Organic Gardening News

So many of our favorite backyard blooms that we plant afresh every year have long-lived cousins that survive the winter and return, year after year, with lots more blooms for near-zero effort. If you’re wanting to cut down on the time and cost it takes to keep your garden looking good, swap those flower-once-and-die annuals for long-lived perennial plants that will bring abundant flowers for years to come.

Whether you like to grow lush borders or raise flowers for cutting, there are plenty of perennial versions of popular annual plants to choose from. From sweet peas and sunflowers to candytuft and coreopsis, foxgloves and poppies to baby’s breath and cosmos, there’s a perennial option that brings plenty of blooms for a lot less effort – and we all love flowering plants that practically grow themselves. For a lovely but low-maintenance garden, it's a no-brainer.

Which of these annual plants do you currently grow in your garden, that you could swap out for a perennial version that will flower for years to come?

1. Sweet Pea

Everlasting Pea Seeds, Mixed

If you're wondering what to grow in a low-maintenance garden, start your planting list with a perennial sweet pea. The annual sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is fabulous, granted, but the everlasting sweet pea (Lathyrus latifolius) has lots to offer, too. Pest-resilient and happy to grow in poor soil, it flowers from mid-summer to the first hard frost and returns year after year in zones 5-9.

The only trade-off you’ll have to make is scent, as perennial sweet peas don’t have the wonderful fragrance of annual sweet peas. Everlasting sweet pea varieties range from white to a warm palette of pinks, magenta and red, and for the prettiest result, grow a mix for a standout color show all summer long.

2. Sunflower

3 Maximilian Sunflower Bareroots

Yes, it’s fun to plant sunflower seeds each spring and watch the plants grow sky-high – but it’s also lovely to sit back on the patio and see your perennial Helianthus pop up without any assistance from you! Most sunflowers are annuals (Helianthus annus), completing their life cycle in one season, but there are also a few perennial sunflower varieties that return year in, year out.

If you love the height of annual sunflowers and have the space, then Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian sunflower) is an excellent choice, growing 6-8 feet tall stems smothered in yellow flowers from midsummer to frost in zones 3-9. Explore the wonderful world of perennial Helianthus salicifolius, too, which brings the same sunny vibes on shorter stems. Autumn Gold Narrow-Leaved Sunflower, available from Plant Addicts, is a favorite, growing just 1-2 feet high with a similarly long blooming season in zones 5-10.

3. Poppy

Eden Brothers 2 Papaver Orientale 'Forncett Summer' Bareroots

There are so many beautiful annual poppy varieties that pop up and flower for a few weeks then die, from corn poppies (Papaver rhoeas) to opium poppies (Papaver somniferum). Wonderful as their paper-thin petals are, the flowers can be fragile and fleeting. The perennial oriental poppy Papaver orientale, however, has a lot more punch in the flower power arena.

Because they’re fuelled by a far bigger perennial root system than their annual cousins, oriental poppies are bigger plants with bigger flowers. Papaver orientale flowers last far longer in a vase, too, produce robust seedpods that dry well, and their plump, fuzzy buds are adorable. There are all sorts of varieties to choose from, and Eden Brothers has a lovely oriental poppy selection to begin a journey into this world of flouncy petals and six-inch crepe-paper blooms.

(Image credit: Getty Images)4. Cosmos

2 Chocolate Cosmos Roots

Love the carefree flowers of cosmos? If you’re already growing annual Cosmos bipinnatus you’ll know just how many blooms a single plant can put out over the summer months. And there’s a perennial cosmos that's just as enthusiastic.

Cosmos atrosanguineus – the chocolate cosmos – is a dark, sensuous beauty that blooms all summer with rich, deep red petals that last well in a vase as well as borders. It’s hardy in zones 9-11 but as it grows to 30 inches high and is heat- and drought-tolerant, this perennial cosmos thrives in a container so you can easily move it to overwinter in a sheltered spot in cooler zones. As you'll discover, growing chocolate cosmos in a pot is a great move as you can easily place the blooms on a table or plant stand to enjoy their remarkable chocolate fragrance.

(Image credit: Getty Images)5. Foxgloves

Digitalis Grandiflora Yellow Foxglove

The cottage-garden appeal of foxgloves is joyful; the hassle of sowing seed one year and having to wait till the following summer for a fleeting show of these sensational spires is not. The foxglove we most often grow in our gardens is Digitalis purpurea, a biennial that grows leaves in its first year, then flower spikes in its second year before dying. There are perennial foxgloves, however, that return year after year.

Digitalis grandiflora, the large yellow foxglove, lives for around five years and flowers from June to August in zones 3-8. Digitalis parviflora (chocolate foxglove) is a slightly shorter-lived perennial but an incredibly striking plant to add to a modern border or gravel garden. With tightly-packed flower spikes in an unusual rusty brown tone that looks fabulous paired with corten steel, chocolate foxglove seeds are available from Walmart and are suitable for zones 4-9.

6. Black-Eyed Susan

American Gold Rush Black-Eyed Susan

Why grow short-lived annual or biennial Rudbeckia hirta when you can grow long-lived perennial Rudbeckia fulgida and enjoy a reliable display of golden black-eyed Susan flowers for years to come?

There are plenty of varieties to choose from ranging from short-stemmed cultivars perfect for a pot to tall back-of-the-border plants. Perhaps the best of all is Rudbeckia fulgida ‘American Gold Rush’, named Perennial Plant of the Year in 2023 and reliably growing well-behaved mounds smothered with yellow daisies in zones 3-8. The blooms are beloved by pollinators and, as this variety has been bred to be exceptionally disease-resistant, keep on coming to the first frost.

7. Candytuft

Perennial Candytuft Snow Flurries Seeds

You’re no doubt familiar with the annual Iberis umbellata, sown every spring to fill fronts of borders with white, pink or purple flowers through summer – but do you know the perennial candytuft, Iberis sempervirens? It does a similar job of bringing a carpet of flowers – though earlier, typically from March to June, and with white blooms – but also boasts a dense, evergreen mat of needle-like leaves thats act as year-round ground cover.

Because it has woody stems, this is a tough, reliable perennial in zones 3-8, heat- and drought-tolerant once established, and also does well cascading over the front of walls and raised beds.

(Image credit: Getty Images)8. Coreopsis

Lance-Leaf Coreopsis Sunburst Seeds

If you’re a fan of annual Coreopsis tinctoria and its pretty daisy-like flowers with yellow petals and darker centers, take a look at Coreopsis lanceolata. This perennial tickseed is native to North America with long-lasting spring blooms in zones 4-9, and lance-leaf coreopsis seeds are available from Eden Brothers.

Several cultivars have been bred from the wildflower for more dramatic, long-lasting blooms with the same tough nature and appreciation for poor soil, such as Coreopsis lanceolata ‘Sunburst’. Exceptionally heat- and drought-tolerant, it's as happy in a container as it is in the ground, and the flowers are easily dried, too.

9. Baby’s Breath

Festival Star Baby's Breath

Annual Gypsophila elegans is such a useful plant in any garden, with clouds of tiny white flowers and gray-green leaves on airy stems. It only lasts a summer, though, so if you want to keep its elegant effervescence in borders, you need to replant every spring. There is, however, a perennial baby’s breath that reliably returns year after year, bringing that wonderful froth of petite blooms for far less effort.

There are various Gypsophila paniculata varieties but one of the most useful is Festival Star. It has fairly short stems, only reaching 18 inches, but they're smothered with tiny white flowers. Blooming from late spring, this sea of bijou blooms acts as the most fabulous coverage for dying bulb foliage, and it continues flowering into early fall in zones 3-9. Festival Star baby's breath has a long tap root so is drought-tolerant, you don’t need to deadhead it, and it spreads to two feet so one plant makes quite an impact.

10. Marigold

Tagetes Lemmonii Shrub Marigold 50 Seeds

If you grow vegetables, you likely grow marigolds to attract beneficial pollinators and act as a sacrificial trap crop to lure aphids away from your precious veggie plants. While the annual French marigold (Tagetes patula) is easy enough to raise from seed every spring, the perennial Tagetes lemmonii works in a different way to benefit your veg patch, for far less effort.

Thanks to a concentration of oils in the foliage which emit a citrussy mint smell, Tagetes lemmonii deters pests and can mask the alluring fragrance of nearby crops. This Mexican bush or mountain marigold is hardy in zones 8-10 but many gardeners outside these zones grow it in pots so it's easilty moved to overwinter in a sheltered spot. As this shrub can grow 3-6 feet tall, growing it in a container also helps to keep the plant small, and the stems are easily pruned into a pleasingly bushy, rounded shape.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A summer spent outdoors on a shaded patio or porch can be amazing for certain houseplants, most of which are tropical plants that thrive in heat and humidity. Soaking up the fresh air, natural moisture, warm breezes, and filtered sunlight can often trigger lush new growth. But in September, that outdoor haven can become a bit more risky. These tropical species like warm, consistent conditions, and sudden shifts in temperature can cause issues long before fall frost arrives.

Leaving these sensitive houseplants outside during sudden night-temperature dips can trigger rapid leaf drop, root rot, and severe cold shock. So this month is a time to transition key summering houseplants indoors to preserve all the vibrant momentum your plants gained over the summer. Sensible transitions now can protect against undue plant stress. This is also a good chance to get on top of any outdoor pests that might be looking to hitchhike indoors.

If you’re not careful, you could be bringing spider mites, scale, and mealybugs directly into your indoor spaces. By recognizing which tender species require a timely shift indoors, and taking a few quick steps to clean foliage and adjust soil moisture, you’ll protect your houseplant family and ensure they flourish through winter. Here are the key houseplants you need to move indoors now, and the easy ways to keep them clean and safe at the end of the summer holidays.

When the Houseplant Holiday is Over

There isn’t a single, universal date for bringing houseplants indoors for the winter. When you bring them in depends on your growing zone, local weather, exposure, and the types of plants you have. One of the best ways to determine when to make the transition is to keep an eye on nighttime temperatures. Many of your tropical houseplants will start to get uncomfortable when nighttime temps reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) consistently. Some are even more sensitive to cold and should be brought in before the nights get this chilly.

The key to a successful fall houseplant migration is tracking nighttime minimums rather than daytime highs. While a sunny September afternoon might feel warm, a sharp drop to 50°F (10°C) at night triggers the plants' roots to enter survival mode. Extremely tender varieties will be susceptible the moment nighttime forecasts consistently touch 55-60°F (13-16°C). Delaying the transition leaves them vulnerable to chill damage, which manifests weeks later as black leaf margins, soft stems, or foliage collapse. If you’re not sure, the highly rated Serundo Digital Thermometer from Amazon can help you determine temperature and humidity levels outside.

(Image credit: Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images)

Of course, indoor environments can present lower light levels, dry forced-air heating, and reduced airflow. To prevent severe acclimation shock, you need to ease your houseplants inside over a 7-10-day buffer window. For the best houseplant care at the end of summer, start by moving your designated potted travelers to a deeply shaded porch spot for a few days. This will help to get them used to lower light. You can then bring them indoors for the night, while leaving them out during warm days.

Before bringing any container past your threshold, you also need to perform a thorough pest inspection for each plant. Hose down foliage to dislodge hitchhikers, treat the soil with an organic neem drench, and inspect leaf undersides under high magnification so hitchhiking pests don't invade your home. To get a closer look under the leaves, use a loupe or pocket magnifier. The Jarlink 60X Illuminated Loupe Magnifier from Amazon is terrific value and gives crisp detail to flag up microscopic webs and crawlers before bringing pots indoors. Make this move as early in September as you can, focusing on these tender plants first…

1. Fiddle Leaf Fig

(Image credit: Photography By Tonelson / Getty Images)

Fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) is a popular but tricky houseplant. It’s a tropical native and strongly dislikes both cold temperatures and sudden temperature changes. Summer outside can trigger a lot of new growth, but cold nights can lead to leaf drop due to stress. While a summer outdoors often pushes out large, glossy fiddle-shaped leaves, cold September drafts below 55°F (13°C) shock the root system. This stress causes the tree to jettison its lower foliage, leaving you with a sparse, leggy trunk.

This houseplant thrives in constant warmth and high humidity, so its return indoors is a high-stakes task. Move your fig inside early in the month (well before nighttime temperatures are consistently 50°F). Transition it into a spot that receives 6-8 hours of bright, indirect sunlight near an east or south-facing window, with no drafts or vents. Once indoors, give your fig a quarter-turn every few days, so all sides receive balanced light, preventing the trunk from leaning awkwardly toward the window.

Because indoor light is less intense than outdoor sun, soil dries out more slowly. Resist the urge to overwater: wait until the top 2-3 inches (8cm) of potting soil are dry to the touch before watering thoroughly. And remember to clean large leaf surfaces using Southside Neem Oil Houseplant Wipes from Amazon, which combine a layer of pest protection with impressive cleaning and instant sheen.

2. Bird of Paradise

(Image credit: Ольга Симонова / Getty Images)

Birds of paradise (Strelitzia spp.) are gorgeous flowering tropical plants that thrive in warm weather and can really put out a lot of new growth on a summer outdoor holiday. With their massive, banana-like leaves and bold silhouettes, they are built for high heat and brilliant sunlight. The right summer placement outside will allow them to stock up generous energy reserves for those distinctive blooms. But cool nights will slow that growth and stress the new foliage long before the first frost.

Bring your bird of paradise inside before the nights become cooler than 55°F (13°C) and place it in the brightest window you have to make the transition easier. Ideally, this needs to be directly in front of an unshaded south or west-facing window. The broad paddle leaves are likely coated in dust, hard water deposits, and spider mites. So give these leaves a good clean before moving day with a soft cloth and warm water or a diluted neem spray. For an extra treat, add a mild drench of Arber Organic Bio-Protectant Concentrate from Walmart to protect against fungal rots.

3. Rex Begonia

(Image credit: Pakin Songmor / Getty Images)

Begonia rex-cultorum hybrids, also known as Rex begonias, are gorgeous plants known for their striking foliage. Loved for their swirls of metallics, magentas, and rich emeralds, Rex begonias are among the most decorative yet cold-sensitive foliage plants. These pretty leaves are especially susceptible to cold damage, which can cause leaf margins to turn translucent, crisp, or drop off entirely. So bring yours indoors as temperatures start to drop to around 55°F (13°C).

Cool damp weather creates ideal conditions for powdery mildew to take hold on their textured surfaces, which is another great reason to bring these plants indoors. Place them in a spot indoors with bright but indirect light (not your sunniest window which can scorch their rich pigments). Allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings and check moisture levels if you’re not sure. The Xlux Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon is a steal and works across every plant you own (just keep it clean).

4. Calathea

(Image credit: Roman Kochegarov / Getty Images)

Calathea (classified under Goeppertia) is a group of plants prized for their multi-hued and striped leaves. Also known as prayer plants, zebra plants, and peacock plants, these striped beauties have a bit of a reputation as being divas, due to their precise environmental requirements. They require high humidity and steady warmth, and they don’t respond well to environmental changes. They are also vulnerable to nighttime temperatures that dip sharply to 60°F (16°C), which can cause leaf curling, crisp brown tips, and stem collapse.

Transition your calathea back inside over 7-10 days, once nighttime temperatures outside are 55-60°F (13-16°C). Choose a spot indoors that has bright but indirect light, far from drafts, vents or AC units. Tap water containing high chlorine or fluoride levels can cause leaf tips to turn brown, so hydrate with distilled or filtered water. Running a cool-mist humidifier can also ease the transition. For a budget humidity option, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier from Target is compact and great for small spaces.

5. Boston Fern

(Image credit: OlgaMiltsova / Getty Images)

Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a classic summer porch plant, with dense, frilly fronds. They make awesome summer porch staples, tumbling out of hanging baskets in feathery green cascades. However, their lush growth relies heavily on high summer humidity and steady airflow. As September brings cooler nights below 55°F (13°C), these ferns stop growing and prepare to shed fronds. Bringing them indoors before cool weather sets in will preserve their vibrant color, though you should prepare for some minor leaf shedding as they adapt to drier indoor air.

Bring these ferns inside before the nights are consistently cool. Be sure to check for pests before making the transition. Give the pot a firm shake, then spray with a gentle hose stream to wash away dust, whiteflies, and scale. Trim yellowed or bare fronds back to the crown. Then give yours a spot with bright, indirect light and good humidity: a large bathroom window or near a kitchen sink is ideal. For a light mineral boost that can help them adapt in peace, apply a diluted seaweed tonic such as Bloom City Organic Liquid Seaweed & Kelp Fertilizer from Walmart. A gentle soil soak strengthens delicate fern roots and improves frond retention indoors.

