Designing a child’s room can offer plenty of possibilities for fun color choices and creative ideas, but there’s more to the process than meets the eye. If you want to create a space that will help your offspring grow well physically, mentally and emotionally, it’s worth considering a few key planning essentials.

Consider Ergonomic Needs

Adjustable chairs, are a great investment, as they will grow with children from their toddler years through elementary school. Having a chair like this will help a child sit well at a height that’s right for the table.

For the optimum sitting position at a desk, knees should not be bent less than 90 degrees; the head should be looking forward not down; the upper arm should be close to the body, with elbows bent no less than 90 degrees; wrists should be straight, bent no more than 15 degrees; and feet should be flat on a surface. The chair also should have back support.

Create Zones for Sleep, Play and Work

How do you establish good sleep habits for your child? Instill the idea that the bed is for relaxing and sleeping by zoning the bedroom according to function.

Provide a proper space for the desk, so your child will not be tempted to do schoolwork on the bed. Establish a separate corner for play too, to avoid clutter in the restful sleep area.

Provide the Right Lighting

You can help your child retain good eyesight by providing proper lighting. This means a good amount of natural light, a warm white light for general illumination of the room after the sun goes down, and a task light for schoolwork.

Some children may also need a night light for anxiety or nighttime fears, while others may be comfortable enough knowing that the light switch is within arm’s reach of the bed.

Provide Color Therapy

You can use color to enhance your child’s sleep, concentration and psychological comfort. Children with a lot of energy, for example, may benefit from a soothing color in the environment. “If a room is super fun, bright and stimulating, some children may have a harder time winding down for rest.

Some psychologists believe these hues promote certain feelings, so use them accordingly:

◦Red: passion, aggression

◦Orange: pleasure, optimism

◦Yellow: creativity, fun

◦Green: balance, harmony

◦Blue: peace, calmness

◦Violet: meditation, imagination

Let Them Add Their Own Touches

Pinboards allow children to decorate using their favorite things, while a world map prompts them to think of travels and adventures.It’s important to give your child some ownership in the design of their room. This allows the child to express his or her personality and creativity, and encourages taking responsibility for the room’s upkeep.

When you’ve had an especially trying day, there’s nothing quite so restorative as slipping into a freshly made bed. Sinking into crisp sheets, cozy blankets and fluffed-up pillows soothes the spirit and encourages a restful night’s sleep. Here are a few suggestions to make your bed as delightfully comfortable as possible.

Need A Little Boost? Change The Sheets

Whether your day didn’t go well or you’re feeling a bit under the weather, changing the sheets is like giving yourself a present. Smooth, fresh, clean sheets; lowered lights; and a good book can help your evening end on a brighter note.

Start With The Best Mattress You Can Afford

If you’re in the market for a new mattress, you’ve probably heard the advice to get the best one you can, and with good reason. A mattress with proper support can help you sleep better and wake with fewer kinks in your back.

Add A Mattress Topper to Increase Comfort

Even if you aren’t buying a new bed, adding an ultracomfortable mattress topper can transform the way your bed feels. Try out memory foam, merino wool or a classic feather bed.

Choose Breathable Natural Fibers

Pure Egyptian or Supima cotton, brushed cotton flannel and linen are the best choices; choose the one that feels best on your skin. Be willing to experiment too — you may be surprised to find you prefer the feel of nubby linen over extra-smooth sateen.

Consider A Silk Pillowcase

While silk is too slippery to make for comfortable sheets, pillowcases are another matter entirely! The luxuriously smooth fabric is especially gentle on the skin and hair.

Roll Out A Soft And Fluffy Bedside Rug

When you need to get up to grab a glass of water, make that first step plush and warm by laying a sheepskin or a fluffy shag rug beside the bed. If you want to use a larger rug in the bedroom, choose a large flat-weave one and layer a small, fluffy rug on top.

