
J. A. Young has a Master's Degree in English, and a background working in general research and special libraries. On DoItYourself.com, she specializes in gardening, and indoor/outdoor decor projects.
J.A.'s work published in the 2008 Winter/Spring edition of Spoon River Quarterly Review was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
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Planting an Apothecary Garden
Most medicinal plants and herbs are quite easy to grow....
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Classic Japanese Tea Gardens
A traditional tea garden is place of repose and relaxation....
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Walk on the Wild Side: Taming Your Overgrown Landscape
There are many reasons why a garden grows out of control. Certain species seem to take over....
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Tips to Oust Mosquitoes From Your Garden
Keep pesky mosquitoes out of your garden with these natural remedies....
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Astounding Variety: Knobs and Handles for Kitchen Cabinets
There is a staggering, almost mind-boggling, number of ways to open your kitchen cabinets....
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Parquet Wood Flooring: Perfection in a Durable Form
Parquet wood flooring, or floors of wood tiles, has enjoyed an aristocratic past. Sumptuous din...
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Attic Makeovers
What kind of extra space can your attic provide?...
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Carnivores in the Garden: Sarracenia Pitcher Plants
Sarracenia are a type of carnivorous plant....
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Raising Expectations: Transforming a Flat Garden Space
Add some vertical layers for dynamism and visual interest....
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Choosing a Career that Matches Your Personality
While in many cases physical and skill requirements will greatly impact your career choice, you...
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Stone Garden: Concepts of Eastern and Western Design
East or West, you can anchor your garden with stone....
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His House Too! Decorating with Men in Mind
While men and women have been setting up housekeeping for centuries, the battle between the mas...
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Exotic Transformations: Ideas for Decorating Makeovers
An influx of exotic items into western markets and the ease of shopping online make incorporati...
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Garden Watercourses and Cascades
Watercourses and cascades may be installed in various ways to blend harmoniously into the lands...
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Pest Infestation: Identification and Solutions
Infestation caused by pests like insects or other animals can spell frustration for homeowners...
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The Painted Garden: Props, Ornaments and Paint
Add color to your garden, without planting anything....
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Exotic Plants for Temperate Zones
Over 25 plants and tips for growing them....
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Combating Soil Erosion in the Garden
Prevent erosion, and turn slopes, hills and valleys into wonderful landscapes....
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Designing Garden Walks and Pathways
For a formal walk or an informal stroll, design the path that fits your garden's setting....
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Garden Gates
One of these 7 gate styles should suit your garden....
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Easy-to-Maintain Lawns and Ground Covers
Do less maintenance and get more enjoyment out of your lawn....
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Gardening with Healing Plants
Gardens are bountiful in many ways, but a healing garden is a cultivation of healthful resource...
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Making Over the Porch for Greater Curb Appeal
The 7 elements of a beautiful porch....
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Inspired Balcony Gardens
Nowhere to exercise your green thumb? Build a beautiful garden suspended in air....
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Stylish, Inexpensive Decorating Ideas
7 elements you can decorate for less....
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Making an Herb Garden
Herb gardens add flavor to your kitchen, delight to your garden and even old-fashioned remedies...
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Living Soil: Nurturing Your Garden from the Ground Up
Plants need air, water and food, and the ideal place for them to get these primary elements is...
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Restoring Natural Beauty to Wood Furniture
While stripping is pleasurable in some venues, in the home workshop, it is seldom so. In fac...
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Ten Hard to Kill Plants
All gardens and landscapes present their own challenges for gardeners. Weather, climate, micro...
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Back to Nature: Your Prairie Garden
Wherever the prairie had been indigenous, it can be restored again - including in your own ba...
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Best Low-Maintenance Alternatives for Landscapes
Just because everyone is not a gardening enthusiast does not mean everyone shouldn't have a ter...
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Garden Paths, Steps and Footbridges
No landscape is complete without a pathway through it. From simple flagstones to elaborate ter...
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Flower Crafting Ideas
Bring your garden indoors, for a lovely way to add natural beauty to your home....
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Selecting and Planting Trees
New subdivisions, new landscapes. You’ve seen them - those long naked blocks exposed to i...
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The Elegance of a Mexican Courtyard Garden
Create a courtyard garden reminiscent of Mexico's timeless appeal....
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Gardening Italian Style: Replicating Italy's Gardens
Italian gardens are not only shaped by climate and geography, but also history....
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Celebrating the French Country Garden
Old-world features and luxuriant plant growth can adapt any landscape into the epitome of beaut...
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Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: Top Reasons to Fence Your Landscape
Robert Frost, the foremost New England poet, knew what he was talking about when he wrote that...
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Alternative Landscapes for Challenging Terrain
Sometimes no matter how green a thumb you have, poor soil or the lay of the land - not to menti...
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Installing Microsprinklers
Automated sprinkler systems aren't just for golf courses and large landscapes. With modera...
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Raindrops Keep Falling on Your Head? Install a Patio Cover
Often, life outdoors demands we seek shelter away from it - rain or intense sunlight can make b...
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Garden Platforms and Decks
Once upon a time, an essential component of the large manor house was its great porch or verand...
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Revamping the Garage
For many do-it-yourselfers, the garage is far more than a space to park the car. So often, the...
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Interior Painting: Murals and Trompe L'Oeil
The Renaissance frescos of Italy and its ancient cities provide much basis for today's murals a...
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Vintage Bakelite Jewelry
Bakelite, an original plastic, was patented in 1907, but its heyday in the jewelry department b...