Country Ideas, Tips & Guides

For the last 19 years I have spent the third week in May at the Chelsea Flower show. It's one of those Great British institutions that just has to be experienced — a chance to see the country's best horticultural performers all in one space, to glean ideas, spot trends and talk to the people who make our gardens grow.

Cicada Brood XIX has arrived in Greenwood County. Enjoy the amazing photos taken by HGIC Agent, Ginger Long. Brood XIX is one of the largest broods in the country, covering the greatest geographic area. In South Carolina, the emergence is projected to be in many upstate counties and counties along the Savannah River basin down to Aiken County. The adults live only for a few weeks, and after about a month, they will disappear as mysteriously as their arrival.

“Connecting with nature.” “Trying something different.” “An appreciation of history.” Ask a new generation of gardeners just why they want to embark on a course in horticulture at a country house estate and those are the kinds of answers they will give you.

Coco, Olive and Regina George—yes, the latter has a Mean Girls streak—give me the eye as I step into their space. It’s not surprising: I’d protect my coop if I were a chicken pecking my way around Rosie Daykin’s ridiculously stylish backyard on Vancouver’s west side.

L: Carson Downing. R: John Shearer / Contributor / Getty Images | Design: Better Homes & Gardens

As much as we adore forecasting upcoming trends here at The Spruce, we love seeing those trends executed in real life even more.

Image: Houghton Tower. Credit: Houghton Tower As sunnier days are approaching, it's finally the perfect time to get the family together and have a wander. If you're looking for the best gardens in Lancashire, or perhaps a walking trail or two, then here are some of our top picks to get you out and about – whatever the weather. Gardens & Halls Houghton Tower

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In the rich tapestry of Chinese culture, flowers are symbols of their tradition. Whether you are a gardener or an artist, these will inspire you to grow them for sure!

There are certain global events that everyone knows. If you've never heard of St Patrick's Day, people will likely ask you what planet you are from. Globally, people grow up hearing tales of Carnival in Brazil, Oktoberfest in Germany, and several other festivals that are also celebrated in smaller numbers outside their home countries. But what of the world’s lesser-known celebrations? Have you ever heard of Spain’s baby jumping festival? Or the Monkey Buffet Festival in Thailand? (No, it doesn’t involve humans eating them.)

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Lately, it seems like every time you turn on the local weather forecast, the meteorologist is talking about drought conditions. If you are in a severely affected area, or under water restrictions, this doesn’t mean you have to give up gardening. By following some drought-wise garden water tips, you can have your water, and your garden, too.

Asian fruits bring a tasty adventure to your palate! From sweet bananas packed with vitamins to figs' earthy aroma, each fruit has unique flavors and health benefits. Try juicy lychee, creamy jackfruit, or sour starfruit. Dive into the crunchy snake fruit, sweet mangosteen, or the delightful Asian pear. Don't forget the king of fruits – the mango, known for its unbeatable taste and fragrance. Enjoy these delicious treats from Southeast Asia!

Gardeners today with busy schedules want less work in their gardens, and thus a need is established for plants that do just that. Their focus is more on leaf texture and foliage colour, rather than blooms and pruning schedules, consequently plants that don’t require a lot of care and maintenance are sought after.

To the novice it is a mystery why a simple little blossom should be burdened with an unpronounceable Latin name-and not only with one, but two and often even more. She forgets that her own name is not only Brown, that to distinguish her from all the other Browns she has been called Kathy and because of the many Kathy Browns she bears the additional name of Ann. It is just so with plants; each has a family or genus name, a given or specific name and often one or more descriptive names. Thus we have Myosotis palustris semperflorens, a plant belonging to the Myosotis or Dill family. This particular one is a marsh-lover and a more or less continual bloomer, as the last two parts of its name indicate. We prefer to call this flower Forget-me-not, its pet or familiar name, just as Kathy Ann Brown’s friends may wish to call him Kathleen or Kate.It is very interesting to investigate why the botanical names were chosen. We have all known a man named Small who was anything but small, or a girl named Grace who was not at all graceful. In the plant world, such entirely inappropriate names occur very seldom; each name is chosen to describe a particular plant and plants do not change sufficiently to belie the terms descriptive of their family. The original Small was, no doubt, small of stature, but through the ages his children have outgrown the name.

