Hydrangeas are flowers that keep on giving; first as bold pom poms which bloom throughout the summer, then as dried, papery clusters that last into the fall. Recently I decided to prolong the life (and my enjoyment) of a particularly beautiful purple blossom by fashioning it into not one, but two, autumnal garlands.

Above: My original bouquet sporting an unusual purple hydrangea graces the corner of my dining room. The white ones just wilted, but the inky ones dried right in the vase, maintaining virtually all of their original color. 

Above: All you need for this project is dried hydrangeas; floral wire, thread, or twine; and anything else you want. For one garland I chose scabiosa seed pods that I found at Whole Foods. (You can also buy a bunch of Dried Scabiosa Pods for $24.50 from Maison De La Croix via Etsy.) For the other I used some beechnuts discovered during a recent walk. 

Above: Assembly couldn't be easier: just wrap the wire around the blooms. I didn't worry about hiding it, because the gold was part of the composition. A similar spool of 24 Gauge Gold Floral Wire is $2.55 at Mardi Gras.

Above: By varying the amount of flowers and the spacing between your specimens, you can make your garland as lush or sparse as you want. Here, I wanted something a little more modern and sculptural, so I left a lot of wire showing. 

Above: The results: Framed in gold, my now-dried, purple hydrangea still adds beauty to this corner.

Above: Though still quite malleable, the stiff floral wire allowed me to give more structure to this garland, enhancing the sculptural quality.

Above: The dried hydrangeas barely lose any of their rich hue.

Above: The papery scabiosa seed pods proved the perfect modernist complement to the more romantic hydrangeas.

Above: The cool blue of the dried hydrangeas offsets the rich gilding of this frame.

Above: For my second garland, I went with a more delicate approach, opting for single hydrangea blooms instead of clusters. Using fine silver thread, I simply tied it around the flowers and nuts. A 10-meter spool of Pure Silver Thread is $2 from Darke Doings via Etsy.

Above: After about five minutes of tying, my finished garland adds a touch of fall to my mantel.

Above: These garlands are as delightful up close as they are farther away.

Above: Ephemeral bits of fall floating in the air cast playful shadows on the wall.

N.B. For more information on drying your hydrangeas, read Michelle's Dried Hydrangeas Two Ways.

Here's a confession: I'm 25, and I do not own a terrarium. I didn't actively choose to live sans terrarium, I just haven't seen one in an appealing context—until now.

Matthew Cleland makes his one-of-a-kind terrariums by hand on Pender Island, off the West Coast of British Columbia, using lead-free solder with glass. In a recent look book, geometric terrariums (dodecahedrons, rhombuses, and icosidodes) hang in sun-filled windows and sit on dresser corners. Each terrarium kit includes rocks, sand, activated charcoal, and—for the spiritually inclined—a quartz crystal; prices start at $110 for a Small Cube Terrarium from Score + Solder.

Above: The Mini Suspended Tetra Terrarium measures 6 inches by 6 inches and hangs from a 44-inch metal chain; $140.

Above: The Quartz No. 1 Terrarium is $320 from Totokaelo.

Above: Shaped like the classic crystal, the Quartz Terrarium is $140.

Above: The Suspended Teardrop Planter sits in the right corner of the window (sans chain); $170 from Score and Solder.

Above: A tiny cactus with a colorful bloom inside the Dodecahedron Terrarium; $170.

Above: Hanging terrariums can be displayed on a chain (L) or without (R).

Above: The larger version of the Suspended Tetra Terrarium measures about 10 by 10 inches; $240 from Score and Solder.

Looking for a miniature Victorian conservatory to turn into a terrarium? See our post Plants Under Glass.

N.B.: This is an update of a post originally published May 13, 2012.

Here in San Francisco, I'm resisting the arrival of fall. We've had some of our warmest days of the year in the last two weeks, and I'm sticking with sandals until I can't get away with it any longer.

For most of the Northern Hemisphere, however, autumn is underway. Here, as inspiration for what's to come—and to help you identify the turning leaves you're spotting—images of Autumn Leaves from our Photo Gallery.

Above: Love their red color but have no clue what they are? Use a gardener-vetted leaf-identifier app to learn that you're admiring a sweetgum tree. Read more in DIY: Identify Leaves and Flowers (There's an App for That). 

Above: A rain-soaked Acer palmatum 'Elegans Purpureum' hangs over the garden path at Batsford, an elegant gothic estate in Gloucestershire. Get the rest of the damp tour in A Gothic Garden Visit, Courtesy of the Mitfords.

Above: Make your own Leaf Mold—a prized soil amendment with a rather unfortunate name. It's an easy compost to make, best left to rot alone. Learn how in Transforming Leaves from Trash to Treasure.

Above: A striking red color among turning leaves in Japan. Find more autumnal inspiration in Beauty in the Fall.

Above: In his book, New York City of Trees, writer/photographer Benjamin Swett chronicled this Callery pear through four seasons. View more of Swett's favorite trees in Required Reading: New York City of Trees by Benjamin Swett.

Visit more Gardenista galleries, full of romantic Floral Arrangements; Spanish-Inspired spaces; and our favorite Decks & Patios.

In my past life as a florist, I was tasked with everything from tiny ikebana to grand wedding flower installations. While the five years of flower wrangling helped me through school, I'm surprised to find that the skill continues to haunt me along whatever path I've headed. Case in point: planning last week's party for the Remodelista book launch at The East Pole in New York. My goal was to make 12 arrangements for under $200.

Let me begin saying that I know the San Francisco flower market better than the block my own apartment is on; the New York City flower market, however, is a total mystery. Some trade basics stand true no matter what city you're in: bring cash, be assertive but friendly, and wear good shoes.

