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1. Pansies Are Edible These little blossoms are a go-to edible flower for cake decorating and cocktail garnishes; you may even find them in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. Both the blooms and the leaves are edible and high in vitamins A and C. They taste like a slightly floral version of lettuce, and the flowers can be used to make syrup, flavored honey, and natural dyes. 2. Pansies Symbolize Love and Remembrance Pansies are a symbol of love and affectionate thoughts (their name is thought to derive from the French word for thought)....

1. Maximalism “Color is everywhere! This is an era of maximalism and embracing color is a large part of it,” says Lonsdale. But getting color right can be a daunting task if you don’t know where to begin. Gibson says the best place to start is by selecting a color family that speaks to you and your aesthetic goals. “When you’re choosing your tile color, you should select a color that will bring you joy and suit your style in the long term....

Essentially, it is a ball of mud covered in moss and planted with a single or multiple specimens. Kokedama is either suspended from string, mounted to a piece of driftwood or bark, or set in a shallow dish. Traditionally, this ancient practice relies upon foraging wild materials like grasses and live moss to evoke a sense of season and environment. But it is easy for the typical home gardener to cut corners and replicate the aesthetic without trekking into the wilderness....

You may consider pumpkin carving a fun activity for the kids rather than a medium for serious artistry, but these grand displays are sure to impress even the toughest critic. From highly detailed carving designs to huge moving structures, these pumpkin exhibitions are designed to bring communities together for some seasonal magic. See our top picks to find a pumpkin festival near you. If you attend an outdoor event, be sure to bring along a mask (here are a few you can buy)....

How to Create a Balcony Garden 1. Plan your layout. Before stocking up on your gardening essentials, you should outline where you’ll be placing your furniture. The first step I took was setting out my largest pieces and then working my planters and decor items around them. If you have a larger balcony, you have more freedom and therefore more design options. Try out a few arrangements before deciding on what you like most....

Learn how we created this look. Click here to see how it’s done. Learn how to color-wash furniture. Get the step-by-step how-to. Learn how to marbleize paper. See how to whitewash floors.

1. There Are Thousands of Varieties of Tulips There are more than 3,000 varieties of tulips worldwide (this includes naturally occurring and genetically cultivated varieties). Of those 3,000 varieties, tulips can be divided into approximately 150 species. 2. Tulips Have an Expensive History Tulips caused quite the pandemonium in the 1600s. During this time in the Netherlands, tulips were highly valuable and are considered by some historians to be the cause of the economic crash of 1637....

There are many alternatives to storing your microwave on the counter that are much more efficient but no less accessible. Options include building the microwave into cabinetry, installing it inside an island, recessing the unit into the wall, and more. These space-saving ideas for integrating a microwave demonstrate how to move the small appliance off the countertop without losing its convenience. Each method has pros and cons, so consider your needs carefully when deciding which integrated microwave idea works best for your kitchen....

Some of our most beloved spices, such as vanilla and cinnamon, come from interesting tropical plants. You’d never guess what they look like before they land in those little bottles in your spice cabinet. You can even try growing these spices yourself. 1. Nutmeg Nutmeg and ginger are often baking partners in fall desserts, but they’re from very different plants. If you’ve seen fresh ginger at a grocery store, it’s easy to see it’s a root....

1. Consider the House Lots of people look at the size of the lawn or the shape and slope of the front yard, but sometimes you can overlook a critical piece of the puzzle: Your actual house. The design and architecture of your home can be a real asset when you’re creating gardens around it. For example, a cottage-style landscape compliments a country or farmhouse look while a spare, minimalist garden would set off a more modern building....

1. Focus on the Highest-Trafficked Areas When you’re worried about germs, it can be second nature to want to scrub every last square inch of your space. But Mary Gagliardi, also known as “Dr. Laundry,” the in-house specialist and cleaning expert for Clorox, says it’s better to limit your cleaning regimen to high-trafficked areas if you’re trying to conserve your products. This includes anything you touch frequently, such as doorknobs, countertops, and the refrigerator door, and anywhere your family gathers....

Buy It: Nordic Ware Mini Bundt Cake Pan, ($45, Williams Sonoma)

Since garlic scapes are not exactly a household name across the U.S. (especially compared to their relative, garlic bulbs), you might not know what to do with garlic scapes. If this hits home, we have three pieces of great news: Read on for all the dirt. You might just dig up your new favorite spring vegetable! What Are Garlic Scapes? Unlike most fruits and vegetables that have one season, garlic actually has two....

The turn-of-the-20th-century Brooklyn brownstone is rich with history. Through the decades, the historical structure was home base as Gordon grew his talents through writing and producing songs for artists including Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, and Beyoncé into a burgeoning solo career. Then disaster struck. A fire destroyed the tenant apartments above Gordon’s living spaces and severely damaged the garden and parlor levels of his home. “There was so much drama and confusion, so much that I had to deal with,” he says....

Plants for Creating the Bird and Butterfly Garden Plan 2 Sedum (Sedum ‘Vera Jameson’): Zones 4-9 4 Catmint (Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’): Zones 4-9 2 Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa ‘Gay Butterflies’): Zones 4-9 2 Bee balm (Monarda ‘Grand Marshall’): Zones 3-9 1 Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’): Zones 3-11 2 Meadow blazing star (Liatris ligulistylis): Zones 3-8 2 Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum ‘Blue Fortune’): Zones 4-10 2 New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’): Zones 4-8 2 Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Ruby Giant’): Zones 3-9 2 Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum ‘Gateway’): Zones 3-7...

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