Home ShowcR REVIEW EVIEW
A34 Friday, July 29, 2011, Tri-City News
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Hydrangeas ready to attract attention IN THE GARDEN Brian Minter
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irtually every welltended garden is now going through its summer cycle of colour but one flowering shrub is preparing to steal the show. Hydrangeas, next to roses, are perhaps the most common deciduous flowering shrub in West Coast gardens. The ‘macrophylla’ or ‘garden hydrangea’ was introduced to England in 1736 and since then, a whole series of beautiful plants have been developed for the home garden. When folks ask me to recommend a good vine for a shady north wall, my first choice is the climbing hydrangea, ‘anomala petiolaris’. This deciduous, fast-growing vine has four inch long, dark, heart-shaped glossy leaves. It has aerial rootlets that cling to virtually anything standing still and the plant itself will stretch to twenty feet or more, if left untrimmed. Its foliage appears quite early in the spring and lasts well into the autumn. In my opinion, it almost qualifies as an evergreen vine. The real feature of this attractive vine, however, is its large, flat white flower clusters which grow to six inches across and resemble the lace-cap varieties. This hydrangea is hardy to -25 C. which is surprising because of its lush appearance. It’s a winner in any garden and will tolerate some sun, but the foliage is far richer in a more shaded location. The white flowering hydrangea you see in late summer gardens is most likely one of the many ‘paniculata’ varieties, sometimes known as ‘P.G.’, which is short for ‘paniculata Grandiflora’. You’ve probably seen some in tree forms as many have been grafted that way. It is quite easy to select one strong branch and train it into a tree form. Believe it or not, many of these hydrangeas are Prairie hardy, tolerating temperatures of -40 C. Given time, the plant itself can become almost a tree, stretching up to twenty feet in height, but most folks like to keep them trimmed back to around six feet to conform to most garden situations. Massive, pendulous coneshaped flowers appear in late July and often last until late September when they take on a reddish-pinkish hue. The foliage of this fine garden plant also turns a rich bronze in fall, so it is a colourful accent in your autumn garden. The newest kid on the block is ‘Limelight’ with pure lime flowers that provide a ‘wow’ accent, before turning cream then pink. ‘Little Lime’ is a more compact form, making it ideal for smaller space gar-
dens. ‘Little Lamb’, also a P.G., grows about 5 ft. x 5 ft. and has masses of small white flowers that look like dancing lambs floating about this compact shrub. ‘Angel’s Blush’ is a relatively new variety that blooms white then immediately turns pink and holds that colour. ‘Pink Diamond’ is very similar, as is ‘Pinky Winky’. ‘Bombshell’ is a brand new dwarf from Ball Ornamentals that grows only 2.5 ft. tall and 3 ft. wide and has more flowers per plant than any other hydrangea. It’s also very long blooming. ‘Lace Cap’ hydrangeas have certainly drawn the most interest during the past few years. They are called ‘Serrata’ or ‘Lace Cap’ because a cluster of sterile flowers in the centre are surrounded by large florets of traditional hydrangea blossoms. The effect is really quite charming and in shady locations they seem to outlast the ‘macrophylla’ or common varieties. Like the big-leafed hydrangeas, however, the blossoms will turn a beautiful sea-blue in acid soils and pink or reddish-purple in chalk soils. Remember: you can change their colour by adding lime to keep them pink or aluminum sulphate to make them blue. There are now white ‘Lace Cap’ varieties that look classy and elegant in any setting and they do not change colour. One of the lesser known hydrangea varieties is the ‘quercifolia’ or ‘oak-leafed’ hydrangea. This handsome shrub has rather large leathery leaves resembling oak leaves and it grows to about six feet high. This is a great plant for heavily shaded areas because its creamy white flowers, which appear in June, brighten up those dull spots and its foliage, which turns a bright scarlet-crimson in fall, is really outstanding. Unfortunately, this oak-leafed variety is often quite hard to locate in nurseries. For small space gardens, there are now several true dwarf varieties that stay within the three foot range. ‘Pia’, ‘Winning Edge’ and ‘Pink Elf ’ are some of the cutest little garden gnomes you’ve ever seen. The truly big news is the first ever ‘macrophylla’ type that blooms on new wood. For those buds that get frozen out in a bad winter and for those of us who prune our hydrangea to the ground each spring and get no blooms, this variety is the answer. Amazingly, they bloom beautifully on new growth. ‘Endless Summer’ is the name and it’s a ‘must have’ for your garden. Most hydrangeas are very versatile, but they prefer moist soil and bloom far longer with some shelter from the intense afternoon sun. They are one great garden plant. Why not plant two or three varieties in your garden.
NO
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www.thewatermark.ca Top 20 Realty
The model is an artist representations and is not necessarily an accurate depiction.
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Tri-City News Friday, July 29, 2011, A35
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Marketing & Sales by: Portrait Homes Realty Ltd.