6. Tropical Hibiscus

(Image credit: Rosemary Calvert / Getty Images)

Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) plants thrive outdoors in summer, blooming abundantly and putting out new green growth. With fiery, tropical blooms that draw hummingbirds all summer, it makes a dramatic outdoor patio centerpiece. But while some hibiscus plants are hardy, the tropical hibiscus cannot tolerate cold temperatures. Exposure to night temps below 55°F (13°C) can trigger leaf yellowing and bud drop. Bring your potted hibiscus indoors early in September, while night air is still mild, so it can settle before winter arrives.

Bring it indoors while temperatures are mild, about 60°F (16°C) at night. Your tropical hibiscus will fare best with a spot at your sunniest window. Where indoor light is limited, add an LED grow light for 10-12 hours daily. If you are going to invest in full spectrum lighting, get something that offers at least 35W, like the SANSI 35W Wall Mounted LED Plant Lights from Amazon to supply sun-hungry hibiscus trees with the light intensity they need. These plants can get large in summer, so give it a light trim, but avoid aggressive pruning during this stressful transition.

7. Anthurium

(Image credit: Ludmila Kapustkina / Getty Images)

Anthurium plants (Anthurium spp.), also known as flamingo flowers, are loved for their glossy spathes and long-lasting reds and pinks. As a houseplant, they can bloom all year, and they really appreciate some time outdoors to soak up the warm, humid conditions. Outdoor summering encourages robust root systems and continuous flowering. However, when nighttime temperatures fall to 60°F (16°C), growth halts, leaves turn yellow, and emerging flower buds can abort. So you should bring yours indoors as soon as late-summer weather begins to turn cool.

Clean foliage surfaces with a damp cloth to dislodge hitchhiking scale insects or aphids before moving in. Then place your anthurium wherever it will receive bright, indirect light, such as near an east or curtained west-facing window. Avoid cold drafts and harsh afternoon sun that can scorch those glossy spathes. Allow the top 50% of the potting medium to dry out between waterings. Top-dress with a little epiphytic potting mix such as Miracle-Gro Coarse Potting Mix from Amazon.

Houseplant Cleaning Essentials

(Image credit: Kseniya Ovchinnikova / Getty Images)

Transitioning your tropical houseplants indoors for autumn requires a few targeted plant care products and protective accessories. This collection of essential supplies will help you carry out your September plant move with total confidence, eliminating pests, supporting healthy roots, and keeping foliage lush and vibrant through the winter months ahead.

Flora Microfiber Dusting Gloves for Houseplants

Make dusting and cleaning off sticky houseplant leaves easy with these microfiber gloves.

Bonide Insecticidal Soap Spray

Get rid of pesky pests with a spritz of insecticidal soap. This organic solution solves plant problems indoors and out!

Southside Plants Plant Cleaning Wipes

These easy-to-use wipes keep leaves shining bright with the natural power of neem oil.

Timing is everything when transitioning sensitive tropical plants indoors, but success relies on patience and timing. Always ease your plants inside over several days, so they aren't shocked by sudden shifts in light and humidity. Before moving a single container past your threshold, perform a thorough pest inspection, wash off foliage, and treat the soil to protect your wider houseplant family.

Select indoor locations based on each plant's needs, placing sun-lovers near bright windows and delicate foliage species in humid, shaded spots. Remember, the earlier you begin the transition process, the easier it will be for your plants to settle in and maintain their lush beauty all winter long.

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Fall color is heavily associated with foliage. As the heat of August gives way to crisp September mornings, most gardeners assume the floral season is drawing to a quiet close. And the idea that we can plant bulbs now that can reward us with color before the year is out might seem unbelievable. We’re conditioned to treat our bulbs as a lesson in delayed gratification, tucking sleeping tulips and daffodils into cold earth and waiting 6 long months for a spring payoff.

But some botanical sprinters don’t need to wait nearly that long if pushed into the ground now. Planted in September, these bulbs, corms, and tubers nudge through the mulch while everything around them is winding down. The bulb planting routine is much the same as with other bulbs you might be planting now, but there is no chilling period to get through first. Tucking these unique corms and tubers into warm early September soil yields a stunning reward: brilliant goblets, starry umbels, and jewel-toned petals bursting through the ground in just a few short weeks.

And if the prospect of magical fall blooms wasn’t enough of a treat, these late-season bloomers also provide a vital, nectar-rich lifeline for native pollinators making their final pre-winter rounds. Getting these bulbs in the ground during early September takes advantage of residual late-summer soil warmth, sparking rapid root establishment and triggering instant floral spikes. It is an effortless afternoon project that completely transforms how your yard will look – so let’s get ready for the magic.

Choosing Bulbs for Fall Color

The main rule with these fall bulbs is: get them in the ground fast. Dormancy in this group holds for a narrow window. A few will open flowers inside the bag if they sit on a shelf too long. Unlike spring bulbs that require months of chilling in damp winter earth, autumn specialists are adapted to hot, dry summer dormancies. Drainage matters more than richness. These bulbs aren’t fans of heavy clay. If planted in waterlogged soil, the fleshy corms will rot before they can send up flower scapes.

(Image credit: AegeanBlue / Getty Images)

Select spots with naturally sharp drainage, such as sloped rock gardens, raised beds, or the rain-shadowed foot of a south-facing masonry wall. Working some coarse horticultural grit, perlite, or pumice into native soil instantly improves aeration and root penetration. If you haven’t got a bulb planter, there are a range of types with varying degrees of comfort and control, from standing to squatting! For entry-level ease of use, try the Edward Tools Bulb Planter with Depth Marker, available from Amazon, which is exceptional value and gentle on the wrists.

Planting depth for this group requires strict attention, as standard depth rules often do not apply. While traditional bulbs need to go deep (roughly 3 times their height), surface-blooming tubers like Cyclamen hederifolium sit barely covered under an inch of topsoil, while neck-emerging species like Lycoris require their tips exposed to air and sun. So check the instructions on the packet when planting. Don’t forget to grab your gloves before planting, as a few of these bulbs are poisonous. Beyond that, the time is right for bringing on some very special fall color…

1. Colchicum

(Image credit: Svetlana Khoroshilova / Getty Images)

Catalogs routinely sell this as autumn crocus. Colchicum (C. autumnale) sits in a different family, and the tell is 6 stamens where a true crocus carries 3. Hopefully what lands in your mailbox is a fat corm. These corms are famously eager. In fact, if left sitting in a paper shipping bag on a kitchen counter in September, they will push out leafless lilac goblets right on the shelf. To get the best floral show, set them into rich, well-draining garden soil the very day they arrive in the mail.

Set it 3-4 inches (8-10cm) deep in rich ground the day it arrives. If the soil has gone hard and you’re after a long-handled bulb planter, I recommend the Colwelt Long Handled Bulb Planter Tool from Amazon. Planted in early September, these bulbs bloom within 2-4 weeks. Tucking them behind hostas, daylilies, or hardy geraniums will mask the spring foliage without shading the fall flower show. Plant under creeping thyme or low-growing stonecrop to keep the blossoms from flopping in rainstorms. Buy Daylily Nursery Colchicum Bulbs from Walmart.

2. Saffron Crocus

(Image credit: Sevim Fidan / Getty Images)

Cooks have a reason to grow this one. Saffron crocus (C. sativus) is a genuine crocus. Each lilac flower carries 3 red stigmas. Those dry down into the spice, and it takes around 150 flowers to make a single gram. Combining culinary luxury with ornamental beauty, this bloomer is a treasure for the autumn garden. Drainage is non-negotiable. If planted in heavy, waterlogged clay, the corms will succumb to fungal soft rot. If your native soil is heavy, grow them in terracotta pots filled with a 50/50 mix of potting soil and coarse horticultural sand.

Plant corms 3-4 inches (8-10cm) deep and 4 inches (10cm) apart in the sunniest, driest gravel border or patio container you have. By mid-to-late October, delicate violet goblets will push up through grass-like foliage, each displaying the crimson stigmas that can be hand-harvested with tweezers for culinary use. As a sterile hybrid, the plant will not self-seed. However, a healthy clump will multiply steadily via corm offsets over 2-3 years, yielding a lovely spice harvest every autumn. You can buy Marde Ross & Company Saffron Crocus Bulbs from Amazon.

3. Autumn Daffodil

(Image credit: Banedeki / Getty Images)

For anyone who longs for the cheerful, egg-yolk yellow of spring in the middle of autumn, Sternbergia lutea is a joy. Goblet-shaped flowers emerge on 6-inch (15cm) stems, in a yellow lifted straight off a daffodil. This earns it the name of autumn daffodil, although technically it isn’t. The flowers arrive alongside crisp, dark green strap-like foliage which remains vibrant through winter, providing texture long after frost has cleared other perennials.

Native to sun-baked Mediterranean hillsides, this bulb requires a gritty planting site that bakes in summer heat. Bury bulbs 4-5 inches (10-13cm) deep at the base of a south-facing brick or stone wall, where the masonry can absorb and radiate heat back into the soil. Zones 7-9 are best, and zone 6 can work against a warm wall under a mulch of dry, pine needles. Avoid disturbing or dividing established clumps, as it detests root disruption and can take a year or two to recover if moved. You can buy Autumn Daffodil Bulbs from reputable fall bulb suppliers Brent & Becky’s Bulbs.

4. Hardy Cyclamen

(Image credit: Alexandra Glen / Alamy)

Dry shade under a mature tree might defeat a lot of bulbs. Hardy cyclamen (C. hederifolium) thrives in it. The corky, saucer-like tubers push up exquisite pink or white blossoms through to November. As the flowers fade, intricate silver-marbled foliage unfurls, forming a weed-suppressing groundcover that stays pristine through winter. However, while established plants bloom immediately, fresh tubers might put on a modest leaf display this fall and launch their full floral magic next year. You can currently buy Hardy Cyclamen Bulbs from Easy to Grow Bulbs at a 35% discount.

Plant the tubers just 1 inch (2.5cm) deep with the concave side facing up. Orientation matters here: this species roots from the top and shoulders rather than the base. Also, rodents and squirrels love digging up fresh tubers. Pin a scrap of hardware cloth like Everbilt Galvanized Steel Mesh Cloth from Home Depot over the planting for the first month. The delicate flower stems will easily push right through the wire mesh while pests are blocked out. Expect floral carpets by the second year.

5. Red Spider Lily

(Image credit: I love Photo and Apple / Getty Images)

There is no warning with this one. Red spider lily (Lycoris radiata) scapes come up fast after the first soaking rain that follows a hot spell. They reach 12-18 inches (30-45cm), and open into coral-red umbels with stamens curling out like wire. Known as the Hurricane Lily in the South, this beauty delivers high dramatic impact in zones 7-10 (6 with shelter), and scapes can grow 2 inches (5cm) a day. You can buy SB Store’s Heirloom Red Spider Lily Bulbs from Amazon in packs for a great price.

Proper planting depth is the single most critical factor for triggering blooms. The long neck of the bulb must sit at or slightly above the soil surface. If buried deep like a tulip, the bulb will produce plenty of strap-like winter leaves, but will stay flowerless. Because the plant disappears in June and July, it’s a good idea to mark planting spots with stakes so you don't accidentally slice through sleeping bulbs with a spade. Newly planted dry bulbs may skip flowering during their first autumn while building roots, but they establish quickly and bloom reliably every September after that.

6. Nerine

(Image credit: Moonstone Images / Getty Images)

Nerine (N. bowdenii) sends up umbels of narrow, wavy-edged petals on 18-inch (45cm) stems. Bringing neon vibrancy to the late autumn garden, this bulb (aka the Guernsey lily) produces sparkling pink flowers with wavy petals. Blooming in October and persisting well into November, nerines are a beacon for late-season butterflies and beneficial pollinators. Position them along main pathways or near entryways, where their pretty hues can be appreciated up close.

Plant with the top of the bulb at or slightly above the surface, in the driest ground you have. These bulbs thrive with sharp drainage and root confinement, against a sunny, south-facing stone or brick wall. Allow the clumps to multiply for 5-7 years before considering division. In colder zones (zone 6 and below), grow in terracotta pots that can be overwintered in a frost-free garage or basement. If you hurry, you can pick up some Guernsey Lily Bulbs by Seeds, Bulbs, Plants & More from Amazon.

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It can be so rewarding to grow your own food, including tasty berries like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and more. Not only are they fresher and more nutritious than store-bought, but homegrown berries just taste better.

If you grow berries, you probably already know the frustration of losing fruit to animals before a harvest. Both birds and mammals love berries, too, and they won’t respect the boundaries of your garden. Keep in mind that knowing how to protect fruit trees from birds is not exactly the same as protecting berries, which generally grow lower to the ground and attract more critters.

From squirrels to birds to rabbits, deer, and raccoons, your berry canes and bushes are susceptible to significant nibbling and harvest loss. Below I’ll share my top tips for protecting those berries so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.

1. Cover Berries With Bird Netting

(Image credit: Alexander Shapovalov / Getty Images)

A physical barrier is the most foolproof, simple, and humane way to protect fruit from animals. If you can physically prevent animals from getting to your berries, you’ll keep both the fruit and the critters safe. Use this as your primary strategy for berry protection.

Bird netting, which you can get from Ace Hardware, is the most dependable solution for vulnerable berries. If you contact your local extension office for guidance, this is probably what they’ll suggest as the most effective method since birds are the primary problem. Make sure you use a net specifically designed for birds, as these are safe and won’t cause other wildlife to get tangled.

Install bird netting over berries before they ripen. Once birds discover ripe berries, it can be hard to keep them away. The best way to install the net is to use a frame around the bush rather than simply draping it over.

Use stakes, garden hoops, or any simple frame to surround the bush with the net. Use more stakes or garden staples to secure the net to the ground so birds can’t get in underneath it.

2. Build a Cage or Fruit Tunnel

(Image credit: Alamy)

Expanding on the idea of using a net, building a fruit cage or tunnel around your berries takes the physical exclusion strategy to the next level. Consider this solution if you have small mammals like chipmunks or squirrels chewing through the bird netting.

You can create a simple cage out of readily available materials: PVC pipes or hoops, garden stakes, metal conduit, scrap wood, and bird netting or a sturdier type of mesh. You can also find commercial crop cages to buy rather than building your own. This crop cage from Amazon comes in a variety of sizes and shapes to accommodate whatever berry plants you have, from small shrubs to trees.

Either option is a highly effective way to protect your berries, as they keep netting or mesh well away from the fruit so little paws and mouths can’t reach them.

3. Use Scare Tactics & Deterrents

(Image credit: FotoVSmirnov / Getty Images)

Scare tactics can still be humane, as they don’t actually harm animals but deter them from specific areas of the garden. They are like barriers, but not actual physical structures so they're a great way to keep animals out of the garden without a fence.

You can use movement, sound, water, or even scent to scare animals away from ripening berries. Here are some of the most effective ways to scare away animals :

• Reflective mylar tape and ribbons, which you can get on Amazon
• Shiny streamers
• Balloons
• Fake hawk and owl decoys, which are available from Ace Hardware
• Motion-activated sprinklers
• Noise-making devices, like this ultrasonic animal deterrent from Amazon
• Predator scent sprays (for deer, Content Editor Laura swears by Liquid Fence from Home Depot)

The downside of many deterrents is that animals get used to them and lose their fear, especially with stationary items. Move these frequently and consider using anything that moves.

For motion-activated devices, place sensors on paths leading to berries, not just directly next to the berries. Consider using some of these deterrents with physical barriers for extra protection.

4. Harvest Berries Promptly

(Image credit: Vitalii Petrushenko / Getty Images)

One of the easiest ways to avoid losing your berry harvest, or at least a significant amount of it, is to harvest promptly. The longer berries stay on the bushes or canes, the more opportunities you have to lose them to foraging animals.

This is a good strategy if you’re ok with losing some of your berries and if you have a way to use or preserve all the berries you pick at one time. Of course, berries don’t all ripen at once, so check your plants daily.

It’s also a good idea to regularly remove damaged, overripe, or dropped fruit. Even though you don’t want to use this fruit, leaving it in place will only attract more critters.

Aside from harvesting in a timely manner, whichever method you choose to use for protecting your harvest, it’s important that you start well before the berries ripen. For the best results, use all of these strategies. A physical barrier with scare tactics and deterrents plus picking berries early and regularly will work together to save your harvest.

We all want healthy, productive hydrangeas that put on a gorgeous show with big clusters of multiple flowers, often in color-shifting shades that add to the magic. So when your hydrangea looks healthy and is leafy and green, but doesn’t produce very many flowers, it can be very frustrating. We tend to think of lazy blooming as a plant failure, but in reality, your shrub is likely just conserving energy after sustaining some sort of stress or a minor care mistake.