In the long history of plant science, no name is more famous than that of Linnaeus and no book is more highly regarded than his “Species Plantarum,” published in 1753.

Last September my husband and I fulfilled a long-held dream of visiting Australia, when we decided to take a road trip from Brisbane to Sydney. When you look at the map, our trip marks only a tiny slice of this massive country, but we knew we wanted to take it slowly and really soak up the countryside and enjoy the places we did have time to see.

On October 9, 2023, Travis Gienger from Anoka, Minnesota, set the world record for the heaviest pumpkin, weighing 2749 pounds. The record was previously held by Stefano Cutrupi with a pumpkin weighing 2708.8 lbs. Gienger had already established the U.S. record in the previous year with a 2560-pounder and in 2020 with one weighing 2350 pounds.

If you’ve eaten today, you can thank a trucker. Much of the food we eat in this country, and most other things as well, are transported by trucks—as much as 70 percent of the value of all commercial goods shipped in the US. And while the average American might not think too much about long-haul truckers in their day-to-day life, maybe we should. Not only is this an industry that we depend on critically, it’s one that is going through something of a transformation.

Michael Garland

How do you know exactly when it's time to clean your home or take on an organizing project? It turns out that many common signs indicate that your home has seen better days and needs a little care, experts say.

Imagine yourself enjoying the sight of an eagle soaring overhead. This moment is a powerful symbol of freedom and strength, and can make you go – wow! Let’s have a detailed insight on – What Does It Mean When an Eagle Flies Over You?

Kip Dawkins

Whether you’re house hunting, looking for a new apartment, or considering a move, Zillow surfing is one of the most lovely experiences you can have online. There’s no comment section or social media aspect to it; it’s simply a tool for exploration and fun, and, boy, did we take advantage of that this year.

Those of us who have spent a few years (or more) in the American West know that winter here doesn’t look like winter in much of the country. As far as I’m concerned, this is a good thing; I don’t enjoy days of gray skies and persistent snow cover. Our woody landscape plants, however, would say otherwise.

The Haw River cuts through North Carolina’s Piedmont region from its source in Forsyth County. Below Jordan Lake, it joins the Deep River to form the Cape Fear River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean near the southernmost tip of the state.

Pembrokeshire has more than 180 miles of vast, unspoiled coastline, where beaches embrace rugged cliffs, largely untouched by modern life. This region beckons families and solo travellers alike, offering a tranquil getaway.

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As an experienced and respected professional florist, Róisín Godfrey has spent the last eight years working alongside some of the biggest names in the industry in the UK and Ireland, a career that has taken her to some of the most beautiful private houses, hotels and art galleries in the world.

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Every fall, the United Nations holds a global meeting to discuss the state of climate change and necessary actions. This two-week gathering is for the signees of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and is called the Conference of the Parties, or COP, for short. Also in attendance are policymakers, NGOs, lobbyists, scientists and more.

Designing your home is an exciting endeavor—that is until you realize just how many interior decorating styles there are. If you're firmly rooted in a particular style, happy designing. If you're feeling dizzy from the number of choices, don't fret.

Mandy Melnyk has made some changes to her egg and poultry business in the last few months. The owner of Meadow Creek Farms in northern Alberta serves about 200 families a month with her egg subscriptions and broiler chickens—but now, instead of customers coming to pick up their orders from Melnyk directly, she’s spending a lot of time in the car, delivering them herself. 

Enter our day 7 prize draw for your chance to win ‘his and hers’ Buckingham wellington boots worth £109.98 from Harbour Lifestyle.

Luiz Jiménez, 39, has been working on American dairy farms for 20 years. He is used to working long hours for little pay, fearful of losing a vital source of income for his family. A father of three, Jiménez is originally from Oaxaca, Mexico and came to the United States undocumented. He is one of an estimated 238,000 undocumented agricultural workers in the US. Like many others, he is without a visa, credit or health insurance, making it difficult to safely advocate for better working conditions without putting his livelihood at risk.