A36 Friday, July 29, 2011, Tri-City News
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Smooth buying experience the norm in Lower Mainland
Home-buying doesn’t need to be stressful Everyone has heard horror stories about buying a new home. Homes not being finished on time. Salespeople looking down their nose at you when you don’t decide to install those hardwood floors. And of course, the worry that it won’t live up to your expectations. Those nightmares are rarely a reality in the Lower Mainland, with its range of wonderful builders, all of whom are committed to providing a smooth, seamless buying experience for every single customer. “There were no problems with the buying process,” says Kseniya Stepanova. “It was quick and smooth.” Stepanova and partner Arseniy Tkachuk purchased a home in Vancouver’s Maynards Block, a project built by Aquilini Development and Construction. Their home is still being built, but Stepanova
was impressed by the flexibility. “We have actually changed our mind in the process and moved up two floors, so we had to come back a second time – all was good.” South of the Fraser River, Corina Accili had a fantastic experience with Benchmark Homes, the builders of the Yorkson South development. “Benchmark was wonderful to work with,” she says. “Everything has been painless.” She was particularly impressed by the staff at Benchmark, saying that everyone from the sales staff to the project manager have been great. Buying a home can be stressful (even when it’s good stress), but perhaps the experiences of Accili, Stepanova and Tkachuk will turn those nightmares to dust.
‘We have been overwhelmed with phone calls and visits to our open houses’
Heritage Woods welcomes The Views by Kerry Vital
You won’t find a much more exclusive community than ParkLane’s The Views at Heritage Woods. With just five townhomes available, The Views is a true example of great value for a lower price point. “The Views offers the very rare opportunity to own a brand-new home in an already established community,” says ParkLane General Manager of Sales and Marketing Yosh Kasahara. The development is set in the heart of ParkLane’s master-planned community of Heritage Woods on Heritage Mountain in Port Moody. With over 15 other single-family and multi-family projects at the development, The Views is right at home with previous projects like Echo Ridge and Creekside, among
“
The Views offers a very rare opportunity to own a brandnew home in an already established community,” says General Manager of Sales and Marketing Yosh Kasahara.
builders read your mind. Maple shakerstyle cabinets complement the stoneslab counters, and a high-end stainlesssteel appliance package will have you cooking up a delicious meal in minutes. At the end of the day, everyone wants to kick off their shoes and relax. The master bedrooms at The Views have been built for this, with lush carpeting, private balconies, huge walk-in closets and an ensuite featuring his-and-hers sinks and a separate soaker tub. The bottom floor features a fully finished recreation room, perfect for turning into a media room or home theatre, and double garage. One of the biggest selling points at The Views is, obviously, the stunning views. “You can see everything from
Mount Baker to the Gulf Islands from this community,” Kasahara says. Buyers who are planning to work from home will find it easy at The Views, as the townhomes are zoned for a live/work space, according to Kasahara. All five homes are completed and ready to move in to, Kasahara says. “We have been overwhelmed with phone calls and visits to our open houses by people who are interested in purchasing here ... people don’t want to miss out.” The townhomes at The Views at Heritage Woods are 1,793 or 1,798 square feet, and start at $569,900. To make an appointment to see the homes, visit theviews.parklane.com or call 604-961-3559.
others. ParkLane has won several awards for Heritage Woods, including more than 30 Georgie Awards given out by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of British Columbia. The homes come standard as a two-bedroom and loft, but Kasahara says they can be converted to a threebedroom for no extra charge. Every home features a great roomstyle layout with a nine-foot ceiling, adding to the sense of spaciousness that comes standard at The Views. In the kitchen, owners will no doubt be quickly taking advantage of the large workspaces, islands and pantries that are so perfectly situated it’s as if the
Martin Knowles photos
Central RE/MAX realtor Jenny Wun enjoys the living room at ParkLane’s The Views at Heritage Woods. Every detail has been thought out at the development, including lush carpeting in the master bedroom (left top), natural landscaping (left) and generous workspaces in the kitchen (top.)
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Tri-City News Friday, July 29, 2011, A37
TYPE
1BD + Den (Plan A,A1)
SIZE (SQ. FT.)
STARTING PRICE
YOUR SAVINGS*
732
$382,900
$22,576
2BD + 2BTH (Plan B,B1)
853 – 863
$431,900
$29,093
2BD + 2BTH (Plan C,C1,C2,C3,C4,C5)
941 – 978
$436,900
$29,758
1170 – 1345
$679,900
$55,338
1356
$619,900
$48,138
PENTHOUSE (2BD or 3BD) TOWNHOME (3BD)
A38 Friday, July 29, 2011, Tri-City News
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COMING THIS FALL
HIGHER LIVING
AT UNIVERCITY REGISTER
Offering affordable studios and one bedroom suites next to world class education, Highland House is a great first home and a smart longterm investment.
TODAY @
LIBERTY HOMES.CA
This is not an offering for sale. Any such offering may only be made with a disclosure statement. E.&O.E.
5
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CO HA NS HS S S TR T U T IN AR CTI CL TE ON UD D ED *
INITIAL INITIAL DEPOSIT DEPOSIT MEANS MEANS YOU YOU OWN OWN WITH AS LITTLE WITH AS LITTLE AS AS $14,600* $14,600*
BUY SMARTER 5 EASY STEPS TO YOUR FIRST HOME 1 Come see Grand Central and fall in love with one of our homes 2 Own with a low 5% initial deposit when you write your contract 3 Pay your mortgage - not your landlord 4 Pay a second 5% deposit in 90 days 5 Pay nothing more until you move into Grand Central in the summer of 2012*
ONE BEDS FROM $292,000 · TWO BEDS FROM $359,000 2929 ATLANTIC AVENUE, COQUITLAM BC · OPEN DAILY 12-5PM, CLOSED FRIDAYS OR BY APPOINTMENT
604 936 1888 GRANDCENTRALNOW.COM *The developer reserves the right to make modifications to the information contained herein. Photographs and renderings are representational only and may not be accurate. Some conditions and additional requirements within the deposit structure apply. Please see a Grand Central sales representative for details. E.&O.E.
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A40 Friday, July 29, 2011, Tri-City News
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