. Just Say No to Nitrogen Fertilizer

You fertilize dahlias with nitrogen in order to encourage new growth. But the new growth is soft, weak, green growth that won’t do well in the cooling weather. This type of growth is a beacon for pests and also invites fungal issues. And you want the plants to start hardening off their stems in September. In addition, a dahlia’s primary job in September is to finish its bloom cycle, not to add new growth. So cease all nitrogen feeding by September.

However, low- or no-nitrogen fertilizer will help those beautiful dahlias if it is high in potassium and phosphorus. These nutrients have been depleted after months of growth. This type of feed will encourage robust final blooms.

3. Deadhead Properly

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Deadheading dahlias in September can be a positive step toward extending flowering, but done wrong, it can be a very negative step. Improper deadheading in early fall can cause your dahlias to stop blooming prematurely or encourage disease.

“Bad” deadheading can be as simple as mistaking fresh buds for spent seedpods and snipping them off, reducing the amount of flowers. It’s equally bad (or worse) to adapt an “off with their heads” philosophy, pinching off the flower heads right below the bloom. This leaves the hollow stems standing. They fill with water from fall rains, then rot, inviting fungal issues or pests.

“Good” deadheading looks very different. You follow the spent flower stem down to where it meets a lateral leaf node. Make the cut just above that intersection at a slight angle. This helps the dahlias achieve peak production in September. Clipping off the dead blossoms this way stops the plant from wasting energy on seed pods so it has energy to produce new buds.

4. Improve Airflow

(Image credit: Oleg Opryshko / Getty Images)

Improving airflow for dahlias in September is not just a “nice” gesture. It might be the single best way to keep those blooms coming while avoiding late-season dahlia powdery mildew.

September is a moist month. It ushers in cooler nights and heavier morning dew. The dahlia’s incredible, dense late-summer growth traps in all that moisture. That means party time dahlia disease and fungal spores.

Open up your plants through September by pruning off the leaves from the bottom 6 inches (15cm) of the stalks. This clears a wind "tunnel" at the base of the dahlias, letting a breeze pass gaily through the patch, rapidly drying out morning dew and rain. It also reduces the possibility that soil-borne fungal spores will splash up onto the leaves during heavy September rains.

This is incredibly effective, especially if you also thin out crowded interior stems. Stand above your dahlia plants and look down into the center. You are likely to see a tangled mass of weak, overlapping, or non-blooming stems. Trim away crossing or weak inner branches, remove yellowing or damaged leaves.

Balance Is Key to Managing Late-Season Blooms

Every gardener would like their dahlias to bloom right up until Christmas. But we all know that in order to have flowers the following season, the dahlia tubers must have time to refill their energy. The rest the tubers require is the very reason for dormancy.

The key to enjoying late season blooms without depleting the tubers’ energy is balance. Yes, you can still cut dahlias for vases indoors; just cut shorter stems instead of longer ones. When you take out long stems in fall, it causes the dahlia to waste energy rebuilding lost vegetation instead of storing sugars in the tubers

Second, taper off the water supply, letting the soil dry out more between waterings than you did in summer. This signals to the plants that winter is coming, prompting the dahlia to begin funneling its resources underground.

Finally, take advantage of the “killing frost.” Don’t cut back the plants until the first hard frost hits. This cold snap causes the dahlia to dive into dormancy, sending a final flush of sugar to the roots. At that point, cut the stalks to 5 inches (25cm) tall. Two weeks later, lift the dahlia tubers from the ground. The brief curing period toughens the tubers, ensuring that they store well and sprout vigorously in spring.

Dahlia Care Essentials

Fertilize

Dahlia Fertilizer, 8 Oz

Prune

Fiskars Bypass Pruners

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Garden in Minutes Raised Bed Bundle

The bird feeder goes up on Saturday morning, filled with fresh seed, and by Sunday night, nothing has touched it. It’s a frustrating but common experience, and one that calls for a little patience. A new feeder can sit untouched for days or even weeks while the rest of the yard stays busy.

There’s not necessarily anything wrong with your feeder. Wild birds often take time to investigate an unfamiliar object, especially when it represents a change in territory the local flock already knows by heart. They may watch it for a while before they trust it, but there are dependable bird feeder ideas that can give them a reason to take a closer look.

Most bird feeding basics still apply. Placement carries most of the weight. After that, it comes down to offering food birds recognize immediately and leaving things alone long enough for them to work it out. They may even be visiting when you’re not looking, since birds are often most active early in the day. A bird feeder camera, like the Birdfy Smart Feeder for Beginners, can reveal that hidden traffic. For the rest, try these simple fixes to help your new feeder get noticed and give birds a reason to return.

1. Start Where the Birds Already Go

(Image credit: Philippe Gerber / Getty Images)

Wherever birds already perch or pick through shrub litter is somewhere they visit anyway, so a feeder put there gets folded into a route already being flown. A middle-of-the-lawn placement can sit ignored for weeks.

Cover is the other half. Trees or thick shrubs within about 10 feet (3 m) give smaller birds somewhere to queue up and somewhere to vanish when a hawk cuts through. But push the feeder much closer, and that same cover turns into a liability. Branches become launch pads for the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), while low growth hides cats.

When nothing natural sits at the right distance, an adjustable shepherd’s hook, like this Feed Garden design from Amazon, lets you hang the feeder exactly where you want it and adjust its height, giving smaller birds a clearer view and making it harder for cats to reach.

2. Consider Window Distance

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Glass should be considered before the first bird even shows up. Windows mirror the sky and greenery, and a bird that mistakes the reflection for open air hits at full speed. Most people hang a feeder specifically to watch from indoors, and windows near feeders produce the highest collision rates of any glass around a house.

Closer is safer. If a feeder is within 3 feet (0.9 m) of a window, a bird has little room to build up speed before reaching the glass, so any contact is more likely to be a bump than a high-impact strike. The other commonly recommended option is to place the feeder more than 30 feet away, although that advice is less certain than it sounds, as the research only measured collisions up to that distance.

At any range, marking the glass helps. These anti-collision bird window stickers from Amazon are an attractive way to make the surface easier for birds to see.

3. Use Familiar Seed

(Image credit: John Fader / Alamy)

Black oil sunflower, like this 5-pound bag from Wagner's on Amazon, is the safest opening bet on the shelf. The shells are thin enough for small beaks to crack, and cardinals, chickadees, finches, and sparrows all take it. Bargain mixes heavy on red milo do the opposite, since most eastern songbirds kick the filler onto the ground, where it sours.

Suet widens the invitation to woodpeckers and nuthatches, birds that may ignore a seed tube entirely. However, while winter bird feeding staples, suet cakes can be problematic in the summer heat. Rendered cakes hold their shape until temperatures stay consistently above 90°F (32°C), and heat drives them rancid well before they melt. Fat smeared on feathers can wreck waterproofing. No-melt suet dough copes better, like this C&S Hot Pepper Delight, which is flavored with hot pepper to deter squirrels, though the birds won't mind. Hang it in the afternoon shade, half a cake at a time.

4. Give Them Something to See From Above

(Image credit: Massimo MORELLI / 500px / Getty Images)

Birds locate food by sight, not smell, and a loaded tube feeder offers almost nothing to look at from 30 feet up. Loose seed changes that. Scatter a handful across the lid and any other flat surface the feeder has, where it catches the light and shifts in the wind.

Ground scatter does similar work, bringing in species that rarely bother with perches, including sparrows and juncos working the grass underneath. Rodents find spilled food fast, so keep the amount small enough that nothing sits out overnight, and set a shallow tray underneath to hold the rest off the wet soil. Once regular traffic starts, taper the scattering off. By then, the feeder advertises itself.

5. Be Patient

(Image credit: Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock)

Where feeders are already common in a neighborhood, a new one may be found within a few days. In places where nothing has been offered before, several weeks is ordinary, and longer than that happens.

Chickadees usually break the ice, along with titmice and other curious sorts. Everything else in the yard watches that first bird and draws its own conclusions. Activity tends to jump rather than build. Resist the urge to keep relocating the feeder. Every move resets the clock, and one shifted three times never gets a fair test anywhere.

6. Keep Seed Fresh

(Image credit: Bruce MacQueen / Shutterstock)

Wet seed goes bad quickly in humid heat, and mold in a feeder is not a cosmetic problem. Aspergillus fumigatus in damp seed causes aspergillosis, a respiratory infection that can kill wild birds, while A. flavus in moldy grain produces aflatoxins that target the liver. Fill the feeder with only what gets eaten in a few days, and dump anything clumped or musty.

Storage decides most of it. Seed left in its original bag in a shed sweats and molds from the inside out. This Behrens galvanized steel can with a locking lid from Walmart shuts out rodents and damp in a way the original bag never manages. Scrub the feeder every week or two in warm weather, taking it apart rather than cleaning it in place, and dry it fully before refilling.

7. Make it Squirrel-Proof – Without Spooking the Birds

Squirrels can find a feeder faster than birds do, and those first weeks decide whether it becomes a daily stop. Discouraging them early beats evicting them later. Physical distance does the real work: allow roughly 10 feet (3 m) of clearance from any branch or railing they can launch off. Anything shorter, and a gray squirrel clears it without trying.

To squirrel-proof bird feeders, use a wraparound pole baffle, like this Kitvona squirrel baffle from Amazon, mounted with its top 4–5 feet (1.2–1.5 m) off the ground. Lower than that, and they simply jump it. Birds treat that commotion as a predator event and stay clear well after it ends.

Shop Bird Feeding Essentials

Kaytee Ultimate Birder's Blend Wild Bird Seed, 10 Pounds

Behrens 10-Gallon Galvanized Steel Can With Locking Lid

Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder with Camera for Beginners

Two weeks with an untouched feeder feels like failure and hardly ever is. Keep the seed dry and leave the spot alone. The first chickadee tends to turn up on an ordinary afternoon when nobody happens to be looking out the window.

Green Day might have told us to wake them when September ends, but this isn't a month to sleep on if you're a gardener – especially if you're hoping for a bigger and more colorful flower garden next summer!

In many parts of the U.S., early fall is an excellent time to plant perennials. The cooler temperatures give these forever plants a chance to establish their roots before winter, without having to cope with the heat and drought stress that can make summer planting more difficult.

If you get to work now, then, you'll give perennials more than enough time to settle into their new homes and emerge in spring with an established root system, ready to put its energy into leaves, stems and, come summer, beautiful flowers, too. What's not to love about that, eh?

6 Perennials To Plant In September

September is a brilliant time to get perennials in the ground, especially if you want them to put on their very best show. However, your exact planting window will depend on your USDA hardiness zone and local conditions, so check that the perennial you're buying is suitable for your area and follow the planting instructions that come with it.

