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The Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) team visited the Atlanta Botanical Garden in late August. The garden was full of blooms despite the sweltering heat. One plant that caught my eye was a vine called evergreen wisteria (Callerya reticulata, formerly Millettia reticulata). It was full of fragrant dark purple blooms. Its showy flowers were in clusters or racemes, like spring-blooming wisteria, but held outward instead of downward. Evergreen wisteria is native to Asia and is in the Fabaceae (legume) family with wisteria. Unlike Chinese (Wisteria sinensis) and Japanese (Wisteria floribunda) wisteria, it is not invasive.

Frosty: Wendy's; Background: JHVEPhoto / Getty Images; Design | Better Homes & Gardens

Hi GPODers!

Hi GPODers!

The Atlanta Botanical Garden has an extraordinary collection of more than 122,230 plants that represent 11,400 taxa and 8,150 species throughout the 30 acres.

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If you crave a home that appears a bit more elevated, keep in mind that there are many ways that you can restyle items that you already own to make your house look and feel brand new.

Fall will be here before you know it, and we know what that means—it’s time to bring out thefall decor. Of course, exactly how to decorate your space for the season may be trickier than it seems. As you’re deciding which route to take, why not consult your zodiac sign?

Whether you travel often, are convinced that you don't have a green thumb, or simply do not want to worry about maintaining live plants day after day, you may wish to incorporate some faux green friends into your home. Today, there are so many incredible, realistic-looking fake plants on the market, making it easy to enjoy a natural feel in your space without having to worry about a watering schedule.

Jason Donnelly

Painting a room can be shockingly stressful—there are so many details to consider. From brand to color to finish, multiple decisions need to be made before you even get started.

Happy Friday GPODers!

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Hi GPODers!

Hi GPODers!

The Atlanta Botanical Garden opened in 1976 adjacent to Piedmont Park at 1345 Piedmont Avenue NE in Midtown Atlanta. It now covers 30 beautifully landscaped areas with plans to add an additional 8 acres in the near future.

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Brick is one of those designer-favorite materials that is timeless and can add unique depth and texture to architectural elements, both indoors and out.

It’s not your imagination—fall and Halloween hype is starting earlier than ever this year.

There's a perpetual flip-flopping of trends when it comes to interior design, and there are two styles in particular that always seem to be playing a popularity tug of war: minimalism and maximalism.

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Laure Joliet / Architectural Digest

Hi GPODers!

Hello GPODers!

Hi GPODers!

Moving out on your own for the first time is a mixture of emotions: excitement about having your own space—whether shared with roommates or not—and naturally, a bit of apprehension.

The HGIC staff recently toured the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Alice’s Wonderland Returns topiaries are on display until September 15th. The exhibit features 38 larger-than-life topiaries, including a 27-foot-tall rabbit! Plan a visit soon.

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Nathan Schroder

When it comes to accomplishing a home project, it can be tempting to call a pro—and in many cases, it’s a must.

Other than a gradual reduction in blooms and the appearance of seasonal orb spiders and Cyclamen hederifolium I hadn’t really noticed how close autumn is until Pauline of Lead Up the Garden Path talked last week about signs of autumn in her garden. I duly looked UP here, instead of down or straight ahead and, my goodness, the leaves are indeed beginning to turn! Overnight temperatures are now cooler too, down to 7°C in recent days, with a monthly maximum of 29°C. It has been a fairly dry month (and the driest of the year), with around 29mm of rain which has been typical of August here of late. Although the garden would certainly welcome some rainfall, the main thing I noticed when I took this month’s photographs is the amount of foliage, the result of lush growth earlier in the year when rainfall was plentiful.

The arrival of autumn is the perfect time to get plants in the ground. Early-season rainstorms and cooling temperatures can help plants establish roots, meaning your outdoor fall to-do list isn't limited to just raking leaves.

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If you're struggling to find or describe your design style, you're not alone. Many people appreciate a wide range of aesthetics but are unable to identify which looks they would actually like to translate into their own home.

It may seem like anything and everything is fair game to display on your open shelves, but this isn't actually the case, designers say. Some items aren't meant to sit out in the open all day long, while others are only going to be frustrating to access when placed high up.