The team’s restoration approach is guided by a deceptively simple idea: trees act their size, not their age. A hundred-year-old red spruce tree may stand just 20 feet tall. They can spend decades, even centuries, surviving in the understory, tolerating the shade beneath a dense hardwood canopy.
“Generally, red spruce is perfectly happy to lose the race to the top of the canopy,” says Humbert.
But once a gap opens in the canopy, caused by storm winds or human intervention, the trees can rapidly grow toward the light and fill the space. A strategy of patience.
This ties in with my own observations.
A few years ago I saw a Granny Smith apple planted in a non-gardener’s yard. He said something about how the tree just wasn’t doing anything.
I asked him how long ago it had been planted. He figured 6 years. Yet it was about the same size as when he had planted it!
If a tree is in an unfavorable location (this was mostly in shade) and isn’t fed, watered and mulched (his was none of the above), it doesn’t take off.
We had some fruit trees sit for about two years with minimal growth before we deep mulched and fed them with compost. The next year, they grew multiple feet.
Even though some will say “first year they sleep, second they creep, third they leap, it’s not a given. I have seen even first year trees take off when cared for well.
Here’s how we do it:
In related news, we’ll have a huge amount of bare root fruit trees coming into the shop in mid-January. Stay tuned.
Also, if you open up some light for a tree in the woods, you will often see it take off. This is something to remember if you have forested land on your property.
Go through there and look for trees you would like to see thrive, then cut down some of the undesired trees around them. You can even just drop the limbs and leaves on the ground where the other trees will feed on them over time.
If you find a persimmon, or plum, or pecan, or mulberry or whatever you would like to encourage, give it some light! Winter is a great time to do this.
As we look back on the past year at Fine Gardening, I’m struck by just how much has grown—our content, our community, and the ways we support gardeners at every stage of their journey. This year was about deepening our roots while expanding our reach, and none of it would be possible without the curiosity, enthusiasm, and dedication of our members. Read on to learn about everything that happened online this year.
New Content for Our Online Members
In 2025, we published 445 online articles, delivering trusted, practical, and inspiring gardening guidance throughout the year. Of those, 63 were region-specific, offering localized advice that acknowledges what gardeners know to be true: Where you garden matters. From climate considerations to plant selection, these pieces helped members make smarter decisions tailored to their own backyards.
White creeping thyme (Thymus praecox ‘Albiflorus’, Zones 4–9) makes for a lovely, low-growing flowering ground cover that will fill in between stepping stones.
Throughout the year, our members also showed us exactly what resonated most. Among the most popular articles published in 2025 were How to Grow Creeping Thyme, 4 Steps to Remove Invasive Plants in Your Yard, and The Best Edging Tools for the Garden. These standout pieces reflect a shared desire for approachable, trustworthy advice—whether that means choosing resilient plants, tackling common garden challenges, or finding the right tools and inspiration for the season.
The “King of Spades” has multiple uses, is light, and works like a charm for edging when the going gets tough. Learn more or purchase here.
One of my favorite articles published this year was an investigative piece by Kaitlyn Hayes, Online Plant Poaching: The Growing Problem of Botanical Theft. In this article, Kaitlyn examines the issue of plant poaching, particularly within our nation’s national parks, and explains how it harms fragile ecosystems. She also offers guidance for plant buyers, outlining what to watch for to ensure rare plants are ethically and responsibly sourced. This article marks what I hope will be the beginning of a series that sheds light on the lesser seen but critically important issues unfolding behind the scenes in the gardening industry.
This year also saw the launch of a long-sought resource: the Hydrangea Growing Guide. This all-in-one collection joins our other guides, Gardening Basics, Growing Fruits and Veggies, Guide to Pruning, and Container Gardening Guide, to bring together our best content on growing the garden of your dreams, including variety selection, care and maintenance advice, video tutorials, and more. It’s a perfect example of how we’re making it easier for members to find everything they need in one place.
You can read most of the articles from the print archive by clicking “Magazine” in the navigation bar.
Our print legacy continued to thrive online as well. We published all four of our print issues digitally, giving members access to more than 80 in-depth print articles, along with exclusive extras designed to extend learning even further. These stories remain a cornerstone of Fine Gardening: thoughtful, beautifully crafted, and firmly rooted in real-world experience. You can see all of our issues online, and members can read the entire issue online as a digital e-book, or as online articles published to the website—your choice! Just click each issue to view what’s inside.
Multimedia and Online Learning Opportunities
Video learning was another area of strong growth this year. We produced and published over 50 videos on our YouTube channel, covering everything from plant profiles and maintenance tutorials to in-depth classes. These visual resources bring gardening techniques to life and make expert instruction more accessible than ever.
One of our most exciting membership enhancements in 2025 was the addition of our full-length e-learning courses. Members now have access to our complete course library, learning directly from respected experts such as Courtney Olander, Niki Jabbour, Richard Hawke, and Kelly D. Norris. This marks a significant step forward in our commitment to education, allowing members to dive deeply into specific topics at their own pace.
Our most popular podcast this year was “Plants You Can’t Kill.” Seems like everyone likes a sure thing!
We brought fresh voices and timely conversations to our audience through 14 podcast episodes of Let’s Argue About Plants, connecting gardeners with unique plant varieties, experiences, and expertise they can enjoy wherever they are—whether in the garden, the car, or the greenhouse. On the audio side, our podcast continued to be a favorite way to learn and stay inspired. The most-listened episodes of the year, Episode 181: “Plants You Can’t Kill” and Episode 180: “Plants with Big, Bold Foliage,” underscore what gardeners value most: reliable plant choices, confidence-building guidance, and plants that deliver impact.
We also connected with members in real time through three live webinars focused on pests, growing conifers, and clever approaches to spring bulbs. Led by educators and experts, these events offered practical insight, research-based advice, and meaningful interaction. Looking ahead to 2026, we’re excited to expand this effort, with a goal of hosting at least one live educational webinar each month. Topics already on the horizon include amending soil for the best garden possible, growing heirloom vegetables, gravel gardening, and more—all designed to keep members at the forefront of gardening knowledge.
Halesia carolina (Zones 4–8), submitted by Lynette Rodriguez
Lastly, we’re announcing an improvement to Garden Photo of the Day submissions with the launch of a new online submission form. In addition to emailing photos, contributors can now upload images directly through the form, making it faster and easier to share high-quality photos and details without the technical hurdles of file links or multiple emails. That enthusiasm for sharing gardens was on full display in our most popular Garden Photo of the Day posts of the year: Not Your Ordinary White Flowers, A Buffalo-Style Garden, and Mary’s Ohio Garden—three very different spaces that captured readers’ imaginations and celebrated the diversity of gardens across the country.
Jim Charlier’s garden in Buffalo, New York, was a GPOD favorite, as was Mary’s Ohio garden (below).
I actually could go on, as there is even more that we did this year to give you everything you might need to be successful in the garden. But together, these highlights already reflect a year of meaningful growth, deeper learning, and stronger connections. Thank you for being part of the Fine Gardening community—we’re excited to keep growing with you in the year ahead.
Happy Winter, and may the new year bring peace and joy to you and yours,
Christine
Fine Gardening executive digital editor
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Add a touch of rustic coziness to any space with this DIY Christmas candle centerpiece. This can be created with foraged natural materials for an affordable homegrown project.
A rustic and natural Christmas candle centerpiece planter can be used as table decor, fireplace mantle, or even outdoors on the porch. This is a wonderful holiday decor project using my favourite decorating material: fresh-cut greenery from the garden.
This post will cover…
The Best Greenery for Crafting
Many of the shrubs and trees in your garden that have evergreen leaves can be brought indoors for the holidays. You can see a comprehensive list of the best greenery for decorating in this post.
I love working with greenery because it doesn’t need any special care like watering or misting, and when the holidays are over, you can simply toss them in the compost.
Pairing candles and garden greenery makes for elegant yet natural entertaining decor. I have made one in the spring, as you can see with this 10-minute candle planter. I have made one in the summer with a hurricane candle holder surrounded by succulents. For Christmas, this candle display in a wooden liquor box makes a perfect centerpiece to celebrate the season.
