Organic Gardening News

Ego Power+ Lm2114

The EGO POWER+ Electric Lawn Mower, Cordless, Includes 56V 6.0Ah Battery And 320W Charger - LM2114 is a 3-in-1 machine that can mulch, bag, and side discharge. It has up to 55 minutes of runtime on a single charge and seven position-cutting height adjustments. Foldable for compact storage, it is compatible with all EGO 56V ARC Lithium batteries. (Battery and charger are included).

Pros

• Weather resistant design
• Foldable

Cons

• Higher price tag

Greenworks MO48B01

The Greenworks MO48B01 48V 17" Cordless Push Lawn Mower is a budget-friendly machine that provides up to 45 minutes of runtime with two fully charged 4.0Ah batteries (dependent on grass condition). It comes with a single-level, 5-position height adjustment and a 2-in-1 design for mulching and rear-bagging grass clippings. It's also very low maintenance, quiet, and has a simple push-button start.

Pros

• Batteries and charger included
• Lightweight and easy to use

Cons

• Not suited to larger yards
• Bag needs emptying frequently

There are a few things to consider when it comes to outdoor gardening tools. From budget and battery life to additional features and power, choosing a cordless electric lawnmower can be a minefield. If you're trying to choose between Greenworks and EGO, you might be struggling because both brands have many pros and cons.

Brand names can influence our buying choices, and both Greenworks and EGO are well respected within the power tool industry.

But how do Greenworks and EGO hold up regarding price, availability, battery life, and performance? We've done the hard work of comparing the brands for you with the help of some experts. Read on to find out more.

(Image credit: Greenworks)

Greenworks and EGO are both heavyweight brands, but how do they differ? According to gardening expert Morris Hankinson, Greenwork offers a wide variety of tools, particularly for those with smaller gardens or those on a budget.

"EGO offers high-performance batteries, making them more suitable for professional gardeners or those with larger gardens."

He told us, "Greenworks has a universal battery system that can be used with different tools (lawn mower, trimmer, blower, or chainsaw, for example), making it very convenient for users looking to build an all-in-one setup with fewer battery swaps.

"EGOs are highly efficient, and their batteries are known for their long-lasting power, but they are specific to their platform."

Greenworks vs EGO: Price and availability

Greenworks and EGO offer a wide array of gardening tools, including mowers, hedge trimmers, blowers, pruners, and pressure washers.

The price of your gardening tool depends on its features.

"As a general rule, EGO tends to be more expensive and is known for its high performance and robust quality, which is used by homeowners and the professional market," says gardening specialist Matt Davies from Garden Lawncare Guy.

"Greenworks often comes in the more affordable range of tools without high-end performance."

Greenworks tools, such as an 80V 2ah battery, cost $175, and a top-of-the-line product like the 80V 21" lawn mower runs around $456.

Hankinson says that EGO products tend to be more expensive than Greenworks, but they have a better reputation.

He says, "Greenworks tends to be more affordable and widely available through popular retailers, offering value for those on a budget. EGO has a high price point, but that's justified by durability and efficiency."

You can buy Greenworks tools directly from its website or from trusted retailers such as Amazon, Lowe's, Best Buy, and Walmart. EGO is available from its website, Amazon, Lowe's, and approved EGO stockists.

Expect to pay around $179 for the EGO Power+ cordless leaf blower, $399 for the 56V 6.0Ah Battery cordless lawn mower, and $900 for the 42" ride-on mower.

• Verdict: Greenworks has the most affordable options, hands down. EGO is known for making high-quality tools but at a premium price. Greenworks are well-made, reliable, and durable but also more budget-friendly.

Greenworks vs EGO: Battery performance

Greenworks makes battery-powered cordless outdoor power tools in every voltage range, from 24V to commercial-grade 82V.

Hankinson says: "Greenworks models typically offer 80V max, while EGO runs up to 56V, but they are better for battery longevity and reliability."

Greenworks batteries are not only powerful but also extremely durable. Thanks to integrated deep discharge protection, battery life is significantly extended, and there is no risk of memory effect. This means you can charge the battery at any time, regardless of the current charge level.

Ideally, leave the charger unplugged and the battery disconnected unless it needs charging. It's recommended that the battery be stored at full charge. If it is stored for a long time when you don't plan to use it, check on the charge every few months.

Greenworks' drawback is that the batteries are not interchangeable. So, a 60V battery cannot be used in a 40V tool and vice versa.

EGO has an incredibly impressive battery selection and lifespan. The batteries are interchangeable across the entire cordless range, and as the batteries increase in size, so do the power capacity and run time.

An EGO Power+ 2.5Ah 56V ARC Lithium battery will run a cordless blower for up to 10 minutes on boost, up to 22 minutes on boost, and up to 75 minutes on low. Meanwhile, a 4.0Ah battery will power a cordless blower for up to 35 minutes on high, and a 5.0Ah battery powers a cordless blower for up to 44 minutes on high.

Most people want a clear winner regarding battery life; however, the truth is, it depends, says Davies.

“Battery life really depends on the application of the tool - some outdoor jobs simply require more power than others, but in general, EGO batteries are known to be better suited to larger properties that need extra run-time, especially when using the high amp-hour versions of their batteries."

To maintain the lifespan of your EGO battery, it is recommended that you keep it in a climate-controlled area that is dry, ventilated, and between 50°F-80°F all year round. Fully charge the battery pack every six months after storing it. Additionally, it is wise to ensure the battery is off the charger and the charger is left unplugged when storing it.

Due to their high capacity, EGO batteries can be stored unattended for ten years without damaging capacity and cycle performance. After 30 days batteries discharge to 30% capacity (ensuring longevity).

• Verdict: EGO wins with its impressive battery life. You won't want to charge your batteries if you have a big yard or are far from your house. This is where EGO wins over Greenworks, as it will last longer.

Greenworks vs EGO: Additional features

The complete Greenworks range is massive, selling both corded and cordless products. The brand produces a wide range of batteries from 24V to 80V, and it's certainly one of the most popular brands for budget-friendly DIY tools.

Six out of 21 Greenworks tools use DigiPro brushless motor technology. This means more power, longer runtime, higher speeds, increased efficiency, and less noise.

The EGO Power+ range is extensive and includes grass trimmers and brush cutters with different cutting swathes and speeds suitable for smaller yards. It also includes pro and standard models with user-friendly features. Its cordless power tools include the world's first self-winding grass trimmer.

• Verdict: The EGO system is far superior to Greenworks, with more features to make your life easier, and the batteries are designed to last for years, but it is expensive.

Greenworks vs EGO: which is better?

Ultimately, the decision on which brand you choose - Greenworks vs. EGO - depends on the size of your garden, frequency of use, and budget. Hankinson says both brands deliver eco-friendly, reliable tools suitable for users with different needs, and both have pros and cons.

"Greenworks is very budget-friendly, with a wide range of tools, a universal battery system, and easy to maintain. However, it's not as durable as EGO, uses more plastic parts, and has a lower run time," he says.

"EGO, on the other hand, is very durable, has excellent battery life, and has advanced features like LED lights and super quick charging. But it's expensive, takes longer to charge larger batteries, and is harder to find in discount stores."

Davies said "The most critical thing when deciding on a brand is not the performance of an individual tool or battery but the entire ecosystem of tools.

"Nobody wants multiple garden tools with different batteries and chargers, and that's not the ideal solution for the environment. It is also costly to research which other tools the brand manufactures before committing to a brand or tool. Consider whether these suit your needs and if any deals are available. Start with the end in mind when buying battery tools. Even if you don't want multiple tools right now, keep the doors open for future purchases."

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

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

A post shared by Ina Garten (@inagarten)

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Elegance Is About Restraint, Not Spending

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

The Best Budget Options

(Image credit: Future/Emma Kendell/AI)

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

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

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

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

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

Sound Matters More Than You Think

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

Scaling for Small Spaces

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

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

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

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

The Five-Minute Maintenance Plan

(Image credit: Roberto Machado Noa / Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

Shop Soothing Fountains

Gossi Outdoor Water Fountain With LED Light – Decorative Pedestal Bowl Design With River Stones

Arnulfo Streaming Falls Modern Polyresin 2-Tier Outdoor Water Fountain

Tankana Garden Water Fountain With Lights, Pump and Pebbles

The Napoleon Freestyle 425 has all the hallmarks of a premium grill, from its chic graphite grey porcelain enamel finish to its sleek design – yet it comes with a surprisingly affordable price tag. The question is, does it cook like a high-end grill too?

With four burners, the Freestyle 425 certainly has a generous cooking surface, capable of grilling up to 26 burgers at once. It also features two sizeable side tables for food preparation and holding dishes, along with three hooks for hanging your barbecue tools. And, unless you also want to invest in one of the best pizza ovens, you can even add a pizza stone to the grill for a perfectly crispy base. When the grill isn't in use, the side tables fold down to make storage more compact.

The stand features soft-close doors and sturdy wheels that enable you to move it around your yard with ease. The enclosed cabinet neatly conceals the gas bottle, keeping unsightly hoses and battered cylinders out of sight.

To find out how the Napoleon Freestyle 425 performs in the real world, I assembled it from scratch, noting how long the process took and how easy the instructions were to follow. I then put it through a series of cooking tests, grilling steaks, burgers, sausages, and vegetables, before roasting a whole chicken using the indirect grilling method (I didn't have the optional rotisserie attachment, which is sold separately).

Read on to find out how the Napoleon Freestyle 425 performed in my tests.

(Image credit: Future)Napoleon Freestyle 425: Key Specs

Fuel type

Gas (natural)

Cooking surface

Grate

Cooking surface area

621.3 square inches

Burners

5

BTU

38,000

Side burner?

Yes

Rotisserie compatible?

Yes (not included)

Dimensions

H45.5 x W52 x D25 inches

Weight

107 lbs

Price & Availability

The Napoleon Freestyle 425 currently retails for around $629. You can pick it up on Amazon, at The Home Depot, or Lowe's.

If you're looking for a grill in a similar price range, the Weber Spirit E-425 Liquid Propane Grill, available at the Weber Store on Amazon, is a good option. Both brands also sell a smoker box for that classic 'barbecued' flavor.

If you're on a tight budget, the Cuisinart CGG-7400 Propane 54-Inch Full-Size Four-Burner Gas Grill is a couple of hundred dollars cheaper and has similar features. Keep in mind that the Napoleon grill has a 10-year warranty, which makes it a better value in the long run compared to the Cuisinart grill, which only has a three-year warranty.

Setting up the Napoleon Freestyle 425

The Napoleon Freestyle 425 gas grill is easy to set up. It comes with clear and concise instructions that make assembly a breeze, and the sturdy base has wheels that make it easy to move around. The grill is compact but not flimsy, making it ideal for smaller outdoor spaces, and the cookbox and lid are quite heavy and seem to be built to last with a 10-year warranty.

(Image credit: Future)Premium Design

The graphite grey color of the Napoleon Freestyle 425 gas grill gives it a sleek appearance that stands out from other gas grills with black or stainless steel finishes. Its porcelain enamel finish gives it a premium look, and it is less prone to greasy finger marks compared to other gas grills.

Rounded edges make it easy to move around safely, thanks to the sturdy wheels on the base. A large warming rack offers extra cooking space for quickly cooking items, while the main cooking area is spacious enough to accommodate up to 26 burgers.

The cast iron porcelainized enamel cooking grids feature Napoleon’s iconic wavy sear marks, while the temperature gauge has a retro look. An aluminum firebox aims to create a convective oven effect. On the right-hand side, the folding table is also home to three hooks to keep your tools within reach.

Grilling Performance

I experienced some trouble with the ignition system while using the grill, as I couldn't get the burners to stay lit initially. However, I eventually got the hang of it and didn't have any issues after that.

The grill heated up quickly, but I did notice that the temperature dropped rapidly when I opened the lid. On the other hand, it rose rapidly once the lid was closed again. There was a cooler spot towards the front of the grill, which could be problematic if you're trying to cook a large quantity of food at once.

In general, the grill cooked everything well, but it does burn quite fiercely. As a result, it may require some practice to get the temperature just right. Nonetheless, I was able to achieve a nice sear on my steaks, and I was also able to cook a whole chicken over indirect heat, which took around 1 hour and 20 minutes.

(Image credit: Future)Maintenance

The tables of the grill can be easily folded down for storage. Once assembled, the barbecue is lightweight and easy to maneuver. When the tables are folded, the width of the grill drops from 55 inches to 33 inches, which is a significant difference when you need to move it to a confined place for storage. If you want to keep the grill outside, you can purchase a specific cover for this model on Amazon. I found some online offers that included a free cover with the grill purchase.

