Colonial-style houses were first built under colonial rule in the United States during the 1600s and 1700s, and the style remains one of the most popular residential architectures in the country. Today the term colonial is shorthand for the historical building style introduced by British colonists in New England, as well as the Colonial Revival […]
Aubrieta (Aubrieta spp.), also called false rock cress, is a low-growing perennial that covers the ground in a carpet of pink, purple, or white flowers each spring. It is a great candidate for edging paths and tucking into stone walls, and after the profuse flowers fade, the grayish-green foliage keeps a handsome mat over bare
Mexican heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia), also called false heather or elfin herb, is a small shrub grown for its trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of purple, pink, and white. The blooms open continuously from late spring until the first hard frost and draw bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden. This member of the Lythraceae family comes
Hardwood floors take a daily beating from foot traffic, scuffs, scratches, spills, dust, and the grit that shoes drag in from outside. None of that is hard to remove with the right tools, but the wrong product can dull a finish faster than a year of wear. Ammonia, vinegar-heavy mixes, and oil-soap buildup are the
A swimsuit packs more abuse into one afternoon than most garments see in a month. Sun, sweat, sunscreen, chlorine, salt water, and sand attack the fabric at the same time. Chlorine breaks down the elastane that gives suits their stretch, sunscreen leaves oily stains that set as they oxidize, and sand grinds into the weave
Laminate flooring delivers the look of hardwood at a fraction of the cost, but the resemblance stops at the surface. Wood-look laminate contains no hardwood at all, so the cleaning techniques that suit solid timber can do real damage here. The rule that matters most is simple: keep water use low. Moisture that lingers on
Ketchup stains are among the most common household laundry problems, and they are also among the most treatable if you act quickly. The condiment combines tomato solids, vinegar, sugar, spices, and sometimes oil, which means the stain carries both tannin and pigment components. That chemistry explains the two rules that govern every successful removal: use
The leopard plant (Farfugium japonicum) stands out in the shade garden for one simple reason: its leaves. Large, rounded, and leathery, with a glossy deep-green surface, they can reach dinner-plate size, and in the spotted cultivar the foliage carries the leopard-print markings that give the plant its name. Clusters of tiny golden-yellow daisy-like flowers rise
The licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare) takes its common name from the faint sweet scent of its crushed leaves, not from any edible root. Gardeners grow this South African native for the visual payoff: cascading stems packed with soft, silvery-gray, woolly foliage that keeps its color from spring through fall. The vigorous, compact shrub works equally
A deep clean feels complete when the counters shine and the floors pass the white-sock test. The dirtiest items in a home, though, are often the ones you touch every day or forget entirely. Microbiologists who worked on the NSF Germiest Places in the Home study and cleaners with twenty-plus years of residential experience keep