How to Make a Rustic and Natural Christmas Candle Centerpiece
Here are the steps to making your very own rustic and natural Christmas candle centerpiece from the garden (and, in this case, your Christmas tree!).
Materials
Make It!
Head out to the garden with your pruners and cut some greenery. Read this article on The Best Garden Greenery for Holiday Decorating before you go, to brush up on what and how to cut the greenery.
Fit some dry craft foam into a wooden box. You do not need wet florist’s foam that holds moisture for flower arrangements. The stems do not need water; the foam is simply to keep it all in place. You can also glue the craft foam to the wood box if you would like. I didn’t find it necessary, as the arrangement holds in place perfectly once it is finished.
Set the taper candles into the craft foam, equally spaced apart.
Next, start designing the planter with cascading, needle-leaf greenery around the edges (I used Fraser fir trimming from my Christmas tree) and colourful broad-leaf evergreens and berries in the center (I used Portuguese laurel and holly).
Check the arrangement to be sure that it looks good from all angles, especially if it is going to be used on a table where the guests will surround it.
Light the candles and enjoy the ambiance!
A Note About Candles and Greenery
This candle planter, if not used with common sense, could be a fire hazard. Please do not leave the candles burning unattended near greenery or wood. You could certainly enjoy this planter without lighting the taper candles. You could replace the candles with electric candles, or even candles contained in glass jars. I only plan to light the candles while sitting at the table where I can closely monitor them. When they burn down, I will blow them out.
Please use your common sense when using candles. I don’t think that every project should have to show electric candles for safety reasons on a blog, and we do not take any responsibility for how the projects are used at home. Be smart, my friends, and you can enjoy the warm glow of candles and fresh greenery for Christmas!
More Christmas Crafting Ideas
DIY Rustic Christmas Candle Centerpiece
Forage greenery from your backyard and make this lovely rustic centerpiece for the holidays.
Cut a chunk of floral foam to fit in your wooden box. If necessary, you can glue it in place.
Add the candles into the foam, equal distances apart.
Layer in greenery around the candles. Make sure to press the stems firmly into the foam. Place cascading greenery on the outer edge, and shorter greenery on the inside.
Light the candles and enjoy!
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
December is the month for year-end reviews. There’s already a deluge of best-of lists for books and movies, but what about plants? I think they deserve accolades, too.
Below, I’ve come up with my personal list of plants that I want more of in my garden. These are five perennial plants that have have proven their mettle and fared well on my property. And because of their stellar performance, I’d like to welcome more of their kind into my garden. They have a few things in common. They are all flowers. They are all in the aster family (the largest plant family). They all do well in zone 7a. They tolerate the local clay soil conditions and while they love sun, they’re also content in part shade. They also support pollinators and put on a good show! What more can a gardener ask for?
Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) has yellow single-petaled flowers that bloom from August to October. A native with a wide North American range in zones 3 to 8, it supports pollinators, is deer-resistant, and can be happy in a rain garden. Mine got a bit too happy, since I forgot the planting adage “sleep, creep, leap.” The first year in the ground, the plant builds roots (sleeps), the second year it switches between roots to top growth (creeps), and the third year, it’s mainly top growth (leaps)! This was the plant’s third year in my yard, and it grew to over five feet—taller than me! Its common name comes from the dried flowers being used as snuff, which is odd, since the plant is toxic to humans. I will divide it in the spring and move it from the front to the back of the bed. (This plant is so self-reliant and fuss-free that it made my list of favorite Low-Maintenance Flowers that Thrive on Benign Neglect.)
Monkshood
Photograph by Joy Yagid.
Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ gets its common name from the flower’s unusually draping. It blooms from June through September (although mine lasted well into November this year) and can reach a height of four feet. There are native and nonnative varieties. The native variety, A. noveboracense, is on the federal threatened plant list. All the rest are non-native. (I have a non-native variety. Should native seeds be made available to the public, I would try to grow them.) They like full sun to part shade and damp but well-drained areas in zones 3 to 7. Things you need to know before considering this plant: all parts are highly toxic, and it should be grown where children and pets cannot access it. I have a fenced-in yard and no small children or pets. When I had kids, I removed the plant from my garden, but now that there are only adults in the house, I have brought it back. I will divide it and place it along the fence near my rain garden.
New England and New York Asters
Photograph by Joy Yagid.
I have a hard time telling apart New England and New York asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae and Symphyotrichum novi-belgii). New England asters have thicker stems and purple-pink flowers that can grow to six feet tall; New York has thinner stems and purple flowers that grow to about four feet tall. Both are native to North America in zones 4 through 8, flower late summer into late fall, and last a long time, supporting migrating monarchs and many native bees. These are just fabulous plants—beautiful, pest- and disease-resistant, low-maintenance, and unfussy in a vast range of conditions. I plan to add these along the back fence in my backyard.
Blue Stem Goldenrod
Photograph by Joy Yagid.
Solidago caesia is such a happy plant, with sprays of golden yellow flowers on bluish stems. Unlike the other tall growers on my list, this one grows to just three feet tall and is perfect as a mid-bed plant. It’s a low-maintenance native plant that tolerates poor soil, shade, and benign neglect. It is also far more well behaved than its goldenrod cousins (looking at you Solidago canadensis) and pretty much stays where you plant it. Blue stem goldenrod blooms in fall and supports many pollinators. I’ll plant more of these near my New York and New England asters. Purple and yellow go great together.
White Snakeroot
Photograph by Joy Yagid.
Most people consider white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) a weed. I don’t. Like blue stem goldenrod, it thrives on neglect. It begs you to ignore it; however, you do need to keep an eye on it. It loves to spread. Another aster family plant, this one has small clusters of white flowers in corymbs and can grow two to feet feet high. It blooms from July through November, giving overwintering insects one last chance to fill up before diapause. I currently have a few in my front yard, and they are striking against my blue house. I will divide them in the spring and add them to my rain garden and in the partial shade in the front beds.
If you’re particularly sleuthy, you might have noticed a small change to the Garden Photo of the Day submission directions at the bottom of the articles this week. Along with the instructions to email 5-10 photos to [email protected], we are also now inviting readers to submit via our new Garden Photo of the Day Form.
While this may seem like dull business that doesn’t necessitate more than a small footnote, anyone who has submitted to Garden Photo of the Day before knows how much work it can be to get your high-quality images sent along. I’ve received Google Drive links, Dropbox folders, PDF files, Word documents, and countless emails with all kinds of labels and methods for conveying your photos and descriptions. There have, of course, also been plenty of technological snafus. I am endlessly grateful for the patience and creativity each GPODer has had in contributing their garden photos, but I began to hunt for a solution that could allow contributors to share their photos with far less heavy lifting.
Today I’m thrilled to announce the official launch of our new form that should allow you to upload and share photos faster and easier than you ever have before, and allows us to implement a new perk for submitting your garden (more on that later). To help this launch get off of the ground, and hopefully answer some questions you might have about this change, I’ve decided to start this post with a little form tutorial.
The first half of the form asks you for the basic information we request when you submit your garden—no rocket science here. Please note that the information required in this section is your name and valid email address, as we might need to get in touch with you regarding your submission. Your location gives us better insight and context to your garden, but is not necessary if you feel uncomfortable sharing.
Next we ask that you include a short description of your submission. The prompt here is “Tell us about your gardening journey…” but feel free to use this space to include any information you would like to include about the conditions, plants, techniques, and designs shown in the photos. Below that is a space to include your growing zone before the section to upload your photos.
This is where things get really good. You no longer have a fuss with moving your photos around your computer, resizing, or attaching them to a dozen separate emails. Simply click “Choose file,” navigate to wherever your photos are located on your computer, and click “open” to upload.
You’ll know your photo was successfully uploaded when the image appears on the form. Directly beneath the photo is a spot to leave a caption, description, or list plant IDs. The text you write here will stay with the accompanying photo, so there is no labeling necessary!