Napoleon recommends seasoning the cast iron cooking grids to prevent corrosion. After use, mild dish soap and water should be used to clean them, but they should not be put in the dishwasher. It is advisable to use a brass wire brush to clean the inside and underside of the cooking box and scrape the sear plates using a plastic putty knife, like this Skrapr design. To avoid any chips or scratches, plastic putty knives or scrapers should be used on all porcelain parts.

The Napoleon grill has a drip pan that can easily slide out for cleaning, which should be done after every fourth or fifth cook. It is recommended to clean the control panel only with soapy water and to avoid using abrasive cloths or cleaners. After cleaning, make sure to cover the equipment to protect it from the elements. This will help keep your grill in the best possible condition until you use it again. Although it may seem like a fiddly job, covering your barbecue is an important step in maintaining it.

Napoleon Freestyle 425 User Reviews

Online customer reviews of the Napoleon Freestyle 425 are overwhelmingly positive, with buyers praising its ease of assembly, reliable ignition, and even cooking performance.

On Amazon, the Freestyle 425 has an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, while Lowe's customers rate it 4.4 out of 5 stars. The Home Depot reviewers are even more impressed, awarding it 4.5 out of 5 stars, with 85% of customers recommending the grill.

Like me, many owners highlighted the grill's straightforward assembly, heavy-duty cooking grates, and generous warming rack. However, a small number of reviewers said it struggled to maintain high temperatures when much of the cooking surface was in use, making it harder to achieve a good sear across a full grill load.

Should You Buy the Napoleon Freestyle 425?

The Napoleon Freestyle 425 is a great grill that offers excellent value for money. It has a 10-year warranty, is well-built, and features a large cooking area with four burners. While it may not have all the fancy features found in premium models, it is a fantastic choice for those who want to cook for a large family or friends. However, it's important to note that this grill does not come with a side burner, which may not be suitable for some users.

How Does the Napoleon Freestyle 425 Compare?

While the Napoleon Freestyle 425 is a great option, there are plenty of other grills out there to consider too.

Charbroil Pro Series With Amplifire Infrared Technology, 4-Burner

The Charbroil Pro Series 4-Burner Gas Grill with Amplifire Technology is a strong alternative for anyone looking for greater cooking versatility. Like the Napoleon Freestyle 425, it features four burners and a similar-sized cooking area, but it also comes with a side burner and is compatible with optional griddle and charcoal tray accessories, allowing you to switch between gas grilling, flat-top cooking, and charcoal grilling. However, while the Charbroil offers impressive flexibility, the Napoleon backs its grill with a longer 10-year warranty, compared to Charbroil's more limited warranty coverage.

Weber Spirit E-425 Liquid Propane Gas Grill

The Weber Spirit E-425 is a good option for those who want a premium gas grill with powerful searing capabilities. It features four burners and a similar-sized cooking area to the Napoleon Freestyle 425, but its two Boost Burners create a larger Sear Zone that can deliver more intense heat for searing steaks. It also offers compatibility with Weber Crafted accessories (sold separately), allowing you to expand its cooking capabilities. Both grills come with a 10-year limited warranty, so there's little to separate them when it comes to long-term cover.

Nexgrill 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill in Stainless Steel with Side Burner

The Nexgrill 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill with Side Burner is a good option if you're looking to save money without sacrificing cooking space. Like the Napoleon Freestyle 425, it features four burners, an enclosed cabinet, and a side burner for preparing sauces or side dishes. While it lacks the Napoleon's premium finish and 10-year warranty, it costs significantly less, making it a great value choice for casual grillers.

How I Tested the Napoleon Freestyle 425

To test the Napoleon Freestyle 425, I assembled it from scratch, timing the process and assessing how easy the instructions were to follow. I then put the grill through a series of cooking tests, grilling burgers, steaks, sausages, and vegetables, before roasting a whole chicken using the indirect grilling method.

During testing, I evaluated how quickly the grill heated up, how evenly it cooked across the four burners, how well it maintained its temperature, and how easy it was to control the heat. I also assessed the quality of its construction, the usefulness of its features, including the folding side shelves and warming rack, and how straightforward it was to clean after cooking.

To provide a more rounded assessment, I also considered long-term ownership factors such as the warranty, replacement parts, and customer feedback, helping determine whether the Napoleon Freestyle 425 offers good value for money.

A lawn mower has one setting most owners use: however it came from the factory. That works until the weather turns and then it really doesn't. Cut too short in the heat of summer and the grass scorches or leave it shaggy through a wet spring and it mats down and invites disease. The right mowing height isn't a single number. It changes with the season.

But there's more to knowing how to mow a lawn than picking the right mowing height and forgetting about it. Knowing when to change the mowing height is important, too. A lawn races ahead with growth in spring, then crawls as the summer heat sets in. So a height that suits it in May does your lawn no favors by August.

Change your mowing you'll be paid off with a lush lawn with gorgeous green color and fewer weeds. Here’s how to get it right.

Always Follow the One-Third Rule

Before prescribing any season-specific number, one rule governs all of them: never take off more than a third of the grass blade in a single cut.

Go shorter and it loses too much leaf at once. Roots stall while your grass recovers. The crown sits exposed as well and a few mowings on the turf looks thin and stressed, browning in patches for weeks.

This is also why height changes should come gradually across a few mowings, instead of one drastic drop. It helps to know your current height before adjusting anything. Set the mower on a flat, hard surface and measure from the ground up to the blade edge.

Measuring is easiest with a mower height gauge from Amazon, though a plain tape measure does the job fine. Eyeballing it may end up with a shorter height and short is the direction that causes trouble.

(Image credit: Daria Nipot / Getty Images)Spring: Start Low, Then Ease Up

Spring is the one time you can cut a touch shorter. That first mow of the season can come in a touch lower than usual to clear the dead, matted growth winter left behind. This lets sunlight and air down to the crown to wake up your lawn faster. For cool-season grasses like fescue and bluegrass, that means starting around 2.5 inches (6 cm).

Once your lawn growing in earnest, raise the deck back up. For most cool-season lawns, around 3 inches (7.5 cm) is the spring sweet spot. It's tall enough to shade the soil and crowd out weed seedlings, but short enough that the grass won't flop.

Warm-season types of grass should be cut lower, around 1-2.5 inches (2.5-6.4 cm) high. Bermuda, zoysia, the southern grasses all do well under that height. But the logic still holds. Take the winter-killed growth down at green-up, then let the height creep up as it grows through the season.

(Image credit: Alamy)Summer: Let It Grow Tall

Summer is the season that mowing height is the most important. Let the grass grow a bit long and it shades its own soil, cooling the roots and slowing how fast water burns off up top.

In a brutal July, when the heat won't quit and rain is hit or miss, that shade is key to keeping your lawn green. Cool-season lawns would prefer a high cut here, up around 3.5 to 4 inches (9-10 cm).

Longer blades grow deeper roots, too, which reach water further down when the surface dries out. Resist the urge to scalp your lawn in order to mow less often. That backfires fast in July, leaving your grass heat-stressed and making your lawn turn brown.

Warm-season grasses take the heat better and can hold closer to their usual height, though even those appreciate a slightly higher cut through a bad drought.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Fall: Bring It Back Down

When temperatures finally back off, cool-season grass gets its second wind, growing strong again like in spring. The deck comes back down with it to that same 2.5 to 3 inches (6-7.5 cm) from spring.

Fall is recovery time. The lawn is rebuilding after the summer beating and sending growth down into the roots. A middling height gives it room without sitting so tall it's exposed.

The last cut of the year is the one to get right. Dropping it a notch lower for that final mow, down toward 2 inches (5 cm) high, keeps long blades from matting under snow and heads off snow mold over the winter.

Fall is leaf season as well and a mulching blade from Amazon chops fallen leaves finely enough to drop back into the lawn as free fertilizer instead of bagging them. Just don't let a thick layer sit long enough to smother the grass.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Winter: Dormancy

Once growth stops, mowing should stop as well. Dormant grass – brown and still in the cold or just not pushing new top growth – gains nothing from being cut. Rolling a heavy mower over frozen or frosted turf does real harm, snapping the brittle blades and compacting the soil underneath. In most regions the mower goes away for the season and stays there.

The only exception is mild southern lawns. Where grass keeps creeping along through winter or where a warm-season lawn has been overseeded with ryegrass for off-season color, an occasional cut keeps things tidy. Mow at the higher end of the range and only when the grass is dry and actively growing. Otherwise, winter lawn care comes down to staying off the grass and letting it rest.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)How to Change the Mowing Height

Changing the cutting height on a lawn mower takes a minute once you find the lever, but it's pretty much the same on every machine.

On a walk-behind push mower, like this Troy-Bilt mower we reviewed, it's a spring-loaded lever by each wheel or on some models one central lever for the whole deck. Squeeze it and run it through the notches, each one a set height.

Riding mowers, like this battery-powered lawn tractor we reviewed, use a lever or dial by the seat. Check the manual for which notch is which.

Here's the part that gets overlooked: the height means little if the blade is dull. A blade that's cuts all season goes blunt and a blunt edge rips the grass instead of slicing it cleanly, leaving frayed brown tips no height setting can save.

A blade sharpener from Amazon keeps it touched up at home or a hardware store will grind one for a few bucks. Skip it and you can dial in a perfect height and still wind up with a ragged, browning lawn.

Early summer is peak flowering season with borders packed full of blooms – and if you sow these fast-to-flower plants in July, you can keep it that way until the first frost. All gardens look fabulous right now, but come late August and September, most backyards will be starting to run out of steam as flowers fade and border gaps appear. Except, of course, those gardens owned by savvy gardeners who know what seeds to sow in July for a fresh burst of flowers just as most plants are reaching the end of their blooming cycle.

Those gardens will have borders bright with renewed late summer color and a plentiful profusion of petals, signing the sunny season off with aplomb and continuing far into fall. And all for the price of a few packets of seed!

These breakneck blooms all thrive in pots as well as in the ground, so you can use them to refresh your patio display, too: as quick and clever container gardening ideas go, it's such an easy win. All these plants are sun lovers, so while you’ll need to keep them watered while they germinate and grow their roots deep enough to find their own moisture supply, they’ll cope with midsummer heat, even through that vulnerable seedling stage. Super-tolerant, these easy to grow flowers can also be direct-sown straight into the soil where they’re to bloom.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

And oh, the colors they’ll bring to your garden! These are annual plants, completing their lifecycle in a year, which is why they produce their flowers so speedily. That swift journey from sowing to flowering to seed production also means these plants are pretty easy to breed from, so there's a wealth of varieties with ever-more beautiful blooms. So whether you want a bright pop of fiery color to enhance the golden tones of your late-summer ornamental grasses, or a cooling mix of pastel shades to offset the intense heat of late September, you'll have a great choice of glorious cultivars.

Alongside late-blooming perennials such as rudbeckia and asters, these fast-flowering annuals are the secret to full borders through fall. Now you're in the know, sow these blooming beauties, pronto, and make summer last for longer in your garden.

1. ProCut Sunflowers

(Image credit: Getty Images)

• Flowers in 50-60 days
• Full sun
• 5-6 feet tall
• Zones 2-11

Imagine your front yard in September, full of these fabulous five-inch flowers atop five-foot stems… a sight to make the neighbors stop and sigh! Sunflowers have come a long way since we all grew them as kids, poking plump seeds into the soil and watering earnestly before the excitement of fresh green sprouts and yellow flowers far above our heads. These days, there’s still plenty of joy to be had with these easy to grow flowers, but now it’s all about the fabulous colors, from lemon yellow to lusciously dark reds.

Most annual sunflowers are fast growers but, in July, choose the extra-speedy ProCut series. These grow one flower on a sturdy stem, so are far faster than varieties that grow multiple blooms on a branching stem.

Bred for the cut flower industry, ProCut sunflowers are incredibly reliable, too, and have beautiful, often bronzed tones with a vintage vibe just perfect for lazy end-of-summer days. Eden Brothers stocks a super selection of seeds: ‘ProCut White Lite’ is the palest; ‘ProCut White Nite’ has the same creamy white petals but a wonderfully dark center; ‘Procut Red’ is a rich burgundy; ‘ProCut Red Lemon Bicolor’ has red petals dipped in yellow; and ‘ProCut Plum’ (pictured) is a divine blend of cream and soft maroon.

Can’t decide? Eden Brothers also offers a ProCut Sunflower Bundle of five varieties.

Because this series was originally intended for floristry, these sunflowers are pollenless. They do produce nectar, however, so are still of some use to pollinators. The up-side is that the lack of pollen means these flowers aren’t in a rush to produce seeds so last incredibly well on the stem and in a vase. Still, if you want a yard full of fall flowers, too, it's a smart move to sow a few seeds every two weeks.

