If you’ve been trying to do your bit for the environment inside your home, such as choosing nontoxic paints, ethical homewares and eco-friendly cleaning products, you’ll be pleased to know that you can extend this good deed into your exterior space too. By opting for outdoor furniture that’s produced responsibly, sustainably and without the use of harmful chemicals. Here are some ways you can make even more sustainable choices.

Go Non-Toxic

Off-gassing: It’s when new furniture, made from non-eco-friendly materials, releases harmful chemicals into the air we breathe. So when it comes to choosing new outdoor furniture, particularly tables you and your family will be eating from, it’s wise to source environmentally friendly materials that don’t release these chemicals.

Interbuild has developed an innovative VOC-free Hardwax Oil, which can be uses on any wood product. Certified Climate and Carbon Neutral by South Pole, a company involved in climate protection, Hardwax Oil is free of all harmful solvents. It’s also certified for contact with food and doesn’t use peanut oil in the manufacturing, ensuring that anyone with the allergy is protected.

Protect for Longevity

Outdoor furniture can weather quickly, especially if left uncovered and exposed to the elements. However, by opting for furniture that has been protected with an environmentally friendly oil, you’ll be lengthening the life span of the products and reducing waste in the long term.

You’ll also reduce waste when using an oil that, when applied to the surface of the furniture, stays in and on top of the product, with no evaporation of solvents.

Bonus Tip: . It’s worth investing in durable covers for your furniture to reduce the need for sanding and reoiling.

Opt for Quality

Be on the lookout for solid, durable outdoor furniture that’s made well. However, if you want to ensure that the product is sustainable, you should also consider the materials it’s made from.

Keep an eye out for companies with an ethical focus, that use FSC-certified wood such as FSC acacia. Companies like these are committed to the preservation of our forests for generations to come and therefore use only wood harvested in a responsible and sustainable way, while also being committed to producing high-quality furniture.

Bonus Tip: The benefits of FSC-certified acacia wood are twofold. Not only is it sustainably produced, but acacia’s natural oil helps protect against the elements, which helps preserve the products from the inside out.

Choose a Timeless Design

Choose timeless furniture you won’t tire of and therefore won’t be sending to the landfill.

The key is to pick classic and versatile designs that will adapt to your needs. 

Bonus Tip: It’s not just outdoor furniture that can be super functional and last for years. Versatile interlocking deck tiles, also protected with Hardwax Oil, can be reused in different areas as your lifestyle changes. Genius!

We all want our entries and front yards to feel welcoming this fall and winter. Getting a new doormat, investing in outdoor lighting or porch furnishings and tending the garden can help boost curb appeal for the holiday season and beyond.

Improve Your Outdoor Lighting

When it gets darker earlier in the evening, a well-lit porch can make a big difference in boosting your mood and your home’s curb appeal. In updating your exterior lighting, think about including multiple light sources: wall sconces and pendant lights or recessed ceiling lights. Choose bold fixture designs that look good — even when unlit — and match your home’s architecture.

Get a Fresh Doormat

Keep your entry looking polished — and clean — with a new doormat for the fall and winter season. If you already have a decorative doormat or outdoor rug next to your front door, don’t hesitate to layer a heavy-duty mat on top to catch moisture, dirt and outdoor debris.

Set a Bench by the Entry

A seat by the front door makes a home look more inviting and can be a useful spot for pulling on boots or setting down a grocery bag while you rummage for keys. If your porch isn’t large enough for a bench, try placing one along the way to the home’s entrance.

Add a Bright Seasonal Accent

Don’t feel as if you need to go all-out on porch decor to get a fall lift. With just one element or two — such as a bright pumpkin on the porch or a wreath on the door — you can get a boost of color and seasonal cheer. If you’re tight on time, look for colorful elements that can bridge fall and winter.

Upgrade Your Porch Furniture

Classic Adirondack chairs, rockers, lounge chairs or a porch swing add a welcoming look to the front porch and inspire getting outside to enjoy the crisp fall air. Choose one based on comfort, style and the available space you have on your porch or front stoop.

Add a Few Long-Lasting Potted Plants

Potted plants can provide welcome color and texture to the fall and winter porch. If you’re looking for a long-lasting, low-maintenance potted plant option, a word of advice: Choose evergreens. Boxwood, dwarf conifers, privet and culinary bay all make excellent choices for potted doorstep plants that will look great for fall and winter.