Shop Planting Essentials:

THE Raised Bed

Garden in Minutes All in One Raised Garden Bundle

THE TROWEL

Fiskars Ergo Trowel

THE SOIL METER

Digital Soil Tester Meter

That caveat aside, then, these are six perennials I'd consider planting this September for a bigger and better display next summer...

1. Peony

If you're after big show-stopping flowers, there are few perennials that can compete with a peony (especially if you go for your birth month peony for extra razzle dazzle). After all, those ruffled blooms are one of the great spectacles of the early summer garden, and fall is an excellent time to plant bare-root peonies.

Getting them into the ground now gives their roots time to establish before winter, as peonies aren't particularly fast-growing; this is a plant where patience well and truly pays off. Because, while a newly planted peony may not give you its full floral display immediately, it can live and flower for decades with surprisingly little fuss once it's established.

Shop Peonies:

Nature Hills Sarah Bernhardt

Nature Hills Kansas Peony

Nature Hills Shirley Temple Peony

2. Bearded Iris

(Image credit: Alamy)

Look, bearded iris might look like delicate works of art, but these are remarkably tough perennials, and their flowers can make a serious impact in a summer border.

Their beautiful blooms come in an almost dizzying range of colors, from deep purple and blue to yellow, pink and white. Many varieties also have a wonderfully sweet fragrance, so why wouldn't you want them growing in your garden?

September is a particularly useful time to plant or divide bearded iris because the rhizomes have time to establish before the following growing season. Pick up something like these bearded iris rhizomes, then, and take care not to bury them too deeply.

3. Coneflower

(Image credit: Fasil Tiru / 500px / Getty Images)

If you want big flowers and a garden full of pollinator activity, coneflowers are an excellent choice! These tough North American natives produce daisy-like flowers with prominent central cones, typically in shades of pink, purple, white, orange or yellow depending on the variety (many, though, rave about the Magnus Purple Coneflower from Nature Hills, as the petals never flop).

They're also wonderfully forgiving once established, tolerating heat and periods of dry weather better than many thirstier perennials. Plus, planting in September gives these low-maintenance blooms a chance to establish its roots while temperatures are cooler. By next summer, you can expect tall stems topped with flowers that keep going all season long... not to mention offer some winter interest in the form of their striking seedheads.

4. Daylily

Fu fact: daylilies are the kind of perennial you can plant in September and basically forget about, safe in the knowledge that they will still put on an impressive summer display.

Despite the name, daylilies aren't true lilies; they're clump-forming perennials that produce masses of trumpet-shaped flowers, with each individual bloom typically lasting for just one day. Fortunately, plants produce many buds, so the overall flowering period is a lot longer than that... especially if you establish them in early fall and let the cooler weather give them time to develop roots before the heat of summer returns.

Shop Daylilies:

CZ Grain 12 Mixed Daylily Roots for Planting

Willard & May Rare Applique Daylily Flower Bulbs

CZ Grain Strawberry Candy Daylily Bulbs

5. Garden Phlox

(Image credit: Alex Manders / Shutterstock)

If your idea of a spectacular summer garden involves great clouds of flowers rather than individual blooms, then garden phlox should definitely be on your list. This variety produces large clusters of colorful (and beautifully fragrant) flowers on tall stems.

It's a particularly useful perennial for the middle or back of a flower border because it brings height as well as color. And planting in September gives the roots time to establish before winter, setting the plant up for a strong start next growing season.

Try something like the Jeana Tall Garden Phlox from Nature Hills; it's a pollinator-friendly native, so guaranteed to keep local critters happy!

6. Hollyhock

(Image credit: Alex Manders / Shutterstock)

Look, I think we can all admit that, for sheer height and drama, it's difficult to beat a hollyhock. Especially if you have blond hair (it makes a wonderful alternative to purple shampoo).

These towering plants can send flower-covered stems several feet into the air, creating a spectacular backdrop for any garden; that being said, hollyhocks are technically short-lived perennials or biennials depending on the variety and growing conditions, but they can readily reseed themselves in the right spot.

Their tall flower spikes are particularly useful if you're trying to add another dimension to a border rather than simply filling the ground with color. And, as fall is a good time to establish many hollyhocks, now isn't the time to sleep on this blooming beauty. Give these Hollyhock Summer Carnival Mix Flower Seeds a go and see how you get on!

BONUS: Don't Forget the Spring Bulbs

(Image credit: Werner Meidinger / Getty Images)

Tulips, daffodils, alliums, crocuses and many other bulbs need a period of cold temperatures to complete their natural growth cycle, making fall the perfect time to get them into the ground. Try combining fall-planted bulbs with your perennials, then, for one of the easiest ways to create a garden that changes throughout the seasons.

Shop Spring Bulbs:

Willard & May 50 Yellow Daffodil Bulbs for Planting

CZ Grain Purple Allium Bulbs for Planting

Willard & May 50 Triumph Tulip Bulbs for Planting

It's important to remember that perennials have different growth rates, and some varieties need a couple of seasons to reach their mature size. But giving them a good start is one of the simplest things you can do to encourage a strong, healthy plant.

To make that first winter easier, be sure to water newly planted perennials thoroughly, particularly if your area is experiencing a dry fall. A layer of organic mulch can also help (so long as you don't pile mulch directly against the crowns or stems of your plants), and, finally, resist the temptation to fertilize heavily.

Happy planting!

Adding saffron crocus bulbs to your lawn is so easy yet these tiny blooms light up dull fall days in the garden. Most autumn-flowering bulbs need to be planted in spring, but fast-blooming Crocus sativus can be planted in September for blooms in late October and November, so add it to your list of bulbs to plant in fall. Part of the Weekend Win series, this is a 10-minute job that brings a big reward, making saffron crocus one of the best set-and-forget bulbs to buy now.

The chalice-shaped flowers of Crocus sativus grow just 3-6 inches high with petals in the most beautiful lavender hue that’s a fabulous contrast to the fiery tones of fall. Saffron crocus are fabulous plants to refresh containers for fall, too, but adding them to your lawn really shows off their beautiful shape and shade. By the time they bloom, you’ll have stopped mowing your lawn, so you can enjoy drifts of color for many weeks, for years to come.

But the best bit? You can buy 20 Crocus sativus bulbs from Jackson & Perkins for $17.95, which is less than $1 a bulb. So, as budget ideas for a beautiful fall backyard go, this fall crocus is a winner. Here’s exactly what to do…

(Image credit: Getty Images)

• Saffron crocus needs full sun and excellent drainage, so choose a suitable spot, avoiding any areas of the lawn where rainwater pools, as this will rot the bulbs. For a natural-looking drift, it’s best to plant one fairly dense clump of bulbs then dot a few bulbs at random intervals around this area.
• To plant the main clump, slice an ‘H’ shape or three sides of a square in the turf and carefully peel back the layer(s) of grass. The turf should separate from the soil easily but slide a spade beneath the grass roots if needs be.
• Plant the bulbs around 4-6 inches deep with the pointed end uppermost and flat root end down. Try and space the bulbs randomly, keeping them at least 4 inches apart.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

• Roll the grass back into place and press down to firm the soil.
• For the bulbs set randomly around the central clump, the easiest method is to use a transplanting trowel like this from Amazon (transplanting trowels have a sharper, more pointed end than standard trowels) or a bulb planter that removes plugs of turf like this ProPlugger bulb planter from Lowe’s. To get a natural effect, try throwing the bulbs up in the air and planting them where they fall.

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)

• Water well to ensure the soil settles around the bulbs, and you’ll see flowers in 6 to 10 weeks.

Saffron crocus are suitable for growing in zones 3 through 8 and each year, the mother bulb is replaced by several new baby corms. This is a gentle process, so don’t worry that they’ll take over your lawn. The fall flowers are sterile, too, so they don’t produce viable seeds, meaning your crocus drift will stay where you planted it. Blooms still produce nectar and pollen though, making them a valuable source of food for late-flying bees and a great addition to your list of garden pollinator-friendly plants.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When the plants are done flowering, the green grass-like leaves remain through winter, feeding bulbs for next year’s blooms. Once the foliage starts to wither in spring, it’s fine to mow this area of your lawn again. In warmer zones where grass is still growing in fall and early spring, simply plant saffron crocus towards the edge of your lawn so you can easily mow around the drifts as part of your lawn care.

More Weekend Wins

This feature is part of the Weekend Win series, packed with quick and easy 10-minute gardening tasks that bring a big reward.

Boost Roses

Remove suckers that are stealing energy from your rose shrubs and enjoy bigger blooms next summer.

Groom Grasses

Use a $4 dog comb to give ornamental grasses a quick groom and save yourself hours weeding in spring.

Trim Lavender

Prune spent lavender stems so your plant has time to grow a duvet of dense foliage to survive winter well.

Chrysanthemums bring glorious color to fall containers – but when that first frost hits, the show is quickly over. Far better to plant cold-hardy beauties that will bring color all through fall but carry on looking good into winter. Whether you have patio planters, welcoming containers either side of your front door or hanging baskets, these cold-season plants will flourish while everything else in your garden fades away.

Get your fall containers planted in early September while the weather is still warm enough to encourage strong growth, and all the plants will have the time to develop a good root system. Then, when temperatures start to drop and fall storms move in, you have strong plants that can handle whatever the weather throws at them.

From trailing pansies to ornamental kale, gracefully arching Carex leaves to intensely colored Heuchera foliage and the prettiest little cyclamen blooms, there are plenty of fabulous options to choose from. With a little deadheading, and a sheltered position in prolonged cold snaps, all these plants will shine through winter and get spring off to an early start, too. Choose to fill fall containers with just one variety or mix and match for a textural feast.

1. Pansies

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

For easy color, pretty pansies are one of the finest cool-season container plants, but be savvy about which varieties you buy if you want blooms that keep on coming as the weather gets colder. While standard pansy varieties flower in fall, they’re not hardy so won’t last for long. Instead, choose winter-flowering pansies that have been bred to survive plummeting temperatures. As long as you plant these early enough in September, they’ll start blooming in fall and continue to spring. Cool Wave pansies, available from Trees (previously Fast Growing Trees) are a brilliant winter-flowering choice with exceptional hardiness and superfast growth to quickly fill a container with cheery blooms from October to May.

Another good choice is Plentifall pansies that flower from October to May. As well as growing upwards to around 8 inches, Plentiful pansies also boast trailing stems so they’ll spill over the edge of baskets and pots. Burpee stocks both the Plentifall Lavender Blue Pansies and the paler blooms of Plentifall Frost Pansies.

