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13. A Shady OptionThis outdoor space on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota includes this covered patio to provide shade and shelter as well as an open-air patio nearer to the lake. The same stone continues from one space to the next, providing cohesiveness between the two.Notable detail: A fireplace hearth with room for seating on those chilly Minnesota evenings.See more of this home
17. Lakeside LuxuryOverlooking Lake Keowee in South Carolina, this porch is the perfect setup for a football weekend. A stately stone fireplace, a giant TV and comfortable seating make it just the spot to watch the game, or conversely, to turn off the noise and appreciate the beautiful surroundings.Notable detail: The beautiful wide-plank flooring.See more of this home
18. Screens OptionalLocated right off the most popular dining space of 2017, this comfortable porch is a great spot to begin the evening with a cocktail and to retire to for dessert and after-dinner drinks. And the porch was designed so optional screens can be installed between the columns for the buggy months.Notable detail: The dark-stained knotty wood on the ceiling.Learn more about this home
19. Cooking, Eating, Toasting and Soaking The designers fit a lot into this 1,000-square-foot yard in San Francisco, including a dining platform, an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit and a sunken hot tub with an ipe deck surround that matches the main deck.Notable detail: The steps on the deck double as stadium-style seating.Learn more about this backyard design
1. A Formal Surprise!I don’t know about you, but as I got to know this list I felt sure the No. 1 dining space would be a cozy breakfast nook or inviting kitchen booth. But, no, formal dining still rules. This room is part of a Houzz Tour that was a hit with readers in 2017 — one with transitional farmhouse style, smartly designed based on Not-So-Big-House principles. While this is a separate formal dining room, it has cozy proportions and casual touches. For instance, all of those windows make it feel like a sun porch. The mix of seats and a bench keeps things family-friendly for little ones to eat in here, and the table and lanterns bring in farmhouse style. There’s direct access off this room to the home’s wraparound porch. Meanwhile, the coffered ceiling, substantial wainscoting and drapes lend traditional dining room formality.Takeaway: You really can’t go wrong with a coffered ceiling in the dining room. Share: Are you in the eat-in-the-kitchen camp or the I’ll-never-give-up-my-formal-dining-room camp? Or do you like to have both for different occasions? What makes a dining space special for you? Let’s chat about it all in the Comments.More: Key Measurements for Planning the...
4. In the RoundRound dining tables are more casual and conversation-encouraging than rectangular ones. The placement of this dining space makes it versatile. It can serve as catch-as-catch-can breakfast nook and, with some changes to the lighting scheme, a formal dinner spot. Takeaway: Upholstered chairs keep diners comfortable and able to sit and chat for hours. Browse round dining tables
6. Colorful Nashville NookTwo creative pals and business partners decorated their home in an artsy neighborhood in East Nashville, Tennessee. Their cozy booth is a favorite spot for not only eating but also visiting and hunkering down to get some work done. Takeaway: Look in your fruit basket for color inspiration, like they did with this lemon yellow door.Learn more about this home
1. Dazzling perennial border. The deep floral borders of this home in Sussex, England, celebrate the transition of summer into fall in all its glory. The blazing color palette of ruby red, deep purple, orange, gold and lavender creates a high-contrast display where the colors nearly vibrate in close proximity. Two red-leaved deciduous shrubs, ‘Grace’ smoke bush and ‘Lady in Red’ ninebark, stand backlit at the center of the bed, their leaves glowing like translucent jewels. Perennials such as dark purple ‘Ostfriesland’ sage, bright gold woolly sunflower, pale purple cranesbill and hot orange avens fill in the bed with saturated hues.Plant combination:‘Grace’ smoke bush (Cotinus ‘Grace’, USDA zones 4 to 9, find your zone)‘Lady in Red’ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Lady in Red’, zones 2 to 7)Common woolly sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum, Zone 3)‘Ostfriesland’ sage (Salvia nemorosa ‘Ostfriesland’, zones 4 to 8)Avens (Geum sp.)‘Rozanne’ cranesbill (Geranium ‘Rozanne’, zones 4 to 9)Water requirement: ModerateLight requirement: Full sun
When selecting plants and materials to surround a patio, Welsch advises that you keep it simple and repeat them. Clients love intimate spaces that feel private and calm, he says. “Keep plant and materials selections simple for a clean, elegant and calming oasis.” Here, he used a tight planting palette of white hydrangeas, Japanese forest grass and climbing roses, plus a few potted flowers for seasonal color.
