Homes & Design / Lake Living October 2021

HOME IMPROVEMENT

OCTOBER 2021

Homes & Design HOME Buyer,Owner &Renter FEATURING

~ Published by Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC

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Renovating your home?

Spending on home improvement projects is growing at twice the rate of other retail categories in the United States. As the economy recovers and home prices rise, more homeowners are choosing to invest in remodeling projects to stay on trend.

STOCK PHOTO Homes

Homes & Design Fall Home Improvement October 2021 Published by Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC 1102 Ann St. Delavan, WI 53115 262-728-3411

Plant shade On bright and hot days, solar rays enter the home from different angles and overheat various living spaces. A tree in bloom can block up to 70% of radiation, while also adding beautiful landscaping to your property.

Invest in a ductless unit A ductless system is an ideal solution for homeowners with limited space or older homes, as advanced technology enables the preservation without major construction or intrusion. Carrier’s Ductless Performance Series high wall unit (40MAHB) with a 38MARB outdoor unit is a simple, costeffective solution to control the temperature of individual spaces within a home while requiring minimal maintenance.

The complete system creates a

Homes & Design Fall Home Improvement featuring

Home Buyer

connected, energy-efficient home designed to have lower labor, installation, and operational costs. Traditional ductwork does not provide mix-and-match flexibility, but Carrier Ductless offers single or multizone outdoor units that are compatible with high wall units, ducted, floor console, and ceiling cassette indoor units, allowing you to customize systems for premium comfort.

Consider VRF Variant Refrigerant Flow systems are versatile and powerful. In fact, a VRF single-phase heat pump designed for residential use delivers similar flexibility and control to that of a standard VRF system used to heat and cool large office buildings or industrial spaces.

Carrier offers VRF systems that are easy to install, use, and maintain and do not require existing ductwork. Plus, the entire system can be run from a central location. Homeowners can also take advantage of VRF equipment CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

For advertising opportunities, call 262-725-7701, ext.

134, or email vicki@southernlakesnewspapers.com SPECIAL SECTIONS: Tracy Ouellette CREATIVE/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Heidi Schulz ADVERTISING: Vicki Vanderwerff SECTION DESIGNER: Jennifer DeGroot

OCT. 2021

As the pandemic continues to keep many Americans in their houses, home improvement projects are on the rise. With long durations of time spent at home, more homeowners value a comfortable and functional living space. Today, renovation and repair are preferred by 61% of people over relocation.

One key aspect of creating a comfortable, connected and healthier home is its heating and cooling system. There are multiple considerations in implementing temperature and airflow control as part of a home improvement project.

More than half of homes in the U.S. were built before 1980. It’s crucial to maintain the durability of a home with quality heating and cooling systems that will last, while still preserving the architecture of an older home.

As homeowners tackle improvement projects, they can take steps now to improve a home’s temperature and airflow control with these feasible tips:

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Don’t forget the heating and cooling system

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5 ways to

boost your home’s curb appeal

The entrance of your home should be your first point of focus. A great way to work with what you already have is to add color to your concrete walkway and steps.

Concrete can wear over time and become somewhat of an eyesore and dull in nature.

Staining is an easy and perfect way to soften up the look of concrete in any landscape and many colors of stain are available to complement your outdoor spaces. Always remember to pressure wash your concrete before staining it to remove dirt. This is important as you need a clean surface so that the stain can absorb easily and evenly. A clean surface will also help the stain soak entirely through.

Trim hedges and shrubs

Bushes, hedges and shrubs possess a natural beauty that can boost the curb appeal of your home, while providing an attractive complement to lawns, trees,

STOCK PHOTO Homes

gardens and hardscapes. Well-trimmed plants also prevent your outdoor spaces from looking overgrown and open up walkways and sightlines. Consider pruning low-hanging branches that obscure the view of your home from the road and reduce the aesthetic impact of your landscaping features.