2. Ornamental Kale and Cabbage

(Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the most unusual, eye-catching plants for autumn containers is ornamental kale or cabbage. These ornamental varieties have been bred for intense color which typically become more intense as temperatures drop. Ornamental kale tends to be a little more frilly and flouncy than cabbage, but both bring a tight rosette of leaves for incredible texture. Crane Pink, known as the cut-flower kale and available from Burpee, has even been bred to grow on 35-inch stems to resemble roses!

Cold-hardy and frost-tolerant, these plants are set to be a huge trend this fall, and make for a showstopper display, whether you choose to fill a planter with one variety or pop just one into a hanging basket.

Frilly foliage

Red Kamome Ornamental Kale

Intense tones

4 Song Bird Red Ornamental Kale Plants

Icy whites

White Kamome Ornamental Kale

3. Heuchera

(Image credit: TC397 / Getty Images)

If you want your container to stay looking good from fall into winter, it’s a smart move to use evergreen foliage to bring statement color, rather than relying solely on flowers. Coral bells (Heuchera) are technically semi-evergreen and keep their leaves through winter in milder climates, but varieties with leathery dark leaves tend to retain their colorful foliage better as temperatures fall, so are a good option for colder zones.

It’s a happy fact that darker-toned heuchera do better in sun and lighter, brighter foliage colors prefer shade, so they’re brilliant plants to bring contrast to a container. As well as a range of intense colors from lime green to amber, vibrant purple to almost black, coral bell varieties come in all sizes so pair the cultivar with your container capacity. Varieties that naturally grow in a neat mound, such as Caramel coral bells, available from Plant Addicts, work best in pots. For a smaller container or fall hanging baskets, choose heuchera hybrid heucherella (foamy bells) which is more compact but just as cold-hardy. Fun and Games Capture the Flag, also available from Plant Addicts, is a great choice.

Another option if you’re pushed for space in a hanging basket is to opt for a starter plant of any variety – and Heuchera ‘Wildberry’, with starter plants available from Walmart – is a fabulous deep purple – then move them into a bed or border next spring.

4. Heather

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Compact varieties of perennial Scotch heather (Calluna vulgaris) and autumn heather (Erica manipuliflora) are ideal for a fall container as they add texture as well as color and as they’re evergreen, look good all through winter, too. These slow growers need very little care and stand up well to harsh weather. Look for a variety that excels as temperatures fall, such as Beauty Ladies Scarlet Scotch Heather, available from Plant Addicts, whose red hues intensify as winter approaches.

5. Carex

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Fully evergreen, sedges are grass-like perennial plants with a wonderfully ornate habit, their blades growing up and over to create an elegant arching effect. They're also one of the most easy-going plants that practically grow themselves. Use carex in the center of containers and pansies will grow up through the slender blades for a professional-looking display, or position them towards the planter edge so the leaves cascade over the rim.

The Evercolor carex series is a super choice for all containers, including hanging baskets, as they’re compact, low maintenance and grow at a manageable pace. They’ve been bred to be highly ornamental and there are all sorts of cultivars to choose from. Plant Addicts stocks a good range, including the harder-to-find Eversheen carex which has has a lime stripe down the center of its green leaves.

Bright white margins

Evercolor Everest Carex

Green-to-golden blades

Evercolor Everillo Carex

striking golden stripe

Evercolor Evergold Carex

6. Hardy Cyclamen

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A lovely little add to any fall container or hanging basket is hardy cyclamen. Look for Cyclamen hederifolium (ivy-leaved cyclamen) as this flowers in fall, while Cyclamen coum flowers a little later in winter and early spring, so planting a combination of the two will keep your planter filled with these sweet blooms from September to March.

You’ll find ready-to-flower plants in garden centers at this time of the year, and can often pick them up at grocery, big-box and hardware stores too. Watch that you don’t buy the florist’s cyclamen, Cyclamen persicum, though, as these are houseplants and will quickly die outdoors, so aren't the best plants for fall pots. They’re easy to tell apart: Cyclamen persicum have large, marbled heart-shaped leaves with scalloped or serrated edges; the foliage of Cyclamen coum is heart-shaped or round but with smooth edges, while Cyclamen hederifolium leaves are shaped like ivy.

7. English Ivy

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The great thing about English ivy is that it’s happy to grow pretty much anywhere. While it can grow into a big plant, corralling it in a planter or hanging basket will control its vigorous nature and it’ll put all its efforts into throwing out a waterfall of long leafy stems to drape over the container sides.

English ivy is often sold as a houseplant, and these plants raised for a life indoors won’t be as hardy as those destined for garden use. So, make sure you look for garden-bound plants such as English ivy from Garden Goods Direct. For an even prettier effect, Hedera helix ‘Glacier’ is an English ivy cultivar with smaller gray-green with creamy-white, almost silver variegation. Glacier ivy is also available from Garden Goods Direct.

8. Bugleweed

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A more unusual but no less fabulous spiller is Ajuga reptans, or bugleweed. Normally used as a groundcover plant, position this near the edge of a planter or hanging basket and its spreading habit means that stems that creep over the rim. But its biggest boast is the light it brings to any container as the leaves have a waxy coating that shimmers even in dappled sunlight. While bugleweed is hardy down to zone 4, it’s a semi-evergreen, only fully retaining its leaves in warmer zones 8-9. It’s a tough cookie, though, and quickly regrows after a blast of cold weather.

There’s a wide range of colored foliage to choose from. Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’, available from Garden Goods Direct, is super in a container as it has smaller, narrower foliage than most varieties in a classy chocolate-burgundy shade. More modern varieties boast particularly ornate leaves, such as Feathered Friends Pleasant Pheasant Ajuga, available from Plant Addicts. As well as foliage that takes on appealing copper tones, it’s been bred for variations in leaf shape for added texture.

What Potting Mix to Use for Fall Containers

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)

While plants grow more slowly in fall and winter, you still need to fuel good growth if you want an abundant display in a small volume of soil. Use potting soil designed for containers such as Miracle-Gro Potting Mix, available from Amazon, which already has slow-release fertilizer mixed in. If you’re using a regular potting mix, add a broad-range slow-release granular plant food such as Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food, available from Walmart, to the soil at the recommended dose.

Ensure your planter has good drainage, and drill extra holes if needs be.

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)

By all means enjoy planters filled with fall flowers that dazzle till the first frost. But by choosing plants that thrive in cooler weather for your fall containers, too, you’ll enjoy a display that lasts well beyond into winter. Using vibrant foliage such as heuchera as well as enthusiastic bloomers like pansies for color, adding texture with heather and the frilly leaves of ornamental kale, and forming interesting shapes with the spilling stems of English ivy or bugleweed, you’ll create containers that will still be looking good as the holiday season comes around, for no more effort than potting up those chrysanthemums.

It’s hard to believe Labor Day is upon us. Where did August go? Though it may still feel like summer (in Ohio at least…), fall is on its way and so are all the requisite garden and lawn cleanup tasks. Now is the perfect time to score some deals on those tools and equipment you have been eyeing in the garden center all summer.

Labor Day weekend sales don’t always live up to the hype, but I have taken the time to find some of the best garden deals this year! A low price isn’t the only factor in weighing a good deal, though. These are gardening tools that the Gardening Know How team has used in our own yards and items from brands that we trust.

Let’s dig into all the great deals you’ll find this Labor Day weekend!

Great Deals at Home Depot

20% Off

Ryobi 40V HP Brushless Whisper Series Leaf Blower

This is my favorite leaf blower. I first used one when I was a park ranger and in charge of keeping the grounds around visitor centers clean and free of debris all year round. It is powerful and fun to use, if I do say so myself!

61% Off

Milwaukee Battery Pruning Hatchet Mini Chainsaw

This mini chainsaw from the Milwaukee brand is more than $300 off at Home Depot right now! Mini chainsaws are great for fall cleanup jobs, pruning shrubs, and trimming trees. I don’t feel super comfortable operating a big chainsaw, but this little one is just my speed.

27% Off

Sun Joe Shredder Joe Electric Leaf Mulcher

This leaf shredder from Sun Joe will quickly chop up your leaves this fall. This means that the leaves will be more compact in yard waste bags, but it also makes great leaf mulch to protect your plants through the winter.

Great Deals at Lowe's

30% Off

EGO POWER+ Cordless String Trimmer and Leaf Blower Kit

This is easily one of the Labor Day deals this year. A powerful leaf blower and string trimmer combo also comes with a battery and charger included. These emission-free tools will help keep your yard tidy year-round. Don’t miss this deal!

50% Off

Scotts EZ Seed Patch and Repair Lawn Mix

Lawn looking a little bare after summer heat and increased foot traffic? Scotts Lawn Repair Mix includes grass seed, mulch, and fertilizer to quickly fill in those gaps. Fall is the perfect time to seed cool-season lawns so snap this one up before it’s too late.

23% Off

Fiskars Power-Lever Telescoping Bypass Lopper

The whole Gardening Know How team loves Fiskars tools and these telescoping loppers make a great addition to your garden shed. Bypass blades make clean, easy cuts and the telescoping handles mean you get extra leverage when you need it.

Great Deals at Amazon

25% Off

VIVOSUN Outdoor Tumbling Composter

This convenient compost tumbler from Vivosun will take the hassle out of turning your compost. Throw all those old tomato vines, fallen leaves, and kitchen waste in, give it a turn and be on your way. Vivosun makes long-lasting products at affordable prices.

36% Off

Pocket Hose Pocket Hose Expandable Garden Hose Kit

The Pocket Hose expandable garden hose has been all the rage this summer. It expands up to 50 feet and is lightweight and kink-free. Once you’re done watering your plants, it shrinks back down for easy storage. No more heavy hoses!

22% Off

VEVOR Garden Dump Cart - 600 Lbs

Save your back lugging mulch, compost, or even stones with this convenient dump cart. It’s also a super convenient way to lug yard waste to your composter or even carry firewood from the log pile to the house this winter. My mom swears by her dump cart and I like to use it, too!

Summer may end in September, but vegetable gardening doesn’t have to. The soil is still warm from the summer, air temperatures are dropping, and many cool-season veggies actually perform better this time of year. Now is the time to plant crops that mature quickly for a fall harvest and those that are hardy and will establish over winter, providing an early spring harvest.

Here are some of our favorites to plant in fall along with some tips for healthy plants and an abundant harvest. And if you’re new to growing veggies, check out our comprehensive guide to starting a vegetable garden.

1. Spinach

(Image credit: Oliver Helbig / Getty Images)

Spinach thrives in cooler weather and tends to bolt in summer heat, so now is a great time to grow it. Start with seeds, and you’ll have baby greens in as little as 30 to 40 days. You can harvest the older leaves too, as long as you pick them before you get freezing temperatures. If you have a lot of time left in the season, sow seeds in weekly succession for a staggered harvest.

