Special Features - Spring Home and Garden 2014

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2 Red Deer Express, Spring Home & Garden

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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Spring Home & Garden, Red Deer Express 3

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Tips for spring organizing and de-cluttering

BY KALISHA MENDONSA Red Deer Express When many think of spring, cleaning and decluttering come to mind for some.

Professional Organizer Lynne Ring works to help people regain a sense of calm as she provides tips on how to clean and purge a home.

“We spend the first 30 years of our lives figuring out who we are. We spend the next 30 years accumulating all the stuff, and the last 30 years giving it all away. I know for myself, that I don’t buy like I used to.”

After the passing of her husband, Ring left the business they had owned for many years and went to work at a financial institution. She was asked to organize some spaces in the office, and was so skilled at it that several of her coworkers approached her to organize their homes.

“That’s what gave me the idea. “ Ring looked into organizing as a profession, and found the Professional Organizers of Canada to be just what she needed. Now, she happily helps people re-claim their spaces from clutter and disarray.

“Usually, I’m hired when people are kind of at their wits end.

“They are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin. I’m in a fortunate position in that I’m not attached to the things, so I can look at it a lot more objectively.”

One of Ring’s key processes is to follow a system, shortened to the acronym SPACE – sort, purge, assign homes, contain and edit.

“What I do is work towards the goal of them being able to organize by themselves

at the end of our time toNext, Ring says to look in gether,” she said. the space being cleaned for “Once you’ve done the things that don’t belong.

SPACE thing for a couple of After those items are out rooms, you can really do it of the area, clean the room to the whole house.” while organizing to create a She says the key to sort- fresh start feeling. ing is to take things from This way, a client can all around begin assigning the house, homes with a “WE SPEND THE FIRST so that blank slate.

30 YEARS OF OUR d u r i n g For those LIVES FIGURING OUT with children, the purge stage, you make things WHO WE ARE. WE don’t miss they use accesSPEND THE NEXT 30 or forget sible, so that anything. YEARS ACCUMULATING they can form ALL THE STUFF, AND habits of getDuring this proTHE LAST 30 YEARS ting their own cess, reGIVING IT ALL AWAY.” toys, bath towmain foels and other cused on home objects.

LYNNE RING the room Once homes or task at hand. have been assigned, the “Often times what will next issue is to contain happen is people will go to small items within the find an object around the space. When putting things home, and get distracted. in homes, be careful not to That’s very typical. I al- crowd a cupboard or room, ways say we can all eat an and assign homes based on elephant, it’s just one bite what the function of the at a time.” room is meant to be.

Ring even has a mini-sys“I do suggest from time tem for sorting which in- to time that if you’re buycludes tools, treasures, toys ing bookshelves and things, and trash. She explains the buy something with a covdistinctions. er or a door. It creates the “Tools have a function, sense of calm. Even if the but little or no emotional books are all in order, when attachment.

Treasures it’s open, it looks like activobviously have high emo- ity. “ tional value, but little prac‘E’ is for edit. More hands tical use. Toys have both in a house will mean tweakfunction and emotional ing or editing more often. appeal. Trash is just that “Unless you happen to damaged, worn out objects be the only person in the that have no function what- house and you’re really soever.” good at putting things back, With those guidelines in you have to tweak.” mind, Ring moves onto the Ring says that the SPACE purging stage of organiza- system is used for sorting a tion. drawer, a room, a floor or an She said it is difficult to entire house. tell a person to stop buying “The SPACE system is things. However, she will straightforward and that reremind clients that in their ally helps the client.” home, if they have more For garages, Ring says to things than space to put take away seasonal items them, it’s time to purge. at the start of the season.

Get the new season’s useful items in accessible places.

Store other items in plastic containers to keep them safe, and make use of wall space to clear the floor for cars.

Other tips for homes include a change-up of colours to signify the change of seasons.

Rotate bath towels, pillowcases and other home

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For kids, get them to help pick a theme for their rooms for each season. Divide their toys so that every six months, a switch can take place and the items will seem unfamiliar and exciting again.

