Archives for August 2014

Revive summer-weary gardens with outstanding late bloomers such as toad lily, Russian sage, blanket flower and more

When the dog days of summer get the best of your garden blooms, there’s still time to create a fetching landscape. Sure, you could head to the local garden center for mums, but if you want something less predictable, check out these no-fuss perennials that bloom with abandon — often up to frost. You’ll get color now, plus repeat performances for many autumns to come.

Delight the eye through 3 seasons with bright flowers placed just right. Get flower bed location, shape and color ideas here

flower bed filled with masses of color to grab your attention, blooming from spring through fall — what could be better in any garden? If what you want is a flower bed filled with masses of the same plant, such as a bed of impatiens or roses, it’s easy to get it right. But if you hope to have a judicious mix of colors and shapes and flowers that will fill the space throughout the growing season, you’ll need to take some time to plan ahead and follow some basic design guidelines.

The latter part of the summer is a good time to look at your flowering beds and borders and see what is and isn’t working, especially as the plants mature, and think about the changes you might want to make. You also still have some time to tweak what’s there, adding in some late-summer and fall-blooming annuals and perennials. You can also search nurseries and garden centers for perennials to plant this fall to give them a head start for next year.

Banish gloppy bars and flimsy pumps, and the only things you’ll need to clean are your hands

Every bathroom needs soap next to the sink. But soap dishes can become unsightly and a breeding ground for soggy scum. The dispensers that liquid soap are sold in aren’t particularly sturdy or attractive, either. So what’s the stylish and stable alternative?

There are plenty of attractive soap dispensers out there; you simply want to match the design to the style of the room. Or find an unconventional container and adapt it to liquid soap. Or consider some ways to get that bar soap off the vanity, so the only things you’ll need to clean are your hands.