Having a beautiful home is something everyone dreams of. We polish, scrub and tidy until our surfaces gleam and the air is fresh. But what adds that extra sparkle, the extra character and warmth to a home? Fresh flowers are a wonderful way to give your home that extra special something that people remember, and that will welcome you joyously in to your home.

People often have their favorite flowers that they use all year round in their home;
supermarkets allow us such a vast range of blooms that we forget that nature doesn’t provide us with all flower varieties all year round. An excellent way to vary from your favorite flower and create an impact, as well as reducing the environmental impact from your choice, is by choosing flowers that are in season. This instantly adds variety to your home all year round and flowers that are in season are much fresher, will last longer, and give your home a real seasonal feel.

August is an outstanding month for flowers; summer blooms will add color and vitality to every home. There is a vast array of August flowers; with so many beautiful blooms there is bound to me one that will make the most of your home.

The Carnation is a classical flower that has a very long life in a bouquet. It is available in such an array of colors that you would be very likely to find one that suits your style perfectly.

If your home has an Eastern feel about it Ginger (otherwise known as Alpinia)  is a stunning flower to use to complement this style choice; a type of lily it has a large striking head and, again, is available in many different colors and varieties. Many varieties of this flower are available to grow outdoors, if you have the inclination this is a superb flower to grow in your garden; you can them trim the stems and move them inside to create your own look. They need well-drained soil and will thrive in partial sunlight.

Roses are one of the most famous flowers; and in August they bloom perfectly. With nearly every color available these are an ideal choice for any home or as a splendid bouquet for a loved one. Either uses one color for a striking display or assorted colors and varieties for a beautiful floral arrangement.

Dahlias are becoming increasingly popular as a choice for cut
flowers; with their dramatic round heads they the beautiful in a spray, particularly if used on their own. They can fill a vase and make it look effortlessly beautiful.

Chrysanthemums form a beautiful bouquet and are often placed amongst roses and the contrast off the smooth head of the rose and the almost fluffy look of the chrysanthemum makes this coupling magnificent.

Using seasonal flowers is an excellent way to brighten your home, create a sense of style, and bring the outdoors in. Not only this but they will welcome people in to your home, and if you always try to use flowers that are in season around your home it will mean you can create a new look every month; I know no other way you can do this so affordably!

So make use of these flowers and create wonderful displays for any occassion, i.e.,  Easter, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc., around your home that will welcome any guests you have and fill you with pride.

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Butterflies don’t ask for much, just large, open sunny areas, a few flowers for adults, a few food sources for caterpillars and shelter to hide from predators so they can lay their eggs. The flower varieties, of course, are only part of the planning; you’ll also need water, a mix of sun and shade, hiding spots and breeding grounds.

the flower
The flower varieties you choose will make a big difference. Planting larger groups of flowers will help butterflies notice them. Many gardeners start with a purple or bicolor butterfly bush and surround it with perennials. Consider the purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, Brazilian verbena, daylily, catmint, lavender, phlox, goldenrod, ironweed plant, aster and sedum.

Annual favorites for a butterfly-magnet flower garden include zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, sweet alyssum, cleome and lantana. These are the beauties of your garden, but you’ll need to also be considerate of your larvae hosts. Foxgloves, sunflowers, birches, willows, wild plum, spicebush and passion vines also attract butterfly breeding.

floral bouquets
Once the flowers for your plant habitat are in place, take other environmental factors into consideration.

Your precious butterflies want a floral wonderland, but also a place that is safe from wind, rain and predators, so try adding hedges and small, dense shrubs like honeysuckle or butterfly bushes; trellises or fences covered in passion vines or hops.

Generous brush piles of bark, logs, rocks and leaves allow for hiding during winter months or stormy days. Even “organic” pesticides agitate the sensitive butterfly, so keep your guests protected from any chemical sprays or dust. Be sure your butterfly habitat has at least six hours of full sunshine, with flat rocks where they can bask in the sun to warm up before taking their early morning flights.

Just like humans, bachelor butterflies also want a place to drink after work: mud puddles, shallow pans of damp sand and gravel or wet dirt all make ideal gathering spots. Rotting fruit, watermelon rinds and seeds are delicious nutrients that create a true butterfly nirvana.

If you’d also like to take advantage of the hummingbird-attracting powers of flower garden and create your own rose bouquets, a hummingbird habitat is just as simple. Usually a bright red nectar feeder is the quickest way to invite these quick, tiny creatures to your backyard.

flowering
However, to keep them around at all times, they’ll need fresh water to drink and bathe in, a combination of sunny and shady perches, willow or eucalyptus tree nesting materials, as well as delicious plants, such as flower power dahlias, cosmos, foxglove, geraniums, petunias, irises, honeysuckles, trumpet vines, azaleas, butterfly bush, hibiscus, cardinal flowers and snow angels will increase the flower power of your garden.

A flower garden can be a place of respite for you, but also an epicenter of life for colorful insects.

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