Another great feature of the form is that it can be easily accessed and used from your phone or tablet. These screenshots show the same process of uploading photos, but from my cellphone. Click “Choose file” as you would on a computer, select “Photo Library,” click on the photo you would like to upload, and then click “Done.” Just as on the computer, your photo will appear in the form and you will be able to write a photo description.
When you’re ready, click “Add Another” to keep uploading photos. To ensure the form loads successfully and all photos are able to upload, the form is capped at 10 photos. However, if you’re unable to limit the photos you would like to share to just 10, simply fill out the form again. A quick note in the garden description section will let me know this is a continuation of your first submission.
As I mentioned in the intro, this new submission process also allows us to implement a new Garden Photo of the Day perk. Everyone who submits garden photos will be entered in a drawing for a free year of Fine Gardening All Access Membership. This will be a random draw that occurs twice a year, once in June and again in December. All you have to do is submit photos via the form to be entered.
While I wanted to announce this exciting change and give a brief guide to the new form, I’m not skimping on the actual garden photos today. As a reward for getting through my spiel, here are some of my summer garden highlights that I gathered for the faux submission.
First up are the new hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum, Zone 3–8) I planted in an old cinder block this year. My grandmother used to have an extensive collection of these hardy little succulents that would spread and multiply as she added more cinder blocks to her display, and I always wanted to try to replicate it. I spotted this colorful trio at a local nursery this spring and finally went for it. I’ll be sure to report back on how they perform next year.
As exciting as summer is outdoors, I have a handful of indoor plants that also put on a show during the warmer months. I got a tiny variegated moon cactus (Gymnocalycium mihanovichii f. variegata, Zones 10–12) at the Philadelphia Flower Show in March, and by the end of June it had produced three of these show-stopping blooms.
This summer I also made my first trip to Coastal Maine Botanic Gardens, which you can see some more highlights of here: GPOD on the Road: Coastal Maine Botanical Garden in Early Summer. One plant that somehow didn’t make its way into that article was this stunning Celebrations™ Masquerade kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos ‘KPMASQ’, Zones 9–11) that stole attention from a tapestry of other vibrant blooms.
On that trip up the Maine coast I also did some camping and sight-seeing with a close friend. Outside an old gift shop in one harbor was a couple of beds of annuals, but this bath tub was especially fun. Geraniums and clovers apparently make a very inviting bubble bath—even next to a marine fueling station!
About one month later I spent a week on the Connecticut coast housesitting for a family friend. She has a small garden that is always full of color when I visit, but these black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta, Zones 3–7) and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3–8) were the top performers this year.
This summer was full of unexpected moments of plant wonder. I encountered this planting of White Swan marigolds (Tagetes erecta ‘White Swan’, annual) outside of a local restaurant. I grew lots of marigolds in my vegetable garden this year, but these giant, cream-colored blooms still took me aback.
Back at home, the season was all about the color yellow. I grew a compact variety of cucumber in a hanging basket that produced an abundance of bright yellow blooms. However, I tried to squeeze one too many plants into the containers and they got choked out by peak season—resulting in a less-than-spectacular harvest. I wasn’t too disappointed though. While anyone growing edible plants is aiming for successful fruit, I also enjoy growing vegetables for their beauty, and this plant delivered.
I also played around with growing some flowers from seed this year. I don’t necessarily strive for any particular look or feel in the garden, I find joy in experimenting and seeing what thrives or fails. These California poppies (Eschscholzia californica, annual) were super fun to see sprout and flower, and gave me blooms almost right up to the first snowfall.
If you’re going to start flowers from seed, you might as well throw in a few sunflowers. These plants bloomed later in the season after having to start from scratch when rabbits devoured my first round of seedlings. The makeshift cloches I made from fencer wire will come in handy next year, though I wouldn’t recommend that material. It was what I had on hand and did the job, but a softer wire, like chicken wire, would have been way more successful.
Lastly, I again had more tomatoes than I knew what to do with this year (pictured is one of many, many harvests).
Thank you all again for your continued support, and I hope we see some more stunning summer garden submissions in the coming weeks. Follow the NEW directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
You can also send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here
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Perhaps you struggle with when it’s appropriate to use an exclamation point at the end of a sentence. However, you don’t need to struggle with when to use one in the garden! If you need a plant for a tall, narrow space in your landscape, or if you need just the right accent, often there is a conifer that can fill the void. In the Southeast, we need to be careful with conifer choices if we want a sure thing. Below are some of the best of the best conifers for narrow, upright forms.
Two striking columnar arborvitaes: One old, one new
‘DeGroot’s Spire’ arborvitae is a proven classic, with consistent form and top performance. Photo: Andy Pulte
One of the first truly narrow selections of arborvitaes to come to market was ‘DeGroot’s Spire’ (Thuja occidentalis ‘DeGroot’s Spire’, Zones 2–7) thanks to plantsman Constant DeGroot of Sheridan Nurseries. It was selected in 1970. Its medium green foliage is somewhat twisted and turns a dark mossy green during the winter. It will reach 15 to 20 feet tall and only 3 to 4 feet wide in 15 to 20 years.
‘Jantar’ arborvitae has a nearly chartreuse golden hue in summer that will pop and sizzle in the landscape. Photo: Jason Reeves
Displaying an eye-popping yellow during spring and summer, ‘Jantar’ arborvitae (T. occidentalis ‘Jantar’, Zones 3–7) was originally found in Poland as a mutation on Emerald Green arborvitae (T. occidentalis ‘Smaragd’, Zones 4–8) and introduced into the United States in 2012. As cold weather approaches, it takes on a warm amber and golden tone. In fact, its name is Polish for amber. Sometimes you will also see this plant sold under the name ‘Amber Gold’. The yellow color of ‘Jantar’ is best in full sun. Expect it to reach 6 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide in 10 years. With a striking upright habit, this selection will add drama to the landscape.
Yew and Japanese plum yew fill the same niche in different zones
‘Viridis’ yew has a flared base and a narrow top. Photo: Andy Pulte
‘Viridis’ yew (Taxus × media ‘Viridis’, Zones 4–7) is a slow-growing narrow hybrid between English yew (T. baccata, Zones 5–8) and Japanese yew (T. cuspidata, Zones 4–7). Best suited for cooler regions of the Southeast, ‘Viridis’ is best sited in partial shade, although it can handle more sun with adequate moisture. Ultimate size will be partially dictated by site conditions; however, you can expect mature dimensions of 15 feet tall and 4 feet wide over a very long time. Yews in general take to sheering very well. But nearly every part of this plant is toxic if consumed.
Upright Japanese plum yew can grow wide but responds to pruning. Photo: Jason Reeves
If you live in a hardiness zone where it’s a little too hot for most yews to grow, why not try upright Japanese plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’, Zones 6–9)? The genus Cephalotaxus is named for its resemblance to yews. The straight species of this plant can get quite large. However, ‘Fastigiata’, which is admittedly rotund for a narrow cultivar, grows 10 feet tall and 5 feet wide over many years. The branches are stiff, with needles spirally arranged around the stems. This plant is traditionally grown in the shade but can handle sun if established with adequate moisture.
Roadside toughness with a formal appearance
‘Taylor’ Eastern red cedar is a very narrow cultivar that can reach 25 feet tall. Photo: Andy Pulte
There are many unique and narrow forms of Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana, Zones 2–9). However, for overall toughness, tolerance to a variety of conditions, and lack of fussiness, ‘Taylor’ Eastern red cedar (J. virginiana ‘Taylor’, Zones 3–9) is one of the best. ‘Taylor’ is named after the village of Taylor, Nebraska. Allen Wilke, a nurseryman from Columbus, Nebraska, found the plant in 1978. The parent plant was 25 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It was from this tree that Wilke took his original cuttings. You can expect a similar size in your garden. Plants thrive in full sun and are tolerant of almost any soil (except for soggy soils).
Finding the right fit
Be cautious about planting in overly amended, rich soil and using heavy fertilizer for any plant you want to have a narrow form. This can cause a plant you expect to be slender to grow too fast, and its narrowness cannot be guaranteed. Also, when purchasing a plant, look for a specimen with one strong central leader, or remove any branches competing with its central leader. Additionally, pay attention to the expected mature size of narrow plants. Before planting, make sure you have enough space for that plant to reach full maturity. Unless you are planning a yearly pruning regimen or expecting the plant to be temporary, this is very important.
