To make some squares more transparent, add water to the paint for a watercolor effect. With this method, your color blocking isn’t permanent and can be removed if you choose to later on.

I shop online for a living as a commerce editor, so naturally, I’ve been compiling lists of the best Black Friday deals at a variety of retailers for weeks. Ahead, you’ll find huge discounts on big-ticket items like Dyson Ball Animal upright vacuums for $100 off and Calphalon espresso machines for a whopping 37% off. You’ll also discover markdowns on giftable items like alpaca throws from The Citizenry, seasonal scented candles from Homesick, and weighted duvet inserts from Luna....

Keep it simple with a few festive accent pieces, or go a step further and spread some extra holiday cheer with a delightful homemade hot chocolate station that will make your front porch extra inviting—because what’s a better way to welcome guests and neighbors than a steaming hot cup of Christmas spirit!

Arched windows and doors.Wrought-iron details.Clay roof tiles.Stucco walls.Spacious outdoor living areas. Several of these distinctive exterior Mediterranean features, including the stucco and roof materials, are intended to help keep these homes cool in hot, sunny climates.

Test Kitchen Tip: Wet your hands to make these sticky peanut butter treats easier to handle.

Name: Campanula persicifolia Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 3 feet tall Zones: 3-7, depending on variety Buy It: Bellflower ($9, The Home Depot) Name: Aquilegia varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in well-drained soil Size: To 3 feet tall Zones: 3-8, depending on variety Name: Heuchera varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 18 inches tall Zones: 3-8 Name: Leucanthemum varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 3 feet tall Zones: 5-9 Name: Delphinium varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 4-6 feet tall, depending on variety Zones: 3-7, depending on variety Buy It: Cobalt Dreams Delphinium ($17, The Home Depot) Name: Dianthus varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 1 foot tall Zones: 6-9, depending on variety Buy It: Pink Dianthus ($21, The Home Depot ) Name: Digitalis varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: 2-5 feet tall, depending on variety Zones: 4-8, depending on variety Name: Alcea rosea Growing Conditions: Full sun and medium moist well-drained soil Size: 6-8 feet tall, depending on variety Zones: 2-10 Buy It: Alcea rosea ‘Nigra’ ($15, White Flower Farm) Name: Hydrangea macrophylla Growing Conditions: Part sun to full shade and medium moist, well-drained soil Size: To 10 feet tall Zones: 5-11 Buy It: Bloomstruck Hydrangea ($23, The Home Depot) Name: Iris varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and medium moist, well-drained soil Height: to 4 feet tall Zones: 3-8 Name: Lavandula varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 1-2 feet tall Zones: 5-8, depending on variety Name: Alchemilla mollis Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and medium moist, well-drained soil Size: 1-2 feet tall Zones: 3-8 Buy It: Alchemilla mollis ($14, White Flower Farm) Name: Paeonia varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and medium moist, well-drained soil Size: To 3 feet tall, depending on variety Zones: 3-8, depending on variety Name: Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and medium moist, well-drained soil Size: To 18 inches tall Zones: 4-8 Name: Phlox paniculata Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and medium moist, well-drained soil Size: To 4 feet, depending on variety Zones: 4-8 Buy It: Bright Eyes Tall Garden Phlox ($19, The Home Depot) Name: Dianthus barbatus Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 2 feet tall Zones: 3-9, depending on variety Name: Viola varieties Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: To 9 inches tall Zones: 6-11, depending on variety

Light: Full sun or partial shade Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: 1-2 feet tall Zones: 3-8 Light: Full sun or partial shade Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: 1-3 feet tall Zones: 4-9 Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: 1-5 feet tall, depending on variety Zones: 3-9, depending on variety Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: 2-7 feet tall, depending on variety Zones: 3-8, depending on variety Test Garden Tip: Make sure there’s plenty of air circulation around your plants to help prevent fungal diseases....

Tip: Serve extra “balloons” on the side or as sweet cupcake toppers so each guest gets one. No more fights over the best slice!

Season of Bloom: Rarely flowers Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 18 inches tall Zones: 7–10 Buy It: Dusty Miller Plant ($17, The Home Depot) Season of Bloom: Spring Growing Conditions: Full sun in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 18 inches tall Zones: 6–9 Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 1 foot tall Zones: 2–11 Buy It: Marigold Seeds ($10, The Home Depot) Season of Bloom: Summer to fall Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 18 inches tall Zones: 10–11 Buy It: Heliotrope Marino Blue ($21, Etsy) Season of Bloom: Spring to frost Growing Conditions: Full sun in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to one foot tall Zones: 9–10 Buy It: Grande Superbena Royale Sparkling Amethyst Verbena ($38, The Home Depot) Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in well-drained soil; will tolerate drought Size: Up to 18 inches tall Zones: 10–12 Season of Bloom: Spring Growing Conditions: Full sun in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 2–7 Season of Bloom: Summer to frost Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 30 inches tall Zones: 2–11 Season of Bloom: Spring and fall Growing Conditions: Full sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 7–10 Buy It: Snapdragon Seeds ($10, The Home Depot) Season of Bloom: Summer to frost Growing Conditions: Full sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 4 feet tall Zones: 10–11 Season of Bloom: Summer to fall Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in dry to moderately moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 4 feet tall Zones: 9–10 Season of Bloom: Spring Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 9 inches tall Zones: 5–9 Buy It: Sweet Alyssum Seeds ($2, Walmart) Season of Bloom: Infrequent bloomer Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 10–11 Buy It: Persian Shield Purple Bloom Strobilanthes Plant ($27, The Home Depot) Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 3–7 Buy It: Black-Eyed Susan Seeds ($3, Etsy) Season of Bloom: Summer to fall Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 2–11 Season of Bloom: Spring Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 3–8 Buy It: Giant Columbine Mixture ($20 for 5), Breck’s) Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun in dry to moderately moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 6 inches tall Zones: 5–8 Buy It: Live Plant Sedum Sunsparkler ($8, Walmart) Season of Bloom: Summer Growing Conditions: Full sun and dry to moderately moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 8 feet tall Zones: 5–10