A disappointing season of blooms doesn't necessarily mean your shrub isn’t healthy or that it’s a lost cause. Targeted hydrangea care in early September can help you identify the issue and ensure next year is better. Whether you’re dealing with undersized flower heads, muted color shifts, sparse clusters, or a shrub that failed to produce a single flower bud, this month is critical if you want to turn things around. You can correct care mistakes, safeguard overwintering buds, and guarantee a heavy floral show next year if you take action now.

Timing is everything: as late summer turns into early fall, our beloved shrubs are undergoing a transition. While panicle (Hydrangea paniculata) and smooth (H. arborescens) varieties showcase their final colors, bigleaf (H. macrophylla), oakleaf (H. quercifolia), and mountain (H. serrata) types are setting next spring's flower buds. Taking action this month doesn't just address this year’s frustrations, but lays the foundations for a breathtaking show next year. So don’t give up on your lazy bloomer just yet. Here’s what you need to know…

Why are They Lazy Bloomers?

To solve this floral mystery, you must first pinpoint the specific type of hydrangea growing in your borders. Bigleaf, mountain, and oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on old wood, which means the flower buds that will open next June and July are being formed right now on current summer stems. By contrast, panicles and smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood, setting buds on fresh shoots produced in spring.

This critical distinction dictates every single move you make now, especially with your pruners. A mistimed trim on an old-wood variety risks snipping away next year’s entire flower show before it even has a chance to start. And if you pruned a bigleaf hydrangea in late summer or fall last year, that could explain why you got few or no flowers this year). So before you do anything, make sure you know exactly which hydrangea type you’re dealing with.

(Image credit: Ironstuff / Getty Images)

Late summer stress can frequently take a silent toll on bloom capacity. Prolonged heatwaves, intense afternoon sun, compacted clay, and accidental over-application of nitrogen-rich lawn fertilizers can force even the hardiest hydrangea into survival mode, prioritizing basic leaf survival over flower production. Regional hardiness plays a key role as well. Growers in northern USDA hardiness zones 4-6 may find late spring frosts zapped tender old-wood buds, while southern gardeners in zones 8-9 may have to contend with root stress and soil dehydration.

You can check to see if your soil is dehydrated with a simple diagnostic like the Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon, which is easy to use, doesn’t need a battery, and also identifies pH levels. Before diving into these fixes, it’s also a good idea to make sure you sanitize your bypass pruners with rubbing alcohol, like the brilliant Swan Isopropyl Alcohol from Walmart, or a light wipe of organic neem oil to reduce the risks of cross-contamination. Hopefully, the following fixes can help you understand what might have gone wrong with your blooms, and how to ensure they flourish and flower to their best next year.

1. Prune at the Right Time

(Image credit: Igor Paszkiewicz / Getty Images)

Pruning a hydrangea at the wrong time of year is a leading reason for decreased flowering. When you prune matters, because bad timing means you might be trimming off the buds that become summer flowers. For old-wood hydrangeas, like bigleaf and oakleaf, prune lightly right after they’ve finished flowering using ultra-precise snips like the Corona Hydroponic Finger Snips from Amazon. Immediacy is key, or else you risk trimming off next year’s buds. Trim lightly for shape and to remove any dead, diseased or damaged stems.

A word of caution: depending on when they stop flowering, old-wood varieties can start to set their flower buds for the following year during September. Pruning in late fall risks removing newly formed buds and can leave you with fewer blooms next season, so please proceed with caution. If you think you have accidentally pruned at the wrong time this year, don’t panic. Allow the plant to drop its leaves naturally, and focus on winter protection so that remaining low buds can survive.

For new-wood panicle hydrangeas (like Limelight) and smooth varieties (like Annabelle), it’s best to prune in late winter or early spring while the shrubs are dormant. They won’t set buds until new growth appears in spring. Do not prune after the new growth appears, or you’ll take off the budding flowers. You can remove one-half to one-third of the plant during dormancy. Committing to correct timings now will help restore structural vigor and yield recovery within a single growing season.

2. Use the Right Fertilizer to Protect Flowers

(Image credit: Valeriy_G / Getty Images)

If your hydrangeas are full of healthy, big leaves and lots of green growth, the issue might be your fertilizer. Products with a lot of nitrogen promote foliage growth over flowers. One common problem is using lawn fertilizer near shrubs. These products are high in nitrogen and can impact your hydrangea’s growth and flowering. High nitrogen forces rapid, sappy growth at the expense of floral development. In early September, high-nitrogen fertilizers are particularly dangerous. They stimulate tender green shoots that won’t have time to harden off before the first frost, leaving the plant vulnerable to winter dieback.

Where possible, keep lawn fertilizers well away from your hydrangea’s root zones. Then check the fertilizer you are using. If it’s high in nitrogen, stop using it. More foliage now will not help you get more flowers next year. Switch to a product with higher phosphorus (ideally 10-20-10) for the final feedings of the growing season. This balance will promote strong root growth and flower bud formation. For a gentle slow release of helpful nutrients, try Espoma Bone Meal from The Home Depot, which balances low nitrogen with targeted phosphorus for root and bud health. This nutrient pivot will dramatically increase flower bud density by the following May.

3. Manage Drought and Heat Stress

(Image credit: Edwardkirillov / Shutterstock)

Late summer can get very hot and dry in many areas. High temperatures, intense afternoon sunlight, and inconsistent moisture in the soil can all cause significant stress. Hydrangeas react to this stress by diverting energy away from flower production and into simply surviving. Some characteristic signs of weather-related stress in hydrangeas include wilting, brown and crispy margins on leaves, scorched leaves, and premature leaf drop, as well as reduced flowering.

Smooth hydrangeas and bigleaf types are known to wilt under high sun, whereas panicle hydrangeas feature thicker, leathery leaves that tolerate full afternoon sun remarkably well if given consistent ground moisture. To reverse heat stress before fall begins in earnest, adjust your watering routine. Water regularly and deeply at the soil level. It’s better to water deeply every few days than shallowly every day. Check the first few inches of soil, and if they are dry, it’s time for a soaking.

Pair deep watering with a 2-3-inch (5-8cm) layer of shredded organic bark mulch. Best-selling Vigoro Shredded Wood Mulch from The Home Depot is exceptionally good value for forming that protective insulating blanket. Layer your mulch around the base, keeping a few inches clear of the main stems. Mulch helps keep more moisture in the soil and cools the roots. If your hydrangeas are getting full sun in the afternoon and showing signs of wilting, be sure to provide some late-day shade with a shade cloth or patio umbrella.

4. Check Light Levels

(Image credit: Billy_fam / Getty Images)

While afternoon light can be a little much for hydrangeas during a drought or extreme heat, too little light can also be a problem. The ideal setup for abundant flowers is bright light but protection from intense late-day sun. Exact light requirements will vary according to variety and region. As a general rule, bigleaf and oakleaf hydrangeas thrive in dappled morning sun with filtered afternoon shade, requiring 3-5 hours of direct morning light. In dense, deep shade, they will produce lovely green foliage but almost no flowers. Conversely, panicle hydrangeas require at least 6 hours of full sun daily to support their massive, cone-shaped blooms.

Check on your hydrangeas at different times of day to notice when they get sunlight and for how long. If you suspect that too much shade is the culprit for causing your hydrangea's lazy blooming habits, please avoid the temptation to dig up the plant during late summer heat. This can cause transplant shock, which can be fatal. Instead, use this month to evaluate canopy lighting and plan a successful transplant for early next spring while your shrub is fully dormant. If it is an option, lightly thinning overhead tree branches in early autumn to increase ambient light penetration, giving your shrub a sunlight boost to initiate flower buds for next year.

5. Protect Next Year’s Buds During Winter

(Image credit: Juan Carlos Juarez Jaramillo / Getty Images)

If you grow old-wood hydrangeas, the buds that form later in the season must survive the winter in order to bloom next year. Winter bud mortality is a big reason why bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas can fail to bloom in zones 4-6. These are vulnerable to winter frost and freeze damage that could be a cause of reduced flowering in summer. As long as you grow hydrangea within its hardiness zone and have normal winter weather, this shouldn’t be an issue.

However, extreme and unusual cold weather or early and late frosts can cause damage. A late spring frost in April or May (after buds have begun to swell) can wipe out a season of flowers in a single night. If your hydrangea seems lazy now, perhaps a late frost is to blame? Sadly, you can’t undo this, but you can prepare for this winter to minimize ongoing problems. Avoid unnecessary late-season pruning, and keep your plants well-watered. Continue deep watering until the ground freezes, as a hydrated plant can resist frost desiccation far better than drought-stressed stems.

It’s also a good idea to cover bigleaf hydrangeas with landscape cloth if temperatures drop unusually low. AG Fabric Heavy Duty Plant Freeze Protection Fabric from Amazon can give peace of mind when those cold snaps threaten, protecting from drying winds as well as lightweight frosts. Alternatively, cover with a landscape cloth, a burlap sack or wrap, or even an old blanket, if temperatures drop unusually low. Keep your frost cloth handy in early spring to shield swelling buds during unexpected late freezing nights, ensuring that floral comeback in summer.

6. Improve the Soil

(Image credit: Ashley Belle Burns / Getty Images)

Poor soil conditions lead to an overall unhealthy plant as well as a lack of flowers. In poor soil, a plant will focus on survival, resulting in weak foliage and flower growth. Check your soil for compaction and drainage. Compaction can prevent water and nutrients from getting to roots, or cause water to pool around roots. Work in compost or other organic matter to reduce compaction. Using a biochar booster is a lovely way of assisting with better soil structure. Rosy Soil Biochar Booster from Walmart is perfect for helping to balance water retention and overall soil health.

There is a lot of talk about pH in the soil with hydrangeas. The acidity or alkalinity primarily affects flower color, not whether or not a plant will bloom, so this is not too important. It’s more important to focus on drainage, compaction, and nutrients. Don’t neglect overly sandy soils which drain quickly, leaching away valuable phosphorus and potassium before feeder roots can absorb them. Consider getting a soil test to find out if it is deficient in any particular nutrient, which you can then address.

September is an ideal month to improve soil structure. Gently topdress with a 1-inch (2.5cm) layer of organic compost or biochar-enriched soil conditioner. Earthworms and soil microbes will naturally pull this organic matter down into the root zone. This foundational soil care ensures your hydrangea emerges in spring with high vigor and massive blooming capacity. Remember, this year’s flower show might be drawing to a close, but there is always hope for next year. With these checks and changes, you have every reason to expect a better show next year.

(Image credit: Valeriy_G / Getty Images)

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Lots of flowering plants are best sown in spring once days begin to lengthen and the last frost is behind us, but there are plenty that can be sown in fall for abundant blooms the following summer. In fact, there are lots of seeds that are better started in fall than spring. Get all these tough-cookie varieties into the ground now and you’ll get bigger plants that flower earlier next year than if you’d sown the exact same seed in spring.

You see, some seeds need to be exposed to low temperatures and moisture before they’ll germinate, a process called cold stratification. That’s why you’ll see tips about freezing poppy seeds in ice cubes before sowing. But it’s far easier to simply let winter do the job for you. Because germination is largely governed by day length or temperature, and sometimes both, you can rest assured that fall-sown seed will sprout at the exact right moment in spring that suits it best, too.

Other species are hardy enough that they will germinate quickly in fall and survive winter as a small plant, racing ahead of spring-sown varieties as soon as the sun’s warmth returns. But the really good news is that because of their naturally resilient nature, seeds that can be sown in fall are usually low-maintenance plants that practically grow themselves, and gently self-seed to give you more blooms for free. Which of these beauties will you sow this fall, for the wisest garden investment you'll make this year?

1. Bachelor Buttons

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Cornflowers sown in fall will flower by late May and June, so by making a spring sowing too, you can enjoy these low-maintenance blooms in your garden for months. While there are plenty of many-petalled varieties to choose from, the simpler open flowers allow bees and butterflies better access to the sweet nectar. Birds will eat the seeds, too.

Centaurea cyanus ‘Blue Boy’ has a lovely blue hue and grows 2-3 feet tall and is particularly attractive to pollinators; stems last well in a vase and the petals are edible, making a pretty sprinkling in salads or on cupcakes. Cornflower ‘Blue Boy’ seeds are available from Botanical Interests. September is an ideal month to sow and while it’s an annual, Bachelor Buttons gently self-sow so will return without any assistance from you.

2. Poppies

(Image credit: Elena Koromyslova / Shutterstock)

Papaver somniferum are annual poppies, completing their lifecycle in a year but gently self-seeding for fresh plants the following year. They need a period of cold to germinate well so by sowing them in fall, you give them the natural conditions to which they’re suited.

There are all sorts of wonderful Papaver somniferum to choose from, which is why it’s fun to grow a blend of varieties such as the Peony Double Blend Poppy Seeds from Botanical Interests. Double poppies look rather like peonies and their nodding buds and shapely seedpods all add to the display.

3. Purple Coneflower

(Image credit: Alamy)

Sowing perennial Echinacea purpurea in fall mimics its natural lifecycle and cool winter temperatures will lead to strong germination in spring. Because seeds sprout as soon as the conditions are viable, you’ll get stronger plants this way, too. Echinacea purpurea usually spends its first year growing foliage and a supportive root system, adding flowers in the second year and reaching full blooming abundance in its third year. Get them off to a head start with a fall sowing, however, and you may be lucky and be rewarded with a few flowers in the first year.

So yes, you’ll need to be a little patient, but looking at the pricetags of mature ready-to-bloom plants can help with that! Echinacea purpurea seeds are available from Eden Brothers and the perfect time to sow is right around your first hard frost.

4. Larkspur

(Image credit: Brytta / Getty Images)

A September or October sowing of larkspur brings larger plants and longer stems of this pretty as pretty can be plant. Consolida regalis flowers in late spring and early summer and, in cooler zones, can carry on flowering all the way to fall, and is much loved by hummingbirds. Growing 3-4 feet tall, these elegant spires are prized by florists, and the stems dry well for lasting arrangements, too.

Larkspur ‘Shades of Blue’, available from Botanical Interests, is a favorite as it has multiple blue hues and, though it’s an annual, self-seeds easily. One word of caution: all parts of this plant are toxic if eaten.

5. Calendula

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sow calendula seeds in September or October, around a month before your first expected frost, and you can look forward to strong plants and earlier blooms in spring. Not all calendula are orange, and you can find varieties in shades from cream through yellow and bronze and even pink, like these Surprise calendula seeds from Amazon.

This is a hard-working, low-maintenance plant that’s indispensable in the garden. As well as looking pretty, flowers acts as a trap crop to lure pests from vegetable plants, stems last well in a vase and the petals are edible and can be used to make skincare products.

6. Butterfly Weed

(Image credit: AlpamayoPhoto / Getty Images)

Not a weed at all but a rather lovely plant with vivid orange flowers that draw butterflies from all around, and particularly Monarchs. Butterly weed is another plant that needs a period of cold stratification so let winter do the work for you, then enjoy flowers all through summer and the following fall.

Asclepias tuberosa is a perennial in zones 3-10 so it’ll be back, year after year. Butterfly weed seed is available from Eden Brothers and, for best results, wait until the soil cools down in November before sowing.

7. Coreopsis

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Coreopsis lanceolata is one of the few perennials that will flower the first year from sowing, especially if you give it a head start with a fall sowing. This North American native is beloved by pollinators, so you’ll be adding lots of life to your garden as well as these cheery yellow tickseed blooms.

Lance-leaved coreopsis seed is available from Eden Brothers and the best time to sow is late fall around the first hard frost. Freeze-thaw action over winter will lead to good germination as soon as the ground warms up in early spring.

Tips for a Successful Fall Sowing

• All these seeds can be direct-sown where they are to grow.
• Rake the soil to create a fine texture (called a tilth) and sow seeds according to the instructions on the packet. Some seeds need light to germinate, some need dark, so you'll get far better results if you stick to the sowing guidelines.
• Sow a little more than you want as some seed will inevitably get eaten.
• It can be tricky to know what's a weed and what's a seedling, so sow a pinch of seed in a pot with a label, too. That way, you can easily identify your seedlings.

Okay, I have a confession. I've spent the last few weeks rewatching the original Practical Magic. But, in my defense, it's in preparation for the sequel, and I spent most of the time staring at the garden rather than paying attention to the plot, so it was "work."

I know the Owens sisters' house gets most of the attention – and understandably so – but it's the landscape that keeps pulling me back. The rambling cottage borders, the climbing roses, the weathered paths and, of course, that dreamy glass conservatory create the kind of garden that feels as though it's been growing for generations. It's a little wild, a little whimsical and impossibly romantic.