Photography by Brian Arc, Getty Images (unless otherwise noted).

Above: Photograph of the market via NYC'd.

The New York market is located on West 28th Street right around 6th and 7th avenues and, while it is a wholesale market, ask sellers in advance if you can pay in cash and you'll know if they offer to the public (you won't get a wholesale price, nor should you, but you will have the same access as trade florists).

Above: Identify a point of inspiration, such the colors used in this Dried Hydrangea Garland for Fall.

Before you head to the market, have at least a vague idea of the color palette and texture you're aiming for. You shouldn't go to the grocery store without a list; if you try it here, you'll be as distracted by engorged peonies as you would by a pack of organic gum at the checkout line.

Because we're smack in the middle of November, I opted for a color palette to match: a spectrum of chartreuse-to-olive and blue-to-black, offset by a warm gray. This translated into dried grasses, olive branches, some kind of diseased oak leaf (that I loved), blackish privet berries, silver dusty miller, and porcelain vine. The total cost of flowers rang in at $114 for three bundles and four bunches.

With just a few hours to go, I raced over to Crate & Barrel and then its partner store CB2 to source two sizes of vases to keep me on budget. For six larger arrangements, I used Crate & Barrel's Stackable High Bowls ($9.95 each), which are actually meant to be serving bowls, but go figure. The smaller six arrangements were set into the Joyce Bud Vases ($2.95 each) from CB2. For more basic vases, see our previous 10 Easy Pieces posts: Simple Glass Vases Under $30 and Single Stem Bud Vases.

Above: Guests at the Remodelista party in The East Pole's upper dining room. Can you spot the flowers among the throngs?

I'm a firm believer that, aside from most schools of ikebana, flower arranging is purely intuitive and the more you work with it, the more you find your way. That said, I have a few rules of thumb:

• Create a foundation of woody stems to inspire the design (I used the privet berry and olive leaves).
• Add colorful face flowers in groupings at varying heights (in this case, silver dusty miller was my face flower) and work with an asymmetrical shape.
• Pepper in the more wispy elements to give it some movement and pull it all together.

Like cooking, sourcing fresh ingredients of good stock and layering the flavors (or colors) carefully is a sure bet. Read more about the Remodelista book party flowers on a recent mention from Country Living.

Location of the Flower Market in NYC:

For more on the Remodelista book and the events to come, see our post On the Road: Upcoming Remodelista Book Signings and Markets. Looking for more floral design? Sift through a whole list of our favorite flower arrangements and general flora in our archives. 

I hate houseplants. I mean really hate them, and I know it's my earliest experiences that shaped my disdain. In my childhood home, our living room felt like a jungle. There were plants everywhere—giant sansevieria, drooping ficus trees, dusty African violets, and fat-stalked orchids seemingly never in bloom.

To me, houseplants live in cheap plastic pots, usually sporting bar codes, nestled in formerly clear plastic trays. They wear crumpled aluminum foil to keep the pets out, even though the tips of most leaves have already been sampled. Houseplants are watered en masse from the kitchen sink; they overtake the countertop in seconds, brown water pouring over their catchment trays following overzealous refills. 

Even today, when I'm home and given the task of cleaning the house for a party, I've been known to chuck a few plants in the trash. (Actually, I don't think anyone knows that I do that.) Unlike the great outdoors, where I'm an accidental plant killer, indoors I do it on purpose.

I know how awful I sound; my mother always worked more than full-time and something's gotta give. But man I hated those plants. 

Somehow, however, these days houseplants have been piquing my interest. For one, a year's worth of tending an outdoor window box has made me feel reconnected to green living things. And on Gardenista, I've seen hundreds of images of houseplants, all beautiful, none sitting in 19-cent plastic trays. I began to wonder: Could I bring plants into my house and actually want them to stay alive? 

Photographs by Meredith Swinehart. Photography shot with the Canon EOS 70D digital SLR camera, with Dual Pixel AF technology and built-in Wi-Fi.

Above: I disliked how my mother's houseplants looked like an afterthought, and I'm not one to be unintentional about my living space. For me, having houseplants meant creating vignettes I might actually want to live with. 

Above: I painted a large terra cotta pot in Farrow & Ball's Cabbage White and planted white-tipped ivy on the perimeter and a "Ming" asparagus fern from Flora Grubb in the center. 

Above: I wanted to create a planter/plant contrast in green, but knew that the wrong pick could be unflattering to both. In the end, I love how this selaginella looks against a planter in Farrow & Ball's Studio Green. I supplemented the live plants with dried tallow berries.

Above: A miniature olive needs no introduction and no other plants as friends. I love this little tree and dearly hope that I keep it alive. This is the only plant in my bedroom, and its beauty still surprises me every time I enter.

Above: I found the little tree at Shed in Healdsburg, near Napa; it was the only one with fruit on it.

Above: Xapno on Haight Street in San Francisco is a little dark (think carnivorous plants), and inspired me to create a moody arrangement. I initially resisted the begonia—as far as I'm concerned, anything with tropical, waxy leaves belongs in a corporate lobby circa 1982. But I made an exception for this particularly dainty version. In the smaller container is a corkscrew rush—which I bought because it looks weird.

Above: I planted pilea to dangle downward and a tiny tropical hypoestes (also known as a polka dot plant) to augment the begonia. 

Above: Second to the big olive, this tiny olive is my favorite. (I have a clear bias toward Mediterranean plants. Coincidentally, we didn't have any Mediterranean plants in my childhood home.) I love how slight it looks, and I plan to keep it small with regular trimming. The pot is painted in Farrow & Ball's Elephant's Breath, a barely gray, slightly pink, perennially popular color. 

