Vanderwees' Home & Garden Magazine

VANDERWEES FALL 2012

Gardening Author Rob Sproule

Winter Container Gardening Forcing Bulbs Indoors Bernie Whetter

Houseplants 2012 with Canada's Favourite Gardener, Ken Beattie

Backyard Birding Carrisa Nykamp

Cobi on Colour

Style and Colour with Cobi Ladner

Trends Meet Traditions Jackie Cornwall

Martha Vandepol

How to Decorate an Artificial Tree

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CONTENTS Container Gardening in the Winter 8 Gardening Author Rob Sproule Providing Cold Protection - Charlotte Roggie

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Forcing Bulbs Indoors - Bernie Whetter

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Houseplants 2012 - Canada's Favourite Gardener, Ken Beattie

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Backyard Birding – Carrisa Nykamp

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Cobi on Colour – Cobi Ladner

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Trends Meet Tradition - Jackie Cornwall

20

Fall & Winter Fashions

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How to Decorate an Artificial Tree - Martha Vandepol

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Creating Memories with Rosemary - Mark DeWolf

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6488 Mapleward Rd Thunder Bay, ON P7G 2J9 (807) 767-3666 www.vanderweeshomeandgarden.com Vanderwees Home & Garden Magazine is published by Carle Publishing Inc. All content, copyright © 2012, Carle Publishing Inc.All rights reserved.

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John Christenson Rob Sproule Bernie Whetter Jackie Cornwall Carrisa Nykamp Ken Beattie Martha Vandepol Jami Kloet Mark DeWolf Charlotte Roggie

contributors

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FROM THE OWNER T

he festive season at Vanderwees Home & Garden is one of my favourite times of the year. The garden centre is transformed, as if by magic, into a Christmas Wonderland with over thirty-five beautifully decorated trees, sparkling lights and delightful surprises around every corner. Starting in early fall, our Christmas team plan and prepare our Wonderland, coordinating colours and decorations, setting the scene for an enchanting shopping experience.

Upon the arrival of our fresh greenery, our designers set to making our fresh greenery urns and baskets which are so popular with our customers. The wonderful selection of greenery in each urn is finished with shiny ornaments and a bright bow, making it the perfect seasonal decoration for any outdoor setting.

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Christmas time at Vanderwees includes many special events starting with our Country Christmas Craft Fair in early November. Our Christmas Open House on the second weekend in November is the perfect time to see our Christmas Wonderland, and features musical entertainment, a free gift to the first 500 customers, free gourmet food demonstrations and free hot apple cider.

Children can enjoy a free craft, go on a scavenger hunt and enter contests. Our Festival of Lights, November 24th, has become a family tradition in Thunder Bay. The evening begins with a spectacular fireworks show and ends with the turning on of over 100,000 Christmas lights. Music and free hot apple cider are waiting inside the garden centre to warm hearts and spirits after the show. This weekend also features our Salute to Christmas craft fair.

I invite you to come and celebrate the wonders of the season with us at Vanderwees. We look forward to seeing you, and from myself and all our staff we wish you a very happy, healthy and safe Christmas.

John Vanderwees

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Tulips Café…

Fresh from Our Garden to You!

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lose your eyes and picture a garden full of juicy ripe tomatoes, crisp green lettuce, crunchy cucumbers, tall and tasty leeks, golden butternut squash, bright red peppers and pounds of potatoes. All of this and more go into the making of the delicious menu items at Tulips Café.

Nestled in the south corner of the garden centre, and surrounded by a stunning mural depicting scenes from Holland, Tulips Café has become the place where shoppers can stop and enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee or a full-course gourmet home-made lunch. In response to customer’s many requests for a café in the garden centre, Tulips was a welcome inclusion to the plans for the new building which was constructed in 2005. With a street scene from Amsterdam as the backdrop for the café, glasstopped bistro tables hold seating for about 32 patrons, and are enclosed by a picket fence, giving the air of an outdoor eatery. Tulips Café also has an outdoor patio, with a view of the tree nursery and new miniature golf course, and is a popular place to enjoy lunch on sunny days.

The café fare is made fresh to order and from the freshest of ingredients. Whether its Laura’s famous Leek and Potato Soup made with fresh leeks and potatoes from Joe and Laura’s garden, or the very popular Tomato and Cheese Melt made with tomatoes from our hothouse and Thunder Oak Gouda cheese, Tulips menu items are definitely homegrown!

If you smell freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, or Apple Spice muffins, you’re not dreaming. You are however most likely near Tulips as café manager Lynn is always baking up something scrumptious for the pastry case. The café’s signature Tulips Torte is a heavenly combination of pineapple, coconut and banana in a moist cake with layers of cream cheese icing. The perfect complement to the café’s desserts is their special blend of freshly brewed coffee, or their award winning Tulips Gourmet brand teas.