2. Sweet Alyssum

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• Flowers in 45-60 days
• Full sun
• 3-6 inches tall
• Zones 2-11

At the opposite end of the size spectrum is sweet alyssum and, while these pretty blooms may be small, they’ll bring so much storybook charm to your late-summer garden, right up to the first frost. Lobularia maritima evolved to grow in harsh coastal conditions so it laughs in the face of midsummer heat, quickly covering bare soil left by wilting, less-tough plants. Because it’s so tiny, it won’t crowd out bigger plants, so you can use it to add gently spreading pools of groundcover color around other plants in a border, and to refresh patio pots of fading perennials.

Growing incredibly quickly from seed to flower in as few as 45 days, this little lovely is a great choice to sow in July as it’s super-quick to germinate and spreads to 10 inches, filling gaps fast. You’ll soon discover that sweet alyssum has a glorious honeyed fragrance, too, adding sweet scent to your late-summer outdoor space.

Whatever your plant palette, white ‘Carpet of Snow’ acts as a fantastic foil in a border to show off bigger plants, and is available from Burpee. ‘Rosie O’Day’, available from Eden Brothers, has rose-colored flowers that are fabulous in a cottage garden; also available from Eden Brothers, ‘Royal Carpet’ is a bright violet purple, while ‘Oriental Nights’ brings deeper shades.

For a wonderful multi-toned carpet of tiny flowers, choose a blended mix of all these tones. As its name suggests, ‘Allure Pastel Blend’ has a romantic blend of appealing pale petals, and is available from Botanical Interests; ‘Paletta Mix’ has stronger tones and is available from Eden Brothers.

While sweet alyssum is a short-lived perennial in zones 9-11, it’s grown as an annual in other zones.

3. Calendula

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• Flowers in 60-90 days
• Full sun
• 12-24 inches high
• Zones 3-10

If you think Calendula officinalis is all about orange daisies, think again. There are now striking calendula varieties in sunset tones from the palest yellow to petals backed in mahogany red, but the prettiest are the ombre cultivars with a mix of shades. ‘Zeolights’ has bronzy-orange petals that fade to a dusky pink, and seeds are available from Botanical Interests. ‘Strawberry Blonde’, available from Eden Brothers, adds a golden yellow to its peachy tones, its petals backed in maroon. ‘Sunset Buff’ (pictured) also has a contrasting reverse shade, the rusty red backing of its petals highlighting their creamy apricot front (also available from Eden Brothers).

There are surprising shapes now, too, such as ‘Calexis Orange’, available from Burpee, whose rolled petals create a cactus-like flower. Calendula is also one of the easiest edible flowers to grow, and their petals make a pretty sprinkle on salads, pasta, pancakes and – the best! – avocado toast.

These sunset tones are especially beautiful as a garden transitions from summer into fall, ushering in a new seasonal palette. Calendula, also known as pot marigold, is super-easy to grow from seed, and will keep flowering till the first frost. It self-seeds readily, too, so you’ll probably be treated to another show of pretty petals next summer, and every summer forever after, for free.

4. Zinnias

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• Flowers in 60-80 days
• Full sun
• 12-30 inches high
• Zones 2-10

Not only do zinnias flower for a long time, each bloom lasts for up a week on the plant so one packet of seeds will bring an explosion of color to your garden. The time zinnias take to grow from seed to flower is pretty predictable, with smaller varieties or those with simpler single flowers taking around two months and more complex, double flowers another few weeks to develop.

This means it’s easy to choose whether to prioritise speed over shape, depending on your zone, or vice versa – or why not sow two varieties to enjoy the best of both worlds?

The Profusion series is especially good to sow in July because it’s fast to flower and has excellent disease resistance. Traditional zinnias can sometimes struggle with powdery mildew, so opting for a variety with strong resistance will keep your plants looking good and performing well all through fall to the first frost. Profusion zinnias are also self-cleaning, which means they don’t need deadheading, as new blooms continuously replace old ones. They work well in a pot as well as a bed, as the plants naturally grow into a neat mound.

Glorious color choices for late summer include 'Profusion Apricot', available from Eden Brothers, with a fabulous range of soft, warm tones. 'Profusion Red-Yellow Bicolor', also available from Eden Brothers, offers stronger shades, or if you really want to power your garden from late summer into fall, there’s vibrant orange 'Profusion Double Fire' and rich red and pink 'Profusion Double Hot Cherry' (pictured), both also available from Eden Brothers.

Another super way to use zinnias to add late-season sparkle to your garden is to choose a zesty-toned fast-growing variety such as ‘Tequila Lime’, available from Burpee. The striking lime-green color will freshen up your yard in late summer, then provide a contrast to make warm fall tones appear more fiery.

Zinnia petals are edible, too, and look so beautiful frozen into ice cubes (use boiled water to get clear ice cubes so you can appreciate the petals) for late-summer sundowners on the patio.

5. Nasturtiums

(Image credit: Getty Images)

• Flowers in 45-80 days
• Sun or partial shade
• Tropaeolum minus 8-14 inches high; Tropaeolum majus 1-10 feet tall
• Zones 2-10

So quick and easy to grow from seed, nasturtiums will bring a kaleidoscope of color to your garden in late summer, and just look at those fresh green leaves! There are two types of nasturtium, which matters for a July sowing.

Tropaeolum majus is a climbing nasturtium but can also be grown in a hanging basket or tall container so its stems trail downwards, or as groundcover. Some have stems that only grow to a foot long, and these don’t take long to flower so are a good choice for a July sowing; others can reach up to 10 feet, and they’re better sown earlier in spring. Tropaeolum minus is a dwarf, bushy nasturtium, so all varieties are fine to sow in July.

While nasturtiums will happily grow in full sun to partial shade, it’s better to give them a little respite from the sun when sowing in July. As long as they have 6 hours of sunshine, they’ll flower well. Indeed, the best way to get your nasturtiums to bloom well is to give them poor soil, as too many nutrients will encourage them to prioritise foliage over flowers. Get these right and your nasturtiums will keep flowering to the first frost.

Botanical Interests stocks a fabulous range of nasturtiums in a wide range of colors, from the sunny yellows of ‘Butterscotch’ to the spicy mix of oranges in ‘Fiesta Blend’ and the rich reds of ‘Cherry Rose Jewel’. All these are Tropaeolum majus but only reach a foot high so are perfect for a July sowing. For a pot-friendly Tropaeolum minus, then the deep ruby of ‘Black Velvet’, also from Botanical Interests, would be a divinely dramatic choice.

If you’re looking for more subtle shades, then Burpee stocks ‘Sweethearts Mix’ in a pastel mix of lemon, rose and apricot.

And yes, you can eat nasturtium seeds – and those lovely leaves – too!

Alex Chuaqui and Fia Cooper had been popping over to their Pender Harbour cottage from Vancouver most weekends since their son was born 12 years ago. In 2017, they decided to decamp to the Sunshine Coast for good. So they sold their Vancouver property and bought an older home, built in 1966, on Mahan Road in Gibsons with stunning views of the Salish Sea and Pasley Islands.

It needed “a ton of work,” says listing agent Sue Scott, of Engel & Völkers Vancouver. “But they were up for it.”

They certainly were. Chuaqui and Cooper regularly custom design, build and revamp properties, including heritage buildings in Gastown. They dug in and, over the course of three years, undertook a full renovation of the 60-year-old Mahan Road home .

“The exterior was also extensively renovated, including a new metal and torch-on roof, all-new cedar shake siding, refinished decking and completely redesigned landscaping,” says Cooper. “A fully fenced, pet-friendly perimeter provides privacy and security, along with a newly poured concrete driveway.”

Nearly 1,500 square feet of deck and patio space — a deck off every principal area, says Scott — includes one that’s shaded by a huge 50-year-old maple tree that Scott says is so calming to sit under and gaze at the views.

As Chuaqui and Cooper were gazing at those views one day, they contemplated the empty lot in front of them on Gower Point Road and realized someone could come along and build a bigger house and block their stunning sea views. So they bought the lot and set about building another, bigger house, also minimally landscaped in favour of extensive decking to take in the views. An engineered retaining wall with a corrugated metal fence above separates the two properties. Both homes are for sale together or individually.

What’s inside Mahan

Tucked away at the end of a quiet road, the post-and-beam rancher on Mahan Road features four bedrooms and four bathrooms over 2,421 square feet.

The open concept reclaimed wood flooring connects a spacious living area with a green-wrapped dining nook and kitchen with butcher block maple countertops, Whirlpool gas stove, LG fridge and washer and dryer, and a Bosch dishwasher. Plenty of windows and skylights catch the natural light, including in the primary bedroom. “It faces the Pasley Islands, so you wake up to morning light and this incredible ocean view,” says Scott. “I’m not sure I’d get out of bed if I woke to that every day.”

Cooper says the house originally featured a galley kitchen separated from the main living area by a brick fireplace. “The fireplace was removed, the kitchen was relocated, and a cosy dining nook was created in the original kitchen space, resulting in a bright, open-concept layout with significantly improved flow.”

Other major upgrades, she says, include all-new electrical, plumbing, and heating systems, gas fireplace, new windows and doors, new drywall throughout, and upgraded insulation. Every finish in the home was updated, including the bathrooms, laundry area, and flooring. Cabinetry is by Delta’s Hi-Design Custom Cabinetry Ltd. The bathroom countertops are made from reclaimed fir salvaged from Vancouver’s historic Pantages Theatre.

“We love wood for its warmth, texture, and natural character,” says Cooper. “It felt like the right material for the home and suited its character.”

A detached studio with a three-piece bathroom and roughed-in kitchenette could be used as a studio, guest suite, office or rental (on approval of applicable zoning and permitting).

What’s inside Gower

The Gower Point Road home which, Scott says, is brand new and never been lived in, comprises four bedrooms and four bathrooms over 3,017 square feet of white oak flooring. The 13-foot ceilings and expansive windows capture the natural light and ocean views. The open-concept living area features a Venetian plaster fireplace and shadow moulding throughout “which is expensive and kind of a pain to do but it’s a really gorgeous effect,” says Scott.

The kitchen features all Bosch appliances, German-made faucet by GROHE, workstation sink by KOLA, cabinets by Hi-Design Custom Cabinetry Ltd., and oversized sliders that open onto a huge sundeck. The dining chandelier is by Herman Miller and all of the recessed lighting is by DALS with adjustable colour temperature. Countertops are quartz by Hari Stones.

The primary suite features a walk-in closet and a spa-inspired bathroom with a steam shower by Relax-A-Mist, marble countertops, faucets by Riobel, vanity sink top by ICO, wall-hung toilets by AXA, chandelier by Kai, and a Scarlet V-Groove stand-alone tub by Bain Signature with a little window to soak in the view while you’re soaking in the tub.

“This house was built for the view — every room has a view, every bedroom has access to the outside,” says Scott.

Although the home is mostly on one level, there is a self-contained garden-level suite below the main living space with a separate entrance, a three-piece bathroom, and rough-ins to add a full kitchen for guests, extended family, studio or rental, with proper permitting.

“I’ve shown it to a family whose kids say they would like that space to hang out in,” says Scott. “An (interested) musician from L.A. wanted a separate studio space for instruments. It could even work as a home office. Your clients could park right outside and walk in, since it’s separate from your living space.”

A two-car garage with tall ceilings, lots of room for shelving or a standup freezer and sink is, says Scott, “pristine”.

In the neighbourhood

Both properties are about a 12-minute drive from the Langdale ferry terminal. Shops, restaurants and a marina are nearby in “cute and charming” Lower Gibsons, says Scott.

“And upper Gibsons, three minutes away, has a strip mall, banking, stores and high school that kids ride their bikes to.”

She says you can walk to Secret Beach in five minutes along a trail at the bottom of Mahan across Gower Point. Several other beaches are a short drive away in either direction.

And, for lunch with a taste of Hollywood North history, Molly’s Reach restaurant in Lower Gibsons, inside a building celebrating a century of existence, was the backdrop for the long-running iconic Canadian TV series The Beachcombers.

Location:127 Mahan Road, Gibsons

Listed for: $1,668,000

Year built: 1966

Type: Four bedrooms, four bathrooms

Size: 2,421 square feet

Realtor: Listed by Sue Scott, PREC, and Katie Burkard, PREC, Engel & Völkers Vancouver

Location:980 Gower Point Road, Gibsons

Listed for: $1,798,000

Year built: 2025

Type: Four bedrooms, four bathrooms

Size: 3,017 square feet

Realtor: Listed by Sue Scott, PREC, and Katie Burkard, PREC, Engel & Völkers Vancouver

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After spending the past week slowly melting in my house and repeatedly standing directly in front of a fan, silently daring it to do a better job, I've come to a conclusion: there has to be a better way to keep your home cool.