Above: The silver-inflected basket is from Flora Grubb, along with the copper drainage tin peeking out from the edge of the pot.

Above: In a compromise with my cat, I planted Rosy's Organic Kitty Grass to keep her from eating the rest of my lot. (She doesn't know we reached a compromise, but I'm spraying the rest of the plants with something she won't want to eat, so I think she'll learn about our agreement soon.) The pot is painted in Farrow & Ball Mole's Breath, and the water dish is from Mason Cash. 

If you're just beginning gardening, indoors or out, visit the rest of my Novice Gardener posts to find out how easy it is to get started.

When it comes to gardening, I admit to being a bit of a snob. Gardening, to me, is done outdoors while wearing sturdy garden boots and wielding things like pitchforks and axes. It involves digging and hauling and getting soaked in the rain, broiled by the sun and blown around by the wind.

Caring for house plants, on the other hand, has never seemed like real gardening. My prejudice, however, has melted away lately under the influence of a book called The Unexpected Houseplant by Tovah Martin with photographs by Kindra Clineff.

Photographs via The Unexpected Houseplant.

Above: The book opens one’s eyes to a vast array of plants, normally seen outdoors, that can be successfully and impressively grown inside. Martin makes it clear that you do not have to shop for your indoor plants only in the house plant section of your local nursery. You are not limited to spider plants (in fact, Martin condones throwing those in a dumpster) or trying to keep last year’s poinsettia from dropping dead.

Be warned that this book engenders so much enthusiasm for indoor flora that you can find yourself outdoors with a shovel in your hand robbing your own garden of plants to bring inside. I know. It happened to me.

Above: Information about caring for specific plants is arranged in a format that gives the plant’s attributes along with its growing requirements. As Martin points out, you have more control over the growing climate indoors than outside. The back of the book contains a primer of basic plant care as well as information on buying plants—“the secret lies in selecting a plant that tugs at your heartstrings”—and picking appropriate containers.

Above: This is not a dilettante's engaging discourse on the joys of indoor gardening. Martin makes it clear she has successfully grown all the plants she covers and that it takes work, a lot of work, and a sort of hyper-sensitive attention to the plants. She even suggests that you approach it “with the fervor you pour on your pets."

Above: Martin also offers tips to gardeners on her blog Plantswise. I’m thinking of writing to her about a couple of issues. As a brownstone dweller, I have few windows and only north and south exposures. She recommends a lot of plants for east and/or west facing windows but very few for those that face north. Am I limited to ivies and hellebores, or can she suggest others? And my few pitiful windowsills are all located on top of radiators… proven plant destroyers. Tovah, you’ve got me hooked. What should I do now?

Do you think your Tiarella cordifolia has to spend the winter outdoors under a snow bank? Certainly not, according to Tovah Martin who says, “Foamflowers are disarmingly easy to grow indoors.”

Above: Martin, who lives and gardens in Connecticut, is described as having a “serious house plant addiction.” The Unexpected Houseplant is available for $16.78 from Amazon.

N.B. This is an update of a post that originally published on December 17, 2012.

For more ideas, see 802 images of House Plants in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.

A planter that does double-duty as a bookshelf? We'll take it. Our friends at Remodelista are big fans of the Indiana-based furniture design company Hedge House, and now that we've spotted this sharp little planter-cum-library, we are too. 

We're envisioning the planter under the windowsill in a kitchen: herbs on top, cookbooks below. Or how about center stage in the bay window in the living room? Vintage record collection down below and succulent garden up top. 

Above: Made of white oak, all Hedge House furniture is handcrafted by Amish woodworkers in Goshen, Indiana.

Above: The planter is 11 inches wide by 37 inches high. The box is 8 inches deep. It comes with an optional black plastic liner to protect the wood from damage. 

Above: The White Oak Indoor Planter is $275 from Hedge House. 

Looking for a new home for a potted plant? We have some thoughts on this subject. Browse all of our posts on Pots & Planters.

Set up by four young friends a couple of years ago, The Ethicurean restaurant operates from an old glasshouse in a walled garden near Bristol. It takes seasonal, local eating—and seasonal cocktails—to heart. Here, from the Ethicurean cookbook, a classic recipe for an Apple Flip:

"This is a refined descendent of the egg drinks that were a staple in America up until the middle of the 19th century. Early flips were a mixture of beer, rum, egg, and sugar, poured from container to container to aerate them. A red-hot poker would then be plunged into the flip, causing it to froth and adding a burnt caramel flavor. We have not tried this yet, but it becomes increasingly tempting after a few flips.

"We particularly like the apple juice and brandy blends made by Julian Temperley of The Somerset Cider Brandy Company. As well as some excellent vintages of brandy and cider, he has created two drinks, Kingston Black and Pomona. Kingston Black is slightly sweeter and is similar in many ways to a Pineau des Charentes or white port."

N.B.: For more on Julian Temperley's distillery, see A Visit to Somerset: Temperley's Cider Brandy.

Photograph by Jason Ingram.

The Ethicurean Apple Flip

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 45 ml Kingston Black (apple aperitif)
• 25 ml 3-year-old Somerset Cider Brandy
• 20 g caster sugar
• 1 free-range egg
• A small grating of nutmeg
• Enough ice to fill a cocktail shaker by two thirds

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients except the nutmeg and ice in the glass part of a Boston shaker. Place the tin on top and tap to secure it, then shake vigorously. Break apart the shaker and pour the contents from as high up as you dare back into the metal half of the shaker. This adds even more air to the drink. Drop in the ice. Shake until the sides of the shaker condense, then pour the flip into a glass using a Hawthorne strainer. Finish with a fine grating of nutmeg.

For more about Ethicurean recipes, see Required Reading: The Ethicurean Cookbook.