The teas are served at your table and timed to perfection to ensure the flavor is at its peak. For fresh-from-thegarden cuisine, where the garden is just steps away from the kitchen, visit Tulips Café at Vanderwees Home & Garden…fresh and fantastic!

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new fall styles!

same feeling. new package.

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Container Gardening in the

by Rob Sproule

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resh greens have exploded in popularity in recent years because they offer cold climate gardeners a chance to be creative outside over the holidays. Large garden centres offer dozens of varieties of boughs, not to mention branches, cones, and countless accessories that allow you to be as creative as you were in the spring.

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In this article, I’m teaming up with Megan Hahn, a professional visual artist with Salisbury Greenhouse, to show you how to create your own winter container garden one step at a time.

Recommended Varieties For outdoor use, look to cedar, pine, fir and spruce to form the foundation of your creation. Pine and spruce are very robust and are ideal for strength and structure, especially near the center.

Western red cedar is one of my favourites. It’s a playful, fragrant green and brings a deliciously smooth texture.

Silver fir is excellent because the undersides of the needles have a subtle silver tinge that glimmers under porch-lights.

There is a parade of coloured ingredients available to add visual pizzazz. Ilex, or winterberry, boasts stems of clustered red berries that catch the eye wherever they are.

Avoid Ilex with shrivelled berries or if considerable berries fall off when you handle the stem.

Stems like curly willow, dogwood, or even birch add a bold vertical appeal. Curly willow is my favourite as the twisted stems bring a jester’s twist to the overall silhouette. Choose dogwood or birch if you prefer more contemporary straight lines.

Winter Using Fresh Evergreens Making your Own Fresh Urn Megan Hahn is a designer with Salisbury Greenhouse and has been making innovative arrangements with fresh greens for years. For this article, she offered to create an urn liner, step by step, to show that anyone with a little creativity can make their own.

Here are the ingredients that Megan is using for this arrangement: 3 bundles Western Red Cedar / 2 bundles Fir / 2 bundles White Pine / 1 bundle Incense Cedar / 1 bundle Juniper or Blueberry Cedar / 1 bundle Curly Willow / decorations as desired.

She starts with a simple fibre pot. Although not gorgeous on its own, I recommend fibre or another inexpensive pot to use. Because you will be filling it with sand to hold the branches, and then water to freeze it all in place, it’s best to make the frozen mixture in a cheap pot that fits inside your decorative container.

We fill the pot with playground sand, making sure to first cover the drainage with plastic. The sand will act as florist foam, holding the branches in place.

Just as with a spring container garden, Megan starts at the centre of the pot with her strong vertical element. The only difference is that she is using branches instead of a tall sunflower or alocasia plant.

She reminds us to “position your central element depending on where the urn is in relation to the house. If it’s against the wall, consider putting the centre at the back of the pot.

If it’s going to be seen from all around, the central element should remain at the center.”

Megan suggests a pyramidal shape to the arrangement, with the branches tiering down from the centre. “Make sure to insert the branches deep enough that they

are sturdy. Cutting the ends at a sharp angle will turn them into spears, making it easier to put them into the sand.”

As she moves around the container poking in the branches, she slowly changes the angle of the stems.

From positioning stems vertically in the center, she angles them down as she moves towards the sides to create the pyramidal silhouette. Use the natural curve of the boughs to your advantage by sloping them away from the center.

“Make sure to step back periodically to look at its overall shape from a distance. Because it will be seen from the road, it needs to look good close up and far away.”

Use robust stems, like pine and fir, around the branches in the center to establish a strong structure. Save the majority of your drooping incense cedar and berried juniper for the sides. Cedar is tall but flimsy, so while it will provide central height you may need to support it by wrapping it through your curly willow.

Now is the fun part! Reach for the brightly coloured berries, the deliciously textured ribbon, the pine cones and the Christmas balls for the next step.

The sky is the limit for how creative you can be with your decorations. Some people choose a colour scheme, like lime green, and wrap chartreuse sinamay mesh around reflective green ornaments. Others, who may want a more natural look, opt to accessorize with pine cones and some simple, nostalgically oldfashioned ribbon.

Now step back and admire your creation. Add any finishing touches that inspire you and be proud of yourself: you’ve officially cheated winter by refusing to allow it to stop you from container gardening!

Photos: Megan Hahn

Rob is a published author of several gardening books including: "Gardening with Colour; Creative Design Ideas for Canadian Gardens".

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Providing Cold Protection

by Charlotte Roggie

Autumn - The leaves change, the air is crisp, we can pick fresh apples straight from the tree and, of course, there is pumpkin pie! It is also time to get your gardens ready for winter by providing that added protection.

The aim of cold protection is to insulate plants from the extreme freeze and thaw conditions of Winter.

Small trees, shrubs, climbers, root crops, strawberries and small fruit trees & bushes benefit from being wrapped in burlap. Burlap helps to shade the plants from the sun and slow the warming process caused by thaw and keeps plants dormant through any midwinter mild spells. It also helps to moderate soil temperatures.

