Q: Can I grow a potted lacecap hydrangea or other flowering shrub on my patio?

A: Keep in mind that the best potted shrubbery looks good spring through fall, blooming with attractive leaves early on, followed by flowers throughout summer, and perhaps even berries in autumn. If you decide on the lacecap, you will need to water it frequently and keep it in a shady spot; otherwise it will wilt in the summer heat. Sturdier hydrangeas with woody stems, such as peegee (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’) and oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia) adapt better to life in a container, where water drains faster than it does in the ground.

Other varieties of flowering shrubs will also flourish in containers. The chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) has long pale lilac flowers and scented leaves. Butterfly bush (Buddleja) flowers come in various colors, including purple, pink and white, and as the name suggests, attract butterflies. Finally, black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) has dark brown-red leaves, white flat flowers and edible berries at the end of summer. These all bring color and visual interest to your patio.

Whatever shrub you decide on, it will need more water and more organic fertilizer than if it were in the ground. Be sure to prune it as needed so it doesn’t become spindly and bare at the bottom. And every three to five years, check the roots, replace some of the soil and add fresh compost.

Reviving a berber rug

Q: My large Berber rug looks matted down in some areas because of heavy foot traffic. How can I revive it?

A: Many Berber rugs are durable and ideal for busy areas, but their looped style is more susceptible to matting than a cut-pile rug. This is because dirt and soils that lodge in the looped fibers are very difficult to remove, says Mike Reed, president of Austonian Fine Rug and Carpet Care, in Austin, Texas. When people walk on the carpet, the entangled particles separate and abrade the threads, crushing them.

How you clean the rug will depend on what material it’s made of. Leave wool, which may bleed or shed profusely, and handwoven rugs to an expert. If you have a wool or nylon Berber carpet, a professional cleaning every two to three years should restore it. Often this involves a machine known as an extractor, which sends hot soapy water into the carpet and then sucks it back up, along with the embedded grit. Area rugs are normally handled outside the home, at a carpet-cleaning facility, where they can be treated on both sides and dried thoroughly before they are returned to you. Rugs made from polyester or olefin, a glossy synthetic, are less resilient and might need to be replaced if severely matted. Before getting rid of a synthetic carpet, though, you could try tackling it yourself with a deep-cleaning machine, available for rent at hardware and home-supply stores. But note that because this equipment is less powerful than what the pros use, it may not fully fluff up the fibers.

Aside from deep-cleaning your carpet, regular vacuuming is your best defense against matting. Do this a couple of times a week, if possible, to prevent grime from implanting in the carpet in the first place. For the best results, Reed recommends giving high-traffic areas eight or so passes with the vacuum, changing the direction as you work. Rotate area rugs once or twice a year so they wear evenly, and reduce tracked-in dirt by declaring your home a shoe-free zone. Installing doormats at every entrance will also help keep outside dirt from becoming embedded in your rugs.