If you have a milder winter in your area, you can also overwinter spinach for a spring harvest. Use a light row cover and mulch around the plants to keep them warm enough to survive and provide a harvest of mature leaves in early spring.

Space Spinach - 300 Seeds

2. Kale

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Kale is one of the most cold-hardy of all veggies, so definitely consider planting it this fall. In fact, cooler temperatures produce sweeter and more tender leaves. You can sow seeds, but kale won’t grow as fast as spinach, so consider getting transplants, depending on when you’re starting and your winter climate.

You can harvest baby leaves and also let the plants mature. They’ll still be harvestable well into fall and even into winter, depending on the climate and weather. If your winters are mild, kale needs no protection. Use a cloche or fabric to protect plants in colder winters if you plan to keep harvesting past the first freeze.

Kale Blend - 100 Seeds

3. Radishes

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Radishes both like cool weather and grow very quickly, among the fastest maturing of all vegetables. You can sow seeds for radishes in September and have a harvest in as soon as three weeks. Sow seeds in succession to get a few harvests out of the season.

Because they mature so quickly, you probably won’t need any cold-weather protection for your radishes. If some are still going as temperatures drop significantly, use a floating row cover and mulch to protect roots.

Cooks Custom Blend Radish - 575 Seeds

4. Winter Salad Greens

(Image credit: Tim Gainey / Alamy)

Sow seeds for a few types of cool-season leafy greens for a fall salad garden. Arugula and mesclun are good options. You’ll be able to harvest baby leaves within a few weeks. Sow seeds in succession for a continuous fall harvest of salad greens.

Depending on your weather and if you provide some protection, like row covers, you can continue growing these greens throughout fall or even into winter. Cloches, row covers, and cold frames can significantly extend the season. Also, consider growing greens in containers, which can be more easily protected.

Salad Cutting Mix - 1500 Seeds

5. Garlic

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Planting garlic now allows it to establish roots over winter. You’ll get your harvest next summer, so this is one to plant if you don’t need instant gratification. Plant cloves of garlic pointy side up several inches apart. Cover the soil with a good layer of mulch to protect the cloves and roots from cold and frost heaving.

Your garlic will be ready to harvest next summer when the foliage begins to yellow and die back. Be sure to get good quality cloves to plant. Grocery store cloves don’t always work.

Chesnok Red Garlic Bulbs

6. Hardy Onion Sets

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As with garlic, you can plant onions now for next year’s harvest. Look for hardy onion varieties that are meant to overwinter. Plant the sets root side down in prepared soil with plenty of space for each one based on the expected mature bulb sizes.

Add mulch over the plants to protect them from cold winter weather. If you have more extreme winters, you might also need a row cover. Depending on the variety you choose and your climate, the onions will be ready to harvest next spring or early summer.

Onion Sets (long Day) - Yellow Stuttgarter

7. Broad Beans

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Broad beans, or fava beans, can easily be overwintered in gardens with mild winter weather. Sow seeds directly outside, but be sure to choose a variety that has some cold hardiness. Your autumn-sown seeds should give you an early spring crop next year.

Use mulch around plants for some protection, and provide some type of vertical structure as it grows, especially if your garden gets a lot of wind. If your winter weather is borderline or you expect an unusual cold snap, use a row cover or cloches to protect young plants.

Windsor Fava Bean Seeds

Tips for Fall Vegetable Gardens

To make the most of your fall plantings, take time to prepare the soil first. Remove any spent summer crops and weeds. Add compost or other organic matter to lighten and enrich the soil. Break up any soil that has become compacted and ensure it drains well.

After sowing seeds or putting in transplants, remember to water regularly. Generally, you can ease up on watering in the garden in fall, but your seedlings and young plants will be thirsty, so keep them watered if it doesn’t rain. Water container plants more frequently.

Never assume fall and winter weather will be consistent or predictable. Check weather often, and provide protection if you expect early frosts and freezes or an unusual cold snap. Use row covers, old sheets, cloches, or containers that you can move for protection and warmth.

September is a transition month, but it doesn’t have to be the end of growing vegetables. Extend your season with quick-growing veggies and use the winter as a time to establish plants like garlic and onions. Good preparation and an eye on the weather will allow you to keep your vegetable garden going long after summer ends.

Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) is one of the most common lawn weeds, but it can be difficult to catch before it gets too big. This grass-like weed sneaks into lawns unnoticed and can eventually take over. It’s hard to get rid of once it takes hold, so catching it early and understanding why it’s in your yard in the first place is vital.

Crabgrass emerges in the spring when temperatures reach around 60°F. This common lawn weed then germinates and begins growing in your yard. It can ruin the look of a perfectly lush lawn and it can also signal other issues at play.

Here’s what crabgrass is trying to tell you about the health of your lawn. Plus, I’ll share tips to prevent crabgrass taking over your entire yard.

What Is Crabgrass?

Crabgrass is an annual grass-like weed that is common in lawns. It looks similar to turfgrass, but it is often lighter in color and grows in clumps that turn into patches across lawns. It thrives in full sun and is often found in areas with thin turfgrass or bare spots in the garden.

Crabgrass dies off as the summer ends, but can set large amounts of seeds from the tassel-like flowers it forms throughout the growing season. These become the next year’s weed infestation, so it’s important to deal with crabgrass before it sets seed.

Why Your Yard Is Covered in Crabgrass

Crabgrass, like many other common weeds, can signal other underlying problems in your lawn. Healthy lawns are less likely to be impacted by crabgrass. So weeds, as annoying as they are, can actually tell you important information about your lawn care routine and how to improve it.

1. Compacted Soil

(Image credit: Oldboys / Shutterstock)

Crabgrass is a common symptom of compacted soil. Too much foot traffic, heavy machinery from construction, a lack of aeration, and heavy clay soil can all contribute to this problem.

Aerating your lawn is an easy way to prevent and fix compacted soil in your yard. You can either hire a professional to do this necessary job for you or you can try it yourself. There are battery-powered aerators, like this one from Ryobi, that you can rent or buy. But if you have a small yard, you can just use a small manual aerator, like this bestselling aerator from Amazon.

2. Thinning Grass & Bare Patches

(Image credit: Trudie Davidson / Getty Images)

Thinning grass and bare patches of soil in your lawn are also prime breeding grounds for crabgrass. Thinning is often caused by too much shade, lack of overseeding, common lawn diseases and pests, and removing a large amount of weeds from your lawn.

Overseeding your lawn is a good way to fill in bare patches or areas of thinning turf. The type of lawn seed you need depends on your growing zone and the light conditions in your yard. But Home Depot has a wide selection of grass seed for every part of the country.

3. Mowing Too Much

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Mowing your lawn too short or too frequently can also encourage crabgrass. If grass blades aren’t long enough to capture the required sunlight to grow a strong root system, this can encourage bully weeds like crabgrass to take over.

Follow the one-third rule when it comes to mowing your lawn. Only cut off one-third of the length of the blades to ensure your grass has enough surface area to get the required sunlight and to also shade out small weeds.

How short you mow your lawn should also change with the seasons. As heat rises and growth slows down towards the end of summer, it’s time to cut back on mowing.

4. Improper Fertilizing

(Image credit: groveb / Getty Images)

Not fertilizing your lawn enough can cause turfgrass to weaken and crabgrass to take hold. However, overfertilizing is also detrimental to the health of your lawn and can encourage crabgrass and other weeds. Fertilizing during the heat of summer or too frequently can stress turfgrass and cause it to weaken, which gives weeds an advantage.

Use a fertilizer combined with a pre-emergent herbicide, like this one from Scotts, that not only feeds your lawn but prevents crabgrass as well. Feeding your lawn at the beginning of the season with a fertilizer like this sets up your lawn for healthy growth all summer.

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

2446 Tolmie Ave., Coquitlam

Type: Six-bedroom, four-bathroom detached

Size: 4,127 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,783,000

Listed for: $1,880,000

Sold for: $1,830,000

Sold on: June 30

Days on market in this listing: 16

Listing agent: Danny Chow PREC and Salina Kai PREC at Rennie & Associates Realty

Buyers agent: Steven Chou PREC at LeHomes Realty Premier

The big sell: The listing agents described this Coquitlam home as a “Tudor-style executive residence” due to its timbered exterior, angular roof lines, and modern esthetic inside. That interior style showcases refinished Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, contemporary LED lighting, spa-inspired bathrooms, three fireplaces, and a Shaker kitchen with flat-panelled cabinets and a neutral colour scheme. Recent updates include new carpets, air conditioning, fresh paintwork, and upgrades to the furnace and gutters. A fully-finished walkout basement containing a bedroom, bathroom, recreation and flex rooms offers additional sleeping quarters and entertainment options. The rear garden is south facing and features a spacious deck, patio and hot tub. R.C. MacDonald Elementary School is nearby alongside Mundy Park, shopping, transit, and highway access.

405 — 228 East 4th Ave., Vancouver

Type: One-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment

Size: 772 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $751,000

Listed for: $769,000

Sold for: $780,000

Sold on: July 20

Days on market in this listing: Seven

Listing agent: Philip Watkinson PREC at ReMax Crest Realty

Buyers agent: Stephen Morris at Oakwyn Realty

The big sell: Mount Pleasant’s Watershed live/work loft building celebrated its 30th birthday this year surrounded by a growing community of boutique stores, craft breweries, eateries, and artistic hubs. This particular home is situated on the corner of the fourth floor and features soaring 17-foot-high ceilings with exposed pipework, polished concrete floors, and expansive windows that frame north-facing corridor views of the mountains and city. The two-level interior has a spiral staircase that leads up to the bedroom on a mezzanine floor, while the main level contains the kitchen, bathroom, living and dining areas with sliding glass doors that open to a Juliet balcony. The home is accessed via an open-air passageway that offers outdoor space for a barbecue and potted plants. It comes with a monthly maintenance fee of $463.65, and a parking stall in the underground garage.

511 — 108 East 8th St., North Vancouver

Type: One-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment

Size: 626 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $717,000

Listed for: $688,000

Sold for: $700,000

Sold on: June 26

Days on market in this listing: 45

Listing agent: Matt Council PREC at Rossetti Realty

Buyers agent: Caylee Gaylard and Adam Chahl PREC at Oakwyn Realty

The big sell: A Central Lonsdale position is one of the highlights of this one-bedroom-plus-flex unit in the award-winning Crest development by Adera. Constructed in 2021 with SmartWood technology that provides superior sound-dampening acoustics, it comprises 179 homes divided over six storeys with amenities that include a fully-equipped gym, a dog wash station, bike service room, and a rooftop lounge. This home has 626 square feet of living space with oversized windows, mountain vistas, quartz countertops, a gas cooktop, radiant heat, a four-piece cheater ensuite bathroom, and a covered balcony in excess of 100 square feet complete with a gas bib for year-round barbecues. One parking stall and a storage locker come with the home, as well as a monthly maintenance fee of $365.95, and a strata that permits pets and rentals with some restrictions.