Spread Fresh Gravel

Gravel on walkways, patios and driveways shifts and sinks over time. Fall is a perfect time to top off gravel to refresh outdoor spaces and keep down mud before winter. Choose the same rock type and grade, particle size, as the existing gravel and top with a 1- to 3-inch layer, filling in low spots as necessary. Rake to smooth.

If you’re installing a new gravel path, driveway or patio this fall, consulting with a pro can help ensure that the surface meets your needs. Gravel, if properly installed, can support the wheels of cars, walkers, wheelbarrows and more.

Mulch Beds

Covering bare dirt with mulch can take an end-of-season garden bed from looking tired to tidy in the span of an afternoon. Select a mulch that matches the style of your garden. There are several types to choose from, including natural bark, wood chips, straw or gravel.

Aim to add 2 to 3 inches of mulch over beds, keeping it away from the trunks of trees and large shrubs. Mulch can suppress weed growth, insulate shallow roots from freeze damage, hide soaker hose and irrigation lines, and prevent water loss from evaporation.

Add a Decorative Door Knocker

The subtle gleam of a new brass door knocker against a dark front door can be a subtle and effective front entry upgrade. Choose a classic shape or go for one — like a brass pine cone, seashell, sailboat or eagle — that gives your home a little extra personality.

Refresh Window Boxes

Window boxes packed with seasonal plantings or strung with lights can boost curb appeal. In mild climates use white cyclamens, ornamental peppers, pansies and trailing variegated ivy. In cold-winter regions, keep the cold-hardy ivy in place as temperatures drop and swap the tender peppers, cyclamens and pansies for a few hardy dwarf conifers or cut conifer branches.

New decor, potted plants and string lights are good places to start when refreshing a deck. But there are other ways you can make a big difference without a major renovation. Here are some tips that will give your deck flair, functionality and interest.

Hang Art

Art pieces made from metal, wood, glass, fiberglass and resin are weather-resistant choices, as is canvas treated to be weather-resistant.

Look for art designed for outdoor installation, including pieces made of metal. Even the most weather-resistant works should be placed out of direct sun and rain to prolong their longevity. Bringing them inside during the winter months will also help ensure they’ll last.

Alternately, you can always just find something you love and use it temporarily. That will give you a chance to change your look over the years.

Up Your Lounging Game

Embrace the dog days of summer with a dedicated spot for lounging. A hanging daybed is perfect for lazing away long, sunny afternoons.

If a daybed isn’t quite your style, or your space is limited, a hanging swing or hammock is another possibility. If you prefer to stay firmly planted on the ground, a glider might be your lounging spot of choice.

Install a Bench

Permanent or seemingly permanent benches are multipurpose additions to any deck. They provide extra seating while not taking up as much room as freestanding chaises and chairs, which is a plus if your deck is on the smaller side. They can substitute for or augment deck railings, providing a solid edging. They can also add storage space.

Add planter boxes at either end or between two benches to give you more growing space, whether it’s favorite fragrant annuals and perennials or vegetables and herbs that you can pick fresh when it’s time to prepare an outdoor meal.

Upgrade Lighting

Give your deck an enchanted nighttime glow with outdoor lighting. You can also do an updated take on string lights by running them vertically along one wall rather than stringing them overhead. Or, scatter a few lanterns throughout the space. If you don’t have them already, add step lights along the edge or near level changes to make your deck an inviting and safe space where you can still enjoy the night sky.

Provide More Privacy

A landscape screen is a simple way to block an unsightly view, add privacy, define a space or even provide decorative interest.

You can turn almost any material into a screen. Wood or lattice may be the first things to come to mind. Take the time to explore something more decorative, from metal to glass or fabric. A row of planters filled with tall grasses or small trees could serve as a living alternative.

Play Some Games

Who can resist the draw of oversize chess pieces? If chess isn’t your game, consider setting up a cornhole game, pingpong table or other outdoor activity. Add some lighting and you can continue into the evening.

Consider adding covers or an overhead structure if you want to protect the equipment from rain; you’ll also want to bring them indoors once the weather turns chilly. In the meantime, let the games begin.

Elevate Your Plants

Add some style to your space by adding planters in various sizes to the deck surface and fill them with some combination of flowering plants, small shrubs, trees, fruits, vegetables and herbs.