In general, Welsch recommends budgeting 3 by 3 feet (0.9 by 0.9 meter) for each chair placed around an outdoor table. If you’re mapping out your patio size around existing furniture (or a set you’re planning on purchasing), Welsch recommends mocking up a quick paper model. “Space-plan the furniture placement ahead of time using graph paper and paper cutouts of each piece of furniture to move around the patio layout on paper,” he says.
Using movable chairs and a love seat, rather than a built-in furniture arrangement, keeps the seating flexible. Guests can pull their chairs up closer to the fire pit for extra warmth or push them back to cool off.See similar teak furniture on Houzz
Shrub roses. This rather broad category is described by the American Rose Society as “hardy, easy-care plants that encompass bushy roses that do not fit in any other category of rose bush.” In general, shrub roses have denser foliage and a rounder form than many modern roses, which have more of a V-shape growth habit. Even though the foliage of shrub roses is very attractive and stands on its own, the profuse flowers almost hide the foliage throughout the growing season of spring through fall. The fragrance of shrub roses ranges from scarce to heavy, depending on the type.Shown: ‘Pink Double Knock Out’ shrub roses at the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, Oregon
Unlike vines, climbing roses don’t have tendrils to help them grab onto structures for support, so tying the canes to supports with flexible plant ties or strips of pantyhose is necessary.Use climbing roses to cover a bare fence or wall, or plant them alongside an arch or pergola where their beauty can best be appreciated. ‘Altissimo’, ‘New Dawn’ and ‘Sally Holmes’ are often planted where climbing roses are desired.Shown: ‘Sally Holmes’ climbing rose
Climbing roses. Climbers can be found in several classes of roses and are often the result of an alteration or mutation of the normal shrub growth, creating canes (branches) that reach 8 to 20 feet long. Their canes are also more flexible than those found on rose bushes, allowing them to be trained on supports, such as a trellis. While climbing roses may grow significantly taller than the original rose they mutated from, the flower itself is identical.Shown: Pink climbing rose at the University of South Carolina
Floribunda. At first glance, floribunda roses look very similar to hybrid teas in regard to their flower shape, foliage and colorful variety. Floribunda roses are a cross between hybrid tea and polyantha roses (a compact old garden rose), and are more compact in size and slightly more disease-resistant than their hybrid tea parents.
When beginning your search for the perfect rose for your garden, ask yourself what’s most important to you: masses of smaller blooms or fewer large blossoms? Maybe you are tight on space or are looking for a rose that needs little upkeep? There are many smaller, low-maintenance types of roses to fit the bill. Is a rose that’s highly fragrant essential on your wish list? Old garden roses are well-known for their fragrance as are certain modern roses.
It can be intimidating if you’ve never planted a bare-root rose before. However, it’s surprisingly easy, as long as you follow some simple guidelines, and you’ll be rewarded by glorious blooms.When to plant. Bare-root roses need to be planted during cool weather. Six weeks before the last frost for your area is a good guideline on when to plant them. In warmer zones, this is usually December through February. For areas where the ground freezes, wait until the ground thaws before planting. Contact a local rose expert if you’re unsure about when to plant.
Create new plants by dividing hostas to fill in a bed.Choose a cool, dry time in the morning or evening to avoid too much stress on the plant. Dig down and around the outer edge of the plant. The best method is to start digging straight down and circling the plant, deepening each cut as you continually circle. Once you’ve reached the deepest roots, start angling your shovel or space inward toward the center of the plant.
How to do it: It’s best to divide plants in early spring or at the end of the growing season. For best results, prepare the soil where you plan to transplant the divisions ahead of time. Thoroughly water the area around the plant or plants you plan to divide as well.
Black-eyed Susans and coneflowers are among the plants that divide well.Best choices: Perennials, such as bee balm, black-eyed Susan, butterfly milkweed, coreopsis, coneflower, daylily, hosta, lily-of-the-nile, ornamental grasses, phlox, some sedums and veronica. Bulbs, especially bearded iris, can also be divided.
Pruning. Your rosebushes will need to be deadheaded throughout the summer, which means removing spent roses. This will not only get rid of old rose blooms, but it will also help to encourage the production of new roses.When deadheading roses, it’s important to move down the stem and make the pruning cut a quarter inch above a five-leaflet leaf that faces outward. This will ensure that the remaining stem will be strong enough to support new growth.In cold-winter climates, stop deadheading roses six weeks before the first hard frost or you’ll risk severe cold damage when new growth appears in response to the pruning.Alternatively, in low-desert climates, stop pruning roses in the summer months. Rose growth slows down during summer in hot, desert regions, and the few blooms that bushes do produce during this time are very small. Wait until September to prune back the upper third of each rosebush to remove sunburned foliage and stimulate new growth.
