home gardening

In the Chieti area of Abruzzo, the children of the family known for living in the woods have returned home after 11 months away. Local reports describe a first afternoon snack in the garden with their mother and father, with overnight stays at home still to come as part of a gradual reunification. The family's story has drawn wide attention in Italy, and the children's return marks a significant step in the case.

A gardening tip circulating online suggests that people with space around their homes can help wildlife through the winter by piling branches on top of each other, leaving gaps between them, and covering the pile with turf and leaves. The structure creates shelter for hedgehogs, insects and other small animals looking for a place to overwinter.

A gardener with a surplus courgette crop says baking courgette cake is the perfect solution: it delivers the satisfaction of eating a vegetable without the tedium of endless plain courgette dinners. He credits his partner with making the cake, and his enthusiastic endorsement of the seasonal bake has resonated with others dealing with overflowing vegetable patches.

A gardener shared that dinner included tomatoes and basil grown in a windowsill garden kept in the living room, tagged with solarpunk, gardening and food topics. The post highlights the small joys of growing food indoors and fits a wider interest in home gardening and low-waste, self-sufficient living.

A hobbyist gardener has made miniature sheets of paper from their own dwarf papyrus plants, sharing the result with friends in game development circles. The post nods to ancient Egypt, where papyrus was used for writing, and jokes that their future Akh — the Ba and Ka of Egyptian belief — will thank them for millions of years. They also encouraged friends to keep tending their soil and plants.

Gardeners across India are sharing advice on keeping the tulsi (holy basil) plant from drying out, a common problem in household pots. Popular tips making the rounds include correct watering routines, avoiding overwatering, giving the plant enough sunlight, and regular pruning of flowers to keep the plant bushy and healthy through seasonal changes.

The Indian blanket flower (Gaillardia pulchella) is drawing attention among gardening and flower enthusiasts, who are sharing images of the brightly banded red-and-yellow bloom. Native to North America and popular for its hardiness and long flowering season, the plant is being celebrated in gardening communities as a colourful, low-maintenance choice for home gardens and pollinator-friendly planting.

More than 65 unwanted firearms will be transformed into garden tools and art at an event in Richland County, South Carolina. Organizers will accept guns people no longer want and repurpose them through metalworking, a disarmament initiative aimed at reducing the number of unsecured weapons in homes while producing useful implements and artwork from the steel.

A woodworker shared the results of a small restoration project: after picking up a worn wooden elk figure at a local thrift store, they carved a new set of antlers and returned the piece to its former shape. The finished elk has drawn warm reactions, with people enjoying the low-stakes craft project in home and garden circles.

The Desert Botanical Garden is sharing instructions for making your own cactus box guitar, a handmade instrument built from a cactus wood box. The DIY project combines simple craft skills with recycled natural materials and is aimed at families, hobbyists and music lovers looking for a hands-on activity at home.

Better Homes & Gardens tried Cameron Diaz's big green salad recipe and reports that one serving left the tester immediately craving another. The write-up praises the dish as satisfying enough to want on repeat, adding to Diaz's growing presence in the food and wellness space alongside her wine ventures. Readers are picking it up as an easy, celebrity-backed way to upgrade everyday salads.

Green Thumb Garden Center, a garden center in Santa Clarita, California, is drawing attention to cool season vegetables, encouraging gardeners to plant crops suited to cooler months such as leafy greens, brassicas and root vegetables. The seasonal reminder comes as home gardeners look for guidance on what to sow as temperatures drop.

The Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank is asking gardeners to donate surplus fruits and vegetables from their home plots. Donated fresh produce will be distributed to households facing food insecurity in the Toledo area and northwest Ohio. It is part of the food bank's ongoing effort to keep fresh, healthy food available to those who need it.

A gardener says a disappointing Panera sandwich at lunch inspired them to harvest a chunk of their large basil plants and make fresh pesto for dinner. The story is being shared as a lighthearted example of how home gardening pays off, with the person's thriving basil crop turning a mediocre meal into a better homemade one.

