Why Birds Aren’t Using Your Bird Feeder, According To An Expert

The walled garden in a rose-filled garden designed by Julian and Isabel Bannerman

Whether you're living in your forever home or not, the hope is that any home improvement project you tackle will give you a return on your investment.

There's no greater luxury than the feel of brand-new towels. Whether you upgraded from shrunk, outdated towels or wanted an aesthetic change, new towels always come with cozy plushness, and unfortunately, a lot of germs.

Plants need a certain amount of specific nutrients to grow well. Most of the time, garden and houseplants do fine without any help from you. But fertilizing actually gives plants a boost that helps them flourish. “Photosynthesis is how plants make food,” says Stacey Hirvela, horticulturalist withSpring Meadow Nursery andProven Winners Color Choice Shrubs. “But fertilizer is like giving them vitamins.”

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Header image: ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet playing with an arrival of French delicacy macaroons on the International Space Station during his six-month Proxima mission in 2017. Image credit: ESA/NASA

Nothing provides quite the same stunning impact in a floral arrangement as big, beautiful, blooming hydrangeas. Hydrangeas of all colors—blue, purple, white, pink, and red—make their glorious show in Southern gardens in the spring and summer, whether growing lush as a leafy bush, looking charming in a container pot, or of course, dotting the house in vases after being snipped (or picked up from your local flower shop).

You may recognize those unsightly raised ridges and bumps all over your lawn as the handiwork ofmoles digging around for their dinners. But some types of tunneling are caused by a different small mammal called a vole. While moles typically make a mess of lawns, voles can be destructive throughout your garden.

Whether you are renovating a weedy lawn or overseeding existing turf, timing is critical to establishing a healthy, robust lawn. Proper timing ensures good seed germination and allows grass seedlings time to establish a healthy root system before the environmental stresses of summer or winter arrive. In turn, a healthy grass stand is better able to compete against weeds and requires less maintenance. We visited with a lawn expert to learn more about the ideal time to reseed lawns, factors to consider, and techniques for achieving a lush and healthy lawn.

Many annuals and perennials need plenty of sunlight to thrive. Whether you have sunny areas in your front, side, or backyard or a porch, patio, or balcony and want to add more plants that will come back year after year, there are plenty of sun loving perennials to choose from. Many full-sun perennials provide important food sources for bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and moths. While you're enjoying the colorful hues and curious and cool looking blossoms, you'll also get a pollinator show with their frequent visits.

How To Propagate Bird of Paradise Plants

These cute little winged insects not only play an important role in maintaining a healthy garden ecosystem, but they are also a symbol of positivity. Let’s have a look at the reasons why ladybugs are good luck.