Do This After Buying Orchids to Ensure Longevity

Dane Tashima

Jason Donnelly

In an ideal world, we’d all have an interior designer on hand to help us shop for beautiful new home decor each season. Lucky for us, we have the second-best scenario. 

Want to make hummingbirds see red? Plant a firebush in your garden. Also called scarlet bush, it is not only among the easiest of plants to grow, but it also stays in bloom throughout the growing season with clusters of tubular red buds and flowers. Because the Southern growing season overlaps the spring and fall migration times of the ruby-throated hummingbird, and red is by far their favorite color, these blossoms will summon them to your garden.

Brie Goldman 

Chrysanthemums or mums are a must-have for autumn décor. They are perfect for pairing with pumpkins and gourds, and steal the spotlight with an explosion of blooms in fiery red, orange, and yellow hues that echo the autumn foliage. You’ll also find vibrant pink, lavender, and even white mums to dress up containers and gardens. Mums are easy to care for but require regular watering to keep them flowering for many weeks. How much water plants need and how often you should water mums varies depending on where the plant is growing. Follow these simple tips to determine when to water mums and keep them looking their best all season.

Even if you aren't fortunate enough to live next to a meadow of wildflowers, you can still capture their untamed beauty in a container or garden this summer by planting cosmos. Cosmos come in various colors, from burgundy to pink to white. Mix them up for a more natural look, like a wildflower meadow. Bonus: this colorful flower, native to tropical America, attracts birds and butterflies with its cheery blooms. Because of their wildflower characteristics, cosmo flowers are considered invasive in some environments. Cosmos are prime not only for containers but for creating a mass of color in borders or backgrounds or as a filler among shrubs.

The changing of seasons is always a great time to take on a big home clean out in order to start off on a fresh, organized note. With the end of summer, there are a few specific products in particular that you may wish to part ways with, professional cleaning experts say.

When you picture the perfect fall-styled front porch, it’s safe to assume there are a few staples: a few pumpkins, gourds, and some potted mums.

While mums are particularly popular during the fall season for their lasting power and bright multi-colored blooms, they aren't the only stars of the show for this upcoming season.

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.

Looking for something unusual to grow in the garden? Look no further than chocolate cosmos, a tuberous perennial with velvety blooms and a decadent fragrance. With showy wine-red blossoms that perfume the garden with the distinctive aromas of chocolate and vanilla from mid-summer through fall, chocolate cosmos entices butterflies and curious gardeners alike. The blooms make fragrant cutting for the vase and plants perform beautifully in containers, where their scent can be enjoyed on patios and balconies. Bring the beauty and aroma of chocolate cosmos to your own garden by learning how to grow and care for these unique bloomers.