Features Ideas, Tips & Guides

Jell-O

This year we are celebrating 30 years of 2-for-1 Gardens, and we have 407 gardens taking part, from local hidden gems to national landmarks! To kick off your year of garden visits, we’ve picked out some of the 2-for-1 Gardens in the scheme this year which are perfect for a visit this month. Head out with your 2-for-1 Gardens card and enjoy saving money on days out with friends and family, whilst gathering lots of garden inspiration!

If you’re looking for the ultimate destination for gardening enthusiasts, then QVC is is the platform for you.

Susan Burke’s home and garden on the Nantucket shoreline off the coast of Massachusetts were designed from scratch when she and her late husband first purchased the property. Featuring tall borders of naturalistic plantings and hardscaping that weave off into nature in the backyard, this space also has a more formal garden in the front yard consisting mostly of native plants. A large dune comes up from the beach, where a buffer of native flora divides the garden from the beach beyond.

The furniture in your garden is about more than eating and relaxing, it also forms part of the overall design of the garden. The type, size and finish of the furniture comes into play, and the surrounding hard landscaping and planting can help turn your furniture choices into a design feature in their own right.

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Even if your vacuum cleaner has served you well for many years, all appliances have an expiration date and aren't meant to last forever. So how do you know for sure that yours is on its last leg?

SMEG

Up until this year, my backyard was all about function. But as summer approaches and our garden comes to life, the need to decorate outdoors and make our patio a more welcoming place to spend every sunny day has begun to blossom.

Not everyone has the fortune of living in their ultimate dream home the first time around, and even if they do, their tastes and needs may change over time. So, it’s more likely that homeowners will find elements and spaces in and around the house that they feel can be improved and updated.

Shangri-La Paris

Tulips are amazing flowers, but cultivating them everywhere is not possible. The reason why we have their lookalikes in this article to ensure you get their beauty without actually having them!

Today we’re exploring more of Jay Sifford‘s lesser-seen back garden. We’ve toured and featured the award-winning landscape designer’s immaculate stylized meadow front garden, but now we’re wondering why the blooming bogs at the back of his home aren’t getting more attention.

These cotton candy-like flowers not only create a magical effect in your garden, but also attract beneficial pollinators!

Dunkin'

As spring and summer approach, bringing the outside in through our home decor starts to feel very appealing. And as we've been filling our homes with floral bouquets and scrolling for the perfect seasonal pieces of home decor, a certain shell-like motif keeps popping up.

The Home Depot

Andy Lyons

Food Network

If you've ever marveled at the cozy ambiance of a room, chances are a great lighting scheme was at work.

With so many Colocasia varieties to choose from, picking one for your room can be a challenge. Don’t worry! We have handpicked some of the most beautiful ones that will make it easy for you to select the one you like!

Chasing Paper

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We love a good before-and-after on the GPOD. Getting to see what a gardener started with really shows the work, talent, and time that goes into creating every garden we feature on the GPOD. So today we’re going to share some of our favorite glow-ups.

IKEA

Thanks to their quality and affordability, it's pretty easy to love IKEA furniture. Though the pieces often feature basic lines and simple structures, they make the perfect blank canvas to personalize, and from that came IKEA hacks.

If the thought of waiting weeks or even months for blooms to appear on plants, well, those days are gone! Here are the ones that flower in no time!

The HGIC Visit to Riverbanks Botanical Garden in Columbia ~Part 2~ This is a beautiful place to bring the whole family. There’s a 3-acre interactive Children’s Garden that features a dino dig, giant tree houses, splash zones, and more. Plant a visit soon!

A lush, green lawn is a source of pride and joy for many gardeners but it’s often where all the action takes place in the garden. The focal point for gatherings with friends and family, it can suffer from overuse and too much wear and tear. Terrific turf needs a good lawn care regime to achieve it and while regular mowing and watering will take you so far, there are a couple of additional tasks for your to do list, which will help keep your lawn in tip-top condition. Regardless of how often you cut your lawn, over time the soil underneath the turf becomes compacted, while above ground a thick, impenetrable layer of thatch and organic debris develops around the roots. This undesirable combination prevents air, water and nutrients from reaching deep down to the grass’ root system and ultimately weakens its growth, leaving the plant susceptible to pests and diseases. Scarifying your lawn will help remove thatch and debris, but if you need to relieve compacted soil underneath the turf, it’s best to aerate it. Aeration is the process of making air holes in the lawn to create ventilation. In small lawns a simple garden fork can be used to push holes into the ground but you can also buy manual aerators, either solid or hollow tined, which require the same effort as a fork. However, if you have a lot of lawn and not much time, other types of aerator are probably the best option. Whether you’re pushing a roller covered in spikes, or using a powered machine, these aerators are a labour-saving version of the trusty garden fork, mechanically making a series of holes in the lawn.

The «big light» in your bathroom has its purpose. It helps you see which spots need shaving and wakes you up in the morning—but there's no denying it's a major ambiance killer when you're trying to unwind at night.

Before embarking on your bug hotel construction journey, scout out the ideal location. Bugs love warmth and sunlight, so choose a spot that receives plenty of sunshine throughout the day. Additionally, ensure the area is sheltered from strong winds and predators. A south-facing wall or a sunny corner of your garden would be perfect. Remember, a bug hotel is essentially a sanctuary for insects, so providing a hospitable environment is crucial.

Little Greene

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Modern farmhouse blends iconic and traditional farmhouse aesthetics with contemporary elements. The interior design style requires the right combination of historic farmhouse charm, like shiplap doors or open shelving, with modern-day elements like sleek metal finishes.

As warmer weather approaches, many are eager to find new ways to refresh their outdoor spaces, including yards, balconies, porches, patios, and verandas. Outdoor furniture provides more than a place to sit, relax, or entertain. It also offers an opportunity to extend interior design showcasing to spaces you might not have used in months.

KitchenAid