It’s best to keep the planters themselves slightly elevated above the deck surface to allow for runoff from watering and to prevent staining. Place a support with casters under the largest planters to make them easier to move.

Serve Up Things in Style

A counter or bar takes your deck’s functionality up a notch or two. A simple countertop mounted on the wall beneath a kitchen window can become a serving bar or eating area — and it makes shuttling food and drinks outside much easier.

If a kitchen window isn’t available or practical, a serving bar set along a wall is another option. It gives you a permanent spot for setting out drinks and food when you’re entertaining and also an opportunity for a bit of decor or lighting. A bar set on a railing provides a conversation spot while you enjoy the view.

Update the Color

If the surface itself is looking faded, give your deck a jolt of color. Painting the decking, rather than re-staining, allows you to add some personality to the space.

Paint gives you an almost unlimited palette to choose from. Shades of blue, green and brown that reflect nature’s hues have a calming effect. Brighter colors add a burst of energy to the space. Add stripes or patterns, outline the edges to add definition, create a faux finish such as a rug or tile look or add decorative elements throughout.

Be sure to choose paint that’s formulated for use on a deck. From cleaning to adding final touches, the process will take time, so be prepared for your deck to be out of commission while this is happening.

Add Shade

Adding a pergola above all or a portion of your deck may not be as time-consuming as you think. Depending on the complexity and the amount of preparation needed, including time for setting footings and staining or finishing the materials, it could take about a week to build a basic pergola.

In the end, you’ll have a shaded spot when the sun is blazing. Include some lights, whether wired in or battery operated, and it will also become an evening destination.

Do a Deep Clean

If you notice that your deck is starting to show some wear and tear, summer is a good time to give it a good cleaning or even refinish the decking and railings.

Cleaning your deck’s flooring is a good weekend project that you can probably finish in a day. In many cases, moving things off the deck and back into place may take the most time. Rent a power washer or use warm water and dish detergent, or opt for a cleaning solution formulated for your deck paired with a stiff broom.

Refinishing will take longer. You’ll need to wait 48 hours after cleaning to apply the finish, and that can take some time. It will be worth it, though, when you see how much it improves the overall look of your deck.

A gardener’s work is never done. Even though August is the high point for the summer vegetable garden, with tomatoes, peppers, corn and never-ending zucchini rewarding you for your hard work in the spring, it’s time to start thinking about what vegetables you want for fall.

Here are some edibles you can plant now that will extend your vegetable growing season well into the fall months. Some, like carrots and radishes, are familiar spring options that will grow quickly and help fill in any bare patches left when you pull out your spent summer favorites. For others, such as kale and turnips, fall is the optimal planting time and frost is a plus. If you’re in a warm-winter climate, vegetables such as chard might even keep producing well into winter.

These are cool-season vegetables. And just as in the spring, there are certain growing conditions you need to take into account. If you live in a cold-winter climate, you’ll need to plant so most of these can be harvested before the first frost, rather than planning your planting time for after the last frost. If you live where frost may come as early as September, you will want to look for varieties that mature quickly or transplants.

You also won’t need to wait for the soil to warm up. Instead, you’ll want to be sure that the soil isn’t too hot for seeds and seedlings and be sure they get plenty of water. High temperatures and direct, hot sunshine might also fry these plants, so give them some shelter until they are firmly settled in and the weather is cool.

Spinach

Fall is the perfect time to add leafy greens to the menu, and spinach is the perfect fall green to include in your garden. Choose between the flat-leaf and crinkly types, or plant a mixture. It can be harvested within a month, so if your first frost date is later in the season, sow or set out transplants every two weeks to extend the crop.

Lettuce

Lettuce quickly bolts in warm weather, which can make putting together that summer staple, the BLT, problematic. But plant it again in the late summer, preferably where it will be a change, and you’ll have another crop in time to pair the leaves with your late-ripening tomatoes. You’ll also have plenty for fall salads.

Chard

While hardy chard may have survived the summer heat to provide you with some leafy greens, adding more to your garden will give you a beautiful crop for a fall harvest if your current plants are fading or have been completely used up. Plant it earlier rather than later for the most prolific crop (except in warmer climates, where chard may very well last until spring). And choose some variety: Green is good, but yellow, red and purple will mix well with other fall colors.

Carrots

Perhaps Peter Rabbit loved carrots because they were always available and always tasty. Sow seeds every couple of weeks, carrots do best when not transplanted, and you’ll be able to enjoy their fresh flavor on a continuing basis.