Prop Up Extra Pillows For Reading In Bed

Big Euro-size square pillows look smart sitting in front of regular, standard-size bed pillows and make sitting up to read in bed more comfortable. Don’t forget to change the shams on your Euro pillows when you change the sheets — regular laundering will keep your bed fresh and dust free.

Devote A Seat To Extra Pillows

A chair in the bedroom is a convenient place for tossing extra pillows before climbing into bed. If you don’t have room for a chair, try to find another nearby spot to keep pillows and extra covers off the floor — perhaps the dresser top or in a basket behind the door.

Go Euro And Skip The Top Sheet

In much of Europe, it’s common to use the duvet cover in place of a top sheet. If you find that your sheets often get tangled around your legs, you may want to consider adopting this method.

Dust And Declutter Your Nightstand

It’s easy to forget about the state of the nightstand, but a quick cleaning can get it spick-and-span in no time. Wipe up those coffee rings, dust the lamp base and clear away the clutter. Your nightstand should be a helpful little spot that holds only what you want close at hand while you’re in bed — your current reading material, a glass of water and perhaps a candle, for instance.

Don’t Forget The Throw

A soft and cuddly throw adds a touch of softness to the foot of the bed, and can come in handy when you’re sitting up in bed to read on a chilly night.

Modern bathroom design is often all about going minimalist with clean finishes for a spa-like feel. But sometimes the look ends up feeling clinical. To make sure your space feels just as inviting as the rest of your home, try some favorite bathroom design tips to create a sense of warmth and personality while achieving spot-on style.

Pattern

Bathrooms often are devoid of interesting patterns, which is a shame, because energetic patterns can add life to any room. Consider adding a patterned window shade or playful towels, or simply hang a colourful print or wallpaper sample in a frame as artwork. These low-commitment ideas allow you to keep a classic colour scheme for the fixed elements while dabbling in colour trends as the mood strikes.

A horizontally striped shower curtain is a foolproof way to add some pattern and excitement in a bathroom of any size, style or budget. Try a gray-and-white stripe to match any palette.

Anchor With Colour

Having lighter colours at the eyeline will help a bathroom feel clean and airy, but try balancing them with a deep colour lower to the ground. This adds a sense of richness that helps keep the space from feeling too stark, without making it overwhelmingly dark. Plus, it beautifully sets off classic white fixtures.

If your bathroom has a large amount of wall space eaten up by tile, windows or mirror, try a dark colour on the remaining plain walls. This helps the more interesting features to advance and the plain walls to recede, for a more dynamic look and lots of rich character.

Detailed Mirror

A plain slab mirror can be beautifully functional in a modern bathroom, but if you’re looking to add some personality, a statement mirror frame is a great place to start.

Hanging Mirror

Go a step more dramatic with your mirror and hang one with a chunky strap from an equally substantial hook. You can also layer this look by hanging a bold frame at eye level over a flat rectangular mirror slab as a quick upgrade to an existing mirror. Have nowhere to attach the frame because tile or glass is in the way? Ask your contractor if a mirror or frame could be hung from your ceiling instead.

Étagère

A free-standing open shelving unit adds essential storage and some personality for a more lived-in look than built-in shelves which some people find have a drier vibe, but ultimately it all comes down to preference.

Natural Materials

Bathrooms usually feature a lot of crisp materials that, while waterproof, are sometimes a little visually cold. Natural materials reintroduce some warmth and a sense of human touch, so look for places to add wood, organically shaped stone or woven baskets.

Animal-inspired prints also bring in a sense of life, as do shades of natural green and blackened bronze.

Tip: Towels with a fringe add a sense of personality and fit well with the traditional-meets-modern elements of a wood vanity.

Vessel Sink

An eye-catching vessel sink makes a space feel more enticing. Switching away from the typical porcelain makes an evocative statement. Consider natural materials and imperfect shapes, like a carved wood, stone or blown-glass sink.

If you do prefer the look of crisp white porcelain, consider a vessel sink with a mounted faucet behind it, especially in a finish like bronze or brass.