You could also build a loose wire netting cage around the plant, tree or shrub and then pack with dry leaves or straw to serve the same purpose.

If your tree or shrub is in full sun, you may want to consider placing a burlap guard or fence around it that is about 6” – 12” away from the tree (not touching) that will provide shade from the sun, but still subject it to the cold temperatures. By doing this, you will avoid trapping in heat which may cause the tree or shrub to begin translocation, which can become damaged when night-time temperatures drop to well below zero. Plastic sheeting tied over the top also helps to keep it dry, just make sure that it doesn’t touch the plant.

For perennial plants place mulch or leaves around the plant and keep it in place with straw or evergreen pruning’s. This protection should remain on the plants until the warmer

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weather of early/mid-Spring comes along, and the risk of extreme freezing temperatures is far behind us.

For roses, there are a number of solutions that can help you protect them for winter. One option is to wait for a hard frost then mulch the roses or use a “Rose Cone”. Just be careful that it’s not done too early or during warmer daytime weather, as this can cause molding.

For less hardy roses like Hybrid T Roses, it is best to protect it by mulching it, mounding soil around the base, or if you live in a colder part of the region, you may want to trench it. To trench roses – loosen the root ball then dig a trench long enough to lay the bush into, and about 12” deeper than the width of the plant. Line the trench with a 4” layer of straw around and above the shoots. Fill in with soil, covering the plant to a depth of 12”. Place a marker on it so you don’t forget where your rose is by spring!

When you go to uncover, or dig up your roses in Spring, make sure you wait until almost mid-Spring.

If you uncover them too early, you can run the risk of having a tender rose exposed to the elements during a late frost.

Fall is also a good time to clean up any dead plant growth, divide perennials, plant Spring bulbs and fertilize gardens.

It is also a good idea to take photos and measurements for any projects you may be planning for spring. Spending snowy, winter days picking plants and planning new beds or landscape projects will help get over the winter blahs and bring a hint of Spring.

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Forcing Bulbs Indoors

by Bernie Whetter

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he term "forcing" refers to inducing a plant to produce its shoot, leaf, and flower ahead of its natural schedule and out of its natural environment. This can be done in three simple steps: 1) plant the bulb in a suitable medium, 2) subject the planted bulb to a chilling period, and 3) move the planted bulb to a warm bright location to produce its flowers.

Bulbs for forcing can be purchased at our garden centre during early winter months and are available either in bulk or as a complete kit with the bulb, pot, growing medium and instructions. Hint: these make great Christmas gifts!

Planting to flowering time varies with each species. Do some research before you begin.

Bulbs can be planted in soil or water. If using soil, a light potting soil mix, available from our garden centre, is best. Choose a pot that’s just bigger than your bulb with drainage holes. Plant the bulb so that the point is poking out of the soil. Water well and keep it moist, never allowing water to stand at the bottom of the pot.

Using water instead of soil presents an interesting view of the root development. Water culture requires a specific container whereby the bulb sits in a cup on top of a wider bottom which holds the water. Add pebbles, sea glass or marbles for effect. For multiple plantings, choose a wide container and half fill with pebbles. Set the bulbs on top and add additional pebbles to anchor them. Water level should be just touching the base of the bulb. Bulbs submerged in water will quickly rot.

Outdoors, the winter months would provide the chilling period, but indoors, this period can be mimicked by placing the bulbs in a dark cool basement or even a refrigerator with the ideal temperature at 10°C. Each species requires a different length of chilling period but generally until signs of root and shoot growth appear. Some bulbs available in garden centres 12 )

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have been “prepared” meaning they have already been subjected to a chilling period to reduce the time to flower in your home.

Once the signs of growth appear, move the bulb to a warmer, brighter location. In general, blooms last longer at 18°C and in indirect sunlight. The success rate of forcing the same bulb a second time is slim. When the flower is dead, discard the bulb and soil or maintain the vegetative plant for the rest of the winter and transplant it outside in the spring.

Popular Bulbs for Forcing Amaryllis can be planted in either soil or water culture. If planting in soil, it is best to place the base and roots of the bulb in tepid water for a few hours before planting. Bulbs purchased at our garden centre do not require a chilling period. Once planted, place in a warm location and flowers will appear in 7 to 10 weeks. An attractive new variety you may want to try called 'Rudolph' is now available at our garden centre.

Hyacinths can be planted in soil or water culture. Normally, the chilling period is approximately 15 weeks. However, prepared hyacinth bulbs require a chill period of 8 weeks. After this time, they can be moved into a room temperature area and blooms will appear in 2 -3 weeks.

Narcissus Paperwhites can be planted in soil or water culture and don’t require a chilling period. Large group plantings look better and keep the bulbs from toppling over. Set the container in the dark until the roots are developing, and then move to a sunny window. They will grow leggy if the temperature is too warm. The fragrant flowers bloom about 3 weeks after planting and will last longer if moved to indirect light.