With summers getting hotter and heatwaves becoming increasingly common, I've found myself obsessively researching ways to lower the temperature at home (ideally one that doesn't demand round-the-clock air conditioning).

Planting trees for shade is an obvious long-term solution, and even houseplants can have a modest cooling effect indoors. But there was one other plant that kept cropping up in my search: coral honeysuckle.

How Coral Honeysuckle Helps Keep Your Home Cool

I'll admit, the word "honeysuckle" initially made me nervous. Like many gardeners, I've heard plenty of horror stories about invasive honeysuckles taking over fences, scrambling up trees, and generally wreaking havoc.

However, coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is a very different plant. Native to North America, it is a non-invasive climbing vine that offers something many of us desperately need during summer: shade, shade, gloriously cooling shade.

When grown over a pergola, trellis, arbor, fence, or even around a porch, coral honeysuckle produces dense foliage that can help shield walls, windows, and outdoor seating areas from intense summer sun. And, by reducing the amount of direct sunlight hitting your home, clever climbing plants can help create cooler microclimates around the house thus making outdoor spaces much more comfortable during heatwaves.

(Image credit: Lenic / Shutterstock)

What I particularly like about coral honeysuckle is that the vine grows vigorously enough to create cooling cover, but it doesn't have the aggressive, garden-swallowing tendencies associated with some other climbers.

There's another benefit, too; coral honeysuckle is deciduous, so while you get welcome shade during the hottest months of the year, the leaves will drop come fall and you won't be blocking precious sunlight from reaching your home during winter, when every ray feels like a gift.

Now, as someone who is always trying to garden with wildlife in mind, this next feature is the one that really sold me. Because, from spring through summer, coral honeysuckle produces masses of tubular flowers in fiery shades of coral, orange, and red... and hummingbirds absolutely adore it.

Nature Hills Nursery Major Wheeler Honeysuckle Vine

Beloved by hummingbirds, this non-invasive honeysuckle promises longlasting blooms aplenty.

The blooms are perfectly shaped for hummingbirds to feed from, but they're also a magnet for butterflies, native bees, and other pollinators. Better still? The blooms are followed by red berries that can provide food for songbirds later in the season... so it's a super-plant that supports a thriving ecosystem and cools down our houses. Win!

Shop Watering Essentials & Keep Plants Hydrated in Hot Weather:

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XLUX Long Probe Soil Moisture Meter

A 16-inch probe allows you to easily measure soil moisture throughout your garden beds.

Terrain Daffodil Copper Rain Chain

Rain harvesting is already the chicest trend of all (who doesn't love to grow sustainably), but this cute AF rain chain takes things to a whole new level.

Terrain Heritage Garden Hose

Available in three eye-popping hues, this hose is here to do a job AND look good doing it.

If you're considering planting coral honeysuckle (and you should, obviously!), it performs best in full sun to partial shade and will need a sturdy structure, like one of these beautiful trellis ideas, to climb. Pop it over a patio or near a window to maximize those cooling benefits.

After one too many afternoons sweating in front of an underperforming fan, I'm increasingly convinced that nature may have come up with the best air conditioning system after all.

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

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

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

How Herbs Help Birds

(Image credit: Jokuephotography / Getty Images)

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

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

(Image credit: WilliamSherman / Getty Images)

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

8 Herbs for Happy Bird Baths

(Image credit: William Reagan / Getty Images)

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

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

1. Lavender

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

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

2. Rosemary

(Image credit: Foto by KKK / Shutterstock)

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

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

3. Mint

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

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

4. Lemon Balm

(Image credit: Irukawa Elisa / Getty Images)

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

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

5. Fennel

(Image credit: Jacky Parker Photography / Getty Images)

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

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

6. Catnip

(Image credit: Only_Sky_Artist / Getty Images)

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

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

7. Common Thyme

(Image credit: Botany Vision / Alamy)

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

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

8. Echinacea

(Image credit: Emer1940 / Getty Images)

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

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

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When I ask friends which landscape tree they love most, Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) get the nod more often than any other species. These beloved trees offer a staggering range of leaf color, and are also small enough to find a suitable place in almost every garden. This lovely small maple is also suitable for growing in containers on the patio.

Japanese maple care is not complicated but it’s important to offer them some help during the hottest months of the year, including July. This month is the very heart of summer. So you’ll want to protect your Japanese maple trees now to help them thrive the rest of the year as well.

Here are 5 important steps to take to safeguard your Japanese maple trees in July.

1. Don’t Let Trees Dry Out

(Image credit: Tim Kitchen / Getty Images)

Dieback and Japanese maple leaves turning brown in summer is usually caused by a lack of moisture. In July, you need to keep on top of the moisture situation. If you see your tree’s leaves looking dry or scorched, you’re not doing enough. This is particularly true during the tree’s first year after planting. Be particularly careful if you are growing a Japanese maple in a container.

Keeping the soil well-watered under Japanese maples is the number one task for gardeners. How often should you water Japanese maple trees? The frequency depends a lot on climate and where the tree is sited.

During hot weather, you may need to water container-trees every single day. The soil of a potted Japanese maple should never be permitted to dry out. Count on watering a tree planted in the soil two times a week if it gets direct sun, once a week for a tree sited in the shade. A moisture meter, like this one from Amazon, is a useful gadget and will make sure you are acting on correct information.

2. Follow Good Watering Practices

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While watering is crucial for Japanese maples in July, it is also very important to follow the best watering etiquette. Make these “rules” your habit:

• Every time you water your trees, give them a deep watering to make sure that the entire root system is hydrated. This means more than a quick splash. For trees in the soil, let the hose run and water around the drip line for several minutes. For container trees, be sure to water until the excess flows out the drainage holes.
• Although rainfall can provide a good source of water for an established Japanese maple, toss in a deep watering every few weeks to top off the irrigation.
• Well-draining soil is important since these trees will not tolerate consistently wet soil that comes from overwatering.
• Water early in the morning. Later in the day, it will be hotter and the water you provide your Japanese maple will evaporate. While some gardeners prefer to water in the cool of the evenings, moisture that remains on the trees at night can result in fungal diseases.
• Don’t use overhead sprinklers that wet the maple leaves, since this can cause leaf scorch during the heat of the day. Invest in a good soaker hose, like this one from Amazon, to deliver water to the tree’s root zone.

3. Provide Heat & Wind Protection

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We think of July as hot and still, but in some regions, hot winds are a feature of summer. The combination of hot, drying winds and blazing sunshine will take a toll on your trees. You can avoid this issue by planting your Japanese maple in a site where it is protected from harsh winds and also shaded from hot sun. If it’s already established in an exposed location, you’ll need to step in.

Windy conditions in summer will both stress your Japanese maples and likely limit the leaf color. Mulch can provide wind protection as well as keep roots cool. If you already mulched around the tree in spring, it may be time to add some more.

Organic mulch is best for Japanese maples, since it will disintegrate into and improve the soil over time. You’ll want to weed the area under the tree up to the drip line before you add mulch. Then water deeply and well since the mulch will seal that moisture into the ground. Finally, add a 2-3 inch (5-7.6 cm) layer of mulch over the area beneath the canopy, extending it to the drip line.

The mulch should be far enough away from the trunk that there is no chance of it touching. Consider using a pine-based mulch, like this one from Amazon, for this acid-loving tree.

4. Prune Now, If Necessary

(Image credit: Marco Fornari / Shutterstock)

Japanese maples don’t need much pruning. They naturally have an elegant shape. But July is the perfect time to lightly prune Japanese maples to keep trees healthy and looking good.

Use sharp, sterilized pruners, like these expert-approved Felco pruning shears, and snip out badly-placed or crossing shoots. If you want to reduce the size of your tree, trim long branches back to a well-placed side branch. Make clean cuts just on top of the branch collar.

If your maple’s canopy is dense, consider thinning it out a bit to allow light and air to penetrate. Focus on inward-growing branches and be sure to maintain the tree's natural shape. Postpone major pruning tasks for late winter or early spring when the tree is dormant.

5. Watch for Pests & Diseases

(Image credit: PhotoAlto/Odilon Dimier / Getty Images)

It’s a sad fact of summer: pests and diseases show up to party hearty. Japanese maples are not immune to this, so inspect them regularly for aphids, spider mites, scale, and fungal infections. These trees are tough and can shrug off a lot of problems, but when they are attacked by insects or diseases in July while they are fighting heat stress, they can be seriously impacted.

If you spot an issue, act promptly. Treat fungal diseases with fungicides, like this spray from Amazon, and bugs with the appropriate organic insecticides. Neem oil, which you can also find on Amazon, mixed with water and dish soap works for many insects.

With limited growing space, I like to grow hard-working pollinator plants: great at attracting bees to my vegetable patch, of course, but also lovely to pick for my home and use in craft projects or the kitchen. Choosing multipurpose pollinator plants works well for all of us because the more blooms I pick to use indoors, the more flowers grow to feed the bees and butterflies.

Bunches of blooms are expensive to buy at the store and I realised long ago it’s much cheaper to grow my own cut flowers. The same goes for craft materials and edible flowers. As well as saving money, growing your own is far more satisfying too, and it's wonderful to have fresh flowers that taste good and last well. Growing your own culinary ingredients and craft materials also gives you a selection that money simply can't buy.

As a busy mum of three, my time and resources are just as tight as my growing space, so the flowering plants I choose for my pollinator garden are not only beautiful but also low maintenance, easy to grow and fuss-free. Here are my top picks, and I hope you (and your garden pollinators) love them as much as I do.

1. Calendula

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

These cheery edible flowers from the daisy family bloom from May right through to November. I grow them in vast quantities but they also pop up randomly all over my vegetable patch as they're prolific self-seeders and I can’t bear to pull them out because they’re so pretty! Calendula officinalis flowers – also known as pot marigolds – are real magnets for pollinators, attracting bees, butterflies and moths galore.

You can get single or double calendula varieties in various shades from a creamy yellow through apricot and peach through to neon orange, and Eden Brothers has a good selection of seeds. I prefer the simple single cultivars such as ‘Nova’ (available from Eden Brothers) as the doubles are a bit frilly for my taste, but having an eclectic mix of different types looks lovely, too. The flower heads close up at night or on very gloomy days, then open up again every morning, so make sure you harvest them when they are fully open and dry on a sunny day. It's so easy to grow calendula as long as you give it a sunny position, because it’s tough and doesn’t need much water.

You can pour hot water over fresh calendula flowers to make a reviving tea, dry the petals (so you can store the tea for months to come), use it in skin creams (it’s very soothing and promotes healing) and use the edible petals to decorate cakes or salads.

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

I like to scatter the vibrant petals on cupcakes on top of white frosting, along with edible blue cornflower and pink rose petals – a more natural option than store-bought sprinkles which can contain artificial colors and flavors. I also pick the flowers and fill jugs and jars with them to enjoy around my home. The orange blooms look particularly lovely in a contrasting blue vessel such as a vintage Ball Mason jar, and the foliage smells amazing, too.

2. Hydrangea

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

I’ve always loved these flowering shrubs. The color of bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) and mountain hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata) petals is affected by the pH of the soil they are grown in – if the soil is alkaline, the flowers are more blue, but if the soil is acidic, they’re pink. Other hydrangea types have shades that range from a deep, rich purple to a lively raspberry red.

My favorite flowers to craft with are bigleaf varieties, such as Hydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer Summer Crush, available from Fast Growing Trees. The flowers grow pink in my garden and bloom from June to September, covered with beautiful butterflies.

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

I pick the flowerheads when they’re at their peak, remove any leaves and dry the stems. I find the color is lost and they turn brown when drying hydrangea flowers out of water, so I stand them in vases with water and leave them to dry out very slowly for a few weeks in my sunny kitchen. This helps the petals retain their color and the dried heads are simply gorgeous in faded pinks, palest creams and deep crimsons. Once the blooms are dry, they're papery and fragile, but by storing them in a box to protect them, they last long enough to make a home-crafted Christmas wreath later in the year. But yes, of course I keep a few in a jar so I can enjoy them all through the winter season!

I’ve also used hydrangea flowers to make decorative garlands, tying the heads together with fine floristry wire.

