Q: I have waited all season for my hydrangeas to bloom and had nary a one until now. Now, they are covered (see reader's photo). Why now? Nothing has changed that I know of. I live in Fayetteville. A: ...

There’s a particular mood in the garden in August, I find. Growth in pots, borders and meadows begins to slow, and with it, our pace, too. Stems stretch out, blooms brown, and a golden haze settles on ...