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Houseplants 2012

by Ken Beattie Canada's Favourite Gardener Winnipeg, MB

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ith shorter days, the low light periods, and yes, we can’t forget about the low temperatures, apparently in Canada fall and winter are upon us. At any rate, the conditions for growing plants outdoors are not applicable, and the climate for growing plants indoors can be a challenge for many.

Basic science dictates that plants need light, humidity (unless cacti and desert plants are your thing) and finally, nice warm room temperatures. Many times I have witnessed unhappy plants struggling to cling onto life in some of the most challenging growing conditions imaginable.

so successful; they are virtually foolproof. These delightful, colourful flowers are relatively easy to grow and available throughout the year. Maintaining your Moth Orchid cannot be easier: simply leave them alone, water them so that the media is moist (by flooding them in the kitchen sink), place in just about any light condition and go away!

So what can a person do?

First, I recommend you start by taking inventory of where in your home sunlight penetrates, when and for how long as well as what your personal lifestyle is. Many people pick up houseplants because of an article they read, a great sale, or maybe a TV show on decorating. However what is most commonly missed when making those decisions is asking yourself what it is you do every day. Are you at home for most of the day, or away at work? Plants are not simply inert decorative items. They are alive and require attention, some more than others. So, understand that these living creatures may need attention daily or weekly, and that their needs change depending on the time of year.

Please, under no circumstances become one of those folks who say “I water every Wednesday, or once a week after the dusting.” Plants should not be scheduled this way as it rarely proves successful.

Granted, some of you may be great at keeping houseplants and have been diligent for years. Then there are the rest of you who may be new at it, or find yourself struggling to keep your plants looking healthy and lush. Whether you are a novice or veteran, I’d like to highlight a few houseplants that will probably be suitable for a good cross section of the typical Canadian household.

Let’s start with two of the most popular.

Orchids, specifically Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis), have taken the retail market by storm in recent years. It’s obvious why this common orchid has been 14 )

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When you purchase a Moth Orchid, the containers are typically either net-like or have superior drainage with several holes throughout the pot. To water your orchid, place the pot in the kitchen sink, flood it with tepid tap water and drain sufficiently. The medium orchids are grown in is basically bark chips or some other porous material. As such, the nutrient availability is next to nothing. To solve that, a balanced soluble fertilizer or a specified orchid fertilizer is recommended. Simply mix the soluble fertilizer into the water every third watering or so. That seems to work well for me. They do require lots of nitrogen due to the decomposition that occurs in the media, so a typical feed has a higher first number in the three number ratio (ie 30-10-10). Of course there are numerous other supplements, specific fertilizers and amendments for orchids that you may try as well.

Flowers are usually smaller, brightly coloured and nestled into the centres of most of the Bromeliads. Some will grow long stalks on which clusters of flowers will form in branch-like arrangements. Once finished flowering and the colour dissipates, it is best to cut the stalks off, unlike the Phalaenopsis Orchids which should have their flowering stalks left on to rebloom.

A periodic “spritzing” with tap water is healthy as it raises ambient humidity. However, a much better way to raise humidity is to place the orchid onto a wide humidity tray or saucer full of water that has pebbles in it to keep the actual orchid pot out of the water. An overturned tea saucer works well in a larger plant saucer, creating an island for the orchid. Keeping water around the plant at all times allows for increased humidity without compromising any roots from saturation, and it saves you the bother of constantly having to mist. Also, grouping like plants or plants that take similar conditions together will raise the ambient humidity for all of them. Good rationale to buy more than one orchid!

Bromeliad (pronounced “Bro – mee- lee-ad”) is a wide and diverse grouping of plants that are rather exotic and easy to maintain. Typically these plants are vase-shaped with rather tough leathery leaves. Some will have brilliant leaf markings while others appear to have been dipped in paint or splattered with droplets of color. Often the leaf edge is barbed with teeth-like appendages or saw-edged like a bread knife. One of the most interesting features of Bromeliads is how the vase-shape is a very clever water holding device. In fact, you should keep a little bit of water in the vase at all times. This will increase the humidity and is natural for these plants.

Unfortunately, once your Bromeliad has flowered, it signals a change for the mother plant and she’ll actually start to die. Pups or side shoots will appear either at the time of flowering or shortly after. So as the parent plants go downhill, the next generation are forming. This process can take many months, so be patient.

Feeding is generally not as critical for Bromeliads, however the occasional boost of either a balanced feed or fish fertilizer will not do any harm.

There is nothing like the brilliant colour of orchid blossoms mixed with a collection of neon coloured Bromeliads in mid-winter to bring an exotic touch to the home. Try both for a remarkably easy and low maintenance addition to your growing collection of houseplants and flowers.

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Backyard Birding

by Carrisa Nykamp

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ackyard birding is an enjoyable hobby for all ages.