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

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

Related

• Sold (Bought): Whistler home showcases stunning lake and mountain views
• Sold (Bought): West Vancouver home blends luxury with functionality

When I heard that the legendary Tim Curry had died, I did what I suspect an awful lot of people did: I immediately started thinking about all of his performances I loved.

Front and center, of course, was Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the role that made him an icon. But for me, Curry was also Wadsworth in Clue, Rooster in Annie, Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island, the unforgettable concierge in Home Alone 2, and (ahem) Nigel Thornberry in The Wild Thornberrys.

Whichever role you love the most, I think we can all agree that he had that rare quality of seeming completely himself in every role – oozing confidence, wit and just the right amount of mischief. No wonder, then, he seemed like a real gem of a man off-screen, too – and a keen gardener to boot.

All Hail Tim Curry's Favorite Garden Feature

Yes, it may surprise you to learn that Tim Curry wasn't simply someone who enjoyed pottering around with plants; he was a genuinely passionate horticulturist who designed, developed, and restored gardens, and he had a wonderfully thoughtful way of talking about what a garden could actually be.

Grand Central Publishing Vagabond: A Memoir

The memoir of the legendary Tim Curry imparts the full range of the “escapades, illusions, and contractions I've collected recklessly over the course of my vagabond days”.

Asked where his love of gardening came from, he joked that "if you're English, a trowel appears in your hand when you're 30 like a prosthetic device". British or not, though, most of us don't have the opportunity to create a garden for the likes of Freddie Mercury (yes, Tim Curry really did do just that!).

Naturally, though, the true intrigue comes from Curry's own garden. Because, when he bought a dilapidated 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival house in Los Feliz and painstakingly restored it, he spent ages tracking down the property's original plans and bringing his own ideas to the home and garden.

And the best feature,? Well, it wasn't what you'd expect.

A post shared by Tim Curry (@officialtimcurry)

A photo posted by

In his garden, Tim Curry favored colorful planting – but, as per his biography, his favorite part of the plot was actually the clever garden seating he set out. "I made two patios with benches. From one you can see the sun rise and from one you can watch the sun set," he explained. "Often I just sit up there and see what I imagine for the next project."

It's a timely reminder that a garden isn't really finished when you've planted it; you need somewhere to sit and enjoy it. And it is so easy to recreate in your own yard, as all you have to do is find the place in your garden where the morning or evening light is particularly beautiful, then pop a chair or bench there.

If you have space, Curry's idea can be taken one step further. Find an east-facing spot for morning coffee and an area with a good western view for the evening. Notice where the light falls at different times of year, and position accordingly. And, if you want to pay homage to a man who was always effortlessly himself, be sure to find a seat with its own style and panache, too!

Shop Garden Benches:

Carolayne Bench With Armrest

VINGLI Metal Rose Bench

Ktaxon Rustic Fir Wood Bench

What I particularly love about Curry's approach to gardening is that he didn't seem to view it as simply an exercise in making things look pretty. Indeed, in The Great Private Gardens of the World, he described his approach to be a case of "organizing nature not just into pleasing shapes, but also as a kind of spiritual resource."

It makes sense, then, that his two patios became places to pause, look, think and dream up the next project. Perhaps that's the real gardening lesson here, actually: don't design your garden solely around what you want to – instead, grow part of it around how you want to feel.

(Image credit: K Schulze/Getty Images)

Of course, the beloved actor's own love of gardening might have something to do with the fact that his father had created a garden from scratch during years of illness. "The 20th century has been very much about getting what you want now," he said famously. "Gardens are about making something terrific for those who come after."

He's not wrong; every time you plant something, it's an act of optimism. You grow a tree whose shade you might enjoy long before it reaches its eventual size. You improve the soil for plants you haven't even chosen yet. And, slowly, you build a better world for local wildlife and the people who come after you, too.

In the meantime, though, there is a way to get instant gratification from your own backyard, and it all comes down to Tim Curry's theory on benches. So, if you need me, I'm going to find my own patch of morning or evening light, put a chair there, and sit down. Join me, why don't you?

Sorting out the stash of garden tools in our sheds is a job we all need to do post-summer, and it looks like Walmart has already made a good start. Hundreds of garden tools are reduced and we’ve sifted through the pile to find the ones that are really worth buying. Whether you’re after loppers or a lawn mower, a trowel or a hedge trimmer, all these gardening tools have a minimum review rating of four stars so they’re worthy of adding to your backyard stash.

Let’s skip straight to the good bit with our pick of Walmart deals, shall we? Happy shopping!

Prep for Pruning

save $2.65

3 Precision Pruning Shears

These lightweight straight-tip snips in won't-lose-them-orange are handy for harvesting herbs and deadheading in the garden as well as pruning houseplants.

save $19

Paddsun Garden Shears Set

All with durable stay-sharp carbon steel blades, this set includes extendable loppers, hedge-pruning shears and bypass hand pruners.

save $10

WorkPro Professional Pruners

Both the 8-inch bypass pruners and 8-inch straight-tip pruners are made from durable carbon steel with a nickel-plated anti-rust finish.

Deal With Fall Leaves

save $35

Foukus Cordless Leaf Blower

A 90,000 RPM brushless motor delivers focused air power to clear up leaf, dust and light snow; two rechargeable batteries are included.

save $7

Pure Garden Leaf Scoops

Use these lightweight but durable hand rakes to make light work of clearing leaves; each measures 13.5 inches by 19.75 inches.

save $13

3 Yard Waste Bags

These waterproof, reusable 72-gallon polypropylene waste bags are useful for transporting fall leaves and pruned plant material.

Look After Your Lawn

save $37.83

3-in-1 Trimmer and Edger

This cordless Worx string trimmer switches quickly to an in-line wheeled edger and a mini-mower for comprehensive lawn care.

save $500

Genie3000 Robotic Mower

With 4-camera vision obstacle avoidance eliminating the need for clumsy perimeter wires, this cordless mower cuts lawns up to 0.91 acres.

save $18

Grass and Hedge Trimmer

Switch between the hedge trimming blades and grass edging shears, with two rechargeable 20V batteries giving up to 2 hours of runtime.

Banish Weeds

save $17

Push-Pull Weeding Hula Hoe

Slide the sturdy V-shaped stainless steel blade of this long-handled push-pull hoe under weeds to cut roots below the surface.

save $15

3 Weed Puller Tools

This set includes an L-shaped crack weeder, V-shaped tool for perennial weeds, claw tool for annual weeds and gloves.

save $14

4-Prong Weed Puller Tool

With an adjustable handle length, this stand-up tool removes weeds in lawns and borders, even persistent tap-rooted dandelion plants.

Trim Trees and Shrubs

save $5

Telescopic Tree Trimmer Saw

This manual pole saw has a carbon steel blade and a telescopic handle that extends to 12 feet for ladder-free pruning.

save $30.20

Extendable Anvil Loppers

With sharp high-carbon steel blades, a labor-saving lever design and telescopic handles that adjust from 27-41 inches for pruning trees.

save $21

Mini Cordless Chainsaw

With two batteries included, each with a 30-minute run time, this chainsaw is suitable for DIY, trimming branches and cutting firewood.

Make Life Easy

save $59

Steel Mesh Garden Cart

With removable sides, this robust 34” x 18” powder-coated metal cart with 550lbs capacity is available in black or green.

save $4

Garden Kneeler and Seat

This foldable gardening too has a cushioned kneeling pad/seat and two tool pouches on a strong 330lb-capacity steel frame.

save $62

Garden Wheelbarrow Cart

Holding up to 5 cubic feet with a plastic bin mounted on a powder-coated steel frame, this wheelbarrow has inflatable tyres for a smooth ride.

Treat Yourself

save $36.30

WorkPro Garden Tools Set

This 8-piece set comprises pruning shears, trowel and transplanting trowel, hand fork, weeder, cultivator, gloves and tote bag.

save $5

Digital Soil Tester Meter

This meter accurately measures soil moisture, temperature, pH and fertility as well as sunlight level and ambient humidity.

save $40

Cordless Pruning Shears

The high-carbon steel blades cut stems up to 1.18 inches in diameter, powered by rechargeable batteries for 1 hour runtime.

Upgrade Garden Irrigation

save $30

50 Foot No-Kink Hose

A stainless steel outer tube over a high-pressure inner hose and copper fittings pair with a thumb-controlled spray nozzle with 10 patterns.

save $15

Programmable Hose Timer

Easy to set up and simple to operate, this timer allows you to customize a schedule with watering frequency between 1 minute and 7 days.

save $116.99

Retractable Garden Hose Reel

An automatic return system with any-length lock and swivel wall-mounted bracket ensures hassle-free use of this 100-foot hose.

Snap Up a Sure-Bet Shovel

save $11

Flat Snow and Ice Shovel

This flat 76” shovel can be used to remove moss and weeds and edge paths and beds as well as shoveling ice and snow.

save $9.06

Tru Pro Digging Shovel

With large perforated turn stems and a D-grip handle, this Truper 40-inch steel round digging shovel has a sleeve comfort grip.

Save $1.05

Fiskars Ergo Trowel

Measuring 12.25 inches, this rust-resistant trowel has an ergonomic Softgrip handle to reduce wrist fatigue and a lifetime guarantee.

When Colleen and Doug Stewart listed their Kamloops house for sale, they were pretty confident it would be snapped up quickly. The three-bedroom home was fairly new, well-maintained, had a big backyard, and was within walking distance to an elementary school — ideal for a young family. On top of that, the interior was smartly decorated and nicely laid out. Or so they thought.

“Our real estate agent recommended we hire home stagers,” says the couple, which surprised them, as did the stagers’ suggestions.

“They recommended decluttering the kitchen — taking everything off the counters, removing personal items — putting rooms back to their original purpose (the couple had been using the dining room as an office), changing the hardware in the bathrooms because the drawer knobs looked out of date. They even suggested painting some rooms. They basically wanted it to look like a house and not a home.”

Creating a house, not a home

Betty Wharton, home staging consultant and owner of Chilliwack-based Happy Homes Staging Co. , seconds the house-over-home suggestion. “You need to take some of the personality out of your home.”

In addition to decluttering, she advises removing religious items, toiletries, pet items like dog beds or cat trees, and postcards stuck with magnets to the refrigerator.

Olivia Walsh, commercial operations manager for Burnaby-based Furniture Connection , says, “Sometimes it’s just rearranging the furniture to a better layout. Sometimes it’s getting rid of things that don’t need to be there, that are in bad condition or don’t show nice.”