Don’t forget to mulch

After trimming your hedges and shrubs for definition and planting flowers, add two to four inches of mulch to your beds. Mulch keeps weeds down and helps dissipate heat from the sun to protect the soil from drying out, and it also provides a refined look to your landscape. As an alternative to mulch, you can purchase wood chips made of bark.

Plant flowers

Pick flowers with colors that

complement the house colors, which will bring softness to the front yard. Be sure to choose plants that are climate appropriate and thrive in your area; local nurseries are great resources for this. Consider using an auger instead of a shovel to help get through the planting process quickly. Also, be sure to spread your new plants out so that they have enough room to grow and thrive.

Add a finishing touch

To draw the eye toward the entryway of your home, hang a wreath on the front door, place a potted plant near the steps and add a water feature such as a self-circulating fountain. Water features such as ponds and fountains can add an architectural element to soften your landscape design and may also attract natural wildlife to your yard.

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RENOVATING • CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 that allows for multi-zone application within a compact footprint, allowing comfort and efficiency at the same time.

Clean system Dust and other indoor pollutants tend to populate in overlooked areas of the home. During home improvement projects, it’s best to call a professional for system cleaning, which will allow you to

continue renovations and design for better temperature and airflow control.

The home improvement industry isn’t set to slow down any time soon. Find unique, innovative ways to renovate your home’s temperature and airflow control system by reaching out to a Carrier dealer to explore Carrier Residential’s expansive suite of Ductless and VRF solutions.

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OCT. 2021

Create a welcoming walk

Whether you’re a seller trying to create an unforgettable memory for a prospective buyer, or a new homeowner trying to make your home more inviting, these landscaping improvements are easy ways to boost your home’s curb appeal.

HOMES & DESIGN • HOME BUYER, OWNER & RENTER

It’s no secret that the U.S. housing market is booming right now. According to realtor.com, “Strong demand and insufficient supply pushed home prices up at a record-breaking 16.6% pace. The combination of historically low mortgage rates, businesses reopening and the lifting of pandemic restrictions fueled a buying frenzy with multiple bids,” creating a seller’s market, while making the path to home ownership difficult for some buyers.

Whether you’re purchasing a fixer-upper as an attainable option to home ownership or selling your home and want to create a positive first impression, licensed landscape contractor, author, TV personality and STIHL spokesperson Sara Bendrick suggests five ways to boost your home’s curb appeal.

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HOMES & DESIGN • HOME BUYER, OWNER & RENTER

OCT. 2021

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Creative ways to

transform your kitchen

Adding color doesn’t need to be expensive or time-consuming. For instance, small appliances are to kitchens what throw pillows are to couches. Look for small, countertop kitchen appliances with a color you love and put them on display.

Get creative with colorful art. Dress up your floors with a colorful runner.

Paint something - an accent wall, a nook, woodwork, or if you’re an experienced DIY-er, cabinets. You hold the palette, so go ahead and make your statement.

Warm up countertops

If you want to add a bit of natural warmth to your kitchen, consider butcher block countertops from LL Flooring, which offers an array of beautiful options.

“There is nothing like the warmth and durability of wood to add timeless style to

Make it cozy

Because people tend to congregate in the kitchen, invite them to stay awhile by installing a modern seating area. Get creative with counter seating, or carve out a cozy nook in a corner. Banquet seating or a bench at a window-side table can give your kitchen an inviting atmosphere.

Our lives are busy, and kitchen seating is a multitasking hero. Seating that’s both comfortable and functional allows you to spend time with children as they study, or socialize with guests while cooking a meal.

Light it up

Updating your light fixtures can make a night-and-day difference in the mood of your kitchen. The easiest to install is pendant lighting that you plug into the wall. Hang a hook from the ceiling and swoop the cord over it and voila, you’ve got modern lighting. When in doubt,

recessed lighting is always on trend.

Installing it with a dimmer switch may require professional installation, but the end result is worth it. Need a quicker fix?

Make a statement by replacing outdated fixtures with decorative track lighting, a lightbar over the kitchen island or an artistic chandelier.