Planning a holiday party? See more of our favorite Cocktail Recipes.

A long lunch at The Ethicurean restaurant is taking the idea of seasonal, local eating to heart. Ensconced in an aging glasshouse in a walled garden near Bristol, one eats what one sees and then some. Set up by four young friends only a couple of years ago, The Ethicurean has won impressive awards and a loyal following. Now comes the cookbook, with a fetching cloth-bound cover, and pictures by our favorite West Country photographer, Jason Ingram.

Above: Winter in the walled garden, which is part of Barley Wood estate, in Somerset.

A definition of "ethicurean" at the beginning of the book sets us on the right track: "The pursuit of fine-tasting food while being mindful of the effect of one's food production and consumption on the environment."

Above: The Ethicurean philosophy: "Eat local, celebrate native foods, live well." They take the last part very seriously.

Local rituals and ancient festivals are revived and given new life in the walled garden and orchard. "Wassail" is one of those murky celebrations which people confuse with drunken carolling. In fact, it is a pagan festival involving tree spirits and orchards and it begins at dusk, outdoors, at the coldest time of year. The Wassail Cup is still key, but instead of mulled cider the spirits are toasted with Lamb's Wool, an all-but-forgotten mix of ale, puréed apple, and spices.

Other social events in the garden include Summer Solstice and the recently honored Day of the Dead.

Above: Diners sit at long tables but similarities to a cafeteria end here.

Ever wondered about "hung beef"  or whether there is any point in making real custard; why salt marsh lamb is said to be so special; what oaked vermouth is and how to oak it? These questions and more are discussed and yet the book is not a massive tome. It's perfectly readable in bed.

Above: Pineapple, Turmeric and Ginger Glazed Ham with "Piccalilli." This is a winter dish, using Caribbean pineapples (in season in December). "Try to find fair trade fruit that smells sweet at the base."

British Piccalilli is a different beast from the American version, shaped by cauliflower florets and colored by turmeric. It has connotations of India, the Empire, and holiday shopping at Fortnum and Mason. However, revived with some West Country air, it becomes altogether more intriguing.

Above: An Ethicurean staple, Caerphilly and Cider Welsh Rabbit. This recipe looks west towards Wales in its choice of cheese and is paired with local medium-sweet cider. "While beer would dominate this cheese's citrusy and mushroomy earthiness, the cider sings in chorus."

Above: The restaurant works in tangent with the expertise of head gardener Mark Cox. Barley Wood Walled Garden is also home to workshops and courses; the garden is open every day.

Above: The motor behind The Ethicurean. From left: Matthew Pennington (chef), Paula Zarate (business brain), Iain Pennington (chef), Jack Adair Bevan (wordsmith and mixologist).

Above: "Ethicureanism is a new British cooking manifesto." The Ethicurean Cookbook is £25 from Ebury Press. For a classic cocktail recipe from the book, see The Ethicurean Apple Flip.

Love walled gardens? See One of the Finest Examples of a Walled Garden in the Land.

When a modern-design fan purchased a plot of land approved for construction of a traditional Slovenian hut, his architects created a very modern cabin that still technically follows the rules.

The property in question is located inside Slovenia's Triglav National Park, where strict rules of design and construction are enforced. The building site came with a permit for a traditional Alpine hut, and though the owner wanted a modern design, he did not want to attempt to change the permit. So Slovenian architects OFIS Arhitekti designed a cabin with the same dimensions, roof pitch, and materials as were mandated in a traditional hut—but with a decidedly modern take. From a distance, the hut blends into the surrounding architecture, but up close the tiny home is a shining example of modern design.

Photography by Tomas Gregoric.

Above: The second floor is cantilevered above the ground floor and acts as a shade from the summer sun.

Above: Environmentally friendly features include extra thermal insulation between the wooden cladding and vertical pipes inside beams that collect rainwater from the roof.

Above: The kitchen is small but entirely modern.

Above: Unlike a more traditional hut, in this version windows and doors were sited to maximize views.

Above: The ground floor has an open floor plan with kitchen, dining, and living rooms, and storage tucked under the central staircase.

Above: Vaulted beam ceilings are hallmarks of the traditional local architecture.

Above: The homeowners mixed occasional antique pieces like this armoire with the rest of the hut's simple modern furnishings.

Above: To maximize views and minimize furnishings, the architects extended the windows to meet low bench shelves that function as sofas. Sun-facing corner windows mean no heat is required on sunny days.

Above: Exterior features like stone and wood columns came from local sources and echo the region's architectural vernacular.

N.B.: This is an update of a post originally published December 12, 2012.

I am a huge nature lover. I love my garden; I love to take long walks in the wilderness. But I have only recently come to embrace the concept of the house plant.

I actually think that for a long time this "aversion to your average house plant" was common in the design world. Open any architectural or interior magazine ten years ago, and you'd be challenged to find any greenery. But that was back in the day when house plants had broad, waxy leaves in bad shades of green (yes, there is such a thing), and little personality.

Nowadays, as the Internet introduces an ever-broadening array of exotics, and as interior style emphasizes a much more personal approach, it is more than possible for design purists to enjoy a bit of nature inside, as well as out. Today's varieties have made a convert of me... So much so that I hope to regularly share my favorites, starting with these: my five favorite small-scale plants for apartment living.

Above: Considered an invasive weed in some regions, Asparagus Fern—Protasparagus densiflorus (which is not a real fern, but a member of the perennial lily family)—is better kept as an indoor plant. Grow your own with seeds from Generic Seed; $5.95.

Above: Almost no one captures the personality of plants like Belgian photographer Mieke Verbijlen. Here the backlit leaves of her Pilea peperomiodies look like a cascade of green bubbles. Available seasonally from Black Jungle Terrarium Supply, currently out of stock.

