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For some though, long held myths about planting peonies has stopped them from choosing to grow these wonderful and virtually care-free plants in their garden. Alec White of Primrose Hall Peonies (opens in new tab) has had a love affair with peonies ever since he first started growing them 15 years ago and he believes every garden deserves at least one beautiful peony. So, he has shared the biggest peony myths and misconceptions with us and debunked them with simple explanations, in the hope that gardeners who have previously been put off from growing peonies might decide that they will finally give it a go and choose to grow a peony of their own....

To give a piece of furniture a new lease of life, use milk paint. Rather than being a liquid that you purchase in a tin, milk paint comes in powder form. Simply mix the powder with water to create that liquid paint and apply to everything from wood and stone to tiles, PVC and plastics. It’s a hardwearing and durable paint finish, and you don’t need to use a primer or undercoat, so it’s ideal for a quick afternoon or weekend DIY project....

The wintry scene is spellbinding, with decorative ironwork garden features and considered landscaping, combined with carefully sculpted topiary and clipped yew, highlighted against the frosty backdrop. This dynamic garden has been planned so it offers life and energy in every season, and you can incorporate some of these elements into your own backyard ideas. The successful design is the work of award-winning garden designer Julie Toll (opens in new tab), who has been developing the gardens for the past 12 years, since the current owners moved in....

1. Enlarge the space 1. Enlarge the space Pulling the furniture away from the walls, even by just a couple of inches, creates breathing space that will make your room appear more spacious – perfect when considering more compact apartment living room ideas. 2. Zone a larger room 2. Zone a larger room Long thin rooms rarely feel homely, but there are tricks you can use to zone the space to make it feel far cozier....

And never more so than in the holiday season. Of course, when it comes to entertaining at home, purpose-built home bar ideas are the ultimate goal, but the beauty of the bar cart is that it can be used to serve drinks anywhere in the home and for all occasions, from warming winter cocktails by the fire to summer coolers on the patio. Even if you already have a small home bar, a bar cart will bring a sense of occasion to entertaining and often cuts through the formality to bring a more relaxed feel to proceedings....

There are many options to choose from, with down and alternative fillings and varying degrees of firmness to suit every sleep position. The perfect pillow for you will ensure that your head and neck stay aligned when lying down. Side sleepers, back, and stomach sleepers all need different levels of support to ensure that they are in the correct position for the entire eight hours of bedtime. While the best mattress is part of the foundation of getting a great night’s sleep, the right pillow is just as essential....

While so much emphasis is placed on potting up containers with annual flowers, it’s important to include hardy evergreen varieties in your container gardening ideas, as they will add structure and texture in even the bleakest months of the year. ‘Planted containers are great when you have limited space and are looking for small garden ideas, or need a broad brush of color,’ says Stuart MacKenzie, master arborist at Trees.com (opens in new tab)....