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1. Choose the Right Hydrangea Only the flowers of bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) and mountain hydrangea (H. serrata) can change color. Other types like oakleaf hydrangeas (H. quercifolia) or smooth hydrangeas (H. arborescens) such as ‘Annabelle’, cannot change their flower colors, naturally blooming in white, cream, or dusty pink. These plants are just as full and beautiful, but if your goal is deep pink hydrangeas, make sure you’re planting varieties that can turn that color....

As a professional organizer, one of the first things that I like to distinguish with my clients is a list of exactly what they want to keep under the kitchen sink. That’s when we discover that the extra bottle of toilet bowl cleaner really doesn’t belong in this space since there’s no restroom nearby. Once you’ve determined the items you want to store, the organizing process will be easier. Use the following tips to learn how to organize the cabinet below your kitchen sink....

If your chili looks a little or a lot thinner than you’d like, these tips for how to thicken chili will help you bolster your bowls so they are hearty enough to satisfy. We tapped our Test Kitchen pros for several ideas about how to make chili thicker (aka sturdy enough stand up to copious toppings and dunkers). And since we’re often searching for ideas for how to make a thicker chili after it’s already thin, they also offer tricks to prevent this culinary challenge before it happens....

Read on to find out the pantry ingredient that can reduce saltiness. This works for any rich gravy, including chicken gravy or giblet gravy. How to Cut Saltiness in Gravy When making turkey gravy (or any pan gravy), avoid making your gravy too salty by waiting to add any salt until the end. The pan drippings from the bird and any added broth may be enough to properly season the gravy....

She can talk composting all day long but has yet to manage a successful asparagus harvest. Her favorite vegetables to grow are sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes (also a favorite of the local deer). Related Video

1 16 ounce package powdered sugar (4-1/4 cups) 3 tablespoon meringue powder ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup warm water 1 teaspoon vanilla **Tip: Meringue powder is a mixture of pasteurized dried egg whites, sugar, and edible gums. Look for it in the baking aisle of your supermarket or at a specialty food store. Related Video

But you don’t have to be Father Christmas to get a cheery greeting at Adam and Lauren Allen’s new Houston home. “We wanted a house that’s warm and inviting,” Lauren says. “We envisioned a revolving door of friends coming and going, a place Adam and I can have friends over and so can the kids.” To set the stage, architect Ryan Gordon gave the family an open floor plan with a wealth of connections to the outdoors through expansive steel-frame windows and doors....

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According to Whitney Thornburg, design director at Coyuchi, one of the most important factors to look for in a bath towel is its absorbency. “If a towel doesn’t dry you off post shower, it’s not doing its job,” Thornburg says. “Many companies add chemical softeners to towels to give it a super soft feel, but that can reduce the towel’s absorbency. A great way to check this is to spill a bit of water onto your towel....

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 30 percent of what we throw away in garbage cans could actually be composted. But starting a compost bin doesn’t require a major shift in your day-to-day habits. The key to at-home composting is investing in the best compost bin for your needs—and there are plenty of options to choose from. You’ll want to find a compost bin that is sized to match the typical amount of organic waste your household goes through....

“Buying a cooler is more than a fashion statement. Invest in a cooler that will not let you down,” says Misty Banchero, a backyard barbecue expert from Seattle, Washington. “Keeping your food safe while on the go is important for your health and peace of mind.” To find the best coolers, we put 48 styles to the test at our lab in Des Moines, Iowa. Over the course of three days, testers used a predetermined methodology to evaluate each one based on six categories: design, insulation, durability, portability, capacity, and value....

