Fresh foraged material adds a special touch to any entry, table-scape, or staircase during the holidays.
Backyard greenery like boxwood, holly, juniper, cypress, magnolia, nandina, ligustrum, mahonia, and arborvitae are great options to use in holiday decor. Additionally, vines like ivy or woody vines like wisteria work well incorporated into arrangements. When pruning backyard foliage, prune evenly around the plant and not too heavy on one side so that the bush won’t look lopsided for the next season. For tips on choosing and caring for fresh-cut greens see, HGIC 1753, Holiday Decorating with Fresh Greenery.
Pinecones can be gathered up and baked on a baking sheet in the oven at 250 degrees for an hour to dry out and kill any insects inside. They can be sprayed with lacquer or spray paint for a pop of color. They are great to use as tree ornaments or piled in a hurricane vase centerpiece. If used on an outdoor wreath, soak them in water to make them close up, making them easier to use.
Holly and nandina berries will add color to any wreath or arrangement. Cut the entire branch to incorporate leaves and stems in arrangements. Make sure to water them and keep them out of the reach of children and pets.
Let okra, cotton bolls, echinops thistle, nigella, and other pod forming plants go to seed on the stem and use the seed pods as textural additions to your holiday bouquets. Hang upside down in a cool space to fully dry out. Some great blooming flowers like celosia, gomphrena, ageratum, and strawflower can be dried and used in décor. For more information on drying flowers see, HGIC 1151, Drying Flowers.
Kale florets, swiss chard stems, and even carrots can make for great centerpieces from your garden. Cold hardy herbs like thyme,
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Calling all cat lovers! If you’re looking for a fun and creative way to give your furry friend a cozy place to relax outside, look no further than these DIY Outdoor Cat House Ideas! Whether your cat loves lounging in the sun or snuggling up in a cozy hideaway, there are plenty of options to suit every feline’s preferences. From repurposed materials to clever designs, these DIY Cat Room Ideas will inspire you to create a space your kitty will love. So grab your tools and get ready to create a little slice of paradise for your furry friend!
As Digital Content Editor Christine Alexander explains, pollinators play a vital role in our ecosystem and we should all be doing our part to support their populations:
An initiative of The Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) started 14 years ago, National Maintenance Week is a drive to raise awareness among owners of all kinds of buildings, not just ancient and period homes, about the importance of regular care and prevention of any damage that time and weather can cause.
After 20 years of having a lawn that took, I wanted a yard that contributed: to the planet, to local animals, to biodiversity, to my neighbors, to my mental health. With the sage (native plant pun intended) design work, counsel, and collaboration of David Godshall of Terremoto and David Newsom of Wild Yards Project—and a plant-friendly paint palette from color consultant Teresa Grow—another little garden that gives was born.
It’s well known that the housing market is so competitive right now, but prospective home buyers aren’t the only ones hurting—renters are, too. According to personal finance website WalletHub, inflation has impacted rental prices, and 2022 saw the second-highest price growth in decades with a 6.2% year-over-year increase.
For those who are looking to buy a home for the first time, the feat can seem like quite the hurdle. With housing prices and interest rates still high, and a competitive market, it’s tough out there! And the number of first-time home buyers are dropping, too, because of those high prices—according to personal finance site WalletHub, 26% off home purchases were made by first-time home buyers in 2022, down from 34% the previous year.
Veg Seed Sowing Plans for May To ensure a continuous harvest throughout the summer rather than a glut successional sowing of salads, radishes, beetroots, carrots, autumn giant leeks and spring onions and peas should continue. Sow basil, particularly alongside tomato seedlings to help draw white fly away plus spinach, rocket and ornamental salad leaves. Globe Artichokes and Swiss Chard for looks as well as food. Pole, French and above all Runner Beans Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Savoy Cabbage, Kale and Calabrese
A stroll through a boutique garden store might lead you to believe that filling a garden with happy, healthy plants is only for the well-heeled. But those very plants that have soaring price tags in the store might be yours for free if you are willing to be a little creative. If you are wondering how to get free plants, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for five tried-and-true paths that lead you to free garden plants.
From trying cottage cheese ice cream to adding protein powder and bananas to morning coffee, the internet is ablaze with protein hacks lately—but Trader Joe’s just announced a bit of extra protein in its Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup that you may not want to try.
When deciding upon which trees and shrubs to plant in the landscape, I always suggest that gardeners consider plants that offer more than one season of interest. This aspect of consideration is usually not taken into account by most of the people that I speak with, but it certainly should. Especially since there are so many great trees and shrubs that help to brighten up the often-dreary winter landscape. There are several shrubs that flower in winter, some that display vibrant fruit, have interesting form or beautiful bark.