Radishes

Radishes are another fast grower, perfect as garden fill-ins. You can start harvesting some varieties almost immediately, and they’ll add a sharpness to your culinary creations. Plant a variety and sow seeds every two weeks to ensure a continual crop.

Kale

Kale loves fall and winter. It thrives with frost and even loves the snow, tasting better and better the colder it gets. Best of all, it’s highly ornamental, adding some color and liveliness when the rest of the garden is starting to fade. Plant this superfood where you can enjoy its great looks.

Parsnips

Parsnips are the classic fall root crop. While they’re often often overlooked, they’re sweetly creamy and good on their own or mixed with turnips or potatoes. They’re even sweeter if you wait until after the first frost to harvest.

Turnips

Turnips are yet another crop that’s best after it’s hit by some frost, making fall the prime planting time. They’re a staple in many a cook’s fall repertoire, and their leafy greens can even be harvested before the frost hits. As for the turnip roots, just be sure you pick them before they’re too large.

Leeks

Members of the onion family do well in colder weather, and leeks are no exception, relishing the cooler fall climate. However, unless you live in a warmer climate, you’ll need to plant them quickly; they need at least three to four months to mature. Still, they do like the cold, so it may be worth giving them a try, if only for the flavor they’ll add to your holiday dishes.

Fennel

Fennel is one of those vegetables that many people aren’t quite sure what to do with. But this classic Italian staple is a fall standout. The beautiful leafy foliage is a nice foil to the harder edges of other garden favorites, such as kale and leeks.

Gardeners in warm-winter climates will have the most success with these plants, as fennel likes long stretches of cool weather and mild winters.

Chinese Cabbage

Chinese cabbage is less fussy than regular cabbage and perfectly happy when the weather is cooler. Choose from Napa cabbage, pak choy, or bok choy, or try the two of them together. In colder climates look for varieties that have a shorter maturation date, around two months.

Cauliflower

It’s not always easy to grow cauliflower, as it’s fussy and prone to pest and diseases, but if you’re willing to give it a try, it’s a pretty plant whose edible head will be a welcome addition to your dining room fare. Plant cauliflower by midsummer in cold-weather climates and by late summer where winters are milder.

Do you love your garden but find yourself inside looking out at it, rather than spending time in it, thanks to allergies or asthma? The secret to enjoying being in your garden is to find plants that give you the look you want and that are also far less likely to cause problems.

Not everyone is allergic to the same thing, and allergic reactions can range from the symptoms of hay fever to rashes, hives and blisters. Some popular annuals, perennials and shrubs are more likely to trigger allergic reactions than other plants. 

Below, we call out those plants and offer ideas for replacing them.

Look at a garden in full bloom, especially in spring and summer, and you might immediately think that all those flowers must mean an allergy nightmare. For most allergy sufferers, though, the flowers aren’t really the problem. Some of the most gaudy plants are the least likely to cause problems because their color is designed to attract insects, which then carry the pollen from plant to plant.

It’s often the less showy plants you need to watch out for. They’re more likely to rely on the wind to do their pollination, and pollen carried by wind is more likely to affect humans.

This approach isn’t foolproof, of course. Some familiar plants with favorite flowers are some of the worst offenders. Other plants, such as goldenrod, may be thought to be a problem but are actually a good choice.

Tip: Opt for female plants. Also, look for sterile or hypoallergenic hybrids.

Love-Lies-Bleeding - Amaranthus caudatus

Love-lies-bleeding is known for its drooping red flower clusters that grace gardens in fall and also stun in flower arrangements. The pollen from those flowers, though, can be a major irritant for hay fever sufferers.

Plant Alternative: Chenille plant-Acalypha hispida

If you’re looking for a replacement flower, consider the chenille. Its long, bright crimson flower clusters are equally dramatic. A chenille plant wants full sun or partial shade and regular water. In colder climates, grow chenille plant in a container and bring it in during the winter — it’s a favorite houseplant. It’s also a good choice for a greenhouse.

Castor Bean - Ricinus communis

The fast-growing castor bean has become a popular choice as a statement plant or an anchor in a tropical-inspired garden. It grows big, it grows quickly, and it can be treated as an annual. Unfortunately, all parts of the plant are toxic. The pollen can cause an allergic reaction, as can contact with the sap. It’s also very invasive, another reason to keep it out of your garden.