Editor’s Tip: Stuff the hat with tissue paper, pillow stuffing, or newspaper so the hat doesn’t flop over or blow away. Editor’s Tip: You could also use these in place of candy when you answer the door for trick-or-treaters. To get the look: Editor’s Tip: Our patterns are free, so print as many as you like and use them to embellish other items, such as vases or decorative plates. Editor’s Tip: Use a low-watt bulb (60 watts) in the lamp, so the paper silhouettes do not get hot....

When it comes to seasonal decor, don’t expect your tree to do all the work. After all, it’s the little accents and added touches that can help transform your home from simply festive to totally fabulous. As everyone knows, the most wonderful time of the year is also one of the most expensive. Between shopping for gifts and gatherings, not to mention all the trimmings, getting into the spirit of the season can turn into a serious budget buster....

Buy It: Double Pink Knock Out Rose ($24, The Home Depot) Buy It: Quart Pot Coneflower ($10, Walmart) Buy It: Black-Eyed Susan Seeds ($9, Walmart) Buy It: Yucca Plant ($37, The Home Depot) Buy It: 1,000 Purple Coneflower Seeds ($3, Walmart) Buy It: Royal Pink Speedwell ($22, Breck’s) Buy It: Blue Mouse Ears Hosta ($11, The Home Depot) Buy It: Amethyst Astilbe Live Bareroot Plants ($19, The Home Depot) Buy It: ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea (from $11, Etsy) Buy It: Red Astilbe Seeds ($4, Etsy) Buy It: ‘Blue Shades’ Anemone ($14, Breck’s) Buy It: Caramel Heuchera Coral Bells (from $12, Etsy) Buy It: Lady Slipper Paphiopedilum Orchid ($56, Etsy) Buy It: Woodland Plant Trillium Erectum Roots ($13, The Home Depot) Buy It: Marie Ballard Aster ($16, Breck’s) Buy It: Purple Goliath Phlox ($26, The Home Depot) Buy It: Oriental Lily Stargazer Bulbs ($14, The Home Depot) Buy It: 1,000 Salvia Seeds ($14, Walmart) Buy It: Autumn Fireworks Sedum Mixture ($28, Breck’s) Buy It: German Chamomile Organic Seeds ($1, Etsy) Buy It: Goatsbeard Seeds ($4, Etsy) Buy It: Pink Hollyhock Dormant Bare Root ($3, Walmart) Buy It: Oxeye ($46, Breck’s) Buy It: Double Play Gold Spirea ($21, The Home Depot) Buy It: May Night Salvia ($16, The Home Depot) Buy It: Potted Pink Mallow ($14, The Home Depot) Buy It: Lilies Oriental Stargazer Bulbs ($12, The Home Depot) Buy It: Cinnamon Fern ($40, Breck’s) Buy It: Multi-Colored Delphinium Mixture ($12, The Home Depot) Buy It: ‘Cherry Blossom Song’ Bearded Iris ($26, The Home Depot) Buy It: Drumstick Allium ($9, Breck’s) Buy It: Dare to Love Daylily Hemerocallis ($19, The Home Depot) Buy It: Juniper Shrub ($19, The Home Depot) Buy It: Big Blue Sea Holly ($22, Breck’s) Buy It: Shasta Daisy ($18, The Home Depot)

Members can save on big-ticket items from popular brands as well as products from small businesses and even handmade pieces from artisans around the world. The deals include everything from Shark vacuum cleaners to Cosari air fryer toaster ovens to The Pink Stuff cleaning products. You can also save on items for your outdoor space, whether you have a large backyard or a quaint front porch. For instance, this retro-inspired lounge chair is nearly $200 off with a Prime membership....

To give your bulbs the best shot at enduring as perennials, plant them in well-drained soil, about 8 to 10 inches below the surface—deeper than usual. This will prevent the plant from reproducing, a process that drains the bulb of the energy needed for flowering. And when you’re buying your bulbs, prioritize the bell-shaped beauties known for their staying power. Discover our favorite long-lasting tulips for color you can count on....