The best part is that, unlike some movie sets, this isn't a fantasy created entirely with CGI. The Victorian house was built specifically for the 1998 film on San Juan Island in Washington, complete with elaborate gardens designed to look as though the Owens family had been tending them for decades.

How to Get the Practical Magic Cottage Garden Look

While the set no longer exists, its influence certainly does. And, with Practical Magic 2 reigniting interest in the Owens sisters' world, it's no surprise that gardeners are once again looking to recreate that enchanting blend of cottage planting and Victorian conservatory style.

The good news? You don't need a cliffside mansion or a Hollywood budget. I spoke to garden designers to find out exactly which plants, materials and design tricks capture the Owens sisters' signature look.

1. Aim For Organized Chaos

The whole reason the Owens conservatory works so well is that it looks like it grew like that rather than being designed. Plants are layered at every height, including trailing vines at the ceiling, mid-height botanical clutter all over the shelves, and pots on the floor. There is no empty surface, and that’s completely on purpose. However, it never feels oppressive because the color palette is mostly green.

To get close to this look at home, whether you’re working with a full conservatory, a greenhouse, or just a large porch, the principle is the same: Work in layers (preferably 3) and resist the urge to tidy (especially if you’re a naturally organized person). Hang some dried bundles of herbs from the ceiling, cluster some mismatched pots on the shelves without spacing them out evenly, and let ivy or another climbing plant make its way across the wall.

Shop the Look:

CitronellaKing 3 Creeping Rosemary in 2.5” Nursery Cubes

Terrain Terracotta Pie Crust Rim Planter, Straight Side

Nature Hills Nursery Confederate Jasmine

Terrain Rattan Urn Planter

Burpee Culinary Classics Garden Collection

Terrain Ruffle Three-Tier Folding Iron Plant Stand

To really capture this look, you’ll need to find plants that grow abundantly with almost no attention. For example, ferns, trailing pothos, climbing jasmine, rosemary, lavender, and any other variety of herbs that will cascade over the edges of a pot if they’re left alone.

In the Practical Magic movie, the conservatory is supposed to be an apothecary space, so herbs are obviously important. It’s best not to go for fake ones on this, as the smell of rosemary or jasmine is doing some heavy lifting when it comes to the atmosphere.

2. Steer Clear Of Formal

(Image credit: Gardens by Design / Shutterstock)

The outdoor garden in Practical Magic is technically a cottage garden, but one that leans more towards the untamed end of the spectrum. It's romantic rather than formal, which means no perfectly clipped hedges or geometric beds, but simply a ton of flowers that feel as if they chose to be there all by themselves.

The plant list almost writes itself. Roses, because obviously (try your birth month rose for something different). Lavender along pathways. Foxgloves for height. Hollyhocks against walls or fences. Catmint to soften any hard edges. Climbing roses or wisteria on anything that will hold them. The real key here is density: this is not a garden where you want visible soil. Every inch has something growing in it, and plants are allowed to flop, sprawl and self-seed as they please.

Shop Roses:

Mister Lincoln Hybrid Tea Rose

Sunbelt® Polar Express

Paint the Town Shrub Rose

Aesthetically, the white picket fence is giving this “chaos” a clear frame. It keeps the garden looking romantic rather than tipping over into looking neglected. If you don’t have a fence, a low box hedge or even a stone path edging achieves the same containment effect.

The Zippity Roger Rabbit fence kit (available on Amazon) requires no digging, no concrete, and no maintenance. You get 6 feet of classic white picket fence in one box, which is all you need to frame a small cottage border.

3. And Don't Forget The The Practical Details

(Image credit: Future)

A few specific elements from the original set that you can actually buy or build:

Bell jars and domes:

They're all over the Owens' house, including on counters, on benches, in the garden. A simple glass dome over a small terrarium or a single herb plant immediately reads as apothecary-chic and costs very little.

A set of glass domes like these Pumtus bell jars (available on Amazon) with wooden bases can be placed over a small succulent, a bundle of dried flowers, or a candle on a shelf.

Mismatched terracotta:

The conservatory is full of pots that clearly weren't bought as a set. Source terracotta in different sizes and ages from anywhere you can find them: garden centers, secondhand stores, and markets; the more varied, the better.

Candles and lanterns:

The Owens aesthetic is fundamentally about warm light. Hurricane lanterns in the garden and candles in the conservatory do more than fairy lights to get the mood right.

REFSAVER Glass Dome With Base

Winter Poetry Wavy Rim Ceramic Planter

DAYBETTER Outdoor Solar Lantern

Dried herbs:

Hang bundles of rosemary, lavender, and sage upside down from ceiling hooks or a wooden beam. They dry beautifully, smell even better, and cost almost nothing (not to mention are perfect for herb burning rituals).

A couple of these diplambr ceiling hooks (available on Amazon) screwed into a beam or ceiling joist is all you need to start hanging bundles. They come with all the hardware included and hold up to 35lbs, so they'll handle rosemary, lavender, and sage with ease.

The thing Practical Magic gives you, more than any specific plant list or design rules, is permission to let things get a bit out of hand (especially if you usually have a perfect-looking, highly organized garden).

“Keep rosemary by your garden gate….plant lavender for luck,” as they say in the movie. It's genuinely good horticultural advice, as it happens.

I like to schedule two haircuts a year: the first in spring and the second in fall. Cutting plants back can rejuvenate and stimulate growth. That works in spring but, as a matter of pruning basics, autumn is not a good time to do extensive pruning.

New growth from hard fall pruning won't have much time to get established before frosts set in. Damaged plants will struggle next year, too.

However, there are some plants that profit from light trims in autumn. These are the ones I head to, pruners in hand, in September.

6 Plants to Prune in September

I’m ready, willing, and eager to prune plants in my garden over Labor Day weekend. Which ones should be on my list?

1. Blackberries

(Image credit: Oleg Opryshko / Getty Images)

Botanical name

Rubus spp.

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 5-9

Blackberry canes are the woody stems of blackberry plants. The root system and crown of the plant live for many years, while individual canes grow for two seasons. They are called primocanes in year one, then bear fruit as floricanes in year two. Then they die.

Prune blackberries and other bush fruit in September. (This category includes almost every similar plant in the berry patch, including summer-fruiting raspberries, black currents, gooseberries and red currents.) Use sharp pruners to take out the fruited stems. You can easily sharpen your pruners with a Corona carbide sharpening tool from Home Depot. And always be sure to sterilize them with rubbing alcohol before and after use to reduce the spread of disease between plants.

Essentially, you want to cut down these floricanes (second-year fruiting canes) at ground level in September. Take care not to leave stubs. Don’t trim or cut the green canes (primocanes).

2. Peonies

(Image credit: Mulevich / Shutterstock)

Botanical name

Paeonia officinalis

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 3-9

Is your September garden overcrowded with tall and messy perennials? Now’s the time to clean up the perennial bed, starting with peonies. Peonies are long-lived perennial plants with large, lush, gorgeous flowers.

In September, remove all the dead plant material and debris, including dead flower stems and basal foliage. The dead stems are often hollow, so trim them back low at an angle to prevent them from filling up with water and rotting. If new growth has already formed at the base of the clump, make the pruning cut just above it.

3. Rosemary

(Image credit: ARTFULLY PHOTOGRAPHER / Shutterstock)

Botanical name

Salvia rosmarinus

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 8-10

Don’t worry about annual herbs like basil or cilantro. They are dead by September or will die back soon. If they are wilted already, you can just add them to the compost. But September is a good time to take the snippers to rosemary in the perennial herb garden. These evergreen plants have aromatic needles and indigo blue summer flowers.

Rosemary and other herbs that grow in the Mediterranean region in Europe will die if they are pruned in winter. These shrubs – including rosemary, lavender, oregano and thyme – should all get trimmed in September.

But don’t head over to the perennial herb garden with the idea of chopping rosemary, or any of these herbs, to the soil. The idea is a light pruning to tidy them up, snip off browning spent stems, deadhead their withered tips and reshape them.

4. Yew Trees and Hedges

(Image credit: Marina Denisenko / Getty Images)

Botanical name

Taxus spp.

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 2-10

In landscaping, yew is a top choice as a foundation plant in front of homes. It is also commonly used in hedging. While many hedge shrubs won’t tolerate late pruning, yew shrubs are hardy and tough enough to sail through a September clip. Lots of homeowners prefer to clip their hedges once, and only once, every year. If this is you, think September.

One of the tricky parts about clipping a yew hedge is keeping the top level. Here’s one tried and true trick: install a guide line. What does this mean? Figure out how much lower you want your hedge to be, then push stakes down into the ground at regular intervals. Tie twine to the canes at the level you want the hedge to end up, then use that twine line as a guide as you cut.

5. Shasta Daisy

(Image credit: Thanachod Suya / Shutterstock)

Botanical name

Leucanthemum x superbum

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 5-9

Shasta daisy plants bring joy to the garden. Their bright white petals with sunny yellow centers just make you happy. Shasta daisies don’t need frequent pruning. Don’t hesitate to deadhead, however, since you are likely to get more blooms and a flowering period that is longer.

But no matter what you do, these prolific bloomers will ultimately cease producing more of the cheerful, daisy-like flowers as the growing season comes to an end. September is usually the time.

After flowering is definitively done for the season, the plant is ready for its fall haircut. Trim back stems to just above the leaves at the base of the plant. Then remove all debris from the garden bed. This cleans up the garden and can also help this perennial return stronger the following year.

6. Garden Phlox

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Botanical name

Phlox paniculata

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 3-9

If your garden phlox plants look bedraggled toward the end of summer, or if you are dealing with phlox mildew every year, pruning can help. Pruning phlox before winter can stop powdery mildew from infecting your plant and it can increase blooms as well the following spring.

Garden phlox blooms start blooming later in the season than creeping phlox. This type of phlox reaches its peak blooming period toward early autumn. September is a good time for pruning. Cut off the top third of tall phlox stems. This will increase air circulation and make fungal diseases less likely. After the first killing frost, chop off the plant at ground level.

Do NOT Prune in September

(Image credit: Masako Ishida / Getty Images)

Ready for a “definitely don’t prune” list? There are a few categories of plants that should never be trimmed back in fall.

• Do not prune spring-blooming plants in September, since they have set their flowers already and pruning would limit or eliminate spring blossoms.
• Do not cut back plants with strong winter seedheads. The birds overwintering in your garden have other plans for those seeds.
• Do not cut back that queen of the garden: roses. These are among the flowering plants most likely to produce new shoots once trimmed, new shoots that will suffer from winter cold and may endanger the entire bush.
• Do not prune fruit trees like apple trees, cherry trees or pear trees. It’s a much better idea to wait until winter and prune while these trees are dormant. Fall pruning, again, can result in new shoots vulnerable to winter weather.

Ashley Tisdale now goes by her married name, Ashley French, and it couldn't be more fitting. From her Malibu beach house to her wellness brand Frenshe, almost everything she shares has a chic European feel.

As is so often the case in French garden design, it's relaxed rather than formal, layered rather than polished – and that effortless aesthetic extends outdoors, too... particularly with regards to her choice of planters. Instead of glossy pots or brightly colored containers, the Disney legend leans into weathered terracotta, aged stone and classic Wuthering Heights-esque urns that instantly make a patio or garden feel as though it's been there for decades.

The catch? Well, authentic French terracotta urns, Versailles planters and antique stone containers can cost hundreds – sometimes even thousands – of dollars. Thankfully, though, you don't actually need the real thing to capture the look. And, once I spoke to designers, I realized it's less about buying an expensive planter and more about understanding the handful of design principles that make French-inspired containers feel so timeless...

1. It's About Age, Not Price

The most important thing about nailing Ashley Tisdale's French planter aesthetic is that it needs to look “old” but not neglected, and getting that balance is key.

Erik Collado Vidal, horticulturalist and CEO of Growbarato.net, explains what gives these containers their character: "A well-made French container has the appearance of sitting next to a stone wall for years," he says, noting that terracotta, stone, zinc, concrete and aged metal are the best materials.

"You do not need a luxurious antique item to create the look. You can treat the container with a little dirt, yogurt and watered-down exterior paint or a rub of dirt and limewash."

(Image credit: Esschert Design)

That yogurt trick is actually genius! The bacteria in yogurt encourages moss and algae to grow, causing a new terracotta pot to age within weeks. A new pot rubbed down with a bit of yogurt and left outside in a damp spot will look 10 years older by the end of the summer.

If you'd rather skip the yogurt experiment (especially if it’s hot outside, yuck!), a pot of Meoded Lime Wash (available on Amazon) brushed on and partially wiped back achieves the same chalky, aged finish in about ten minutes and works on terracotta, concrete and resin.

Jean-Christophe Thery, CEO of MusaArtGallery, makes the same point from a design perspective: "The biggest mistake is over-styling it. French-inspired spaces usually feel best when they look collected over time, not bought in one afternoon."

2. Shape Is Everything

(Image credit: sasimoto)

Not all planters will work for Ashley Tisdale's style, as certain shapes are super French and others just... well, they just aren’t. Erik gives a useful shortlist of the right forms, noting that "there are spherical clay containers, square Versailles-style boxes, tapered pots, low bowls and urns."

The Versailles box? That square, paneled wood planter raised up with decorative corner feet? That is one of the most recognizable French shapes.

Dmytro Tkach, owner of DT Renovation LLC, who regularly incorporates high-end planters into custom deck projects, adds a practical note on material selection. "Authentic unglazed clay terracotta or heavily textured cast stone provides the structural presence and elegance required for a true European garden look. Finishes should feature earthy slip-glazes in warm ochre or deep olive green."

Shop French Planters:

Esschert Design Large French Urn

Worth Worth Garden Large Urn Planter

A terracotta urn is an easy and timeless way to transform your garden instantly.

Esschert Design Cast Iron French Urn Planter

Dmytro also flags something worth knowing if you're placing heavy planters on a deck or elevated surface. "Always calculate the weight of wet soil and heavy stone planters before placing them on elevated outdoor structures to avoid structural sagging," he says, noting that a large cast stone urn filled with wet compost is much heavier than it looks.

If you want the urn silhouette without the weight or the price, this Worth Garden set (available on Amazon) delivers two 22-inch imitation stone urns for the price of one decent real terracotta pot, and at 30% the weight of ceramic, you can actually move them around without putting your back out.

3. Consider The Color Rule

(Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the easiest ways to instantly make a planter arrangement look more French and less garden-center is to edit your color palette like a ruthless American Idol judge.

Erik is clear on this. "Only use 2 or 3 similar tones such as light green, milk, grey, and clay. Too many matching pots, too many colors, or too shiny of a modern finish will create a staged look," he says.

Dmytro agrees from an interior-design angle. "For a budget version, I'd focus on aged-looking neutral planters, lavender, herbs, climbing greenery, and one or two strong visual anchors instead of too many decorative pieces."

Two or three containers in the same tonal family, varied in height, will look better than six matching pots in a row every single time.

4. And Think About What to Plant in Them

(Image credit: Undefined Undefined / Getty Images)

The French kitchen garden and courtyard look has a fairly consistent plant vocabulary, and fortunately most of it is affordable and easy to grow.

Erik's plant list is the most comprehensive: "Lavender, rosemary, thyme, santolina, boxwood, olive, pelargoniums, climbing roses, and soft grasses." All of these do well in containers, most are drought-tolerant once established, and many of them smell absolutely delicious (an underrated reason why French gardens feel so atmospheric).

Dmytro keeps it even simpler: "Lavender, herbs, climbing greenery, and one or two strong visual anchors." A clipped boxwood ball in a worn urn is doing more design work than a dozen different bedding plants in matching plastic pots.

Phenomenal lavender, like this pack of three from Walmart, is worth choosing over a generic variety: it's been specifically bred to resist rot and disease, handles both hot summers and cold winters, and the silvery-green foliage will have you feeling like you just traveled straight to Provence.

Erik sums up the planting approach well. "Look for a casual look of style and form. If you're looking for shape, a cut evergreen plant in a worn urn will do the job. You can add spilling flowers or herbs to add to the informality."

BONUS: Try The Budget Shortcut Nobody Mentions

The single most transformative thing you can do for a budget planter is age it before you plant it. Buy the cheapest terracotta or concrete pot you can find, paint it with watered-down grey or cream exterior paint, leaving patches showing through, then rub it with dirt.

Leave it outside for a few weeks, and the result looks like something that's been sitting in a courtyard in Provence for decades. After that, lavender, a clipped boxwood, and some trailing rosemary will take care of the rest.

If it's good enough for Ashley Tisdale, it's good enough for us! Très bien!