Spotlight the floor

Fresh flooring can greatly revitalize your kitchen, instantly sprucing up any dull décor with a timeless product that is resilient, waterproof, durable and attractive.

LL Flooring offers hundreds of waterproof styles to choose from, including the new CoreLuxe Americana collection, a line of extra-durable vinyl flooring in natural wood hues that are sure to enhance your décor. “Each of the Americana floors brings the natural colors and hues of the great American outdoors into your home with on-trend design and do-anything performance,” says Meska.

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Breathing new life into your kitchen can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it.

Start small and go big, or start big and accent with small touches of color. Make it yours, and make it inviting.

STOCK PHOTO Homes

OCT. 2021

Color your world

your kitchen,” says Jennifer Meska, design expert at LL Flooring. “Classic styles like American Walnut are one of the most highly sought-after domestic hardwood choices.”

Adding to the benefits of butcher block, the close grain of the wood provides a smooth, scratch-resistant surface that’s easy to clean.

HOMES & DESIGN • HOME BUYER, OWNER & RENTER

The kitchen is famously the go-to room of the house where family and friends gather to spend time together, so it should be a space that you enjoy hanging out in. If your kitchen’s décor is starting to look a little tired, you can always freshen things up by adding modern and functional touches. Here are five ideas – from simple to complex – that can transform your kitchen from tired to top-notch.

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On the garden path

Letting healthy perennials, like coneflower, stand for winter provides food for birds, winter interest and homes for many beneficial insects.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PASQUESI HOME AND GARDENS Homes

Help your lawn recover from the stresses of summer and prepare for winter with fall fertilization. University research found fall fertilization is most beneficial for home lawns. Fall fertilization encourages deep roots and denser growth that is better able to compete with weeds and tolerate disease and insect pests.

Always sweep grass clippings and chemicals off walks and drives and back into the lawn where they belong. This simple step keeps unwanted nutrients out

of waterways and eventually our drinking water.

Add some spring color by planting daffodils, grape hyacinths, tulips, and other spring flowering bulbs this fall. It is also a good time to add trees, shrubs, and perennials to the landscape. The soil is warm and air cool, making it less stressful for plants to adjust to their new home.

Mulch new plantings and water thoroughly CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

HOMES & DESIGN • HOME BUYER, OWNER & RENTER

Fall is a season of transition and that includes your garden. Make the most of beautiful fall days to enjoy your garden and prepare your landscape for the winter ahead.

Put fall leaves to work in your landscape improving By your soil, reducing MELINDA maintenance, and creating MYERS winter homes for toads, Columnist frogs, and beneficial insects.

Mow over the leaves that land on the lawn.

It may take a couple passes but once the fall leaves are the size of a quarter you can leave them on the lawn to add organic matter and nutrients to the soil.

Or mow, bag and add the shredded leaves to annual flowers or vegetable gardens. Dig several inches of shredded leaves into the top 8 to 12 inches of garden soil. The leaves will decompose over winter, adding organic matter to the soil.

Still more leaves; add them to the compost pile. Mixing this carbon rich plant debris to greens like plant-based kitchen scraps, manure, and worm castings makes for great compost.

Use leaves as mulch on the soil around the base of perennials. They suppress weeds, conserve moisture, insulate the roots and add organic matter to the soil as they decompose. Leaves also provide winter homes and insulation for insects, toads and frogs that overwinter in leaf litter or just below the soil surface.

Leave healthy perennials stand for winter. They add winter interest to the landscape, provide homes for many beneficial insects and the seeds of Rudbeckia, coneflower, liatris, and others provide food for the birds. These winged visitors add welcome color and motion to the often, gray days of winter.

Take time to remove any dead, damaged and diseased stems, and branches. Disinfect your tools between cuts to reduce the risk of spreading disease to healthy plants.

Clean tools with a spray disinfectant or 70% alcohol between cuts to manage disease organisms without harming your tools.

Refresh mulch around trees and shrubs.