The interest in feeding our feathered friends has increased tremendously over the past decade and is second only to gardening in hobby popularity.

If you would like to join the large group of year-round birding enthusiasts, there are three basic things you should consider: food, shelter and water.

Food: Food is the most basic of needs for our backyard feathered friends. A study released a few years ago found that feeding birds through the winter will help them raise bigger and healthier chicks. They found that birds that had to find all their own food laid the same number of eggs as those that had access to feeders. The difference was that the birds who were fed by humans laid eggs earlier, giving their babies a chance to fatten up before all the other bird families are hunting for food.

The study also found that the young grew up stronger and healthier. In the end, these families produced one more surviving young bird than the birds left on their own.

However, it is still a mystery which part of the food matters most. The researchers could not determine if it was simply the extra calories (and fat) that helped the birds, or if it was the vitamins and minerals that aided in raising their young, such as vitamin E, crucial in egg production. Peanuts, among other seeds, are rich in vitamin E. 16 )

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When researching what type of feed to put out for your birds it is best to pick up a reference guide and determine which type of birds you have in your area and want to attract. It is best to provide a number of feeder styles and types of feed to attract many different kinds of birds.

A feeder such as the Peanut Coil can be very effective and enjoyable to watch as birds fly in for a feeding. The Peanut Coil is shaped like a slinky with a circular steel frame and can be filled with peanuts in the shell, suet balls or a combination of both. The feeder has proven to be very effective at attracting Blue Jays, Woodpeckers, Chickadees and Nuthatches, to name a few.

Shelter and Housing Development: Everyone wants to live in a safe neighbourhood and birds are no exception. Here are a few pointers to help prepare your backyards for winter: Roll out the ‘Welcome’ mat by offering areas with assorted types of trees, shrubs and evergreens that will allow birds to seek shelter from the elements and from predators. As your love of birding grows, so may your landscape needs! The more variety of habitats that you create on your property, the more interest you create for your birds!

Don’t remove dead flower heads in the fall. The seed heads that are left in place on plants such as coneflowers, sunflowers and

thistle will provide a lasting source of food for finches and sparrows. Berries on trees and shrubs are also great food supplies, and often a constant source of bird chatter. Also, don’t rake too much. Dead leaves left under trees and shrubs are ideal spots for sparrows to forage for insects throughout the colder months until the snow flies.

Water: Many people put food out for birds, but fewer provide a regular supply of clean water. Birds need water for drinking and bathing, especially during the winter months in order to keep feathers in top condition. Research has shown that a chickadee with well-maintained feathers can sustain a 70 degree layer of insulation between the outside air and its skin. This is why water is particularly important during the winter months when natural supplies may be frozen.

Water can be supplied in bird baths, bubblers or moving water in water features and ponds. Moving water will attract more birds because the motion catches their eye and they can hear the water over long distances. Bird bath heaters are available for year round use.

Once you have addressed the food, shelter and water considerations, you are ready to welcome and enjoy your feathered friends all winter long.

Hours of enjoyment await you - consider getting started this season!

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Cobi on Colour

Cobi Ladner talks trendy tones for Fall

By Jami Kloet

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decorating conversation with Cobi Ladner always turns to the topic of colour. The former magazine editor turned designer has always been a fan of the brighter side of décor. So much so that when she launched her namesake brand, cobistyle, a collection of home and lifestyle products, it was her mission to add colour to a marketplace full of monotones and neutrals.

Three years later and mission accomplished. As her cobistyle brand has grown, so has the design world’s affection for all things bright and beautiful.

“This colour world that we now live in came into the marketplace last spring and it came on strong,” says Ladner with delight. “You couldn’t deny it. The whole world went to colour.”

Still riding high on spring’s vibrant invasion of colour, Ladner says she’s excited to see how these tones will transition into Fall. Though she’s never been one to label something as a trend, she admits to being thrilled over this current colour craze.

And because colour is currently trending, and because nobody loves colour like Cobi Ladner, this is one design trend she’s delighted to discuss.

Here are Ladner’s picks for Fall's prettiest pops of colour.

ORANGE Ever since the Pantone Color Institute declared “Tangerine Tango” (Pantone 17-1463) as the colour of the year for 2012, orange has been the au current colour choice in everything from fashion to furniture.

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“Orange is wonderful, fresh and new for Fall,” says Ladner. “We’ve got it in a few things in my line because it works so well.”

If you’re not a fan of typical Fall colour pairings like orange and brown, Ladner recommends orange and turquoise for a beautiful, modern mixture or orange and red for a more unconventional, yet contemporary, combination.

JEWEL TONES While Spring was bursting with bright pops of colour, Fall will feature rich jewel tones such as deep purple, blue and olive green.

“It’s still colourful, but it’s got that richness to it,” she says, adding that she’s noticed jewel toned hues in fashion accessories like handbags.

“It’s pretty beautiful. I think Fall is going to look great” RED Red is another colour on Ladner’s Fall radar.