“This is providing a service - making people feel calm in their lives and feeling happy to come home.

That’s huge for me.”

Ring presses the fact that if people are feeling overwhelmed, she is there to work with them and to make them comfortable in their organizing process. reporter@reddeerexpress.com

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4 Red Deer Express, Spring Home & Garden

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

City sees success with composting at home program

BY ERIN FAWCETT Red Deer Express As the City enters into its third year of the Composting at Home program, residents who have participated have seen much success.

This year, the City of Red Deer enrolled 200 households that have never composted before. The program provides a free compost bin, composting tool, kitchen catcher, training and support on how to compost.

In exchange, participants have committed to composting in their own yard until June 2015.

“There are many Red Deerians who’ve always wanted to compost but haven’t started because they haven’t gotten around to buying a compost bin, or they think composting takes too much time,” said Lauren Maris, environmental program specialist.

“This program has been popular because we eliminate any reason for putting off composting – by providing the training and tools.

We also teach participants how to compost the right way, which eliminates any

smell or pests, which are common misconceptions.”

Since the program launched in 2012, over 450 households have been trained to compost in their backyards. The Composting at Home Pilot Phase 1 report found that 70% of first year participants were still composting after one year. As well in the first year, about 20 tonnes of organic waste was diverted from the landfill. The program is funded to enroll 200 households annually through 2017 as part of the Waste Management Master Plan’s goals to divert more materials from the landfill.

“I look at this as a gateway to curbside organics collection,” said Maris.

“Our new Waste Management Master Plan that came out last year recommends that in the coming years we start collecting organic waste at the curb.

That’s great and it will help divert our residential waste, but it’s always most efficient if people can deal with what they can on their own property. If people compost, then they get the benefits of having the com-

post as well as reducing the load on the City.

“We’re hoping that when the curbside organics collection comes in people will still compost what they can at home and what they can’t - for example things like meat, cooked leftovers and dressed salad - then that would go into the curbside organics collection.”

Composting replicates what happens in nature in a contained urban setting.

“People can put a lot of things into their composter like bare-naked, uncooked fruits and vegetables – potato peelings, apple cores, banana peels as well as coffee grinds, tea, egg shells and many others. What comes out of the kitchen is primarily greens which is nitrogen-based,” said Maris. “There is a second part that is required to compost properly and that is what is referred to as browns which can be leaves and that is the carbonbased portion.

“You need to have that carbon-base to make sure it doesn’t become stinky.”

According to the respondents of the first year of the

program, the weekly care of the composter takes less than 15 minutes a week.

There are also some misconceptions about composting, Maris said.

“These include that it is going to stink and attract pests. People don’t think they have enough organic waste to bother. People also

wonder what they are going to do with the compost.”

She added the smell and pests of the compost are easily managed by knowing the proper recipe for successful compost.

“With the ‘I don’t have enough organic waste to bother’, about half of our garbage cans every week is

organic waste.”

As for what to do with the finished compost, residents can add it to their flowerbeds and flowerpots as well as onto their grass.

“Composting is the single best thing you can do as an individual for the environment.” efawcett@reddeerexpress.com

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Spring Home & Garden, Red Deer Express 5

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Gardening tips and trends for this season

BY KALISHA MENDONSA Red Deer Express After a particularly cold and snowy winter, Central Alberta gardeners are getting ready to add some beauty back to the world.

Greenhouse Manager and Grower Alfred Prins, 60, has been working at the Parkland Nurseries and Garden Centre for nearly 30 years.

“It’s been a passion right from day one - I went to college for this, I grew up on a farm and here we are at this end,” he said. “I just like growing things, and the occupation has been good for me.”

Prins has been planting and growing his entire life, and is offering some insight into the spring gardening trends.

His first thought - fairy gardens. ‘Fairy gardens’ are collections of small furniture and accessories that supposedly bring good luck, aside from being small and cute.

“They say that if you have no fairies, or if they aren’t happy in your house,

(the fairies) start breaking things. You have to give them a place to get comfy,” said Prins of the trendy gardening style.

