Did Count Dracula have a garden? In the movie version, he seduced a victim in one—close enough. With Halloween looming, our thoughts naturally hover, bat-like, over Transylvania.

Beyond vampires, this bucolic region of central Romania is known for its picturesque villages, a rich agricultural history (nearly one third of the country’s population is employed in the farming industry), and its eerily strong hold over Prince Charles (the royal highness has a vacation guesthouse in the Transylvanian village of Zalànpatak).

Here are 10 garden ideas to steal from Transylvania:

 

Mossy Mystery

Above: A moss-covered entryway at Bran Castle in Transylvania. Photograph by Jason Ramos via Flickr.

With its forbidding stone…

Did Count Dracula have a garden? In the movie version, he seduced a victim in one—close enough. With Halloween looming, our thoughts naturally hover, bat-like, over Transylvania.

Beyond vampires, this bucolic region of central Romania is known for its picturesque villages, a rich agricultural history (nearly one third of the country’s population is employed in the farming industry), and its eerily strong hold over Prince Charles (the royal highness has a vacation guesthouse in the Transylvanian village of Zalànpatak).

Here are 10 garden ideas to steal from Transylvania:

 

Mossy Mystery

Above: A moss-covered entryway at Bran Castle in Transylvania. Photograph by Jason Ramos via Flickr.

With its forbidding stone…

 

With autumn here, college students and families will be planning their fall break and holiday vacations at home and abroad.  Here are the top 10 tips for traveling out of the Country, as recommended by the US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs.

10 Travel Tips for Traveling Abroad this Fall

1. Make sure you have a signed, valid passport and visas, if required. Also, before you go, fill in the emergency information page of your passport.
2. Read the Consular Information Sheets and any Travel Warnings for the countries you plan to visit. Consular Information Sheets are available at www.travel.state.gov.
3. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are traveling. Remember, while in a country,…

It is not often that we can look into the home of a famous artist, but recently Pablo Picasso's French Riviera estate was sold to New Zealand financier Rayo Withanage for €20.10 million (US$24 million) - allowing us a "peek" inside.

The Spanish artist lived and worked in the traditional Provencal bastide in Mougins, close to Cannes, from 1961 until his death in 1973 at the age of 91, according to auction materials. Picasso gradually extended the property—known as Mas de Notre Dame de Vie—over the years and added a large studio. Following his death, his wife, Jacqueline Roque, remained in the house until her death in 1986. She had left everything in the house as it was, even his reading glasses were where Picasso had left them, said the…

From a brand-new Trump condo and a historic Newport estate to a golf course community in the South, there’s a plethora of choices in high-end homes. Consider these tips from luxury home market pros before buying your dream home.

 

 

Top 10 Expert Tips for Buying a Luxury Home

1. Learn the search process.

“Many luxury homes go unlisted to protect a seller's privacy. These properties are often found through the Realtor's personal connections as opposed to the MLS.” Virginia Cook, Virginia Cook Realtors, Dallas

2. Go beyond the photos.

“Make sure you don’t dismiss properties based on their front elevation photos. Many large homes aren’t photogenic that way and you have to see them…