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Though the trident maple lacks the elegance and grace of the Japanese maple, it compensates by being hardy, adaptable, and easy to maintain. Reaching a modest 25 to 35 feet in height at maturity, the trident maple is a good choice as an ornamental tree in a modern garden landscape and it will do well in most yard designs. Adapting the trident maple to fit your plans is a matter of pruning the tree at an early age to dictate if it will be multi-trunked or single-trunked....

When these long-lived plants mature, they develop distinctive extensive branching with rounded, open crowns (usually when they reach between 3 and 9 feet in height). The foliage develops in rosettes on the tips of the branches. However, young trees grown in a garden setting will usually lack branches and have bent backwards leaves. The creamy-white, small flowers that cluster at the ends of long panicles develop into light green seedpods....

The licorice plant is a tropical perennial and is only hardy in USDA Zones 9–11. However, they are easily grown as annuals, elsewhere. Licorice plant also makes a nice houseplant, if you can give it ​plenty of light. Leaves: The small, roundish leaves are covered in soft, gray hairs, giving them both a velvety or felt-like feel and an iridescent look. Although they are most commonly found in shades of silver and gray, there are newer cultivars that offer golden and white options....

Its large, oblong leaves are crinkled and very tightly wrapped around the head. The stalks are almost white, and the leaves are a very pale green. Napa cabbage flowers exhibit the familiar four-crossed yellow petals found in other members of the cruciferous family. However, it’s best not to let cabbage bolt (send up a flower stalk) because it signals the end of leaf growth, and this is when the leaves become bitter....

Light As with most hydrangea species (Hydrangea arborescens) prefers a partial shade location with dappled sunlight. It can cope with full sun, but shade from the afternoon sun is important in hot southern regions. Soil Smooth hydrangeas are adaptable and tolerant of poor soil conditions providing they are moist and well-drained. To thrive, they prefer loamy, rich, acidic soils. Water If you live in a region with hot, dry summers or your shrub is growing in the north in full sun, you’ll need to provide your smooth hydrangea with supplemental irrigation during the growing season....

Red cascade, as this tree is also commonly known, has evergreen leaves that are narrow and gray-green in color. The weeping branches are covered in a shaggy, gray-green bark. The weeping bottlebrush is resistant to most diseases and pests and is deer resistant. However, some common problems include witches’ broom, mites, insect galls, and root rot. This tree’s dense, matting root system makes it well-suited for erosion control. Light The weeping bottlebrush requires full sun to thrive....

While certain plants in this genus are better known for their starchy tubers that people harvest as a food source in tropical countries, there is a growing demand for some species as rare, exotic-looking houseplants. If you want to add to your verdant indoor jungle, don’t rule out these elegant, lush, large-leafed herbaceous perennials with prominent venation. You can also grow them outdoors in warm, frost-free regions, but be aware of their fast-growing, invasive tendencies....

Factors to Consider When Mounting a Birdhouse Many birders take great care to select a birdhouse with suitable dimensions, features, and colors for their favorite cavity-nesting species. Even the best house, however, will not attract birds if it is not mounted properly. A number of different factors need to be considered when planning how to hang a birdhouse, including: Mounting Mechanism: How the house is mounted affects its safety and security....

By 1951, Herman Miller was making an armless side chair version that is still in production today, proving that classic design never goes out of style. Knock-offs of these famed designs are worth far less than originals though, so it is important to be sure to learn to recognize an authentic Eames molded side chair before you start shopping. The armless version was harder to manufacture because the wider sides gave the piece stability....

Necessary Equipment Birders with the right equipment will be better prepared to identify tricky hummingbird species. Binoculars A good pair of birding binoculars is invaluable for bringing these tiny birds close enough to see the details necessary for proper identification. Higher magnification is also essential for closely observing hummingbirds, and anti-glare coatings can be useful for watching hummingbirds in bright sunlight when their colors are most obvious. Field Guide A field guide with several hummingbird species profiles helps distinguish between some of the nearly identical species, particularly when observing female hummingbirds....

Review the Types of Cat Repellents Cats can be discouraged from digging in your garden beds or pussyfooting around your property by employing a few tactics or products. Be sure to change your tactics regularly. A new cat in the neighborhood might not be as sensitive to your usual methods, so regularly switching them can lead to more success. Odor Barriers A cat’s nose is highly sensitive to smell. You may be sensitive to the smell of cat urine in your yard since humans have 5 million odor receptors in your olfactory system....