Biggest Savings: Winsome Leo Shelving, $38 (was $92) Customer-Loved: Nathan James Payton Foldable Storage Ottoman, $30 (was $40) Most Likely to Sell Out: Hillsdale Scallop Back Metal Vanity Stool, $81 (was $145) Sauce Zhan Slim Side Table, $63 (was $90) Walker Edison Modern Round Nesting Coffee Table Set, $131 (was $249) Winsome Wood Halifax Storage Cabinet, $150 (was $250) Dolly Madison White Prep & Serve Cart, $163 with coupon (was $270) Winsome Oversize Snack Table Set, $85 (was $128) X-cosrack Bar Cart, $90 with coupon (was $126) Hoobro Baker’s Rack, $77 (was $110)...

Keep in Mind: The base felt a little wobbly to our tester. Price at time of publish: $54 Speeds: 3 | Wind Modes: 3 | Timer: Yes; 7.5-hour programmable timer and an auto-off | Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 41.50 inches Keep in Mind: It is more expensive than other similar styles. Price at time of publish: $180 Speeds: 3 | Wind Modes: 2 | Timer: None | Dimensions: 12....

How to Grow Corkscrew Albuca Native to South Africa, Albuca spiralis is a type of succulent that sprouts its distinctive, coiled leaves from a bulb-like base that sticks out a little from the soil. Like most succulents, this plant prefers things on the warm and dry side. It will be happiest in a clay pot with a drainage hole and in temperatures above 60°F. If you set it outdoors, you’ll need to bring it in whenever the weather gets colder than that....

Plants for Creating the No-Fuss Sun-Loving Garden Plan 1 New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’): Zones 4-8 3 Thread-leaved tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’): Zones 4-9 2 Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’): Zones 3-9 1 Hollyhock (Alcea rosea): Zones 3-9 3 Blazing star (Liatris spicata ‘Floristan Weiss’): Zones 4-9 1 Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia): Zones 5-9 1 Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’: Zones 3-10 1 Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): Zones 5-8 The back layer of this vignette is built with hollyhock, butterfly bush, and Russian sage....

As a young married couple, the Sibolds, both originally from Canada, lived in various spots in the United States from New England to California. A career opportunity moved them to Australia. After that, they came back to New England, this time to a home in the Boston suburb of Wellesley, Massachusetts. When they first moved into their Wellesley house, Cynthia and Bill’s interior design priorities focused on the music room and playroom to accommodate their three young children’s leisure time and interests....

Plants for Creating the Easy Slope Garden Plan 8 Livingstone daisy (Dorotheanthus bellidiformis): Annual 6 Petunia ‘Purple Wave’: Annual 15 Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens): Zones 5–9 3 Crinkled hairgrass (Deschampsia flexuosa): Zones 4–9 6 Dianthus ‘Bath’s Pink’: Zones 5–9, depending on species 1 Sedum spectabile: Zones 4–9 6 Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum): Zones 5–8 1 Knapweed (Centaurea dealbata): Zones 4–8 1 Lupine (Lupinus perennis): Zones 4–9 6 Alpine campion (Lychnis alpina): Zones 4–7 3 Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’): Zones 4–9 9 Tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora): Zones 4–9 3 Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris): Zones 3–7 3 Nanking cherry (Prunus tomentosa): Zones 2–7...

Principles of Green Architecture Climate change, a growing awareness of diminishing resources, and a desire to live more sustainably have brought environmentally conscious building to the forefront. But many of the concepts behind green architecture aren’t new. In fact, they’re very old—as in ancient-civilization old. Before HVAC systems or even glass windows, living areas were built to produce natural airflow, maximize daylight, and rely on natural ways of heating and cooling....

How to Cook Beef Tenderloin Roasts There’s more than one way to cook that whole beef tenderloin (aka beef loin or tenderloin roast). When handing the whole tenderloin, or at least multiple pounds of beef tenderloin, we suggest roasting beef tenderloin in the oven or grilling over indirect heat. Try it both ways, then decide the best way to cook beef tenderloin for yourself. How to Prepare Beef Tenderloin Roasts First, trim any fat and silver skin (the thin, pearlescent membrane running along the top of the tenderloin) from the tenderloin....

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