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Ideas for Driveway Landscaping The possibilities for landscaping driveways are greatly enhanced if you plan on including walls. Walls (for instance, stone walls) can either parallel the driveway along its whole length or meet it perpendicularly, at the entrance. The latter scenario, in particular, opens up several possibilities. For example, some people attach driveway gates to the wall, while others span the opening in the wall with an arch. Meanwhile, variations on the softscape side of landscaping driveways are practically endless....

The home improvement retailer is bewitching lawns across the nation with its newest inflatable yard decoration featuring the iconic Sanderson sisters of “Hocus Pocus.” This puffed-up trio of witchy siblings stands a little over 4.5 feet high, and despite a few arched eyebrows, is far more adorable than alarming. The not-so-scary scene features a holiday message and the images of a couple of black cats. Binx and a friend, perhaps?...

Generic Names for Baby Birds There are several generic names that can refer to any baby birds, from ducks to raptors to songbirds to shorebirds. The term “chick” is the most common, and can describe any baby bird of any species from the moment it hatches until it leaves the nest. There are other generic terms, however, that can also be used with baby birds of different ages. Hatchling: A hatchling is a very recently hatched baby bird that does not yet have more than sparse down and may not have open eyes or any ability to care for itself....

Its bark is silvery-gray and the needles are gray-green or bright blue-gray. The stiff, short branches grow almost horizontal. The crown of the young tree is conical and develops a round shape when mature. The tree is long-lived and only starts producing seeds at around 50 years of age. Noble fir provides food for many different birds, including chickadees and jays and other animals. Its dense foliage provides shelter and winter protection for wildlife....

The search for the perfect pillow can leave you feeling a little like Goldilocks. Some are too soft, some are too hard, and very, very few are just right. With its innovative pillow-in-pillow design, the Original Casper Pillow guarantees the ideal blend of softness and support, a promise we put to the test over the course of several sleeps. When it comes to pillows, we know that every factor matters, from the shape to the fill distribution to the material and texture....

Head: The bird’s head is one of the best places to look for field marks such as eye color, malar stripes, eyebrows, eye rings, eye lines, and auricular patches. The crown (top) and nape (back) are also key parts of the head that can help identify a bird. Bill: The size, shape and color of a bird’s bill is critical for identification. Also check for any curvature in the bill or unique markings such as differently colored tips or bands....

Wall paneling is only as good as its paint coating. The wrong type of paint exposes the wood to moisture, impact damage, and slow deterioration. But certain types and qualities of paint—glosses, manufacturers, and brands—will help the paneling last longer, look better, and have fewer maintenance issues. Properties to Look for in Wall Paneling Paint Beadboard, wainscoting, raised panels, and shiplap are different types of interior wood wall paneling. Paneling’s origin in centuries past was as an attractive way of insulating and protecting interior walls....

What Cold Does to Paint Temperatures below 50 degrees (typically) can have a variety of negative effects on paint and paint application. Alkyd and oil-based paints are made with oils and resins that become more viscous (thicker) at lower temperatures. This can make it very difficult to apply the paint evenly or smoothly. Water-based, or “latex,” paints are made with water and thus are susceptible to freezing in cold weather. You can add freeze-resistance by mixing in a paint additive containing an antifreeze chemical....

Here are some favorite purple flower selections from Tim Wood, Resident Horticulturist for Spring Meadow Nursery. Check with Proven Winners and Spring Meadow Nursery for retailers in your area.

There are three very common raspberry pests that cause damage to canes through boring: raspberry cane borers, red-necked cane borers, and raspberry crown borers. Identifying the precise insect you’re dealing with will help you target the most effective control methods. Identifying the Borer Identifying the borer insect that’s causing the damage to your raspberries is a matter of observing the type of damage, as well as studying the insect itself if you can spot it....

Consider the needs of each individual room, and research related articles pertaining to those spaces. Home decor should reflect your personal taste and interests, but it must also address the particular function of those rooms. One of the first considerations is choosing a focal point for the living room and especially where you want to create conversation areas. Your selection and arrangement of living room furniture should keep this element in mind....

Neutral Decor We’ve been seeing a rise in neutral decor over the past several years, and it’s still having a major moment—both on Selling Sunset and on the ‘gram. The easiest way to go neutral, according to the Stelrad team? Paint your walls! But if you can spend a bit more, they also suggest tackling your floors and opting for a pale wood. Of course, it’s also easy to add pops of neutral hues in the form of accessories like accent rugs, slipcovers, and wall decor....

Top Bird-Feeding Myths The biggest misconception is the idea that if the birds have a steady source of food available in autumn, they won’t migrate, and then, when those feeders are empty, they will starve. A reliable food source is only a minor factor that affects how birds migrate. Daylight levels, climate, and instinct also play important roles in seasonal migration. Feeding birds in autumn does not prevent migration—it can help it....

Wood Doors: What’s the Difference? At first glance, many wood interior passage doors and wood exterior doors do look and feel like they are made entirely of solid wood. It’s a clever simulation because, in most cases, these doors use construction methods designed to make them only look like solid wood—while avoiding some of the drawbacks of solid wood doors. Wood doors used in residential construction come in three types: solid wood, solid core, and hollow core....

Brands Both Stihl and Husqvarna are very popular chainsaw brands that have been manufacturing chainsaws for well over 50 years. Stihl was founded in 1926 just outside Stuttgart, Germany, in the town of Waiblingen, where the company headquarters still remain. The founder of Stihl, Andreas Stihl, also invented the single-person powered chainsaw which came to replace the two-man saw that had been previously used by professionals. While Stihl has an amazing reputation, especially when it comes to chainsaws, Husqvarna isn’t a standard company, either....

It is one of three common holiday cacti that are often confused with one another: the Thanksgiving cactus, the Christmas cactus, and the Easter cactus. While they all look similar, they are technically three different species of Schlumbergera with unique care requirements. Learn how to care for your Thanksgiving cactus and you will be rewarded with a show of gorgeous flowers just in time for the holidays. Light In the spring and summer, the Thanksgiving cactus does best in medium indirect light....

We purchased 21 pool cleaners of all kinds and sent them to volunteer testers, who used them to clean their home pools for several weeks. Our testers made note of these key factors for each pool cleaner: cleaning coverage, ease of use, helpful features, and overall value. Our top pick is the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Vacuum Cleaner because it’s equipped with mapping technology to learn each pool’s layout for an efficient cleaning cycle....