Above: Dutch photographer Anja Mulder enjoys her Fenestraria rhopalophylla "Baby Toes" (in the US) or "Baby Fingers" (in the Netherlands). At Succulent Beauties for $4.99.

Above: Air plants, like this beloved specimen of Kim Ludy's, have a particularly animated quality. Individual plants as well as sets are on offer a Air Plant Design Studio; $9 - $60. Photo via Ethanollie.

Above: The studio of Hong-Kong-based graphic designer Furze Chan, boasts an ever-changing array of small plants like this succulent ($10 at Succulent Oasis). Furze also sells a number of handmade and vintage vessels, which are perfect for growing her favorite small-scale flora.

Above: A favorite of Fen and Ned's Sarah Andersen, Lithops fulleri are often called "living stones." (Available at Corona Cactus for $4). Sarah enjoys her lithops in a beaker by Sue Paraskeva; £22.

N.B. This is an update of a post that originally published on March 5, 2013.

Don't forget another of my favorites: Mikado, the world's most adorable plant.

When we asked landscape designers and gardeners about their favorite houseplants, or the plants they thought were easiest to grow indoors, we quickly realized they were one in the same. (Nobody needs a needy plant.)

We appreciated seeing our favorite standbys on the experts' list and loved hearing about new plants we should try next. (For me, that will be the gorgeous purple shamrock below.) From members of our Architect/Designer Directory, here are the experts' favorite, easiest-to-grow houseplants: 

Above: Allison Koll at Gunn Landscape Architecture recommends oxalis triangularis, or purple shamrock. She loves its beautiful triangular leaves and deep purple shade, and because it stays alive while her other plants have not. She suggests keeping oxalis in indirect sunlight—its leaves open and close to the sun—and watering every few days or if the soil is dry. It becomes dormant during winter, she says, "So just when it seems like you've killed it, it comes back to life." Photograph via Easy to Grow Bulbs.

A packet of 25 bulbs of Oxalis Triangularis is $9.95 from Easy to Grow Bulbs.  

Above: Neither Leslie Bennett nor Stefani Bittner of Star Apple Edible Gardens is an admirer of houseplants in general, but both have grown fond of the Fiddle Leaf Fig for its big, beautiful leaves and retro-chic look. They've also found that it's hard to kill. "If things go wrong," says Bennett, "I just cut mine way back and it comes back beautifully."  Photograph via The Marion House Book.

Want your own? See The Fig and I: Tips for Buying and Caring for a Fiddle Leaf Fig.

Above: Beth Mullins of Growsgreen Landscape Design is fond of sansevieria, or mother-in-law's tongue, especially the cylindrica variety. Says Mullins, "They are retro and easy and can handle dark corners with very little water." Photograph via The Simple Green Frugal Co-op.

For more information and sources, see A Houseplant You Can't Kill: Mother-in-Law's Tongue.

Above: Gunn Landscape Architecture senior designer Aaron McIntire recommends kalanchoe, or magic bells plant, for its striking shapes, color, and texture. He notes that it blooms from late fall into winter, and as a member of the succulent family, it's resilient and easy to care for. McIntire says, "I like this plant because after it blooms, you only have to cut it back and the process of growth starts again." Photograph via Das Pflanzen Forum.

A Magic Bells Kalanchoe Plant in a 6-inch pot is $11.99 from Amazon.

Above: Gunn Landscapes designer Cat Rha recommends Platycerium bifurcatum, or staghorn fern, "as a great sculptural centerpiece for mounting onto a wall. I love the idea of using plants as a piece of living art." She notes that they can be finicky to care for, since they prefer tropical environments—high humidity and indirect sunlight. She suggests soaking them in water once a week and misting in between waterings. Photograph via Terrain.

Have you ever considered hanging a staghorn fern in your shower? See Steal This Look: Hooked on Houseplants.

Above: Pedersen Associates in San Francisco recommends Aspidistra elatior, or the castiron plant, for enduring hardiness. Photograph via Jacksonville. 

A Starry Night Castiron Plant is $7.99 from Hirt's.

Above: Gunn Landscapes horticulturist Lauren Pucciarelli recommends the ZZ plant, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, for its beautiful foliage that is highly resistant to pests and can tolerate low light. However, she warns that "all parts of the plant are toxic so be careful around children and pets." Photograph by Helen McCauslin.

A Rare ZZ Plant in a 6-inch pot is $14.99 from Hirt's.

Above: Along with the ZZ plant, Joel Lichtenwalter of Grow Outdoor Design recommends aglaonema 'Silver Queen,' or Chinese evergreen. He says that despite minimal watering, "These are the two plants that have survived at least a decade in medium/low light exposure in my condo in West Hollywood." Just as easy, he says, is "a centerpiece of three different tillandsias arranged on a metal base on the dining room table." Photograph via Eco|Stems.

A Silver Queen Chinese Evergreen Plant in a 4-inch pot is $7.99 from Amazon.

Above: Pedersen Associates also recommends echeveria—a flowering succulent native to Central America—planted in groups on a sunny windowsill. Photograph via Floradania.

We recently discovered just how hardy echeveria is; see Must-Have Bouquet: Needs No Water, Lasts a Month.

Above: Star Apple gardeners Bittner and Bennett also like ficus elastica 'Burgundy,' or the red rubber plant. They would love to grow one indoors but admit they've only grown them in the garden. (If you've grown this at home, we'd love to hear.) A Burgundy Rubber Plant in a 6-inch pot is $12.99 from Hirt's. Photograph via Butterfly Blooms Garden Centre.