Fairy gardening is popular on Pinterest and offers the gardener a chance to customize and get creative with their gardens.

“I JUST LIKE GROWING THINGS, AND THE OCCUPATION HAS BEEN GOOD FOR ME.” ALFRED PRINS A secondary trend that is catching on in the business is edible gardening, which is what it seems like: planting foods that you can enjoy in your home.

“For instant edibles we have sprouting seeds and sprouting kits in the Garden Centre now,” said Prins. “There are several varieties of kale and other vegetables, and some can even be grown in pots.”

Edible gardening can range from small ‘salad’ gardens that include a head

or two of lettuce, kale varieties, small herb growths and maybe tomatoes. Others are typical, large gardens that can house anything from beans to herbs to sprouts to potatoes.

Seeds are inexpensive, but to begin crops means to be patient and prepared to nourish your plants.

“The most common problem I find people have when they start their own bedding plants at home is that they start them too soon.”

Prins explains that often when people call the Centre and say that their plants are wilted, thin and falling over, it is because they were started too early in the season and the plants couldn’t get enough light.

He then takes a moment to stress the importance of water quality in growth.

“What comes out of our taps usually has too much lime, or minerals or sodium whether it’s City water or country water – unless you have a reverse-osmosis system in which case you’ll get clean, distilled water.”

He explains that the best

way to water your plants is to collect rainwater or to melt snow. Luckily, Parkland Garden Centre and Nursery had plenty of snow to melt this year, he said. “That snow actually gave us a lot of extra water because we collect the roof water. We don’t use well water because it’s just not good enough.”

Aside from water, Prins lists a “Sunny window with bright, bright light,” as an essential part of planting early in a season. He says this is what keeps people’s plants from wilting before they have a chance to be transported into the ground.

After that, he says of course to ensure gardeners use high quality, sterilized soil.

For first-time gardeners, Prins recommends growing things like petunias because once you put work into growing them, they are fairly easy to maintain.

He also advises trying marigolds and tomatoes as first-time crops. reporter@reddeerexpress.com

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Latest tips for giving your home a fresh, new look Local design expert provides ideas for spring ‘on a budget’

BY KALISHA MENDONSA Red Deer Express Spring looks as if it may ďŹ nally be close enough to think about giving your home a new look for 2014.

Kim Meckler, an interior designer at Red Deer’s Carpet Colour Centre shares some ways that people can bring new life to their homes. “I would say that one trend that people are going to is lighter colour oorings. Hardwood especially is becoming more and more popular,â€? said Meckler.

She says that a major reason for the newest shift is because people were moving away from the high-maintenance aspect of hard wood or surface ooring. “I’d say probably the biggest trend we’re seeing is tile of all shapes and sizes and products.â€?

The range in tile products varies from backsplashes to ďŹ replace features and to full bathroom or powder room glass walls. She adds that glass is very easy to keep clean and sterile.

Meckler explains that here in Central Alberta, it can take time to catch up with trendier locales such as Toronto, Montreal and New York.

She said that it is often about a ďŹ ve-year gap from when those locations present new style ideas and they gain general popularity in homes here.

An example of this gap that she presents is that vibrant colours are ‘wildly trendy’ right now and many of the homes in Central Alberta still contain very dark or neutral colours.

“We take a while to get really on point with those trends, and we are usually a few years behind and watered down from what the actual style trend is.�

As an interior designer, Meckler’s eye is always open for trends on web sites and design magazines. “I am friends with quite a few designers on facebook who are really on that ‘cuttingedge’ from Toronto, Montreal and New York – I watch what they do,� she said.

She says that when she gets wind of something she likes, she modiďŹ es it and shows it around Red Deer.

For some people, working through a renovation can be incredibly stressful and seem like a daunting task rather then an exciting opportunity.

Meckler also shares some ways that people working with a strict budget can bring some new life into their homes. She says the number one easiest way to “Put lipstick on a house� is being clean. “Wash your walls. Wash your bedding. Wash your curtains, your linens – everything. Slip covers on furniture, even a new chair or two, a new area rug – those kinds of things will really spruce up the place.

