Blooming Garden: Inspiration for Your Space.

Welcome to our Home & Garden category — your go-to space for clever solutions, beautiful inspiration, and practical tips to make your living spaces shine, inside and out. Whether you’re tackling annoying garden pests like Ants on garden furniture: The best solution is a kitchen spice, selecting the right blooms while avoiding troublemakers like Flowering plants: These 3 plants you should avoid – even though almost everyone loves them, or protecting your home’s exterior from invaders like These 3 climbing plants will ruin your facade – and your nerves too!, we bring you expert advice to help you enjoy a stress-free, flourishing home and garden.

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• Ants on garden furniture: The best solution is a kitchen spice

Ants are spreading throughout the garden, and some even crawl across the garden furniture. Read here which home remedies you can use to get rid of these creepy crawlies for good.

The other day, I was sitting in a friend’s garden. The sun was shining, we were sipping Aperol Spritz, nibbling on a few snacks, and the first red perennials were already in bloom. Everything was perfect - until something suddenly crawled over my shoulder: an ant.

I thought, One ant? No big deal! But then I looked closer — on every garden chair and across the wooden table: ants, everywhere. A whole column on the move!

Not a pleasant sight, if you ask me. Even though ants in the garden are actually a good sign, if they invade your garden furniture, you need to take action. I’ll show you how to get rid of them peacefully.

Ants on Garden Furniture: What Really Helps Now

One thing’s for sure: ants never come alone — and they never show up by chance. If you watch them for a while, you’ll quickly notice they have a plan. And sometimes, that plan leads them straight to your seat cushions.

From March to April, it’s primarily the black garden ant (Lasius niger) that bothers us in the garden and around the house. They even find their way into the kitchen. One such ant was sitting on me when I was visiting my friend’s garden.

Still, we must not forget that ants are very important to our ecosystem — they are not villains. Quite the opposite: they are truly beneficial! They help spread the seeds of wild plants, loosen the soil, and even contribute to humus formation. Beneficial creatures through and through!

Better than grubs or box tree moths, right? So basically, everything’s fine. But just because ants are useful doesn’t mean they should be crawling all over your garden furniture.

The important question is: Why your garden chairs in particular? What is it that draws them so irresistibly?

Why Are Ants Crawling on My Garden Furniture?

Why the garden furniture? The answer is simple — and it has a lot to do with what we humans leave behind: food scraps, sticky glasses, sugary drinks. It’s no surprise that the black crawlers were marching all over my friend’s garden chairs and table. There were snacks, Aperol, and other tempting treats around.

When ants go searching for food, anything sweet — like fruit, honeydew, or sugary drinks — is a welcome find.

A feast for the eyes — for ants! They’re drawn to food scraps and sweet drinks left on garden furniture.

But it’s not just the snacks that attract them. Sometimes ants are also on the lookout for the perfect nesting spot — and garden furniture offers just that. Why? Because it’s dry and warm, exactly the kind of environment these little beneficial insects love.

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The Best Remedy for Ants on Garden Furniture

After the disaster in her garden, my friend acted quickly. The ants on her garden furniture had to go - but peacefully, please! After all, ants aren’t pests but beneficial creatures that deserve respect. So, she searched for a solution and came up with an ingenious idea: scent barriers.

Ants have incredibly sensitive noses, and you can use this to your advantage. Certain scents repel them without harming these helpful insects. Cinnamon is one of the most effective - just sprinkle this spice along the legs of tables or chairs, and the critters will steer clear.

Lemon juice, vinegar, or lavender oil also work wonderfully. Simply apply with a cloth or spray bottle, and you’re all set. If you have chalk at home, draw a thick line around the garden furniture - the scent will disrupt their trail completely.

✅ Advantage: gentle, non-toxic, and easy to use⚠️ Tip: Remember to renew after rain or watering

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Ants in the Garden: More Quick Solutions

Here’s another tip I highly recommend: clean your garden furniture regularly and thoroughly. Food scraps, sugar, sticky soda, and even pollen are like an open invitation with a golden ribbon for ants - so make sure to clear them away!