It's houseplants week at Gardenista. Discover The New "It" Houseplant; our favorite Mini Houseplants for Apartments;, and the houseplants I'm learning to love, in Houseplants for a Hater. 

This week Remodelista's editors slept in. Sarah tested white sheets all over town, Julie bounced on beds in four cities in 10 days (book tour!), and Alexa folded herself up in a Murphy bed. And they got me thinking again about wallpapering my bathroom.

I've been obsessing for months over how to pick the perfect wallpaper, and just when I thought I'd made my selection, Margot and Izabella discovered two more gorgeous possibilities:

Can you help us ID the pattern? And how would it look in my bathroom?

Love this pattern, too. Anybody know what it is?

Expecting guests over the holidays? Now you see them, now you don't.

Sarah on sheets: "Am obsessed with Matteo—have some of their vintage linen sheets and love them. Also love Rough Linen—great for summer—and..."

Budget Bedroom: eBay, Ikea, mother in law's tongue.

On the edge of a large heath land in the county of Surrey in the South of England lives painter and best-selling author Celia Lewis with her chickens and turkeys and sheep—and the occasional pig. They've all made appearances in her books (as well as in her rambling seven-acre garden).

It's the quintessential old-fashioned sprawl of an English country garden, woods and mossy paths, a sunny wildflower meadow, and am idyllic spot for lunch on the lawn.

"We've lived here for nearly 40 years, bringing up our three daughters and now entertaining our six grandchildren," says Lewis, whose An Illustrated Country Year will be published in September by Bloomsbury. "The garden is full of animals such as deer that make formal gardening impossible. We long since decided that what we like is the natural look." We quite agree.

This is one in an occasional series of stories about readers' secret gardens. Would you like us to feature yours next? Send photos to edit@remodelista.com (or tell us about your garden in the comment section below).

Photographs by Emma Lewis.

Above: "I'm afraid the croquet box simply hasn't been put away—we play it on the lawn in summer," says Lewis.

Above: Close to the house is a large crabapple tree and a picnic table "in the shade of this lovely tree where eat eat in the summer—not as othen as we'd like thanks to the tiresome English climate," says Lewis.

Above: "My advice to gardeners would be make the most of plants that thrive and don't struggle with exotic things that aren't suited to your climate or soil," says Lewis. "If you have a deer problem, like us, grow things they don't like (there are a few)."

Above: Lewis' An Illustrated Country Year is £18 from Bloomsbury. Charles, Prince of Wales wrote the Forward to Lewis's most recent previous book, The Illustrated Guide to Chickens, which covered such topics as combs, feathers, broodiness, and culling.

Above: The garden is made up of lawn and paths through the wooded areas and has been a large inspiration for Lewis' forthcoming book.

Above: Lewis' new book will cover everything you might encounter on a walk in the country, from beetles to buzzards, to bluebells, to birds.

Above: Rainwater from the roof is collected to water tender seedlings that might not tolerate tap water.

Above: A tangle of clematis grows against the house.

Above: A mossy dark path through the woods leads to a wildflower meadow.

Above: The wooded areas join almost seamlessly into the meadow, says Lewis.

Above: "The meadow is a joy, full of wildflowers and even orchids; I once did a plant species count and reached over 70 types not including grasses," says Lewis.

Above: At the moment, Lewis is keeping eight Belted Galloway cows in the meadow. They're "helping me with my research into cattle and maintaining the grass at the same time," she says.

For more readers' gardens, see Beauty in the Berkshires and Fanciful Topiary at the Old Eldridge Place.

N.B.: This is an update of a post published March 22, 2012.

All great gardeners will tell you the same thing: don't select plants for flowers alone. The striking blooms that entice you at the nursery are fleeting. Foliage is really king (and structure) when it comes to choosing plants and designing a garden that has impact through all seasons.

Thanks to plant propagators; the world of interesting foliage keeps expanding. They're pushing the boundaries of what a leaf can provide. Variegation is a lack of pigment in the leaf. Variegation is not just white and green; these days, it can be green and yellow—or even pink can appear—and some leaves have a mix of it all.

Last summer, I went on a quest for interesting variegated hardy plants. I'd been wanting an excuse to take a drive to a nursery that has a cult following in the garden community. Broken Arrow Nursery, in Hamden, CT  is known for its rare and unusual plants.  It's not around the corner from New York city where I'm based, but it's absolutely worth every mile I put on my Prius.

Photographs by Maria Robledo. 

Above: (Upper Left) A Platanus x acerifloia 'Suttneri' is $17.99; a Ulmus carpinifolia 'Variegata' (Middle) is $19.99; a Magnolia x 'Fran Smith' (Right) is $29.99 (available seasonally, currently out of stock). Shown at bottom, Acer truncatum 'Akikaze Nishiki.'

Adam Wheeler, Broken Arrow's propagation and plant develop manager, has been with the nursery for ten years and is a wealth of knowledge. He writes the nursery;s brilliant catalog so be sure to look online or order a copy.  I keep one beside my bed and will be ordering the 2014 issue, which will be available in early February. As Wheeler says, "I look for plants for foliage first. Flowers are the icing on the cake; foliage has consistency. It adds contrast and interest to the garden. If you garden in the shade, a variegated plant is like turning on the lights. In either shade or sun, it helps to direct your eye through the landscape."

Broken Arrow does mail order in spring and fall. The fall season ends in early December. The nursery is open year round, but through the winter months by appointment only. The season officially starts April 1 and runs to the end of October. 

Above: (Left) Syringa vulgaris 'Aucubaefolia'; (Middle) Acer palmatum 'Hana Matoi' (a 2-gallon plant is $49.99, available seasonally), and (Right) Zelkova serrat 'Goshiki'.

