Great Native Plant: Grow Wild Quinine for Its Unique Clusters of Blooms

Great Native Plant: Grow Wild Quinine for Its Unique Clusters of Blooms

Most wild plants aren’t that spectacular; whatever you find in a nursery is often an exception to the rule and a small misrepresentation of the real world. If you’re a plant collector, seeking out something a bit different that nobody else has, you tend to overlook a number of nonflashy aspects that may make a plant less desirable for a gardener. If you are a native plant collector, your discerning eye concentrates more narrowly. I guess what I’m saying is,…

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Great Design Plant: New Zealand Tea Tree

Great Design Plant: New Zealand Tea Tree

Tea tree burst of dainty blossoms and wild twisting branches thickly straddle the line between garden showcase and feral shrub, on no form more so than New Zealand tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium). Though the gnarled back and twisted type of Australian tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum)may be appropriate against the rocky shores of its ancestry, New Zealand shrub and its cultivars are beautifully suited to the residential landscape. Compact and densely ordered leaves, branches and blossoms make this drought-tolerant Oceanic native…

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Reinvent It: Salvaged Pieces Frame a Pergola

Reinvent It: Salvaged Pieces Frame a Pergola

Pieces from the streets of Philadelphia, inspiration from art nouveau Parisian train stations and barn doors out of Amish country come together to connect this historical home to its landscape. Situated in Princeton, New Jersey, the property appears as though it had been buit and planted over several centuries, but the bulk of the job is fresh. “My clients had renovated the inside of the house; as soon as they finished, they turned their focus to the exterior,” states David…

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Reinvent It: Salvage Savvy Keeps an Urban-Farmhouse Bath on Budget

Reinvent It: Salvage Savvy Keeps an Urban-Farmhouse Bath on Budget

Suffering from Carrara marble sticker shock, homeowner Jennifer Brown knew she had to get creative with the rest of the components in her toilet renovation. “We bought our home as a new construct 13 years back, and the master bath was the 1 room we did not care for,” she says. “There was a tiny stand-up shower along with a giant garden bathtub we never employed. The granite countertops and globe lights had to go, too.” What she really wanted?…

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Step Up Your Garden Sport With Terraced Plantings

Step Up Your Garden Sport With Terraced Plantings

There are many points to consider when planting terraced beds: the materials used for the walls, the ideal plants to the conditions generated and the equilibrium of their plantings in relation to the hardscaping. By getting the plantings right, not only can we appreciate the cosmetic benefits, but we could also stop the hardscaping from becoming too sensitive or dormant. Terracing has historically been the best way to deal with slopes, which can be difficult and even dangerous to keep….

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Bathed in Colour: When to Use Black at the Toilet

Bathed in Colour: When to Use Black at the Toilet

Black is admittedly an unconventional color option for a dominant color. Making it work in a toilet can be extremely tricky, particularly one that’s cramped or underlit. However, when done well, it may look stunning and sophisticated, according to the selection of black baths featured under. Here you’ll find hints for how to work with black in a bath, together with a selection of black paint colours to test on your space. Jennifer Ott Design Look for subtle differences in…

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9 Holly and Ivy Plants for Good Tidings in the Garden

9 Holly and Ivy Plants for Good Tidings in the Garden

Of all of the traditional Christmas carols, “The Holly and the Ivy” is maybe one of the most obscure. While the tune dates back to 17th-century England, holly and ivy are important because olden days, when the two plants had spiritual meanings. Rather than ban their use, the ancient Christian church adopted them for Christmas decorations by changing the symbolism to match the Nativity story. The tradition of working with these two evergreens has continued up to present times, likely…

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Matelasse

Matelasse

Matelasse is an embossed pattern on a single layer of cloth. The raised design can be created by hand stitching, by weaving on a loom or by a system, leading to a heavyweight, monotone cloth. Developed in the 18th century, matelasse fabrics represented purity and refinement in the home. The Shabby Nest Heavyweight matelasse cloths are typically used for bedcovers, frequently called counterpanes. The dense cloth lies flat, doesn’t wrinkle easily and has a nice, sharp finish. Lighter versions of…

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Clues to Finding the Right Color for Your Residence

Clues to Finding the Right Color for Your Residence

Picking out the exterior colors for your home can be daunting. Unlike in the interior, where repainting walls is relatively easy if you don’t like the color or just tire of it, a new exterior painting job can be very costly. Doing some homework up front will save you a lot of heartache when it comes to selecting the colours to your home’s exterior. Selecting a number of potential color options and creating sample panels are critical to getting the…

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In the Pros: How to Paint Interior Walls

In the Pros: How to Paint Interior Walls

Painting an interior wall may look to be an easy layout fix, but like most home projects, it is more than a quick job. “Many men and women think that painting above a wall using a light color only needs one jacket,” says Philip Storey of Redhill Painting. “But that is seldom the case.” Wall preparation, painting techniques, and the kind of paint and finish all affect the outcome. Here is the scoop from four professionals on which you want…

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