As August comes to an end, a gardener’s thoughts turn to fall flowers. Now is the perfect time to refill containers for color and fragrance into autumn. Spring flowers are just a memory and summer plantings are beginning to look faded.

When you are looking for fall flowers for pots, you can’t just grab the first plants that come to hand. You need fast-blooming, cold-tolerant, long lasting plants that will provide flowers that brighten the backyard as the temperatures cool.

That's why I've put together this shortlist for you of the five best fall-blooming flowers to fill your containers with bright autumn color from now until winter hits.

Fast-Growing Fall Flowers for Pots

It makes sense to try new, exotic plants in the summer garden. The season is so full of growing green tips and blossoms and fruit that you can afford to take a risk on something different. But as summer wanes and fall arrives, you want tried-and-true fall favorites. Here are the top popular container flowers for fall.

1. Asters

(Image credit: Sophie McAula / Alamy)

Botanical Name

Aster spp.

Hardiness

USDA Zones 3-8

Adding fall color to your backyard is going to cost you something – so why not spend money on fall-blooming perennials that comes back year after year? Annuals can be like rockstars. They live fast and die quickly. If you want something that comes back each year, asters could be your best answer.

Asters flower in late summer and early fall, when other blooms are fading. They offer happy flowers that look like a blend between mums and daisies – and these flowers seem to bloom forever. There are numerous aster varieties that range in size from tiny to tall in colors from white to blue, pink, and purple. You can get a 4-pack of purple asters now from Home Depot.

Asters are easy to grow and fit well into containers. Late-season pollinators will approve of this choice, too. Use asters in pots appropriate for the aster's mature size. Select a pot that is as wide as your plant’s mature width and about half of its mature height.

Make your asters happy by picking pots that have adequate drain holes and use potting soil that drains well. Place the pot in a site that gets 6 hours a day of direct sun. Check the soil every other day and water when dry.

2. Pansies & Violas

(Image credit: Lili Chirila / 500px / Getty Images)

Botanical Name

Viola spp.

Hardiness

USDA Zones 3-8

It’s hard not to love a pansy flower, with its cute “face” and bright jewel-tone colors. These cool-season plants, often grown as annuals, are just made for autumn temperatures and are ideal for fall containers.

They ride right through light frosts, bouncing back from even single-digit temperatures. If you want pansies to last as long into winter as possible, pick winter pansies (Viola hiemalis). Wait until weather cools a bit before planting. You can pre-order a wide variety of pansies from Burpee to suit any color palette.

Set up your pansies in containers with ample drainage holes. Use moist, humus-rich, well-draining soil and place your pots in a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade. The sun helps them to bloom, but they live longest in cooler weather.

Watering is a little trickier. As soon as you set up your new pansy containers, they need daily water. Don’t worry! Those drooping pansies are not dead even if they are lying on the soil, they just need big drinks. After a couple of weeks, you can cut back watering to once a week or so.

3. Million Bells

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Botanical Name

Calibrachoa x hybrida

Hardiness

USDA Zones 9-11

Million bells grow fast and bloom profusely. No, you may not get a million blooms, but you’ll get too many to count. Many gardeners (including me!) grow this warm-weather perennial as an annual. But the lovely blooms, which look like small petunias, ride out the cooling weather well.

Million bells is a fabulous container plant thanks to its mounding growth habit. In fact, it works so well in pots that it is rare to see it planted in the ground. Flowers come in white, blue, pink, purple, red, yellow, and even bronze. You can find all those colors of calibrachoa and more for sale at the Home Depot.

Again, make sure your containers have drain holes and use rich, well-draining soil. Put them in a location that gets full sun or – if necessary – partial sun. Give these plants enough water to keep the soil evenly moist.

4. Chrysanthemums

(Image credit: JTyler / Getty Images)

Botanical Name

Chrysanthemum x morifolium

Hardiness

USDA Zones 5-9

If there is one plant we associate with autumn, it would be mums. Chrysanthemums are the ultimate fall classic. Known as the “Queen of the Fall,” mums bloom profusely, their jewel-toned flowering magically changing your front porch into a magnificent display of fall color.

While mums can be perennials, those pretty plants available in garden centers in September are best treated as annuals. You can find mums almost anywhere in fall or order these beautiful mums in a decorative pot that come in a variety of colors from the Home Depot.

Chrysanthemum flowers are really gorgeous, available in such a wide range of jewel tones it boggles the mind. Look for shades of white, yellow, pink, lavender, purple, red, bronze, and orange. Each flower isn’t just one flower. It is made up of myriad tiny flowers called florets. Some varieties are tiny, while others are giant.

Plant your fall mums in a container with drain holes. Use well-draining potting soil, too, and give them ample direct sun. Water deeply when a poke of the finger reveals dry soil.

5. Snapdragons

(Image credit: Baona / Shutterstock)

Botanical Name

Antirrhinum majus

Hardiness

USDA Zones 5-9

Don’t let the fact that grandma planted snapdragons deter you. These classic old-fashioned flowers are still popular today – and they’re better than ever. The latest hybrids offer more hues and a wide variety of heights, ranging from teeny to knee high and trailing.

With all these improvements, snapdragons are still happy in cool fall weather and a perfect addition to your fall containers. Want bold pops of color in spring or fall? Think snapdragons!

It’s harder to describe the snapdragon flower than many others, because there are so many different variations. And the available colors are too many to list out, especially when you take into account the showy bicolored and tricolored varieties.

You can buy them as plants, like this 4-pack of pink snapdragons from Home Depot, for fast flowers or you can start your own plants with snapdragon seeds from Burpee.

Put any variety that isn’t too tall in your containers, focusing on dwarf and trailing types. Needless to say, you’ll want a container that drains well filled with high-quality potting mix. Water frequently until they are established, then cut back irrigation to a few times a week.

The words “hummingbird” and “sweet spot” seem made for each other. As bird lovers with yards that can cater to our winged friends, we are custodians for nurturing that sweet spot in vital ways. It’s not just about giving our visiting hummers nectar in abundance, although this is central to the deal. On a profound level, the real sweet spot of hummingbird feeding is an idyllic combination of sanctuary and safety, as well as sustenance. It’s about priming a location where a tiny traveler flying thousands of miles can catch its breath. It’s also a commitment to forge trust as well as treats.

This time of year, depending on where you live, the backyard may already be feeling extra buzzy. Fall migration is in full swing, and millions of tiny feathered acrobats are zipping through on the massive mission south. If you want to attract hummingbirds and help with hummingbird feeding this fall, it’s not just about decorating yards with plants that look good or taste nice: it’s about becoming guardians of fueling stations to best support these intrepid beaky beauties on their migration superhighway. If you can create this sweet spot for hummers, your yard can become a bustling pitstop for one of nature’s most miraculous journeys.

The wonderful news? You don’t need loads of kit or a massive yard to become the most popular diner on the block. With just a handful of key gestures and mindful feeding behaviors, even a small patio or suburban border can easily be transformed to give you a glimpse of this epic adventure. The right hummer hot spot is about serving up the yummiest nectar in the safest ways. These 5 insider secrets give you the winning formula to create the ultimate sweet spot this fall.

What are the Sweet Spot Secrets?

What actually creates a thriving hummingbird sweet spot? Yes, your hummer haven needs the right sugar source in order to fuel those epic journeys, which can often be thousands of miles long, as far as the Gulf of Mexico. To prime them for non-stop flight, they’ll need to be consuming up to double their weight in nectar every single day. But to help with that frantic migration push, you also need to position that sugar source in the absolute best spot in the yard. So the right layout is also critical.

Migrating hummers are on a tight schedule, so your sugary treats need to be conveniently placed, easy to access, and primed for safety. Supporting migrating hummingbirds in the right way combines easy visual cues and smart height ratios, balances bright colors with the right levels of sunlight and natural cover, and observes the natural habits and territory dynamics of these vibrating jewel beauties.

(Image credit: Peter Finch / Getty Images)

They may be capable of extraordinary travels, but the thing is, hummers are territorial creatures. A dominant male can quickly hog a feeder and dive at any weary traveler. But you can outsmart this feeder drama by making sure your hummingbird hangout has factored in ample spacing, strategic sightlines, and thoughtful flight corridors. Offering clear approaches lets incoming birds scout for danger, while nearby leaf cover gives timid hummers a place to retreat when a bully sweeps in.

It’s important to factor in the right nectar-rich hummingbird plants, or a classic manmade feeder, such as the Perky-Pet Pinch-Waist Glass Hummingbird Feeder from Amazon, which offers comfy perching and a built-in ant moat. But these extra secrets help you to max out your hummer retreat for visiting aerial acrobats. And these principles apply across the board, from glittering eastern ruby-throated hummingbirds to feisty western broad tails, Anna’s hummers, and Rufous. So, read on to fine-tune your backyard's feeding sweet spots for all visiting hummers…

Pick Your Feeder

(Image credit: Bob Warner / 500px / Getty Images)

Before introducing the easy 5-point sweet spot plan, make sure you’ve got the right feeder (or feeders) ready for your hummers. The right feeder balances visual appeal, easy cleaning, and smart extras like ant moats. Whether you fancy a heavy-duty workhorse built for numbers, or a hand-blown glass piece that doubles as garden art, these top-rated designs offer built-in perches, leak-resistant ports, and decorative accents that draw traveling hummingbirds straight to your yard.

Everyday Anchor

Perky-Pet Perky-Pet Favored Pinch-Waist Glass Hummingbird Feeder, 16 Oz

This time-tested classic features a translucent pinch-waist glass bottle, built-in ant moat, and 4 comfortable perching pins to give weary travelers a cozy landing pad. The bright red base pops against garden foliage, while the wide-mouth bottle unscrews effortlessly for quick daily scrubbing and refilling.

Window Safe Seat

uncommongoods Charmed Hummingbird Window Feeder

Mounting directly to your windowpane via heavy-duty suction cups, this ultra-clear feeder lets you observe tiny, shimmering feathers from inches away. Positioned safely, it eliminates fatal speed build-up from accidental window taps while providing front-row seats to tiny hungry beaks.

Artisanal Glass

Wayfair Arlmont & Co. Glass Hummingbird Feeder for Outdoor Hanging

Designed for busy fall migration corridors, this generous 24-ounce reservoir ensures you never run dry when hungry swarms pass through town. Equipped with 6 integrated bee guards, a built-in ant moat, and a leak-proof base gasket, it provides a hassle-free dining experience that stays nectar fresh.

1. The Nectar Sweet Spot

(Image credit: BirdImages / Getty Images)

The first and most literal of all the sweet spots involves getting the nectar just right. Choosing the right nectar powder is part of it, but it’s also about preparing it correctly in order to give hummers the ultimate sugar high. Never use red food dyes, honey, molasses, or unrefined sugars. Red dyes introduce unnecessary chemicals, honey fosters nasty fungal infections, and raw or brown sugars contain high iron levels that cause lethal liver toxicity in tiny birds. Go for a dedicated hummingbird nectar feed such as BirdBros Hummingbird Nectar from Amazon. What I like about this feed is that it is completely preservative free and dilutes well in warm water.

The winning recipe is 4 parts water to 1 part refined white sugar (sucrose): this literal sweet spot perfectly replicates the nectar hummingbirds sip in the wild to fuel their mammoth flights. Warm the water to dissolve the sugar completely. Stir in until dissolved, and always let it cool completely before filling feeder reservoirs.

(Image credit: Daniel Ripplinger / DansPhotoArt / Getty Images)

It’s also a good idea to plant nectar-rich tubular perennials nearby. Lush planting plans for hummer treats on their migratory travels will definitely include brightly colored monarda (bee balm) and brilliant red cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis). Alongside your hummer-loving reds and pinks, don’t discount the right tasty blues and purples, though. Intense tubular blooms such as Sacred Roots Nursery Black and Blue Salvia, available from Walmart, make the ideal late season booster for migrating and visiting hummers with their electric-blue sugary bounty.

2. The Sightline Sweet Spot

(Image credit: Daniel Ripplinger / DansPhotoArt / 500px / Getty Images)

Sightlines are critical for hummers in flight, allowing for smooth, happy landings, but also well placed vantage points. It’s about balancing visibility with cover. Positioning your feeding station 10-15 feet (3-4.5m) away from natural shelter creates the ultimate spatial sweet spot for visiting hummingbirds. This sweet spot is close enough for an exhausted traveler to dive into protective branches if a sharp-shinned hawk appears overhead. Yet it is also far enough from dense bushes to stop sneaky cats from launching ambush attacks while hummers sup their surgery fuel.

Understanding how hummingbirds see the world can also help with determining the best sight lines. Thanks to their tetrachromatic vision, hummers can perceive ultraviolet light and hypersaturated tones. Deep red and orange shades glow like neon signs to their super-powered eyes. Setting out high-impact floral beacons like cardinal flowers, coral honeysuckle and monarda create a compelling landing strip.

(Image credit: Corey O'Hara / Getty Images)

Try growing vibrant, nectar-soaked American Beauties Major Wheeler Coral Honeysuckle from Nature Hills Nursery alongside cherry-red, mildew-resistant Pardon My Cerise Bee Balm, available from Plant Addicts to create an unmissable billboard for your hummer’s favorite fuelstop. They will be able to track these vibrant treasures from 50 feet (15m) away. If you’re working with a smaller yard space like a tight patio and tree canopies are limited, don’t worry. You can train a few climbing vines up a simple trellis using twine to establish safe, open-air perching corridors.

3. The Height Sweet Spot

(Image credit: Jen Tepp / Getty Images)

When it comes to hanging your hummingbird feeder, a height of 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8m) is the ultimate sweet spot secret to keeping your feathered acrobats safe and happy! Certain naturally available food sources are already designed to cater to this hummer-friendly height. Flowering plants like agastache (giant hyssop) can reach 5ft (1.5m) tall. But your dedicated nectar feeders will need that special boost in order to attract the greatest number of thirsty birdies.

The math behind this height rule is surprisingly clever. Average domestic house cats can leap up to 5 times their height, meaning an ambitious outdoor kitty can spring nearly 4 feet (1.2m) straight up into the air. Suspending your feeder port right at 5 feet (1.5m) keeps it safely out of jumping range while placing the reservoir at cozy eye level for effortless daily sugar refills. Even better, keeping feeders at this height stops muddy rainwater and crawling garden bugs from bouncing up into the ports during stormy late-summer afternoons.

(Image credit: Tongho58 / Getty Images)

Elevating your feeder correctly also helps outsmart turbulent autumn breezes. A flimsy setup hung on a floppy tree branch will swing around in the wind like a carnival ride, spilling sticky nectar all over the lawn and inviting unwanted yellow jackets to the party. Anchoring your feeding station using a shepherd’s hook reduces this issue. Feed Garden’s 76-inch Shepherd Hooks from Amazon are the perfect height. Once secured into the ground, these sturdy frames ably support multiple feeders at the correct sweet spot height.

Did you know hummingbirds drop vertically straight downward when startled? Their wings beat in a figure-8 motion at a dizzying 80 times per second, so having clear space under their feeding perches lets them execute lightning-fast getaways.

4. The Shade Sweet Spot

(Image credit: Rebecca Harding / Getty Images)

Protecting your sugar water from relentless direct sun is critical for preserving hummer health during late-summer heatwaves. So finding a cool, shady sweet spot is essential for hitting that sweet spot. Even September sunshine can cook sugar water, so it can ferment in a flash. Warm nectar quickly breeds nasty black mold and dangerous fungal spores like Candida albicans, which can create painful tongue swelling, making it impossible for hungry hummers to eat.

(Image credit: Ali Majdfar / Getty Images)

Hanging your feeder in dappled, leafy shade keeps your feeder treats crisp and fresh for up to 48 hours. As a bonus, this saves you from having to dump and scrub your feeder every afternoon. As well as hanging your feeder under a light shade, add a few shade-tolerant plants like hummer-friendly fuchsia to supplement your hummer sugar stash. If natural tree shade is sparse in your yard, you can install protectors, umbrellas or domes over your feeders. The Kingsyard Weather Dome from Amazon makes a useful shade protector, it can help to protect from rain, and can even help to keep squirrels away.

5. The Window Safety Sweet Spot

(Image credit: Thomas Winz / Getty Images)

Last but not least, basic window safety needs to be factored into every hummer feeding sweet spot. To keep them safe near windows, follow the "3-foot or 30-foot" window rule for the ultimate gesture of birdie goodwill. According to avian conservation science, feeders should be installed either less than 3 feet (1m) from a windowpane or more than 30 feet (9m) away. If a startled hummer takes off from a feeder hung within 3 feet (1m) of your window, it can’t build up enough flying speed to hurt itself if it taps the glass. The dangerous zone is that middle 3-to-30-foot stretch, where birds can rev up to top speed before realizing the glass isn't open air.

