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There are plenty of ways to embrace the buzz surrounding the holiday in a way that is more to the tune of your own design preferences. Below are several ideas that pull the best colors, textures, and themes from Easter and spring decor and spin them in an updated way that skips over neon eggs and life-size chick and rabbit statues.

But a good rock garden is by no means achieved by merely putting stones, soil, and plants together. Each component must be carefully selected and then just as carefully arranged in a manner that makes the garden seem natural to the style you choose. In most cases, the garden should strive to emulate the natural geology and topography of a specific region. Japanese rock gardens, for example, are usually styled to emulate the look of mountainous regions of Japan, using plants indigenous to that region....

Boho is inspired by people who choose to lead an unconventional life such as constant travelers, actors, and writers. The Bohemian style mirrors that life by combining objects, colors, and patterns from many areas of the world. If you are looking for a style that you can truly make your own, Bohemian design might be for you. Bohemian Design Colors While there are no rules when it comes to Bohemian decorating, warm earthy colors are common, as are metallics and jewel tones....

Do You Have to Follow the Symbols Exactly? Most clothing manufacturers recommend the most conservative cleaning method to ensure the best results for the consumer. For instance, some fabrics that are labeled as dry clean can be hand washed. This is why it is important to note the fiber content of the fabric so you can make an informed laundry decision. Familiarize yourself with the following laundry symbols to best care for your clothes....

Growth Habit: Abutilon are small, upright shrubs with arching branches that bend under the weight of all the flowers. Foliage: The leaves are palmate and can be deeply lobed and/or serrated. Flowers: Most have flowers that start off cup-shaped and eventually unfurl to almost flat, with a downward drooping habit. Some hybrids have smaller flowers with more of a trumpet shape. These seem to bloom the longest of the varieties....

Your biggest challenge, once you meet its basic requirements, will likely be acalypha’s fast-growing nature and tendency toward legginess. However, as long as you keep the plant well-trimmed, it will reward you with excellent color and interesting leaf forms. Light Acalypha plants are definitely bright-light lovers. While they don’t necessarily like the harsh rays that full sun provides, they can tolerate it if acclimated. Indoors, look for a bright spot, like an east-facing window that gets ample diffused light throughout the day....

It’s typically best to plant this slow-growing succulent in the spring or early fall. When agave matures after several years or even several decades, a tall flower stalk often grows out of the plant’s center. The flowers are bell-shaped and long-lasting in shades of white, yellow, and green. For most agave species, the plant dies once the flowers produce berry seed pods. Certain types of agave, like blue agave (Agave azul) and green maguey (Agave salmiana), are valued as the primary ingredient in the distilled liquors tequila and mezcal....

We sent this chair home with one of our expert testers, who assembled it herself, experimented with its various adjustments, and sat in it for hours on end to see if it kept up its end of the bargain. Read on to find out the details. Setup Process: Easy but an extra set of hands is helpful This chair arrives with all the parts and tools needed for assembly. Our tester put it together with her husband and said that the process was easy enough but that an extra set of hands helped when she connected the back of the chair with its base....

What Are Assassin Bugs? Assassin bugs are not one specific insect but belong to a category made up of a number of different types of predatory insects, in the Reduviidae family. They typically target caterpillars, aphids, cucumber beetles, earwigs, and leafhoppers. The one physical feature these predators have in common is a “weapon”: a beak-like proboscis that acts as a sort of dagger or sword. This elongated mouth part injects a deadly toxin into the prey insect’s body, which liquifies the innards....

There are three main things a great blanket should offer: warmth, comfort, and durability. Usually, a product that delivers all three comes at a high price. With that in mind, the Balichun Luxury Fleece Blanket seems too good to be true with its soft feel, impressive warmth, and budget-friendly price tag. So what’s the catch? Read on to find out what we discovered after snuggling up with it. Material and Weave: Soft, soft, soft polyester fleece With a super soft feel and a weight of 330 grams per square meter—basically the equivalent of a heavy hoodie—the Balichun blanket is surprisingly comfortable given its low price point....

No matter the size of your yard or home, there is a banana tree to fit. Plus, banana trees can make good indoor plants with enough light, though they typically don’t bear fruit indoors. Banana trees generally have a fast growth rate and should be planted in the spring. During the growing season (spring to fall), banana trees are water hogs. You might have to water daily, especially during hot weather, to maintain adequate soil moisture....

Companion planting is central to the folklore and oral tradition of gardening. Many gardeners can recall childhood stories from a parent or other relative who was also a gardener who insisted on planting certain plants next to other plants for all kinds of reasons. Good Companion Plants for Okra Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a vegetable that seems to inspire either love or hate, but never indifference. It has a texture that can be somewhat slimy when cooked, but this can be overcome by roasting or other methods....

With so many faux fur throws on the market, finding the right one can be tricky. We tested out this stylish, popular option from Best Home Fashion, which comes in several sizes and offers a cozy layer of comfort—plus, it’s machine-washable. We curled up with it and evaluated its texture, durability, warmth, and more. Read on for our insights. Material and Texture: Soft and looks real One would be hard-pressed to find a cotton, wool, or silk blanket that feels similar to real fur—so it’s not surprising that many faux fur blankets, including this one, use polyester and acrylic....

We searched Instagram and TikTok for the very best MALM dresser reimaginings. The best part: Despite how unrecognizable the simple MALM looks after these transformations, most of the DIYs are so easy that you could start one (or three) yourself and finish in only a weekend! DIY blogger Lins Drabwell painted her MALM pink, traced the pattern from a scallop tile sample, and used white to make it pop. For the herringbone top, she hot-glued jumbo lollipop sticks....

Let’s face it, no one likes to clean their floors. But in order to keep your home in top shape, it’s a necessary chore. While you may not clean your hardwood or laminate floors as often as you do the dishes or laundry, having the right tools can make the process quicker and more effective. We tested Black Diamond’s Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner to see how it held up to the task....

Grout is a sneaky defector, changing from a light grey to a deep brown so gradually that you often won’t notice until it’s completely taken over your tiles. Once you’ve spotted it, though, you can bet you won’t forget it. Luckily, the cleaning process isn’t as daunting as you may assume. There’s a reason your regular ol’ soap and sponge method has yet to work—there are certain cleaners specifically formulated to target grout stains....

This adorable prefab is a 400-square-foot hobbit home that almost anyone can build in only three days. Okay, that may be using “build” a bit loosely. The manufacturer claims that you can construct the prefab shell of the home in three days. This is not counting any site work (foundation), interior finishing, or exterior planting. But even so, that’s a very fast assembly time for any prefab―and even more amazing for an earth shelter....

Calculating Stone Dust or Sand Needed for a Project Never fear: A simple equation exists to tell you just how much you will need: (L’ x W’ x H’) / 27 = cubic yards of stone dust needed But to make use of this equation, you first have to measure the area in question. For example, let’s say you are laying a stone patio. Wherever you have determined the patio will be, mark the area by pounding stakes in the ground and running string from stake to stake....