It’s amazing.�

She also lists re-arranging furniture as a simple way to re-invent a room.

Without doing any major renovations, those simple tasks will give the room a brand-new look.

For people who are focused on budget, paint, new window coverings or new lighting are all ways to take away the dated feel of a home for relatively little money.

Flooring, however, is not for the faint of heart due to its high expense. Meckler provides some insight into how you can decide to re-do oors or not.

She suggests that hardwood and other expensive products be left until there is a decision and commitment to remain in a home for many years.

For people interested in ipping houses or who aren’t planning on staying in a home but would like to make an impact, choose vinyl or less expensive carpet.

“Sometimes, the biggest mistake people make is to try to take a budget and stretch it out to cover an entire home which often doesn’t work,� said Meckler. “It’s almost better sometimes to take a room and do it well, and do it completely because once you’ve done that successfully the next parts will be easier.

To save money, do-ityourself renovations can be a good idea, but if a homeowner has little or no renovation experience,

they can lose lots of money at a later time.

However, sometimes the presence of a professional designer can relieve the stress of re-decorating, colour matching, designing and decision-making. “There a lot of places people can waste their money, so I tell people to make a list of the things that are really bothering them the most.�

Meckler’s advice is to make a list of potential items that are visibly important and that could use

some attention such as faded paint, poor lighting or old, damaged oors. “Whatever bugs you most is what you have to start with.â€?

To make a fresh impact this spring, consumers can look into what is called the luxury vinyl category. “It’s a huge up-and-coming material that we are using a lot. We see people putting it in condos and basements where they want a good look without a premium price.�

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Spring Home & Garden, Red Deer Express 7

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Going vertical takes your garden to new heights Add some interest and privacy to your garden this year with the addition of annual climbers. With so much selection available, there’s bound to be an option that would work for your garden space and growing conditions.

Kim

BUFFUM Sun loving Morning Glory with their giant heart-shaped leaves and incredible ‘true blue’ blossoms will impress any passerby. Extremely vigorous, these vines easily reach 10’ or more in a single growing season, while providing a ‘wall’ of shade and privacy.

Scarlet Runner beans are another fast growing, sun loving option. For only the cost of a pack of seeds these annual beauties will quickly wind their way skyward and produce blooms galore. As an added bonus, hummingbirds can’t resist the lure of the red blossoms that cover Scarlet Runner beans, offering you the opportunity to glimpse these ‘flying jewels’ in your own garden.

Harvest the crop of beans they produce and enjoy ‘homegrown’ produce or save the seed for next year.

Looking for fragrance?

Nothing beats a chain-link fence covered in old-fashioned sweet peas! Again, with only the investment in a couple of packs of

seeds, you’ll be enjoying a beautiful bounty of these sweet-smelling flowers. Since they respond extremely well to being cut regularly, your home will benefit from the frequent bouquets you’ll be harvesting.

Are you a small space gardener limited to a deck or balcony?

Annual vines are perfect for creating a sense of enclosure. While not a bloomer, ivy will cover unsightly objects with a curtain of greenery. Just give them a lattice trellis or even a brick wall to cling to and they will disguise air conditioners, electrical outlets and many other undesirable objects. Another non-blooming, yet very colourful option is the Potato Vine. The dark purple and lime green varieties can be coerced into growing upwards instead of trailing. Their impressive leaf colour makes them stand out without the aid of blossoms.

For a pop of colour, the bright yellow faces of the Black Eyed Susan vine is a welcome addition that will thrive in a container. A simple tripod of bamboo stakes gathered at the top is all this lovely vine needs to scramble up and will bloom continuously throughout the growing season.

Nasturtiums provide an edible flower that will enhance your tossed salad, but their real value lies in their quick growth and prolific blooms of red, orange, cream and yellow.

Easy to grow from seed, Nasturtium has been beautifying yards for generations.

Even in the tight confines of a balcony, the ‘queen of vines’, otherwise known as Clematis, can be grown in a container. Al-

though it is a perennial vine when planted in the ground, their reasonably low cost justifies using them as an annual.