(Image credit: Mark Chivers / Getty Images)

Why do glass windows trick our feathered friends in the first place, you might well ask? Hummingbirds have super-fast reaction times, but their high-tech eyes see reflections of leaves and clouds in window glass as a clear, open sky escape route. Whether you live in a suburban home or an apartment with a cozy balcony, you can easily build an ultra-safe viewing setup. Apartment and deck owners can use sturdy clamps and shepherd’s hook feeder poles placed within the safety sweet spot.

To help break up dangerous reflections, try UV-reflecting markers or decals. For bargain decals with excellent adhesive clout, buy Mesinurs Anti-Collision Bird Stickers from Amazon. These will ensure your feathered visitors refuel safely outside your window.

Shop Hummer Care Extras

(Image credit: DaveAlan / Getty Images)

Elevate your backyard sweet spot from a simple pitstop into a 5-star sanctuary with these specialized care accessories. From pest barriers to crystal-clear optics for spotter watching, these extras keep your station clean, safe, and endlessly enjoyable.

Ant Defense

homedepot Perky Pet Ant Guard for Hummingbird Feeder

This clever gismo is so easy to use, and so effective for keeping feeders clear of one of their biggest foes: ants. Simply fill this reservoir cup with water and hook your feeder underneath. Ants can’t cross the water barrier, which means you can keep your nectar pure and pest-free.

Resting Perch

uncommongoods Copper Heart Swing

Hummingbirds spend plenty of time perching to conserve energy and digest nectar. Hanging this weather-resistant copper wire heart 10 feet (3m) from your feeder gives traveling hummers a stylish observation station to survey their territory in peace.

Pocket Optics

Nocs Provisions Zoom Tube 8x32 Monocular

If you want to get an even better sighting of your hummers without forking out a fortune on dedicated camera feeders, try a monocular telescope. These bargain pocket optics allow you to admire their gorgeous colors and preening habits in a kind and low-key way.

By tailoring your yard’s setup to meet these five sweet spot fundamentals, you provide your hummers with a safe, comfy and high-efficiency haven during their most demanding journeys of the year. With just a few quick placement tweaks and fresh nectar on tap, your yard will become a popular pitstop on the migration highway. Sit back, keep your optics handy, and enjoy watching your tiny, jewel-toned visitors thrive…

(Image credit: Darren Colello / 500px / Getty Images)

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Lots of us love houseplants but – whisper it! – lots of us are pretty good at failing to keep them alive, so would we be better off with a LEGO plant built of plastic bricks? LEGO kicked off its Botanical Collection in January 2021 with a bonsai tree and has grown it to over 50 sets of bouquets and potted plants. With the current focus on leafy houseplants from golden pothos to baby pilea, maybe it's time for us serial houseplant killers to swap potting soil and stems for tiny construction blocks.

According to the Danish brickmaker, the Botanicals range is 'perfect for the not-so-green-thumbed’. As a regular holder of houseplant funerals, I decided to find out what would be best, a bona fide plant or its brick equivalent.

1. Golden Pothos

BRICKS

LEGO Hanging Golden Pothos #11512

REAL ROOTS

Golden Pothos in Hanging Basket

Pothos is one of the easiest houseplants to keep alive, its waxy heart-shaped leaves on trailing vines only needing the occasional watering. Forget to give it a drink for a week or three and this forgiving plant will bounce back quickly. It tolerates lower-light rooms, and golden pothos is just as resilient as its all-green cousin – growing houseplants just doesn't get any less difficult than this.

Though pothos leaves are toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, this plant is usually displayed hanging so, lovely as the LEGO plant is, I reckon the real thing wins this first round.

2. Peace Lily

BRICKS

Lego Peace Lily #11504

REAL ROOTS

Costa Farms Peace Lily

A little more demanding is the peace lily, needing 2-3 cups of water every week and boy, will you know about it if you forget. With a dramatic flounce and flop of its leaves, this houseplant is a diva when it comes to dry soil, though quickly perks up once moisture is restored.

Peace lilies do have the most beautifully elegant white flowers but if you want to enjoy them, you’ll need to keep it away from cold drafts and give it consistent temperatures between 60 and 70°F and bright, indirect light. Lots of people love the peace lily for its drama-queen persnickety personality but I’m voting for the no-nonsense LEGO version in this second round.

3. Orchid

BRICKS

LEGO Orchid #10311

REAL ROOTS

White Phalaenopsis Orchid

There’s no doubt that orchids are heartstoppingly beautiful with their arching stems of blooms and glossy green leaves, but are they easy to grow? Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) are the most forgiving and bloom most reliably, and are surprisingly straightforward to look after – as long as you learn the basics.

Pot this tropical plant up in a loose bark mix instead of potting mix, give it moist air by displaying it in a bathroom or standing its pot on a pebble tray of water, and ensure it gets indirect sunlight, and it’ll be just fine. But is it worth the faff? If you’re a dedicated orchid lover, absolutely. But if you’re not, the LEGO orchid brings joy without all the finely-tuned care programme, so bricks win round three.

4. Poinsettia

BRICKS

LEGO Poinsettia #10370

REAL ROOTS

Live Red White Poinsettia

Not just for Christmas, poinsettia makes a cheery houseplant from fall to spring, when it drops its leaves and you prune the stems. So although it’s not much more than a stick over summer, if you remember to occasionally water it and then in autumn, stimulate new growth by giving the plant a daily dose of 14-16 of darkness, it returns for another flamboyant show.

Other than that, poinsettia is a cinch to look after but what makes having the real deal is the ornamental varieties which offer dreamy white, pink or white-speckled bracts as well as plain red. Sorry LEGO poinsettia, you can’t compete!

5. Mini Houseplants

BRICKS

lego LEGO Tiny Plants #10329

REAL ROOTS

12 Costa Farms 4" Assorted Tiny Houseplants

Baby houseplants are irresistible, whether they’re made of plastic bricks or real-life petite stems and leaves. LEGO’s offering of nine mini arid, tropical and carnivorous plants gives great variety from pitcher plants to cacti and anthurium, and I’m awarding extra points for the terracotta-esque pots and that some bricks are made of plant-based plastic, sourced from sugar cane.

Even though nurturing baby houseplants brings huge satisfaction, and this set are all low-maintenance varieties that require minimal care, there will inevitably be one sad compost-heap funeral of the most needy. Consequently, round 5 puts the bijou bricks on the podium.

6. Bonsai Tree

BRICKS

LEGO Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree #10348

REAL ROOTS

Grow Your Own Bonsai Tree From Seed Starter Kit

While the baby houseplants were cute, the charm of a petite tree is off the scale, whether that’s brick-built in hours or trained over decades. While the LEGO Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree impresses with that sculptural trunk and fiery leaves, the temptation of growing your own bonsai tree from seed is too strong for any gardener to resist.

Goodness knows if it will take a century or more to grow your own real-life red maple in bonsai form to the same proportions of the LEGO tree, but it sure will be fun trying. Round 6 goes to the real-deal one-day tree, rather than the tree that gets made in one day.

7. Chinese Money Plant

BRICKS

lego LEGO Happy Plants #10349

REAL ROOTS

Hirt's Gardens Chinese Money Plant

Smiling pots and an even cheerier pricetag make the LEGO Pilea peperomioides and dracaena virtually irresistible, but the same can be said for the plant itself. The Chinese money plant is one of the most low-maintenance houseplants you can grow, it’s pretty drought tolerant and the round coin-shaped leaves are wonderfully quirky. All you need to remember is to rotate the pot every few weeks to stop the plant leaning as it grows quickly.

Sealing the deal, though, is the plant’s habit of producing baby plantlets around its base, earning it the nickname of friendship plant as you can gift these. Its LEGO partner in crime, dracaena (available from Plant Addicts) is just as unkillable in real life, handing round 7 to the actual houseplants.

The Final Verdict

And there you have it! It was a close competition but real houseplants pipped the LEGO Botanicals to the post in the closing seconds. I like the idea of mixing brick-built pot plants with shelf displays of real leaves though, and the sight of those handsome LEGO plants might just remind me to water my houseplants more regularly.

Can your bird feeder really tell you if a storm is coming? Well, I've always had a soft spot for old wives' tales about the weather. Some, it turns out, have a surprising amount of truth behind them; the bumper crops of acorns and other tree seeds that come before a hard winter, for example, are a real phenomenon – what scientists call a mast year.

Others are a little harder to take seriously. We're told that cows lie down when rain is coming, for example, but I've seen them standing, sitting, eating and facing in what appear to be every possible direction – and I can't say their behavior has ever given me much confidence about tomorrow's forecast.

When it comes to birds, though, I'm biased. My granddad taught me their names and their calls, and somewhere along the way I became the sort of person who knows her birth month bird and the superstition about what the first bird I see each morning means for the day ahead. So, sure, I've always wanted to believe that birds can sense when bad weather is coming... but can they actually?

Can Your Bird Feeder Tell You if a Storm Is Coming?

For those of us who keep bird feeders in our gardens, it would certainly be an added boon (on top of the sheer joy of watching our feathered friends flit to and fro) if the birds gathering around the feeder could give us a clue that a winter storm is on its way.

To find out for sure, then, I decided to do some digging. And, as it turns out, there's some fascinating science behind the old story.

Shop Bird Feeders:

Feeding in Style

Sweetfull Hanging Metal Bird Feeder

Dual-Purpose Hub

NETVUE Netvue by Birdfy Pro Smart Bird Feeder With Hummingbird Add-on

Wildpark Wildpark Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder

So, can your bird feeder really tell you if a storm is coming? Well, scientists have found evidence that birds can detect changes in atmospheric pressure – which is especially intriguing, as falling pressure often occurs ahead of a storm.

In fact, a 2013 study white-crowned sparrows increased their food intake when researchers reproduced the kind of pressure drop associated with an approaching snowstorm. There was no storm outside for the birds to see; the change in atmospheric pressure alone was enough to affect their behavior.

Their decision to eat more makes sense; after all, for a small songbird, winter weather is no joke, as snow and ice can cover up seeds and insects. Strong winds, too, can make flying and foraging more difficult. And when temperatures plunge, birds have to burn more energy simply to keep themselves warm.

(Image credit: Chrys35 / Getty Images)

If the atmosphere gives a bird an early warning that conditions are about to get worse, then, there is an obvious advantage to eating while food is still relatively easy to find; it's basically the feathery equivalent of filling the cupboards before a blizzard.

No wonder, then, that my feeder always seems much busier than usual before a spell of nasty winter weather. And, if you already feed birds, it's worth paying attention to the pattern your own feathered friends follow so you can figure out a) if your regulars are suddenly spending more time at the feeder, b) whether birds are visiting more frequently, and c) if several species are becoming unusually active at once.

There is, though, a few caveats to keep in mind: birds also feed more when it's cold, as they respond to changes in natural food availability. Short winter days, too, can also change how much time they have to forage. And let's not forget that predators and competition can alter feeder activity too.

(Image credit: Miodrag Zlatarov / Shutterstock)

All that being said, it's nice that the science gives us a reason to take the old folklore seriously – even if only partly. The fact that birds really can respond to atmospheric pressure changes, and that researchers have found evidence that some species increase their food intake before conditions deteriorate. means that your bird feeder could at least help you figure out if a storm is coming.

There's something wonderful about watching a chickadee dart into your garden, grab a sunflower seed and disappear – and knowing that, in its own small way, it may be paying attention to changes in the atmosphere that you can't feel at all.

Still, that doesn't mean your cardinal can replace the National Weather Service. If your feeder is suddenly hopping with activity, by all means take notice. Then check the barometer, look at the sky and (yes, sorry!) check the forecast.

Hey, if you wouldn't trust your human friend to predict the weather accurately without an app, I'd suggest you don't pile your fate into the little claws of your feathered friends, either! It is, though, a good excuse to feed them a little more as we edge into autumn and winter, though...

Vibrant color-changing autumn leaves are one of the great joys of life, and the 2026 fall foliage forecast predicts exactly which areas will peak, when. Experts foresee that this summer’s drought, above-average temperatures and wildfires will impact heavily on the fall display, making this a year of sharp contrasts, and the fall foliage forecast more handy than ever.

Whether you plan to witness the great fall spectacle in your own backyard or travel to see this foliage phenomenon on a grander scale, the forecast holds useful insight for us gardeners. As well as knowing when to expect peak color, you can use the fall foliage forecast to carry out a quick health check on your garden trees, and discover how well they're coping with this extreme El Niño year of weather.

(Image credit: Getty Images)What is the Fall Foliage Forecast?

First created back in 2013 as a local tool to help visitors to the Smoky Mountains, the concept of forecasting fall foliage has grown to a nationwide predictive, interactive mapping system. Historical temperature and precipitation information is combined with forecasted weather data and details of regional tree types to predict peak times for foliage color across the country. Real-time user submissions refine the predictions mid-season, resulting in a level of accuracy that’s similar to a long-range weather forecast.

Which is the Best Fall Foliage Forecast?

(Image credit: Explore Fall)

You’ll find the original fall foliage forecast on the Smoky Mountains National Park site. However, plenty of companies have taken the idea and run with it, offering a deeper dive for keen leaf peepers.

The Explore Fall Foliage Map (pictured above) is the best fall foliage forecast for gardeners. It gives the very latest picture because it’s updated daily to take into account current weather conditions such as heavy storms or unseasonable high temperatures. A new feature that’s great for gardeners is a local forecast capability where you can place a pin to an exact location to see personalised predictions.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Fall Foliage Map is more useful for travellers planning fall trips as it relies on historical data to predict foliage patterns and recommend top destinations, area by area. However, because of this long-term data, it’s widely considered to be a very dependable forecast, so it's useful to gardeners as a comparison tool.

The AccuWeather Fall Forecast gives a broader picture but, because it relies on past climate data and future weather predictions, it can be particular helpful to gardeners who want to understand why trees are behaving in the way they are because of factors such as soil moisture and heat stress. Because it’s not aimed at travellers or chasing the tourist dollar, it also predicts where fall colors are likely to be duller, and why this is.

Use all these fall foliage forecasts and you’ll build a clear idea of past, current and expected leaf color patterns for your locality and USDA zone.

Why Do Leaves Change Color in Fall?

Understand what affects fall leaf color and you can confidently make your own predictions for the trees in your garden, as well as figure out the reasons behind what you're seeing in your backyard.

As shorter days take us towards fall, leaves start to reduce photosynthesis and stop producing green chlorophyll, allowing other pigments to be seen.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Carotenoids create orange colors and xanthophylls produce yellow tones. Nearly all tree species carry these pigments, and they’re always present in the leaves, but masked through spring and summer by high levels of green chlorophyll. The trees that bring rich golden fall colors have high levels of carotenoids and xanthophylls and include aspens, birches and hickories.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Some tree species also have anthocyanins that make red and purple tones, and these are produced in fall from sugars trapped in the leaves. Trees that can produce anthocyanins are those with fiery foliage such as red maples, scarlet oaks and sweetgums.

How Does the Weather Affect Leaf Color?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The weather dictates how vibrant these fall colors will be. For the ultimate show, we need consistent spring moisture that encourages healthy trees able to grow plenty of foliage, and a late season of sunny days that mean leaves produce lots of sugar, combined with cool nights that seals leaf veins to trap that sugar.

What happens in between affects leaf color too. Heat- and drought-stressed trees will conserve water in summer by prematurely shutting down photosynthesis and chlorophyll production – which is why we’re seeing all those orange and yellow tones early this year. Trees that are severely dehydrated will shed their leaves early, their leaves turning a dull green or brown and dropping to the ground, bypassing the usual fall display.

While sunny days can boost the red anthocyanin pigment – scientists believe trees produce it to act as a sunscreen – severe heat- and drought-stress halts its production entirely.

Daylight levels and temperatures also affect when photosynthesis starts to slow, which is why fall colors occur earlier the higher or further north you go.

How the Fall Foliage Forecast Helps Gardeners

Once you understand the factors influencing fall leaf color, you can use this information to not just keep your garden trees healthy, but to get a clearer idea about how climatic conditions are affecting your garden as a whole.

For a start, the color of autumn leaves serve as a quick visual health check to see how well or otherwise your trees are coping with current weather conditions. After this year's extreme heat and drought, that's a really useful indicator of whether or not you need to be giving your trees more support. Comparing your garden trees to the average of what's happening in your local area deepens that understanding and can alert you to stressed trees that require intervention, before the situation becomes critical.