Not all narrow conifers have to be placed on the corner of buildings. Many look their best out in the open, where their tall, narrow forms can be appreciated. Groups of three can be particularly striking where plants are given enough space to be close without touching. If you decide to use these conifers in your garden, have fun, experiment, and enjoy.
—Andy Pulte is a faculty member in the plant sciences department at the University of Tennessee.
Do you dream of a ‘show home’ aesthetic for your home? Think clear surfaces, everything in its place, and a sense of calm that seems to descend the moment you walk through the front door. But for most of us, the reality of family life with its endless stream of school bags, muddy boots, and overflowing cupboards can make that dream feel somewhat distant.
However, creating a tidy, organised home isn’t just about decluttering or buying more plastic boxes. It’s about the bones of the house itself. Smart renovations that focus on storage and organisation can fundamentally change how you live in your space. They streamline your daily routines, reduce stress, and make keeping the house tidy significantly easier.
There’s another major benefit to consider, too. Storage solutions are high on the wish list for potential buyers. By investing in the right areas, you aren’t just reclaiming your floor space; you are adding genuine financial value to your property.
Let’s look at the best home renovation tips to help you create a calm, organised, and valuable home.
Transform the garage from dumping ground to usable space
If there’s one room in the house that suffers the most from clutter, it’s usually the garage. For many families, the garage becomes a graveyard for half-finished projects, seasonal decorations, and sports equipment that hasn’t seen the light of day in years. Yet a well-organised garage is a massive selling point.
Renovating this space starts from the ground up. Installing professional garage flooring can instantly transform a cold, dusty concrete box into a clean, functional room. Options like epoxy resin or interlocking PVC tiles are durable, easy to clean, and look fantastic. They stop concrete dust from being tracked into the house and make the space feel like a proper extension of your home rather than an afterthought.
Once the floor is sorted, look at the walls. Installing a comprehensive garage storage system is one of the best investments you can make. Floor to ceiling slat wall panels allow you to hang bikes, garden tools, and ladders, keeping them off the floor and easily accessible. Heavy-duty shelving units can handle the heavy boxes, while lockable cabinets can keep hazardous materials safe. By zoning the garage – one wall for gardening, one for sports, one for tools – you create a system that is easy for the whole family to stick to.
The kitchen: efficiency adds value
The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it’s also a magnet for clutter. When renovating a kitchen, it’s tempting to focus solely on the colour of the cabinets or the style of the worktops. However, the real value lies in the functionality of the storage.
A kitchen that looks beautiful but lacks practical storage will quickly become frustrating to use. When planning your layout, prioritise deep drawers over standard cupboards for lower cabinets. Drawers allow you to see right to the back of the space, meaning no more expired tins of beans hiding in the dark.
Consider installing a dedicated pantry cupboard with pull-out racking. These systems maximise every inch of vertical space and make organising dry goods effortless. If you have the space, a ‘breakfast station’ or ‘appliance garage’ – a cupboard with pocket doors and power sockets inside – allows you to keep toasters, kettles, and coffee machines plugged in but hidden away, leaving your worktops beautifully clear.
Utilise dead space with built-in joinery
Freestanding furniture has its place, but bespoke, built-in joinery is a hallmark of a high-end home. It signals to buyers that the house has been cared for and improved with specific attention to detail. More importantly, it allows you to utilise ‘dead’ space that standard furniture can’t reach.
Alcoves on either side of a fireplace are prime candidates for this. Custom shelving and cupboards here can hide a multitude of sins (including cables and media boxes) while providing a display area for books and photos.
In bedrooms, fitted wardrobes are far superior to freestanding ones. By taking the storage right up to the ceiling, you gain an extra shelf of storage for suitcases or winter duvets, plus you eliminate the dust trap on top of the wardrobe. Tailoring the interior of the wardrobe to your specific needs such as more hanging space for dresses, or more drawers for knitwear means your clothes stay organised and your bedroom remains a sanctuary.
Create a dedicated utility or boot room
If your floorplan allows for it, carving out space for a utility room or a ‘boot room’ near the entrance can be life-changing for a busy household. This acts as a transition zone between the outdoors and the sanctuary of your living areas.
The aim here is to intercept the mess before it enters the main house. Built-in bench seating with storage underneath provides a place to sit and remove shoes, while designated hooks for each family member ensure coats and school bags aren’t draped over the backs of dining chairs.
Even a small hallway can benefit from this approach. A simple renovation to add wainscoting with robust hooks and a slimline shoe cabinet can create a dedicated ‘drop zone’ that keeps the hallway clear and welcoming.
The loft: accessible long-term storage
Finally, look up. The loft is often an under utilised asset. Simply boarding out the central section of the loft isn’t enough if you can’t access your items easily.
Renovating your loft access with a safe, sturdy ladder and proper lighting makes the space genuinely usable. If you’re boarding the loft, consider installing truss shelving. These shelves sit between the roof trusses, allowing you to store boxes without eating into the floor space. This is perfect for those items you need to keep but rarely use, like Christmas decorations or sentimental childhood memorabilia.
By making the loft an organised, accessible space, you free up the storage areas in the main living parts of the house for the things you use every day.
Investing in a calmer future
Renovating for organisation is about more than just tidying up; it’s about designing a lifestyle. It’s about reducing the friction in your day to day life so that you can spend less time looking for lost keys and more time doing what you love.
Whether it’s upgrading your garage flooring to create a sleek workshop or installing a pantry that makes cooking a joy, these improvements make your home work harder for you. And when the time comes to sell, you will find that buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home that feels effortlessly organised and ready to live in.
Persian shield, Strobilanthes dyerianus, is a stunning ornamental species that originates in warm, humid Myanmar, where it grows as a tender evergreen perennial.
It is a member of the Acanthaceae family, which consists mostly of flowering tropical flora.
With its unique iridescent purple leaves, S. dyerianus had no difficulty attracting the attention of US gardeners, and is now grown here as an annual, perennial, and houseplant.
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In this article, you will learn all you need to know to cultivate this delightful tropical foliage outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 11.
It may also be grown as an indoor houseplant in all locales.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Tropical Persian shield, aka royal purple plant, thrives on heat and humidity, yielding its most brilliant color in bright, indirect sunlight and partially shaded locations.
It prefers temperatures above 60°F.
The characteristic broadleaf foliage positively shimmers. Neon shades of purple veined with green seem to be overlaid with a silver gloss.
The growth habit is upright with leaves that are lance-shaped and measure six to eight inches long.
Stems are soft and may exceed three feet in height. Over time, they may become woody.
Common name(s): Persian shield, royal purple plant
Plant type: Tender evergreen perennial
Hardiness (USDA Zone): 10-11 (outdoors)
Native to: Myanmar
Bloom time / season: Spring and summer
Exposure: Bright indirect sun to part shade
Soil type: Organically-rich loam, well-draining
Soil pH: 5.5-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral
Time to maturity: 3-5 years
Mature size: 1-3 feet tall by 1-3 feet wide
Best uses:Beds, borders, containers, houseplant
Taxonomy
Order: Lamiales
Family: Acanthaceae
Genus:Strobilanthes
Species:Dyerianus
The reason is not entirely understood, but is believed to be an example of “masting” behavior, in which blooming is sporadic, but profuse when it occurs.
This botanical phenomenon makes it impossible for wildlife to depend upon the seeds for food, as they are not always available.
In cooler regions, Persian shield grows as a summer annual, often failing to exhibit its most vibrant color, and dying off with the first frost.
With its vivid silvery-purple hues, Persian shield makes a bold perennial statement in warm-region gardens.
Recycling Christmas cards into gift tags is such a quick and easy project. It’s simple, reduces waste, and is a great way to save the thoughtful holiday cards you were lucky enough to receive.
Materials
Make It!
