Home + Garden Garden 10 Most-Pinned Gardening Ideas By Midwest Living editors Midwest Living editors Midwest Living's experienced editors create best-in-class travel, lifestyle, food, home and garden content you won't find anywhere else. We're loudly, proudly Midwestern, and we're passionate about helping our audience explore and create through award-winning storytelling. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 1, 2021 Trending Videos These reader-favorite container gardens, Midwest plant picks and yard designs will inspire your gardening plans. 01 of 10 Sitting pretty A long planter chock-full of flowers and foliage substitutes for a window box on a porch railing. 'Goldilocks' creeping Jenny, 'Burlesque' pigeon berry, Madagascar dragon tree, calibrochoa and coleus create a lush mix of upright and trailing plants. See it on Pinterest See more container gardens with pizzazz 02 of 10 Backyard water feature Invoking beach getaways and lounging by the seashore, water in motion adds an aural sense of escape to a backyard. Reflective and soothing, it can veil the sounds of nearby traffic or too-close neighbors. You can install waterfalls to bring the benefits of water to your yard or use a self-contained fountain for a similar effect at less cost .See it on Pinterest See how to make your backyard a vacation oasis 03 of 10 The right path A garden path issues an enticing invitation to backyard visitors-or just a convenient route for plant maintenance. Large stones set in mulch are a good solution for a path that gets moderate use. See it on Pinterest See 9 ways to create a garden path 04 of 10 Butterfly weed Matthew Benson Though it has the word weed in its common name, don't let that scare you away from butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). Sometimes called milkweed, it's as easy to grow as a weed but much prettier, plus hummingbirds and butterflies (especially monarchs) adore it. Clusters of orange, yellow, pink or vermillion flowers appear in mid- to late summer, followed by thin, ornamental seedpods. See it on Pinterest See more top Midwest perennial flowers 05 of 10 Mini lily water garden Place hardy miniature waterlilies, such as these Nymphaea pygmaea 'Helvola', in a yellowware bowl for an easy, striking container water garden. See it on Pinterest See more easy container water gardens 06 of 10 Lilacs: Spring's favorite perfume When lilacs bloom, it's suddenly spring. With their sweet scent, pastel blooms and delicate, heart-shape leaves, they're the perfect bouquet. These flowers were photographed at Ewing Park lilac arboretum in Des Moines. See it on Pinterest See more about Midwest lilacs 07 of 10 Blanket flower Give these red or orange daisylike flowers full sun, and they'll bloom from summer deep into fall. Another plus: These drought-tolerant flowers attract butterflies, not deer. See it on Pinterest See more top easy-care plants for Midwest gardens 08 of 10 Window box beauty Variegated trailers dangle over the edge of this box filled to brimming with cottage favorites, including hibiscus, impatiens, pansies and periwinkle. See it on Pinterest See more window box planters 09 of 10 Dramatic grasses Containers with ornamental grasses provide easy-care drama. For greater impact, combine different textures, heights, colors and plumes. These tough plants will still look great at the end of the season. In containers such as this one, the flowers hide the base of the grass and can be switched out as blooms fade. See it on Pinterest See more beautiful container gardens 10 of 10 Great gate Set the tone to your yard with a gate that reflects your style. Pretty flowering plants frame this garden gate, creating a lovely doorway from the yard. See it on Pinterest See more garden gate ideas Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit