All About Gravel Gardens

Using gravel can also turn problem spots caused by shallow ditches, bare spots, and high traffic areas into workable parts of the landscape. Once established, these are easy care gardens that require minimum labor while still providing a palette for a variety of flowers, shrubs and grasses. The beauty of today’s gravel garden is that it can be grown anywhere as long as a few basic foundation principles are put into place....

December 22, 2022 · 4 min · 733 words · Cindy Brathwaite

Announcing Benjamin Moore S Color Of The Year 2022 Pick

Describing this particular tone as “a gently shaded sage,” the brand revealed that it selected October Mist as the anchoring shade in its larger Color Trends 2022 palette. Similar to the green stem of a flower, October Mist is meant to encourage inspiration to grow, flourish, and blossom. Alongside a range of hues from refreshed primaries to luminous pales and botanical hues, according to a press release announcing the launch, the Benjamin Moore team hopes that the Color Trends 2022 palette will “invigorate the senses and give root to personal style....

December 22, 2022 · 2 min · 390 words · Bruce Spriggs

Balm Of Gilead Care Growing Guide

These trees have oval leaves with pointed tips that are dark green on top and whitish-green on the underside. The veins often have an orange color to them, giving the leaves a rusty appearance. The leaf buds are coated in resin and put off a pleasant turpentine aroma, particularly when unfurling. As a result, the buds are often collected and used for fragrances or herbal medicines. The flowers of this tree are not showy....

December 22, 2022 · 4 min · 641 words · Shelley Ocampo

Bamboo Removal Eradication With Or Without Herbicides

Phyllostachys nigra, or “black bamboo” Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda, or “Chinese walking stick” Phyllostachys bambusoides, or “Madake bamboo” It is possible to get rid of running bamboo by spraying them with chemical herbicides or by using organic weed control methods, but discretion is the better part of valor. Plant a clumping bamboo, to begin with, and you will not have to spend hours of landscape work to remove it. Examples of clumping bamboos include:...

December 22, 2022 · 3 min · 616 words · Kenneth Rahmani

Beautiful Bathtubs For Boosting Your Bathing Experience

Here are nine gorgeous bathtubs to make your bath time feel like a spa excursion. The inside of the tub was restored to its original bright white and the exterior was given new life with a gorgeous peachy-pink hue. The rosy shade gave the room a delicate contrast against the bathroom’s exposed brick walls and pigeon gray wainscoting. Reglazing a tub can cost about $1,000, which is much less than buying an antique reproduction tub....

December 22, 2022 · 1 min · 89 words · James Sides

Berber Carpets Description Pros And Cons

Typically, Berber is found most often in looped styles of carpeting. As looped styles became more popular, the color choices became more varied. So instead of being offered only in the flecked or multi-colors associated with Berber, looped carpet came to be available in solid colors as well. However, the name Berber stuck, so today the name most commonly refers to the looped style and not the color. Cost One of the reasons that Berber has become increasingly popular is that it has a reputation for being less expensive than other residential carpet styles....

December 22, 2022 · 5 min · 908 words · Renee Mejia

Best Herbs That Grow In Full Sun

Give tarragon plants adequate spacing about 18 inches apart so they can reach their full height of two feet. When harvesting tarragon in the first year, take care to snip no more than one-third of the plant for use at the table. Tarragon plant roots need energy provided from the foliage to become well-established as perennials.

December 22, 2022 · 1 min · 56 words · Petra Tamayo

Best Tile Paints Reviewed

First, bathroom tile used for interior applications, such as showers and bathtubs, is dense and either vitreous or impervious. Vitreous tile absorbs no more than 3 percent of its weight in water while impervious tile, the densest available, absorbs less than 0.5 percent of its weight. Second, the type of tile that many homeowners wish to paint is often subjected to a great deal of everyday abuse and painted tile is best suited to areas that are not high traffic....

December 22, 2022 · 5 min · 957 words · Albert Black

Best Types Of Laminate Countertops

Even the surge in mid-century modern design trends, with the fondness for laminates, hasn’t completely wiped out the reputation of ​laminate as an inferior countertop choice. Generally speaking, countertop materials such as quartz, solid surface, or granite add value to a home, while laminates struggle to remain on that list. To adapt, the laminate countertop industry has begun to change that by offering laminate counters designed to appeal to buyers and remodelers interested in higher-end kitchens and bathrooms....