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)

Keeping a journal and noting when you first see fall colors developing on your garden trees, what tones you’re seeing and how they progress, will give you even better insight, and allow you to spot early warning signs. Pressing the first leaf that shows fall colors from key trees in your garden, and marking the collection date beside it, can build into a super-useful almanac that will allow you to care better for your backyard trees going forwards.

Appreciating which tree species carry which pigments and whether they tend to peak early or late in fall also helps you create a garden that looks good all through autumn.

And let’s not forget that enjoying the fall foliage in our gardens as trees begin their natural shift into winter dormancy is just one of the many ways gardening boosts our wellbeing too. I’ll be keeping an eye on that fall foliage forecast and booking the predicted peak color day for my garden off work so I can enjoy it to the full.

Great Garden Trees for Fall Foliage

Small garden stunner

Orange Dream Japanese Maple

This little beauty only reaches 8-10 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide, and will even cope in a container as long as you regularly water. Leaves open a glorious yellow in spring, gain pink edges then transition to an intense golden color in fall, in zones 5-8.

Amazing accent plant

Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry Tree

As well as brilliant fall foliage – and we mean brilliant as in bright! – this tree brings pretty white spring blooms and blueberry-like summer fruit for tasty jellies and jams. Also known as the Juneberry, it grows to 15-25 feet high and wide in zones 4-9.

Color-changing Beauty

Bloomables Flame Thrower Redbud Tree

This new redbud doesn't just display a fiery mix of orange, yellow, red and green foliage in fall. The heartshaped leaves emerge a burgundy red then turn yellow, then green, and has reddish-purple flowers in spring, too. Reaches 15-20 feet in zones 5-9.

What Are the Big Fall Foliage Predictions for 2026?

This year’s rollercoaster of extreme temperature and rainfall patterns will result in a similarly wide range of fall colors across the country.

Fall Foliage Winners

• Northern California is predicted to put on a better-than-usual display as tree canopies have stayed hydrated and calm weather is forecast.
• Expect strong colors in New England and upstate New York, thanks to higher-than-usual late-spring rainfall.
• Colors are expected to be vibrant in the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest following consistent levels of summer moisture.

Fall Foliage Losers

• The aspens of the Rocky mountains aren’t expected to reach their usual rich gold hue this year because a lack of winter snowpack caused an early drought.
• Summer droughts and current overcast skies mean foliage in the Southeast and Lower Mid-Atlantic is predicted to be duller than usual.
• Heat-stressed trees in the drought conditions of the Pacific Northwest are unlikely to put on a good display.

Aphids are small, sap-sucking insects that can do significant damage, especially to tender new growth, when they infest in great numbers and are not managed. Aphids can cause curled, yellowed, or twisted leaves, stunted growth, and a sticky residue called honeydew that attracts ants and can lead to black mold.

While these are common garden pests, aphid control isn’t always straightforward. In fact, it’s easy to make mistakes that actually increase the chances that your plants will attract and support an aphid infestation.

Here, we share some typical mistakes you can learn from and avoid with tips that will actually help manage aphids as you see them.

1. Using Too Much Nitrogen Fertilizer

(Image credit: VH Studio / Shutterstock)

Nitrogen is great for encouraging lush, new, green growth on plants, but this can be an issue when it comes to aphids. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fertilize plants, but overdoing it, especially with nitrogen, can cause aphids to infest a plant, as they favor fresh growth.

When feeding plants, always choose an appropriate product and use a balanced fertilizer if you’re unsure. A gentle, balanced fertilizer like Jobe's Organics All Purpose Fertilizer from Amazon is a good choice for most applications. Follow the product instructions and resist the urge to use more than recommended or to feed more frequently.

2. Not Checking Plants Regularly

(Image credit: Natalia Kokhanova / Shutterstock)

Any pest issue is best dealt with early. Aphids are particularly fast breeders, and a few individuals can multiply rapidly within days. Waiting too long to monitor plant health can lead to serious infestations and plant damage that could have been prevented.

Make checking plants a regular part of your routine, like while watering the garden. Look for aphids on new growth, growing tips, stems, and the undersides of leaves. In addition to the actual pests, look for signs they are present: sticky honeydew, ants, sooty mold, and curling, yellow, or distorted leaves. It’s especially important to regularly inspect plants during periods of active growth.

3. Letting Aphids Go Untreated

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A small aphid population on a plant can multiply quickly and is much easier to manage than a big infestation. If you see any number of aphids on a plant, don’t wait to act.

Acting to manage a small group of aphids doesn’t mean you need to jump to the nuclear option. Starting early means you can use simple, safe methods of control. Start with a spray of water to knock them off the plant. Pay attention to stems and the undersides of leaves.

The next step, if the force of water isn’t enough, is to use an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. These are relatively safe and have low toxicity compared to stronger pesticides. You can make your own DIY insecticidal soap or purchase Captain Jack's Insecticidal Soap from Walmart or your local garden center.

4. Ignoring Beneficial Insects

(Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the best ways to manage aphid damage is to be proactive. Supporting a natural, native ecosystem in your garden ensures it is rich in beneficial insects, many of which prey on aphids. These include lacewings and parasitic wasps.

Gardeners too often reach for broad-spectrum insecticides for all types of infestations, which disrupts natural pest control. These products kill pests but also all kinds of beneficial insects. Instead of automatically reaching for pesticides, consider each issue separately and find specific ways to manage them that are least destructive.

How to Keep Aphids From Coming Back

(Image credit: Irina Starikova / Getty Images)

If you’ve successfully managed an aphid infestation on your favorite plants, make sure you don’t slip back into bad habits. Follow these best practices to reduce the risk that aphids will become an issue in your garden in the future:

• Fertilize plants appropriately, using specific recommendations or balanced products according to label instructions.
• Add pest inspection to your regular rotation of garden chores, checking new growth, stems, and leaves each time you water, for instance.
• Encourage native and beneficial insects in your garden by growing native plants and avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides.
• Consider releasing beneficial predator insects, like ladybugs, to increase useful predation in your beds.
• Always act immediately when you see signs of aphids. Don’t wait for a few pests to turn into an unmanageable infestation that requires drastic control methods.

Healthy plants, good management practices, and regular time spent in the garden make it much easier to catch any type of pest problem, including aphids. On the other hand, seeing aphids doesn’t mean you’re bad at gardening. These are extremely common pests that even master gardeners see.

Follow these guidelines, and you might see aphids, but they don’t have to become a garden emergency.

It’s not uncommon for homeowners to set a mowing schedule for summer and stick with it, rain or shine. The truth is that your grass rarely adheres to a strict routine. Sometimes it needs more frequent cutting and other times less.

How often you should mow your lawn depends on factors like weather, rainfall, grass type, and growth rate. In general, while you might need to mow less often in August than you did in July, you shouldn’t totally stop cutting it yet. Thoughtful mowing now can reduce stress on the turf and prepare it to wind down and go dormant in fall while remaining healthy.

Here’s everything you need to know about mowing your lawn in August to keep it looking lush and green until the first frost.

How Often Should You Mow in August?

Too many people make the mistake of always mowing on a schedule without considering if the grass actually needs a cut. Several factors influence when grass needs cutting, but the primary consideration is how it’s growing. Grass that is growing fast needs to be trimmed more often than slow-growing grass.

The rate at which your grass grows can vary by season and with weather conditions. In many places, August weather is hot and dry, which means turf growth is likely slow and your mowing frequency should slow down accordingly.

Repeatedly cutting slow-growing grass, especially in hot and dry conditions, can put undue stress on turf grass. August mowing should be responsive and based on what the lawn needs, rather than automatic and rigidly scheduled.

(Image credit: Getty Images)Finding the Right Balance

There are certain times of year, usually in late spring and early summer, when mowing the lawn becomes fairly automatic. Temperatures are steady, and rainfall is regular, so your grass keeps growing and requires cutting.

In August, it can be harder to strike a balance between cutting too often and not often enough. Cutting too often in dry, hot weather can cause several issues:

• It compounds the stress the turf is already experiencing due to weather conditions.
• Keeping the grass too short reduces its ability to gather energy through photosynthesis and can weaken it as a result.
• Cutting too much of your grass at once can weaken it and make it more vulnerable to disease and pests.
• Short grass also allows more weeds to take hold.
• The additional stress of cutting the grass too much now can interfere with the recovery and active growth that healthy grass goes through in early fall.

Cutting too often and too short is a bigger potential issue in August than letting grass get overgrown. However, you can go too far in the other direction. Tall, overgrown grass blocks sunlight and airflow, trapping moisture and increasing the risk of fungal lawn diseases. Tall grass also attracts pests.

If you cut your grass too infrequently, it will start putting energy into seedheads. You want its energy to go into growing strong roots for fall and winter dormancy.

(Image credit: Daria Nipot / Getty Images)Rule of Thumb for August Mowing

So, what does this all mean for when and how often you should mow in August? Unfortunately, there is no universal schedule. It’s all about watching your lawn and deciding what it needs.

If rainfall is regular and temperatures moderate, you may need to keep mowing once a week through August and even into September. If you are experiencing hot and dry conditions, you might only need to mow every two weeks.

The best general rule of thumb for deciding when to mow your lawn is the one-third rule: Never remove more than one-third of the grass height in a single mowing session. So, if your lawn hasn’t grown enough to require removing one-third or less of the blade, it’s not time to mow yet.

Factors That Affect Mowing Frequency

Checking the height of your grass and using the one-third rule is the best way to decide when to cut the grass. It also helps to understand all of the factors that affect the turf’s growth and mowing frequency:

• Type of Grass. Cool-season grasses tend to slow their growth in hot August weather, while warm-season grasses grow more vigorously and need more mowing.
• Rainfall & Irrigation. Water is a huge factor. If it isn’t raining and you aren’t watering your lawn, the grass probably isn’t growing much. Drought can really stress a lawn, so avoid mowing until rain returns or you’re able to water the grass.
• Temperature. Extremely hot temperatures cause cool-season grasses to slow down or even go dormant. Slow or stop mowing until temperatures cool off again.
• Lawn Conditions. Soil type, soil compaction, shade, and other localized conditions affect grass growth. If you have varied conditions across the lawn, you might need to mow some areas more frequently than others.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As your grass prepares for fall and winter dormancy, how and when you mow becomes more important. In general, at this time of year, it’s best to keep the grass a little taller, so consider lifting your mower blades.

Those blades should be sharp, too. Check them and sharpen lawn mower blades if they’ve become dulled after a summer of frequent mowing. This simple blade sharpening and balancing kit from Home Depot makes it easy. Adjust your mowing schedules as needed based on weather and growth.

You want your lawn to be healthy with minimal stress leading into fall. Proper mowing helps maintain a dense, resilient lawn that can better compete with weeds and recover from summer stress. So avoid mowing on autopilot and be more thoughtful as you plan your late summer lawn care.

It’s been a long, hot summer so no wonder your patio pots are looking tired, but a quick injection of nutrients now will keep plants flowering for a little longer. There are plenty of plants that reliably keep on blooming well into fall; and there are plenty more that give up as August draws to a close. Give them a boost with tomato feed, however, and they'll get a new lease of life and grow more flowers.

Why Use Tomato Feed for Flowers in Late Summer?

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Tomato feed isn't just a helpful product to keep tomato plants producing fruit in August. It's very high in potassium, also known as potash, which drives not just fruit production but flower production too. And – crucially at this time of the year – tomato food is also extremely low in nitrogen, and this is the element that encourages new stems and leaves to grow. That’s why you stop feeding most plants towards the end of the summer with general fertilizers: even most flower-focused feeds have levels of nitrogen that will stimulate the growth of soft green foliage that won’t have time to toughen up before frost arrives.

However, by using tomato feed, you can still maximise bloom production and keep plants in pots flowering while suppressing new stem growth, so you don't leave the plant vulnerable to frost damage.

The high potassium content has an extra benefit, too: this element strengthens a plant’s cell walls, hardening tissue before the onslaught of winter.

Why is it So Important to Feed Container Plants?

As well as containing potassium to boost flower and fruit production, tomato feed is typically fortified with magnesium. Tomato plants need this micronutrient to correct yellowing leaves, but you’ll often see this chlorosis in container plants at the end of the summer, too. That’s usually because they’ve exhausted the nutrient supply in the limited volume of soil they have access to. In a hot, dry summer when those pots have been watered more often than usual, more nutrients are likely to have been washed out of the soil, too.

So, tomato food can help replenish the soil, also helping plants to flower for longer.

If you want to give plants growing in the ground a boost in August, then a seaweed tonic will reinvigorate their roots to take up more moisture and nutrients from the soil.

(Image credit: Emma Kendell)How to Use Tomato Feed to Give Container Plants a Late-Season Boost

• Before you feed plants in pots, water the container first as normal. Moist soil will absorb the feed far more evenly than bone-dry soil, and this is better for the roots.
• Use a liquid tomato food such as Espoma Tomato!, available from Amazon. Dilute the tomato feed accurately, according to the instructions on the packaging. You’re not doing your plants any favours by adding an extra glug of concentrated feed to your watering can, as a too-high concentration can burn roots.
• Apply in the early morning or late afternoon so evaporation doesn’t concentrate the feed post-application. Choosing an overcast day is similarly helpful to the plant though not critical.
• Water the soil rather than the plant.
• Re-apply once a fortnight, depending on whether your plants are annuals or perennials (see below).

How to Use Tomato Feed for Annual Plants

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If your plants are annuals, completing their lifecycle in one year – or they’re perennials but you’re growing them as annuals because of your zone – you can keep giving your containers a fortnightly boost with diluted tomato feed until plants die with the first frost.

As plants are going to be killed by the cold anyway, you have nothing to lose by continuing to feed them. This will keep plants such as petunias in hanging baskets and begonias in pots flowering right up to the first frost. If you're a fan of container planting, this little tomato-feed trick will keep your annual bedding plants blooming long after most folks' flowers have finished.

How to Use Tomato Feed for Perennial Plants

(Image credit: Getty Images)

With perennial plants, you need to be a little more careful, but the benefits are even greater. Feed your plants now and give them another feed in a fortnight, but don’t feed them any later than mid-September or around six weeks before your expected first frost date, or you might interfere with their natural fall into dormancy.

Giving perennial plants a boost with tomato feed now will improve their winter hardiness and avoid frost damage by toughening their cell walls. Some plants will also be able to store some of this extra fuel in their roots for a stronger start when they reawaken next spring.

Handy Helps to Get More Flowers

Easy Feeding

Bloem 2.6-Gallon Watering Can

When using a diluted liquid feed, a watering can with a rotating spout makes it far easier to get beneath the plant to target the soil rather than pouring fertilizer over the leaves.

Regular Deadheading

Fiskars 8 Inch Bypass Pruner With Soft Grip Handle

Regular deadheading helps to keep plants flowering into fall. Getting into the habit of deadheading for 5 or 10 minutes a day will make a huge difference, as will soft-grip pruners.

Consistent Watering

Long Probe Plant Soil Moisture Meter

Consistent soil moisture levels help plants flourish but it can be tricky as the late-season rollercoaster of heat and rain rolls in. A moisture meter means you know when to water.

More Weekend Wins

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

• Remove rose suckers to enjoy bigger, better blooms next summer.
• Use a $4 dog comb to groom ornamental grasses and save yourself hours weeding in spring.
• Trim lavender so it has time to grow a duvet of dense foliage to survive winter well.

“Design is fine, but down the line.” If that’s been your approach to landscaping, who can blame you? It takes time to figure out what will work best to make your friendly little backyard look lusciously expensive. But it’s also understandable to wake up one morning longing for a look of luxe. Fortunately, bringing in a designer look doesn’t necessarily involve bringing in (and paying) a professional landscaper, nor does it involve spending loads on planting schemes.

It is possible to introduce key statement pieces to quickly improve the curb appeal of your house. You don't need a total border overhaul to achieve a tasteful, curated aesthetic. These planting ideas aren’t difficult to maintain and cultivate, and late summer is the perfect time to get your statement plant in position. Just adding one or two exceptional plants to a border can upgrade your look with reassuring simplicity.

Whether you have a small urban patio border, a shady corner, or a sprawling bed, there is a plant here that will bring instant impact to your yard. These high-impact, low-maintenance beauties deliver instant designer sophistication without demanding constant upkeep. From glowing texture to color-shifting blooms, these easy-care plants provide the structure, shape, and luxury aesthetic your space has been missing – for a polished, professional finish that lasts right through fall.

Easy Luxury Planting Options

What makes a garden look luxurious? What makes a border look expensive? Each of us probably has a slightly different notion of these concepts. Cost alone doesn’t cut it. Yes, there are exotic plants that cost more than a year’s maintenance on my 1996 VW camper, but installing something with an impressive price tag won’t get you that effortless designer look. Instead, you can move the ordinary into the stratosphere with low maintenance landscaping, a good eye, and a cool design. The trick is to mix color and texture in an artful and intentional way.

