As climate concerns and water conservation remain a priority, homeowners are increasingly turning to drought-tolerant…
Quite a few of us work from home now… Why not “vacation” from home, too? At the very least, you can enjoy one of your favorite outdoor activities in the privacy of your own backyard, and skip the hassle of driving to the club. Install your own putting green, and you can golf whenever you…
Who doesn’t love a good, old-fashioned barbecue? But if your family is getting tired of burgers and hot dogs, you can still enjoy outdoor meals and fun together. Check out these creative meal ideas – all of which can be prepared outdoors on your grill! Grilled pizza. Grilling pizza is a bit of an art…
So, you’ve decided to go with artificial turf. It’s attractive, it’s uniform in appearance, and it’s lower maintenance… But wait. It’s not completely maintenance free! That’s right. While artificial turf carries many benefits, including the fact that it’s easier to maintain than a grass lawn, you actually can’t just install it and forget it. Artificial…
For many of us, the cancellation of summer vacations came as a disappointment this year. But quickly, many caught on to a brand new trend. The rise of the yardcation, and even backyard camping, has brought many of us back to our roots. We’re discovering that family fun can be simple and inexpensive, and you…
When you think of spending time outdoors, you might envision hiking, swimming, and outdoor sports. Maybe you picture the kids playing on a swing set, or yourself digging in your vegetable garden. All of these activities focus on action and exercise. While these are important (and healthy) concepts, without a doubt, there are other ways…
We can all remember a time in which front yards were strictly dedicated to curb appeal, with all the action happening in backyards. Driving through most urban and suburban neighborhoods, you almost wouldn’t guess that actual people lived in many of those homes! Rows of houses appeared like movie sets, with the entire family gone…
During both World Wars, homeowners across the US and other countries planted “victory gardens”. The idea was to grow more food close to home, in order to free up food supplies for the war effort. For many, that habit stuck. Millennials grew up hearing their grandparents talk about gardening, and for a long time, it…
During times of rapid societal changes, we tend to see those effects spill over into design as well. In 2020 we’ve noticed quite a few exciting new trends, including the practice of “rewilding” our yards. Rewilding is pretty much what it sounds like, but perhaps more organized than you might imagine. In the past, urban…
You might be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t stressed out in 2020. We’re all feeling anxious about everything that is happening this year. The good news is that years of research into stress, anxiety, and depression have produced some promising findings that hold potential to help us through this challenging year. And one thing…
If you’ve heard the term “jungalow” and you’re wondering what that’s all about, you’ve come to the right place. Jungalow is still a hot home decor and garden trend, and we’re here to fill you in. As you might have deduced, the word “Jungalow” is a combination of “jungle” and “bungalow”. It was coined by…
If you’re like a lot of us, you’re embarking on another semester of distance learning. School-from-home is a bit different from homeschooling because public and private school students need to be “plugged in” for a significant portion of the day. It’s no wonder some of you are looking for solutions to keep your children engaged…
We all grieve in our own ways, but many of us find that creating something beautiful during a time of grief can be soothing. Since a tree will provide beauty and a soothing presence for many years to come, some people find memorial trees to be the perfect way to remember a lost loved one….
As summer begins to wind down, most of us are ready for some cooler weather. But is your yard ready too? Here are some tasks to consider as the seasons begin to change over to autumn. Clean up. Leftover debris from spent plants is unattractive, and can also attract pests and diseases to your yard….
More and more families are joining the homeschooling movement, and many of them report learning the same lesson early in their adventure: You don’t need to mimic “school” in order to learn! In fact, many families find that avoiding a classroom approach, and learning in a more natural setting, is beneficial to their children. By…
Lately, we’ve witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of people interested in food-bearing plants. Specifically, you might be wondering if you should utilize permaculture in your yard, adding plants that produce food within a sustainable system. That decision, of course, is ultimately up to you. But some basic information might help you decide how…