“Red is really fresh. It’s livable, rich and warm,” she says.

It’s also one of the season’s shades that’s being coordinated into more uncommon colour combinations such as red, brown and cream, a mix Ladner thinks is wonderful for Canadian winters.

WARM NEUTRALS “Even the neutrals are rich and warm and nice,” says Ladner of the season’s pretty palette of chocolates, charcoal grays, navy blues, and even warm shades of black. “I hope it continues on for a while,” she says.

“It really works well with our Canadian Fall/Winter.”

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Trends Meet Traditions

New Looks for a Classic Season

Ahh Christmas.

Christmas is for friends, it’s for family, it’s for celebration…and of course, it’s the one time of year that no matter how much glitter you add to your décor, no one’s going to tell you that you went overboard.

If you’re like me, you pour over designer magazines for inspiration. Yet I still love going to my mother’s house to see her tree, coated in styrofoam and pipecleaner masterpieces my sister and I created when we were young. That’s the thing about Christmas décor.

There’s no reason you can’t have both. It’s a time to bring out all your favourites, to truly enjoy your home, and take pleasure in every detail.

This season, embrace all that inspires you in your décor plans. Whether your plan is to turn your home into a designer holiday dream, or simply try the latest trends in a guest or bathroom, the themes arriving for this season are the pinnacle of holiday inspiration.

I have to say, one of my favourite looks for 2012 is surprisingly earthy. Tones of cream, sage green and sky blue paired with the textures of burlap and woods bring a warm, cozy look to any room and truly stand out as something new and different. For a little added sparkle, pair this combo with soft golds or glittery chocolate to truly stand out as something unique.

Red, as always, is a Christmas winner. This year, instead of playing it safe with green, red is being combined with some more unlikely colour culprits. Red with black (yes, black at Christmas) can be dressed in glitter for a dramatic look, or mixed with plaids for a more rustic, homegrown feel.

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by Jackie Cornwall

Turquoise was a hit last season. Look for it this year paired with lime greens and dark golds, and even getting a bit wilder with pops of pinks or purple.

Metallic hues of copper, platinum, silver and gold are being spread through the house to add pizzazz to décor, and are perfect to carry your design through to New

Year celebrations. Look for shiny metallic accents setting off classic colours like burgundy or forest green to bring them new life.

Winter white continues to be a favourite.

I just love how in white décor, it’s texture more than tones that set the stage. From porcelain snowflakes to fluffy feathers, to birch bark and soft wool throw blankets, the thought of wrapping yourself in wintery white warmth is as classic as Christmas itself.

Creating ambience to go with your home décor is a key trend in whole home design this season. Lighting and fragrance are that tiny detail that put your décor over the top. Warm your room with flickering flameless candles in lanterns, on your mantlepieces, your dining table, and even use them in your tree with the help of tree candle arms. As for fragrance, the scent of Frasier fir or warm apple cider creates the ultimate invite for holiday guests.

This Christmas season is going to be a beautiful one.

Enjoy it.

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Fall and Winter Fashion

Get ready for an explosion of colour

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all and winter fashion has not been this colourful for many years; it’s warm and cozy but the colour palette has exploded to include so many colours that shopping will be fun in this dreariest of seasons!

bottom...even belts are coloured to match the bottoms but have gone skinny! If you dare, feel free to colour match colourful tops and bottoms and then layer with a dark jacket or sweater.

This Fall’s runways show ochre and burnt yellow along with different shades of orange, especially burnt orange; lipstick red turns to a burnt red and deep purple and chocolate brown continue to be strong along with forest and olive greens. Grays are deeper and even navy can be found. If you stand by the rule, “no white after labour day,” then stand aside as white for Fall and Winter is all the rage, but in shades from almost silver to French Vanilla. Never fear, the perennial black has been included as well!

Leggings and tunics are still huge and carry over from Spring but the leggings become fleece lined or corduroy.

Great news gals...waists are back up and jean jackets are back! Layering is still hot but the tops can be ¾ sleeves if you like. Skirts are all different lengths and even dresses are strong this fall.

When it comes to bottoms, skinny legs are still in but so is the boot cut and trouser leg, particularly in dark brown and indigo denim. New colours have been introduced from all over the pallette that include some metallics and many of the jewel tones, particularly sapphire blue, emerald, jade and amethyst!

Shoes and fashion jewelry have taken over from handbags and scarves as the dominant accessories. Speaking of footwear, the whole motorcycle boot and riding boot trend is in place but add in cut-off versions to the mix. Yes, you can wear socks with them...just let the socks fall low and scrunch up like they are part of the boot and keep the colour simple and solid in colour. You can even wear this combination with a skirt but never an open toe!

With a coloured bottom in place add a neutral top with a complimentary piece of jewelry... particularly gold or semi precious stones with splashes of colour to tie in the 22 )

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While flats are still fine, heels are huge and you will find them everywhere. Again the idea is colour...colour blocked patterns, T-straps, ankle straps, shoe-boots and even colourful skins along with pointed toes!