3. Nasturtium

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

I adore all nasturtiums, but Victorian heirloom variety 'Empress of India' is my all-time fave, and seeds are available from Eden Brothers. The foliage is dark green and the flowers are a bright, zingy orange and I grow it everywhere – in pots on the deck, in flower beds and in my greenhouse to attract pollinators to fruit and veggie plants. It seems to be loved by bumblebees in particular.

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

The flowers and leaves taste peppery and add flavor and color to salads, or you can blend the leaves up to make a pest for pasta dishes. Even the seeds are edible – you can pick them when they’re young and green then pickle them in vinegar and use them like capers. I even found a Nasturtium 'Empress of India' vintage metal label in a thrift store once, cementing my love for this fabulous flowering plant!

4. Strawflower

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

I grow strawflowers (Xerochrysum bracteatum) in a rainbow of colours so I can dry the blooms then thread them onto wire to make garlands to drape around my house or gift to friends. This is an idea I spotted at Glebe House in Devon, England, where homegrown strawflower garlands adorn the fire surrounds.

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

My favourites are the pale pink, slightly metallic varieties such as 'King Size Silvery Rose', and seeds are available from Botanical Interests. I direct-sow seeds after the last spring frosts and I love that they bring so many bees to my garden.

To dry strawflowers, I simply cut a bunch and hang the stems upside down in my greenhouse, but anywhere warm and airy will work.

5. Sea Holly

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

Butterflies adore sea holly plants and I do, too, for heir stunning architectural flowerheads which bring color and structure to my garden. Eryngium planum ‘Blue Glitter’ has a beautifully deep blue hue, and plants are available from Nature Hills. Eryngium giganteum ‘Miss Willmott’s Ghost’, available from White Flower Farm, has more silvery, white-green flowers with an ethereal quality.

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

I pick the flowerheads and dry them upside down in bunches in my greenhouse, then use them in floral arrangements and in festive wreaths.

6. Echinops

(Image credit: Getty Images)

With vivid blue pompom flowers, my perennial Echinops ritro plants are always covered with bumblebees. I grow globe thistle ‘Veitch’s Blue’ and, while it’s a bit of a thug, it gives me so many flowers. The plant gets bigger every season and has a tendency to take over my border, but I've found that dividing it and giving roots away to friends keeps it in check.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Once the flowers have bloomed, you can cut and dry the heads and it couldn't be simpler – I place the stems upright in a jar, without water, in my kitchen. After six months, the dried heads become fragile and the colour fades from blue to grey, but that gives me just enough time to pop them into festive wreaths and decorations.

7. Rose

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

I love all Rosa, but my absolute favorite rose for fragrance is Gertrude Jekyll English Rose Shrub by David Austin. You can buy it as a mature shrub from Fast Growing Trees and it can also be grown as a climber, and bare roots are available direct from David Austinfrom fall to spring.

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

Long-flowering with the most exquisite scent, my Gertrude Jekyll shrub rose is always buzzing with pollinators, and the flowers are perfect for crafting and cooking, too. I pick blooms on a warm, sunny day and spread the petals out to dry on sheets of paper in my kitchen. Then I store them in a jar to use as sprinkles on cakes, making rose petal tea (just steep the petals in hot water) or creating scented gifts like dried lavender and rose petal sachets.

8. Lilac

(Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the best flowering plants for pollinators, lilac is one of the first shrubs to bring color to my garden in spring. This beautiful bush is always alive with butterflies, too, thanks to its elegant, deep lavender-purple flowers. I use the fresh and fragrant flowers to make lilac shortbread cookies which are always a big hit with my kids.

(Image credit: Ellie Tennant)

Boomerang Dark Purple lilac, available from Burpee, is my forever favorite because it reblooms right up until the first frost, is exceptionally hardy and has particularly large clusters of flowers – which means plenty of cookies!

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

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

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

Best Cherry Care in July

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

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

(Image credit: Gomezdavid / Getty Images)

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

1. Deep, Consistent Watering

(Image credit: Valentina_G / Getty Images)

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

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

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

2. Apply a Thick Mulch

(Image credit: Vasil Dimitrov / Getty Images)

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

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

3. Deploy Bird Netting

(Image credit: Alexander Shapovalov / Getty Images)

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

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

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

4. Tackle Aphids and Cherry Blackflies

(Image credit: Irina Starikova / Getty Images)

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

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

5. Trim Gently for Light and Airflow

(Image credit: Valerii Honcharuk / Alamy)

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

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

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

Shop Cherry Care Essentials

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

Surgical Snips

Fiskars Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears, 5/8" Cut Capacity

We love these razor-sharp, surgical slices for kind cuts on living wood, so your tree heals quickly. Ergonomically balanced are great for dense chery canopies and branches up to an inch in thickness with zero hand strain.

Pest Defense

Arber Arber Organic Bio Insecticide Concentrate

Arber's OMRI-listed biological formula targets aphids and cherry blackflies with impressive efficiency. It works naturally without harsh chemicals, keeping your developing fruit completely safe for family snacking right off the branch.

Orchard Fuel

Jobe's Organics Jobe’s Organics Granular Fertilizer for Fruit Trees

This slow-release granular food is packed with essential nutrients and beneficial microbes to feed cherry trees without triggering weak growth. Apply it around the drip line post-harvest so trees replenish for next season.

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They say that scent is the soul of a flower, but let's face facts; the impact is well and truly amplified to the max once the sun has set. After all, there are few things more magical than stepping outside on a warm summer evening and being hit by the scent of flowers drifting through the air.

If there is one thing I know, it's that some fragrant plants don't really come into their own until the sun sets; my own beautiful jasmine, in fact, proves this point a thousand times over.

The result? A garden that smells every bit as good as it looks – particularly on hot summer nights, when warm air helps carry those intoxicating scents around the yard.

The Best Night-Scented Flowers

Sure, daytime blooms may steal the spotlight, but many beautiful flowers have evolved to release their strongest fragrance after dark to attract nighttime pollinators such as fireflies, bats, and other nocturnal cuties. (Possibly even your very own birth month animal, if you're lucky).

So, whether you're creating a dedicated moon garden or simply want your own patio to feel a little more luxurious after sunset, these are the night-scented flowers are well worth planting.

1. Gardenia

(Image credit: Santiago Urquijo / Getty Images)

Few scents are as unmistakable – or as luxurious – as gardenia. The shrub's creamy white flowers release a rich, heady perfume... and yes, you'd best believe that it only seems to intensify on warm summer evenings.

In warmer USDA planting zones, gardenias can be grown outdoors year-round, while gardeners in cooler climates often enjoy them in containers that can be moved indoors over winter. Either way, placing one near a doorway or patio is a decision you are unlikely to regret.

Shop Gardenia Plants Below:

Nature Hills Nursery August Beauty Gardenia

Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 8 through 11, these plants just shine in the sunlight and moonlight alike.

Nature Hills Nursery Pillow Talk® Gardenia

Pillow Talk® Gardenia fills the garden with an intoxicating fragrance and stunning double white blooms all season long.

Nature Hills Nursery Steady as She Goes® Gardenia

Known for its pure white, double blooms, and deep green evergreen foliage, this Gardenia is a reliable choice for stunning summer flowers.

Nature Hills Nursery Pillow Talk® Gardenia

Pillow Talk® Gardenia fills the garden with an intoxicating fragrance and stunning double white blooms all season long.

2. Mock Orange

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When mock orange bursts into flower, you'll know about it. Its frothy white blooms fill the garden with a delicious citrus-and-jasmine fragrance that drifts beautifully through warm evening air.

This easy-going shrub is ideal for borders, wildlife gardens, or anywhere you regularly sit outdoors, especially if you fancy doing so after sunset (I realize I sound like Count Dracula, but I promise my intentions are pure!).

Just be warned: once you've experienced mock orange in full bloom, you'll find yourself inventing reasons to go outside. Try the Illuminati Sparks™ Mock Orange from Nature Hills for a dreamy citrus-blossom fragrance that perfumes the air and draws butterflies and bees in abundance.

3. Moonflower

(Image credit: Kev Kibble/Getty Images)

If there were an official flower of the moon garden, this would be it. Moonflowers unfurl their large, luminous white blooms at dusk, often opening so quickly that you can watch it happen in real time.

These night-scented flowers remain open throughout the night, releasing a sweet fragrance that attracts moth pollinators. Grow them over an arch, pergola, or trellis near a seating area and you'll be rewarded with a truly theatrical evening display.

Pick up some Moonflower Seeds from Sow Right Seeds and you're halfway there, essentially!

4. Night-Scented Stock

(Image credit: Hana Richterova/Getty Images)

Night-scented stock is proof that looks can be deceiving. By day, its small flowers can appear fairly unassuming. But come evening, this cottage garden favorite transforms.

As temperatures cool, the blooms release an intensely sweet, spicy perfume that can fill an entire garden. Plant it close to paths, patios, or open windows where its fragrance can be fully appreciated.

Pick up a packet of Evening Scented Stock Seeds from Everwilde Farms, then, stat!

5. Flowering Tobacco

(Image credit: Ros Drinkwater / Alamy)

Nicotiana is another of those plants that lovingly saves its best for later in the day. In fact, many varieties produce tubular flowers that become especially fragrant in the evening, making them a 'duh, obviously' kind of choice in moon gardens and pollinator-friendly planting schemes.

The elegant blooms also attract hummingbirds and moths, adding movement as well as fragrance to your nighttime garden. Pick up some Flowering Tobacco Seeds from Seedville USA, then, and get to work!

6. Night-Blooming Jasmine

(Image credit: Manuel Breva Colmeiro / Getty Images)

An obvious choice? Maybe, but there's good reason for it, as night-scented jasmine is legendary among fragrance lovers. Although the flowers themselves are relatively small and inconspicuous, they produce an extraordinarily powerful scent after dark.

The perfume can travel surprisingly long distances on still summer evenings, so it's best planted where its fragrance can be enjoyed without overwhelming nearby spaces. In cooler regions, it grows well in containers that can be brought indoors for winter.

Shop Jasmine Plants:

The Night-Blooming Beauty

Daisy Ship Night Blooming Jasmine

Night-blooming jasmine does exactly what it says on the tin; it releases a rich, sweet scent after sunset, filling your garden or patio with its signature tropical aroma. Perfect for moon gardens and outdoor evening spaces.

The Evergreen Alternative

Nature Hills Nursery Star Jasmine

Despite the name, star jasmine isn’t a true jasmine, but it produces masses of beautifully scented white flowers in summer, and its glossy evergreen leaves mean it looks good all year round. In fact, I’d argue it’s just as romantic as the real thing.

The Sun-Loving Cousin

Nature Hills Nursery Confederate Jasmine

Closely related to star jasmine, confederate jasmine is another evergreen climber prized for its powerful fragrance and elegant white flowers. It’s a popular choice in warmer climates and makes a wonderful patio plant.

7. Angel's Trumpet

With its enormous pendulous flowers and intoxicating evening fragrance, angel's trumpet (also known as brugmansia) is one of those night-scented flowers guaranteed to stop visitors in their tracks.

Japanese Maples and Evergreens Double White Angel’s Trumpet

The sweet scent of this angel's trumpet plant is at its strongest during the evening.

Many varieties become most fragrant at night, releasing a sweet perfume designed to attract moth pollinators. The tropical-looking blooms make a dramatic statement in containers or borders, particularly when positioned where they can be enjoyed during long summer evenings.

A quick note: All parts of angel's trumpet are toxic if ingested, so take care when planting around children and pets.

A great garden shouldn't clock off when the sun goes down, and it's never about it being just as good as it looks; fragrance is everything! And, thankfully, all it takes is a few night-scented plants into your borders, containers, or patio displays, you can create an outdoor space that feels just as enchanting at 9pm as it does at 9am.

Personally, as someone who rarely gets a moment of peace until long after bedtime battles have concluded, I'm all for plants that save their best for the evening shift.

The peace lily has a reputation as the houseplant nobody can kill, which is mostly fair and a little misleading. It survives low light and shrugs off neglectful watering – but then makes you pay by going dull and brown-tipped, and becoming slow to flower. June is when that neglect shows, as warmth and longer days push it into growth.

Good peace lily care in June is less about rescue than upkeep: small adjustments to watering and light, feeding included, that keep the leaves glossy and coax out the white spathes. None of these tasks is difficult, and most take a few minutes. A peace lily that gets the full set looks the part by midsummer: glossy leaves, the odd bloom, and no brown edges spoiling the look.

1. Step Up the Watering, and Check What’s in the Water

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A peace lily drinks faster in June’s warmth and active growth, so the once-a-week winter routine can leave it quite thirsty. The plant makes its needs plain: leaves go limp and the whole thing sags when the soil dries, perking up within hours of a drink. Useful as that signal is, repeated hard wilting wears it down, so check the top inch (2–3 cm) of soil every few days and water your peace lily once it feels dry.