The Farmington Public Library has started a Garden Seed Lending Program, allowing patrons to borrow seeds for home gardening. The initiative, reported by the Daily Bulldog, invites community members to take seeds, grow plants, and ideally return saved seeds for others. Seed libraries like this one are typically free to use and are part of a broader movement promoting local food growing and biodiversity.

Gardening outlet Quartz has published a beginner's guide listing seven things to know before starting a vegetable garden from scratch. The piece walks new growers through the basics of planning, soil preparation and planting. Interest in home food growing remains steady, with practical how-to guides circulating widely among readers looking to start their own plots.

Real Simple has published advice on keeping pollinators visiting gardens throughout the year. The piece outlines five practical steps for gardeners, aimed at supporting bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects across seasons. It reflects ongoing interest in home gardening practices that help declining pollinator populations, offering readers seasonal tips on planting and garden care.

A gardening article highlights a shrub that needs little care while keeping the garden attractive in every season, from spring foliage to winter structure. It is being shared among home gardeners looking for easy, four-season planting ideas that deliver color and form without constant pruning, watering, or fuss.

Home gardeners are posting photos of their comically small vegetable harvests, from thumb-sized carrots to single cherry tomatoes, and the trend is drawing amused attention. The miniature crops are being shared as lighthearted proof that gardening is harder than it looks, with many laughing at their underwhelming results after a season of effort.

The 36th Annual San Diego Fall Home/Garden Show is taking place, drawing attention from local homeowners and gardening enthusiasts. The long-running event typically features exhibits on home improvement, landscaping, and seasonal décor, offering visitors ideas and expert advice for fall projects around the house and garden.

The Boston Bruins' new hockey season is underway at TD Garden, which has been updated with renovated suites, new food offerings and expanded shopping options for fans. The arena improvements were introduced in time for the home opener, giving spectators a refreshed game-day experience as the team returns to the ice in Boston.

Master Gardener columnists are encouraging home gardeners to plant vines as an easy way to add color, height and visual interest to yards and garden beds. The advice column, syndicated across local news outlets, highlights climbing plants as a low-effort option for gardeners looking to refresh their outdoor spaces.

Tractor Supply is promoting a ceramic bird bath that shoppers describe as sturdy, with the piece doubling as decorative garden ornamentation. The product is being highlighted for combining function for birds with an attractive design suitable for backyard landscaping.

A gardener reports their garden is still producing late in the season, with poblanos ripening and jalapeños darkening on the plants. They are looking forward to making chile rellenos with the harvest, and note that dahlias are still blooming alongside the vegetable patch.

Gardeners are being encouraged to grow Gotu Kola at home, a plant nicknamed the 'herb of longevity' whose leaves are said to boost memory and ease stress. Fresh leaves can be added to salads, blended into green smoothies or brewed as a herbal tea. Growing guides and tips are circulating as interest in medicinal home-grown herbs picks up.

Anthropologie is selling a bird print garden kneeler that is being recommended as a gift for gardeners. The padded kneeler features a decorative bird design and is pitched as both practical for gardening work and pretty enough to appeal as a present. Coverage highlights it as an example of the retailer's home and garden accessories doubling as giftable items.

A New Jersey gardening columnist offers advice on designing gardens that stay colorful through late summer. The piece, part of the 'Gardening in the Garden State' series, discusses plant choices and layout strategies for the final stretch of the growing season, aimed at home gardeners looking to keep borders vibrant into early autumn.

A gardening column explores native oak trees and their role in home landscapes. The piece highlights the value oaks bring to local yards and gardens, adding to ongoing interest in planting native species that support wildlife and thrive in local conditions.

More than 20 unwanted firearms were safely dismantled at a 'Guns to Gardens' event in Lancaster. The initiative invites people to turn in guns, which are then taken apart, with the idea of converting weapons into garden tools. Organizers say the event offers residents a safe, anonymous way to remove firearms from their homes.

A family has completed a striking renovation of their semi-detached home, flipping conventional use of space by placing a swimming pool on the roof and a garden at ground level. The project is drawing attention for its unusual layout and creative approach to maximizing a typical residential plot.