Maintaining a three-inch layer helps conserve moisture, insulates the roots from temperature extremes, reduces competition from the lawn for water and nutrients and improves the soil as it decomposes. Pull mulch away from the trunk of trees and stems of shrubs. Piling mulch over these can lead to rot, decline and early death of the plants.

OCT. 2021

Preparing your landscape for winter

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Homes moved at record pace in August

Statewide trends

Here are some of the statewide trends noted by the WRA in its August analysis: • August home sales fell 6.3% compared to their levels in August 2020, whereas the median price rose 6.4% to $250,000 over that same 12-month period.

• For the second straight month, sales fell in every region of the state, and they dropped the most in the North and Central regions, down 19.1% and 3.7%, respectively.

The Northeast region saw its August sales fall 9.8% compared to 12 months earlier, whereas the South Central, Southeast and West regions all fell by much smaller margins: the South Central region was down 2.2%, the Southeast region was down 2%, and the West region was down 2.9%.

• Overall, this has been a solid summer for home sales, with closings for June, July and August just 5.6% below the record summer home sales recorded in 2020.

• Year to date, statewide sales are ahead of the pace recorded in 2020, with 56,503 sales in the first eight months of 2021, up 2.7% over the January-August period in 2020. The median price is up 10.6% to $240,000 over that same period.

• Housing affordability slipped slightly, falling 3.6% over the last 12 months. Still, Wisconsin housing remains affordable, according to the WRA. A qualified buyer with median family income can afford to purchase 189% of the median-priced home, assuming a 20% down payment and the remaining balance financed with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

“Strong demand and weak supply create ideal conditions for strong price appreciation, and that’s exactly what we’ve been seeing over the past year,” said Michael Theo, president and CEO of the WRA. “However, there are some preliminary signs that the double-digit price home price increases may be moderating slightly. The annual rate of appreciation was over 14% in May and June, and it fell to just over 10% in July and to 6.4% in August. That is welcome news since unsustainable price increases can reduce demand, keeping creditworthy buyers out of purchasing homes.”

HOMES & DESIGN • HOME BUYER, OWNER & RENTER

of homes sold was most prominent in Walworth County, which saw sales fall 18.6% in August compared to the same month in 2020. Racine County saw a 4.5% decline and Kenosha County sales were essentially flat. Waukesha County declined 9.6%.

Rock County was one of the few outliers in the area with an increase of 19.5% in the same August comparison.

Not surprisingly, Walworth County also led the way an increase in the median price of 15.8%. Median prices were up significantly in all area counties with the exception of Racine County, where the median fell 4.4%.

OCT. 2021

Fewer listing, high competition reduce days on market

Homes for sale in Wisconsin are moving at a record pace mainly due to the lack of inventory and high level of competition for each listing, according to the Wisconsin Realtors Association.

Homes continue to sell quickly with average days on the market at the recordlow level of 65 days for the second straight month. This compares to 88 days in August of last year. This is the lowest level for days on the market since the WRA began tracking this data in January 2005.

Inventories remain well below the levels of last year, with total listings in August 10.2% lower than 12 months earlier, according to the WRA’s recent market analysis. There were just 3.4 months of available supply, down from 4.2 months in August 2020.

“Given the supply problem, it’s not surprising that sales this summer have not quite kept up with the record pace established last summer,” said Mary Duff, chairman of the WRA. “Even though Realtors have been moving homes quickly, they can only sell what’s on the market, so we’ll continue to struggle to increase our sales on a year-over-year basis until the inventory situation improves.”

Homes moved even faster in the eightcounty Southeast Wisconsin area with the average time of the market 58 days in August, compared to 72 days in August 2020.

Locally, the decline in the number

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home and property sales Here is a listing of recent single-family home, condominium and vacant land sales in Kenosha, Racine and Walworth counties. The information is provided through the Multiple Listing Service.