What comes out of the tap matters more than you’d think. Peace lilies are sensitive to chlorine and fluoride in treated water, and salts don’t help – brown, crispy tips are the usual result. Standing water overnight clears the chlorine; filtered or rainwater handles the fluoride. One of mine grows with its roots down in an axolotl tank, the glossiest of the bunch, since that water stays dechlorinated and filtered.

Peace Lily June Care Essentials

Espoma Organic Indoor! Houseplant Plant Food

Levoit Top Fill Humidifier

Fiskars 6" Pruning Scissors (2-Pack)

2. Raise the Humidity Around Your Plant

(Image credit: FotoHelin / Shutterstock)

A peace lily comes off the damp floor of tropical forests; a living room in summer is the opposite. Air conditioning pulls moisture from a room fast, and the strain tends to show first at the leaf edges, which brown and turn papery. Grouping a few plants together helps a little, since each raises the humidity around the others as it transpires.

For a real change, moisture has to go back into the air directly. A Levoit cool mist humidifier from Amazon near the plant holds humidity up better than misting does – a quick mist looks productive but dries off within the hour. A pebble tray is the low-tech version: a dish of water and stones keeping the pot above the waterline, topped up as it evaporates. Either way, the aim is to have air closer to the understory than to a desert

3. Feed, but With a Light Hand

(Image credit: Mkovalevskaya / Getty Images)

June sits in the feeding window, since a peace lily only uses fertilizer while growing hard through spring and summer. The catch is that it’s a light feeder, and the usual mistake is being too generous. Piling it on doesn’t buy more flowers; it builds up as salts that scorch the tips and push the plant toward soft, leafy growth instead of blooms.

When fertilizing peace lilies, a balanced liquid feed at half label strength, every four to six weeks, is plenty. Reach for a formula designed for houseplants, like Espoma Organic Indoor Plant Food, and there’s little to get wrong.

Flushing the pot with plain water periodically clears the salts feeding leaves behind. I spent years blaming my tapwater alone for brown tips before realizing the soil had salted up from overfeeding – a flush fixed it faster than switching water did.

4. Wipe the Leaves Until They Shine

(Image credit: Fotohelin / Alamy)

Those broad, glossy leaves are most of a peace lily’s appeal, and they double as dust magnets. The film builds faster than expected, dulling the shine and, worse, blocking the light the plant needs to photosynthesize and flower. The fix is about as simple as plant care gets: wipe each leaf with a soft, damp cloth, with a hand underneath for support so it doesn’t bend or tear.

Plain water on a microfiber cloth (I use this one from Amazon) is the whole kit; skip the commercial leaf-shine sprays, which coat the surface and clog the pores it breathes through. I use my own DIY spray, but a drop of mild soap will do to shift any greasy residue – just rinse after.

Cleaning houseplant leaves is also a good time to spot pests. Check the undersides, where spider mites and mealybugs settle first; a leaf you’re already wiping is a leaf you’re inspecting. Caught there, they rarely become a real infestation.

5. Get the Light Right for Summer

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Light is where the flowering question gets settled. A peace lily wants bright, indirect light to bloom; in a dim corner, it stays green but seldom throws a spathe. A plant that never flowers is usually one that’s too dark. The instinct is to shift it to the brightest window, and in summer, that can backfire.

The summer sun sits higher and harder than in spring, and direct midday light through glass can scorch the leaves, bleaching pale patches that don’t recover. The sweet spot is bright light through a sheer curtain, or a spot a few feet back from a sunny window – strong, but never direct. East-facing windows tend to suit it, with gentle morning sun and shade once the afternoon turns. Washed-out leaves or dry brown patches mean it’s getting too much; pull it back a foot or two (30–60cm), and it usually settles.

6. Cut Spent Blooms Back to the Base

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A peace lily flower doesn’t bow out gracefully. The white spathe greens over, then browns at the edges and turns shabby while the rest of the plant is still going. A spent bloom does nothing and pulls the eye to the tattiest part of the plant, so take it off completely rather than trim the brown back.

When pruning peace lilies, follow the flower stalk to where it rises from the crown and cut it there with a clean, sharp pair of precision pruning shears – Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips are ideal. Leaving a stub invites rot and looks worse than the bloom did.

Bear in mind, an immature peace lily won’t rebloom on cue: nurseries force those uniform shop-floor blooms with a hormone – gibberellic acid – so a young plant at home may not be mature enough to flower yet. Given decent light and a season or two, though, it gets there on its own.

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

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

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

Grow Texture Clashing Containers

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

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

(Image credit: Kschulze / Getty Images)

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

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

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

(Image credit: Patsy Davies / Alamy)

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

(Image credit: Nahhan / Getty Images)

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

2. Blue Agave + Creeping Thyme

(Image credit: JannHuizenga / Getty Images)

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

(Image credit: DiyanaDimitrova / Getty Images)

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

3. Colocasia (Elephant Ear) + Maidenhair Fern

(Image credit: Tatiana Terekhina / Getty Images)

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

(Image credit: John Sarkar / Getty Images)

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

4. Curly Parsley + Purple Fountain Grass

(Image credit: LianeM / Getty Images)

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

(Image credit: Avalan.red / Alamy)

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

5. Phormium (New Zealand Flax) + Rex Begonia

(Image credit: Pakin Songmor / Getty Images)

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

(Image credit: Photos by RA Kearton / Getty Images)

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

6. Leatherleaf Sedge + Sweet Potato Vine

(Image credit: Kipgodi / Getty Images)

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

(Image credit: Seven75 / Getty Images)

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

7. Blue Spruce Stonecrop + Broad-Leaved Kalanchoe

(Image credit: Luknaja / Getty Images)

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

(Image credit: Mitch Diamond / Getty Images)

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

Shop Texture Superstars

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

Silver Linings

RedCrocus Senecio Angel Wings

This stunning specimen delivers immediate velvety impact with its oversized silver-white leaves. It acts as an exceptional focal point for any sunny container display, showing incredible drought tolerance once established.

Deep Purple

TAZGO Purple Fountain Grass Plants

A classic choice for adding soft, kinetic movement to your container designs. Its rich burgundy blades and feathery, flowing seed heads dance in the slightest breeze, creating a perfect contrast against low, mounded foliage.

Verdant Frills

Bakar Maidenhair Fern Plants

The ultimate texture-softener for shaded areas. This delicate fern features fan-shaped, bright green leaflets arranged along contrasting, shiny black stems, bringing a fresh, airy elegance to damp potting arrangements.

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Azaleas are flowering landscape plants that dress up spring gardens with their vibrant colors. Their branches fill every spring with abundant blossoms in shades that range from white to crimson, yellow, red, orange and violet. You can select between evergreen or deciduous varieties and among hundreds of cultivars.

Growing azaleas is generally easy as long as they are correctly sited and their basic needs are met. These garden staples need a site with a few hours of morning sun and afternoon shade. They also need moist, well-draining, acidic soil, and adequate, but not excessive, irrigation.

Come midsummer, you’ll want to tackle a short list of maintenance tasks to keep these lovely, hardworking shrubs happy and healthy.

Five Tasks for Azaleas Before June Ends

Most azaleas are spring bloomers, lighting up the landscape between February and May with their gorgeous five-petaled flowers. This flower-show comes to an end in June and it’s time to prepare them for the summer. Here’s how to help your azalea shrubs as spring melts into summer.

1. Water Deeply

(Image credit: Kinga Krzeminska / Getty Images)

Azaleas don’t put a lot of effort into digging their roots deep into the soil. Their fibrous root system stays relatively close to the soil surface, which means that you’ll want to establish a regular watering schedule for the entire growing season.

Generally, azaleas need about 1 inch (3 cm) of water every 7 to 10 days. If your spring and summer is very rainy, you may not have to water at all, but this is rarely the case. In June, the weather is warming as summer rolls in. You will want to water long and slow at least once a week. While the idea is to water as deeply and infrequently as possible, you want to soak the roots and keep the soil moist. A simple programmable hose timer from Amazon paired with a soaker hose can help keep things hydrated through the summer.

2. Add a Layer of Mulch

(Image credit: ScottNodine / Getty Images)

Speaking of keeping the soil moist for your azaleas, there’s no shame in getting a little help from mulch - in fact, many of us consider mulch a must for flowering shrubs. Mulching your shrubs involves spreading a layer of material over the topsoil to help it retain moisture.

There are many products you can use to mulch your plants. Some are organic (like compost or chopped dried leaves) that disintegrate into the soil over time while others are inorganic (like pebbles.)

Use an organic mulch for your azaleas, laying down a 3 inch (10 cm) layer around the base of the plant, keeping it well away from the stems and foliage. This will prevent moisture loss over summer and also prevent weeds from competing with the shrub for water and nutrients. We like pine needles, since they help to acidize the soil as they disintegrate. You can find pine straw mulch from Lowe's or your local garden center.

3. Check the Soil pH

(Image credit: Alamy)

Azaleas love and do best in acidic soil, that is, soil with a pH between 4.5 to 6.0. Even if you’ve tested the soil previously, it pays to do this easy task annually, since it can change over time. June is a great time for it.

A soil test, like this one from Amazon, is a great way to see what your soil is lacking or if you need to add amendments to make the soil more acidic.

A pH above 6.0 is not healthy for the shrubs. That causes poor growth. The plants will be stressed and vulnerable to insects and disease.

4. Prune Before July 4

(Image credit: Maudib / Getty Images)

Azaleas have a naturally informal growth habit and don’t benefit from manicured or formal pruning. But gentle trimming can help your shrubs grow fuller canopies.

Timing is critical when it comes to pruning azaleas. Never ever prune these shrubs in spring since they are about to bloom. You don’t want to cut off azalea buds.

Azaleas set their buds for flowers the previous summer, so the ideal time to prune is June, right after the flowering is done. Get the pruning done no later than July 4 since mid-summer pruning will greatly reduce the number of flowers that will appear the following spring.

How to prune in June? Remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches on each shrub. The crossing branches can rub together and cause wounds in the branches, so taking out one of the two branches prevents future problems. You might also open up the interior of the shrub to improve air circulation. June is also a good time to cut back overlarge plants. Trim back a too-big azalea by as much as one-third. Make each cut at a slight angle right above a leaf node.

What about deadheading? It isn’t mandatory, since the flower heads will drop on their own. But if you prefer to deadhead, go for it. Make these snips within three weeks after the bloom period.

5. Fertilize Before July

(Image credit: Iamporpla / Getty Images)

You probably fertilized your azaleas in early spring to give them a boost as their new growth emerges. June is a great time to fertilize them again - but lightly. Pick a fertilizer that is specifically formulated for azaleas or acid-loving plants. Espoma's Azalea-tone fertilizer from Amazon is a good organic feed. This is better than fertilizing in late summer since the resulting growth from late-season feeding may not harden off before winter.

A little care now, before summer gets too far along, will help your azaleas stay healthy through the heat and prepare for next year's brilliant blossoms!

The question of Greenworks vs Ryobi lawn mowers is an essential one for anybody looking to pick up a powerful, reliable lawn mower for their garden this summer. Though both brands have some serious influence in the gardening world, with plenty of different products, we’re breaking down exactly which mowers specifically will be best to opt for.

As summer reaches its peak, there are plenty of mowers on the market if you need a way to instantly neaten your lawn. Greenworks and Ryobi are titans when it comes to top-rated electric lawn mowers, including those designed to rival the sheer cutting power and performance of the best gas lawn mowers.

In our Greenworks vs Ryobi comparison, we look at both brands in terms of prices, the range of products on offer, and any noteworthy design innovations. Hopefully, this will help you narrow down the best choice for your backyard.

Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: Prices and Range

Greenworks mowers have plenty of variation when it comes to product range, with a whole selection of models to choose from. Whether you’re after an inexpensive corded walk-behind or a snazzy brushless battery-powered bad boy, Greenworks has you covered.

Prices range anywhere from $849.99 to $229.99, so no matter how much you’d like to spend, Greenworks is sure to offer you something you’ll like. On the price front, it’s also pretty helpful that Greenworks batteries are compatible with over 50 other products too, so you’re making an investment for your whole collection when you buy a new model.

What’s more, Greenworks also tends to benefit from much better sale prices, with its models frequently discounted on Amazon.