Plant Alternative: Hibiscus - Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

If you want something that stands out, with the added advantage of plenty of flowers, think about growing Hibiscus instead. It can reach heights of 8 to 15 feet and spreads 5 to 8 feet wide. You can also find dwarf varieties now. Flowers may last only a day, but it’s a prolific bloomer, and its flowers attract birds and butterflies. Provide full sun and regular water throughout the growing season. Pinch out the old wood in spring. Keep an eye out for aphids.

Chamomile - Matricaria recutita

A herb celebrated as a calming influence could be an allergy trigger. It turns out that chamomile’s pollen can contribute to hay fever symptoms, the leaves and flowers can cause skin reactions, and drinking it can also be a problem if you’re highly allergic. That’s because chamomile is related to ragweed.

Plant Alternatives- Woolly Thyme - Thymus pseudolanuginosus

If you want a ground cover woolly thyme, is a fast-growing option. It’s happy everywhere from underfoot to spilling over a wall, and it is known for attracting butterflies, bees and beneficial insects. Small pink flowers appear in summer.

Woolly thyme takes full sun, though you may need to provide some light shade in the hottest summer regions, and needs little water once established. 

There are also two good options for those who want to brew herb-infused teas. One popular choice is English lavender - Lavandula angustifolia. There are any number of English lavenders, and they’re known for their purple flowers, fragrance and culinary use.

This evergreen shrub generally blooms from late spring into summer, but some varieties may have repeat blooms later in the summer. It attracts butterflies and birds.

Plant lavender in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. It’s drought-tolerant once established, needing only moderate water. 

You can also grow Mint - Mentha spp.. The problem with mint isn’t that it’s hard to grow; it’s that it’s a challenge to keep in check. If you decide to grow mint, plant it in a container without any cracks or in a location where you don’t mind if it spreads.

Two good choices for tea are peppermint - M. x piperita and spearmint - M. spicata, though other options are available. Plant in full sun or partial shade. They prefer moist and well-drained soil, though they can thrive in other locations. They need almost no care while growing. Pick the leaves before the plant flowers.

Daisies, Especially Oxeye Daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum

Oxeye daisy (aka common daisy), another ragweed cousin, is one of the most popular summer daisies. It can also be a problem for allergy sufferers. People react to the pollen, leaves, flowers and even extracts derived from it, resulting in hay fever, rashes, hives and other unpleasant symptoms.

Plant Alternative: Phlox - Phlox paniculata 

If you’re looking for white blooms in summer, fall phlox is a more allergy-friendly choice. Its fragrant flowers bloom throughout the summer in shades from white to pink, rose, red and lavender.

Once you’ve set out the plants, pinch back the tips to encourage them to branch. Provide good air circulation since fall phlox is prone to mildew.

Jasmine - Jasminum spp.

It’s hard not to love sweet-smelling jasmine, a fast-growing and rapidly spreading climber that’s filled with flowers — unless you suffer from allergies, that is. The fragrant flowers, thanks to the pollen, can cause sneezing fits that will drive you indoors.

Plant Alternative: Sweet Peas - Lathyrus spp.

If you want a fragrant climber but don’t want to risk allergies or a plant taking over your garden, try sweet pea. They don’t have white flowers and may not bloom for as long a stretch, but when it comes to announcing the arrival of spring and adding a sweet fragrance to the garden, they’re hard to beat.

Grow annual sweet pea - L. odoratus in all climates. Plant in full sun in well-amended soil; it can be fussy. Provide regular water and deadhead or pick for bouquets regularly to keep blooms coming. You’ll need to provide protection from birds and support for vining types. You’ll have an amazing choice of annual sweet peas to choose from: bushes, vines, heirloom, early-flowering, spring-flowering and summer-flowering.

You can also grow perennial or evergreen sweet pea - L. latifolius. It blooms all summer and can handle a more arid climate, even naturalizing. Provide moderate water.

Juniper - Juniperus spp.

Many people come back from a pruning session with their juniper bushes only to discover that their hands are reacting badly. This landscaping standby may be a favorite, but both its pollen and contact with the plant itself can cause hay fever and skin issues. If you are determined to grow juniper even if it bothers you, look for female plants.