Gold is back! However, silver is still strong in fashion jewelry. Black metals and rose gold are still around but use them wisely. Don’t panic, bling is still a great way to sparkle this holiday season but fashion rings now contain large slices of stone and we are seeing this carry through to bracelets and necklaces as well. Bracelets have also gone wrap-around along with watches, while watch faces are trending back towards round.

Thanks to Princess Kate you can transform loose hair into a statement! Hair pieces and accessories are the new rage so grab some decorative barrettes, headbands or clips and make your statement!

Handbags are shrinking in size but can be colourful to match those coloured bottoms. You will also see a lot of small, coloured clutches carried over from spring for both daytime and evening wear. Riding boots and motorcycle boot trends have brought us handbags that are smaller and cross-body in a saddle bag or messenger bag shape. Even leather satchels are back and coloured so look for them in patent leather.

Speaking of patent leather...get ready for it in the Spring collection... but that is for next time!

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How to Decorate an Artificial Christmas Tree

by Martha Vandepol

The decoration of a permanent Christmas tree usually defines your décor style, and the type of style that you take the most delight in. The first step to creating a memorable Christmas tree is the purchase of the tree. If you are looking to save money and time, be sure to purchase a festive tree from your local garden centre that is a prelit tree. Select one that is well made, usually composed of PVC, plastic or a combination of both, because it will last for many years. If you like to keep your Christmas decorating simple, choose a tree that has some character, perhaps with additional pine cones, white flocking or berries, so that the tree can majestically stand on its own.

A more natural tree, such as the Canterbury or Oregon Fir tree, would be a preferred backdrop for a selection of Christmas balls, ribbons and ornaments.

The magic begins as you start to decorate your Christmas tree.

A

Christmas tree can be the most magical symbol of the festive, holiday season. Its warmth and comfort allow childhood memories to come flowing back of family gift giving and waiting for Santa to come with a large sack of presents. The Christmas tree brings heartwarming inspiration for home décor and can help to create lasting memories of the holiday season.

By being placed in the center of the living room window or tucked beside the fireplace for family gatherings, it usually is the focal point of your décor. The tree reminds us of our history and the stories of Christmases past through the collection of ornaments, ribbons, balls and twinkling lights, and will continue the story for years to come.

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By displaying your tree in an outdoor cast iron urn, or an ornate fiberglass container, you will achieve a more refined look.

Also, take the time to “fluff” your permanent Christmas tree for a more natural look and to ensure that there is enough space between the branches to display the ornaments. Just before decorating, step back to view your tree to make sure that the lights are evenly spaced and the tree is aligned correctly.

Now, the magic begins as you start to decorate your Christmas tree. You may have a theme and colour scheme predetermined from previous years, such as traditional reds and greens, elegant whites and silvers, or a classic Christmas red. Try something new and trendy by creating a gold and metallic combination, a vintage look with the use of gold, naturals and platinum shades, a fun and colourful look with multicoloured baubles, or the latest trend of frosted greens, moss and whites. Whatever your preference, there are a few

key decorating elements that will ensure that you have a showstopper tree.

When selecting your Christmas decorations, select two to three colours. If you are incorporating a new and trendy colour, use accent pillows or home décor items of the same shade in the room to tie it together. Use 2¾” ribbon or sinamay mesh to change the colour scheme at minimal cost and create a fuller looking tree. Always start from the top of the tree, working your way down and around to give a more balanced look. Set out your decorations before you begin hanging them up. Place the larger, less expensive decorations deeper in the tree which contributes to colour depth and allows the reflection of lights to create a warm glow. Sentimental ornaments should be hung at eye level so they can be the focal points of the display.

The use of non-Christmas items will make the tree more personal or unique. For instance, a lantern with a Reallite candle inside, or a candle placed on a tree arm allows for Christmas comfort and warmth, skateboards and hockey sticks for a sport themed tree, artificial flowers and poinsettias to add volume, or feathers to use as a tree topper. Add the finishing touch to the base of the tree with a velvet tree skirt or fur-lined throw, and presents that are festively wrapped.

Consider the presence of multiple Christmas trees in your home.

Maybe have a more elegant, sophisticated tree in your living room, a “kids themed” display in the family room, and various other trees placed throughout your home for festivity and warmth.

Always remember, the holidays are about celebrations, and a Christmas tree is a twinkling, glittering reflection of everything that it represents – the memories of Christmases past, the gathering of friends and family today, and the wishes for Christmases to come.

now available at

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Snoozies

This popular new foot wear, featured on many popular TV shows are soft, warm and simply adorable. We have many fun styles to choose from. They’re fully machine washable, they won’t shrink and the incredible thing is they’re under $15.

Real Lite Candles The realistic flickering flame candle from the Abbott Collection creates a true illusion of a real burning candle.