Above: (Left) A Hydrangea paniculata 'Yuki Gessho' ($34.99); a (Middle) Caryopteris x clandonensis 'White Surprise', and (Right) a Buddleja davidii 'Summer Skies' (a 2-gallon pot is $24.99, available seasonally.) 

Above: A Spirea x vanhouttei 'Pink Ice'; $29.99 at Broken Arrow.

Above: A Ligularia 'Osiris Chameleon.'

Above: (Left): A Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow'; (Middle)a  Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegata'; (Lower Left) Carex conica 'Snowline' is $11.99 (available seasonally), and a Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' (Lower Right) is $14.99.

Above: At Top Left, a Cryptomeria japonica 'Knaptonensis'; (Bottom left and upper right) Pinus parviflora 'Tani Mano Uki', and the long branch in the Middle is Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Special Variegated.'

Above: A Daphne x transatlantica 'Summer Ice'. See other varieties of Daphne's for sale at Broken Arrow.

For more of our favorite plants with dramatic foliage, see 5 Favorites: Colorful Japanese Maples.

From Stockholm-based Nordfjell Collection: a simple steel archway that is all you need to create a freestanding room in the garden. Let vines climb and encase a single Summer Snow Pergola or use multiple structures to create a covered walkway.

Above: Available in two sizes and made of laser cut Swedish steel; for more information and prices, see Nordfjell Collection.

Above: Heights range from approximately 8 feet (250 centimeters) to 9 feet (280 centimeters).

Above: The pergola is available in two colors, gray and black (Shown).

Need a structure on which train vines? See more of our favorite Trellises.

Put your garden's best features into focus with landscape up-lighting. We've rounded up a collection of pole and surface mount up-lights perfect for illuminating trees, garden walls, and other garden elements that deserve attention or need nighttime navigation.

The lights we feature require an electric power source and wiring (we recommend consulting an electrician when embarking on your path-lighting plan). For surviving outdoor elements, lights with durable copper or brass housings are recommended. Most lights are available in low-voltage options which are safer, easier, and less costly to install. For a thorough landscape lighting primer, we recommend the All About Landscape Lighting feature from This Old House.

Directional Pole Lights 

With their multi-directional head and lens, these versatile lights can be used as an up-light, down-light, or wall wash providing optimal lighting for practically any outdoor situation.

Above: Made of heavy-duty copper, the Infinity Light has a 6-inch multi-directional head and lens. Made by Laguna Lightcraft and available for $123.90 at Boxhill.

Above: With a fully adjustable head that allows for 360-degree rotation, the versatile Hunza Pole Spot PS can be aimed in any direction to light up a tree, stairway (or down for pathway lighting). A good choice for gardens with variable lighting needs. Offered in solid copper (as shown), modern stainless steel, or powder-coated aluminum; $180.62 at Louie Lighting.

Above: The low-voltage LED Volt Innovator Top Dog Pathway Light features heavy duty brass construction with a bronze (as shown) or copper finish. It combines the durability of a sealed spotlight with the features of an adjustable path light; $54.97 through Volt.

Above: The Hinkley Nexus line of landscape lights offers swivel light heads that come in different sizes. They can be paired with various stem lengths to accomplish a variety of lighting applications. The Nexus LED Accent Light (L) measures 17.8 inches in length (just the head), and the Nexus LED Mini Accent Light measures 11.75-inches; $149 and $119 respectively at Y Lighting. (Note that the Nexus Base Extension Rods are sold separately.) 

Above: The SPJ Lighting Directional Pathlight can shine light down, up, or in-between. It is made of solid brass and is available in nine finishes, including matte bronze as pictured; $165.60 at Louie Lighting.

Surface Mount Up-Lights 

These versatile, durable, compact fixtures project a narrow beam - good for precisely lighting garden features you want in focus. Their low profile keeps them inconspicuous during the daylight hours. 

Above: Laguna Lighting's basic up-light, the Rocket Lighting Fixture offers a range of wattages and beam spreads. Made of solid copper with a brass ratchet swivel to direct the light, it has a 2-inch head and a 7-inch pole (nearly a surface mount). Available in three finishes including antique brown patina as shown; $121.80 at Boxhill.

Above: The Evergreen Outdoor Cast Brass Directional LED Up-Light is a surface-mounted landscape light that comes with a plastic gravity stake for easy installation; $69.50 at Alcon Lighting.

Above: The ROC Lighting Architectural Spotlight is machined from military grade solid aluminum designed to withstand harsh environments. Available in black, white, bronze, or silver anodized (as shown); $79.50 at Alcon Lighting.

Above: Made of die-cast solid brass, the Corona Lighting Directional Brass Up-Light is $64.95 at Alcon Lighting.

Above: The Hinkley Bullet Spotlight has an elongated angled shade to focus the light coming out of the lens. Available in bronze with cast aluminum construction (as pictured) or matte bronze with solid brass construction. Priced from $54.44 to $187.78 depending on finish at Lumens. 

Above: Easy to adjust, the Hadco Copper Bullyte features a natural brass swivel arm with a brass locknut, and a fully-rotatable shroud in solid copper. It comes with a mounting stake and is $123.08 at Lightology. 

Developing a landscape lighting plan? See our earlier Pathway Lighting feature. 

We've always been fond of Terrain for its garden staples that are pretty enough to leave on view—copper pitchforks, linen-wrapped clay planters, rain boots handmade in France. But we're especially ardent fans during the holidays:

This year—though we don't have all our decorating schemes laid out quite yet—we know we'll anchor holiday displays with lights, and lots of them. Year after year, some of the best ones we find are from Terrain.

Above: Terrain's Twig Lights are perennial favorites we pull out in time for Thanksgiving. Here, Terrain gathered several bunches together into a chandelier to create a centerpiece over the Thanksgiving table. Replicate the look in How-To: A Woodland Chandelier. 