Intentional planting involves repetition, bold textural contrast, clean lines, and thoughtful placement. Luxury borders look curated because plants are given room to look good, rather than competing in a cluttered mix of random choices. But don’t pick fancy plants that need a nursemaid, or you’ll be paying for years beyond the purchase. By pairing strong, robust foliage with self-supporting flowers, the right plant can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. The plants here can help you to create a sophisticated rhythm to draw the eye effortlessly across the entire yard.

(Image credit: DrewTraveler / Getty Images)

Before planting these easygoing designer specimens, make sure the soil is primed and ready for action. If it is compacted or weary from earlier summer planting, blend a little rich organic compost into the ground to improve aeration and moisture retention. Boost your soil’s natural goodness with a little biochar. Plantonix Char Bliss Organic Biochar from Amazon is perfect for enhancing the spongy base that these luxury plants need and accelerating root growth into fall.

If you live in USDA hardiness zones 3-5, you’ll need to plant these designer plants by early fall to ensure roots settle before hard freezes. Southern growers (zones 6-9) have a few more weeks to make these additions. Always add a layer of dark wood mulch for a professional contrast that keeps roots insulated. Then you’re ready to add one of these cool-but-manageable selections to make your border look more expensive. Who knows? Pretty soon, your neighbors may be coming over to ask for your designer’s name…

1. Limelight Panicle Hydrangea

(Image credit: Bankiras / Shutterstock)

If you want an immediate punch of high-end grandeur and color-shifting drama, this panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) sets the designer tone right out of the gate. In late August, when other flowering shrubs begin to lose their vigor, Limelight reaches its peak. Its massive bloom clusters shift seamlessly from crisp lime to creamy ivory and dusty rose as fall approaches. And unlike moody blue hydrangeas, which demand strict soil pH levels, this panicle hydrangea is low maintenance, thriving in ordinary soil, full sun or light shade, and holding its sturdy stems high in heavy fall downpours. You can buy Green Promise Farms Limelight Prime Panicle Hydrangeas from Walmart in 3-gallon containers.

To make the most of this panicle superstar, give it a prominent place at the back of a border or use it as a specimen near an entrance. Hardy in zones 3-9, Limelight matures to an impressive 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4m) tall and wide. One quick pruning in spring is all that is needed: cut back by a third to encourage thick new growth and generous flower panicles next year. The longevity with these blooms is staggering. And if you leave the dried flowers on the plant through late fall and winter, their papery flowerheads add gorgeous structural interest to frost-dusted borders.

Green Promise Farms Limelight Prime® Panicle Hydrangea

2. Japanese Forest Grass (Aureola)

(Image credit: ImageBroker McPhoto / Getty Images)

Ornamental grass is your secret weapon for creating lightness and texture in a way that is both classy and effortless. While regular turf is losing popularity with its high maintenance ways, ornamental grasses are easy-care, versatile, and pollinator friendly. For a low maintenance yet up-scale border pick, you can’t do better than Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'). I suggest cultivar Aureola, a golden-yellow, clumping ornamental grass that reaches 18 inches (45cm). It forms fluid mounds of shiny golden leaves that arch gracefully, before turning coppery gold, lighting up gloomy border edges through fall in USDA zones 5-9.

The slender stems dance in a breeze, adding fluid elegance, interest and texture for mixed borders. Leaves are variegated with gold stripes running all the way to the tips. Aureola has a lush boutique glamor, yet it is resilient, easy to grow and resistant to pests and diseases. Just avoid harsh afternoon sun in hot climates, as it can scorch the delicate tips. Buy the Classy Groundcover Store’s Japanese Forest Grass Aureola from Amazon for a dense clump of finely textured leaves. Add 3-5 plants along a border edge to create a ribbon-like wave of golden texture.

Classy Groundcovers Classy Groundcovers Japanese Forest Grass Aureola, 1-Gallon Pot

3. Cane Begonia

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I’m a great fan of traditional wax begonias, but cane begonia varieties (Begonia spp.) are in another class. Lavish and over the top, the cool, enormous wing-shaped leaves have earned these plants the nickname of angel wing begonias. With their architectural stems and dramatic foliage, these easy luxe additions bring elegant texture to your border. Foliage is soaked in shades of green, purple, pink, and silver. Often splash-painted in metallic silver polka dots and deep maroon undersides, these plants look like a living work of fine art, yet flourish with very little upkeep.

While they are primarily tender perennials (hardy outdoors only in zones 9-11), savvy designers nestle potted begonias directly into borders, large stone urns, or pathway edgings to create instant focal points. Grouping a few adds an exotic look, and you can then bring them indoors to overwinter. Place them near the middle or back of a shady border, rather than the front edge. Bright, dappled shade helps to protect the metallic foliage patterns. Happy cane begonias grow clusters of pink or white flowers. Buy LA Tropic Polka Dot Angel Wing Begonia Plants from Walmart for impactful border spots and pathway edgings.

LA Tropic Polka Dot Angel Wing Begonia

4. Japanese Anemone

(Image credit: Alex Manders / Getty Images)

When late August arrives and typical summer borders begin to look tired, Japanese anemones (Anemone × hybrida) can steal the show with ethereal elegance. Cultivars such as Honorine Jobert are especially pretty and add understated grace with white blooms that last well into fall. Named the 2016 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association, its pristine blooms with their golden-yellow centers dance on tall, wire-thin stems above lush foliage. Planting these gives your border a soft, luminous quality with bright, bowl-shaped blooms that sway on the breeze.

Position Japanese anemones in rich, moist, well-draining soil, in full sun or partial shade. These delicate yet profuse bloomers pair well with ornamental grasses and dark hostas. This layered contrast defines style in a way that is easy to attain and even easier to care for. To steal the look for a classic white beauty like the one pictured here, Perennial Farm Marketplace’s Honorine Jobert Japanese Anemone from Amazon is a real bargain. Thriving in zones 4-8, Honorine Jobert reaches 3-4 feet (90-120cm) tall. Consistent moisture keeps flowers opening through October.

Perennial Farm Marketplace Perennial Farm Anemone X Hybrida Honorine Jobert

5. Hosta

(Image credit: L Toshio Kishiyama / Getty Images)

I used to scorn hostas (Hosta spp.) because they didn’t offer impressive flowers. But after growing some, I’m such a big fan. Hostas are foliage plant royalty, and they put all of their dreams and schemes of making an impact into the leaves themselves. Their lush, sculptural leaves come in rich greens, blue-grays, purples, gold and white, often with multi-colored patterns, dark margins, speckles, and ripples. Massive, sculptural hosta varieties like First Frost or Empress Wu provide instant wow factor with zero maintenance. For an elegant powder blue option, try Plants That Work’s Prairie Sky Hosta from Nature Hills for a luminescent glow.

Most prefer a site in light shade, out of the direct sun. Nothing grounds a shaded border with more authority, and ongoing plant care is so minimal you’ll wonder why you didn’t plant one sooner. Thriving in zones 3-9, these shade perennials range from neat 12-inch (30cm) edgers to huge 4-foot (1.2m) specimens, bringing easy shape and rich color contrast to garden beds. Just group blue-leafed varieties in deep shade, where their waxy protective coating stays vibrant without sun-bleaching.

Plants That Work Prairie Sky Hosta

6. Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile)

(Image credit: Jacky Parker Photography / Getty Images)

This may be the easiest plant to care for, yet one of the most spectacular in appearance. Agapanthus africanus (aka the African lily or Lily of the Nile) is a resilient African native that only asks for well-drained soil, full sun, and moderate water. In return, it offers tall, architectural stalks with intense clusters of deep blue, violet or white flowering fireworks that hold their own well into fall. And you can enjoy the same wow factor year after year for decades to come. For exquisite bi-colored blooms, you can currently buy Ever Twilight Agapanthus Plants from Trees.com (formerly Fast Growing Trees) for a 20% discount.

Agapanthus is a plant that takes care of itself and thrives in zones 6-11. The fleshy rhizomes store water and nutrients, letting it sail through summer droughts and periods of neglect. Don’t worry about deadheading or staking! Agapanthus clumps are self-supporting, even if they grow to 3 feet (1m) tall and wide. Bright, strap-like foliage provides texture all year long, while the flowers are large and exceptionally lovely. Blooming straight through late summer and early autumn, this luxe wonder provides clean vertical accents that instantly upgrade neighboring plants.

Trees.com Ever Twilight™ Agapanthus Plant

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

There are few things in the garden quite as magical as a Japanese maple tree in fall. One week, it's quietly sitting there and doing its best to blend into the background, and then suddenly the leaves seem to catch fire – glowing scarlet, orange, gold or some combination of all three.

If you grow one, I bet you probably spend the summer waiting for that moment, but now is not the time to simply admire your acer and wait for fall to arrive. In fact, there is plenty that Japanese maple trees need in August, as what you do now can help your tree head into the changing season in the best possible condition – particularly after a long hot summer.

It's an important thing to remember, because Japanese maples can be surprisingly sensitive to summer stress; heat, drought and inconsistent watering can leave them struggling before the cooler nights arrive, and a stressed tree may also be more prone to leaf scorch, which can spoil the display before fall color has a chance to develop.

What Japanese Maple Trees Need in August

Your Japanese maple tree is still actively growing in August, even though autumn may already be on your mind. And, yes, it needs enough moisture and the TLC required for those all-important healthy roots to maintain its leaves through the end of summer and into the beginning of fall.

Now, while no amount of Japanese maple care in August can guarantee a spectacular display (the intensity and timing of fall color depend on the variety, daylight, temperatures and weather conditions), you can give your tree the best possible chance.

Here are three things your Japanese maple needs from you this month.

1. Consistent Moisture

(Image credit: Feifei Cui Paoluzzo / Getty Images)

If there's one thing Japanese maple trees need in August, it's consistent watering. They do, after all, prefer evenly moist soil, and summer heat can dry the root zone surprisingly quickly (something which can be particularly bad news for young trees and those growing in containers, as they can lose moisture much faster than established trees in the ground).

Rather than giving your maple frequent little sips, then, water deeply when the soil begins to dry. The goal is to moisten the root zone without leaving the soil permanently soggy, and don't wait for the leaves to wilt before reaching for the hose, either. Leaf scorch (those crispy brown edges and patches that can appear during dry weather) can be a sign that the tree is struggling to keep its leaves adequately hydrated.

A layer of organic mulch around the root zone can help, too, as it helps slow evaporation and keeps the soil temperature more stable during hot weather. Just keep it a few inches away from the trunk and avoid piling it against the bark.

Shop Japanese Maple Watering Essentials:

YEE-HENTE Garden Hose 100 Ft

Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch

RTS Home Accents 50-Gallon Eco Rain Barrel

2. Prudence

(Image credit: mtreasure / Getty Images)

We talk a lot about what Japanese maple trees need in August, but one thing they don't need is a feast, particularly if you're hoping for spectacular fall color. Which is why you must resist the urge to pile on fertilizer.

Yup, these trees generally don't need heavy feeding, and pushing tender new growth late in the season isn't what you want. A tree that is already growing well is usually better served by consistent moisture and good soil conditions than by a late-season dose of fertilizer.

If your maple genuinely needs nutrients, a soil test (something like Amazon's Rapitest Soil Test Kit is ideal) can help determine what is actually lacking rather than relying on guesswork. And when it comes to fall color, remember that more fertilizer does not mean more color. The brilliant reds, oranges and yellows you see later in the year are influenced by the tree's genetics and by the conditions it experiences as summer gives way to fall.

3. Protection

(Image credit: Nakarin Tangphunpholwiwat / Shutterstock)

Your Japanese maple doesn't need to be pampered, but August is a good month to protect it from unnecessary stress, especially if your tree is growing in a particularly hot or exposed position, as afternoon sun and drying winds can be tough on the foliage.

Some Japanese maples tolerate more sun than others, but varieties with delicate leaves can be especially susceptible to scorch during intense summer weather, which is why you should avoid any unnecessary pruning now. To be honest, they generally don't need heavy summer pruning anyway, and cutting away healthy branches and foliage during stressful weather can create wounds while reducing the tree's ability to produce energy.

Instead, concentrate on keeping the growing conditions steady. Check the soil during periods of heat, maintain your mulch and keep an eye out for signs of scorch, pests or disease. Think of August as a month for protecting what your tree has already grown, rather than trying to force it to grow more.

Shop Japanese Maple Trees:

New Life Nursery & Garden Shaina Dwarf Japanese Maple - Live Plant

Brighter Blooms Bloodgood Japanese Maple Tree

Expert Gardener Japanese Maple Live Tree in 1-Gallon Grower Pot

If you're wondering what Japanese maple trees need in August, then, the answer is simple enough: keep the roots comfortably moist, protect the foliage from unnecessary stress, and let the tree gradually make its way toward fall.

Then, when those first cool nights arrive and the leaves begin to change, you can sit back and enjoy the show – knowing you've given all of that beautifully blazing foliage exactly what it needed to get there. Huzzah!

A common mistake many first-time fruit growers make is choosing a variety that needs more than one tree to produce fruit. Many fruit trees require cross-pollination to produce a harvest. This includes most varieties of apple trees and sweet cherries among others.

If you don’t have room for more than one tree or you don’t want to commit to growing that much fruit, there are self-pollinating fruit trees that only require one plant to produce a harvest. Though the options are a bit more limited, there are still delicious choices available.

As summer comes to a close, it’s a great time to plant potted, balled and burlapped, or bare root fruit trees. Installing them in your yard or garden in fall allows them time to settle in before winter hits and gives them a head start come spring. Here are the best self-pollinating fruit trees to plant in fall for big harvests from only one tree.

1. Peach

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Peaches are one of the most popular deciduous fruit trees, second only to apples. Though the first thought that comes to mind when you think of peaches may be Georgia, there are peach trees that thrive in USDA growing zones 4-9. So even if you’re a northerner, you can still get the delicious taste of homegrown peaches.

There are plenty of self-pollinating varieties of peaches available, but a ‘Belle of Georgia’ peach tree from Perfect Plants gives you fruit with that classic Southern flavor you want in cobblers, crisps, or pies.

2. Nectarine

(Image credit: DennyThurstonPhotography / Getty Images)

Love the taste of peaches, but not the fuzz? Then nectarines are just what you need in your garden. They are genetically identical to peaches, other than their lack of a fuzzy skin. Nectarines are often a bit smaller in size than peaches, but the flavor is almost exactly the same.

Like peaches, nectarines are self-pollinating and hardy in growing zones 4-9. But late spring frosts can destroy flowerbuds that turn into your fruit crop. So if you live in a colder climate, choose a hardier cultivar like this ‘Hardired’ nectarine tree from Stark Bro’s.

3. Sour Cherry

(Image credit: OLEG525 / Shutterstock)

Many sour cherry trees are self-pollinating, as opposed to sweet cherry trees. A popular type of sour cherry that makes for not only a beautiful landscape tree with its white blooms in summer, but also provides plenty of delicious fruit is ‘Montmorency’, which you can buy at Lowe’s.

The tart cherries this tree produces are perfect for baking, making preserves, or even eating fresh. It’s hardy in growing zones 4-7 and is a great addition to any edible garden or pollinator garden – bees love the spring blossoms!

4. Fig

(Image credit: SabbirDigitall / Shutterstock)

Figs are one of the easiest fruit trees for beginners to grow not only because they’re self-fruitful, but also because they produce quickly and abundantly. Originating in the Mediterranean, some fig tree varieties are hardier than others. So be sure to check your growing zone and the hardiness of the fig tree before you buy.

One of the most popular fig trees for colder climates is the ‘Chicago Hardy’ fig, which you can find online from Trees.com (formerly FastGrowingTrees.com). It is hardy in growing zones 5-10 and can tolerate temperatures down to -10°F (-23°C), which means you can plant it in most parts of the U.S. This particular cultivar can produce up to 100 pints each season, only one or two years after planting.

5. ‘Jonagold’ Apple

(Image credit: aprilphoto / Getty Images)

Most apple tree varieties require at least two trees for cross-pollination to produce fruit. However, there are a few types of apple trees that are self-fruiting. Some self-pollinating apples include ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Jonathan’, but one of the most delicious varieties is ‘Jonagold’.

Jonagolds are sweet and juicy, perfect for eating, baking, or turning into cider. These apples ripen in mid to late fall and are an orchard classic because of their reliable harvests and crowd-pleasing sweet-tart flavor. They’re hardy in USDA growing zones 5-8. You can buy a high-quality Jonagold tree online from Trees.com.