12 Best Fragrant Orchids

Is there anything more delightful than the scent of fresh flowers in your garden or on your balcony? With summer just around the corner, it's the perfect time to embrace outdoor living. From warm sunshine to vibrant blooms and the gentle hum of bees, nature is coming alive once more. By introducing fragrant plants into your garden, patio, or balcony, you can create a serene holiday retreat right at home.

Why’s everyone so obsessed with growing lavender? It’s a super plant—that’s why! It barely needs frequent watering, thrives in all types of soil, is edible, and is full of healing goodness. And it has so many varieties with such distinct scents and blooms that it would be a crime not to grow it. Let’s help you pick the most fragrant lavender varieties for your home!

An apple a day keeps the gardener happy and busy, but does it grow in Texas? Yes—but not all varieties! Some apple trees are well-suited to thrive in the Lone Star State’s subtropical to temperate conditions. Let’s find out the best ones for your Texan homestead!

Living in an apartment doesn't have to feel stifling, so long as you have a few space-saving tricks up your sleeve.

A few strategically chosen plants can turn any boring concrete pool area into a lush tropical retreat.

Be it ferns, trailers, vines, or any other kind, plants in hanging baskets take home decor to the next level! But watering them the wrong way could quickly lead them to wilt, dry up, or perish entirely. To water plants in hanging baskets, it’s essential to consider various factors.

Scent is powerful, triggering memories from long ago and transporting us to faraway places. In the garden, fragrant perennials often connect us to childhood walks through our grandparents’ gardens or summer days spent gathering bouquets. Aromatic flowers and foliage also play upon our emotions. Some scents are soothing and can be used to enhance outdoor seating areas to help us unwind after a long day. When planted near the front door, fragrant perennials make an alluring first impression. Fragrant blooms also attract a diversity of pollinators to the garden.

Brace yourself for a flurry of fun with this roundup of the best snow puns and snow jokes!

A well-designed living room layout will help enhance the space by making it more functional for everyday use. To find out what types of elements constitute a top-notch living room layout, we polled three interior designers and asked them to weigh in.

When tapped to design a series of planters for our2024 Idea House in the Kiawah River community on Johns Island, South Carolina, plant pro Steph Green of Contained Creations in Richmond, Virginia, knew exactly what the waterfront property needed. “We wanted to create the most beautiful and biggest statement container gardens, but they needed to be durable and last a long time with minimal upkeep,” says Green. “That’s why picking evergreens or really tough perennials from the Southern Living Plant Collection was kind of the launching point for each individual design.”

Coneflowers or Echinacea are classic daisy-like perennials that lure in the prettiest butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to their honey-scented, nectar-filled blooms! Perfect for landscaping, coneflowers practically grow themselves and appear in stunning hues!

There are countless ornamental grasses to choose from, so narrowing down a list of my favorites is tough. However, the following assortment—categorized by their best season of interest—is a good start. Choosing at least one from each season will ensure that your grass-forward garden always has something spectacular going on.