Picture-Perfect Planners

We know your time is precious. Whether you have one hour or a weekend, sometimes the simplest changes can transform your space to look brand new.

Create a Go-To Entertaining Spot

Line your garden path with hearty potted plants that will outlast the summer heat and add a natural, fresh scent to your backyard. Lanterns and lights can help light the way and set the mood as guests explore your space. Keep EPA-approved bug repellent on hand for guests, too, by repurposing old planters to create stylized bins.

Quick Tips to Upgrade your Space

Painting your old outdoor furniture or adding a bright window box can make your space look like new again, and laying down fresh, new mulch can do wonders for your landscaping. Choose vibrant plants that flower at complementary times to take the legwork out of refreshing your garden mid-summer.

We know you might have a tendency to reuse your mulch and soil to save time, but don’t forget disease or pests can be carried over. Decide to reuse? Make sure they’re pest and disease-free before replanting.

Create an Outdoor Photo Booth

Add colorful patio furniture or an outdoor rug as statement pieces day or night with outdoor lighting. A big, bright statement plant like a fiddle leaf fig can serve as an inviting backdrop for storying and easily inspire a photo nook for friends to enjoy.

Collaborate with a Professional

Bring in a professional for the things outside of your passion projects. Lawn care professionals can help you clean a deck and maintain your spaces so you can focus on the quality of the garden projects you love the most.

Millennial white and neutral color schemes are out, and rich hues and color mixing are in! No need to throw out your old décor – simply add low-maintenance annuals and perennials, reuse colorful planters and find care products that fit into your watering routine.

Make a Statement with Bold Colors

Use bright colored containers and flowers and plants to brighten up your indoor and outdoor spaces. Pink azaleas add a great pop of color to your garden, and geraniums come in a variety of exciting hues to complement your style.

One Color, No Problems

A monochromatic look is easy to create, and can be more visually appealing without the headache of competing colors. Try varying shades of blues with pansies and navy pots. The soft blues of the pansies will offer a great contrast to the bold navy of the pot. Make sure to keep your pansies healthy all summer long by using a fungicide product from your local garden center to treat rust, leaf spots or anthracnose.

Jewel Tones Fit for the Queen

Jewel tones can add a vibrant appeal to any spot in your home and garden. Whether it’s incorporating deep ruby red accents with outdoor furniture or emerald green planters, jewel tones will make a big statement without a heavy lift. Think turquoise, red, emerald green, fuscia, sapphire blue and magenta, all of which can add warmth and intimacy to the places you love to entertain and relax.

Stay Fresh With Mint

Minty hues and plants are calming and can help you decompress and unwind, making it more than a great color to add to your living spaces. And luckily, you can grow it yourself! The herb can liven up recipes with a crisp taste and delicate topper. Use a fungicide from your local garden center according to label directions to keep your mint plant fresh throughout the season.

Make bold product choices

Don’t be afraid to be bold when it comes to choosing products that will work. Use The AND Approach to find, solve and prevent issues in your home and yard and research the right products that are tested and proven to work the first time. Always read the label directions and store products on a shelf out of reach for your pets and kids. And if you need help identifying and selecting products, don’t hesitate to reach out to a local garden center or professional.

Comfort, color and creativity can turn your backyard space into the season’s most talked about place to be.

Start with a blank slate

Clear out furniture, kids toys and leaves or twigs, so that you have a clean palette. Prep your outdoor space for a fresh new look by putting a little elbow grease into washing your patio. If you’re working with a wood deck, apply a fresh coat of stain or sealer to protect it.

Choose a rug that fits your preferred look and feel

Outdoor rugs add a nice barrier between foot traffic and your deck. Natural outdoor rug materials, such as bamboo or hemp, are durable but have the potential to mildew with too much moisture. If you’re looking to add a pop of color, you can also choose synthetic rugs which can withstand wet weather, dry quickly and come in a variety of colors.

Add the staple pieces

Look for metal, teak and all-weather wicker to withstand the elements when choosing patio furniture. AND if you’re in need of extra comfort, incorporate cushions. Consider adding a storage bench to keep cushions safe from spring showers, squirrels and other small creatures that are infamous for scratching through the fabric.

Use pops of color to create a lively space

For patio greenery, choose a variety that works for your outdoor space. Select flowers and plants like geraniums that fit your growing zone for easy upkeep.

Avoid unwanted guests

Remove standing water and consider hiring a pest management professional or purchasing a product to treat your backyard for mosquitoes. Set aside a basket to match your decor to hold EPA-approved bug repellent for your guests.

Light your space

String lights help keep the party going, but consider adding a variety of lanterns and lights. Other accents, such as herbs and succulents on the table, will turn your patio or deck into an extension of your home and take your outdoor space to the next level.

Take a bow

Sit back and relax, you’re ready to press send on your invitations to friends and family.

Succulents come in many shapes, sizes and colors – each offering something special for your space. This guide can help you decipher how to best care for your favorite variety.

Choose a variety to complement your home décor

Succulents with the greenest of green leaves like aloe vera, panda plants and pincushion cacti make themselves at home indoors with lower light. Purple and orange succulents are better outdoors in full sunlight.

Pick the perfect planting spot

Indoor succulents and cacti should live in a temperature-regulated place close to a window. Outdoor varieties should be planted in an area with a lot of sunlight, away from frequent traffic.

Keep your new buds comfortable

Use well-draining soil by mixing half potting soil, half sand. Planting in an unglazed pot can help indoor succulents drain completely after their recommended weekly soaking.

Mimic native surrounding in their new home

Before transplanting your succulents and cacti to their new pot or flower bed, measure how deep they are planted in their original container and be careful not to break the root ball. Plant them at a similar depth with room to stretch. Keep in mind, some outdoor succulents prefer the support of other nearby plants.

Watering 101

Succulents and cacti take a thorough soaking at least once a week, but should drain completely to mirror their lifestyle in native desert surroundings.

Allow for a change of scenery

Rotate succulents and cacti from indoors to outdoors to make sure they receive enough light. Be sure to give them a few hours of shade when temperatures remain above 90 degrees, and move them indoors if the weather calls for heavy rain.

These 6 steps can help you grow a bright and tidy garden sure to impress at your neighborhood block party.

Add structure to your landscape

Shape up any uneven shrubs by pruning them at an outward slant away from the bud to encourage growth in the right direction.

Tidy up

Keep your flowers weed-free through targeted weed control products, hand pulling and mulch.

Bright blooms mean curb appeal

Consider planting Daylilies and Black-Eyed Susans that come to life under the summer sun. A bright array of flowers can amp up your view from the street.

Try your hand at basil, thyme, mint and sage

Your palate and dinner table will thank you! Pick herbs and flowers that pair well together and require a similar amount of sunlight and shade for a balanced look.

Give your flowers the attention they deserve

Perennials make for beautiful flowers year after year, giving you a sense of accomplishment. Every 3-5 years, divide your spring perennials during the fall to prevent overgrown plants.

A gardener’s golden rule

Master gardeners abide by the Thriller, Filler and Spiller Rule when shopping for planters. The Thriller for height in the center of the pot, Filler to surround it and Spiller to fall over the side – a winning combination.