Wharton agrees. “Usually people have too much furniture, so we’ll edit items to create a flow. We also suggest adding green plants because they bring life to a room. We’ll send people to the Dollar Store to get fake plants so they can have a couple in each room, one on every counter, including in the bathrooms.”

She says she will often add fresh white towels, bedding and shower curtain. “You want to create a neutral space but still have it feel warm and inviting,” she says, “because you want (potential buyers) to emotionally connect with a space. You want to highlight all of the home’s best features.”

As for the theory that wafts of fresh-baked bread or cookies, or even scented candles, will make a home feel inviting, Walsh snuffs out that notion. “Overpowering fake smells could tell people you’re hiding something. Better to stick with a good cleaning or fresh coat of paint, which can give it that new house smell.”

The stages of staging

Most stagers will come to your home to get a sense of how it will present and what it needs to showcase it at its best. That may entail rearranging furniture or removing some altogether and bringing in more suitable pieces.

The Stewarts’ stagers offered to lend them furniture but they decided instead to buy a few pieces for their dining room. “They did not move our furniture around, but I’m sure they would have if they believed it would be better,” says Colleen.

Wharton sources furniture from wholesalers or will sometimes recommend homeowners rent a few pieces. If the home doesn’t sell for a while, however, that could be an expensive proposition, in which case she suggests buying items on a platform like Facebook Marketplace and then reselling them afterward.

Furniture Connection, on the other hand, is primarily a furniture rental company with their own inventory. “We’ll go through the homeowner’s existing pieces and see if we can switch out some for something lighter, airier, more neutral that will showcase better,” says Walsh. “We’ll maybe change out their chunky black leather sectional that’s practical for living but not ideal for staging.”

Wharton says she avoids bringing in rugs or anything upholstered, which can get soiled or damaged, in favour of hard-surfaced items like dining chairs, bar stools or night stands. “We work with what people have. It’s a lot easier on their budget and easier to live with. We also position the furniture that is good for the camera angle because photos are so important. They’re the first line of attack to get people to your home.”

Stagers also work with vacant homes, bringing in furniture often only for the main floor, including the primary bedroom and bathrooms. “Places look a lot smaller when they don’t have furniture in them,” says Wharton. “People need help to see the potential in a place and connect with it.”

Vann De Marco, licensed real estate adviser with Oakwyn Realty Northwest, says, “I’ve found staging companies most helpful for vacant listings where visualizing a ‘lived-in’ space is otherwise difficult for most people. They do a great job of professionally laying out the home to maximize space and make it feel inviting. It’s amazing how different a home can feel empty versus fully staged with proper lighting and accessories. I would say that they most often result in a higher sale price compared to an unstaged, vacant home, with some exceptions, of course.”

He generally recommends staging a vacant condo in a building with several similar units for sale so it stands out.

“For occupied homes, it’s a case-by-case basis, but I don’t commonly use a full staging service unless the current furniture clearly diminishes the home’s potential or if it’s a unique style that might not appeal to most buyers,” says De Marco. “It’s usually sufficient to declutter and potentially rearrange furniture.”
Sometimes the style of the home — mid-century modern, character-rich heritage, or steel-and-glass condo — will dictate the furniture used in staging. “We try to work with the style of the home while keeping it neutral so it appeals to the most buyers,” says Walsh. “We want furniture that’s going to work for the majority of houses, so very neutral pieces, no crazy colours or styles, nothing too trendy, just good basics.”

Apartments and condos present their own unique challenges. “We have a team of warehouse and delivery coordinators, so we’re very familiar with those highrise buildings with their elevators, tiny hallways, tiny doorways, tiny bedrooms, tiny everything,” says Walsh. “We make it work but the transportation costs might be a bit higher if it’s a tricky unit to navigate or if it’s a walk-up.”

She says the entire process, from touring the home, taking measurements, notes and photos, selecting furniture, artwork and accessories then setting it all up, would typically take a week.

Stage it yourself

For homeowners who prefer to do it themselves, Wharton has a few tips over and above decluttering and either swapping out or paring down furniture. “Good lighting is really important, so make sure all your light bulbs work and match in each room. Usually 3000 K is the (best) warm bright light. You can go a bit brighter in bathrooms and kitchens or add in different types of lighting like table lamps or overhead light to create a nice atmosphere.”

And don’t forget your home’s curb appeal, since first impressions are important, she says. Simple, inexpensive touches like adding fresh bark mulch to your garden or painting your front door makes a big difference.

“Interestingly, houses with a black front door typically sell for $6,000 more than other coloured front doors,” says Wharton. “It looks sharp, and black is a receding colour, which draws you in.”

She advises choosing neutral over strong colours overall, however. “We always tell people to remove bright colours, especially red and pink, which photograph terribly. If there’s red in real estate photos, that’s all you see, it’s right where your eye goes. We like to start with neutrals and then add in warmth through layers and textures like wood and granary.

“Your home doesn’t have to be sterile and completely void of personality, and you still need to be able to live in it while you go through this process. But decluttering, deep cleaning, thinning out your furniture so there’s flow, will go a long way.”

Staging can help sell a home faster, but Wharton says, “It’s a tough market right now and everything is about price and presentation. Buyers have choices and they can be picky so you really have to do everything to make your property stand out from the rest.”

Walsh says she’s heard from homeowners who have followed all the advice, taken photos and listed their house, thinking it would sell quickly. “But it sat for a couple months. Then they would get it staged and it would sell within a couple weeks or the first month. It just shows how important staging is.”

The Stewarts went on to buy and sell two more houses after their Kamloops home sold within a week, thanks primarily to the staging. “Neither realtor suggested using stagers, but we found the Kamloops stagers’ advice very helpful and have used it for every subsequent move.”

Gardens aren’t just for daytime. Plan it right, and your garden can shine at night, too. As the sun goes down, many flowers close up but others open and actually release more fragrance. This is an evolutionary strategy to attract nighttime pollinators, but you can use it to your advantage.

Create an evening garden with night-scented flowers so you can enjoy gorgeous fragrances after the sun goes down. You don’t need an entire garden built around these flowers, but a few placed strategically around patios or decks and near open windows can transform your evenings.

Our suggestions here are known for nighttime aromas and include a variety of types, so you can find something suitable for your space.

1. Night-Blooming Jasmine

(Image credit: Esin Deniz / Getty Images)

Night-blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum) is a woody shrub that grows quickly and, despite its name, is not a true jasmine. It’s a nightshade, which means it's related to tomatoes.

What it does have in common with jasmine, though, is a strong aroma. It blooms at night and the very strong floral fragrance intensifies after dark. A little bit goes a long way, so consider placing it a little way away from a seating area.

Night-blooming jasmine is a tropical plant, hardy in USDA growing zones 8 through 11. It grows best in full sun or partial shade with fertile soil that drains well but stays consistently moist.

This shrub will grow quite large in warm climates, so give it plenty of room. Alternatively, you can keep it smaller in a container and bring it indoors in winter in colder zones.

Get a 3-pack of night-blooming jasmine online from the Home Depot.

2. Evening Primrose

(Image credit: Nickkurzenko / Getty Images)

Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is a native biennial that grows well in full sun and soil that drains very well and may even be sandy. It’s hardy in zones 4 through 9 and grows vigorously, so be careful where you plant it.

Consider using containers for this flower or growing it in a naturalized native plant garden. Using containers is beneficial not only for containing evening primrose, but also so that you can move the flowers around to best capture the fragrance in the evening.

In terms of fragrance, evening primrose is delicate. The flowers open in the evening and release a light, sweet floral scent. Because the fragrance isn’t too strong, you can plant this close to seating areas.

Try this drought-tolerant Missouri evening primrose variety from High Country Gardens for extra easy care.

3. Moonflower

(Image credit: Ellenmck / Getty Images)

For a night-scented vine that is an annual in most growing zones, consider the moonflower (Ipomoea alba). The large white flowers, which look similar to morning glories, open at night and release a scent that is often described as sweet and with hints of vanilla and almond.

Moonflower is a perfect choice for a pergola, arbor, trellis, or deck and balcony railings as it needs something to climb. Grow it in a spot with full sun or partial shade and rich, well-drained but moist soil. Moonflower grows quickly, so even when planted from seed in spring, you’ll soon have a vigorous, fragrant vine.

You can find heirloom moonflower seeds from Botanical Interests to start in next year's garden.

4. Angel’s Trumpet

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia spp.) is a dramatic and showy shrub known for its large, trumpet-shaped flowers, which have a sweet and intensely floral aroma. The smell of the flowers intensifies in the evening.

Be sure to plant angel’s trumpet in a spot where you can enjoy both the fragrance and the spectacular flowers. It does best in full sun or partial shade with rich, fertile soil that stays moist.

You can grow angel’s trumpet year-round in zones 9 through 11 or as a container plant that you bring plants indoors for winter in colder areas. If you’re using a container, make sure it’s big enough to hold this large shrub.

Also, be aware that angel’s trumpet is highly toxic. It might not be the best choice if you have pets or small children.

You can get this unique tropical plant online from Walmart.

5. Flowering Tobacco

(Image credit: Michael Phillips / Getty Images)

Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) is a tropical plant that is only hardy in zones 10 through 11, but it is very easy to grow as an annual anywhere. The abundant flowers are highly fragrant at night and have a jasmine or honey-like smell. It’s a good option for an easy-going plant that won’t grow too large or commit you to growing a perennial that needs more care.

Grow flowering tobacco in full sun or partial shade, especially in the afternoon in hot climates. The soil should be fertile and moist, but also drain well. You can find different varieties of nicotiana that vary in flower color and fragrance intensity. If you want a more intense aroma, group plants together near seating areas.

Try Park Seed's 'Sensation Mix' nicotiana seeds for a combination of colorful blooms.

6. Night-Scented Stock

(Image credit: Katerynap / Getty Images)

Night-scented stock (Matthiola longipetala) is an annual known for its spectacular evening fragrance. It’s described as having notes of spice, clove, and vanilla. While the flowers are delicate and airy, at night, they really come alive with an exotic scent.

Place these flowers in areas with full sun or partial shade and soil that drains well. Night-scented stock is best grown as a cool-season annual, so it will thrive in both spring and fall.

This is a small plant that isn’t too showy, so it’s great for getting more fragrance in a small garden and when tucked in among other plants or in containers.

Get night-scented stock seeds online from Amazon for only a few dollars.

7. Mock Orange

(Image credit: Mikhail Davidovich / Getty Images)

Mock orange (Philadelphus spp.) is a medium-sized shrub that is hardy in zones 4 through 8. Although not related, the aroma of the flowers is very similar to orange blossoms, sweet and citrusy.