Waterford • 25324 S Wind Lake Rd..............$ 360,000 • 640 Hickory Hollow Rd..............$ 356,000 • 8515 Halverson Rd....................$ 370,000 Burlington • 30737 Wild Goose Ln................$ 397,000 • 30810 Hunters Glen Rd.............$ 574,000 • 33305 Fairview Ct......................$ 120,000 • 217 Amanda St..........................$ 147,000 • 7830 Park St..............................$ 214,865 Union Grove • 163 11th Ave..............................$ 428,000 • 15826 Washington Ave..............$ 424,000 • 2040 Norfolk Ct..........................$ 439,900 Franksville • 2928 S 76th St...........................$ 325,000 • 8610 Keri Ct...............................$ 360,000 Mount Pleasant • 2820 Wexford Rd.......................$ 365,000 • 5322 Zachary Dr.........................$375,000 • 2240 Rivershore Dr....................$ 399,900 Wind Lake • 25011 W Loomis Rd..................$ 236,000

CONDOS Sturtevant • 1517 92nd St 67........................$ 180,500 Mount Pleasant • 1121 Sunnyslope Dr 8U............$ 145,000 • 6551 Mariner Dr 7......................$ 148,000 Racine • 4 Gaslight Dr 310.......................$ 170,000 • 4 Gaslight Dr 303.......................$ 205,000

VACANT LAND Kansasville • 2615 Lakeshore Dr....................$ 350,000 Sturtevant • Lt 27 90th St.................................$ 47,900

WALWORTH COUNTY SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES Walworth • 406 Third St................................$ 265,000 • 219 Windmill Ln.........................$ 285,000 • 122 Allen St Lt50.......................$ 308,500 Delavan • 118 N Seventh St.......................$ 170,000 • 720 Holland Ave.........................$ 195,000

CONDOS Delavan • 628 Westbury Ln 2.....................$ 195,000 Fontana • 271 Fontana Blvd 529................$ 182,000 Lake Geneva • 111 Center St.............................$ 157,900 • 10 Zurich Ct 10-05.....................$ 175,000 • 1051 Mobile St 1........................$ 274,000 Genoa City • 1400 Hunters Ridge Dr 61.........$ 163,500 Elkhorn • 626 N Sandy Ln 2......................$ 190,000 Williams Bay • 91 Potawatomi Rd B4................$ 295,000 • 9 Wildwood Ct B........................$ 300,000

VACANT LAND Delavan • N6405 Racine Dr.........................$ 30,000

Lake Geneva • Lt0 Quail Rd.................................$ 40,000 • Lt 15 Woodstone Ln.....................$ 86,000 Elkhorn • Lt2 County Road A....................$ 100,000 East Troy • 2765 Main St 2799.....................$ 245,000 Williams Bay • 54 Oak Birch Dr......................$ 1,000,000

KENOSHA COUNTY SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES Trevor • 12502 234th Ave........................$ 175,000 • 23441 125th St..........................$ 200,000 Silver Lake • 895 School St............................$ 382,500 Twin Lakes • 353 Indian Point Rd...................$ 760,000 • 1611 Esch Rd............................$ 179,900 • 35811 89th St............................$ 190,000 Wheatland • 8417 399th Ave..........................$ 475,000 Salem • 25907 76th Pl.............................$ 546,073 • 24204 64th St............................$ 128,000 • 7723 242nd Ave.........................$ 136,000 Randall • 38909 92nd St...........................$ 219,900 Pleasant Prairie • 12335 85th Ave..........................$ 433,000 • 8429 East Ridge Dr...................$ 410,000 • 4318 110th St............................$ 424,400 • 10001 Cooper Rd......................$ 444,900 • 1375 110th St............................$ 470,000 Bristol • 20403 81st St.............................$ 401,500 • 6073 203rd Ave..........................$ 490,970

CONDOS Salem • 9000 226th Ct 29B.....................$ 400,000

VACANT LAND Wheatland • 6312 368th Ave............................$ 97,500 Kenosha • 3803 17th Pl.................................$ 80,000 Salem • Lt44 259th Ave.............................$ 84,900 Pleasant Prairie • Lt34 Creekside Cir.....................$ 122,900