Plant Alternative: Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis 

This is a staple of Mediterranean gardens. It’s both fragrant and useful for cooking. Rosemary can be upright, bushy, weeping or creeping and it spreads readily. It can easily be shaped, and it attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Plant rosemary in full sun and in well-draining soil. Provide little to moderate water and not much fertilizer. Pinch back the tips to keep it in the shape you want. 

Ragweed - Ambrosia spp.

Of course, most people would never knowingly grow ragweed. It deserves its reputation as the main cause of hay fever. All species can cause strong allergic reactions. Unfortunately, there is seemingly no place where it won’t happily grow.

It can be pretty, though, as it blooms in late summer and fall. So if you like the look, but don’t want the allergies, you do have a substitute.

Plant Alternatives: Goldenrod - Solidago spp. 

Falsely painted with the same pollen-laden brush as ragweed, it’s since been proven that goldenrod’s pollen is carried by insects, and the plant is no more likely to cause allergies than many other plants recommended to hay fever sufferers. Plus, what other plant will give you those waves of yellow plumes in late summer and fall?

You can choose between native goldenrods and goldenrod hybrids, which tend to be shorter and bloom longer. They’re also happy in soils that are less rich, and they need almost no care once they’re established. They attract birds and butterflies. Goldenrods do best in full sun to partial shade with moderate water. They’re also seldom troubled by pests or diseases.

Deadhead often to keep plants from freely reseeding. Reseeding isn’t as much of a problem with hybrids, but they also won’t reproduce true to their parent plant and should be propagated by division or stem cuttings. Cut down foliage in the winter or leave in place for interest. Divide plants in the spring.

If you’re still unsure about goldenrod but love the idea of yellow blooms in the summer, why not try Daylilies - Hemerocallis hybrids. These adaptable perennials are hardy, take full sun except in the hottest climates and require almost no effort to grow.

Dayliles generally grow 2½ to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Many are known for blooming in late spring and early summer, but there are later-bloom hybrids available as well. There are even reblooming types, such as the Starburst series. You can choose among evergreen, semievergreen and deciduous plants too.

Plant whenever the ground can be worked, including winter in mild-climate areas. They’ll do best with well-drained soil, but they can handle any soil type. Provide regular water from spring through autumn. Divide every few years in fall or early spring if they become crowded.

Sunflower - Helianthus annuus

These flowers of summer are also the allergy triggers of summer. Both the pollen and the seeds can cause problems, just as they do with their cousins chamomile, oxeye daisy and ragweed. Some people even react to the leaves when they touch them or brush against them.

Plant Alternative: You don’t have to give up growing these flowers as there are now pollenless or hypoallergenic sunflowers. Some of the best-known cultivars are ‘Apricot Twist’, ‘Infrared Mix’, ‘Lemon Eclair’, ‘The Joker’, ‘Moonbright’, ProCut Bicolor, ‘Sunbeam’ ‘Sunbright Supreme’ and Sunrich.

This annual can grow in all zones. As the name implies, it loves full sun, and the seeds attract birds, butterflies and people. The plant is fairly unfussy about soil but does need the soil to be loose enough to accommodate its deep taproot. It is also happiest with regular water but can handle drought. You’ll need to stake the larger varieties.

Wisteria - Wisteria floribunda, W. chinensis

No matter how much people gush about the romance of wisteria draping over patios and climbing up pillars in spring, if wisteria triggers your allergies, all you’ll be doing is removing yourself from the area as soon as possible. The pollen is a well-known hay fever trigger, and pruning or sometimes even touching the plant can cause skin reactions.

Plant Alternative: If you want a flowering vine, Evergreen clematis - Clematis armandii or clematis hybrids may be what you are looking for. These vines love full sun to partial shade.

Evergreen clematis, with its white scented flowers, can reach 15 to 20 feet tall. Deciduous clematis hybrids have large flowers in a range of colors, from white and pink to blue and purple, and can reach 6 to 10 feet tall.

Most kinds of clematis need about five to six hours of sun, but they don’t want to be too hot. The standard line is to keep their feet shady and their heads sunny. Plant in loose, fast-draining soil. They don’t do well in soggy soil, but at the same time, you do need to keep them moist and not let them dry out. Feed monthly with a balanced fertilizer while they’re growing and provide support.

They may be bothered by familiar garden pests and diseases; practice good gardening techniques, provide adequate air circulation, and remove any disease-infected parts of plants and dispose of them away from your garden.

Clematis has another advantage over wisteria: The blooms last longer.