Home & Garden

I’m not the only one with a brown thumb. However, most people I know don’t have an existential crisis about it. But worry plagued me for months as I watched my plants perish. When I told a friend about my inner turmoil, he just laughed. He didn’t even notice a tree in his office had […]

Every so often the furniture industry rolls out the red carpet and rolls in their new lines for a new season. The Las Vegas Market, dedicated to the home furnishings industry, held one of its twice-a-year market shows in July. Unveiled were some of the hot new trends you will likely see translated and interpreted […]

If you missed the window for planting native plants in your garden this spring, don’t worry. You still have time to get them in the ground in the fall. “Growing native plants is a great way to benefit the environment, wildlife and bring some interesting and beautiful plants to your garden,” said Gemini Bhalsod, University […]

If you think about radon at all, odds are it’s because it came up during a home sale and created a hassle in the closing process. And indeed, it’s not really fun to think about radon – it’s a serious health problem that could lead to some costly fixes for your home. But you still […]

While a standard homeowner’s insurance policy covers the gamut of bad luck scenarios, such as theft, disasters or accidents, there is a limit to the amount of financial protection it can provide. According to the Insurance Information Institute, most standard homeowner’s policies cover four essential types of coverage: the structure of your home, your personal […]

Trumpet creeper is so large, so willing and so floriferous, it was a favorite outhouse cover-up. Only a reliable plant could survive on these neglected spaces, visited only when necessary. All summer long that vine bloomed on very fertile ground, spreading into a privacy barrier that hummingbirds flock to. Pioneers planted cuttings from outhouse vines […]

It is true what they say: If you wait long enough, old trends will make their way back into fashion (unless we are talking about shag carpet, in which case that can stay in the past). One of my favorite comebacks of the last few years is wallpaper. Wallpaper is a style destined to come […]

Just as you rely on a well-designed lighting plan inside your home, you should pay careful attention to how you illuminate the exterior. Outdoor lighting can ensure your family’s safety, improve home security and enhance how you use the space. Decorative lighting Judicious use of outdoor decorative lights gives your home character. They can be […]

It’s finally that time of year to be outside, clean up the leaves and residue from winter and plant flowers, herbs, vegetables, trees and shrubs. This is a perfect time to plan ahead and commit to planting natives that attract pollinators. There are many resources to help you get started and some exciting projects around […]

Planters and bumpouts along Sixth Street and Adams Street in downtown Springfield will be planted with native perennials to attract pollinators. Volunteers working with the city of Springfield and Downtown Springfield, Inc., helped obtain a grant from the Springfield Civic Garden Club for this pilot project. Plants will be selected that will bloom from May […]

The native plant restoration at the fishing pier in Washington Park is a tremendous example of what can happen when enthusiastic volunteers partner with a public agency that wants to do the right thing but lacks the manpower. Last spring 1,000 native plants were planted between the road and fishing pier at the Washington Park […]

Bees, Butterflies & Blooms is a new exhibit at Kidzeum that focuses on the importance of protecting native plants and pollinators. It features an observation beehive, live butterfly enclosure, pollinator garden, video interactives and family-focused educational play spaces. Kids can see real monarch chrysalises, watch live bees, swing in a chrysalis chair, don a beekeeper’s suit […]