Fertilizing. Not surprisingly, roses need fertile soil to produce their gorgeous blooms, and regular applications of fertilizer are recommended. Organic rose fertilizers are a great choice since they will feed your roses without killing beneficial soil microorganisms as synthetic (chemical) fertilizers can. As an added benefit, fertilizers made from organic sources last longer than synthetic ones.The first application of fertilizer should be made in spring. In areas with relatively mild winters (USDA zone 8 and above; find your zone) this should be done in March. In colder climates, April is generally a good time to fertilize. The amount of fertilizer to add can vary depending on the type of fertilizer, so it’s best to follow the directions on the bag of fertilizer that you buy.After the first blooms of the season have faded, fertilize again. The last application of granular fertilizer should occur no later than six weeks before the first frost in your region. While fertilizing three times a year will provide you with a healthy, beautiful rosebush, for those who want the best and biggest rose displays, you can supplement your rose feeding with alfalfa meal and Epsom salts, which yo...
Mulching. To help preserve moisture around the roots, add a 2-inch layer of mulch underneath the rosebush, keeping it an inch away from the base. This will prevent the root zone from drying out while also moderating the soil temperature. Shredded bark or leaves, grass clippings or pine needles are suitable mulches.
Beebalm and clematis (Clematis sp.)How to use it. Plant scarlet beebalm where you can enjoy the bees, hummingbirds and butterflies that its flowers will attract. It’s especially effective when massed with other perennials, such as black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.) and coneflowers (Echinacea spp.), in borders, native gardens and natural-style gardens.
5. Deadhead flowers to promote the production of new roses through the fall.6. Keep an eye out for any fungal diseases, such as black spot and powdery mildew, and treat accordingly.MoreLearn the Secret to Bigger and Better RosesWhat Kind of Roses Should You Grow?More Houzz gardening guides
2. Remove all rose debris, including fallen leaves, to help protect roses against being infected by any fungal diseases or damaging insects.3. Apply rose fertilizer at the same time, working it into the top inch of soil around the root zone. Water well before and after applying the fertilizer to help ensure that it is well-distributed. Apply fertilizer for the last time no later than six weeks before the first average frost date for your area.4. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost to help conserve soil moisture, prevent weeds and add nutrients to the soil.
Fall Rose Care for Cold-Winter Regions: Zone 7 and Below1. Stop deadheading roses eight weeks before the first frost date. This signals the rosebush to slow down in preparation for cool weather ahead, as it will stop producing new blooms and focus instead on forming seeds, which are contained within a fruit called a rose hip. 2. Apply fertilizer for the last time no later than six weeks before the average forecasted frost date. New rose growth is extremely susceptible to damage from freezing temperatures. With the approach of winter, the goal is to slow the growth down. Ceasing fertilizing helps your roses to harden off, allowing them to better handle cooler temperatures.
12. The more romantic the garden architecture, the better. A whimsical picket fence, welcoming arbor and even a birdhouse make this Los Angeles cottage even more fetching. Red roses play off the red front door and rocking chair, while creeping thyme softens the stone path.Tell us: Do you have a cottage garden in your home? What are some of your favorite plants in it? Please share your tips and pictures in the Comments section.MoreLay of the Landscape: Cottage Garden StyleScandinavian Style in a Pretty Cottage Garden
10. That said, feel free to stick to your favorite palette. In this garden, greens and purples dominate, thanks to plants like astilbe, loosestrife, scaevola and verbena. To learn more about color theory in the garden, I recommend reading Gertrude Jekyll for inspiration.
9. There’s no such thing as too much color. There are no color rules in a cottage garden. No matter how many pinks, oranges, purples and reds you mix, they won’t clash, as the garden by this lovely stone house in Santa Barbara, California, proves.
8. “Overgrown” can be a good thing. A vine-covered arbor at the gate lets visitors know there are great gardens to come beyond the picket fence.
6. No flowering plant is too tall. In this dreamy garden on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, yellow tree roses, dinner-plate dahlias and sunflowers draw the eye up, while French marigolds, floss flowers and dusty millers provide color closer to the ground.
