Luxury real estate. Inspired living.
Now that Memorial Day is right around the corner, everyone will be spending more time outdoors. To help keep a yard looking its best, Lou Manfredini, host of the Mr. Fix-It Show radio program in Chicago and the official home expert for NBC’s Today Show and Ace Hardware, sent us this post on boosting curb appeal. They say you never get… Read more
Ready to take on a little yard work? Here’s an extra incentive to keep you motivated. Ace Hardware has teamed up with The Weather Channel to launch their “Restore Your Outdoors” contest, which will reward one deserving homeowner with a customized outdoor makeover. “People often underestimate the amount of damage winter weather conditions can have… Read more
My friend and colleague, Peter Walsh, the editor of Gardening & Outdoor Living stopped by yesterday to offer ideas on how I might enhance our small urban terrace. Much to my surprise, he suggested that I build a little tuteur. It wasn’t so much that I could have a tuteur (he knew I’d been thinking… Read more
Unlike a lot of New Yorkers, I rarely visit the Hamptons during the summer months, so when I do I savor every minute. Such was the case, a few days ago, when my husband, Anil, and I drove out for a long weekend to attend a wedding. We spent our free hours driving along the… Read more
Most people know that trees and plants enhance the quality of the air outdoors by consuming carbon dioxide, converting it into food for themselves and releasing oxygen as a byproduct into the atmosphere. But new research from the University of Georgia now shows that certain plants are extremely effective at removing harmful volatile organic compounds… Read more
Growing herbs indoors is practically impossible—at least for me—so I always look forward to spring, when I can grow fresh basil, chives, parsley, cilantro and oregano in pots on my terrace. I like to grow culinary herbs, but after talking to Carol Brzezicki, an herbalist who works at the Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center and… Read more
A few weeks ago, the Australian horticulturalist Jamie Durie stopped by my office to talk about story ideas we might collaborate on. Jamie is the charming and good-looking Australian host of HGTV’s Outdoor Room. He’s also writing his eighth book, which will be published by Harper Collins later this year. Among the things we talked… Read more