1. Gather all your pretty Christmas cards and recycle any parts with handwritten or personalized sentiments.
2. If you have a tag punch, this next step will take mere minutes. Just position, punch, and ta-da! You have a gift tag. This would also work with round or flower-shaped punches, or if you don’t have any of those, you can use scissors.
I must say that I use my punch far more than I thought I would. I can recycle tissue boxes, packaging, and other decorative card stock into pretty tags that are handy with all the handmade stuff I give away.
3. For some cards, you may be able to get a bunch of tags…
…others may only have one image that will work…
…and with some, you can use the sentiment as long as it fits well in the area.
4. The final step is to punch a hole in the top of each tag. Thread some baker’s twine, garden twine, or ribbon to add it to your gift.
You can now store them away until next year, when you unpack the tags and memories of this holiday season.
More Crafty Christmas Projects
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Family life is busy. Even on the calmest days, there’s usually something that needs doing, somewhere to be, or someone calling your name. Between school runs, work, meal times, and the constant mental juggling that comes with caring for others, it’s easy for days to blur into one another.
That’s why it’s important to appreciate the small things more than ever, the details that quietly lift the atmosphere of your home without adding to the mental load. Fresh flowers are one of those details.
Flowers don’t demand attention or effort once they’re arranged, yet they change how a space feels almost instantly. In a family home, where practicality often takes priority, flowers offer something softer: a reminder that beauty can exist alongside the mess, the noise, and the everyday chaos.
Small gestures that mean the most
As parents, carers, or simply members of a family, we’re often thinking about how to show appreciation. It could be to grandparents who help with childcare, friends who step in during busy weeks, or partners who quietly carry more than their share.
Flowers are one of my favourite ways to do that; gifting flowers feels thoughtful without ever being overwhelming.
There’s no pressure attached, no expectation to keep or store them, no sense of “too much.” Flowers simply arrive, bringing colour and warmth into the home.
For grandparents especially, flowers feel like a perfect thank-you. They’re something to enjoy daily, a visual reminder that their help is noticed and appreciated. A simple arrangement can brighten someone’s entire week; commented on during phone calls, moved from room to room to catch the light, and proudly shown to visitors.
Flowers also work beautifully for those in-between moments that don’t always get marked. Things like the end of a particularly tough week, a quiet celebration after good news, or a gentle gesture during a difficult time. They say I’m thinking of you without needing many words.
Marking family milestones without excess
Family life is full of milestones, some big, some small, some quietly emotional. First days at school, new jobs, anniversaries, birthdays that don’t quite feel like “big” ones but matter all the same.
Not every milestone needs balloons, banners, or big gestures. Sometimes, flowers are enough.
Flowers feel celebratory without adding clutter or pressure. They mark a moment in time, then fade gently, which feels fitting for milestones that are more about feeling than spectacle. A vase of flowers on the table can turn an ordinary evening into something special, simply by acknowledging that today mattered.
Flowers can also be comforting during harder moments. When words feel inadequate, they offer quiet support. They don’t try to fix anything, they just bring softness and care into a space that might need it.
Teaching children about care and appreciation
One unexpected benefit of having flowers around is how naturally they introduce ideas of care and responsibility. Children might notice when petals fall or water needs topping up, or ask why flowers change over time.
These small observations can lead to gentle lessons about looking after things, impermanence, and noticing beauty while it’s there. It’s not something that needs explaining formally; it can happen organically through everyday interaction.
There’s also something lovely about modelling appreciation for small pleasures. In a world that often encourages more, bigger, faster, flowers show that joy can come from something simple and fleeting.
Creating a home that feels warm and welcoming
Flowers are often less about decoration and more about atmosphere. They make a home feel welcoming – not just for guests, but for the people who live there every day.
Walking into a room with flowers feels different. Even on hectic days, they create a sense that the space has been cared for thoughtfully, even if everything else feels a bit undone. That feeling matters in family life. Home should be a place where everyone feels comfortable, supported, and able to relax. Flowers contribute to that in a quiet but meaningful way.
The beauty of “Just Because”
Perhaps what I love most about flowers is that they don’t need a reason. They can exist simply because they make people feel good.
In family life, where so much revolves around needs and responsibilities, those “just because” moments are invaluable. They remind us to pause, to appreciate one another, and to find joy in the everyday.
Flowers won’t solve the challenges of family life, but they can soften the edges. They can create moments of beauty, connection, and calm in the middle of busy days. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.
Way back when, my mother-in-law gave me a beautiful glass carboy that had used to belong to her mother with the challenge to plant it up as a terrarium. Not quite sure how to go about it, I put it off for years, happy just to have the empty carboy out on display instead, but after attending a terrarium workshop, I finally felt brave enough to give it a go and over a year on (sealed the whole time), it’s still alive!
Here’s how I went about planting up my closed bottle terrarium…
I found a book on terrarium gardens at Poppy’s Antique Mall in Atmore. It was from 1972, and I should have taken a picture of it to post here, but I didn’t, so we’ll keep this oldskool.
The real question is: can you grow a mini food forest in a jar?
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We had beautiful summer weather here and our flowers reflected that. This part of our garden is subject to heavy deer pressure and these are some of the flowers that thrive without protection.
A wet, shady spot hosts ligularia(Ligularia dentata, Zone 3–8)and ageratum in pots.
A swamp rose mallow(Hibiscus moscheutos, Zone 4–9)grows happily, as its name suggests, in a rain garden.
This year I tried crevice gardening in the rock wall that surrounds our driveway. Here we have eastern prickly pear(Opuntia cespitosa, Zone 4–9)and ageratum.
Another ageratum growing in a crevice.
Hummingbird sage (Salvia coccinea, Zone 8–11 or as an annual)and ageratum at the welcome sign where guests park.
Our bottle tree provides consistent color and sparkle.
Thank you so much for another amazing update from your garden, Phyllis! Your summer looked spectacular, and it’s always a treat to see your assortment of interesting plants.
How was the peak season in your garden this year? Winter is the perfect time to go a garden reflection, and we would love to see your summer highlights on the blog. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
You can also send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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Razor-Back Potato/Refuse Hook
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For this project, you will need a few basic pieces of equipment. I used a small, rectangular planter box for mine.
Basic tools. Photo by Matt Suwak.
You can use literally anything for your container: an otherwise empty outdoor container, an indoor-only item, an old wooden box you’ve been searching for a use for, or a glass vase.
You’ll need some material to hold the greens in place. This could be simple potting mix.
For this project I used floral foam blocks, available via Amazon, cut to size and placed inside the planter.
Keep in mind that greens and foliage should not be gathered in protected areas such as nature preserves and state parks that have enacted restrictions against taking specimens home, sometimes with a hefty fine attached.
Cut the foam blocks to size and cram them into your container. If you’re using a potting mix or some other sort of planter filler, disregard this step.
Rough cut blocks will do the trick. Photo by Matt Suwak.
The blocks do not need to fit perfectly. I filled the open space with some potting mix and stones to weigh the container down.
Step 2 – Place Filler
Place your filler greens. For this container I used Fraser fir greens as a base background to the whole affair.
Cut the branches at a 45-degree angle to make it easier to punch through the foam blocks or potting mix.
The branches should punch through the foam easily if cut at a 45 degree angle. Photo by Matt Suwak.
These initial greens are meant to serve as a background for your container and don’t need to be meticulously selected and arranged.
Place them in unspecific patterns so that your design has a full background of green foliage.
This should be taller than all of the rest of the greens in the container so that it can provide a good backdrop for everything else.
Step 3 – Fill the Middle
Fill in the middle ground with your secondary filler greens.
In this example I utilized a few arborvitae clippings to serve as a bushy filler. I used almost as much arborvitae as I used Fraser fir.
The trick to this step is to add a bit of variety to both the color and texture of the container. After all, these two greens make up the bulk of what’s in the design.
The softer foliage of the arborvitae breaks up the container and adds a new texture. Photo by Matt Suwak.
These should be placed at a middle tier of height in the container. This layer of greens could spill out over the edge of the container to add a flowing, fluid look to the design.
Try to leave a gap of open space in the front and center area of your container (see Step 5).