Mock orange flowers don’t open at night, but they do produce a strong scent that lingers in the evening. Place it close to a patio or deck to make the most of it after sunset.

Mock orange grows best in full sun or some light shade. More sun leads to more flowers. The soil should drain well, but the shrub is tolerant of many conditions once it gets established. This is a great scent option if you’re looking for a permanent and sizable landscape element.

An 'Illuminati Sparks' mock orange from Wayside Gardens has gorgeous variegated foliage in addition to a beautiful scent.

Tips for Growing Fragrant Plants

Choosing the right plants for your night-scented garden is just the first step. To make the most of them, plant them where you’ll capture the aromas on outdoor evenings: next to patios and decks, on balconies, next to porch steps or along walkways, and near windows so you can enjoy them inside, too.

You can also use breezes to your advantage. If the evening winds tend to blow in one direction, be sure your seating areas are downwind of the fragrant plants. Also, consider layering these plants by height, including some taller and shorter options.

Of course, it’s also possible to overdo it with scented plants. Be selective and mix them in with plants that are not fragrant, so you don’t overwhelm your senses. Start with one or two options and then build from there as needed.

Is there anything more magical, more whimsical, than the concept of a birth month moon?

Yes, birth month flowers, birth month trees, birth month animals, and birth month birds might get all the attention, but the moon itself offers yet another way to connect your birthday with the natural world. Which makes sense, right? After all, long before printed calendars became commonplace, people looked to the moon to mark the passing of the seasons.

For centuries, communities across North America and Europe have given each full moon a name inspired by what they observed happening around them, whether that be flowers bursting into bloom, strawberries ripening, deer growing new antlers, or the arrival of winter snow. And, while today's most familiar moon names draw from a blend of traditions across the globe, they all share one thing in common: they celebrate nature's seasonal rhythms..

All 12 Birth Month Moons

For gardeners, the name of each full moon is especially meaningful, as they offer a snapshot of what is happening outdoors at that particular time of year, reminding us that the garden has always been closely tied to the changing seasons.

Better still? Well, birth month moons are rooted in folklore and observation, making them a fun, and surprisingly meaningful, way to celebrate yourself.

Shop Whimsical Moon Garden Products:

Go2garden Moon Star Solar Lights

AERLO Aerlo Moon Wall Planter

HOMEIMPRO Moon Solar Lights O

So, which full moon belongs to your birth month? Let's dive on in...

January – Wolf Moon

(Image credit: Lia Paugsch / 500px/Getty Images)

The Wolf Moon is perhaps the best-known of all the full moon names. Although many people assume it refers to hungry wolves roaming through deep winter, historians believe the name likely has European origins and reflects the sound of wolves howling during the coldest months of the year.

For gardeners, this birth month moon is perfectly synonymous with January, a month of quiet planning. Beds may be dormant, but seed catalogs are arriving, gardening journals are filling up with ideas, and the coming growing season begins to take shape.

If you were born under the Wolf Moon, its quiet resilience and strong sense of community likely feels a fitting reflection of your personality.

February – Snow Moon

(Image credit: Chayanan/Getty Images)

February's full moon earned its name because this was traditionally one of the snowiest months across much of North America. In some traditions it's also known as the Hunger Moon, reflecting how difficult hunting and foraging could be during late winter.

Although the garden may still feel asleep, signs of spring are beginning to emerge beneath the soil, from snowdrops to early crocuses. Naturally, then, those with the Snow Moon as their birth month moon are often associated with patience, quiet strength, and the promise that brighter days are ahead.

Shop Night-Scented Flowers:

Nature Hills Nursery August Beauty Gardenia

Daisy Ship Night Blooming Jasmine

Japanese Maples and Evergreens Double White Angel’s Trumpet

March – Worm Moon

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The Worm Moon signals one of the year's biggest seasonal shifts, leaning into that time when temperatures rise, the ground softens and earthworms begin returning to the surface, helping improve soil structure and fertility. (Anyone else suddenly keen tor read up on their birth month bug?).

For gardeners, this is when the growing season truly begins; in fact, it's the perfect time to enrich your soil with compost before spring planting gets underway. As a birth month moon, though, the Worm Moon symbolizes growth, renewal, and embracing fresh starts... which tallies up perfectly with the idea of getting back into things after a period of rest.

April – Pink Moon

(Image credit: Budanatr/Getty Images)

Despite its name, the April full moon doesn't actually appear pink. Instead, it's named after creeping phlox (Phlox subulata), a vibrant pink wildflower that carpets the ground across eastern North America each spring.

It's a reminder that gardens are coming alive with fresh color after the long winter, and it's the ideal time to plant creeping phlox or other early spring bloomers. No wonder people born beneath the Pink Moon are often linked with optimism, creativity, and an appreciation for life's simple beauty, right?

May – Flower Moon

(Image credit: Christophe Lehenaff/Getty Images)

By May, the landscape is bursting with blossoms, making Flower Moon one of the easiest names to understand. Wildflowers, flowering shrubs, and ornamental trees are all reaching their peak, creating one of the most colorful months in the gardening calendar.

CraftSaints Gardening Moon Calendar

This gardening calendar is easy to use; just match the date of the new moon with the new moon on the inner wheel at the beginning of each month and follow the instructions on the wheel as the month progresses. 

It's easy to see, then, why the Flower Moon has become associated with warmth and abundance. If this is your birth month moon, then, you are beloved for your nurturing spirit.

June – Strawberry Moon

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Named for the short but sweet strawberry harvest, the Strawberry Moon marks one of early summer's most anticipated seasonal treats. Several Indigenous communities used this moon to signal that wild strawberries were ready for picking.

As a birth month moon, the Strawberry Moon represents sweetness, gratitude, and making the most of life's fleeting moments. How lovely!

July – Buck Moon

(Image credit: John Finney Photography / Getty Images)

During July, male deer begin growing fresh antlers covered in soft velvet, giving this full moon its memorable name. Other traditions refer to it as the Thunder Moon because of frequent summer storms.

When this moon rises, it means that the garden is now producing in abundance, but regular watering? Well, that is increasingly important (try to mulch around vegetables and flowering plants to help conserve moisture during the hottest weeks).

The Buck Moon is often seen as a symbol of confidence, personal growth, and stepping into your own strength. Ideal birth month moon, then, for those who give as good as they get!

August – Sturgeon Moon

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The Sturgeon Moon is named after the large freshwater fish that were traditionally caught in abundance during late summer across the Great Lakes and other waterways, making it yet another example of how closely moon names reflect the foods our ancestors enjoyed each season.

Those born under this birth month moon are associated with resilience, resourcefulness, and appreciating the rewards of patience. So, while you're harvesting tomatoes, beans, squash, and other late-summer crops, make sure you lean into the planning for fall planting, too.

September – Harvest Moon

(Image credit: Peter Olsen Photography/Getty Images)

The Harvest Moon is unique because it isn't tied to a calendar month; instead, it's the full moon that falls closest to the autumn equinox (which means it very occasionally occurs in October instead).

Traditionally, though, it's associated with September, as its bright light once helped farmers continue harvesting crops long after sunset. And, as such, its appearance in the sky means it's time to gather apples, pumpkins, squash, and late vegetables while preparing beds for cooler weather.

Quiwun Handwoven Wicker Picnic Basket

Perfect for garden harvesting and use as a functional basket for kitchen counters, this harvest basket is beautiful!

If the Harvest Moon is your birth month moon, it signifies your capacity for gratitude and generosity, and serves as a reminder to celebrate the rewards of your hard work.

October – Hunter's Moon

(Image credit: Forest Arts/Getty Images)

Following the Harvest Moon comes the Hunter's Moon, traditionally associated with preparing for winter by hunting game once fields had been cleared. Without crops standing in the fields, wildlife was easier to spot.

For gardeners, it's a month of tidying borders, dividing perennials, and planting spring-flowering bulbs. Naturally, then, this birth month moon symbolizes focus, determination, and preparing thoughtfully for whatever comes next.

November – Beaver Moon

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The Beaver Moon refers to the time when beavers were busy reinforcing their lodges before winter, making it a cute one to watch for if you are a wildlife lover. It appears in the sky just as the gardening year is winding down, reminding us that there's still time to protect tender plants before freezing temperatures arrive (you just need to apply mulch around vulnerable perennials before the colder temperatures hit).

People born beneath the Beaver Moon are often linked with practicality, perseverance, and creating strong foundations for the future. Which means they'll also likely be fond of this very handy mulching quiz...

December – Cold Moon

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The year's final full moon reflects exactly what most people were experiencing: long nights, dropping temperatures, and the arrival of winter. (no surprises, then, that it's also sometimes known as the oddly melancholic-sounding Long Night Moon).

Although the garden appears quiet, it's an opportunity to add winter interest with evergreen shrubs, ornamental grasses, and berry-producing plants that support wildlife, including this one native tree if you want to see more cardinals.

Naturally, this birth month moon is often associated with reflection and wisdom, making it ideal for those who have a knack for finding beauty in quieter moments.

Shop Moon Garden Essentials:

Ravens Hollow Garden Moon Garden Collection Seed Packs

Chronicle Books Moon Garden: a Guide to Creating an Evening Oasis

Things2Die4 Rain Chain With Crescent Moon and Sun Discs

If your birth month moon has inspired you to look up more often, there are plenty of simple ways to celebrate it throughout the year; a moon phase calendar or gardening journal can help you keep track of each full moon while recording what's happening in your own backyard. And, of course, consider planting night-scented flowers like moonflower, evening primrose, white nicotiana, and lamb's ear, all of which seem to glow beneath the light of a full moon.

Whether you were born under the Flower Moon, the Harvest Moon, or the Wolf Moon, just remember that each full moon name tells the story of a season. Use it to connect with the natural world around you, and try to take a deep breath on the night of the full moon, get yourself outside or to a window, and gaze at it for a while.

You may find you feel differently about it now you know it's yours.

How two ingredients can elevate a recipe to such heights, I don’t know, but rose salt is simply magical and it's so easy to make from your garden-grown blooms. While rose salt pairs so well with chocolate bakes such as brownies and cookies, a scant sprinkle over a stack of pancakes is similarly game-changing. Try a pinch on a bowl of strawberries or a watermelon slice, too. And don’t stop at sweet dishes if you make rose salt, because a scattering over roast vegetables just before serving takes you straight into Thomas Keller territory.

But the best thing? If you’ve got roses growing in your garden and salt in a kitchen cabinet, you already have all you need to make this flavorful condiment and create some culinary alchemy. Roses are one of the best edible flowers to grow in your backyard as they don't just look pretty but bring noticeable taste and a subtle yet appetising fragrance to recipes.

Here’s exactly what to do for great results.