• Wipe tables and chairs thoroughly with water and vinegar after eating

• Pay extra attention to sticky cracks and table legs

• Avoid leaving garbage, compost, or ripe fruit near your garden furniture

✅ Advantage: preventative and sustainable⚠️ Especially important after barbecues or children’s parties

And if you’ve already spotted an ant trail in your garden, it’s time to disrupt their scent trail!

• Wipe away the scent trail with a cloth - ideally using dish soap or lemon juice

• Seal off the path from the edge of the furniture to the ground

✅ Immediate effect on active ant trails🚫 No poison needed

What You Should Not Do:

• Don’t use baking soda traps or pour hot water on ants - this kills them cruelly

• Don’t use chemical sprays, especially near children, pets, or food.

Final Thoughts on Ants in the Garden

Ants may be small, but they play a big role in keeping our gardens healthy and balanced. While it’s completely understandable to want them off your garden furniture, the good news is you can gently redirect them without harm. By using natural scent barriers, regular cleaning, and a bit of mindful prevention, you can enjoy your outdoor space without unwanted guests, all while respecting these hardworking little creatures.

A peaceful garden and happy, harmless ants? That’s a win-win!

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• Flowering plants: These 3 plants you should avoid - even though almost everyone loves them.

Beautiful but Problematic: These Three Flowering Plants Are Best Avoided

They may look stunning, but these three flowering plants grow rampantly, are prone to disease, or offer little to no benefit for insects. Find out here which alternative plants are smarter, more eco-friendly choices.

You know that feeling when you’re standing in front of the plant display at the garden center, your heart skips a beat, and you think, “Oh wow, that one is so beautiful - I have to have it!”

That’s exactly how I felt about goldenrod: bright yellow, wildly romantic, and truly impressive - I fell in love with it instantly. But that turned out to be a mistake. As soon as I planted it, it spread like wildfire: first in the flowerbed, then across the lawn, and eventually, it was everywhere.

To help you avoid the same headache and keep your garden from turning into an untamed jungle, I’ve picked out three flowering plants where caution is better than regret.

Their appearance may be charming, but don’t be fooled

- they’re either invasive, highly susceptible to disease, or simply bad for the ecological balance.

1. Petunias: Colorful Divas Without Benefit

They’re absolute bestsellers at garden centers — thanks to their vibrant blooms and undeniable wow factor. But here’s the problem: they offer absolutely no benefit to insects. And are they easy to care for? Not at all! They need daily watering, constant trimming, and protection from the rain. Who has the time to keep up with all that?

I once had them in a balcony planter — and after just two weeks, they were a sad, wilted mess. I’ve decided: never again petunias.

Better: Try lobelia, fan flower, or marigolds — they’re easier to care for, bee-friendly, and can even handle the occasional downpour.

2. Goldenrod: Sunny Yellow With a Dark Side

At first glance, it seems effortlessly beautiful - a little wild, full of meadow charm. But the Canadian goldenrod, in particular, quickly reveals itself as a dominant nuisance in the garden.

It spreads rapidly through root runners and seeds, displacing native plants with a strength that’s easy to underestimate beneath its gentle, sunny appearance.

What was originally meant to be a late-summer highlight tucked into the back corner of the garden became, within a year, an unstoppable spread - popping up even in places I never intended it to be.

My Tip: If you love yellow and late-summer flowers, choose coneflower or dyer’s chamomile - they’re beautiful to look at, hardy, and much better for bees.

3. Double Dahlias: Nice for the Eye, Bad for Bees

Dahlias are considered true garden stars - magnificent blooms, vibrant colors, perfect for Instagram and glossy gardening magazines. But sadly, they’re completely uninteresting to insects - beautiful, but useless.

Why? Because breeding for “double” flowers - meaning extra layers of petals - leaves hardly any space for nectar or pollen. Bees and bumblebees may stop by, but they leave empty-handed.

Imagine arriving hungry at a beautifully set table, only to find all the plates empty. That’s exactly what happens to insects here.

My Tip: If you love dahlias like I do, go for single-flowered varieties. They’re just as stunning but also offer a true feast for bees and other pollinators.

