Outdoor Living
Gazebo Lighting Ideas
The best gazebo lighting combines two or three layers: a central fixture such as a chandelier or fan light for useful overhead…
Outdoor Living
Your backyard can be the most-used room in your home. This section is about turning ordinary yards into places you actually want to spend time — patios and decks, fire features, lighting, shade, low-maintenance lawns and the planting that ties it all together. Expect practical ideas for every budget, whether you’re starting from a bare slab or refreshing a tired garden.Begin with our pillar guide to outdoor living and backyard landscaping, then browse the projects and gear that make the space inviting after dark and easy to maintain.Popular guides in this category:Backyard landscaping & outdoor living ideasThe best fire pitsThe best solar outdoor lightsSmall backyard ideas on a budget
Outdoor Living
How to Grow a Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia)
The pink trumpet tree (Handroanthus impetiginosus, still sold as Tabebuia) is the late-winter showstopper of warm US yards. For two to four…
Outdoor Living
How to Get Rid of Groundhogs
The most reliable way to get rid of groundhogs (woodchucks) is to combine exclusion with eviction. Fence the garden with wire buried…
Outdoor Living
Broadleaf vs Grassy Weeds: How to Tell and Treat
Short answer: broadleaf weeds have wide leaves with a net of branching veins, and many have showy flowers. Grassy weeds have narrow…
Outdoor Living
Above-Ground Pool Deck Cost
A professionally built deck for an above-ground pool typically costs a few thousand dollars for a small entry platform and $10,000 to…
Outdoor Living
How to Grow Bottlebrush (Callistemon)
Bottlebrush (Callistemon, now often listed under Melaleuca) is a tough evergreen shrub from Australia. Its bright red flower spikes really do look…
Outdoor Living
How to Get Rid of Skunks Under a Deck or Shed
To get rid of a skunk living under your deck or shed, confirm when it leaves at night, let it out with…
Outdoor Living
Retractable Awning Cost: Manual vs Motorized
A retractable patio awning typically costs somewhere around $1,500 to $3,500 installed for a mid-size manual model and roughly $2,500 to $6,000…
Outdoor Living
How to Grow an Orchid Tree (Bauhinia)
Orchid trees (Bauhinia) are fast-growing subtropical trees with orchid-like blooms, best grown in full sun and well-drained soil in USDA zones 9…
Outdoor Living
How to Choose a Wildlife Removal Company
To choose a good wildlife removal company, hire a state-licensed or permitted wildlife control operator (not just a general pest control company),…