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When shopping for the best outdoor string lights, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. Since the lights will be outdoors, they’ll be exposed to all kinds of weather, so look for ones that meet waterproof certification standards (denoted with a UL listing or IP rating). Douglas Dedrick, landscaper and founder of Natural Landscape Designs in Woodstock, New York, recommends looking for lights labeled for commercial use for extra durability....

Eventually, softer linens, like cut velvet, silk, and tooled leather, replaced this new material—a transition that made printing and painting easier. Wallpaper was also an economical alternative to tapestries, improving insulation and concealing cracks. Many early wallpapers mimicked more expensive materials, including brocade and wood. Flock wallpaper, made to resemble cut velvet, also gained popularity in the early 1600s. As wallpaper became more affordable, colorway, pattern, and material options greatly expanded....

Great leaf rakes come in many designs. A number of leaf rakes feature traditional metal tines supported with a coil spring and a wooden handle. Others employ wider plastic tines to grab and draw more leaves at a time, making it easy to spread leaves across more ground or grab and draw mounds of wet leaves. Some leaf rakes use a thinner build or employ a staggered, dual-tine system to help maneuver between the shrubs....

With simple electric start buttons and no need for refueling or pulling chokes, electric lawn mowers are much easier to use than gas models, too. “Electric models are good for home use as they typically have lightweight aluminum frames and more user-friendly features than gas models,” says Ian Spilsbury, a lawnmower maintenance professional at Chelmsford Garden Machinery. When shopping for the best electric lawn mowers, you’ll find that these models tend to have simple electric start buttons, lightweight aluminum frames, and even self-propelling features that make caring for your yard a lot less arduous....

When shopping for a pool cover, there are a few things you’ll want to consider. Namely, the size, material, and type of pool it’s compatible with (in-ground or above-ground). Michael Dean, founder of Pool Research, cautions, “There are companies that design covers specifically for one or the other, so read the details carefully to make sure it lines up with the pool you have.” To create this list of the best pool covers, we reviewed dozens of options with these features in mind....

“The pros of removable wallpaper are just as it states…it’s removable!” says Caron Woolsey, founder and principal designer at CW Interiors. “It’s not a major commitment if you get bored easily. Removable paper should not damage your walls in the event you decide to try another pattern or simply paint the wall. It’s also a great option for renters whose leases state that they cannot paint or make permanent changes to their properties....

If you can address the inflammation, chances are good that you can slow the progression of disease and even reverse it, in some cases. A compelling reason to do so? The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks chronic diseases as the greatest threat to human health. And worldwide, three of five people die due to chronic inflammatory diseases. Though inflammation is often referred to as a silent killer, nutrition experts say that’s not really true....

Name: Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’ Size: To 2 feet tall and wide Zones: 3-8 Plant it with: Lungwort, Japanese painted fern, and bleeding heart Learn more about Solomon’s seal. Name: Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ Size: To 2 feet tall and wide Zones: 3-7 Plant it with: Lungwort, white daffodils, and bleeding heart Name: Amsonia hubrichtii Size: To 3 feet tall and wide Zones: 5-9 Plant it with: Peony, iris, and lilies Name: Baptisia australis Size: To 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide Zones: 3-9 Plant it with: Siberian iris, giant allium, and perennial geranium Name: Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ Size: To 14 inches tall and 16 inches wide Zones: 5-9 Plant it with: Red astilbe, golden corydalis, purple-leaf bugbane, or gold-leaf hosta Name: Geranium ‘Rozanne’ Size To 1 foot tall and 3 feet wide Zones: 5-9 Plant it with: White shrub roses, yellow coreopsis, or perennial hibiscus Name: Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ Size To 3 feet tall and wide Zones: 3-9 Plant it with: Yellow or pink roses, penstemon, or Russian sage Name: Dianthus ‘Fire Witch’ (also called ‘Feuerhexe’) Size To 8 inches tall and 2 feet wide Zones: 3-9 Plant it with: Purple-leafed heuchera, balloon flower, or peach-leaf bellflower Name: Helleborus selections Size To 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide Zones: 4-9 Plant it with: Epimedium, bleeding heart, or spring-blooming bulbs Name: Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum’ Size: To 1 foot tall and 3 feet wide Zones: 4-8 Plant it with: ‘Burgundy Glow’ ajuga, yellow corydalis, or purple-leafed bugbane Name: Leucanthemum ‘Becky’ Size: To 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide Zones: 4-9 Plant it with: Foxglove, purple coneflower, or ‘Moonbeam’ coreopsis Name: Phlox paniculata ‘David’ Size: To 3 1/2 feet tall and 3 feet wide Zones: 4-8 Plant it with: White coneflower, perennial hibiscus, or gaillardia Name: Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ Size: To 6 feet tall and 2 feet wide Zones: 5-9 Plant it with: ‘Rozanne’ geranium, black-eyed Susan, or purple coneflower Name: Scabiosa ‘Butterfly Blue’ Size: To 15 inches tall and wide Zones: 3-8 Plant it with: ‘Firewitch’ dianthus, ‘Chameleon’ euphorbia, or ‘Pink Mist’ scabiosa Name: Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’ Size: To 2 feet tall and wide Zones: 3-8 Plant it with: ‘May Night’ salvia, ‘Laura’ phlox, or ‘Diabolo’ ninebark Name: Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’ Size: To 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide Zones: 3-8 Plant it with: ‘Franz Schubert’ phlox, ‘Harvest Moon’ coneflower, or ‘Wine and Roses’ weigela Name: Salvia ‘May Night’ Size: To 2 feet tall and wide Zones: 5-9 Plant it with: Lamb’s ears, ‘Fragrant Angel’ coneflower, or guara Name: Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ Size: To 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide Zones: 2-8 Plant it with: ‘Dart’s Gold’ ninebark, ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reedgrass, or gaillardia Name: Perovskia atriplicifolia Size: To 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide Zones: 4-9 Plant it with: Black-eyed Susan, ‘Palace Purple’ coralbells, or asters Name: Astilbe ‘Sprite’ Size: To 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide Zones: 4-8 Plant it with: Hosta, bleeding heart, or Canadian wild ginger Name: Veronica ‘Sunny Border Blue’ Size: To 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide Zones: 4-8 Plant it with: ‘Moonbeam’ coreopsis, cushion spurge, or ‘Sweet Kate’ spiderwort Name: Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’ Size: To 18 inches tall and wide Zones: 3-8 Plant it with: Gaillardia, ‘Walker’s Low’ catmint, or perennial hibiscus Name: Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ Size: To 1 foot tall and wide Zones: 4-8 Plant it with: Armeria, asters, or ‘Sweet Dreams’ coreopsis Name: Phlox stolonifera Size: To 6 inches tall and 12 inches wide Zones: 4-8 Plant it with: Ajuga, Japanese painted fern, or fern-leaf bleeding heart