(Image credit: Amazon)

• Greenworks Pro 60V Self-Propelled Mower 2531502 (MRSP $849.99)
• Greenworks 40V Cordless Lawn Mower 2508302 (MRSP $379.99)
• Greenworks 12 AMP Corded Lawn Mower 25022 (MRSP $229.99)
• Greenworks Pro 60V Cordless Lawn Mower 2531902T (MRSP $499.99)
• Greenworks Pro 80V Brushless Lawn Mower 2501202 (MRSP $599.99)

On the other side of the Greenworks vs Ryobi debate, Ryobi offers less of a wide product range than its competitors, for generally a little higher price. It has walk behind, push, and cordless mowers to choose from, as well as a range of voltages and cutting paths.

Ryobi mowers all handily have a three-year warranty, which will allow you to feel secure in your purchase if you do opt for one. And as with Greenworks, all of the batteries from the brand are compatible with a number of other tools in its range, leaving you with less to buy in the long run.

• Ryobi 18V ONE+ Cordless Lawn Mower P1190 (MRSP $319.00)
• Ryobi 18V ONE+ Lithium Mower P1111 (MRSP $328.97)
• Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Cordless Self-Propelled Mower PBLLM05K2 (MRSP $479.00)

Winner: For us, Greenworks wins out when it comes to prices and products, thanks to the wide range it has of both, especially with the likelihood of discounts thrown in.

It’ll be easier for you to find the exact type of mower you want if you opt for Greenworks here, whether that’s something a little more affordable or a more specialist mower for your lawn.

Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: Design  

(Image credit: Ryobi)

The first thing to note when it comes to a distinction in design with Greenworks vs Ryobi lawn mowers is the difference in power. Ryobi has a range of popular 40V Lithium mowers, which are designed to provide gas-like power, thanks to the engineering of brushless motors.

Plus, Ryobi mowers also tend to have an easy single-point adjustment system to allow for choosing your cutting position conveniently. On the models with 40V batteries, you can expect up to half an acre’s worth of cutting time, making these mowers a solid choice for small gardens.

Ryobi also stresses that the design of its engines means that you’ll have full power until the end of the charge, rather than a faltering performance. Though there are 40V models available from Ryobi, there are also lots of models with only single battery systems, which pack less of a punch.

Greenworks mowers have a similar overall design going on, with its 48V Lithium models for example, which promise to give up to a third of an acre’s mowing time. This is a little less than Ryobi’s batteries of the same type, though, with these Greenworks mowers capable of delivering 45 minutes of run time, there should still be enough time for you to work with. Greenworks batteries are also designed to deliver ‘fade-free power’, with the brand saying they have no memory loss after charging.

(Image credit: Greenworks)

Winner: Greenworks and Ryobi both use extremely similar systems as part of their designs, with lithium batteries which essentially operate the same. For that reason, it’s difficult to pick a standout winner when it comes to design.

Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: Features  

When it comes to breaking down the features of these mowers, one important thing is how easy they are to operate. Ryobi prioritizes push-button starts with lots of its mowers, which will enable you to get going quicker with your gardening tasks, while Greenworks have the same system, sometimes accompanied by pulling a safety key.

There’s a range of both Greenworks and Ryboi lawn mowers which also have features to make packing them away nice and easy. Greenworks models often have foldable handles for compact storage, while Ryobi also has clipping bags that are convenient to pull away, so you can clean up after mowing faster.

Greenworks batteries can be used to charge up more than just your mower too, with a USB port so that you can get some juice on your iPhone or iPad, like a portable charger. Lots of Ryobi models also have LED headlights, so that you can mow at dawn or dusk, and fit more hours into your gardening day.

(Image credit: Getty)

Winner: Greenworks take the crown when it comes to features with its battery system and foldable traits, but Ryobi is just at its heels.

Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: User reviews

Greenworks, thanks to the vast number of products it has, has a lot of reviews that allow you to get an idea of the buying experience from the brand. For example, the most popular Greenworks model, the 40V 21-Inch Brushless Mower MO40L02, has a 4.4-star rating out of 5 on Amazon, gathered from 700 user reviews.

Generally, based on these reviews, when it comes to service, Greenworks is the subject of mixed opinions. While some were prepared to hold out for the manufacturer to get to a resolution: “be prepared to be on hold for ~60 minutes, but once we got customer service they were very helpful”, others were unimpressed with their entire experience. One user commented “Good product - nonexistent customer support”, explaining that their “lawnmower was missing a single bolt”, and they were “#60 in line one day” when they called and “#44 a second day”.

On the other hand, despite the somewhat lackluster reviews on service, even those with complaints were quick to comment on their favorable opinion of Greenworks mowers and their outstanding performance. One reviewer commented that the MO40L02 was a “remarkable” mower, saying they had “nothing but praise for the ease of use, maneuverability, the effectiveness of mulching, and evenness of cut”.

And of course, as with Ryobi, one of the crowning achievements of Greeenworks mowers is its sustainable edge thanks to battery power. As well as being the intelligent choice for the planet, many reviewers prefer these mowers thanks to their lack of maintenance, with one reviewer commenting: “In summary, this is SO much better than a gas-powered walk-behind mower--so quiet, smooth-running, virtually no maintenance and no fumes to breathe”.

(Image credit: Home Depot)

Ryobi, as with its product range, has less to analyze when it comes to reviews. The 13-inch 11 Amp Electric Mower only has 49 reviews on Amazon, though still scores an impressive 4.2 stars out of five. Over on Home Depot, however, the same model has a 4.2-star rating out of five gathered from 4,751 reviews.

Reviewers on Home Depot’s website seemed overall to be pretty satisfied with the customer service they received after buying their mowers from Ryobi. One simply commented “awesome service”, with another saying “I am 89 and deaf. I received outstanding service and could not be more pleased. Mower got here sooner than I expected. It does a good job for me. I am 100% satisfied”. Another pointed out that even when they were unimpressed with its warranty services, Ryobi impressed when it came to customer service, saying “Although I was disappointed the mower needed service after one year, the customer support Alex and Ryan showed cemented my recommendation of this product”.

Another model, the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Battery-powered mower, also gained positive reviews from a number of customers on the Home Depot website due to its great gardening performance. One user summed up the benefits of this mower, saying “If you have a small lawn area or want a mower that is easy to use and light-weight, this mower is for you”. They also added that the mower was ultra-quiet and easy to store away,

Winner: Though there are plenty more of them, Greenworks user reviews tend to be more of a mixed bag when it comes to customer service, more so on Amazon than on Home Depot. This may be a difference in the service that’s provided seller to seller, so watch out and perhaps head over to Home Depot if this is really important to you. Ultimately, Ryobi take the crown for its all-around performance with user reviews.

Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: Which Should You Buy?

If you’re hunting for an excellent quality lawn mower deal this summer, then there’s little doubt that a Greenworks mower will be your best option, with much more of a likelihood of finding a money-off deal.

But if you’re looking for a gardening investment and don’t mind bumping up your budget, then Ryobi is an equally good choice, with very similar models to its Greenworks counterpart, especially on factors like design and features. Greenworks is the brand to go for if you need more choice, but Ryobi mowers will still provide a great mowing experience if one of its models draws you in more, with the benefit of excellent customer service too according to reviews.

Many of the beetles people lump together as June bugs aren't June bugs at all. And the one most often mistaken for one can quietly chew a whole garden to lace while you're busy not worrying about it.

Look at them properly and you'd never confuse the two. But in that half-second before you do, they blur. Both are scarab beetles. Both crawl out of the soil in early summer and start eating. The similarity pretty much stops there. One is the June bug, a clumsy night-flier that chews a few leaves and moves on. The other is the Japanese beetle, near the top of every list of the country's worst garden pests. One is a nuisance you can mostly live with. The other can take a bush apart in a few days.

Identifying garden pests correctly is the whole game here, because the right response depends entirely on which beetle is in front of you. Pick the wrong fix and you either overreact to a bug that was never much of a threat, or you wave off one that's about to skeletonize the roses. A few clear differences sort it out fast, and once you know what to look for, you won't mix them up again.

June Bugs

Brown June bug (Image credit: lnzyx / Getty Images)

The June bug (or May beetles) most people know is the one that shows up at the porch light and won't leave. Its color runs reddish-brown, sometimes nearly black. It's round and hard-shelled, about the size of a thumbnail, anywhere from a half-inch to a full inch (1.3-2.5cm) long. And it flies like it's never tried before, loud and heavy, bouncing off the screen.

The brown June bugs do their feeding after dark. Through the day they're hunkered down in the soil or under leaf litter, waiting it out. Come nightfall they're up and moving, feeding, knocking into every lit window on the block. The adults go for tree and shrub leaves more than anything in the vegetable patch, and what they leave behind is just ragged little notches around the edges. It looks rough up close. The plant barely registers it, though, and the season carries on fine.

“June bug” is a loose name. It covers a whole batch of related scarabs, including a daytime metallic-green one that throws people off and makes them think Japanese beetle.

Green June bugs (Image credit: BackyardProduction / Getty Images)Japanese Beetles

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Japanese beetle is the smaller of the two, around three-eighths of an inch (1cm), and far and away the flashier bug. Its head and thorax shine metallic green, and the wing covers turn a coppery bronze. Along each side of the body runs a row of little white tufts of hair, five to a side with two more at the tail. Those tufts are the giveaway. Nothing else in the garden presents them.

Where June bugs work alone and after dark, Japanese beetles do the reverse. They're out in the open in full daylight, happiest on a hot, sunny afternoon, and they almost never show up solo. Here's the nasty part: feeding beetles release pheromones and trigger plant stress signals that attract more beetles. So you spot two or three in the morning, write it off, and by evening there's a clump of thirty on the same branch. They snowball, and that's the whole problem with them.

Reading the Leaf Damage

Japanese beetle and damage (Image credit: elinedesignservices / Getty Images)

Truth is, the pests' leaf damage might tell you more than the appearance of the beetle does.

A Japanese beetle eats the soft green tissue between the veins and leaves the veins behind, so the leaf turns into a kind of brown lace, see-through where the green used to be. They also skeletonize petals and can scar fruit surfaces. They start at the top where the sun hits and chew their way down.

June bugs don't work like that. Theirs is messier, more random—chunks and notches torn in from the edges, scattered around, nothing like that fine skeleton.

What really sets them apart is appetite. A Japanese beetle will eat just about anything—roses, grapes, beans, the fruiting canes, something like 300 species all told. That range is why they turn up as a problem in so many gardens. June bugs are fussier and stick mostly to trees. And then there's what goes on underground, where the two finally line up.

(Image credit: JJ Gouin / Getty Images)

Both lay eggs that hatch into those fat white C-shaped grubs, and the grubs sit there eating grass roots, killing the lawn in patches from below. Japanese beetle grubs tend to concentrate in turf grass, while June bug larvae often feed deeper on roots in soil.

Getting Rid of Japanese Beetles

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Because Japanese beetles cluster, hand-picking does real work here. Knock them into a jar of soapy water first thing in the morning, while the cool air still has them sluggish and slow to fly. Keep at it daily through the worst weeks and you stop the scent from building up and calling in reinforcements. One thing to skip is the pheromone bag trap. It pulls in far more beetles than it ever catches, so all you've done is bait your own yard.

Covering the plants they love can help as much as anything else. A floating row cover from Amazon draped over roses or beans for the few weeks beetles are active keeps them off the plant entirely. On anything too big or too numerous to cover, a neem oil spray from Walmart works as a repellent and feeding deterrent without wiping out every insect in the bed. And if the crowd gets ahead of you, an insecticidal soap from Amazon knocks them back, though spraying at dusk spares the bees doing their rounds. You can also make your own insecticidal soap!

Handling June Bugs

June bugs mostly aren't worth much fuss. The adults do surface damage at worst, and an established tree or shrub takes a few chewed leaves without any harm done. Cut the porch lights through their peak weeks and fewer of them gather near the house, since those lights are half the reason they show up. For most yards, leaving them alone is the right call.

The grubs are the part worth keeping an eye on, for both beetles. When they're feeding hard, the lawn goes spongy and yellow in patches, and the turf tugs up loose like it's barely holding on—late summer, mostly, is when you'll see it. Beneficial nematodes, watered into the soil, hunt the grubs down without any chemicals. A deep-watered, healthy lawn handles the light stuff on its own, too. But if the brown patches keep creeping outward, peel up a corner of sod and count what's under there before reaching for anything stronger.