Also consider a trendy yet classic farmhouse-style sink, with a raised back to frame a faucet or two. This eclectic look has a homey yet sophisticated appeal.

Tile

Want to get really creative? For a unique bathroom look with plenty of personality, mix different-color tiles together to create a mosaic design on an accent wall. This takes some planning and usually costs extra to have installed, but you can achieve a dramatic with very few tiles.

Try this especially with plain porcelain subway tiles, throwing in a few leftover or retired sample tiles scooped up at a showroom at a bargain price to add personality and a look unique to you.

Hardware

Just as in the kitchen, cabinet hardware often goes overlooked as a detail worth upgrading. Fun or quirky knobs and pulls add an interesting personal detail that you can always change inexpensively down the road.

Dramatic Ceiling

If you can’t find the right spot to add drama, try looking up. A single roll of wallpaper is often enough to make over a bathroom ceiling, and since bathrooms are often taller than they are wide, adding a little interest overhead will only help make the room feel intimate and more well-proportioned.

Although hardwood flooring is an investment, it’s one worth considering, new hardwood flooring more than pays for itself at selling time. What’s the best way to clean and care for this popular flooring and keep that natural beauty and value shining through? Here’s how to clean hardwood floors.

It’s not the material — oak, maple, mesquite, bamboo, engineered hardwood or something more exotic — that determines how hardwood floors should be cleaned, but rather the finish.

Surface finishes, often referred to as urethanes or polyurethanes, are among the most popular treatments today and are usually applied to hardwood floors after installation to protect them and make them more durable and water resistant. These finishes create a protective barrier. There are four types of surface finishes: water based, oil based, acid cured and moisture cured.

Homes built before 1970, including historic residences, may have original wood floors that were sealed with varnish, wax or shellac. These require a different approach to cleaning. These types of finishes work by penetrating the wood to color the planks and form a protective shield. Using a wax coating after staining provides a barrier against wear and tear and gives the floor a beautiful low-gloss satin sheen. The classic look requires a little extra TLC, however, since water-based products and mopping can damage the finish.

Before Cleaning: Determine Your Finish

Before scrubbing hardwood floors, figure out whether they are finished with a polyurethane, shellac, wax or varnish. Maybe they have a finish that has worn away and is no longer providing coverage. To determine the finish try these tests:

◦ Run your hand over the wood. If you can feel the texture of the grain, the floor has a “penetrating” finish, usually a combination of a natural oil, such as linseed or tung oil, mixed with additives for drying topped with wax.

◦ In an out-of-the-way spot, dab on a little paint remover. If the finish bubbles up, it is a surface finish, like polyurethane, which coats the floor in a protective layer.

◦ In an out-of-the-way area, place a few drops of water. If the water beads up and does not soak into the hardwood, the finish on the floor is intact. If the water is absorbed into the floor or leaves a dark spot, the wood is unfinished or the protective layer has worn away.

◦ If you sprinkle on a few drops of water and white spots form beneath the droplets after about 10 to 15 minutes, the floors are sealed with wax. To remove the white spots, use a piece of fine steel wool lightly dampened with wax and rub gently.

◦ If you suspect a varnish or shellac, take a coin and scratch the surface of the floor in an inconspicuous corner. If the floor has been sealed with one of the older finishing methods, it will flake off.

Preventing Dirty Wood Floors

Not wearing shoes in the house is one of the best ways to keep hardwood floors clean. It will significantly reduce dirt, scuffs and daily wear and tear, and lessen cleaning time.

Don’t walk on wood floors with cleats, sports shoes or high heels. For example: A 125-pound woman walking in high heels has an impact of 2,000 pounds per square inch. Furthermore, an exposed heel nail can exert up to 8,000 pounds of force per square inch.

Whether you got out your calculator or not, the possibility of impact and denting appears to be undeniable. However, while you can’t always ask guests to shed shoes at the door, it might be a policy worth considering for family members.