Above: A better way to celebrate Black Friday? We think so. Set the mood for hygge with Terrain's Vintage Drop Lights or Festival Lights. Opt for a new take on dessert—see DIY Spiced S'mores Kits—while you're at it. 

Above: Skip the grounded Thanksgiving centerpiece and opt for something handmade overhead. The ingredients for this DIY Autumn Lantern are simple—a Sphere Hanging Basket; Filigree Cutout Hurricane, and Steel Shepherd's Hook for hanging. Add a dried wreath, grains, and branches and you're nearly there. Full instructions in How-To: Autumn Lantern. 

Above: Terrain's Stargazer Lights will be climbing all over our homes and gardens in a few weeks' time; the copper wire-bound warm white lights can be used indoors or out.

Above: A Gardenista favorite for holiday decor: tree branches tightly wound in wire lights. (In copper, the Stargazer Lights look nice even unlit.)

Above: This simple idea has us thinking about truly instant holiday decor; drop tiny wire lights into a vessel and you're done.

Above: By the stairs are the Sphere Hanging Baskets used in the Thanksgiving candlelit chandelier mentioned above. After Thanksgiving dinner, the orbs become Christmas decor. 

Above: Stargazer Lights are available in a 6-foot-long Battery-Powered Strand or 15-foot and 100-foot hardwired lengths. 

See our other visits to Terrain in holidays past, in Steal This Look: Holiday Decor at Terrain and Shopper's Diary: Spring Decor at Terrain.

From where I sit perched on my couch, I can see the roof of the garage in the back of my building. At this time of year, and for most of the summer, the crinkled aluminum gutter that runs along the flat edge of the roof is stuffed to the brim with wily weeds that have made for themselves a kind of scrappy rooftop garden. It's November, and since we haven't had a true frost in Brooklyn, bright pink knotweed blossoms are still peppering the gutter, providing some visual interest but doing nothing at all to improve the flow of rain into the paved parking lot below.

Further along, on the roof of another apartment building, I can see a bit of chicken wire pulled up at one corner and rippling its way along the edge of the gutter; someone's attempt to prevent the same kind of urban garden seen on the garage below from sprouting four stories up. 

The scene got me wondering if there are more sensible solutions for gutter maintenance that don't involve regular treacherous climbs up a ladder. Here are a few options that I found for preventing leaves and other debris from taking up residence in the rain gutter. 

Above: Mesh Gutter Leaf Guards snap into place on existing vinyl gutters. Made from vinyl-coated fiberglass mesh and vinyl screening, the 6-foot-long by 3-foot-wide sections are sold in sets of five through Improvements Catalog; $19.95. 

Above: Aluminum covers by LeafX are a bit more sophisticated, and require installation through an authorized installation expert. The 100 percent aluminum cover sends water into the gutter, but flushes leaves and other menacing debris off the edge of the roof. Covers are designed to fit over existing gutters. Head to LeafX for more information and an installation quote. 

Above: The Gutter Glove Pro combines an aluminum cover with stainless steel mesh to protect gutters from becoming clogged. The aluminum support frame is anondized to make it compatible with copper gutters and type 316 stainless steel resists corrosion. The Gutter Glove comes in three different sizes to fit 2- to 3.5-inch-wide gutters, 4- to 5.5-inch-wide gutters, and 5- to 7.5-inch-wide gutters. Go to Gutter Glove to find an authorized dealer in your area. 

Above: Another guard for do-it-yourselfers, the RainDrop is made of UV Stablized Polypropylene and can be installed by homeowners or professionals. A series of rounded crossbars encourage water to fall directly into the gutter, rather than sheeting off the edge. Visit RainDrop to find a supplier near you. 

Above: The Gutter Helmet was developed by an MIT graduate in the 1960s. The design uses surface tension and gravity to propel past the edge of the gutter, before redirecting it into the gutter itself. When the rainwater passes over the edge of the helmet, a 3/8-inch slit allows water to slide in, while leaves and debris slide off. Head to Gutter Helmet to request a free quote. 

Roofs on your mind? See Remodeling 101: Standing Seam Metal Roofs. Interested in intentional green roofs? See Architect's Visit: A Green Roof, With Wildflowers.

In celebration of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday here in the States, we invited you to create Pinterest boards that highlighted a fuss-free, rustic, DIY table setting. After poring and salivating over your photos, we have chosen a winner:

Our congratulations to Barbara Stamis. We like her mix of old and new, including freshly plucked centerpieces and a vintage shopping list. Her favorite part of compiling the board? "Just being inspired to do many of these things this holiday," she told us. An avid cook, Barbara will receive the 5-Piece Bake Set from Falcon Enamelware in time for Thanksgiving.

Thanks to everyone who submitted. We'll be repinning your ideas from now until the holidays. And for more inspiration, here are a few favorites from Barbara's board:

Above: Whether it's been plucked from a country garden or bought at the corner market, we're all for a simple and verdant look this Thanksgiving. Barbara was inspired by Erin's white, green and indigo setting.

Above: To keep things simple, consider an à la carte setup. Photograph by Andrew Montgomery (see more of Andrew's inspirational work on Off Hours: How Chelsea Flower Show Cleve West Star Survives His Day Job).

Above: "Divine" roast turkey, as Barbara described it. Photograph by Katie Quinn Davies.

Above: A gluten-free thin crust pear tart, photograph via Tartelette.

Above: Warm comfort food baked and served in Falcon Enamelware. Photograph from Nest. 

For more Thanksgiving hosting and menu ideas, look to Erin's Botanical Napkin Rings and Kendra's The Ethicurean Apple Flip.