December 22, 2022 · 3 min · 535 words · Ellen Johnson

Bird Nest Identification

Identifying Nest Occupants The easiest way to identify a bird’s nest is to identify the birds that build and use it. Since those birds are typically adult birds in their breeding plumage, their field marks are useful for proper and confident identification. In many species, however, more camouflaged females do much of the nesting work and can be harder to identify. When birds are actively incubating eggs or feeding chicks it can be easy to get good views of the parents....

December 22, 2022 · 5 min · 876 words · Eleanor Banks

Black Decker Cordless Lithium Hand Vacuum Review

Whether you have pets, kids, or you just hate messes, a dustbuster is a convenient way to clean up dry spills, dirt, crumbs, and more. When it comes to home appliances, few brands are as highly regarded as BLACK+DECKER. That’s precisely why we picked up their Cordless Lithium Hand Vacuum and got to testing its power, efficiency, convenience, and more. Read on for our honest review. Design: Modern and intuitive While aesthetics may not be your number one priority when it comes to purchasing a dustbuster, BLACK+DECKER’s handheld vacuum is an attractive appliance....

December 22, 2022 · 5 min · 1012 words · James Harvey

Brown Bedroom Inspiration 12 Great Ideas And Tips

Read more about our Diversity and Inclusion Pledge to make The Spruce a site where all feel welcome.

December 22, 2022 · 1 min · 18 words · David Miller

Burrow Nomad Sofa Review

A sofa is one of the largest furniture pieces in most homes and often comes with the highest price tag. Like many, I have spent hours searching for the perfect sofa. Finding just the right piece was important for my decor and my wallet. I hesitate to spend $1,000 or more on something that isn’t just right. As a family that moves every few years, I wanted a sofa that would work in small rooms or large rooms....

December 22, 2022 · 7 min · 1489 words · Robert Leatherman

Caroline Utz Associate Editorial Director For The Spruce

December 22, 2022 · 0 min · 0 words · Mary Boles

Christmas Gifts Decor Party Ideas

December 22, 2022 · 0 min · 0 words · Nathaniel Mittman

Circuit Breakers And Loose Electrical Wires

Dangers of a Loose Connection Wires connect to outlets—properly called receptacles—with screw terminals or other devices to provide a secure connection. Wires that are tight to the terminal make good electrical contact that the electricity can pass through with minimal resistance. But if the terminal is not tight, and the wire is not compressed against the terminal’s metal contact, there is greater resistance. And resistance creates heat. The looser the connection, the greater the heat....

December 22, 2022 · 3 min · 541 words · Carol Carter

Cleaning Skills For Children

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December 22, 2022 · 1 min · 4 words · Doris Pippins

Clever Ways To Reuse Empty Coffee Cans

There are two types of coffee cans: aluminum cans and plastic containers. For the most part, either style can be used for any of these projects, although you do need to remember that the metal cans will rust if exposed to water. Whichever coffee can style you use, be sure to keep the lid! You will find it comes in handy for almost all of these frugal DIY projects. Cover the outside of a coffee can with wrapping paper or a bright coat of spray paint....

December 22, 2022 · 2 min · 287 words · Dillon Bernier

Companion Plants For Watermelons

Even though there are no clear guidelines for watermelon companion planting, there are still a few things to consider when selecting where to plant watermelons, and which plants to put next to them. Some companion plants for watermelons can reduce pest infestations, like garlic, radishes, corn, broccoli, marigolds, and certain herbs. Lavender and borage can help promote pollination, while pole or bush beans can increase nitrogen in the soil. It’s important to avoid planting certain species near watermelons, which can attract pests....

December 22, 2022 · 4 min · 716 words · Arthur Driver

Crocodile Fern Indoor Plant Care Growing Guide

Typically found in Southeast Asia and parts of Australia, this fern is a little picky about its environment and thrives in humid, tropical environments. Although they are very slow growers, they make great statement pieces since they can grow up to 5 feet. With plenty of water and bright, indirect sun, you can easily add these unusual ferns to your houseplant collection. If you live in zones 10 or 11, you can even try adding these ferns to your outdoor garden at any time during the year....

December 22, 2022 · 4 min · 658 words · Patricia Chenoweth