Step 4 – Colorful Additions
Time to add some color! It’s tempting to go overboard here, but remember that sometimes less is more, and just a little bit is enough.
Most of this container will be evergreen-based, so a little bit of color adds a lot and shouldn’t be abused. I used exactly four sprigs of holly berries to distribute color evenly around the container.
Just a little bit of color will do the trick. Photo by Matt Suwak.
The branches and leaves continued growing past the berries so I snipped them off, leaving the berries in full effect.
I fully expect these to be picked off and eaten by birds in the next few weeks.
The berries on a Nellie Stevens tend to be a bit more orange than red. If I had a choice, I would have used winterberry instead.
Step 5 – Greens Up Front
Insert and arrange the “front and center” greens that will be featured at the front of your arrangement.
In this project, I used the tips of a Southern magnolia.
They tend to maintain their green luster for a long time and the velvety brown underside of each leaf is a nice complement to the green that dominates the bulk of this design.
Photo by Matt Suwak.
I stuck these branches in at sharp angles and manipulated the leaves to look as if they were spilling over the sides of the container.
At this point you should be running out of room in your design to add new material. That’s okay, because the final steps require only a few accents.
Step 6 – Add Accents
I’m a sucker for a nice yellow-and-gold hue, so I threw in the new growth from a golden euonymus as an accent to contrast nicely with all of the green going on.
Like in Step 4, the trick here is to add just a bit of color so that it grabs more attention in opposition to the sea of green.
Photo by Matt Suwak.
I only used four branches, and I removed the bottom leaves from the stems before inserting them into the foam blocks.
This bright, bold punch of color should be front-and-center and shouldn’t reach above the background row of greens.
Other options to use here are a variegated boxwood, a blue-green splash of eucalyptus, or some Gold Thread cypress.
Or, you know, whatever color you like to see – this is your planter, after all!
Step 7 – Focus on Earth Tones
Remember that nice touch of earthy brown provided by the magnolia leaves? We’re going to couple that with a few other shades of brown and add some accents.
First I placed three cattails in the back of the display. I love the color of these things and have always found them incredibly interesting.
As the season wanes I expect to see them shedding seeds in a puffy display.
Photo by Matt Suwak.
The trick here is to complement the subtle brown notes of the magnolia leaves, and throw a new shape and texture into the mix.
Sure, they look like corn dogs to some but that’s alright!
Additionally I added three Norway spruce cones. These break up some of the smooth green elements and complement the shape of the cattails.
I can’t overemphasize the importance of adding a range of colors as well as textures for varied interest, and to really make your arrangements pop.
Step 8 – Finish with Height (or A Frilly Garnish)
Ah, the final stage: adding the red twig dogwood. These branches should be placed in a radial pattern, starting at about 10 o’clock and finishing through to 2 o’clock.
A little bit is enough; these branches should complement the design without overpowering it.
Nicely on display for the appreciation of guests, neighbors, and my mail carrier. Photo by Matt Suwak.
They add some height and delicate structure to the whole container, bringing your focus in and drawing it towards the other elements.
Think of this step as the frilled edges, that last dash of subtle icing, or the cherry in a cocktail.
I placed my finished product on the porch column of my front steps. If you plan to display your arrangement outdoors, these greens should be protected from the worst of the winter weather.
If you keep your final piece indoors, you’ll have a different set of issues to contend with.
When it’s cold outside and the heat is on, be prepared to witness it wilting in the warm and dry indoor air.
The cooler air outside should help to preserve your arrangement’s integrity on the front stoop, deck, or patio.
I recommend using a product like Wilf-Pruf protective coating, available via Amazon, to maximize the life of your creation.
These concoctions are called “anti-desiccants” and will lock in the moisture of your greens and preserve them far longer than they might if left to naturally decay.
A Note on Watering
When it comes to keeping your greens looking fresh and vibrant, you might be tempted to water the display. That’s not going to help the greens and oftentimes can be detrimental.
First, understand that the material you’re using is going to brown, wilt, and lose its freshness. It’s a process you can’t prevent, but you can work around it.
To maintain freshness in your greens, lightly mist them every few days during warm or dry weather (and in warm and dry conditions, which you will find indoors in the wintertime).
Additionally, it can be helpful to keep outdoor containers protected from very wet or snowy conditions. These babies just won’t look the same after a night spent out in wind-blown sleet or an ice storm.
Ultimately it’s a losing battle, and your wonderful creation will be more brown and crispy than green and festive after a while.
Some people, myself included, enjoy that look of naturally fading material; others are inclined to replace the crispified (is that a word? It is now!) greens with fresh stuff from whatever sources they have. The choice is up to you.
Remember that if you used foam blocks in your container it will be top-heavy.
When I placed my design, I weighted the container down with rocks and stones and tied the container safely in place with florist’s wire, available from Amazon.
So nice to find your human-written blog! I was a mom blogger in the 2000s-2010s Blogging Golden Age, and I truly miss that huge community of writers who wrote all sorts of amazing stuff. And we promoted that content via email and on these new platforms called Instagram and Pinterest, plus the more established one called Facebook Ah, the good old days when social media wasn’t toxic and filled with influencers and dominated by video…
Anyway, I found you because of your Master Gardener blog post. I am annoyed that I didn’t get into my local Master Gardener program in Massachusetts. They had a crazy amount of applicants for not a lot of spots. And I learned that the fact that I mentioned I work as a paid gardener, and would use MG knowledge to help me in my job worked *against* me, which is INSANE. I mean, how dare I earn a living by doing something I love, right?
So I’m still searching for some sort of certification program that will increase my knowledge but isn’t as expensive as going to a university. Any ideas?
Thanks for not being a robot blogger
Alas, I miss the Blogging Golden Age. May it rise again!
It surprised me to learn that the program discouraged members from mentioning their Master Gardener certification if they were in some sort of agriculture-related business.
Why? Didn’t I work for this certification? Why can’t I tell my plant nursery customers that I am a certified Master Gardener?
If I got my HVAC cert, I could share it with customers. I earned it! But Master Gardener certification? Oh no, that’s some sort of conflict of interest.
I was proud to earn my certification back in the day. It felt good.
But it doesn’t mean much in the long run.
Now I hold a much dimmer view of certifications.
Which brings me back to Jess:
I’m still searching for some sort of certification program that will increase my knowledge but isn’t as expensive as going to a university.
Why?
As I wrote back in 2016:
If you want to continue your gardening education, particularly in the realm of growing food, skip the Master Gardener program and find good gardening books to read instead. Then join some gardening Meetup groups and hang out at permies.com. Hang out here. Find gardeners that are doing what you want to do, then follow them around.
Practice your gardening. Experiment. Grow. Fail. Try different things.
And let your garden be your certification!
Why do you need a certificate to give you validity?
Even the modern college system is a joke. It’s better at creating student loan debt than a great career. There are a few fields in which a college degree helps, but it’s not even remotely the prize it used to be.
And now AI has flooded everything.
As my wife said to me last night, “Going to college so you can get a good job is like going to a bar to find a good wife.”
Another option is to join my Skool group. I posted multiple video courses in there. It doesn’t give you a “certification,” but it definitely increases your knowledge.
Do you grow witch hazel? It is a beautiful ornamental in the home garden, and it can be harvested to make a simple, healing facial toner that reduces inflammation, acne, and fights signs of aging. In addition to that, the plant is hardy and easy to care for. Read on to find out how and why to grow this stunning, healing little tree and how to harvest and use it at home.
This post will cover…
Meet the Witch Hazel Plant!
Witch hazel has that name because it was once popularly used for water witching, or the practice of using a branch to locate water underground.
Nowadays, witch hazel plants are prized for their anti-inflammatory and skincare properties, as well as their showy wintertime blooms. A spritz of witch hazel on your skin after the shower helps tone skin and reduce redness and inflammation.
Witch hazel plants can get up to about 15 ft. at their tallest. These small trees produce beautiful, dramatic flowers in shades of yellow and red that look like starbursts. When a witch hazel flowers, it looks like a fireworks display, which is all the more stunning because it happens in winter when there is not much other colour in the garden.