Conclusion: Just Being Beautiful Isn’t Enough - Especially Not in the Garden

Unfortunately, many flowering plants are a bit of a letdown: they look fantastic but fail on all fronts - disappointing both insects and us gardeners. I speak from experience!

My Advice: Plant beauties that do something - not just for you, but for nature too.

By choosing the right plants for your garden, you create a space that’s not only beautiful to the eye but also valuable for the ecosystem. A thoughtful selection benefits bees, butterflies, and other pollinators - and rewards you with a healthier, more vibrant garden in the long run. Remember, a truly thriving garden isn’t just about looks; it’s about balance, resilience, and supporting the life around it.

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• These 3 climbing plants will ruin your façade – and your nerves too!

If you want to save money and avoid stress, keep these three climbing plants away from your house - they can cause serious damage to your facade.

I love climbing plants. A house draped in Virginia creeper, like something out of a French romance film? Simply dreamy. But this romantic vision can quickly turn into a homeowner’s nightmare.

What looks so idyllic at first can, over time, become a true facade disaster, leading to moisture damage, crumbling masonry, and plenty of heartache (and expense) for the homeowner.

To spare yourself cracks, costly repairs, and frustration later on, you should definitely keep these three climbing plants away from your facade.

1. Virginia Creeper: Autumn Beauty With Side Effects

It’s a favorite of many homeowners — especially in the fall, when it transforms house walls with its stunning red color. But beware: behind this beauty hides a real facade enemy in disguise.

Like ivy, Virginia creeper clings to walls with tiny suction cups. It may sound harmless, but it’s truly a facade destroyer. When you try to remove it, it can rip off entire chunks of plaster. And if the plaster is already old or weakened? Often, the only solution is to replace the entire wall. Sadly, we know this from painful experience at our parents’ house.

And if it winds its way under the roof tiles or into the roller shutter box? Well, good luck — that’s when things get really unpleasant.

My Tip: If you love that burst of autumn color, go for espaliered fruit trees or colorful-leaved climbing roses. They’ll stay where you want them — unlike Virginia creeper.

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2. Ivy — Green, Greedy, Merciless

What starts off innocently on the garden fence soon becomes a determined climb up the house wall. Ivy never rests — and it loves nothing more than finding small cracks and crevices to take hold.

Its roots literally dig in, working their way deep into the plaster over time — and on older buildings, that romantic look can quickly turn into a nightmare. Things become especially critical when moisture builds up: mold, frost damage, and costly renovations are never far behind.

We once had ivy growing on the wall next to our neighbor. It looked fantastic — until it spread to his side, and we had to remove all the unruly growth. It was a real feat. And the wall behind it? Crumbling and damaged. Just a total headache!

Be careful — ivy is virtually indestructible! There are much better alternatives for your facade.

My Tip: Only choose ivy if you plan to grow it on a sturdy trellis set at a distance from the wall. Or even better, opt for clematis — it blooms beautifully, stays charmingly at a distance, and is far more gentle on your walls.

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3. Climbing Hydrangea: Restrained in Growth, But Not Without Consequences

White-flowering, slow-growing, and at first glance one of the most harmless climbers of all, but appearances can be deceiving. Climbing hydrangeas can become a real threat to walls.

They weigh far more than you’d expect. And that’s precisely the problem. Once they’ve anchored themselves with their clinging roots, they place considerable weight on the facade, especially when rain or snow adds extra load. This can quickly become dangerous for old walls or crumbling plaster.

And once they’re attached, removal is a serious challenge: it takes real effort, and the adhesive roots leave behind marks that can’t simply be swept away with a broom.

My Tip: If you’re drawn to that romantic, draped country house look, definitely go for trellises, with space between them and the wall. Even better, plant clematis or honeysuckle. They’re lighter, charming, and much more wall-friendly.

Final Thoughts: Protect Your Facade With Smart Plant Choices

Climbing plants can add romance and charm to your home, but they also come with hidden risks. By choosing the right varieties and using proper supports like trellises, you can enjoy a beautiful, green look without endangering your walls. Remember — a little planning now can save you from costly repairs and headaches later. Let your garden thrive, but keep your home safe!