Wish you could capture a sense of the tropics?

Check your local garden centre for preplanted ‘patio tropicals’ such as Mandevilla Vine, Passion Flower and Jasmine.

These tender plants will lend an exotic air to your covered deck or sheltered garden.

Guests will be sure to comment on the unusual properties that make these speci-

mens unique. Grown as annuals in our climate, they can be over-wintered in a greenhouse or sunroom and enjoyed again the following year.

As you can see, there are a myriad of options that allow you to take your garden to new heights with climbing and twining vines. Get up off the ground and add some dimension this season.

Kim Buffum is a hands-on local gardening enthusiast with over 30 years experience as a Zone 3 gardener.

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8 Red Deer Express, Spring Home & Garden

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Community gardens bolster healthy living

BY JENNA SWAN Red Deer Express The City of Red Deer started taking registrations for their annual community garden plots this past week.

Kristy Lepage, cemetery specialist for the City of Red Deer, who handles registrations for the community gardens, explained the Piper Creek plot located south of the waste management site on 40 Ave. has already sold out with the other two sites located at Red Deer College and in Normandeau which are around half sold.

Patrons of the community gardens have the option to purchase either a 120 sq. metre plot for $41 a year or a 60 sq. metre plot for $27 a year.

The City manages prepping the plot both pre and post growing season, leaving the plot purchasers to plant and maintain their area throughout the season.

“People grow a lot of different things in their plots and it usually all depends

on how much time and effort people are willing to put into their plots as it can be a pretty large undertaking,” said LePage. “You will get your really avid gardeners growing all sorts of vegetables like corn, potatoes, peas, and carrots or some people will grow flowers and we’ve seen a few sunflower plots as well.”

LePage explained the gardens can be a great opportunity to “Get you and your family outside and doing something productive.

“Sometimes there can be nothing better than reaping the rewards of a little bit of hard work and watching your kids pull a carrot from the ground that you’ve grown together as a family.”

Ken Lehman, parks ecological and planning specialist for the City of Red Deer, works to plan and support future growth for the City’s plots and believes the longevity of the program, which has been running strong for over 15 years, is due to demand from the community for a local food option.

“The plots are bigger than you can fit in your backyard, so these spaces are super valuable to people,” said Lehman. “They can learn about gardening, learn about where their food comes from, interact with their neighbours and just benefit from being active outside.”

The City also has begun several other community growing initiatives, such as the Parkside Community Food Forest, which was planted last fall behind the Save On Foods north of 67 St. in cooperation with local group ReThink Red Deer.

Lehman explained that while it is too early to tell what the yield will be from the forest, it has provided a great learning experience for those involved.

“This will be Red Deer’s first community food forest, and it will have everything from apple, plum and pear trees to Saskatoon and honeyberries,” he explained.

They ask users of the forest to respect others by not harvesting all of the food

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HELPING HANDS - Julia Hanson, 2, helps her mother Breanne plant a Saskatoon bush during the planting of the Community Food Forest behind Save On Foods north of 67 St. last September.

The City hopes the forest may yield a small harvest this summer and continue growing in years Express file photo to come. and only taking enough to allow sustainability for others and the forest.

“The garden plots and the food forest are both great initiatives because they allow people to know where their food came from, watch it grow, see what’s gone into growing it, harvest it themselves, and it saves the environmental footprint from having a truck haul your food a long ways for you to eat and you

don’t have to be worried about where it came from,” said Lehman.

“It’s a real community connection point, as well as it utilizes multi-generational learning, so you will get the older more experienced gardeners teaching some of the younger gardeners what has worked for them in the past and what hasn’t and it’s a great thing on many levels.”

Lehman also wished to

let the community know there will be a few minor changes to garden plots in 2015, as the Red Deer College plots will be moved to a site near Michener.

He also advises the public to keep their eyes open for community orchards and forests popping up in other locations around the City such as Mountview and West Park in the future. jswan@reddeerexpress.com

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Spring Home & Garden, Red Deer Express 9

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Spray paint tips for flawless furniture updates With the warmer weather, now is the ideal time to bring new life to home décor.