You can also harvest the bark and use that to make your own distilled witch hazel water to use as a facial toner or to add to natural beauty recipes.
Witch hazel flowers look like small starbursts.
Growing a Witch Hazel Bush in the Home Garden
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis spp.) is categorized as a small tree or shrub that spans from 5-15 feet wide and up to 20-30 feet tall. There are a few common witch hazels worth noting: American witch hazel (H. virginiana), Chinese witch hazel (H. mollis), and Ozark witch hazel (H. vernalis).
H. virginiana blooms in the late fall and is listed in herbalism resources as a medicinal herb. H. vernalis blooms in January-March. H. mollis is more common in horticulture as these fragrant shrubs bloom in the late winter with larger flowers and a large variety of ornamental blooms from white to deep red.
Its base is a dense, multi-stemmed trunk that twists decoratively and creates a lovely ornamental structure. Hardy in zones 5-8, witch hazels bring gorgeous colour to the fall and winter garden. The flowers bloom can be found blooming near me (in the Pacific Northwest) in January, but you may smell the spicy, citrusy scent first! Witch hazel is easy to grow and care for if you follow these simple steps.
Witch hazel produces slightly twisted branches.
Planting Witch Hazel
Choose a sunny or partially shady location that is sheltered from wind to plant your witch hazel. This fragrant winter bloomer is ideal for planting near the front door so you can enjoy the pop of colour and the fragrance when you pass by.
Witch hazel is fairly hardy and tolerant of most sun conditions. If you live somewhere warm, opt for partial shade.
Witch Hazel Care and Pruning
Witch hazel plants need quite a bit of moisture, especially when the plants are young and still getting established, so check the soil frequently and water as needed.
Prune all damaged and dead wood on the plant once a year and remove suckers in the fall. Witch hazels generally do not need a lot of attention when it comes to pruning, as they have a naturally neat branch structure. Just clean them up a bit as needed, and they will be fine.
Be sure to hang on to the branches you have pruned, as these are what you can use to make a wonderful natural astringent (read more at the end of this post).
For more information on pruning, check out these posts:
Witch hazels also take well to espalier training if you wish to grow them in a small space.
Save witch hazel branches to make your own astringent.
Harvesting and Drying Witch Hazel
While you may just want your witch hazel for ornamental reasons, you can also harvest the bark and use that to make a gentle astringent for skin.
To harvest the bark, clip off some of the plant’s smaller branches in the spring or fall. You can remove up to a fifth of the plant without damaging it, but don’t harvest more than that at one time.
Remove all leaves and flowers from the harvested branches and use a sharp knife to peel the bark away from the branches.
You can either use the bark right away or dry it by spreading it out in a single layer in a drying tray or shallow basket in a dry location that has good air circulation. When the bark is completely dried (it will feel crispy to the touch), store it in an airtight container for future use.
Use the bark fresh or dry it to make into an astringent later.
Witch Hazel Toner
Witch hazel toner can also help to heal bruises, cuts, scrapes, insect bites, rashes, and other skin problems and can be added to many natural beauty recipes to give them healing properties.
A spritz of witch hazel on your face when you get out of the shower acts as a natural toner. Spraying it on recently shaved skin helps to prevent ingrown hairs and bumps. Don’t even get me started about how great it feels to reduce the inflammation on rashes and sunburns!
Most witch hazel toner comes from the American witch hazel (H. virginiana) or from Ozark witch hazel (H. vernalis).
I keep a bit of witch hazel toner in a small atomizer in my bathroom medicine cabinet to spray on my face after the shower, and my legs and underarms after shaving. It has a neutral pH of 5, so it’s wonderful as a toner as well as to calm down red and inflamed skin, whether it’s from cuts, scrapes, blemishes, redness, or razor rash from shaving.
Witch hazel toner can be found online and in most natural grocery stores like Whole Foods. Just look on the shelves for a natural brand of witch hazel without alcohol and add it to your own atomizer.
I use a witch hazel formula with rose added because rose tightens up pores and gives you the appearance of a fresh English Rose, but if you have acne or skin disorders on the face, then an aloe formulation may be more helpful.
Make your own witch hazel toner using the bark from American witch hazel.
Herbal Recipes That Use Witch Hazel
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Choosing the right roof tile for your home is more than a matter of aesthetics. It’s about finding a durable, functional solution that suits the unique climate of the UK. With factors such as rainfall, temperature fluctuations, and architectural styles to consider, understanding what makes a great roof tile is essential.
In this article we’ll explore key aspects that contribute to an ideal roof covering, and why particular materials stand out in the market.
Climate adaptability
The UK is known for its changeable weather, which makes climate-resilient roofing crucial. Roof tiles need to withstand not just the rain but also wind, frost, and even occasional snow.
Clay and concrete tiles are among the most commonly used in the UK due to their robust nature. Clay tiles, in particular, can expand and contract without cracking under temperature variations, making them well-suited to the country’s fluctuating conditions.
Concrete tiles are also highly popular; they offer both durability and a range of styles that can mimic natural slate or clay. Plus, they come in various colours, which can enhance your home’s exterior. Both clay and concrete tiles are excellent durable options for pitched roof coverings, effectively managing moisture and temperature changes.
Aesthetic appeal
While functionality is paramount when it comes to roof tiles, aesthetics can’t be overlooked. The style of your roof tile can significantly influence the overall appearance of your home.
Traditional options, such as natural slate or terracotta tiles, add a timeless charm that many homeowners seek. These materials not only offer beautiful finishes but also provide enhanced durability and are resistant to colour fading.
Recent trends have also seen a rise in the popularity of modern materials like fibre cement tiles. These can replicate the appearance of traditional materials while being lighter and even more resistant to weather extremes. This versatility allows you to choose roof coverings that complement the architecture of your home without sacrificing practicality.
Weight and structure considerations
Another essential characteristic of roof tiles is their weight. The roof’s structure must support the tiles chosen, especially in older homes where original roofing materials might not bear the load of heavier tiles. Generally, clay and slate tiles are heavier, while concrete and certain modern synthetic materials are lighter, offering a more manageable weight.
When selecting roof tiles, it’s worth consulting with a professional to ensure that the existing roof structure can accommodate your chosen material. This is especially important in conservation areas or when renovating heritage properties, where strict guidelines are often in place regarding both structural integrity and aesthetic compatibility.
Longevity and maintenance
Durability is at the heart of any roofing decision. Always consider how much maintenance is required for your chosen tile. Natural slate and high-quality clay tiles can last over 100 years, showcasing their extreme durability. While you may pay more upfront for premium materials, the long lifespan often outweighs the initial investment, translating to lower long-term costs and less frequent need for replacements.
Conversely, some synthetic materials may offer a more affordable initial cost but can come with a reduced lifespan, sometimes requiring replacement after 20-30 years.
Regular inspections and maintenance can have a significant impact on the lifespan of roofing materials. Simple tasks like cleaning out gutters and checking for damage can prevent larger issues later.
Energy efficiency
Roof tiles can play a crucial role in a home’s thermal performance. Materials with high thermal mass, such as clay, can help keep homes cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This characteristic can help reduce energy costs and contribute towards a more comfortable living environment.
Innovative roofing systems that incorporate reflective coatings are also available. These are designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat, making them ideal for homes in warmer regions, though they can contribute positively across the UK as temperatures rise during summer months.
Environmental impact
In today’s eco-conscious world, considering the environmental footprint of roofing materials is becoming increasingly important. Opting for sustainably sourced materials can reduce your carbon footprint. Natural slate, for example, is a highly sustainable option.
Recycling old tiles should also be a consideration during roof replacement. Many roofing companies now offer services to reclaim and reuse tiles, promoting sustainability within the roofing sector. When selecting materials, it’s worth checking the sustainability credentials of suppliers.