The Aiper Cordless Robot Pool Cleaner picks up dirt, leaves, and even sand from pool floors up to 538 square feet. The best-selling cleaner has dual suction motors and two brushes to efficiently clean your pool in just 50 minutes. One shopper said it has “surprisingly powerful suction,” and they “can’t believe how well it sucked up all the dead insects and leaves along with the dirt and grime.” If you’re not convinced that robot pool cleaners are a smart investment, Stewart Vernon, COO and founder of America’s Swimming Pool Company (ASP) told BH&G that, “robotic cleaners are pricier but are also the easiest pool cleaners to use....

While it’s conveniently lightweight at 2.6 pounds, the vacuum certainly isn’t lacking in power. And according to our team’s results, it hits the mark because you can use the vacuum on hardwood floors as well as low-pile carpets. The best news? Shoppers agree with our findings. “Where has this been my whole life?” wrote a five-star reviewer, adding, “All in all, this is great for a quick run around the house, and [it] picks up crumbs, dog hair, and snacks left behind by little ones....

We’ll go over the differences between a living room and a family room and explore how you can leverage each in your listing for a better sale price. What’s the Difference Between a Family Room and a Living Room? Fun fact: Better Homes & Gardens was the first to write about family rooms all the way back in 1944. American homes have certainly changed since then. “These days, there is a singular major difference between a family room and a living room and that is … you....

As it turns out, St. Valentine was a real person, credited with sending the first-ever valentine in the third century. We dug into the history of the holiday so you can read up on the sweet traditions before you send flowers to your sweetie and mail your valentine cards. Who knows—they may inspire a few new Valentine’s Day traditions for you and your loved ones. When Is Valentine’s Day? Valentine’s Day is always celebrated on the 14th day of February, so it falls on a different day of the week each year....

This year, the show will avoid any chance of wintry conditions because it will take place outdoors in the summer. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), which organizes the show, considered offering the 2021 event virtually, as the Chelsea Flower Show in England and several other major U.S. flower shows have opted to do because of the pandemic. Instead, the PHS decided to hold its event outdoors at FDR Park in Philadelphia for the first time in the show’s nearly 200-year history....

I chatted with fellow professional organizers about the trends they predict to be popular in 2023. And while some are not so surprising, such as environmentally friendly products and a focus on advancing work-from-home setups, others might make you rethink your organizing plans for the coming year. Read on to find out how you can be at the forefront of 2023 storage and organization trends in your own home....

Founded by Audrey Gelman in early 2022, The Six Bells is a self-described “New Old Country Store” with a storefront in Brooklyn and a robust online shop. Leaning more country than cottagecore, more sturdy than quaint, The Six Bells stocks antiques, linens and textiles, charming handcrafted tchotchkes, and a huge variety of other home goods with built-in kitsch and a playful, lighthearted energy. The overall approach for the store is an air of escapism, Gelman says....

An interior designer in Maine, Tyler finds her lifelong love aids her when she is planning spaces to share with her dogs. In her previous home (shown here), that task involved choosing furnishings and surfaces to accommodate a pack: Haddock, a Brussels griffon; Winnie Cooper, a Great Dane; and Clyde, a Great Dane and Saint Bernard mix. She shares her best function-with-style tricks. Tyler designed a mudroom bench with holes for dog bowls....

Thyme Care Must-Knows This tough Mediterranean herb is native to areas with rocky, poor soil and needs extremely well-drained soil to thrive because it is prone to rot in soil that is too moist. Once established, thyme is a drought-tolerant plant and will not require much supplemental watering. Because thyme prefers dry conditions, it makes a superb choice for a rock or container garden. In order to grow the most flavorful thyme, give it full sun....

*Tip: To toast nuts, preheat oven to 350°F. Spread nuts in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until light brown, shaking pan once or twice; cool. **To Make Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Empty the contents of the jar into a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk together 1 egg, 1/4 cup softened butter, and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until combined....