Whether your outdoor items are looking worn and weathered or your indoor spaces need a pop of colour, spray paint is the perfect solution.

To ensure your furniture update goes flawlessly, follow these few tips from the experts at Krylon.

Prep properly - surface preparation is extremely important and the best predictor of how long your finish will last.

The goal is to make your surface as smooth as possible to ensure the new paint adheres well. Remove any loose rust or paint by lightly sanding.

Next, clean surfaces with soap and water or degreaser, if necessary. Rinse and let your surface dry completely. Your surface should now be clean, dull and dry.

To prime or not to prime - primer prepares bare metal, wood, canvas or other materials to create a smooth surface for paint.

It also seals the surface to help smoothen out blemishes, increase spray paint adhesion and improve corrosion resistance.

While priming is a critical step, research shows that consumers only use a primer 50% of the time. For high quality results with fewer steps, look for a product that says no priming is required.

Choosing the right product - it is important to choose the product that meets the needs for your substrate – as well as your style.

Plastic/laminate - with the popularity of ready-toassemble furniture made of laminates or the many plastic storage items, these surfaces are prime targets for painting. However, without the right product, your project could turn out less than desirable.

“Most consumers don’t realize that not all plastics are the same,” said Denise Patterson, Krylon product manager.

“In fact, most spray paints on the market will not adhere to the most pop-

ular plastics found in furniture, toys and storage.”

Metal - for metal surfaces – especially those that are exposed to outdoor elements – it is important to choose a product that provides rust protection.

Wood - choosing the best spray paint for wood is dependent on the finish, use and location of your surface.

Spraying specifics - before you spray, shake your can for about two minutes.

Next, hold the can six to eight inches away from the surface and use several thin coats of spray paint instead of one thick coat.

Begin and finish your spray pattern off the object using an even side-to-side motion, releasing the tip at the end of each pass. Try to overlap your spray pattern by about one-third with each pass.

As you prepare to paint new life into your home décor this spring, these few tips and tricks will ensure your project is painless and will remain pretty for years to come. www.newscanada.com

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10 Red Deer Express, Spring Home & Garden

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Red Deer & District Garden Club gears up for season

BY MARK WEBER Red Deer Express For locals with a green thumb, both educational and social opportunities abound via the Red Deer & District Garden Club.

The Club, whose origins stretch back to the early years of the last century, is still going strong with membership averaging about 100.

Founded during the spring of 1911, the Club was originally known as the Red Deer Horticultural Society. Today, the Red Deer & District Garden Club is a non-profit organization and is a member of the Alberta Horticultural Association. Their intent is to foster an interest in all types of gardening and provide a forum for gardeners to get together and celebrate the love of gardening.

Members meet at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre on the third Thursday of every month, starting at 7 p.m., said Carole Berger, the Club’s president.

Anyone who is interested in any facet of gardening is welcome to pop in.

“A lot of it is about the fellowship, because gardeners like to talk to each other,” explained Dianne Klein, a long-time member of the group. Bolstering members’ knowledge on a broad range of related topics is also part of the Club’s mandate. “We have some wonderful speakers, from tree trimmers and people who make water gardens to speakers on growing better vegetables. We’ve had people that show you how, even if you have a tiny, postage stamp-sized garden, how you can grow lots of vegetables in that space,” added Berger. “We’ve had speakers on how to bring more

birds into your garden, and soon we are having two men coming in to talk about how to make good soil.”

“A LOT OF IT IS ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP, BECAUSE GARDENERS LIKE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.” DIANNE KLEIN Coming up shortly is the annual Plant Sale & Exchange which runs May 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre.

For every two non-invasive potted plants a person brings in, they receive a ticket allowing them to choose one plant to take home. Folks can also buy any plants for $2 (cash only) with the exception of the odd rare or exceptional plant, which may be a bit more expensive.

A new feature this year is the addition of a social area with coffee and snacks, plant dividing demonstrations and draws for gardening-related items. The drop-off time runs from 11 a.m. to noon.