Selecting the right roof tile for UK homes involves much more than a simple aesthetic choice. Factors such as climate adaptability, weight, longevity, energy efficiency, and environmental impact all play pivotal roles in the decision-making process. By weighing these considerations carefully, you can make informed choices that will enhance both the functionality and aesthetic appeal of your property. With the variety of durable options available, including traditional clay and modern synthetic materials, there’s a solution for every style preference and budget. So, whether you opt for the classic elegance of slate or the contemporary feel of concrete, understanding these fundamental aspects will help you choose a roof covering that truly fits your needs.
Making your own holiday wreath involves four good things: a brisk walk; a gathering of invasive plants like privet, multiflora roses, and bittersweet; a conversation—if you are brave—with a neighbor you have never met (in my case recently, this involved a trade of holly branches for me and a bottle of homemade elderberry cordial for them); and, finally, about two hours of focused attention on crafting and creativity. It is occupational therapy at its finest. Plus (five good things!) a really attractive wreath that will last for a month or more. Oh, and (six): Making your own wreath costs next to nothing.
Here are some of the plants you can use, and the minimal equipment you will need to make your own wreath at home.
Above: Our finished wreath on a wall.
1. Gather your materials.
The most effective wreath features plants that stay fresh-looking for weeks. Combining evergreens with winter berries and fruits guarantees long-lasting decoration. The plants can be foraged, if they are invasive, trimmed from your own garden, begged from your friendly neighbors, and bought from local tree vendors. You can also use trimming from your Christmas tree.
For color in a winter wreath, nothing beats rosehips. I take this opportunity to gather as many sprays of very invasive Rosa multiflora hips as I can find. Privet fruit is at its peak in early winter, and can be collected with a clear conscience, too. Holly, juniper, cedar, pine, fir and spruce are all good options for greenery.
In addition, you will need secateurs for cutting branches, gloves for sharp thorns, and, at home, florists’ wire for easy attachment. (A 22-gauge floral wire is easy to use and very strong.)
Above left: Multiflora hips. Above right: Gloves are helpful when you work with holly, the prettiest and prickliest. Above: The stems of mugwort make a very good wreath frame.
Anyone who enjoys gardening accepts that gardening is a journey not a destination. This is certainly the case when dealing with nemesis such as voles and deer. Just when you think you have a spot looking perfect, these critters will show up to put on their unwelcome finishing touches. One must enjoy the process and focus on the beauty even though it may be fleeting.
I can never predict the fall color of the various Japanese maples. This year was a spectacular year for the brilliant yellow color of the coral bark Japanese maple(Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’, Zone 5–8).
Happy Single Date dahlia(Dahlia ‘HS Date’, Zone 8–11)has a simplistic bloom compared to most Dahlias and was a happy spot in the garden this summer.
Red Dawn full moon Japanese maple(Acer shirasawanum x palmatum ‘Red Dawn’, Zone 5–9)has beautiful color in both spring and fall. This fall it developed an intense red color that was exceptional in the evening sun.
This stubby Lion’s Head Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira’, Zone 5–9) has had a hard life. Not long after it was planted, deer or maybe it was a bear who came during the night and rubbed its branches, breaking them off near the trunk. I dug it out of the ground and put it in a container where it was safe from the wildlife. After several months it showed signs of recovery, so I put it back in the ground with a protective fence around it. After removing the fencing, you can see it grew quite well this summer developing beautiful orange leaves in the fall.
Feather Falls™ sedge (Carex ‘ET CRX01’,Zone 5–10) is a versatile evergreen carex with a cascading form. It works beautifully in a container accentuating the length and form of the foliage.
‘Jordan’ golden full moon Japanese maple (Acer shirasawanum ‘Jordan’,Zone 5–9) has a bright neon yellow color in the spring then settles into glowing lime green in the summer. This fall it was a brilliant deep yellow but before it could develop the characteristic orange color the temperature dropped to 25 degrees freezing the leaves. At least we got to enjoy the intense yellow as it is visible from our kitchen windows.
Crimson flag lily (Schizostylis coccinea,Zone 7–9) blooms in fall providing a pop of color after most perennials have finished blooming. It is a bit hard to find but I found it from a west coast nursery.
This is the first year that ‘Garden Glory’ full moon Japanese maple tree (Acer shirasawanum ‘Garden Glory’,Zone 5–9) has developed intense deep yellow/orange fall color. I protect the trunks of all our young trees with a hard plastic tree guard, so the deer do not rub the bark off with their antlers. The ferns beneath the tree are the deciduous bamboo fern (Coniogramme japonica,Zone 7–9).
‘Osakazuki’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’,Zone 5–9) has some of the brightest fall red colors of all Japanese maples. It may be hard to believe but this year the unseasonably cold 25 degree temperature stunted the color development.
Of course, no post is complete without my gardening compadre, Cody. Here he relaxes on the patio while carrying out his duties as guardian of the garden.
Thank you so much for sharing your garden with us again, Bonnie! Your landscape is a feast for the eyes in every season, but your collection of fall foliage is particularly stunning.
Fall color may have come and gone, but we can still celebrate that fabulous flash of color on Garden Photo of the Day. If you have photos of your garden in all its fall glory, please consider sharing them with the blog. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
You can also send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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To prevent your plant from growing crooked, give it a quarter turn every week, so that it receives sun from all angles.
If you don’t have a lot of bright light coming into your home, you may need a grow light.
Temperature and Humidity
When kept in average indoor conditions, these plants will do just fine – they prefer a range of 60 to 72°F during the day, and a slightly cooler temperature at night.
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
Humidity needs to be above 50 percent, for best results.
Exposure to temperatures below 35°F can kill the plant.
Just make sure you avoid placing your living Christmas tree in a drafty location, such as near an exterior door or drafty window.
If you give your Norfolk Island pine outdoor time in summer, remember to bring it back indoors when the mercury falls into the 50s.
Soil
Norfolk Island pine can grow in soil with a slightly acidic, neutral, or slightly alkaline pH.
It grows natively in a sandy, chalky loam, and is tolerant of salty soils.
Use a well-draining potting mix that has some sand in it – the sand will help with drainage and provide stability, to prevent the trunk from leaning.
I like Tank’s Pro Coco-Soil Potting Mix for this purpose. It contains coconut coir for drainage and water retention, compost for nutrients, and it is peat-free.
While living Christmas trees prefer moist soil, they are quite drought tolerant, as my own Norfolk pine can attest to.
After a stressful move one year, my plant was neglected and it was not watered for (I’m ashamed to say) at least two summer months, if not longer.
Its needles started to turn brown – including those of its growing tip – and my husband and I both thought it was a goner.
Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
But before we relegated it to the compost pile, we decided to see if we could revive it. And amazingly, it rallied! It soon began putting out new, bright green foliage and looking quite happy and undaunted.
As a rule of thumb, water when the top inch of soil feels dry. These plants prefer moist but not soggy soil.
When it’s time to water, pour water evenly over the soil until it begins to run out of the bottom of the pot.
Younger plants will need more frequent watering than more mature trees.
If you’re not sure if you’re watering enough, look out for browning on the tips of branches – this often means the plant is being underwatered.
And once the days start to cool and winter arrives, your Norfolk pine should require water less frequently.
Fertilizing twice a year is plenty to provide your plant with the nutrients it needs.
You can use a general-purpose houseplant fertilizer and apply during the growing season.
Or you can take a more natural, organic approach, like I do, by using worm compost tea to fertilize your plant. You can make your own worm compost tea from your worm castings.
TeaDrops are tea packets containing dry worm compost that are ready to use.
These plants are available to purchase in a range of sizes, from table-top to floor sized.
When purchasing one of these festive conifers, keep in mind that the more outdoor time and fertilizer you give them, and the more often you repot them, the faster they will grow – and choose your size accordingly.
The branches of these trees aren’t as sturdy as those of a Fraser fir, and won’t stand up well to a heavy load of decorations.
So if you are hanging ornaments, limit them to those that are lightweight. Bows, ribbons, and lightweight glass ornaments make good choices.
Photo by Kristina Hicks-Hamblin.
The lower branches will turn brown and die as these plants grow. This is a normal process – you can remove them with a pair of garden snips or pruners.
However, it’s best to avoid pruning green growth since this can as it can affect the overall shape of the tree.