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

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

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

Make Time for Cosmos in July

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

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

(Image credit: Rosemary Calvert / Getty Images)

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

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

1. Support and Staking

(Image credit: Kwanchaichaiudom / Getty Images)

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

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

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

2. Smart Watering for High Heat

(Image credit: Westend61 / Getty Images)

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

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

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

3. Controlled Feeding (But Not Too Much)

(Image credit: BING JHEN HONG / Getty Images)

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

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

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

4. Strategic Pinching

(Image credit: Yurou Guan / Getty Images)

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

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

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

5. Deadheading

(Image credit: Mgstudyo / Getty Images)

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

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

Shop Cosmos Companions

(Image credit: Toloren / Getty Images)

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

Blue Heaven

Nature Hills Nursery Sensation® Sky Blue Salvia Plants

Salvias and cosmos are a match made in heaven, and a perennial partner gives your ornamental display some enduring weight. These intriguing indigo spikes provide both dramatic, rigid architectural interest and ethereal pastels that perfectly balance the dancing movement of juicy cosmos blooms.

Fruity Splash

Nature Hills Nursery Artisan™ Soft Orange Coneflower Plants

If you are aiming for true cottage garden drama, coneflowers make devastating dancing partners. Thriving in the exact same lean, sun-baked soil and hot USDA zones, these bold, zingy daisy-like petals and coppery centers offer a stunning texture that keeps your summer flower show going late into fall.

Going for Gold

Clovers Garden Clovers Garden Black Eyed Susan Plants

For instant high-contrast color, nestling rudbeckia plants near pink and white cosmos works wonders. This classic choice handles parched July conditions with ease, pushing out cheerful golden petals with dark cones to accentuate the feathery details of your annual daisy show with intense color impact.

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Elephants may be famous for having incredible memories, but don't think for one second they've cornered the market on the whole "never forget" thing. Despite weighing less than a nickel, hummingbirds remember their favorite feeding spots for years – and will return to reliable food sources again and again.

Yes, that's right. Whether it's your birth month hummingbird or some other variety, these iridescent little birds possess extraordinary memories, which is why they often make a point of sticking to the same gardens year after year.

In fact, researchers have found that hummingbirds can remember where feeders are located, using landmarks and environmental cues to navigate back to favourite feeding spots during migration. For gardeners, that's very good news indeed. Create a buzzing hummingbird hangout, then, and your yard could become a regular stop on their route.

How To Make Hummingbirds Remember Your Garden

Scientific studies have found that hummingbirds possess exceptional spatial memory; some species can remember the location of both rewarding and unrewarding flowers, for example, and banding studies have shown that some individual hummingbirds return to the same feeding sites and migration stopovers year after year.

For gardeners, that's excellent news, as it means there's a good chance your yard will become part of a hummer's regular routine. And the key to helping hummingbirds remember your garden as the hippest, most happening spot in the neighborhood? Consistency!

(Image credit: Alan Vernon / Getty Images)

Yes, the easiest way to attract hummingbirds to your yard is to remember that all they are really looking for is a safe, dependable place to refuel, rest, and shelter.

And so, with that in mind, here are five simple ways to make your garden utterly unforgettable.

1. Keep Feeders Full – and Spotlessly Clean

(Image credit: Richard Nantais / Shutterstock)

Whether you buy yours pre-made or use a DIY nectar recipe, nothing says "don't come back" quite like spoiled nectar.

Yes, wildlife experts recommend cleaning and refilling hummingbird feeders regularly, especially during hot weather when sugar water can quickly ferment or develop mould. In cooler weather, a weekly clean may be sufficient, but during summer heat, feeders may need refreshing every day or two.

Think of it this way: if your favourite coffee shop suddenly started serving... well, let's call it questionable milk, then you'd probably find a new one. Your discerning hummingbird clientele feel much the same (and yes, hummingbirds remember when you fob them off with the dodgy stuff).

Shop Hummingbird Feeder & Cleaning Essentials:

Birdfy Birdfy Hummingbird Feeder

Equipped with a solar panel, this feeder offers 24/7 hummingbird-watching fun.

Lucy's Natural Distilled White Vinegar

'You can clean hummingbird feeders with warm water and a brush then sanitize with a 50% water to white vinegar formula in a spray bottle,' says Denys.

SWEET YARDS Wildflower Seeds Butterfly and Humming Bird Mix

If you fancy a more natural approach, try planting 23 species of wildflowers for hummingbirds to enjoy.

2. Place Feeders Where Birds Feel Safe

(Image credit: RHFletcher / Shutterstock)

Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but location matters just as much as nectar quality.

Hummingbirds prefer feeders positioned in partial shade, where nectar stays fresher for longer, and near shrubs or small trees that offer nearby perches and escape routes. And always, always, always hang them high enough that cats and other pesky predators will not be able to get at them.

A feeder positioned in a quiet spot with clear flight paths and a little nearby cover is often irresistible to visiting hummers. And (final tip, promise!) keep it away from other traditional bird feeders; they will avoid other birds like the plague.

3. Give Them More Than One Dining Option

(Image credit: Mark Chivers/Getty Images)

They may be cute, but hummingbirds are famously feisty – or, fine, territorial, for those who prefer to use the official ornithological lingo. If you've ever watched one tiny bird chase away everything with wings, you'll know exactly what I mean.

Offering multiple feeders spaced throughout the yard reduces competition and allows more birds to feed at once. It also means that if one feeder runs dry or needs cleaning, hummingbirds still have a reliable backup nearby.

More feeding stations can also help turn your yard into an established refuelling stop rather than a one-feeder pit stop.

Shop Hummingbird Feeders:

Perky-Pet Cactus Top Fill Glass Hummingbird Feeder

How pretty is this hummingbird feeder? It features built-in bee guards and removable perches!

Perky-Pet Window Mount Hummingbird Feeder

No garden? No problem! You can still keep hummingbirds fed and happy with this clever window-mounted design.

FeatherSnap Smart Hummingbird Feeder

Get up close and personal with your hummingbird pals using this smart feeder, which sends pictures and videos straight to your phone.

4. Plant Nectar-Rich Flowers They Can Count On

(Image credit: SusanGaryPhotography/Getty Images)

Okay, we're gardeners, so let's cut to the chase; feeders are helpful, but flowers? Flowers are what truly transform a yard into hummingbird heaven.

Planting a succession of nectar-rich plants for hummingbirds ensures there is something blooming throughout the season. Native salvias, bee balm, cardinal flower, penstemon, non-invasive honeysuckle, and trumpet vine are all favourites in many parts of the US, not to mention hydrangeas.

Bright red and orange blooms are particularly attractive to hummingbirds, but diversity matters too. A yard that provides natural nectar alongside feeders is far more likely to become part of a hummingbird's regular route – and don't forget to plant low-maintenance shrubs for hummingbirds to nest in, too.

Shop Plants That Hummingbirds Love:

Nature Hills Nursery Starship™ Burgundy Cardinal Flower

The one, the only, the original! Cardinal flowers are the easiest way to keep hummers happy.

Nature Hills Nursery Atomic Red™ Trumpet Vine

Trumpet vine is a famously excellent choice for attracting hummingbirds.

Nature Hills Nursery Apple Slices Indian Pink

Hummingbirds can't resist its nectar-rich blossoms, making this a pollinator favorite.

5. Make Your Yard Easy to Spot

Hummingbirds are highly visual feeders and are especially attracted to bright colors. And while a red flag is bad news for bulls, a red flower? Amazing for hummers!

Most commercial feeders already incorporate plenty of red, so there's no need to add dye to nectar. Instead, think about making your feeding station easy to see by surrounding it with colorful flowers or placing it somewhere visible from the air.

Remember: once hummingbirds discover a reliable source of food, they're remarkably good at remembering where to find it again. The challenge isn't attracting them once – it's convincing them to keep coming back.

(Image credit: Irukandji/Getty Images)

If you want to make sure hummingbirds remember your yard, stick to the basics: you want clean feeders, fresh nectar, safe placement, and plenty of flowers to create exactly the sort of feeding station these tiny birds are searching for.

Given their extraordinary memories, there's every chance they'll reward your efforts with repeat visits for seasons to come. And better still (if there could be anything better)? Why, they'll tell all their feathered friends, too!

Make the changers, pull up a chair (somewhere discreet), and enjoy the show that mother nature is about to put on for you. It promises to be spectacular.

Amazon Prime Day may be hogging the headlines this week, but Walmart is running its own summer patio sale, and some of these products are super impressive. While Prime Day deals tend toward gadgets and appliances, Walmart’s competing event leans more into outdoor living items like furniture, lighting, fire pits, and other accessories that actually make you want to hang out in your garden.

Whether you're starting from scratch or filling in some empty gaps, here are 12 picks that are worth adding to your cart before the sale ends. It's the simplest way to turn your patio into a stylish outdoor living space.

Outdoor Dining

Eating outside is one of summer's great pleasures, but it requires a table and chairs that can handle the weather without warping, rusting, or requiring you to drag them inside every time it rains (that’s just no fun).

Better Homes & Gardens Lilah Parisian Outdoor Bistro Set, Black

A two-seater bistro set that gives you the feel of a cafe terrace in Paris. It’s perfect for any balcony or small patio, and is built for year-round outdoor use. The chairs are wrapped in weather-resistant PE rattan, and the whole set is designed to hold up through the seasons without losing its looks.

Mainstays Albany Lane 5pc Dining Set, Teal

This may be a Walmart own-brand outdoor dining range, but it seriously punches above its price point. A steel or aluminum frame with a slatted tabletop and four stackable chairs is the setup that works for most gardens, and this one comes in at a price that leaves budget for the rest of the patio.

Serwall 5-Piece Patio Dining Set

A seriously durable outdoor dining set built from HDPE. This is the same material used in marine decking, which means it genuinely won't rot, warp, fade, or crack no matter what the weather throws at it. The table includes a built-in umbrella hole so you can add shade without needing a separate base, and the whole set is designed to blend with any outdoor setting.

Outdoor Seating

The centerpiece of any good patio is a comfy place to sit, and Walmart's sale has options across every style and budget, from statement lounge chairs to full conversation sets.

Serwall Outdoor Rocking Chair

A classic porch rocker built from HDPE, which is the same absolutely indestructible material used in outdoor decking. It won't rot or fade, and doesn’t need repainting. It can hold up to 380 lbs, and the blue finish is a really fresh alternative to the usual neutral palette we’re always seeing these days.

Walsunny Wicker Oversized Egg Shell Lounger Lawn Chair With Cushion

Truly a statement piece that earns its price tag. Handwoven PE wicker over a steel frame, with a cocooning egg-shell shape and plush cushions that work just as well indoors as out.

Mf Studio 3-Piece Patio Furniture Conversation Set

A fancy, all-weather rattan sectional sofa set with a coffee table and cushions included. This is the kind of setup that would cost you a lot more if you got it from a specialized garden center. The all-weather wicker and acacia wood frame are built for the elements, and the neutral beige tones will match almost any outdoor space.

Shade & Lighting

Once you have somewhere to sit, the next priority is staying comfortable in the sun and being able to stay outside once it goes down.

Autlaycil 13ft Solar Patio Umbrella with LED Lights

A large-format patio umbrella that pulls double duty as it also features outdoor lighting. 36 solar-powered LED lights are built into the canopy, charging during the day and coming on automatically at dusk. This means none of those pesky cables are necessary.

Daybetter Solar Outdoor String Lights

To this day, fairy lights are still one of the easiest ways to transform a patio into a cozy setup after dark, and solar versions mean zero running costs and no extension cords trailing across the garden.

Daybetter Set of 2 Outdoor Solar Lanterns

Freestanding or hanging solar lanterns add instant atmosphere to a table or fence post without any wiring. A simple, affordable finishing touch that makes evenings outside feel like you actually tried to make it look nice.

Fire Pits & Outdoor Warmth

A fire pit can extend the season quite a bit. Even on cooler summer nights, it keeps the garden usable well after dark, and the social pull of an open fire is hard to beat.

Bali Outdoors 32 Inch Fire Pit With Poker

A well-designed, versatile fire pit that works as both a bonfire centerpiece and a basic outdoor grill. The 20-inch fire bowl contains sparks effectively (can’t have burn holes in your guests' clothes), the grill grate rotates 360 degrees and adjusts in height, and the whole thing goes together in under 20 minutes. Absolutely solid value for the price.

Auhilence 36" Fire Pit for Outside

A large fire pit that works equally well for warmth and casual outdoor cooking. Built from 100% steel with a hollow design, it has high-temperature paint and is rust-resistant, so it will last you several summers. Even better? The outer ring doubles as a foot warmer!

Edx 19-Inch Portable Propane Fire Pit

This is a great alternative for anyone who wants the ambience of a fire without the ash, smoke, or need to stockpile firewood. It comes all prepared with lava rocks and a 10-foot hose that connects straight to a standard 20lb propane tank, which means you just have to hook it up and you’re ready to go. It’s also approved for use during fire ban seasons, which makes it an awesome choice if you never need it for campgrounds or areas where wood fires are restricted.