Do air-purifying plants really work? Here's what you need to know | House & Garden

If you're eager to embrace a maximalist design style at home, note that the look is very much in vogue today, with many people living by the «more is more» philosophy and embracing the colorful and whimsical. That said, it's important to note the maximalism of the 21st century is a bit different than in decades past.

Even for the most organized, attempting to declutter our homes isn't always something we look forward to. While we may feel at ease having cleared surfaces and polished presentation, decluttering isn't everyone's strong suit.

One of the easiest ways to improve air quality in your home is to introduce plants.  This roundup of the best indoor plants for oxygen and air purification covers lots of fantastic options that will help keep your indoor space healthy.

There’s a Christmas tree hack working its way through TikTok and promising to make your tree grow healthier and happier but, as is the case with many rumors online, there's not much truth to it.

Every fall, the United Nations holds a global meeting to discuss the state of climate change and necessary actions. This two-week gathering is for the signees of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and is called the Conference of the Parties, or COP, for short. Also in attendance are policymakers, NGOs, lobbyists, scientists and more.

White Christmas Cactus, £11.99 from Hortology

Dramatic and elegant, amaryllis (Hippeastrum) are bulbous indoor plants that cheer us through the coldest months. The huge flowers bloom atop tall, sturdy stems, opening like colourful trumpets, as if about to blast away the winter blues with a clarion call.

The colours of autumn are so evocative. Russet, ochre and translucent crimson can look magnificent against a clear blue sky – or more importantly they can light up a dull grey day, catching the eye and cheering the heart. It is fascinating to know a little about the science behind the colour change in the second half of the year, as explained by Chris Clennett at Kew: ‘Trees, like most plants, use chlorophyll to photosynthesise…In autumn, trees that lose their leaves for winter go through a process to shut down photosynthesis and reclaim as many valuable chemicals as possible. Chlorophyll is constantly breaking down and being replaced through the summer, but the process slows down in autumn. This reveals all those other chemicals that were hidden by the presence of the dominant green chlorophyll…yellow flavonols, orange carotenoids and red to purple anthocyanins.’

What Are Underground Pit Greenhouses?

If you're planning an IKEA trip in the next couple of months, you'll want to ensure that you're making the most of your visit, no matter whether you've frequented the retail store just once or have shopped there dozens of times.

For some people, holiday decorating begins the moment the Thanksgiving dishes are put away. The joy of the holiday season sweeps through their homes, but in the midst of the festive fervor, it's easy to overlook all of the stuff around your home that should probably not be around your home. 

Gardeners will most likely need to lime their lawn at some point. Lime is a soil amendment used to increase the soil’s pH, making it less acidic. When soil pH is too low, many lawn grass species cannot make use of nutrients in the soil, including those added through fertilizer. Liming your lawn enhances nutrient availability, which promotes healthy root and leaf growth. However, not all lawns require liming. Get to know the species of grass in your lawn as well soil characteristics to determine if your lawn needs liming.