What Not to Do

No matter what type of wood flooring you have, do not using cleaning products meant for vinyl or tile flooring. Self-polishing acrylic waxes are not recommended for cleaning hardwood floors, as the wood will become slippery and appear cloudy quickly.

Another no-no: wet-mopping wood floors, since standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue. Along the same lines, avoid overwaxing unfinished wood floors in an attempt to restore luster. If a waxed floor has become dull, try buffing the surface instead.

Best Way to Clean Hardwood Floors

Cleaning polyurethane finished hardwood floors, for floors installed after 1970, starts with vacuuming, sweeping or dust-mopping the surface.

Vacuuming

Vacuum wood floors daily, or at least once a week with a vacuum fitted with an attachment for wood floors. For regular machines, turn off interior rotating brushes or beater bars if possible.

Regular vacuuming helps remove dust and dirt particles that play a leading role in scratching and dulling the surface of the floor.

Sweeping

Choose a broom with “exploded tips,” also known as synthetic fiber ends, is step one.

Damp Mopping

If you want to clean your hardwood floors naturally, damp mopping should be done with a simple solution of pH-neutral soap, like dishwashing soap and water; or one capful of a mild cleanser such as Murphy Oil Soap in a bucket of water; or a solution using products specially formulated for wood floors, such as Eco Mist Colloid W, Dr. Bonner’s or Method.

In conscientious cleaning circles, controversy swirls around whether it’s recommended to clean hardwood floors with vinegar and water. Ultimately, everyone has to do what works best; however, within the past 10 years this method has lost favor, and popular belief now holds that the solution causes floors to dull more quickly and is not as effective as simple soap and water.

To begin mopping, dampen the mop in the prepared solution, wring it out completely, and mop in the direction of the wood grain. Repeat as necessary. As the water in the bucket becomes dirty, dump it out and refill. Many experts believe scrubbing hardwood floors with a damp cloth by hand is the ultimate cleaning strategy — unless abundant square footage or protesting knees prove problematic.

But avoid cloths or mops dripping with water. If your floors do get wet or worse, dry them immediately to avoid streaks!

Another technique: After the floor has been swept or vacuumed, put your cleaning solution of choice in a spray bottle and mist the floor, then use a dry microfiber mop or cloth and mop in direction of the wood grain.

It’s important to note that just because a floor is clean doesn’t necessarily mean it will be shiny. If the floor has lost its luster, it may be time to have it refinished. Whatever you do, don’t wax a polyurethaned finish.

How to Clean Old and Unsealed Hardwood Floors

Unfinished or waxed floors, like those in older and historic homes, as well as floors in which the protective seal has worn away, should never be treated with water or liquid cleansers, which may penetrate, stain or warp the wood. Instead, sweep with a soft-bristled broom and vacuuming should be done as the primary line of defense. Never damp-mop a waxed floor.

Beyond basic care, buffing and waxing the hardwood floors once or twice a year should keep them shiny.

Old-fashioned shellacked floors are not common in most homes. However, if you find yourself the proud owner of this vintage flooring, regular care should include sweeping and vacuuming often. Avoid water and liquid cleansers.

How to Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors

Engineered wood flooring is created with a thin veneer of hardwood fused on top of a plywood base. The material is stronger and more durable than regular hardwoods, and as a result has become a popular choice.

The cleaning procedure for this type of wood is the same as for hardwood floors with urethane finishes. Keep clean on a daily basis by sweeping and vacuuming and use a slightly damp mop as needed.

How to Clean Painted Hardwood Floors

Painted wood floors make a strong style statement and are a clever way to disguise wood flooring in less than perfect shape. To clean a painted wood floor, sweep, vacuum or dust-mop regularly. Avoid scratching or damaging the painted surface by staying away from abrasive cleansers and opting for a simple soap and water solution for damp mopping. Experts suggest drying the surface immediately by hand to avoid streaking and unnecessary moisture.

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.