Do you garden the way you decorate? | House & Garden

Sometimes, we want to refresh our clothes and linens beyond just setting a normal washing machine cycle.

Is Your Husband a Gardening Ninja?

Green leaves are the energy engines that fuel our gardens. Without them there would be no flowers, no sugars for summer tomatoes, and no cooling or oxygenating the air while growing the mighty trees that give landscapes a sense of time and permanence. A gardener’s admiration of leaves can quickly fade, however, when faced with brown leaves blanketing everything from azaleas to annuals, and patios to pools. Leaves are suddenly a problem, something to manage—in other words, work.

Have you ever thought about installing a pond in your garden? A pond can offer numerous advantages and serves more purposes than just being a decorative feature. Whether you have a spacious garden or a modest area, a pond can be a valuable addition. Here are five reasons why your garden might benefit from having a pond:

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.

Eco-friendly garden design can save you money on landscaping.

If you're considering painting your deck, be mindful that experts are extremely opposed to this practice for a number of reasons.

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.

Asters, rudbeckias and heleniums can be glimpsed behind the giant oat grass, Stipa gigantea

How to Establish a Monarch Waystation in Your Garden Help monarch butterflies by providing essential nectar and host plants in your own Monarch Waystation. The amazing monarch butterfly journey

If you plan on setting up an entertainment system in your garden, there are many ways you can go about it, and there are many things to consider to ensure you get the most out of your space. 

As you prepare your garden for autumn and winter, you may come across some tree seedlings, especially sycamore, ash, and oak, sprouting in your borders. Rather than letting these young trees end up in the compost heap, consider giving them a new lease on life by participating in the GardenAdvice Young Gardeners Tree Project as a tree donor..