Question of the Week – Kudzu Bug

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.”

Fall armyworms are being reported in lawns and pastures across South Carolina. If you notice caterpillars feeding or moving in large numbers during the early morning or late evening hours, you may have an infestation.

It is indeed painful to find unwanted plants taking over your carefully curated vegetation. While not all weeds are garden enemies, the ones on this list surely are! Learn to recognize the most common and persistent weeds found in the states, and save your garden from invasion now.

Espresso martinis have dominated drink menus for several years now, but a new coffee cocktail might be challenging their spot at the top of the happy hour list. Carajillos have arrived on the scene, and they’re a simpler, smaller-sized cousin of espresso martinis (tiny cocktails, anyone?). Made with just two ingredients, this espresso-based cocktail is just as tasty as an espresso martini, but much easier to recreate at home.

Asclepias incarnata

Cunila origanoides

Penstemon eatonii 

Asclepias verticillata

Salvia greggii ‘Pink Preference’

Every year, Better Homes & Gardens celebrates innovators, influencers, and creators who offer inspiration and joy in the realms of food, home, garden, and lifestyle. They're called Stylemakers. Some are household names, and others are everyday people making a difference in their corner of the world, but they're all some of our favorite creative thinkers, dreamers, and doers. Here you'll learn a bit about each 2024 Stylemaker plus their current projects and passions.

Most gardeners are familiar with the USDA plant hardiness zone map, which represents cold hardiness. But cold hardiness only indicates one aspect of a plant’s preferred conditions. Its ability to tolerate heat is equally important. You might have seen heat zones listed along with hardiness zones on your plant labels, but what do they mean? The following info will help you better understand and use this valuable gardening tool.

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.