Breaking News } Special Weather Statement for Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Wake counties.

Top drawer:  It’s a weekly chore this time of year, but mowing doesn’t have to mean a dull up-and-back. David Mellor, director of grounds for the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, recently told the Wall Street Journal’s Developments blog (which is usually about the real estate business) how big leaguers create art in their summer lawns. In addition to writing a couple of books on the subject, Mellor has created swirls, stars, circles, baseballs and his team’s iconic socks in Fenway fescue. Here are three of his top tips for striping:

Garden Spot:  When Stephen and Christine Stager were married, one rose bush was planted by the mailbox. Christine’s brother wondered whether his sister’s new husband was going to plant a rose garden. “I never promised her a rose garden,” Stephen Stager said.

At home:  Those snobs who say there’s no reason not to have a good-looking, pulled-together home are just plain wrong – and irritating. I know plenty of reasons.

YouTube users can now watch a home design show called “Your Place Is a Deal Breaker.” The show appears on Spaces, one of the new channels that YouTube has introduced as part of its push into original content. With a roster of programs – other shows include “Offbeat Spaces” and “I Live With My Mom” – shown in three-to-five-minute episodes, Spaces aims to be a hipper HGTV. Chris Young, the chief executive of DBG, the production company behind Spaces, said the channel plans to upload a new video every day.

For such sweet-looking things, hanging baskets can be demanding divas. Restricted to small pots and hung in the drying air, their plants often require far more attention to maintain their looks than flowers planted in the ground.

Now that we’re well into spring, we know warmer weather is coming.

Participants in Saturday’s tour of downtown dwellings be invited to “Meet the Designer” at one of 23 stops along the way. Even if you’re not in the market for new digs, this is a yearly chance to get decorating ideas and learn more about specific design styles.

So you need some work done on your house. Now what? Unless you’re experienced or adventurous enough to do the work yourself, you’ll need a contractor. Here’s how to find the right person for the job.

DIY Q&A:  Q: I have an elevated deck made of treated wood. It is about 15 years old and I worry about it collapsing while occupied and injuring someone. The deck is about 5 feet off the ground because our house is on a slope. How can I tell if it is safe?

Most parents are forced to guess if toys, furniture and other household products are exposing their kids to toxic chemicals.

Want to keep your hanging baskets looking great all season? Pete Kern and Pamela Crawford offer these tips:

On Gardening:  The lemon beebalm or purple horsemint has been incredible this spring.

A visit to the Paint Quality Institute brought some good advice for people who are listing their houses for sale:

Ask a designer:  I am not sure what to do with this small room that is just off the front entrance and staircase to our second floor. There is a hallway to the living room and the dining room is on the other side of it. This is an empty room, and we would love to make it a cozy library sitting room or maybe you have a suggestion to help make this a beautiful focal point. I am looking for a classy, rich and elegant look. I can change the room color if needed. I have a neutral eggshell color in the halls and goldish yellow in the dining room.

DIY Q&A:  Q: When I flip the light switches in my house, sometimes I hear a crackling, popping noise. Is this dangerous? Is new wiring required or is it something else? –Paul

When Jennifer Holmes was growing up, she was always decorating her bedroom, doing something to reflect whatever interested her at the time. But now she's the mother of two girls, a 3-year-old and an 11-month-old, so her design eye is focused on beautiful yet practical solutions.

How to grow and cook what you love to eat:  Watermelons are beloved summer treats, and spring is the time to plant them. In the Piedmont and westward, you should plant watermelon seeds between April 15 and June 1.

There are many reasons to go green, whether building a new home or renovating an existing one. You'll save money through efficiency and you'll have a warm glow of satisfaction at saving the planet one solar water heater at a time. HGTV built a beautifully seductive billboard for the merits of green building near Atlanta.

Each year, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, which sponsors the famed Philadelphia Flower Show, chooses a few outstanding woody plants for their vigor and multi-season beauty.