A stone patio turns an ordinary backyard into a year-round living space. Stone handles weather better than wood, needs little upkeep, and comes in enough varieties to suit any style, from blue-gray bluestone to rustic flagstone to warm sandstone. Before ordering a single slab, it pays to survey the options and understand how each material […]
Azaleas belong to the rhododendron family, and like every member of that group they are acid-loving plants. Maintaining a soil pH between 4.5 and 6.0 matters more to the health of a shrub than any single feeding. Once established, azaleas do not need much fertilizer, and in most years a layer of compost, shredded leaves,
Alocasia sarian is a tropical plant native to the Philippines, grown as a houseplant in temperate regions. It is commonly thought to be a naturally occurring hybrid of Alocasia zebrina and Alocasia micholitziana, and it is currently treated as a variety of Alocasia macrorrhizos, or giant taro. Gardeners prize it for pointy-edged, white-veined, arrow-shaped leaves
A well-polished pair of shoes makes a good first impression, but the polish that creates the shine leaves a stubborn combination stain when it lands on fabric. Shoe polish contains an oily, waxy base plus a dye, so the stain has two components that need different treatment. The oily part repels water, while the dye
Painting a house is one of the highest-impact home improvement jobs a homeowner can take on, and one of the most time-consuming when done poorly. A full exterior repaint on a typical 1,500 square foot home runs five to seven days for a professional crew and two to three times that for a first-time DIYer.
Wicker baskets are a staple of home storage and decorating because they combine structure with natural texture. They hold everything from linens and toys to plants and produce, and they work in nearly any room. Caring for them is simple once you know whether you are dealing with natural plant fibers or synthetic resin. The
A parlor room, also called a reception room, is a formal sitting space near a home’s front entrance, designed mainly for receiving and entertaining guests. The name comes from the French word parler, meaning “to speak,” which suits a room built for conversation. Parlors appear in both historic houses and new construction, and they usually
Garden herbs peak in midsummer, when basil, oregano, and thyme produce far more than any recipe can use. Drying turns that surplus into a pantry staple that carries flavor through fall and winter. Air drying is the easiest and least expensive method, and the slow process helps retain the essential oils that carry most of
Indoor plants lean, flop, and sprawl when their stems cannot carry their own weight, and staking is the fix that takes 5 to 12 minutes of work and a few dollars’ worth of materials. A single bamboo stake, a few soft ties, or a moss pole turns a toppling plant into a vertical one. The
Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow, with the first harvest arriving about a month after sowing, yet it is also one of the quickest to fall victim to aphids, Japanese beetles, and poor soil. Companion planting solves both problems at once. Well-chosen neighbors repel destructive insects, enrich the nutrients in the soil,
