A verdant garden in Corfu with views all the way to Albania
On hot, still summer days, the oils contained in the foliage of aromatic plants are coaxed out by the sun. As they sweat in the heat, their scent fills the air. Most of these plants hail from the Mediterranean and, when their odours mingle, the smell is reminiscent of that region; the camphorous, spiced, balsam notes of lavender, thyme, cistus, rosemary and other drought-tolerant herbs that thrive in the sun-baked garrigue of southern France and similar Mediterranean wildernesses. In the right conditions, they are low-maintenance, long-flowering stalwarts, and their pungent perfumes add a layer of magic to the summer garden.
Under the sun's rays, the leaves of rock roses (Cistus) release an incredible ambergris odour. Some – such as Cistus ladanifer, which is used by the perfume industry to mimic musk, and C. x dansereaui 'Decumbens' – ooze so much sweet resin that their leaves are sticky. If you love scent, they are must-have plants.
The sages also offer a wealth of fragrant foliage choices, from the gorgeous papery flowers of biennial clary (Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica) to the sub-shrub perovskia (Salvia 'Blue Spire'), which has woolly flowers humming with bees in summer and ghostly grey stems in winter.
On the terrace, scented pelargoniums are gorgeous in pots as summer bedding. Most require their leaves to be rubbed to release their aromas, but some are unleashed by the heat of the sun, especially balsam-scented 'Royal Oak' and 'Attar of Roses'; the latter is a form of the species used to make geranium essential oil.
And, for those with room to spare, one of the new compact gum trees (for instance, Eucalyptus gunnii Azura) will make the garden smell
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A conversation with Sarah Price about how she designs her planting schemes is fascinating. She works in an unfettered way, with no specific planting plans but an intuitive sense of the plants that will work well together to form the nature-inspired compositions she is known for. Her gardens are like exquisite paintings, comprising layers of detail with a gentle succession of plants that provide interest for most of the year. This summer combination comes from Sarah’s own garden on the edge of Abergavenny. Here, she has created different areas and habitats, including a dry garden in the old walled kitchen garden.
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.”
A couple of the Sunset editors were talking about the Barbie Dreamhouse the other day. And we had a hot take: Although it’s an iconic home (with a slide, pool, and a color palette that childhood dreams were made of), it’s not the most attractive-looking space from an interior design or architecture standpoint. Sure, it has some touches of mid-century modern style and an extremely cohesive color palette, but we think not very many people would want to live there IRL. On top of that, it doesn’t really look homey or comfy. And all of that’s okay, because the house is for a doll and make-believe moments. What’s a human who wants to live out their Barbie fantasies to do?
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.
From temperature extremes to shifting rainfall patterns, communities coast to coast are experiencing the increasing impacts of climate change. In many areas summers are hotter and drier, making gardeners more reliant on supplemental irrigation to grow the same plants that thrived for them in years past. Meanwhile, restrictions on watering in some regions make responding to drought more challenging. In the face of unpredictable rainfall and unprecedented temperature fluctuations, it’s more important than ever to invest in plants that can withstand waves of heat and drought.
Would you like to perk up your garden this winter? This guide to the best winter plants for pots has lots of gorgeous plant suggestions to inspire you.