No one will ever know the difference with this patented design. Real, drip free wax is safe for children and pets.

Seasonal Must Haves Cranberry Wreath

Add the finishing touch to your front door with a 22” Cranberry Wreath. Composed of beautiful, high quality faux berries that are water resistant, it is a must for the holiday season.

Canterbury Christmas Tree

This pre-lit artificial tree is the ideal backdrop for all your Christmas ornaments and decorations. Combining molded poly, bristle branches and different textures of greens, these mixed branches create a very full, realistic and authentic looking tree for your home.

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French Fries!!!

Melrose Tree Arm

As a unique and innovative method of decorating your Christmas tree, this adjustable tree display arm allows you to place items on your tree easily and effectively. It is perfect for placing artificial candles, figurines and holiday ornaments in just the right spot on your tree.

Peanut Coil Wreath from Pinebush Home and Garden Unique, fun and multipurpose Whole Peanut Feeder. Attract Jays, Wood Peckers and other peanut loving birds. Dress it up with a bow and decorations for the holidays. A great gift idea for under $20.

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T

he earliest recordings of the use of rosemary date back two millennia. Long used for medicinal purposes and as a flavouring agent, in the Middle Ages rosemary became a symbol of remembrance. It was used both at weddings and funerals to celebrate love, fidelity and a love of life. Christmas is a time when we celebrate loved ones and memories both old and new, so why not incorporate some rosemary into your holiday celebrations?

Mark DeWolf is a food, drink and travel writer, a sommelier instructor and owns By the Glass, which takes guests on epicurean adventures around the world.

Creating Holiday Memories with Rosemary

By Mark DeWolf

Decor:

Rosemary Wreath

Rosemary trees have become very popular. Just add a few colourful decorations and instantly you have a fragrant and seasonal holiday display for your kitchen. Or if you want to get crafty, you can make a rosemary wreath.

What you’ll need: Supplies: Rosemary branches 1 5-inch grapevine wreath - available at most craft stores Clear thread Florist’s wire Scissors Twine Directions: 1. Tie 3-4 rosemary branches into small bundles at base with the clear thread.

2. Lay first bundle on the wreath and secure with the florist’s wire.

3. Overlay second bundle on top of first bundle and secure with wire. Repeat until last bundle meets up with the first bundle.

4. Fill in any empty spaces with individual branches if necessary.

5. Garnish with twine bow.

Crafty tip: Clip the branches off a rosemary tree, as they are more flexible and cost effective compared to buying individual packages from the grocery store.

Gifting Idea: Rosemary Oil

Flavoured oils make wonderful gifts for the epicureans in your life. Dry a ¼ cup of finely chopped rosemary in an oven for 4-5 minutes or set out for a few days in a warm 28 ) FALL 2012 HOME & GARDEN MAGAZINE

sunny spot (don’t use fresh rosemary as you run the risk of botulism). Place the dried rosemary in a heavy bottom pan, add a bottle of good olive oil and heat on medium until it turns colour (about 5 minutes). Let cool completely and funnel into an artisanal oil bottle. Make sure the bottle is absolutely dry. Add a couple tablespoons of pink peppercorns and you’re done. Tie a recipe onto the bottle with a colourful ribbon. Add a bottle of wine and you’ve got the promise of a wonderful night of great food and drink. This makes a great hostess gift.

Quick and Easy Appetizer:

Rosemary Skewered Lamb

Use rosemary branches in place of skewers to spruce up your holiday hors d’oeuvres routine.

16 ounces lamb loin, cubed ¼ cup lemon juice 2 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary Rosemary skewers Cherry tomatoes Zucchini slices Marinate the lamb in a bowl with the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and fresh rosemary for an hour. Place a piece of lamb, a cherry tomato and a slice of zucchini on a rosemary skewer and cook on a grill pan over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side.

Rosemary Entree:

Lemon Rosemary Shrimp 1/4 cup butter 1 clove garlic minced 1 tbsp lemon zest 24 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined Lemon wedges Salt & pepper Rosemary Oil 1. Place a large sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat; add the butter.

2. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and lemon zest.

3. Add the shrimp and sauté until center is cooked through; about 3-5 minutes.

4. Transfer the shrimp to a plate; squeeze some fresh lemon juice over top.

5. Drizzle the shrimp with rosemary oil and season with salt and pepper.

6. Add a little pizzazz to the presentation by skewering the shrimp with fresh rosemary.

Wine Pairing Tip: Rosemary & Riesling:

In Taste Buds and Molecules, Quebec sommelier François Chartier has revolutionized food and wine pairing by revealing natural flavour bridges between food and wine by connecting the molecular structure of the flavour compounds of our favourite dishes and classic grape varieties. One of the perfect harmonies revealed in the book is the complementary relationship between rosemary and Riesling. I’d suggest brushing grilled or sautéed shrimp with rosemary oil and serving it as a satisfying hors d’oeuvres at a holiday dining event.

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