How to Make Rose Salt1. Pick the Right Rose

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If you're wondering can you eat rose petals, rest assured. The petals of all true roses are edible, but it’s important to ensure they’re not contaminated with chemicals. The best way to be sure they’re untainted is to pick roses from your own garden that you know to be free of pesticides. Avoid any plants growing near a road or a treated wooden fence.

Unless marked as organically grown, any recently purchased rose bushes should be left well alone, too, as it takes around 6 months for chemical sprays and fertilizers to fade. Never eat petals from shop- or florist-bought cut roses as these are highly likely to contain chemicals.

As a general rule, strongly-scented roses have petals with the most flavor.

2. Harvest Some Petals

(Image credit: Getty Images)

For plenty of flavor, harvest newly-opened blooms early in the morning. Separate the petals from the central base, and discard the inner workings. Remove the heel – the pale, whiter base of each petal – as this tastes incredibly bitter. Submerge the petals in a bowl of cold water to remove any dirt or debris then pat dry with a paper towel. You will need ½ cup of fresh rose petals.

3. Blend the Petals With Salt

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Put the rose petals in a food processor or blender along with ¾ cup of coarse or flaky sea or rock salt. Pulse until the petals are finely chopped and the salt takes on the tone of the roses.

4. Dry and Store

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Spread the salt mix on a parchment-lined baking sheet. It’s important that the layer is fine, so use two sheets if necessary. Place in an oven on a very low heat (120°F), stirring every half an hour, for around two hours or until the petals have darkened and the salt is fully dry. Leave to cool completely then store in an airtight jar.

How to Use Rose Salt

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The exact taste of your rose salt will depend on your rose variety, as some petals are far more potent in both flavor and fragrance than others. To enjoy the fullest flavor, scatter rose salt over a dish at the end of the cooking or baking process. If you’re using rose salt as the final flourish to your favorite brownie recipe, sprinkle it on the second you remove the tray from the oven so the residual heat helps the crystals stick to the crust. For a slightly more subtle finish, remove the tray from the oven 10 minutes early and sprinkle the salt on before returning to the oven to finish baking.

As well as using rose salt on savoury dishes – and it adds an extra depth of flavor to pretty much any dish but especially vegetable-based recipes – use this fragrant condiment to edge glass rims when making margaritas and dirty martinis.

(Image credit: Getty Images)Flavorful Roses

A rose’s taste mirrors its fragrance in terms of its scent profile but also its strength. So, choose a rose with a fragrance you adore and you’re likely to appreciate its flavor, too. As a general rule, pink, white and yellow roses have the best flavor, while darker reds can be bitter.

Fully floral

Gertrude Jekyll English Shrub Rose

With an intense, quintessential rose scent and flavor, Gertrude Jekyll boasts plenty of petals to play with.

Fruity flavor

Boscobel English Shrub Rose

For a fruitier, nuttier flavour, Boscobel pairs well with baked dishes because of its delicious pear-almond notes.

Fresh and bright

Charles Darwin English Shrub Rose

Charles Darwin has a fresher flavor that sits between a soft and citrussy lemon and warming herbal tea.

In one of his famous poems, Robert Frost wrote: “Good fences make good neighbors.” Does this apply to hedges as well? It might, if the hedge is on your property line.

Hedges are eco-friendly alternatives to fences and walls. They can provide hiding and nesting places for local wildlife, while also marking the property line.

But planting a hedge on the edge of your property is shadowed by legal concerns. Your best bet is to know the law before you begin then act carefully to make sure the hedge stays on your side of the fence.

I cover more questions like this in my Gardening Lawyer series, drawing on my experience as both a gardener and former attorney.

Benefits of Hedges

(Image credit: Ben Bryant/Getty Images)

Who wouldn’t prefer a natural, lovely boundary of shrubs on the property line instead of a wall or fence? A hedge offers privacy, environmental benefits, and structural protection, but it’s green and growing. The best hedge plants have foliage dense enough to create a privacy screen, blocking your backyard from the views of curious neighbors and muffling traffic noises.

And hedges are lovely, with ample aesthetic appeal. The greenery - sometimes with seasonal colors, flowers or fruit - softens your property line but also serves as a wind block. It can also act as a sun buffer, shading backyard areas in summer while also limiting chilly winter drafts.

Finally, hedges can stabilize the soil and also provide wildlife habitat. Hedge plants with deep root systems prevent soil erosion, while the dense foliage offers nesting sites, safe areas for birds and mammals, and food sources for birds and pollinators.

Property Line Perils

(Image credit: Grace Cary / Getty Images)

Planting near your home is easy. You don’t need to worry that your neighbors won’t be happy. It’s your land and you can plant whatever you want. But when you plant anything near the property line, your neighbor might be involved. This includes property line hedging.

It’s easy to understand why you should hesitate to plant an oak sapling near the property line. That tree is going to grow tall and wide, and its branches (and maybe even the trunk) will expand into the neighbor’s backyard…and they may not like it. Hedge shrubs may be trimmed neatly, but a property line hedge raises the same issues as border line oaks. Hedges are shrubs, and shrubs can grow even faster than trees.

Laws About Property Lines and Plants

(Image credit: Klaus Steinkamp / Alamy)

Every state has their own laws regulating plants on property lines, and some cities and even housing communities have rules too. The general law in most states allows a neighbor to cut down any part of a tree or shrub planted by a neighbor on your property line that extends into your own property. They don’t even need to ask permission.

But that’s not all. Many communities limit the height of any tree or shrub planted on a property line. Some cities and HOAs limit the species of trees and shrubs you can plant. Others won’t allow trees that block views or shade neighboring backyards.

Steps to Take Before Planting a Property Line Hedge

(Image credit: MoMo Productions / Getty Images)

You can prevent problems with your neighbors over your property line hedge by acting carefully. These are the seven steps you should follow before planting your hedge.

1. Learn all of the laws relevant to planting shrubs on the property line. Check for state laws, municipal regulations, and HOA or bylaw requirements - if you live in a housing community with an HOA or a housing development where bylaws apply. Find out if species or mature heights are regulated and whether there are any setback requirements. While you are researching, see if there are laws prohibiting planting that blocks a neighbor’s view or shades a neighbor’s backyard.
2. If you are still unclear on the law, consult with an attorney.
3. Develop a plan for your hedge. Select the type of shrub - taking into account your hardiness zone and the sun exposure of the area. Note the mature height and width of the species of shrubs you have selected. If you have any questions, ask a plant expert or an arborist to be sure the species is appropriate for the location.
4. Review city records that show the location of the property line between you and the neighbor.
5. Map out where you will plant your hedge. Set plants up to 3 feet (1m) back from the property line so branches do not cross into your neighbor's yard when fully grown. Add even more access space behind the hedge so that you can maintain the hedge without walking on your neighbor’s property.
6. Talk with your neighbors. Tell them what shrubs you want to plant and their mature size. Show them your hedge map. Walk the property line with them to make sure that your understanding about its location is the same as theirs. Listen to their concerns and address them if you can.

More from the Gardening Lawyer

• The "Spite Fence" Rule Every Homeowner Should Know
• 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
• Is It OK to Take Plant Cuttings From Garden Centers?

Spanning the Mamquam Blind Channel, a newly opened $20-million crossing connects downtown Squamish with SEAandSKY, the 53-acre waterfront community being developed by Bosa Properties and Kingswood Properties.

Aspect Structural Engineers led the engineering on this project. They brought Rafael Santa Ana Architecture Workshop (RSAAW) on to help transform a complex piece of infrastructure into something more than a route from one side of the channel to the other.

“We wanted the bridge to be a destination rather than a utilitarian instrument of circulation for the urban landscape that will be Squamish and the SEAandSKY community,” says Rafael Santa Ana, principal of RSAAW.

The result is an operable double-leaf drawbridge, believed to be the first operable pedestrian drawbridge in British Columbia. Its engineering allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross the channel while preserving marine access to the active marina below. Its architecture gives people a reason to stop once they get there.

Santa Ana says bridge design is normally “110 per cent engineering”, and this one was no exception. The structural and mechanical requirements largely determined what the bridge had to do. RSAAW’s role was to shape how it would look, feel and be experienced.

The bridge changes elevation and geometry to create viewing platforms oriented toward Squamish’s dramatic mountain landscape. Benches invite people to pause rather than simply pass through, while the weathering steel structure references both the railway history of the region and the vertical rhythm of the surrounding forest.

“We knew that we had the opportunity to create platforms to see the Chief and the landscape of Squamish,” says Santa Ana.

The bridge’s mechanical requirements became part of its architectural expression rather than something to disguise. Pistons lift the central sections, while gates temporarily stop pedestrians as the bridge opens for vessels.

“It’s a bit like waiting for the train to go by, and you’ll just be able to sit on the edge of the benches or really take in the views,” says Santa Ana.

Lighting was also designed around the natural setting. Santa Ana says the intention was “to keep the light off the water at all times” to avoid disorienting marine life.

Public art by Squamish Nation artist Calvin Charlie-Dawson is integrated into the concrete pile caps, reflecting Coast Salish design traditions and the cultural history of the Mamquam Blind Channel.

Six years in the making

For RSAAW, the bridge has been a long project.

“It’s been a project that has been around our office for six years or more,” says Santa Ana. Design work began in 2019, before the pandemic.

COVID complicated co-ordination between architects, engineers, municipal authorities and provincial and federal agencies. Marine construction brought another layer of difficulty, with Fisheries and Oceans Canada imposing restricted activity windows to protect species and habitat.

Wildlife itself occasionally had other ideas. Santa Ana recalls curious seals interfering with piling work and repeatedly returning to the construction area.

The bridge was largely pre-assembled off-site, then disassembled, transported to the waterfront and craned into position.

Despite the complications, he credits Bosa and Kingswood with maintaining their commitment to an increasingly ambitious piece of public infrastructure.

“They never hesitated on delivering the project that they said that they would,” he says.

Connecting a growing Squamish

The bridge was approved by Squamish Council in 2017 as part of the SEAandSKY masterplan. Once open, it will be owned and operated by the District of Squamish as part of its active transportation network.

SEAandSKY is already home to more than 900 residents and is ultimately planned to provide more than 1,500 homes, alongside parks, retail, public spaces, a waterfront village plaza and marina.

For the wider community, however, the significance is the connection. The bridge effectively extends downtown across the Mamquam Blind Channel, providing a direct walking and cycling route to SEAandSKY and Miyíw̓ts Park while improving connections for surrounding areas.

“SEAandSKY began with a vision to transform a former industrial waterfront into a vibrant neighbourhood connected to Downtown Squamish. This pedestrian bridge has always been central to that vision, and seeing it come to life after so many years of planning, collaboration and hard work is a proud moment for everyone involved,” says Bosa Properties CEO Colin Bosa.

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