5. No straight lines are required. A meandering edge suits these mounds of flowers just fine. This garden gets a bit of order by arranging the flowers from lowest to highest from front to back.
4. Still, boundaries are made to be broken. Plants that climb, creep and spill over walls and fences are ideal.
2. Add fall-themed potted plants to courtyards. Whether or not you have a fall-colored accent wall dripping with changing leaves, you can bring a hit of autumn color with container plants. Potted chrysanthemums are a popular choice, with bedding varieties often sold budding or just beginning to bloom in nurseries this time of year. Other options to consider: pansies in rich fall colors, golden black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), bronze-leaved coral bells (Heuchera spp.) or ornamental grasses.
20. Kid and Guest-FriendlyA conundrum some homeowners face: How to design the bathroom their kids use every day in a way that also will be inviting for overnight guests? Here, a slate floor, marble countertop and painted vanity add beauty while two sinks, a tub-shower combo and a playful ruffled shower curtain suit family life. Notable detail: Limiting expensive mosaic tile to an accent stripe is a great way to get the most bang for your buck. See the rest of this home
New England Colonial Who lives here: Empty nesters Location: Newton, MassachusettsDesigner: Nancy Hanson of Heartwood Kitchens“The house was built in 1924. It is a Colonial, but this elegant New England farmhouse-inspired kitchen would work well in a Victorian home or any vintage home,” says designer Nancy Hanson. Key details: Furniture-inspired cabinetry Traditional architectural detailsRustic and antique decorative accessories
The homeowners are closely connected to their extended family, so they wanted a house big enough where both their college-bound kids and visiting relatives could comfortably stay. The guest bathroom has a curbless shower. The floor tile is by Ann Sacks, accented with wall tile from Fireclay and a concrete countertop.More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
The children share this upstairs bathroom. The steam shower’s glass enclosure goes all the way to the ceiling to create a real sauna environment. “There’s a control panel on the wall under the window, so you can sit on the bench and fill [the shower] with steam,” Rogers says. She tiled and sloped the ceiling so that when the steam rises, it runs down instead of condensing into heavy droplets that fall on the bather.
The backsplash tile is oriented diagonally behind the range to mimic a look the homeowners had liked in their previous home.
The living room centers on a fireplace encased in custom stained glass mosaic tile. The stained glass was cut by hand and glued onto mesh, as is done with mosaic tile, before it was installed. “The photo does not do it justice,” Rogers says, “So much light comes out of it.” Bifold doors leading to the backyard make the living room a great party space. While the fog coming off the bay chills the front of the house, the back stays warmer and sunnier, so the family is able to keep the back doors open for much of the year.
DahliasDahlias have really come back into fashion again, especially as a cut flower. To deadhead, cut the blossom after it has faded by following the flower stem back to where it meets the main stem. You will be blessed with a continuous display of vibrant blooms well into autumn or until the first frost.MoreRead other guides to gardeningFind pruning tools
Planting notes. Choose a site with well-amended, fast-draining soil. Although hydrangeas like some shade, especially in areas that get summer heat, they don’t always do well if they need to compete with tree roots for water. The general rule of thumb is that if grass doesn’t do well in a spot, hydrangeas probably won’t either. Provide consistent moisture, especially for the first two years after planting. Water deeply, but be sure the soil doesn’t remain soggy. Feed with an all-purpose or high-phosphate fertilizer in spring if flower production falls off. Hydrangeas need little pruning, as most bloom on old wood. Cut back any dead wood in fall or early spring. You can leave fading flowers on the plants until they drop off naturally or until after the plants come out of dormancy in early spring; then cut stems back to the nearest buds. In cold-winter climates, protect plants with a wood bark or straw mulch, removing it once the danger of frost has passed. Transplant in fall or winter when the plants are dormant.
Endless Summer bigleaf hydrangeaHow to use it. Hydrangeas mix well with shrubs and perennials in a garden bed or border, and can be used to line paths and driveways, soften fences and walls, or create a focal point. They can also be grown in containers. You can use the fresh flowers in arrangements. You can also dry the flowers or allow them to dry naturally and use them in wreaths.
10. Showcase your style. This white farmhouse kitchen in St. Louis scores extra points by leaving a section of cabinetry open to display dishware. This is a great spot to curate based on the seasons or to cycle through your various collections.Faucet: Traditional pull-down in polished copper, WaterstoneFind copper faucets
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