How to beautify the exterior of your house with plants | House & Garden

Companion planting is the centuries-old practice of pairing plants in the garden that benefit one another. Our gardens function as interconnected communities, with different plants providing unique services. Some plants attract beneficial insects, others ward off pests, while some enhance soil health. Anyone who’s grown tomatoes knows they are heavy feeders, and often plagued by foliar diseases and a diversity of insect pests. They certainly stand to benefit from tomato companion plants that promote healthier plants and increased yields.

This year Chelsea Flower Show was full of interesting trees and shrubs with lots of dreamy woodland-edge planting in dappled light underneath leafy canopies. Native trees such as hawthorns, hazels and silver birch were the favoured choices in many of the show gardens, with a mixture of native and non-native ornamental plants selected for resilience and sustainability. In Ula Maria’s Forest Bathing Garden, white foxgloves, cow parsley and other umbellifers like Baltic parsley (Cenolophium denudatum) and valerian (Valeriana officinalis) were mixed with the simple shade-loving grass Melica altissima ‘Alba’ while Tom Stuart-Smith showcased intricate tapestries of interesting foliage in different shapes and textures. In other gardens, orange was a popular colour in many shades, from deep rusty orange irises to pale orange geums, especially in Ann Marie-Powell’s exuberant Octavia Hill Garden. As always, the Grand Pavilion is the ideal place to discover new and interesting plants showcased by some of the country’s leading nurseries.

Certain sounds fill the heart with the joys of summer, but the season's undisputed high note has to be the sizzle of a garden barbecue. Beyond clear blue skies, and an excellent potato salad recipe, what more could a griller want besides first-rate barbecue tool sets?

For Angel Collins, putting together a palette of plants either for herself or a client is one of the most pleasurable parts of designing a garden. ‘Making that initial list and then finally laying them out in the garden, seeing how they all work together, is something that I will never tire of,’ she says. ‘I make mood boards for my clients and provide them with a list. But I never draw out a rigid plan, as I prefer to set the plants out by eye and play around with the balance.’

The fruits and vegetables harvested from your own patch of earth are always the sweetest–doubly so if your garden is more shoebox than sprawling country pile. In pursuit of the perfect strawberry, modern gardeners are turning to the old Victorian favourite: cloches.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) is one of the easiest plants to find in the wild, since its strong, sweet scent hangs on the air. Native to most of Europe, it is a common sight and smell in our woodlands and hedgerows in summer, twining itself around trees and scrub and luring a wide variety of wildlife. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Oberon describes Titania's sleeping place as 'quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine'. It is certainly a plant fit for a queen, since each of the flowerheads resembles a crown of cream and gold, formed of a ring of tubular blooms.

Love the minimalist architectural plant trend but only have a small space for styling indoor greenery? There’s no need to lug in a 6-foot specimen tree to add bodacious botanicals into your home, because even the smallest planters can make a big impact when intentionally pairing striking foliage with a unique vessel. Think the graceful curves of a sphere planter paired with round rosy fronds, or curating a juxtaposition of a bonsai-esque statement plant with delicate saucers—the combinations are endless! 

Although air conditioning is the most popular go-to for cooling down a room fast, not every home comes equipped with a central AC system. And while window AC units can help take the edge off, they don’t necessarily boost curb appeal or promote energy efficiency.

Happy Friday GPODers!

Ceiling fans can make a stuffy room feel pleasantly cool, but unlike air conditioners, they don’t actually lower the temperature of a room. Instead, fans generate a breeze, creating a wind-chill-like effect as the moving air helps you eliminate body heat. But if your ceiling fan only pushes around hot air, this phenomenon won’t be nearly as effective. To keep your home cool (and comfortably warm in the winter), learn how to change your ceiling fan direction for summer and winter.

Monstera andansonii is officially known as the Mexican breadfruit plant although it’s more commonly known as the monkey mask plant. There are a few theories as to where this name comes from – that the shape of the leaf and its hole resembles a monkey’s face, or that monkeys use the leaf to hide behind, like a mask, peering through the holes. It’s a tropical perennial that makes a bold and beautiful house plant in the UK. Monstera adansonii is less vigorous than its relation Monstera deliciosa, and a good choice if you love architectural foliage plants but are limited on space.

Fuchsias originate from South America