Last year, the event brought in more than $600 – half of which went to the Club with the remainder going to the Kerry Wood Nature Centre.

Further down the road is a flower show set for Aug. 21 at the Golden Circle.

Over the summer, members also go on tours around the area to explore a variety of gardens.

“There are usually three on a Wednesday evening that we will go see, and these people volunteer for us to come and we enjoy it so much. We see such a beautiful variety of things.”

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essarily have to belong to Club members – anyone who wants members to come and see their gardens is welcome and encouraged to extend an invitation.

They’ve even had people contact them who don’t have a garden as of yet, but would like to hear from Club members about how to get started and map out an attractive mix of flowers and plants. And things don’t come to a grinding halt during the colder months. Members meet all year to share tips, stories and they continue to enjoy

special speakers and sessions to hone their skills.

As for the Club’s members, the joys of gardening are both plentiful and personally fulfilling. Simply being outside on a beautiful day and designing which flowers and plants go where is endlessly fascinating. “I love being outside – playing in the dirt and watching things grow,” said Klein with a laugh.

“When I was working full time I still remember how when I’d come home and I’d be so tired. Later I would go outside for a while, and

everything just brightened up. I had forgotten all about the tiredness. It’s very relaxing.”

Berger agrees. “You are always changing the design. People come by, and they stand and look at the garden. And my neighbours say they love to look across the road at the garden. That brings a lot of satisfaction – there is nothing like it.”

Ultimately, members point out that if you have a house with a garden, a townhouse with a small courtyard, or an apartment

with a planter, you can garden. Memberships are available for a nominal fee, and newsletters are sent out each month with the exceptions of July, August and December.

“It’s a friendly group, and we always have coffee after the meetings so everyone can stay and chat.

If you have any gardening problems, you can ask any member for help. There will be someone there with an answer for you.”

Check out www.reddeergardenclub.ca. editor@reddeerexpress.com

PLENTY OF PLANTERS - Staff at Wolf’s Botanical, located just outside of Lacombe, prepare for another busy season.

From left are Tom Schmit, Allyssa Cinnamon, Sherry Gowen and Emma Adamson who are prepping plants before the opening Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express day of the greenhouses.

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Spring Home & Garden, Red Deer Express 11

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Bring glamour to your outdoor space There’s no need to travel to the great outdoors when it can be found as close as your own backyard.

All it takes is a little creativity and soon you’ll be enjoying your very own oasis.

Do you want an urban but homey feel, or a Zen, clean look?

It is the exact same items that make for great rooms inside your home – cozy furniture, romantic lighting and creative accessories – that can bring so much character to your outdoor space.

Here are some tips to create beautiful rooms beyond your back door: Living and lounging • Urban: for an eclectic lounge, build wooden benches directly into fences.

Go classically chic with wrought iron candle lamps, striped outdoor carpets and monochromatic palettes.

Portable fire pits and outdoor heaters add warmth, making your lounge a multi-season destination.

• Zen: minimalist-lovers may craft their ideal

lounge with a pergola, plus low, modern seating, cream cushions, and a flowing wall-mounted water fountain.

• Zen: to create a calm corner in even the tiniest of outdoor arenas, set up a sleek metal lounger or

string a hammock in a secluded corner.

Define the space with a few sculptural evergreens.

Regardless of preference for a lounge, dining room, or private sanctuary, the effort you make this summer

season is going to be an instant, stress-free home addition. www.newscanada.com

Dining al fresco • Urban: take stone garden décor, add metal or light wood furniture and you have the makings of a great dinner out.

Update the look of your outdoor space with a colourful outdoor carpet or a compact metallic table and sleek vinyl armchairs.

• Zen: keep your outdoor dining aesthetic, clean and uncluttered with a bricked terrace and streamlined lacquered tables and chairs.

For something eye-catching, but easy to find. Whitescreened lanterns add the perfect understated lighting.

The solitary retreat • Urban: create a backyard getaway with a gazebo and decorate with a variety of hanging baskets.

For lazy days, outfit your sanctuary with drapery panels and wile away the hours in the breeze.

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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