WHEN DESIGNERSJason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke, creators of the Madcap Cottage décor brand, decided to refresh their 1840s upstate New York home, they made an unconventionally conventional choice: a ...

There's a science behind the elegantly arranged bouquet of hydrangeas, or the bushel of roses with a trail of ivy a bride grasps as she walks down the aisle. Like many beautiful things, it takes work.

The search for nectar costs insects a lot of energy, so they have to be as efficient as possible. Colorful patterns on the petals can help with that. Be it mallow, foxglove or forget-me-not: many ...