OCT. 2021

SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES

• 508 Breezy St............................$ 195,500 • 214 Vine St.................................$ 215,000 • 621 Park Ave..............................$ 185,000 • 341 Ray St.................................$ 215,000 Whitewater • 1027 W Walworth Ave................$ 174,000 • 288 S Janesville St....................$ 200,000 • 271 S Janesville St....................$ 192,500 Genoa City • N1166 Sandalwood Dr..............$ 195,000 • N1021 Rose Dr..........................$ 200,000 Elkhorn • 105 N Griffin St..........................$ 252,900 • 402 N Broad St..........................$ 255,000 • 623 W Estate Ct.........................$ 274,000 • 33 W Sedgemeadow St.............$ 335,000 Williams Bay • 423 Maple Ln.............................$ 410,000 Lake Geneva • 3029 W Circle Dr........................$ 275,000 • N3354 Jute Rd...........................$ 310,000 • W3620 Linnwood Ave................$ 325,000 • N3195 Fern Rd..........................$ 342,000 East Troy • 1964 Townline Rd......................$ 324,000 • W844 Shorewood Dr.................$ 389,000 Darien • 126 Pine Tree Ln........................$ 279,000 Lyons • 5021 Sherwood Ct.....................$ 835,000 Fontana • 132 Lake Vista Cir......................$ 760,000

HOMES & DESIGN • HOME BUYER, OWNER & RENTER

RACINE COUNTY

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CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE For Sale by Owner 3 BEDROOM 1 BATH/LAUDERDALE LAKE AREA 1.11 acres, 2 car ga., needs work. N7279 US HWY 12. $150,000. Keefe Realty.

FOR RENT Rochester Apartments 1BR, 1 STORY on wooded lot. Private entry, incl. appl. & water. $800/mo + sec. Newly updated. 262-412-4340.

Twin Lakes Apartments 1 BR IN TWIN LAKES For those 62+ or disabled of any age. Laundry on site, off street parking, elevator and community room! Settle into your new home before the snow starts to fly! Call 262-877-2212 to schedule a private tour with our friendly on site manager! Equal opportunity provider and employer.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Houses/Town/ Condos DELUXE ROCHESTER TOWNHOUSE with deck overlooking water. Master bedroom 1st floor w/full bath & 2 closets, Washer & dryer laundry room 1st floor. Kitchen w/ stove, fridge, dishwasher & micro.

2 bedrooms w/full bath lower level.

2 car garage w/opener. Blinds furnished. Hardwood flooring BR & Living room. Bath & kitchen linoleum.

Carpet stairs, loads of storage. Central air, sewer, water & garbage incl. in rent.

NO PETS/NO SMOKING References & security required.

Rent $1,175. per month & security $1,175. Available. Call 1-262-5342079 for application.

CALL 262.728.3411 TO PLACE YOUR AD

WESTSIDE N1882 WI 120 Lake Geneva, WI LANDSCAPE PRODUCTS, INC. 262-949-4188

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LANDSCAPE SUPPLY YARD

If you’re looking to add some spring color to your garden, fall is the perfect time to plant spring bulbs. Spring flowering bulbs include tulips, daffodils, grape hyacinths, crocus, snowdrops and others. Plant before the ground freezes to enjoy the flowers next spring.

Wide Variety Of Decorative Stone, Gravel, Steps and Boulders Variety of Mulches & Topsoil

STOCK PHOTO Homes

ON THE GARDEN PATH • CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

SALE!

$3.00 OFF PER YARD SAND - GRAVEL - MULCH On Sale Through The End Of The Season

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HOMES & DESIGN • HOME BUYER, OWNER & RENTER

OCT. 2021

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND CONTRACTORS

whenever the top few inches of soil are crumbly and moist.

Continue watering new and existing plantings as needed until the ground freezes.

Once the garden is prepared for winter, you can put away the hoses and garden tools, break out the snow shovels and wait for spring to arrive.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardener’s Handbook and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV and radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine.

Her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

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OCT. 2021

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HOMES & DESIGN • HOME BUYER, OWNER & RENTER

OCT. 2021

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