"Help" yards, pictures, and ideas...
Barbecue Time! Coke-Brined Chicken
Looking for a tasty twist to traditional barbecued chicken? Hit the soda aisle of your grocery store. This cola-tinged twist has become a summertime favorite at our house. It’s perfect for a cookout, with a few unusual techniques that will have your guests crowding around the grill as it cooks and talking it up long afterward....
Ornamental Potager Garden: The Artistry of Growing Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers
The ornamental potager garden is an attractive mix of vegetables, herbs and flowers growing together in raised beds. Initially developed by French monks, the potager kitchen garden (pronounced poe-ta-zhay) became popular in the 16th century in France....
Fire It Up! Fire Pit Ideas
Since the dawn of man, people have gathered around fires. Fire has protected us from wild animals, kept us warm, and cooked our food. While most of us no longer need protection from wild animals, a back yard fire pit can be a great place to keep warm on a chilly night, roast weenies and marshmallows......
Have a Gorgeous Garden and Save Butterflies
Is there anybody who doesn't love butterflies? Even the most hardened gardener perks up when one of nature's beauties flutters by. They serve a useful function in the garden, too. They eat flower nectar and thus pollinate plants in the garden, just as bees do....
Barbecue Time! South American Stuffed Beef Roll (Matambre)
There are times when burgers and dogs off the grill just won’t cut it. Maybe it’s a special occasion, maybe it’s a party, or maybe you want to kick off Memorial Day Weekend with a surprise your guests will never expect. This dish from Uruguay is called a matambre, which apparently means “hunger killer.”...
Beneficial Bugs For Your Garden
Beneficial bugs are nature’s response to the pests that can plague your garden. These insect-friends include lady beetles (formerly ladybugs), green lacewings, assassin bugs, praying mantis, minute pirate bugs, ground beetles, syrphid flies, and predatory stinkbugs....
Gardening and Cooking with Lemon-Scented and Lemon-Flavored Herbs
You don’t have to live in a tropical or semi-tropical climate or pay big bucks at the grocery store to enjoy the freshness of lemons. Grow your own lemons this season—lemon-scented and lemon-flavored herbs, that is!...
Safe, Free, and Easy Weed Prevention Techniques
When it comes to weeds, it pays to work smart. Pulling weeds is one of the most tedious and persistent chores of gardening. Spending time on your hands and knees eliminating these little pests is not just unpleasant; it also takes away from time that could be spent gardening. ...
The Versatile Pot
Give your yard that extra “Ahh!” factor by decorating it with pots of colorful flowers and interesting plants. Not only is “potting up” a quick way to spread color and cheer throughout your yard, it is also a relatively easy way create a spectacular garden in a short time....
Koi And Goldfish Pond Tips
Koi ponds are all the rage for homeowners these days. There is nothing like relaxing at the water’s edge while feeding a writhing school of koi or goldfish as they fight for every last scrap of Purina fish chow. It kind of makes you feel like a benevolent despot with your own little fiefdom of fishy peasants....
